Official Selections: 1st-7th LA Queer Film Festival
Congratulations to our accepted filmmakers!
Films are listed in alphabetical order, index to the left.
Scroll Down to learn more about each film.
Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting
Music Video
Caroline Rose has showcased many musical styles, never afraid to evolve in public. Their recently-released album, The Art of Forgetting, is their most dynamic and raw work yet. To accompany the album, Caroline created a series of music videos that piece together as a short film. Via a series of time-warped loops, each chapter weaves together a story of Caroline navigating through a transformative heartbreak. A loose recreation of some events in their life, the film accomplishes a fever-dream, Old Hollywood-esque feel through continuous shots and discontinuous narrative.
Director: Samuel Aaron Bennett
Producer: Ari Fouriezos & Julie Levitsky
Writer: Caroline Rose & Sam Bennett Cast: Caroline Rose, Massima Bell
Cinematographer (if applicable): Justin Hamilton
Editor: Samuel Aaron Bennett
The film won Best Music Video at Hollywood Shortsfest, is a semi-finalist at Cannes Indie Shorts Awards and Venezia Shorts Italy, and has been selected for HollyShorts Film Festival and several others worldwide.
Website: carolinerosemusic.com
Instagram: @carolinerosemuzak
Twitter: @CarolineRoseFM
Facebook: fb.com/carolinerosemusic
Closet Combat
Los Angeles Premiere
A closeted high school boy handles the stress of social interactions that risk “outing” him by fantastically imagining them as a situation he’s more comfortable tackling: a classic, 2D fighting game.
Director: Augustus Hinton
Writer: Augustus Hinton
Sound Design: Jacob Christensen
Cinematographer: Augustus Hinton
Editor: Augustus Hinton
Film Festival Acceptances:
Minnesota Webfest
Fighting Spirit All Action and Martial Arts Film Festival
aGliff / Prism Film Festival
Queer 2 Queer Fest
Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival
Instagram: @augustushinton
Dandelion Green
USA Premiere
Short
Weeks before ageing out of the foster care system, 17-year old Kay falls into an electric friendship with Olivia, transforming the way they see themselves, and their future.
Director: Kathleen Burgess
Producer: Olivia Solo
Writer: Maria Barr
Cast: (comma separated, i.e. John Leguizamo, Viola Davis, Bowen Yang) Moogie, Cian Boyd, Lee Lawson, Kristi Woods, Steve Kasan
Cinematographer (if applicable): Daniela Lasso-Neufeldt
Editor: Maria Barr
Instagram: @dandeliongreenfilm
Don't Stay Safe
How can Franki keep both Taylor, her estranged girlfriend, and Eddie, her younger brother, safe?
Don't Stay Safe reflects on critical events of the past year, engaging with the ongoing struggle for racial equality and civil rights, examining the risks of protest... and the risks of staying safe.
Director: Christina Franklin
Producer: Prospect Theater Company
Writers: Cheryl L. Davis (screenplay, lyrics) and Douglas J. Cohen (music)
Cast: Iris Beaumier, Latoya Edwards, Nygel D. Robinson
Cinematographer: Lesley Steele
Editor: Jessie Stead
2021 Drama League Nomination (Outstanding Digital Film, Individual Production), LA Film Awards (Best Musical/Dance Film); Paris Film Festival (Honorable Mention); Indy Short Fest (Best LBGTQ Film and Best Original Song); Official Selection in Berlin Lift Off Festival, Toronto Film Channel Awards, and Big Apple Film Festival
do you feel
Los Angeles Premiere
Music Video
A first date for two Black women goes well and their romance blossoms.
Director: Mailyne K. Briggs
Producer: Naledi Sunstrum, Kilam Media
Writer: Naledi Sunstrum
Cast: Naledi Sunstrum, Thandizo, Lucila Al Mar, Amanada Lowe Warnakulasuriya
Cinematographer: Mailyne K. Briggs
Editor: Mailyne K. Briggs
Website: oknaledi.com, kilammedia.com, mailyne.ca
Instagram:@oknaledi @mailynekbriggs @kilammedia
Facebook: fb.com/oknaledi, fb.com/kilammedia
El Marijuano
Short
El Marijuano is a short film about a queer Chicano pothead named Juan who decides it’s time to leave his gentrifying neighborhood of El Sereno, in North East Los Angeles. On his last night in town, he visits his best friend Billy for one last hurrah. As they smoke weed and reminisce about the past, Juan and Billy open old wounds and try to find healing.
The film explores themes of mental health, machismo, gentrification, and stereotypes. Juan is a complex and flawed character who is struggling with his mental health. He is also a product of his environment, having grown up in a culture that values machismo and conformity. When Juan is forced to leave his neighborhood, he is also forced to confront his own identity and what it means to be a queer Latinx man.
