The 6th annual Micheaux Film Festival returns from Monday, October 21st to Sunday, October 27th, 2024, at The Culver Theater, celebrating the groundbreaking legacy of Oscar Micheaux. This year’s theme, “Champions,” honors filmmakers who push through challenges to bring their visions to life.
Festival founders Noel Braham and Courtney Branch shared their excitement: “We are honored to celebrate Oscar Micheaux’s legacy and spotlight contemporary filmmakers who mirror his pioneering spirit.” The festival will feature more than 250 films, ranging from short films and features to documentaries and new media series, with additional virtual screenings.
READ: 23+ New Holiday Movies Releasing in 2024 With Black Leads
Big names like Viola Davis and Morris Chestnut are will be featured, with projects such as The Ebony Canal, narrated by Davis, and The Origin, produced and starring Chestnut. The festival is also focusing on social issues, highlighting films that explore homelessness and other pressing topics.
Beyond film screenings, attendees can expect panel discussions with Hollywood executives, agents, and managers, workshops, and networking opportunities, creating a space for industry professionals and film enthusiasts alike to connect. The festival also emphasizes community, partnering with local nonprofit Peggy Beatrice Foundation, and featuring sponsors like Roku, Panavision, and LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
With over 4,500 guests anticipated, the Micheaux Film Festival continues to live up to its reputation as a ‘Transformational Journey, not a Transactional Event,’ fostering a space where filmmakers from all backgrounds can elevate their stories and connect with diverse audiences. For more information and to get tickets, click here.
Check out the full line up below.
Radical Act
Dir./Prod: Sandrine Orabona
EPs: Eric Austin, Philip Byron, Maverick Carter, Kimberly Doebereiner, Sirena Grace
Synopsis: An inspirational feature documentary about Renee Montgomery, the first former WNBA player to be both a co-owner and executive of a WNBA team. The feature documentary is an intimate portrait of Renee and the experiences that formed her character, from growing up in West Virginia to winning a national title at the University of Connecticut, then going on to capture two WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx. The documentary follows Renee’s transition from player to front office and reflects how family and community helped turn Renee’s integrity into a game changer.
Desde La Raiz
Dir./Prod: Paulina Gamiz, Gus Sánchez
EPs: Ray Jimenez, Jaime Camil
Cast: Jaime Camil (Jane the Virgin)
Synopsis: In this four part docu-series, actor Jaime Camil (Jane the Virgin) will explore origins and meaning of Mexican products like coffee, chile, corn, and mezcal. Camil describes the series as “a love letter to México and some of the country’s richest heritage and legendary commodities.”
Docuseries | Runtime: 42:00
The Distinguished | World Premiere
Dir.: Rickey Castleberry,
Writer: Rickey Castleberry, Rodney Wilkins
Producer: Zach Fuqua, Rickey Castleberry, Khalid Jordan
Cast: Harold Perrineau, Tracie Thoms, Luke Youngblood, Jabbar Lewis, Tosin Morohunfola, Jonathan Burke, Shawn Carter Peterson
Synopsis: A young boy’s reality transforms as he deciphers cryptic messages from a supernatural force in his dreams, uncovering his family’s legacy.
Short Film | Runtime:16:24
Meal Ticket
Dir.: Wes Andre Goodrich,
Writers: Wes Andre Goodrich, Patrick Nichols
Producers: Hillman Grad, 271, Patrick Nichols
Cast: Siddiq Saunderson, Wu-Tang: An American Saga // Coy Stewart, Are We There Yet? // Grace Duah, Gossip Girl
Synopsis: An anxiety thriller about a manager: Saint, who is forced to decide what to do with life-changing news he receives about his client: a young hip hop star, twelve minutes before goes onstage for his debut tour.
Short Film | Runtime: 12:43
All In | World Premiere
Dir./Prod: Dusan Brown
Producers: Yuchuan Cao, Joyce Kelly-Brown, James Kexian Lee
Cast: Dusan Brown, Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Legendary’s 42
Synopsis: When an enterprising teen is left with seemingly insurmountable debt by his unscrupulous, late father, he must play poker to either make the money back and save what’s left of his family… or die trying.
Short Film | Runtime: 14:51
Ray of Hope
Dir/Writers: Ryan Singh, Nikila Cole
Producers: Ryan Singh, Patricia Scarlett, Nikila Cole)
Cast: Rathika Sitsabaiesan, Former Canadian Member of Parliament
Synopsis: Ray of Hope is a personal journey of an Eelam Tamil Canadian woman who survived the Sri Lankan armed conflict, advocating for others with interspersed stories of healing and triumphs.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:30:00
Losing Daphne
Directors: Eli Moss
Writers: Eli Moss
Producers: Lidong WangOtis Moss III
Cast: Daion Hubbard, Erika Degraff, Monica Moss
Synopsis: Through recollections of his youth, a young man grapples with life’s changes as his older sister spirals out of control due to paranoid schizophrenia.
Scam
Dir/ Writer: Julie Sharbutt
Producer: Whitney Wolanin
Cast: Julie Sharbutt (I’m Dying Up Here, The Good Wife, 3 Days, Moved, The Weekend)
Synopsis: When a phone scammer makes one last late night call, the woman on the other end gives her much more than she bargained for.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:07:30
As Easy As Closing Your Eyes
Dir.: Parker Croft, Writers: Aaron Golden, Parker Croft
Producers: Max Loeb, Parker Croft, Aaron Golden, Chris Blim, Laura Coover
Cast: EP Abigail Breslin, EP Jon Michael Hill, Associate Producer Nolan Gould
Synopsis: A grieving mother battles her addiction to a black-market drug that gives her life-like dreams about the son she lost.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:21:43
Vigilante | LA Premiere
Dir.: Wesley Armstrong
Writer: Philip Dover II, Producers: Jamee Ranta, Diamond Batiste
Cast: Khleo Thomas (Zero in Holes) Maestro Harrell (Fear The Walking Dead)
Synopsis: In a world where superheroes overlook the vulnerable, four friends with powers step up to protect their neglected neighborhood.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:22:08
Flux | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Aaron LaMarr Burleson
Producers: Aaron LaMarr Burleson, Elizabeth Franco
Cast: Russell Curry – D’Angelo, Aaron LaMarr Burleson – Albie, Writer, Producer, Director, Elizabeth Franco – Executive Producer, Richard Stevenson Jr. – Producer, Composer – Space Monk, Maisha Azadi – Mysterious Women
Synopsis: Trapped in an eerie, timeless void within his own home, a man confronts his past and future, ultimately discovering the key to breaking free from his purgatorial existence.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:17:22
The Heart of Texas
Dir.:Gregory JM Kasunich
Writers: Gregory JM Kasunich, Lauren Noll
Producers: Jordan Ochel, Soledad Bautista, Becca English, Gregory JM Kasunich, Lauren Noll
Cast: Carlos Moreno Cravioto – The Beauty and the Beasts, Aaron Konzelman – The Voice
Synopsis: An aspiring country singer on her way to a life changing audition collides with an undocumented worker who refuses medical care. The two engage in a struggle, each in pursuit of their own American dreams.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:14:45
Chocolate with Sprinkles | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Huriyyah Muhammad
Producers:Okema T. Moore, Cole Sanchez, Yha Mourhia Wright
Cast: Reno Wilson
Synopsis: On their 25th wedding anniversary, a bickering couple is given one day to do something they haven’t done in 25 years – work on their marriage.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:19:05
You & I Don’t Say Goodbye | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Armie Hicks Jr
Producers: Obiamaka Onwuta, Janae David
Cast: Armie Hicks – Atlanta, Insecure, The Morning Show. Alexis Louder – Copshop, Violent Night, The Changeling
Synopsis: Armie, a struggling actor who hasn’t been home in over a year, returns to North Carolina to reconnect with his daughter and attend her pageant. He faces the challenge of balancing his career ambitions with his desire to be a present father.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:09:32
Submerge | LA Premiere
Dir.: J. Michael Hayes
Writers: J. Michael Hayes, Clarence Young
Producers: J. Michael Hayes, Emerson Mahoney, Nekeshia Hayes
Cast: Mela Lee as “The Voice of Naima”, credits include: Miraculous Ladybug, The Owl House, Atlanta, Apex Legends
Synopsis: On a remote island, Naima comes of age among an ancient mystical people. As a “chosen one” she must confront fear, expectations, and doubt to embrace her power as she transitions from childhood to something even more mysterious and powerful: herself.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:06:28
It Takes A Village
Dir.: Joshua Kissi
Writers: Joshua Kissi, Keyla McNeely
Producers: Kegan Sant, David Richards, Kamila Prokop, Patrick Milling-Smith, Leah Natasha Thomas
Cast:Michael Ealy
Synopsis: In 1960s Georgia, Mr. Cooke prepares Isaiah for his ascension to manhood through the hunting of a deer; a rite of passage every Cooke man has gone through before him.
