Official Selections: LA Indie Film Festival
Congratulations to our accepted filmmakers!
Complete Line-Up Below
Films are listed in alphabetical order, index to the left.
Use Index to learn more about each film.
3,2,1,0
Short 24th
West Coast Premiere
Director: Mingun Kim
Producer: GENG YICHENG
Writer: Mingun KIM
Cast: Taehong MIN, Minseok KIM, Dusik JEON
Cinematographer: Gwhanhyun LIM, SHUANG FAN
Editor: Mingun KIM, TANG YIQI
Instagram: @gundodododo
Bardo
Short Film
Los Angeles Premiere
Logline: Bardo - noun - In Tibetan Buddhism, the transitory state of existence between life and rebirth. Bardo takes place over over the three days after Steph's mother's death when she returns home to find a surprise visitor and wrestles with guilt over not being more present when her mother was alive.
Director's Statement:
Bardo is a deeply personal short film, born out of my experience after my mom died where, in accordance with Buddhist tradition, we kept her body at home for three days so loved ones could accompany her on the journey into the Great Beyond. It was a surreal seventy-two hours. I was at once deeply present, cognizant of the gravity of this specific moment, and deeply disassociated, unable to reconcile with the truth that my mom was gone for good. See, my mom had been suffering from frontotemporal dementia for years, which meant my dad and I had been in a state of anticipatory grief as we said goodbye to her at each new stage of deterioration. I’d lost my mom so many times that I had a hard time wrapping my head around her actual death. And yet, over those three days, I acutely felt my mom’s presence in ways I hadn’t in years. She quite literally began to send me rainbows, which to this day remains her preferred method of communication. I also felt a deep sense of guilt and regret. I’d spent years living far away, pursuing my dreams. I knew my mom was sick, but I never really faced what that meant. Call it cognitive dissonance, call it an inability to face reality; all I know is it was easier to stay away than face the immense horror of witnessing her go little bit little. In fact, I missed being by my mom’s side as she passed away because I stayed in LA for a career opportunity that later didn’t pan out. Clearly, this remains a regret to this day. But as I began to write Bardo, I realized it wasn’t just a sad story. There were so many moments during those three days, particularly with well-intentioned people trying to help my family, where I longed to turn to my mother and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Instead, I made a film. This is my love letter to her. The title refers to the liminal state of existence between death and rebirth. Yes, it's about my mom's journey as she continues on wherever she's going but it's also a state of existence that each character is in as well. Death is the end of one thing, which is, inevitably, the beginning of another. My mom’s death marked a rebirth in my life, where what was important came into stark clarity and I began the process of realigning my life to reflect my values. Bardo is a huge part of that. Thank you for watching.
Director: Mishki Vaccaro
Producer: Robyn Lay
Writer: Mishki Vaccaro
Cast: Katie Burrell, Richard Waugh, Ashley Comeau, Adam Goldhammer, Alison McKenzie
Cinematographer: Ryan De Franco
Editor: Oliver Whitfield-Smith
Awards: Best Short Film Female Director at the New York International Women Festival, Best Narrative Short at the Art Spirit Film Awards, Best Canadian Short at Vancouver International ShortFest
Instagram: @bardotheshortfilm
Bubbles
Short
As her 13th birthday party approaches, Penny Day is determined to find Bubbles - a beloved clown whose unshakable sadness has overcome.
Director: Carrie Gifford
Producer: Carrie Gifford / Ebony Hurr
Writer: Carrie Gifford
Cast: Arlo Mertz, Maya Knell, Cassey Corrigan, Darbi Gwynn, Hal Mertz, Kirk Ward, Jacob Boll, Lauren Duarte, Jaclyn Duarte, Sam Espinoza
Cinematographer: Robert Ingraham
Editor: Robert Ingraham
Awards: Cal Film Festival, Best Female director, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Achievement in film | Puff film Festival Nomination, Best Cinematography | Official selection, 25th Newport Beach Film Festival, LA International Short Festival
About Bubbles:
Bubbles marks the charming directorial debut of Carrie Gifford. As her first short film, Bubbles has captured the hearts of audiences, transforming the narrative around clowns into something truly endearing.
With tender performances by Arlo Mertz and Maya Knell, viewers are left feeling hopeful and uplifted. The film has enjoyed remarkable success in the festival circuit, earning accolades for Best Female Director, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, and an Achievement in Film Award.
The love and support we’ve received have profoundly moved our cast and crew, igniting our passion to create even more meaningful stories. We invite you to enjoy the magic of Bubbles, and we hope it brings a smile to your face!
