Welcome to the 9th Annual Hollywood Short Film Festival
Sunday, Feb 26
at the Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory
10931 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

1% of all tickets sales goes to
FREE ARTS FOR ABUSED CHILDREN
www.freearts.org

Hollywood: A mecca for aspiring actors, writers, directors, producers.
For anyone serious about "breaking in," all roads lead to Hollywood.
We are screening local, national, and international productions.

Enjoy LIVE EVENT!
SCREENINGS, RED CARPET, AWARDS CEREMONY
and Q&As with filmmakers!

This how our events looks like...

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...and now it's time for the 2023 edition

Schedule
VIP All Films Pass $30 door, $25 online here
This includes all films in all blocks and Q&As with all filmmakers

12:15 Red Carpet
12:30 PM. Short Films Screening Block 1
+ Q&A with filmmakers
The Enemy, 1:50
Hell, 4:22
PSYCHOZ, 12:19
Lucas Needs an Agent, 7:28
Some Days, 7:13 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
The Sound of Your Voice, 26:50
Diomysus, 5:00
Collapse, 17:37
The Other Side - A Portrait of Nikki Bell, 13:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Total time approx: 99 min.
2:15 PM Q&A with filmmakers (same screening room)
2:45 PM Break
Block 1 tickets $10 door, $9 online here
-
3:00 PM. Short Films Screening Block 2
+ Q&A with filmmakers
Palms Station - I Don't Know the Way, 3:55
MeiHouWang, 6:20 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Ghost 13:40
Wedding Day, 4:42 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Parents, 16:26
The Birth of a Beautiful Butch 3:05 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Once And Never More 4:35
Don't Turn Off the Ghost Light, 10:14 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
The Sweet Taste of Freedom, 33:44
Total time approx: 99 min.
4:45 PM Q&A with filmmakers (same screening room)
5:15 PM Break
Block 2 tickets $10 door, $9 online here
-
5:30 PM. Short Films Screening Block 3
+ Q&A with filmmakers
You Wish!, 4:08
No Dreams Left Behind, 3:00
The Dress Code, 3:14
Red Pen, 15:00
XYZ, 8:16 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Ava, 10:00
Of Wood, 6:59
Spellbinder Shadow, 8:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Zippy Ride, 15:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
GAIN AND LOST, 7:40
Total time approx: 81 min
7:00 PM Q&A with filmmakers (same screening room)
Block 3 tickets $10 door, $9 online here

7:30 PM Awards Ceremony
Invitations Only
7:45 PM Awards Ends
8:00 PM End of Festival

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The Festival hosted by the comedian, actress and producer Kristen Lundberg

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Tickets and Passes

VIP All Films Pass $30 door, $25 online here
This includes all films in all blocks and Q&As with all filmmakers
MORE TICKETS HERE
1% of all tickets sales goes to FREE ARTS FOR ABUSED CHILDREN www.freearts.org

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Address & Parking

Venue.
LAPAC. Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory, 10931 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Parking.
Street Parking or 2383 Midvale Ave (1 hour/$1, 10 hours/$4)

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Screenings Details

12:30 PM. Short Films Screening Block 1
+ Q&A with filmmakers

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The Enemy
Director Shapxo
Short. Any Genre
Ukraine
1:30
Love is complex. Sometimes we hurt, and other times we get hurt - we say things without thinking about the partner's feelings. Thereby we leave small cuts on the human’s soul under the thin skin. Cuts that slowly become deep bleeding wounds. It hurts - but as it is love, we keep walking on this razor's edge again and again. In the end, the wounds fill our souls with blood and we drown in it. "The Enemy" - a short fashion horror film, a visual poem based on the quote from Haruki Murakami's "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle": "Hatred is like a two-edged sword, when you cut the other person, you cut yourself." Shot on Kodak 16mm by the Ukrainian production team in Europe

Hell
Director Xinrui Zhou
Short Animation
United States
4:22
“Hell” is a 2D animated short film that illustrates the impact of an overly controlled family on children. The film takes place in China about 20 years ago and follows the story of a little girl who has a dream that her spirit wanders into the Chinese Underworld and hell. The girl has fun and plays tricks on Yan , the master of the Underworld, freely inside her dream ; While in the real living world, she is constrained by her family environment. The fear brought upon the girl by her family outweighs the horrible folk mythology, making her real life out to be more of a real “hell” for her than the underworld in her dreams.

PSYCHOZ
Directors Diego PERROTTE, Alexis PERROTTE
Short. Any Genre
France
12:19
A young man in his twenties finds himself trapped in his own psychosis when he patiently waits for his turn in the waiting room of a medical office.