Short Film | Runtime:0:13:36
Two Breaths
Dir.: Kateryna Kurganska
Writers: Kateryna Kateryna, Myka Arakawa, Timur Guseynov
Producers: Kateryna Kateryna, Don John, C Craig Patterson, Timur Guseynov, Valerie Delahaye, Nick Brooks
Cast: Romeo Garcia “Moana” (Live Action)
Synopsis: After a man-made disaster decimates an evergreen island, a stranded 11-year-old girl must find the tenacity to leave behind her home with the help of an unlikely friend.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:16:11
Word of Oda | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Nesha Jackson
Producer: Nesha Jackson, NEEN.
Cast: NEEN – Executive Producer
Synopsis: A member of Club Oda – an underground cult of One Piece extremists – kidnaps and rehabilitates his girlfriend after date night, doesn’t go as planned.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:10:38
Marque Dos | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer:Asha Chai-Chang
Cast: Isaac Gonzalez Rossi, Roxy Rivera, Adargiza De Los Santos
Synopsis:An aspiring tour manager moves up the ranks in the marketing industry where discovering herself and her place in the world faces off with the demands of her dream job.
Web Series | Runtime:0:11:10
The Flacalta Effect | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Rochée Jeffrey
Producers: Ebony Elaine Hardin, Takara Joseph
Cast:Executive Producer – David Arquette (Scream, Never Been Kissed) and Writer/Director – Rochée Jeffrey (co-executive producer Grownish, Smilf, Woke)
Synopsis: After a drug with anti-aging properties has apocalyptic consequences, two Black sisters fight for their lives—and looks—in this satirical take on toxic white beauty culture.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:07:50
Thomasville | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Alex Woodruff
Producers: Alex Woodruff, Abijeet Achar
Cast: Kiah Clingman, Jay Jones
Synopsis:A heart-wrenching psychodrama exploring the complex nature of Black legacy in Atlanta. Trapped in a rainswept car, a young man and his ailing father confront their fractured history before it’s too late.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:13:07
Name Image Likeness
Dir/Writer/Producer: Justin Rowe Tolliver
Cast: Kyle Schmid – NCIS Origins
Synopsis: A Los Angeles High School football phenom seems to be on top of the world, that is until his newfound fame and money start to present more problems than he can handle.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:19:59
Superman Doesn’t Steal
Dir/Writer: Tamika Lamison
Producers: Tamika Lamison, Chris Beal, Dominique DeLeon, Carol Shine, Ben Ephraim
Cast: Mustafa Shakir, Jordyn McIntosh
Synopsis: Based on a true story & set in the 70’s during the Atlanta Child Murders, a young brother and sister with a love of comics, face a series of impactful events which cause them to question the meaning of heroes, villains, superman- and themselves.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:19:00
Memoirs of a Bruised Mind | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Shania Banton
Producer: Kiara Butler
Cast: Grace Duah – HBO Max Gossip Girl
Synopsis: After years of suppressing the pain caused by her mother, a young writer must summon the courage to face her trauma and turn it into art. As she puts pen to paper, she embarks on an anxiety-filled journey of self-discovery and healing, striving to turn her wounds into words and find redemption through her craft.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:14:48
The Seductress from Hell | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Andrew de Burgh
Producers: Oleksii Strykun, Andrew de Burgh, Roberta Sparta
Cast: Jason Faunt, James Hyde, Andy Lauer, Rocio Scotto, Raj Jawa,
Synopsis: A Hollywood actress undergoes a horrific transformation after being pushed to the edge by her psychopathic husband.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:42:05
A RACE IN THE SUN | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: K. Nicole Mills
Cast: Ayesha Mcgowan (Professional Cyclist)
Synopsis: An exploration of cycling culture through the eyes of Ayesha McGowan who rose through the ranks of the New York City underground cycling world to break barriers as the world’s first African American woman to become a professional cyclist.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:20:00
Unbraided
Dir/Writer: Caroline Renard
Producers: Sidney Butler, Suhashini Krishnan, Tiffany Thomas
Cast: Monique Coleman, Godfrey, Sasha Compere, DaMya Gurley
Synopsis: Desperate to get her hair done before a big trip, Frankie navigates the streets of LA, facing rejection and obstacles at every turn to find someone, anyone to braid her hair.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:14:27
TASTE OF THE MECCA | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Tevin Scott
Producers: Tevin Scott, Vondell Burns, Brandon Palm
Cast: Issa Rae, Executive Producer
Synopsis: An awkward black boy fresh out of a predominantly white high school begins to find love while struggling to fit in at his prestigious HBCU.