El Marijuano is a love song to Juan's neighborhood, its residents, and the communities he belongs to. It is a film about friendship, loss, and healing. It is also a film about the importance of finding your place in the world, even when the world is changing around you.
Director: Andrew Lara Cervantes
Producer: Josslyn Glenn, Andrew Lara Cervantes,
Writer: Andrew Lara Cervantes
Cast: Daniel Marquez, Alejandro Valtierra, Mia Cervantes
Cinematographer: Haley Kreofsky
Editor: Jessica G.Z.
Director's Award Cinema Diverse Palm Springs
Website: AndrewLaraCervantes.com
Instagram:@elmarijuanoshortfilm
Casual Rave
Self-filmed and directed by Andrew Paparone during the 2020 pandemic, 'Casual Rave' explores the day to day relationship of a stuck at home couple learning to navigate their new normal. Blurring the lines of fact and fiction and with the help of a catchy tune from artist Matt Yves, the two are able to escape the woes of quarantine with a lockdown apartment dance party. As a real life couple, the music video allowed the individuals to express the ups and downs of life and their relationship during the unprecedented lockdown, echoing a universal experience shared by many around the world.
Director: Andrew Paparone
Cast: Andrew Paparone, Dashaun Gasque
Cinematographer: Andrew Paparone
Editor: Andrew Paparone
Instagram: @matt_yves @andrewpaparone
Chrysalis
World Premiere
Short
An old friend's reappearance forces a trans man to choose between safety and survival at the end of the world.
Director: Ell Hartman
Producer: Rachel Fimbianti, Taylor Cody Beck
Writer: Taylor Cody Beck
Cast: Logan Smart, Jessica Love, María Fernanda Díez
Cinematographer: Elliot Nick
Editor: Nate Brimner Smith
Music by Hedra Rowan.
Sound design by Jacqueline Colarusso.
Common Monsters
On the run from a mysterious cult, a boy begins to suspect he is the victim of a bizarre case of Münchausen syndrome by proxy and not the dangerous supernatural creature his mother (Golden Globe and EMMY Nominee SHERILYN FENN) claims he is.
Common Monsters was animated with hand-painted paper puppets and hand-painted sets by John Irvine. All FX are created with tangible materials. It is a hand-crafted artisanal film.
Director: John Irvine
Producer: John Irvine
Writer: John Irvine
Cast: Sherilyn Fenn, Jacob Reynolds, Jacob David Woods, Mana Bennett, John Irvine, Arlen Konopaki, Eric Robert Smith, Richard Hilfiger
Cinematographer: John Irvine (animated)
Editor: John Irvine
Winner of BEST ANIMATED FILM at the OREGON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
FINALIST:
BEST ANIMATED FILM at OREGON SCREAMS HORROR FESTIVAL
LOS ANGELES ANIMATION FESTIVAL
TOKYO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
McMINNVILLE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Instagram: @thejohnirvine
Copenhagen Rendezvous
Short Short Film
"Copenhagen Rendezvous" is a passionate and emotionally charged super short film that takes place on a subway escalator. The story revolves around two men who accidentally meet on opposite sides of the escalator, one going down and the other going up. The chance encounter leads to a series of intense flashbacks from a night out they shared, filled with exhilarating moments and a deep connection.
As they lock eyes and exchange smiles, a vivid tapestry of memories unfolds, intercutting between their electric night together. Viewers witness the pair dining at a cosy restaurant, belting out tunes in a karaoke bar, dancing under colourful lights, and hopping from one bar to another. Their connection grows stronger as the escalator carries them closer to each other.
The flashbacks intensify, depicting the magnetic attraction between them, and the film beautifully captures the chemistry and passion that drew them together. The tension between them reaches a climax as they recall an intimate moment from that unforgettable night.
However, as they draw nearer on the escalator, reality sets in. In a poignant and unexpected twist, one of the men reaches out to touch the other's hand, seeking a connection that transcends the memories they share. But the other man is torn between his emotions and his responsibilities, hesitates and ultimately declines the gesture. Instead, he places his hand on his girlfriend's pregnant stomach, revealing a complex and bittersweet layer to his story.
“Copenhagen Rendezvous” explores the themes of love, connection, memory, and the choices we make in the pursuit of happiness. This emotionally charged film leaves viewers with a powerful and thought-provoking conclusion, inviting reflection on the intricacies of desire and the paths we choose to follow.
