Acting Out
Synopsis: In this emotionally charged drama, Conrad and Bianca, two actors rehearsing a raw and intense breakup scene over a Zoom call, blur the lines between reality and performance. As their passionate argument unfolds, tension escalates, revealing vulnerabilities and unspoken truths. Just when the intensity peaks, the twist comes: it was all an act. Lingering emotions suggest that their scripted connection might reflect something deeper, leaving the audience questioning where the performance ends and real feelings begin.
Dear Etoile
Synopsis: Etoile dreams of being a glassmaker like her mother, only to realize that pursuing dreams is harder than it seems, driven to the extreme.
El Deseo (The Wish)
Synopsis: A terminally ill woman returns to the beach of her youth and remembers her first love in this emotional tale of magic, love, and sacrifice.
Bound by Myth
Synopsis: BOUND BY MYTH is a short documentary film exposing how racially divisive myths targeted at AAPI and Black Americans are propping up mass incarceration, and how those myths (the Model Minority Myth and ideations of Black criminality) are interwoven. All as told through the eyes of a bi-racial quad of young decarceration activists, scholars and filmmakers.
A Space Age Love Story
Synopsis: A teenager deals with the hospitalization of his girlfriend by imagining himself as a space ranger, traveling through space and fighting aliens to save her from capture.
To Drive or Not To Drive
Synopsis: Having just turned 16, Kadin is hyped w/the anticipation of driving. That is, until he gets behind the wheel of the family vehicle.
Whiskers
Synopsis: A young feline decides to surprise her mom by attempting to bake a cake from scratch!
Click
Synopsis: A struggling High School student has to come terms with the recent passing of her father and find purpose.
Illumination
Synopsis: In the animated short film, Illumination, a burned out worker rediscovers his creativity.
Untitled Artist
Synopsis: What is art and what does it mean to you? For this young teen, it's everything but the thought of a blank canvas it ALMOST too daunting to start.
What Remains of Us
Synopsis: What Remains of Us is a poignant exploration of grief, connection, and missed opportunities. Luke, a young man weighed down by personal struggles and family expectations, revisits a close but strained relationship with Cam, a friend who moved away. Through a series of text messages, flashbacks, and video calls, the film reveals Luke’s guilt and regret over losing touch, culminating in the devastating realization of Cam’s tragic fate. As Luke grapples with his emotions, he reflects on the impact of their bond and the unspoken struggles both carried, emphasizing the importance of reaching out and cherishing meaningful connections.
Clean Plate
Synopsis: "Clean Plate" is a light-hearted battle story of one brilliant chef and one untouched dish that keeps being returned to his kitchen. In between the dimmed restaurant lights and the high heat of the stove will the unusual midnight customer ever clean his plate?
Wings
Synopsis: In a world where women learn how to waltz to get married, Odette’s true desire is to own the sky as the pilots of her family.
Where We Once Roamed
Synopsis: After re-releasing free-roaming buffalo to their native lands after centuries of absence, the Blackfeet Nation has set off on an unprecedented path towards cultural and spiritual renewal of their people, the land, and the buffalo species. Through Ethan Running Crane and Ervin Carlson’s eyes, we understand the hard work that each generation is undertaking to restore this sacred animal.
The Last Sonata
Synopsis: A formerly incarcerated father, who seeks to reconnect with his estranged son, is rejected. He then resolves to attend his son’s concert—no matter the cost.
Queen of Spades
Synopsis: A high school addict must choose between her dangerous love and a chance at innocence.
Palmas
Synopsis: Rooted in the subversive tradition of Mexicanidad, “Palmas” confronts viewers with the haunting histories of the Kizh-Gabrieleño tribe, the Chavez Ravine evictions at Dodger Stadium, and the Palm Tree, presenting a triptych experience of the buried voices of Los Angeles.