Short Film | Runtime:0:16:19
Skettel | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Moon Lee Ferguson
Producers: Kiara Diana, Shania Banton
Cast: Alicia Pilgrim
Synopsis: A young mother struggles to keep her head above water as she navigates motherhood, her neurodivergent toddler, and the gritty Atlanta nightclub where she works. All on a quarter tank of gas.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:13:05
The Possible Life | LA Premiere
Dir.: Burke Doeren
Writer: Jacob Seidman, Producer: Tyson Cal
Cast: Michael Vlamis – Rowsell, New Mexico
Synopsis: After welcoming their first baby, Pete and Emma struggle with all the classic new parent challenges. But is something deeper going on? Follow Emma as she replays the events that led them to their current state – if she tries hard enough, maybe she can change the outcome.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:10:42
Chorus Notes
Dir/Writer: Casey de Fremery
Producers: Melody Carey, Regina Pigsley
Cast: Leah Voysey (Terrifier 2)
Synopsis: After a chance encounter at a record store, two women form a connection through the power of music.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:10:00
Get Your Story Straight
Dirs.: Myra Aquino, Ariel Felix, Writers: Ariel Felix, Myra Aquino, Eric Hwang, Producer: Paul Martinez
Synopsis: A murder charge assembles four estranged siblings for an unexpected reunion where they find themselves navigating secrets, dysfunction and the law. A short film with an all Filipino American cast and crew.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:47
Sam From North Vegas | World Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: Brad Rundblade
Cast: Patrick Walker
Synopsis: A young man buries bodies for the mob in the desert of North Vegas until one day he receives the bodies of his older brother and younger sister.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:20:00
Shoebox | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: D’Angelo “D’Lo” Louis
Producers: Jamari Perry, David Hunter Jr.
Cast: LaRoyce Hawkins
Synopsis: Overcome by abuse, a teenage black boy is forced to choose between pulling the trigger or not in an effort to protect himself. In turn, we are split between two realities of fate – the dream or a dream deferred.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:25
Vida | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Maria Valdez
Producers: Maria Valdez
Cast: Valeria Maldonado
Synopsis: In a post-civil war, women of color face forced sterilization. Vida and her rebel group must choose: escape or save the others and risk capture.
Short Film | Runtime: 19:59
Lyz
Dir/Writer: Darnell Brown
Producers: Randy Becker, Darnell Brown, Angela Lewis
Cast: Angela Lewis, Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams, J. Mallory McCree
Synopsis: A fresh, off-beat dramedy that follows a passionate mental health worker as she struggles to balance her uniquely challenging job with keeping a promise to her daughter. Inspired by the writer/director’s experience as a former mental health professional.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:10:22
Tricked and Treated | LA Premiere
Dir.: Victoria Monai Richards
Writers: Victoria Monai Richards, Sherrie Richards, Michael Anthony Snowden, Producers: Sherrie Richards, King Hoey, Joel Harold, Joseph Harold, Grant Gilmore, Victoria Monai Richards, Tichina Arnold)
Cast: Tichina Arnold, Tommy Davidson, Juhahn Jones, Landon Moss, Christopher “CP Powell, Norm Nixon Jr., Victoria Monai Richards, Nijah Brenea
Synopsis: After a college student and her two best friends frantically rush him to care for her mysteriously demented PawPaw, he disappears. Will her street reformed Auntie, homeless informants, and a host of other misfits help them find PawPaw in time for Christmas, or will they be taken too?
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:42:00
My Brother & Me | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Ryan DeForeest
Producers: Ryan DeForeest, Shandrea Evans, Lexx Truss
Cast: Alexander Bello, Rodney Hobbs
Synopsis: A coming-of-age story about two brothers who attempt to rob their distant father of their overdue child support money.
Short Film | Runtime:0:17:17
Julian
Dir.: Vivian Kerr
Writer: Cory Stonebrook
Producers: Stephanie Drake, Vivian Kerr
Cast: Stephanie Drake
Synopsis:A reconciliation brunch between estranged sisters goes awry when one of them brings an unexpected guest.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:06:53
Life Goes On | LA Premiere
Dir/Producer: Hümam Özkara
Writer: Suat Köçer
Cast: Osman Doğan
Synopsis: Suat goes to a cafe in an area he doesn’t know about before and sits down to wait for his friend. He is unaware that this cafe is actually located under the mosque and was set up in the area where the funeral ceremony is being held. At that moment, a funeral comes to the cafe and interesting images emerge. Suat and the other customers cannot hide their surprise at this situation and it is revealed once again how ordinary death is in life.
Int’l Short Film | Runtime: 0:08:30
Groupies | LA Premiere
Dir.: Corey Grant
Writer: Daphnique Springs
Producers: Daphnique Springs, Phaedra Harris
Cast: Eric Roberts
Synopsis: A group of determined, marginally educated millennial groupies on a mission to change their destiny by bagging a baller… or at least his Bentley!?!
Web Series | Runtime: 0:30:23
Sweet Santa Barbara Brown | LA Premiere
Dir.: Eric Dyson
Writer: Solomom Hughes
Producers: Matthew Barnes, Oliver Mack Calhoun, Eric Dyson, Tony Gapastione, Solomon Hughes
Cast: Solomon Hughes, Spencer Garret, Max Williams
Synopsis: Due to a case of mistaken identity, four members of the Globetrotters find themselves at the violent mercy of the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Short Film | Runtime:0:13:00
Behold A Lady | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Britt Williams
Producers: Austin Chen, Chris Crema
Cast: Alana Kay Bright, AMARR
Synopsis: When a studious tomboy’s boyfriend dumps her on the eve of her Latin Quiz Bowl tryouts, she struggles to balance her heartbreak and studies as she transforms her appearance to win him back.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:58
BRAND NEW
Dir/Writers: Quincy Ledbetter, Denzel Whitaker
Producers: Yuki Maekawa-Ledbetter, Ramfis Myrthil
Cast: Denzel Whitaker, Kris D. Lofton, Maestro Harrell, Chad L. Coleman
Synopsis: When a newly famous music producer visits his hometown, he battles the guilt of abandoning his past and the bitterness of an old friend.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:21:56
Love on Speed
Dir/Writer/Producer: Evan Cleaver
Cast: Aaron Branch. He’s a series regular on Netflix’s UNSTABLE and is on a nationwide tour as a standup comedian
Synopsis: Aidan and Jayden feel an instant connection when they latch eyes at a speed dating event , but do they have enough courage to endure some odd characters in order to meet each other?