Director: André Palacios Tingberg
Producer: André Palacios Tingberg
Writer: André Palacios Tingberg
Cast: Nicklas Bøhm, Jonas Kajberg, Sarah W Bro
Cinematographer: Michael Falgren
Editor: Alexander Topsøe-Jensen
- RED MOVIE AWARDS
- Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards
- Independent Shorts Awards
- Tokyo International Short Film Festival
- Swedish International Film Festival
- Cine Paris Film Festival
- Yellowstone International Film Festival
- Berlin Indie Film Festival
- Indie Short Fest
I- ndieX Film Fest
- Berlin Shorts Award
Instagram: Director personal profile: @kjobenhavn
Cowboy, Bitch!
World Premiere
Set in the wild, gay, American West, Belle must decide how hard she's willing to fight for true love.
Director: Anna Rose Carter
Producers: Victor M. Rocha, Asha Irani, Anna Rose Carter
Writer: Anna Rose Carter
Cast: Riley Scott, Talia Gloster, Carson Wolff, Nicholas Rodriguez
Cinematographer: Christian Cuevas Caro
Editor: Casey Partridge
Website: imdb.com/title/tt13474232/
Disciple
A different kind of coming out. When a young moody Millennial reveals his HIV status in a queer support group, it sends Poe, a not so traditional gay priest who mentors the group, in search of his own inner truth
Director/Writer/Producer: Sebastian LaCause
Executive Producer: Roxanne Morrison
Cast: Sebastian LaCause, Zach Morrison, Garcie Cartier, James C. Burns, Carlton Wilborn, Roxanne Morrison, Brandon Llyod
Cinematographer: Sonja Tsypin
Editor: Sebastian LaCause
Disciple is a film that explores overcoming the shame and guilt that prevents people living with HIV to stand in their truth and live with authenticity and freedom from not only the social stigma and fear but also the imprisonment of their own doing through feelings of unworthiness and lack of knowing their own value.
NY Cinematography Awards - Best Cinematographer, Sonja Tyspin, Best USA Film
Toronto Independent Film Festival at CIFT, Best LGBT Film
Imagine Rain Film Awards - Best LGBT Film, Best Score
Dumbo Film Festival, Best Short Narrative
Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival - Best Cinematography
Website: thinkbetterfilms.com
Facebook: FB.com/DiscipleFilm
Instagram: @thinkbetterfilms/
Don't Turn Off the Ghost Light
World Premiere
Short
Actor Terrence asks to stay late after rehearsal one night to practice his lines onstage. His stage manager says yes, with one rule. "Don't turn off the ghost light." Poor Terrence. He should have been more careful - because now he's about to find out that some performances never die.
Director: Allisyn Snyder
Writer: Matthew Scott Montgomery
Executive Producer: Bob Morrison
Cast: Matthew Scott Montgomery, Chris Renfro, Misha Reeves, Heather Gottlieb
Cinematographer(s): Dylan Snyder, Joey Luthman
Editor(s): Allisyn Snyder, Dylan Snyder
Instagram: @watchthefootage
Allisyn Snyder was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and has been steadily working in the entertainment industry for 22 years as an actress. She is well-known for her series regular role of Zora in the hit Disney shows “Sonny with a Chance” and “So Random!” Allisyn was always fascinated by the directors' work, and yearned to one day express her artistic creativity through that channel. She graduated at age 15 and began studying cinematography. Allisyn started producing films in 2016 alongside her now-husband, Dylan Snyder, forming Watch The Footage (WTF) Productions with producer Bob Morrison.
Matthew Scott Montgomery is recognizable from his many appearances on the Disney Channel in shows such as "Austin & Ally," "Shake It Up," and his recurring role on "So Random!" Matthew Scott is an accomplished playwright and theater actor. For his portrayal as 15-year-old Kendall Parker in Del Shores' "Yellow," he won Best Featured Performance in a Play at the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards in 2011. He was also awarded Best Featured Actor in a Play at the 2010 Backstage Garland Awards, and Comedic/Dramatic Performance of the Year for the 2010 Stage Scene LA Awards.
After meeting on the set of Disney Channel's "So Random!," Allisyn Snyder and Matthew Scott Montgomery immediately bonded over their love of all things spooky. In regards to their decade long friendship and shared interest in both horror and comedy, Allisyn said "We both love to scream just as much as we love to laugh." Following Disney, the two worked together on a short film written and directed by Allisyn titled "Weeji," where Matthew Scott played a grammar stickler who gets frustrated when contacting a ghost through a ouija board who cannot spell. They teamed up again when Allisyn recruited Matthew Scott to play a demonic creature in a short horror film she wrote titled "Room 566." After attending his annual Halloween themed stage show, Spook Night, Allisyn begged Matthew Scott to write something for her to direct. They finally collaborated as director and writer on "Don't Turn Off The Ghost Light," a queer, romantic, horror comedy. The two enjoyed the experience so much, they decided to work on their first feature together, a LGBTQ+ screenlife horror flick titled "Howdy, Neighbor!" They filled out the cast with more former Disney stars including Debby Ryan, Kevin Chamberlin, Alyson Stoner, Shayne Topp, Damien Haas, and Nina Millin. (Variety: https://variety.com/2022/film/news/disney-debby-ryan-alyson-stoner-1235311033/)
Champion
I've written a few songs about making love but none that were inspired by making love to a woman. The song and video is my attempt at capturing some of the feelings it inspires in me....the euphoria and joy in making love.
