Official Selections: 37th 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.
Girl (I Want Your Body)
Music Video
Theatrical World Premiere, otherwise CA Premiere
A woman dabbles in witchcraft to finally achieve her dream, but what's next once a dream is achieved?
Director: Katy Berry
Producer: Amelita and Katy Berry
Writer: Amelita
Cast: Amelita, Tara Harte-Rodriguez, Sarah Beling, Ross Baron, Audrey Mattaino
Cinematographer: Ana Bretón
Editor: Amelita
A selection in the 2021 Poor Life Choices Film Festival (they did not hold screenings), received London-Worldwide Comedy Short Film Fest Summer 2020 Highest Commendation (also no screenings)
Website: www.aaaamelita.com
Instagram: @aaamelita
He's Stuck In There
Short
When Corey gets cold feet about meeting his girlfriend's parents, he decides to hide inside of his water bottle.
Director: Cameron J. Schulz
Producer: Aidan Marx, Cameron J. Schulz
Writer: Corey Sabhlok, Cameron J. Schulz
Cast: Corey Sabhlok, Sebastian Sage, Quinn DeVries, Nick Trafton
Cinematographer: Ethan Chu
Editor: Toheed Chaudhry
Instagram: @sqrl.prod
How to Hide it
Short
Los Angeles Premiere
A moment of weakness after a humiliating breakup leads Zahra, a young Muslim woman to play a forbidden lottery ticket. Her chance at escape becomes a spiritual crisis. While her coworker dreams of riches, she’s certain Allah is watching and waiting.
Director: Richard A. Moore & Ramla Ali
Producer: Harry Starkey-Midha
Writer: Ramla Ali & Richard A. Moore
Cast: Ramla Ali, Umar Sadiq, Sahar Awad, Jordan Julien, Abdirizak Ahmed, John Ryder
Cinematographer: Jasper Enujubar
Editor: Richard A. Moore, William Walsh, Joe Youngs
Officially Selected for 19x film festivals around the world including two BAFTA Qualifying festivals.
Website: www.seveneightsixent.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/seveneightsixent
Just Lie!
Short
World Premiere
A fledgling actress, her manic manager, and the general meeting that destroys their codependent relationship.
Director: Jack Frederick
Producer: Jack Frederick, Melissa Aquiles
Writer: Jack Frederick, Lia Bonfilio, Melissa Aquiles, Tristan Griffin Cast: Lia Bonfilio, Melissa Aquiles, Tristan Griffin, Jack Frederick
Cinematographer: Alec Cohen, Jack Frederick
Editor: Jack Frederick
Just Lie! is a new collaboration by the team behind Will You Please Hit Me? (2024) and explores a new fascinating relationship devised in collaboration with t's leading actresses Lia Bonfilio and Melissa Aquiles. Just Lie! was intentionally filmed with the artistic constraint of completely improvised dialogue with only one camera's coverage so as to stress test my editing abilities and force my creative voice into a new tone.
Website: jack-frederick.com
Instagram: jackfrederick
Keisha Makes A Gang Film
TV Pilot
World Premiere
Aspiring auteur (but actual intern), Lola, wants to make a nuanced, British-African horror film about the lingering horrors of colonialism ...however, with the UK industry mainly backing gang storylines for black creators, she decides to sell out and gain recognition by making her own problematic gang movie... with a twist.
Director: Anna Morena
Producer: Anna Morena, Ranulf K. Jones & Tiffany Black
Writer: Anna Morena
Cast: Anna Morena, Ranulf K. Jones, Fred Smiley, Jordan Okai
Cinematographer: Jamie Touche
Editor: Andra Sascau
Nominated for Best Pilot and Best Comedy at LA Web Fest 2026.
Instagram: @keishamakesagangfilm
Website: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/anna-miles/
In an attempt to be taken seriously by the UK Film industry, a black, wannabe filmmaker decides to make a problematic film about ‘gang culture’.
Lemons
Short
A backstage actor shows up late to a commercial gig.
Director: Max Retik
Producer: Max Retik
Writer: Max Retik
Cast: Adam Carpenter, David John Craig, Noah Morse, Matthew Nichols
Cinematographer: Max Retik
Editor: Max Retik
Director’s Statement: As filmmakers sometimes we can treat getting 'the shot' as life or death, but when we zoom out, we realize it's just not that serious.
I had the idea for this film years ago while waiting on set for an actor hired to play a "real customer" to get one good line read so we could move on as the director, creative director, agency, and everybody else devolved into madness. They all took this one line so seriously as if the very fate of the world depended on getting it right. This cringe-core satire is equal parts annoying, hilarious, and, for me at least, cathartic.
Instagram: @maxretik, @junefil.ms