Short Film | Runtime: 0:11:47
Among The Wounded | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Adonis Williams
Producer: Pamela Diaz
Cast: Executive Producer – Ramel Westry
Synopsis: As a violent epidemic of a new drug wreaks havoc on a New York housing project complex right after a heavy snowstorm, a single mother and her youngest son frantically search for her oldest who may have been exposed at a party he attended against her wishes.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:09:02
Miracle Wood
Dir/Writer: Johnny Rey Diaz
Producers: Johnny Rey Diaz, Ash T
Cast: Matt McCoy
Synopsis: A lonely, depressed old man finds hope in a holy piece of wood.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:06:10
Who in the Hell is Regina Jones? | LA Premiere
Dir.: Soraya Selene
Writer: Billy Miossi
Producers: Alissa Shapiro, Sam Pollard
Cast: Sam Pollard
Synopsis: The extraordinary life of Regina Jones is one not only shaped by history, but also one that made history. From being pregnant and married at 15, through the middle of the Watts Rebellion of 1965, to emerging as a groundbreaking newspaper publisher, Regina is a testament to the American experience.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:42:00
Premiere Status: LA Premiere
BACKLOG
Dir/Writer: Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal
Producers: Robin Wang, Marian Cook, Josh Powell
Cast: Jill Renner (Lead)
Synopsis: The true-life story of an assault survivor who becomes the voice of millions in her crusade to fight a failing American justice system.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:18:06
United in Grief | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Desmond Levi Jackson
Producers: Desmond Levi Jackson, Khaila Amazan
Cast: Khaila Amazan, The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story, K-POPS!, The Horrors of Dolores Roach
Synopsis: Suffering debilitating grief from the passing of his best friend who introduced him to the world of dance, Derrick must confront a monster that seeks to separate him from everything he loves.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:51
RESPECT MY CROWN: THE RISE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN CALIFORNIA POLITICS
Dir.: Pamela Bright-Moon
Writers:Jocelyn Y. Stewart, Alisa Bass Covington, Pamela Bright-Moon, Producers: Alisa Bass-Covington, Pamela Bright-Moon
Cast: Julianne Malveaux, Ph.D.; Karen R. Bass; Barbara Lee; Sydney Kamlager-Dove; Shirley Weber, Ph.D.; Lola Smallwood Cuevas; Tina McKinnor; Mia Bonta; Lori Wilson; Holly J. Mitchell; Areva Martin; Emma Sharif, Racquel Vasquez, Deborah Robertson, Acquanetta Warren, Tasha Cerda, Yvonne Wheeler, Kellie Todd Griffin, Charisse Bremond Weaver, Jan Perry, Laura Richardson, Heather Hutt, Jackie Lacey. Not interviewed but featured: Vice President Kamala Harris, US Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
Synopsis: In the state of California, Black women have battled race and gender barriers in pursuit of equality and political power, for the past 170 years. Respect My Crown: The Rise of African American Women in California Politics, reveals the sacrifices and contributions these women made to become leading voices in politics, community activism, organized labor and the judicial system.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:26:00
Blindspot
(Dir/Writer: Luke O’Sullivan, Producers: Luke O’Sullivan, Mallory Jansen, Thomas Simon)
Cast: Mallory Jansen
Synopsis: BLINDSPOT takes place over the course of one night, as a woman deals with the aftermath of a fatal car accident that blurs the lines between right and wrong. The film follows June as she is taken to the police station for questioning, while the police struggle to distinguish between victim and perpetrator.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:11:30
Reunion
Dir/Writer: Timothy S Naylor, Zainab Jah, Producers: Djaka Souaré, Timothy S Naylor, Zainab Jah
Executive Producer: Danai Gurira
Associate Producer: Lupita Nyong’o
Synopsis: REUNION – a West African immigrant living the Bronx, discovers the child soldier who destroyed her family, years later, is now a best selling author living in New York City. Combining live action with graphic novel techniques and with Danai Gurira as Executive Producer, this award winning short has qualified for the 2025 Oscars.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:30
Huli | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Daniel Croix
Producers: Max Mooney, Phil Schlieder, William Rouse, Richard Hamasaki, Mele Hamasaki
Cast: Daniel Croix
Synopsis: After a boxer flees from New York to Hawaiʻi, a friendship with his coach expands his awareness of identity, purpose, and power.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:00
MORROW | World Premiere
Dirs.: Rich Monteiro, Lexx Truss
Producers: Gregory Warfield, Victoria Griggs
Cast: Rich Morrow (John Henry, Young Rock, Mindhunter, Hacks, Swoon)
Synopsis: From the spotlight on the court as a D-1 basketball player to the spotlight on set as a rising thespian, we follow Rich Morrow’s journey from one exhilarating road to the next.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:22:00
The Newlyweds: Blood at The Altar | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Lucien Christian Adderley, Richard “Byrd” Wilson
Producers: Moon Lee Ferguson, Kiara Diana, Tanisha Cidel, LaToya Tonodeo, Arlen Escarpeta, Analisa Velez)
Cast: Latoya Tonodeo, Arlen Escarpeta, Alex Hibbert, Analisa Velez, Bertrand E Boyd II
Synopsis: On the day of their wedding, a newlywed couple must battle everyone they love in order for their marriage to survive.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:14:42
N.ot W.ithout A.lonzo: The Origins of West Coast Hip Hop (2024)
Dir/Writer/Producer: Timothy Lee Conley
Cast: Grandmaster Lonzo: Godfather of West Coast Hip Hop – World Class Wreckin’ Cru, The D.O.C.: Hip-Hop Pioneer, DJ Yella: Rock N Roll Hall of Fame – NWA/World Class Wreckin’ Cru, Kurtis Blow: Hip Hop Pioneer, MC JB: Hip Hop Pioneer – JJ Fad, Arabian Prince: Rock N Roll Hall of Fame – NWA/Uncle Jamm’s Army, DJ Cli-N-Tel: Hip Hop PioneerWorld Class Wreckin’ Cru, DJ Battlecat: Hip Hop Pioneer, The Poetess: Hip Hop Pioneer – Los Angeles Radio Host (92.3 The Beat FM 1990s)
Synopsis: N.ot W.ithout A.lonzo: Every success has an origin story. Grandmaster Lonzo, The Godfather of West Coast Hip-Hop narrates and details the origin story of West Coast Hip Hop from 1974-1987.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:12:06
Expanding Sanctuary | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Kristal Sotomayor
Cast: Music by Las Cafeteras
Synopsis: An immigrant mother emerges as a community leader during the historic campaign to end the sharing of the Philadelphia police database with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Expanding Sanctuary tells a rarely told story about a Latinx immigrant community’s successful journey to change legislation and protect families.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:20:00
HARLEM FRAGMENTS
Dir.: Cameron Tyler Carr
Writers: Cameron Tyler Carr, Wes Andre Goodrich, Danielle Therese Dougé
Producers: Flor Tejada, Collin Meath, Ben Thompson, Salma Qarnain
Cast: Roderick Lawrence
Synopsis: Harlem Fragments is an Afro-futurist scrapbook storytelling of a Harlem Black family’s beautiful destruction during the 2008 recession. A natural disaster so mesmerizing you can’t look away from the tragedy. Based on true events.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:17:00
To End All Spells | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: Nana Kwabena, Zak Cedarholm
Cast: Idara Victor, Jidenna
Cast: Amidst her village, Sumsun, nearing the brink of extinction, an unforgiving desert warrior fights to protect the legacy of Palve, a sacred psychedelic fruit that connects its indigenous to the spiritual realm. The only way to experience the effects of this scarce and forbidden hallucinogenic is through the remaining villagers greatest form of protection; their hair.
Short Film | Runtime: 16:05
The Staycation
Directors: Rosanna Sanchez
Writers: Aryka Paulette Randall
Cast: Zelda KimbleLen ImadaChelsi StancilSteffany VelasquezXavier LefloreNuvo Walker
Synopsis: A weekend among a vapid group of friends takes a shocking turn after hidden cameras in a sketchy vacation rental are overlooked.