Lucas Needs an Agent
Director Lucas Grabeel
Short Comedy
United States
7:28
Lucas Grabeel attempts to re-enter the film industry after a long hiatus and global pandemic.

Some Days
Director Jef Ross Doebler
Short. Any Genre
United States
7:13
Some days are good, but once a young woman's freedom is taken from her, some days aren't so good...for some.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

The Sound of Your Voice
Director Mitch D Fields
Short Drama
United States
26:50
Does surviving adversity strengthen a bond? Derek and Sydney navigate her teen-pregnancy, but when she leaves their hometown for college in the city, they must reconcile the past with their respective futures.

Diomysus
Director Emily Elizabeth Morus-Jones
Short. Any Genre
United Kingdom
5:00
An experimental film where a group of mice (voiced by members of the UK polyamorous community who's identities are masked using puppetry) discuss their experiences of polyamory. Diomysus asks the question - are we (the audience) more open to taboo ideas if unconscious bias is eliminated?
(See the sea 00:47)

Collapse
Director Lennart Falk
Short Drama
Denmark
17:37
Regitze returns from a business trip. She clearly feels that something has changed. It turns out, that the family members each keep a secret, which eventually culminate in a violent showdown.

The Other Side - A Portrait of Nikki Bell
Director Aubrey Franchell
Short Documentary
United States
13:00
The Other Side is a portrait of Nikki Bell and her journey from a teen sex trafficking survivor to a powerful advocate for other survivors in Worcester, MA. Over the past 8 years, she’s set up an extensive network of support services to help women in her community overcome addiction, trauma, isolation, stigma, and violence associated with the commercial sex industry. Then the world changed seemingly overnight. When the pandemic began, Nikki’s drop-in center was forced to close, preventing her team from providing food, clothing and support services to those in need. Nikki and her staff of survivors began risking their own health and safety to continue providing invaluable aid.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

Total time approx: 99 min.
2:15 PM Q&A with filmmakers (same screening room)
2:45 PM Break

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3:00 PM. Short Films Screening Block 2
+ Q&A with filmmakers

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Palms Station - I Don't Know the Way (Director's Cut)
Director Stanislav Puzdriak
Music Video
United States
3:55
I Don't Know The way To Your Heart' is a single from the debut EP by Palms Station. Written, recorded, and produced by Hillel Tigay in Los Angeles, California. Video Production by Rebel Monkey.

MeiHouWang
Director Justin L Ni
Short Animation
United States
6:20
On his first day of preschool, Sun goes toe to toe with his new classmates, channeling the strength of the legendary Monkey King to earn their respect and recognition.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

Ghost
Director Artur Sallinen
Short Sci-Fi
Finland
13:40
The traumas from the past returns when Antti finds out that Lauri, who bullied Antti in school, starts as his new boss. Will Antti be able to confront Lauri as the bullying begins once again? The superhero short Ghost praises the inner child in us and seeks to notice all the victims of bullying. And in the end, you don't necessary need to wear a cape nor a mask to be a superhero.

Wedding Day
Director Hamed Niki
Short Comedy
Canada
4:42
A bride has second thoughts on her wedding day.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

Parents
Director Coline Béal
Short Drama
France
16:26
Parents questions their past in order to try to understand the day that changed their lives and their daughter’s forever.

The Birth of a Beautiful Butch
Director Gia-Rayne Harris
Experimental
United States
3:05
“The Birth of a Beautiful Butch” is a story about Alex, a gay high school senior, caught between who she is and what she’s supposed to be. On the day of her school pictures, Alex feels stuck with an appearance that doesn't fit right with her body. When she retreats into her mind, she is able to imagine the person she wants to be. Ultimately, she transcends the judgement of others through fashion in an authentic expression of herself.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

Once And Never More
Director Simon Macko
Music Video
Denmark
4:35
It can be heartbreaking being reminded of what could have been. The love life you could have had, had you done something different. You can either keep dwelling on it, looking for that faint light that might show you the past once again, or you can pick yourself up and move on.

Don't Turn Off the Ghost Light
Director Allisyn Snyder
Short Comedy
United States
10:44
Every stage actor knows the old theatre lore. At night, after rehearsal, after the show, you leave the ghost light on - or else.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

The Sweet Taste of Freedom
Director Matthew Penn
Short Drama
United States
33:44
A man facing a long prison sentence has 48 hours to put his life in order.

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5:30 PM. Short Films Screening Block 3
+ Q&A with filmmakers

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You Wish!
Submitter Lingyun Li
Short Animation
United Kingdom
4:08
A story about a man who is punished for his greed by taking over a bird's island, which leads to revenge from the birds and a search for nom-existent treasure.