Website: www.rccfilms.com
Instagram: directors Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/carriegiffordphotos
Deja-Vu
Short Film
West Coast Premiere
John is convinced he's been on this planet for longer than his lifetime. This feeling of knowing more than what meets the eye troubles him deeply. To find some peace of mind, he decides to consult an hypnotherapist to dive into his subconscious and get some clarity. This leads him to find some truth in his beliefs: the one that he has been living through multiple bodies, for centuries.
Director: Jean Frenette
Producer: Jean Frenette, Francois Sylvestre
Writer: Naomi Frenette, Jean Frenette
Cast: Raphael Grosz-Harvey, Lynn Adams, Nobuya Shimamoto, Jason Hsu, Penande Estime, Akotene Chanoine, Jean Drolet
Cinematographer: Michel St-Martin
Editor: Alex Bergeron
Awards: Best Director at the Cannes World Film Festival, Best International Short Film, Best Diirector, Best Cinematography at the Fighting Spirit Film Festival London
Instagram: j.frenette.stunts
Facebook: Jean Frenette
A Motherly Harmony
Short Film
USA Premiere
“A Motherly Harmony" portrays a mother and son navigating a war-torn reality in their family home. Amidst the looming threat, the mother uses music and dance to create fleeting moments of joy for her son. As war sounds intensify, the duo finds comfort in shared meals and bedtime stories. The mother's connection to her husband's shirt becomes a poignant symbol, reflecting both happiness and heartbreak. The film explores the strength of their bond through dance, drawing from the boy's drawings to capture the essence of family unity. A heartbreaking decision to leave unfolds, marked by a tender dance that briefly restores joy. The narrative takes a devastating turn with a phone call, leading to a tearful departure.
Director: Ara Torosian
Producer: Mariana De Silva
Writer: Aminreza Alimohammadi
Cast: Emily Swallow, Evan Torosian
Cinematographer: Jon Schweigart
Editor: Derek Weissbein
Blue
Short
Desperate to make her first friend, a hyperactive 7 year old girl with difficulty regulating her emotions must learn that her feelings are not good or bad, but it is what she does with them that matters. This film traverses Anjali’s whimsical and lonely world of bugs and imaginary friends through days riddled with emotional outbursts, confusion, and alienation. Through her kindhearted therapist, Anjali learns how to better understand the maelstrom of emotions existing inside of her. After harnessing helpful coping mechanisms, she sets forth into the world to spread her wings and attempt to make a real friend.
Director: Skyler Sulby
Producer: Skyler Sulby & Charlie McCollum
Writer: Skyler Sulby
Cast: Jocelyn James Turner, Julianna Zinkel, Calvin Knegten, Logan DeCarlo, Naomi Gooden, Susanne Sulby
Cinematographer: David Milan Kelly
Editor: Uma Chatterjee
Official Selection LAIFF '24, Semi-Finalist Venice Film Festival '24
Website: https://www.skylersulby.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspot31
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skyler.sulby
Darcine’s Day
Short, Drama
DARCINE'S DAY is an urban story about one woman's day in post-pandemic Los Angeles. Divorced and jobless, she strives to thrive and survive, hitting obstacles at every turn, and comes face to face with the housing crisis in the City Of Angels. In the end, it's an optimistic story of human spirit and perseverance.
Director: Aaron Goffman
Producer: Jeaneth Goffman, Vidal Cohen
Writer: Aaron Goffman
Cast: Kyla Diane Kennedy, Brent Huff, Elizabeth Lamboy-Wilson, Joe Hackett, Vicki Browder-Johnson
Cinematographer: Mark Doering-Powell, ASC
Editor: Aaron Goffman
Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque:
Winner: Best Pilot / Web Series: Diamond Award
Winner: Best Actress: Diamond Award: Kyla Diane Kennedy
Studio City International Film Festival
Winner: Best Director short film: Aaron Goffman
Winner: Best Actress short film: Kyla Diane Kennedy
SIMI Film Festival, Simi Valley, CA
Winner: Best Writing, Aaron Goffman
Winner: Best Music Placement
Alt Alternative Film Festival, Toronto, Ontario Canada
Winner: Best Short Film USA
Awareness Film Festival, Los Angeles, CA
Winner: Best Narrative Audience Award
SF Indie - San Francisco Short Film Festival, San Francisco CA
Winner: Best US Narrative
Website: https://www.darcines.day/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darcinesday/
Dogtown
Short
USA Premiere
An unhoused drug dealer in Venice Beach scrambles for her life after a murder-for-hire gone wrong.
Director: Grant Narasin
Producer: Peter Gold
Writer: Grant Narasin
Cast: Quei Tann, Jamal Trulove, Elisha Herbert, Jesse Saler, Grant Narasin
Cinematographer: Stefan Nachmann
Editor: Kaleb Manske
Instagram: @dogtownfilm