August & Ebony
Dir.: Sunyin Zhang
Writer: A. Cooper
Producer: Pinar Binay
Cast: John Clarence Stewart, Ayesha Harris
Synopsis: Ebony, who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a U-Haul marriage, has to referee between her new wife, August and best friend-turned-child’s father, Justin, while finding her footing as a mother-to-be.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:51
The Debutante | LA Premiere
Dir.: Elizabeth Hobbs
Producer: Abigail Addison
Cast: Alexa Davies. Credits: Mama Mia: Here We Go Again!, White House Farm, Dead Pixels, Detectorists
Synopsis: A spirited young woman persuades a hyena from London Zoo to take her place at a dinner dance being held in her honor.
Int’l Short Film | Runtime: 8:10
Burn Out
Dir/Writer: Russell Goldman
Producers: Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Fry, Wendy Wang, Everett Osborne
Cast: Everett Osborne and Tommie Earl Jenkins (Actors), Jamie Lee Curtis (Producer)
Synopsis: An assistant will do anything to get a presentation in front of his boss… even set himself on fire.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:32
Dare Greatly | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: Kerri Lendo
Cast: Selena Leoni , MK Paulsen
Synopsis: Love and loss in the grocery store parking lot.
Short Film | Runtime: 3:45
Peripheral | LA Premiere
Dir.: Sulayman Tahir
Writer: Sulayman Tahir, Jordan Tortorello
Producers: Jordan Tortorello, Dallas Hart
Cast: Patrick Walker
Synopsis: A woman’s husband goes missing soon after moving into their new home. But strange paranormal events start to occur upon his return
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:27:00
Lufalo Rising | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Gordon Christopher Greene
Producers: Howard Green, Gordon Greene
Cast:Gordon Greene, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Robert Wu, Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter
Synopsis: After a deadly struggle to try and save his mother from the hands of a brutal Warlord, Lufalo Banza becomes a wanted fugitive.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:19:27
Really Good Driver
Dir/Writer: Alex Song-Xia
Producers: Niki Ang, Jen Arwatchanakarn
Cast: Keiko Agena
Synopsis: IAn Asian American mom teaches her grown-up child how to drive, forcing both to confront parts of the car, and themselves, they never have before.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:08:00
Roberta’s Rules | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Derrex Brady
Producers: Derrex Brady, Michael Dalton, Mayon Denton
Cast: Derrex Brady, Carmen Serano, Page Kennedy, Aida Rodriguez, Sean Holland, Michael D. Walton
Synopsis: A deceased mother of three leaves behind iCloud videos to help her career-obsessed husband parent and heal his family.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:25:21
The Ebony Canal | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Emmai Alaquiva
Producers: Ya Momz House, Inc.
Cast: Viola Davis (Narrator)
Synopsis: A story on black infant mortality
Short Film | Runtime: 0:46:00
Survived By
Dir/ Writer: K.D. Chalk
Producers:K.D. Chalk, Nicole Crespo, Pinar Binay
Cast: Chris Chalk (HBO’s Perry Mason, James Baldwin on Ryan Murphy’s Fued, Ava Duvernay’s When They See Us, Fox’s Gotham, HBO’s Welcome to Derry etc) https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1663252/
Synopsis: A newly orphaned kid dodging the foster care system spends a magical evening with a sock puppet hoping to unpack her complicated relationship with her father days after his death.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:26
Art, Beats + Lyrics | LA Premiere
Dir.: Bill Horace
Producers: Jabari Graham, Dwayne Wright)
Cast: Killer Mike
Synopsis: Art, Beats + Lyrics celebrates the legacy of the groundbreaking visual art and hip hop roadshow that began in Atlanta in 2004 and has since become a national phenomenon. The documentary chronicles the lead up to AB+L’s twentieth anniversary tour.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:30:06
Interception: Jayne Kennedy • American Sportscaster
Dir/Writer: Safiya Songhai
Producers:Safiya Songhai, Jayne Kennedy Overton, Latena Hazard, Esq, Garland McLaurin, Michael L. Brown Philip Dover II
Cast: Jayne Kennedy, Muhammed Ali, Jim Brown, Irv Cross, Brent Musberger, Phyllis George
Synopsis: When a bronze-skin bombshell rocks the world of Sunday Morning Football, millions tune in… but few know the tumultuous story of Jayne Kennedy, the first Black woman to boldly tackle the racism of 20th century American broadcast television.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:00
Chimera | LA Premiere
(Dir/Writer: Kryzz Gautier, Producers: Corsica Wilson, Kryzz Gautier, Brett Marshall)
Notable Talent:
Synopsis: Haunted by the past, a brilliant tech-addicted developer faces an impossible dilemma: recreate her ex-girlfriend in virtual reality or hold onto the crumbling relationship with her current one.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:18:15
The Devil Ain’t Pius
Dir.: Keena Ferguson
Writer: Miatta Vincent Ronca, Producers: Miatta Vincent Ronca, Delece James
Cast: Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Rolando Boyce
Synopsis: A lifetime ago, a struggling Pius Montgomery sold the soul of one of his future grandchildren to the Devil in exchange for a life of wealth and success. Fifty years later, Pius, the head of the billion dollar Uncle Pius’ Devilishly Hot Hot Sauce empire, has gathered his four children and seven grandchildren around him to break the bad news. One of the kids will have to surrender their child to the Devil to pay off their father’s debt. But already anticipating what a difficult decision it will be, Pius has set up a series of games of skill. And the loser will leave the weekend with one less child.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:27:00
The Concert | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Elizabeth Bourgeois
Producers: Hays Hitzing, Nancy Nagrant
Cast: Nancy Nagrant – Co-Producer (Marvelous Ms. Maisel, Law and Order, Other TV)
Synopsis: Three teens riff on music, future, and freedom as they prep for their first rock concert. The girls tap into sisterhood, strength, and resolve when their dream night takes a brutally realistic turn.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:07:34
MONOCHROMATIC
Dir/Writer: Karen Bryson
Producers: Shakyra Dowling, Lorraine Bhattachary)
Cast: David Harewood
Synopsis: The film is seen through the eyes of Grace, age 6. The world as she sees it, innocent and carefree. Grace is Black. 1977, London. The political climate is volatile with the rise of the National Front calling for the repatriation of immigrants and appealing to racial hatred. Grace plays in her garden. Bored, she opens the back gate seeking adventure. Along the New River path, she falls cutting her hand badly. Grace’s mother thinks she is playing in the back garden until the doorbell rings. She opens to see a skinhead boy wearing a Nazi t-shirt with Grace, her blood on his hands. Micro aggressions culminate in a moment at their white Christian Church. Grace reaches out her hand to the white woman next to her, the woman recoils. At this moment, we see little Grace for the first time, a tiny piece of her heart breaks.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:51
Development
(Dir/Writer: Chloe Caudillo, Producers: Via Bia, Haskiri Velazquez, Sal Lopez, Alan Luna)
Notable Talent: Haskiri Velazquez (Saved By The Bell, The Forty-Year-Old Version); Raquel McPeek Rodriguez (NCIS: Los Angeles); Jeff Lorch (Our Flag Means Death), Leticia Castillo (Jessica Jones, When They See Us) and Sal Lopez (Full Metal Jacket, American Me)
Synopsis: Struggling to climb the corporate ladder, an office worker finally lands a leadership training seminar, only to realize that to be successful, trainees must become clones of the “nepo baby” boss.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:10:13
Last Hoorah at G-Baby’s
Dir/Writer/Producer: DeeDee Casimir
EP and Casting Director Kim Coleman
Cast: Chaine “CJ Fly” Downer
Synopsis: After her grandmother dies, an aimless and apathetic art school grad must come up with five months of back rent or she risks eviction from her inherited rent-controlled apartment in a gentrifying Brooklyn.