No Dreams Left Behind
Directors Gareth Leah, Dylan Wineland
Short. Any Genre
United States
3:00
I cannot think of anyone in my life that does not possess a dream of some kind. For many, realizing those dreams often becomes a tug of war between everyday commitments and the chastising fear of failure in the pursuit of said dream. Lofty goals of climbing Everest, becoming a pilot, or building their own house, car, or motorbike are often cast aside because “I don’t know how to” and are labelled as pipe dreams. But it doesn’t need to be this way.

The Dress Code
Director Rikard Westman
Short Drama
Sweden
3:14
What happens when a lonely man advertises for company, demanding something very…particular?

Red Pen
Director Abdou EL MESNAOUI
Short Drama
Morocco
15:00
A teacher tries to convey to his students the meaning of democracy through the collaborative correction of an exam in a school located in a remote mountainous location, while a communal election campaign is taking place in a nearby hamlet.

XYZ
Director Jeff Griggs
Short Comedy
United States
8:16
While on an outing with friends, a Chicago man has an earth shattering discovery and has to make a vulnerable request from his girlfriend.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

Ava
Director Ayoub El Jamal
Short. Any Genre
United States
10:00
Shortly after losing her life partner, Ava is diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s.
As she continues to navigate through life alone and comes to realize what her condition implies, she decides to take control over what remains of her life.

Of Wood
Director Owen Klatte
Short Animation
United States
6:59
"Of Wood" is a unique experimental stop motion film created by progressively carving images in a large round of wood, enhanced with wooden objects coming out of the wood. It examines the role of wood in daily life through the ages and comments on the impact of consumerism on our lives.

Spellbinder Shadow
Director Curtis K Case
Mystery
United States
8:00
Monique comes home to find out that her world is a illusion or maybe not? As things move along with her appointment with Dr. Billings, Monique finds herself going down the rabbit hole not knowing where it goes. Will she be able to come back with her sanity in tact or keep falling into darkness.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

Zippy Ride
Director Rikard Rodin
Short Comedy
United States
15:00
A day in the life of a ride-share driver in Los Angeles on the worst day for any ride-share driver... Sunday morning. After a slew of misfit toys and Phil’s worst nightmares, his final passenger might just be the love of his life.
FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!

GAIN AND LOST
Director Ruofan Zhao
Short Animation
China
7:40
The cartoon Gain And Lost is a short movie about a man who gains some accidental wealth chooses a wrong way for that and nearly dies, but he gets redemptive eventually.

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Screenplay Category 
Please note that we do not read screenplays at the festival. You can read some of the scripts here, contact the writer, and collaborate. Look for an inscription that says "Read Here" next to the title.

Face to Face
Writer Christina Alagaratnam
United Kingdom
A woman visits her father's killer, before he dies. As they revisit the events of that terrible day, the two realize they have more in common than they thought.

A Still Small Voice
Writer Deborah Kay Paulsen
United States
Based off the Prophet Elijah, his conflict with King Ahab, and Queen Jezabel. Elijah must conquer his fear of being killed by the angry Queen. Occurring after the death of the Priests of Baal. During this time, Elijah has an encounter with the Lord. READ HERE

Vax Effect
Writer Diana Chemeris
Greece
People are getting vaccinated during the pandemic, but some people refuse to get the vaccine and are faced with the consequence of being an outcast from society, others are forced to get the vaccine in order not to lose their job. Some years have passed and the vax effects are visible. The vaccinated people are much older than they are supposed to be, many are bitter or gave up on life, but some seek revenge..

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7:30 PM Awards Ceremony
Invitations Only
7:45 PM Awards Ends
8:00 PM End of Festival

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Watch some comedies, now, FREE
on Tubi, Prime and Roku
Hollywood Short Film Festival participates in short films anthologizes
and film productions. Check these titles below. Have fun, be inspired.
www.lacinefest.org/films

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Submit your Film or Screenplay

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WINNERS LIST
BEST DOCUMENTARY The Other Side - A Portrait of Nikki Bell
BEST MYSTERY Spellbinder Shadow
BEST COMEDY XYZ
BEST DIRECTING Don't Turn Off the Ghost Light
BEST EXPERIMENTAL The Birth of a Beautiful Butch
BEST INTERNATIONAL Wedding Day
BEST ANIMATION MeiHouWang
BEST DRAMA Some Days
BEST UN-PRODUCED SCREENPLAY A Still Small Voice
BEST OF THE FESTIVAL The Sound of Your Voice
Congratulations!

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The festival sponsored by