Official Selections: 35th LA Comedy Film Festivals
Congratulations to our accepted filmmakers!
Films are listed in alphabetical order, index to the left.
Scroll Down to learn more about each film.
Goos’d
Animation
Director: Heeyun Chung
Producer: Heeyun Chung, Ringling College of Art and Design
Writer: Heeyun Chung
Cast: Jacob Barrens, Ellen McLain, Heeyun Chung
Music: Jeffrey Brice
Editor: Heeyun Chung
Oniros Film Awards Quarter Finalist, Red Movie Awards Finalist
Instagram: (@goosd_film) https://www.instagram.com/goosd_film/
Hammerstone Meets Woofstock
TV Pilot
World Premiere
A film that straddles the line between narrative and documentary, landing squarely on comedy. Steve Hammerstone is a small town radio host and big time buffoon, who’s sent to explore Woofstock: North America’s largest festival for dogs. This is that day.
Director: Josh Holliday
Producer: Josh Holliday
Writer: Josh Holliday
Cast: Josh Holliday, Anna Douglas
Cinematographer: Roger Singh
Editor: Nick Mougis
Hammerstone Meets Woofstock was shot live and on the fly - no second takes - over one day this past summer at Woofstock, North America's largest festival for dogs. It's a passion project of Josh Holliday, who wrote/improvised, directed, produced, and financed it. A passion project but not a solo project; it was helped greatly by a solid shooting and post crew.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevehammerstone
Happy Meat
Short
West Coast Premiere
When a lab-grown vegan meat develops teeth, the company owners face an escalating set of moral dilemmas, as the situation spirals out of control
Director: Matt Green
Producer: Thea Burrows & Matt Green
Writer: Matt Green
Cast: Lars - Matthew Bentley, Joe Wiltshire Smith, Justine Moore, Tim Ahern, Adei Bundy
Cinematographer: Owen Cant
Editor: Matt Green
Website: www.matt-green.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noncastrato/
I Am Not Zach!
Short
World Premiere
A captivating short film exploring the quirks of doppelgänger fame.
Director: Todd Smolar
Writer: Todd Smolar
Producer: Nick Regalbuto, Alex Sivirichi, Todd Smolar
Composer: Jeff Greenleaf
Cinematographer: Alex Sivirichi
Editors: Todd Smolar, Jordan Kravitz, Geoffray Barbier
Sound Design and Mix: Tim McKeown
Live Sound Recording / Second Camera: Daniel Hernandez
Additional Live Sound Recording: Laz Hanson
Second Camera: Charlie Salerno
Cast: Todd Smolar, Fabrzio Brienza, Jason John Cicalese, Chelsea Daugherty, Christina Anderson-McDonald, Gabriel Carpenter, Ella Fern, Anthony Tsikidis, Bryan Musto, Abbie Moore, Grace Abbott , Lucy Jean Zickert, Will Young, George Spielvogel, Mitch M, The Redding Twins , Andy Plecensia, Daniella Smolar, Julia The Dog, Friday The Cat
website: Iamnotzach.com
Instagram: @i.am.not.zach
It’s Showtime
Short
World Premiere
Infamous Jackass star, Dave England, falls into a downward spiral of desperation, tormented by ego and old habits, and the masochism of Social Media.
Director: Brennan Stasiewicz
Producer: Brennan Stasiewicz
Writer: Brennan Stasiewicz, Dave England
Cast: Dave England, Shawna England, Clyde England, Van England, Perry Ojeda
Cinematographer: Max Magerkurth
Editor: Dan Maloney
Website: https://itsshowtimethefilm.com
Instagram: its_showtime_thefilm
Grave Expectations
Short
L.A Premiere
Jacob surprises his wife to a nighttime adventure in a cemetery to visit his childhood bully's grave. What begins as a difficult journey into his past becomes an opportunity for catharsis, connection, and, of course, revenge.
Director: Larry Ziegelman
Producer: John Wolfe
Writers: Jason Silberberg, Larry Ziegelman
Cast: Tiffany Bedwell, Dave Honigman, Tate Million
Cinematographer: Kevin Otterness
Editor: Deb Schimmel
Winner of Best Short Comedy screenplay at Hollyshorts Comedy Film Festival, Best Romantic Comedy Screenplay at Austin Short Film Festival, and Best Comedy Short Screenplay at Houston Short Film Festival.
Instagram: @ugspugspictures
Hammy the Hamster
Animation
A gang of space adventurers lead by their captain, Reacher, explore the far reaches of space. Lady Peraxia, and Marty, accompany Reacher along with their talking hamster, Hammy. The crew is shocked to discover that Hammy is in possession of space crack, leading them into unexpected chaos.