Short Film | Runtime: 14:55
Under the Influencer | LA Premiere
Dir.: Bryn Woznicki
Writer: Skye Emerson, Producers: Jill Bennett, Katie Hall
Cast: Joy Sunday, Erin Matthews, Pam Trotter, Tami Lane
Synopsis: Digital artist Lex Carre documents her struggle with anxiety through work that she posts pseudonymously online. Her pieces capture the attention of cunning curator Andrea Caulfield, who offers mentorship in exchange for control of Lex’s career. When Lex’s mental health starts to spiral from the pressure, Andrea assumes ownership of her work—prompting Lex to plot a psychological showdown against the exploitative mentor who stole her art and nearly destroyed her mind.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:42:51
Phels High | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: Kevin Nelson
Cast: Omari Hardwick, Elise Neal, Allen Maldonado, TJ Atoms, Marc John Jefferies, Michael Hyatt
Cast: With danger lurking and trust fraying, survival becomes the ultimate challenge, In the aftermath of a high school shooting, where four friends find themselves barricaded in the school basement. Their loyalty is tested as they place their lives in the hands of the police officers negotiating with the shooter.
Feature Film | Runtime: 01:25:06
Lavender Men | LA Premiere
Dir.: Lovell Holder, Writers: Roger Q. Mason, Lovell Holder, Producers: Mia Chang, Mia Ellis, Lovell Holder, Roger Q. Mason
Cast: Pete Ploszek
Synopsis: After a particularly disastrous performance, the stage manager of a small theater daydreams about Abraham Lincoln’s gay love affair in order to cope with their own loneliness.
Feature Film | Runtime: 01:25:06
Foreign Planetary
Dir/Writer: Tiffany Lin
Cast: Chelsea Sik
Synopsis: On the brink of her last day on Earth before being forced to return to her planet of origin, a young woman must find a way to stay in her new home.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:38:19
I’m Pretty Sure My Therapist Thinks I’m a Bad Actor
Dir/Writer: Spenser Davis
Producers: E.M. Davis, Spenser Davis
Cast: Elizabeth Laidlaw, E.M. Davis
Synopsis: A microbudget dark comedy about anxiety, vulnerability, and the folks we turn to (and kidnap) for validation.
Short Film | Runtime:0:12:20
Demo-Lition
Dir.: Alesia ‘Z’ Glidewell
Writer: Omar El Alami
Producers: Nina Burnett, Lidiya Korotko, Alesia Glidewell, Robb Hanson)
Cast: Rell Battle, Carl McDowell, Geri-Nikole Love
Synopsis: The fate of an aspiring rapper with unbreakable resolve and his supportive wife for over a decade, hang in the balance of an all-too-important phone call from a record label.
Short Film | Runtime:0:08:06
Stan Behavior | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Tyler C. Peterson
Producer: Eric Michael Kochmer, Marc Smolowitz
Cast: Ginger Minj (Cast), Yvonne Zima (Cast), Heidi N Closet (Cast)
Synopsis: A drag queen embarks on a quest for better workplace rights, but finds herself in a dicey situation when her new lawyer, a tone-deaf straight woman, is revealed to be a drag super fan.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:01
Never Can Say Goodbye | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Christopher Grant
Producers: Hash Sesay, Crystal Lucas-Perry, Christopher Grant)
Cast: Crystal Lucas Perry
Synopsis: Inspired by, created for, and starring parents who are dealing with child parent separation… A mother, convicted and on the verge of prison, asks for one last chance to see her kids. But when her children refuse to say goodbye, she’s forced to make other plans.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:18:20
How to Sue the Klan
Dir/Writer: John Beder
Producers: Ben Crump, Cameron S. Mitchell, Raji Ramanathan
Cast: Ben Crump
Synopsis: How to Sue the Klan is the story of how five Black women from Chattanooga used legal ingenuity to take on the Ku Klux Klan in a historic 1982 civil case, fighting to hold them accountable for their crimes and bring justice to their community. Their victory set a legal precedent that continues to inspire the ongoing fight against organized hate.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:34:28
HONEST/ FLUFF | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Sherean Jones
Producer: Jamari Perry
Cast: Amy Aniobi
Synopsis: A perpetual people-pleaser must come to terms with the fine line between tactless bosses, freeloading fuck buddies and the honest truth of taking action and getting the life you deserve.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:00
TEA
Dir/Writer: Blake Winston Rice
Producer: Gabriella Piazza
Cast: Michael Gandolfini (Lead), Olivia Nikkanen (Lead), Blake Winston Rice (Director), Gabriella Piazza (Producer)
Synopsis: While rehearsing asking out the girl of his dreams, a lonely and highly allergic Circuit-Shack employee gets stung in the throat by a hornet.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:25
Saving All My Love
Dir.: Kristina Thomas
Writer: Tyler Young
Producer: KD Chalk
Cast: Venus DiMilo Thomas, Yolanda Snowball
Synopsis: A down-on-her-luck former pageant queen’s anxiety spirals out of control when she finally confronts her mother’s hoarding.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:36
Wabi-Sabi
(Dir.: Josephine Green Zhang, Writers: Josephine Green Zhang, Rachel Michiko Whitney, Producers: Josephine Green Zhang, Rachel Michiko Whitney, Jeff Mizushima, Michael Fry)
Cast: Josh Caras, Hymnson Chan, Dana Donnelly, Teruko Nakajima — Lady Dynamite
Synopsis: When an insecure woman goes on a date at a traditional Japanese tea house, her best friend’s advice about white guys with Asian fetishes threatens to ruin her love life and her sanity.
Short Film | Runtime:0:19:47
Moments
(Dirs.: Malachi Rivers, Aaron Lewis, Writer: Malachi Rivers, Producers: Malachi Rivers, Rob Byrd, Carlton Jordan, Aaron Lewis, Jeff Gardere
Cast: Rutina Wesley, Malachi Rivers, Jeff Gardere, ·Sufe Bradshawm, Devere Rogers, Thomas Hobson, Desean Terry, Tiffany Snow, Jowanda Durham, Brooklyn Chance, Crystal Porter-Bazemore
Synopsis: A weekly therapy group unravels tales of abuse, deferred dreams, lost love, and more, guided by a mind-reading therapist and a time-traveling healer who help them confront the moments that led them to therapy.