Director: Brittany Campbell
Producer: Brittany Campbell
Writer: Brittany Campbell
Cast: Brittany Campbell and Candace Quarrels
Cinematographer: Brittany Campbell
Editor: Brittany Campbell
Chavo
Los Angeles Premiere
Short
Tommy’s grill is a meeting point for the Roma community. Here a tightly-knit but motley group of people gather to eat and talk. When a lone young guy visits the restaurant one evening, rumors begin to spread and Tommy is forced to revisit traumatic memories.
Director: Alecio Araci
Producer: Bitte Andersson, Alicia Hansen
Writer: Alecio Araci
Cast: Michell Tatter Alfredsson, Ado Mehic Dzafic, Rosmari Kaldaras, Paul Dandos, Philip Torres Örning, Ronaldo Romi, Alondra Romi, Daysury Valencia
Cinematographer: Arpi Sahakyan
Editor: Rasmus Ohlander, Alvis Wolff
- Winner Best Short Film - AKE DIKHEA? International Festival of Romani Film 2023
- Winner Students Award - Sardinia Queer Film Expo 2023
- Winner Best Short Film - Perth Queer Film Festival 2024
- Winner Best Director - Chauri Chaura International Film Festival 2024
Connect
USA Premiere
Short
A story told by a young lesbian Anne-Marie who learned how to be happy through openness and connection with others.
Director: Lilya Kichigina
Producer: Lilya Kichigina
Writer: Lilya Kichigina
Cast: Anne-Marie
Cinematographer (if applicable): Lilya Kichigina
Editor: Lilya Kichigina
Any awards, accolades or additional details about the process you would like to mention:
Lights! Canberra! Action! festival (Canberra, Australia) awards: Top 12 selection, Best use of theme, Best cinematographer, Best director, Female filmmaker, Best editing, Most memorable performance
Short+Sweet Film Festival Illawarra (Wollongong, Australia): Finalist
Instagram: @lilkicha @akela_bones
Digital Warfare
Los Angeles Premiere
Short
When two lazy sisters argue about whose turn it is to replenish the snacks, they are transported to a fantastical boxing ring to duke it out over a thumb wrestling match.
Director: Steph Farber
Producer: Steph Farber, Madeline Down, Marissa Fujimoto, Sara Hanneman
Writer: Steph Farber & Kinzie Shaw
Cast: Kinzie Shaw, Mandy Price, Jekeva Phillips
Cinematographer: Madeline Down
Editor: Jenna Neish
Website: stephfarberfilms.com/digital-warfare
Instagram: @stephjfarber/
Disco Bloodbath
World Premiere
Feature Length Documentary
A family of outsiders create an outrageous, limitless club-night that explodes in popularity. But, the fate of this iconic event hangs in the balance when our self-declared misfits reach their limits - both internal and external. In a spectacular ending, the group has an honour bestowed upon them that they never dreamt of.
Director: Marcus Palmer
Producer: Marcus Palmer
Writer: Marcus Palmer
Cast: (Francesca Tocker, Constance Maraj, Drew Blood, Yuri Guaii, Kita Mean, Medulla Oblongata)
Cinematographer Marcus Palmer
Editor: Marcus Palmer
Best New Zealand Emerging Director (DocEdge Festival)
Nominated for Best Cinematography (DocEdge Festival)
Website: discobloodbath.org
Instagram: discobloodbathdoco
Facebook: fb.com/DiscoBloodbathDocumentary
Ek Ladki
Concept/choreography: Proma Khosla, Anjali Mehta
Director: Raashi Desai
Cast: Proma Khosla, Anjali Mehta
Cinematographer: Raashi Desai
Editor: Raashi Desai
This project was the first of many creative collaborations between the three of us, borne out of a shared desire to combat the heteronormativity of Indian cinema. Proma and Anjali had been dancing together for some time and wanted to do some kind of queer dance love story, so when the trailer dropped for Shelly Chopra Dhar's Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga... we knew it had to be to this iconic title track. We did most of the concept and choreography within a week, then filmed on two separate days in the dead of winter (one of which included the magical snow squall you see in the finished video). To this day we still receive comments and messages from people who love this video and felt it resonated with them, and that response has been the greatest joy for us as artists.
Instagram: @lionpartyfilms
Twitter: @lionpartyfilms
Facebook: fb.com/lionpartyfilms