Director: Nick Casal
Producer: Nick Casal
Writer: Nick Casal
Cast: Nick Casal
Editor: Nick Casal, Adrian Gonzalez
Hollywood On A Shoestring
Documentary
West Coast Premiere
What began as a simple Blu-ray interview for Matt Devlen’s Super 8 cult classic Ozone! Attack of the Redneck Mutants quickly evolved into more than just a quick chat with Mark Pirro. It became an unplanned celebration of Pirro’s 40-year legacy of micro-budget filmmaking and a rallying cry for aspiring filmmakers.
Pirro and Devlen bonded over their love of outrageous movie titles and guerrilla filmmaking, proving that creativity can outperform any budget. From A Polish Vampire in Burbank (shot for $2,500 and grossing $500K!) to Curse of the Queerwolf and Death Row Game Show, this documentary showcases Pirro’s fearless approach to indie cinema and his unwavering dedication to his cast and crew.
More than just a retrospective, this film is an inspiration for every dreamer to pick up a camera, gather their friends, and create something unforgettable—no big budgets required. The world needs storytellers, and Pirro, the Pied Piper of DIY cinema, proves that where there’s a will—and a camera—there’s a way.
The documentary also pays tribute to Matt Devlen’s late mother, Barbara Dow, a devoted champion of indie film with a deep love of horror movies. She appeared in his and his friends’ movies, including Mark Pirro’s Nudist Colony of the Dead, and further supported Matt’s work by distributing his films under her own label, Muther Video.
Director: Matt Devlen
Producer: Chris Beckman, Matt Devlen
Cast: Mark Pirro, John McCafferty, Bill Devlin, Lauren Baldwin, Debra Lamb, Barbara Dow
Cinematographer: Bruce Heinsius
Editors: Daniel Wetherbee & Jason Ross
Music: Michael Lee Jackson, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Geno McManus
Dedicated to: Roger Corman, Elisar Cabrera, Jerry Feifer
It’s A Lot
TV Pilot
Los Angeles Premiere
Dan, a witty yet exasperated used car salesman, is stuck in a slump—both in sales and in life. Between his chaotic workdays at Lenny’s Super Mega Autoplex, a non-existent love life, and the shadow of his famous yet financially troubled rockstar father, Max (played by Grammy winner Rick Springfield), Dan can’t seem to catch a break. To make matters worse, a new co-worker has arrived, shaking things up in unexpected ways. His boss, Lenny (played by SNL alum Dean Edwards), only adds to the madness, making every day at the dealership even more unpredictable. Set against a backdrop of hilarious mishaps and heartfelt moments, It’s A Lot blends sharp humor with touching family dynamics, proving that for Dan, life isn’t just complicated—it’s a lot.
Director: Scott Brietbarth
Producer: Barry Katz, Dan Rosenberg
Writer: Dan Rosenberg
Cast: Rick Springfield, Dean Edwards, Dan Rosenberg, Chris Soldevilla, Barbara Deering, Raffi Minasian, Kathy Jacobs
Cinematographer: Leo Phillips
Editor: Scott Brietbarth
- Official selection to the Portland Comedy Film Festival (also Award Finalist)
- Official selection to the Georgia Comedy Film Festival (also Award Finalist)
Website: www.itsalot.net
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsalot147/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danrosenberg3/
Kumar Kumar
Short
Kumar Kumar is alone on his birthday. His social feed is dead. Maybe he should be too? But then, the computer dings.
Kumar is an immigrant of color, a stranger in a new land, often unwelcome, who craves human connection. This story is about loneliness and mental health in the social media age.
Director: Kiran Koshy
Producers: Matt League, Kiran Koshy, Joshua Hess, Parvesh Cheena, Steve Wi
Writer: Matt League
Cast: Parvesh Cheena, Brittany Wilhelm
Cinematographer: Joshua Hess
Editor: Adam Henderson
International South Asian Film Festival, Canada - Winner, Best North American Short
Monte Carlo Comedy Film festival - Official Selection (Only US entry in the final selection of 11 shorts)
DisOrient Asian American Film Festival, Oregon, Bend, Oregon - Official Selection
South Asian Film Festival Of Montreal - Official Selection
Dublin Comedy Festival - Official Selection
Humor En Corto, Spain - Official Selection
Kinsale Sharks Awards, Ireland - Shortlist for Acting
POFF Dark Nights, Estonia - Official Selection
Berlin Commercial Film Festival, Germany - Raw Selection
Website: https://kumarkumarfilm.com/
Instagram: @kumarkumarfilm