Web Series | Runtime: 0:23:10
Sole Suspect
(Dir.: Maggie Castle, Writers: Maggie Castle, Matt Watts, Producers: Maggie Castle, Jamin Kerner, Joe McDougall
Cast: Maggie Castle (Tumbledown, Todd and The Book of Pure Evil, Starstruck) , Jeananne Goossen (Handmaid’s Tale, Beacon 23, Slasher, So Help Me Todd) , Oscar Best (Arthur The King, The Last Face)
Synopsis: Just when a retired detective thought she was finally out, her son’s missing shoes pull her back in.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:13:00
MANIFESTO [for Concrete Poetry] | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: Richard Hamasaki, Jody Stillwater, Sebastian Galasso
Cast: Jody Stillwater (2024 Emmy nominated for sound); Daniel Croix (Apple TV Manhunt actor and Oval actor for Tyler Perry); Sebastian Galasso (actor)
Synopsis: MANIFESTO [for Concrete Poetry] features a timeless, irreverent and satirical poem by the late Wayne Kaumualii Westlake (1947-1984) originally published in 1979.
Short Film | Runtime: 6:24
X: The Interview | LA Premiere
(Dir.: RJ Barnes, Anthony Rose, Writer: RJ Barnes, Producers: RJ Barnes, Anthony Baldino)
Cast: Brandon Broady
Synopsis: A canceled superhero facing eviction turns to his side hustle for survival, but as he embarks on his journey, he discovers dark powers are conspiring against him.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:18:35
Will I See You Again?
(Dir.: Michael Perez-Lindsey, Writers: Rhett Lindsey, Michael Perez-Lindsey, Producers: Michael Perez-Lindsey, Alex Coffey, Valeria Lopez)
Cast: Hosea Chanchez (The Game), Nick Wechsler (Revenge), Richard Lawson (Tyler Perry’s Divorce In The Black), Anna Maria Horsford (Friday), Rosanny Zayas (L Word: Generation Q)
Synopsis: After 20 years of estrangement, two former college teammates find themselves summoned to their late friend’s estate hearing. To claim their inheritance, they must first confront their past relationship while undergoing a polygraph test.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:24:13
Curtain Call | LA Premiere
(Dir/Writer/Producer: Wilderley Mauricette
Cast: Jared Wofford (StartUP, Swagger, David Makes Man), Tony J. Scott (Manhunt. The Equalizer)
Synopsis: A young drug dealer with a hidden passion for theater finds his double life unraveling as his commitment to the stage clashes with his criminal responsibilities, drawing the dangerous attention of his powerful mentor. Faced with an impossible choice between his love for the arts and his loyalty to the streets, he risks everything to pursue his dreams, igniting a life-altering confrontation.
Short Film | Runtime:17:52
Baggage Claim | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Eric Dyson
Synopsis: Jimmy discovers sometimes the end is just the beginning.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:15:00
The Other Side of Fair | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Dani Coleman
Producer: Dani Coleman, Taron Germany, Bathsheba Bauduy
Synopsis: When workplace jealousy and competition brings two colleagues head to head, a face off between ambition and entitlement forces them both into rude awakenings.
Feature Film | Runtime: 0:52:03
T-Minus | LA Premiere
Dir.:Emily Lerer, Writer: Sam Meier, Producer:Toni Cunningham)
Synopsis: It’s a trans-abortion-road-trip-romcom! After a one night stand, a trans auto mechanic named Andrew and a drag queen named Lex must road-trip from Ohio to Detroit to obtain an abortion.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:12:26
Barakah | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Biniyam Abreha
Producers: Bemnet Yemsgen, Biniyam Abreha)
Synopsis: Faced with a dire request from a mysterious woman, a distraught young man embarks on a transformative journey that unearths mystical forces that reach into a long forgotten past.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:14:47
Fortune Cookie | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer/Producer: Fu Yang
Synopsis: A fortune-cookie-head crumbles himself, piece by piece in order to keep devouring creatures out of his way.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:03:50
Golden Garden Takeout| LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Maggie Wong
Producers: Ellen Xing, Stephanie Gong
Synopsis: A nosy mother walks in on her teenage daughter’s devastating breakup.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:11:06
Write This! | World Premiere
Dir.: Christopher Ortega
Writers/Producers:Ken Gregory, Holly Logan
Synopsis: In a hilarious twist of fate, a washed-up talent manager turned wannabe writer faces the ultimate plot twist: he must charm and cajole his brilliant but skeptical client into letting him manage her career by crafting side-splitting stories, turning his own life into a comedy of errors in the process.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:08:33
Swoon | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Byron Manuel
Producers: Byron Manuel, Ryan Rojas, Kassandra Diaz, Franco Tavera, Cash Oliver, JP Ouellette
Synopsis: A woman wakes tied to a bed, and her captor tries to manipulate her into believing they are a couple.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:23:00
Welcome to AfroTree| LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Chase Parker
Producers: Chase Parker, Greg Rhem
Synopsis: Steven and Janet are fed up with gentrification, whitewashing, and code switching in the big city. They move to Afrotree, an experimental, gated community populated by only African-American residents. Their dream of living in a cultural oasis suddenly becomes a nightmare when they discover they may not be “Black” enough.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:20:44
The Candy Lady| LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Monique Morton Derouselle
Producers: Chris Jones, Monique Morton Derouselle)
Synopsis: The Candy Lady is a comedic Afro-fantasy short film that follows Debra, a neighborhood candy lady whose quiet day goes awry when she, unbeknownst to her, awakens a magical typewriter bringing all of her short stories to life.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:11:28
Phoenix | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Sid Dalvi
Producers: Jacqueline Urteaga, Nandini Dalvi, Sid Dalvi)
Synopsis: When a psychiatrist hypnotizes one of his most traumatized patients, he discovers something that changes both of their lives forever.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:19:07
Sundown | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Jordan Freeman
Producers: Wellesley Mobasser
Synopsis: When their car breaks down on the way to an HBCU Homecoming, two best friends discover something sinister in the town they’ve stopped in.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:06:00
The Yellow Sponge is the Dish Sponge | World Premiere
Dir.: Michele Noble
Writer: Bixby Elliot
Producers: Bixby Elliot, Michele Noble
Synopsis: Do we really need to wash sheets every week? Why would you ever have to clean a shower head? What is the difference between the blue sponge and the yellow sponge? These are the questions that haunt Jason. He doesn’t understand the world’s obsession (and his husband Erik’s obsession) with cleanliness. So, on the day of their big party Jason launches his campaign to open Erik’s eyes to this problem. What starts as disagreements about Lysol Wipes and Febreze scented trash bags turns into something bigger as The Yellow Sponge is the Dish Sponge looks at a couples conflict as old as time…fighting about household chores.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:16:39
Cottage Grove | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: George Ellzey Jr.
Producers: Cara Winter, Jordan Rivers, Kat Blade-Owens, TJ Harris, Keiph Oliver
Synopsis: A young man struggles to communicate with his stroke-afflicted father, and at the same time, stay true to himself.
Student Short Film | Runtime: 0:13:24
Below the Veil | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Jami’L Carter
Producers: Jami’L Carter, Amber Johnson
Synopsis: Two cousins return to their family home and dig into their grandfather’s history but receive resistance from their uncles. As their prying leads to emotional wounds, the cousins uncover familial secrets that were never meant to be unveiled.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:21:55
Super High: A Period Piece | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Bianca Lambert
Producers: Kiah Clingman
Synopsis: In the semi-autobiographical short film “Super High: A Period Piece,” Amanda battles excruciating period pain caused by fibroids. Desperate for relief, she experiments with a celebrity cannabis brand’s edibles. A dosage mishap catapults her into a surreal, anxiety-filled journey until she awakens.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:08:59
Welcome Home | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Jo Rochelle
Producers: Joshua Dean, Regina Hoyles
Synopsis: A rebellious teenage girl with pastor parents orchestrates a surprise for her brother on Halloween.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:13:40
Shepherd’s Calling | LA Premiere
Dir/Writer: Wubetu Shimelash
Producers: Wubetu Shimelash, Majiye Uchibeke, Celai Ahmadzai
Synopsis: From the rugged caves of Ethiopia to the dazzling lights of Hollywood, ‘SHEPHERD’S CALLING’ follows the remarkable journey of an Ethiopian shepherd turned filmmaker in America. This captivating documentary explores the struggles of leaving home, reconciling cultural identities, and the universal quest for belonging.
Int’l Short Film | Runtime: 0:21:54
S.P.I.C. | LA Premiere
Dir.: Heidi Miami Marshall
Writer: Johnny Sanchez
Producers: Mathia Vargas, Carlos Ibarra, Johnny Sánchez, JLove Calderón, Jennifer Sklias-Gahan, Luz Corona, Frank Oz, Michelle Hurd, Heidi Miami Marshall, Andrew McClain, Art Chudabala
Synopsis: A young boy’s desire to get his mother back, and a father’s wish to make things right collide.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:17:48
Toska | World Premiere
Dir/Writer: Alessia Devecchi
Producers: Alessia Devecchi, James Perkins)
Synopsis: A hunter’s obsession with the creature that has eluded her leads her down a dangerous and lonely path.
Short Film | Runtime: 0:11:22
The Origin
Dir./Writer: Jorge Sanchez, Producer: Morris Chestnut
Cast: Morris Chestnut, J. Chris Rouse, Alimi Ballard, Keaira T. Schroeder, Page Kennedy, Jayce Kennedy, Lanre Idewu, Brooklyn Chance, David Hernandez, Mike Hill, Hari Williams, Wrekless Watson,
Synopsis: As the fate of the earth hangs perilously in the balance, Bandi a sagacious elder embarks on a crucial mission to locate Tep one of the few legitimate descendants of an ancient extraterrestrial power, tracing back to a small tribe in Africa.
Short Film | Runtime: 20:00
Hours. | LA Premiere
Dir./Writer: Tiger AJ Ray
Producer: Aaron Kelly, Tiffany Campbell, Tiger AJ Ray
Cast: Steve Howey, Deric Augustine & Liz Lafontant
Synopsis: “Hours.” is a 24-hour romance between two emotionally unavailable co-workers who decide to throw caution to the wind after seeing one another outside of work.
Short Film | Runtime: 16:28
Pull Over So I Can Hit You! | LA Premiere
Dir.: Catelin Shane Dunn
Writer: Calvin Michaels, Catelin Shane Dunn
Producer: Calvin Michaels, Catelin Shane Dunn
Cast: Bobby Mcgee
Synopsis: The driving desires of a teen get railroaded by a chaotic family drive.
Short Film | Runtime: 13:00
Self-Belief Symphony | LA Premiere
Dir./Writer: Azuri Vallatine
Producer: Black Girls Film Camp, Regina Hoyles, Yha Mourhia Wright, Chassidy Jade
Cast: Chassidy Jade
Synopsis: Stuck between two worlds, a young teen girl struggles with the choice to please her mother and yield to cultural expectations or follow her own passions.
Short Film | Runtime: 6:52
Love, Malachi | LA Premiere
Dir.: Britt Banks
Writer: Kaena Hood
Producer: KAENA ALICE MEDIA, STREETLIGHT PRODUCTIONS
Synopsis: A young cancer patient and his girlfriend’s plans are unexpectedly deterred when his discharged date gets postponed. The two must suddenly figure out how to make the most of their day against all odds.
Short Film | Runtime: 20:00
San Francisco Bae | World Premiere
Dir./Writer: Cephra Stuart
Producer: Cephra Stuart, Duke Sayer
Synopsis: A black female founder, struggling to find investors, and an Asian med-school dropout concoct a risky plan to pursue their true passions & achieve the American dream.
Feature Film | Runtime: 1:49:00
Takeout | LA Premiere
Dir.: Marcus Ellison Jr.
Writer/Producer: Madeline Rooks
Synopsis:Tensions rise for a young couple when a delayed takeout order disrupts their night in.
Short Film | Runtime: 11:36
Above the Desert | LA Premiere
Dir: Sonia Sebastián
Writer: Heather Older
Producer: Heather Older, Sonia Sebastián, Maarten Cornelis)
Synopsis: After arriving illegally in the United States, a young Mexican girl’s troubled life gets inspired by spying on an incandescent neighbor.
Short Film | Runtime: 16:20
Don’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens
Dir.: Kristal Sotomayor
Writer: Kristal Sotomayor and María Luisa Santos
Producer: Kristal Sotomayor, Nic Cory, Daniel Brooks
Synopsis: “Don’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens” pays homage to the legendary Mother Cavallucci by weaving together the present and past to provide a striking portrait of belonging and memory.
Short Film | Runtime: 9:00
Crossfire Love |LA Premiere
Dir./Writer: Patrick Phillips
Producer: Patrick Phillips, Kandice Ware and Jamison Phillips
Synopsis: Highlighting the historical impact of groups like the Black Panthers and legislation such as the Mulford Act, “Crossfire Love” sheds light on the evolving landscape of black gun ownership in contemporary society.
Short Film | Runtime: 22:00
Bible Camp
Dir.: Philip DeRise
Writer: Hyon Jung Lee, Producer: Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago, Taja Perkins
Synopsis: Young Korean immigrants assimilate to baseball, burnt hot dogs and hostility at a discount daycare. Rocking out to vinyl records at Bible Camp has unintended consequences. A traumatic memory, based on a true immigrant story.
Short Film | Runtime: 13:21
3 Easy Steps | LA Premiere
Dir.: Paige Henderson
Writer: Paige Henderson, Nicole Murray
Producer: Leah Meyerhoff, Nicole Murray, Paige Henderson
Synopsis: A woman with debilitating ADHD embarks on a self-help journey to the woods where things take a dark turn when she manifests another version of herself.
Short Film | Runtime: 16:39
Melabration | World Premiere
Dir./Writer: Kezita Mentor
Producer: Renee Reid
Synopsis: After returning home from prison, Callie faces a mysterious threat in her small town where under the sun’s glare your survival depends on the amount of melanin in your skin.
Short Film | Runtime: 16:16