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.

Directors Statement:  I feel the term "passion project" gets thrown around a lot these days, but it couldn't be a more apt and appropriate description for this film that is very close to my heart. I was inspired to make it shortly after we crossed the 20 year anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, when I was honored to be asked to return to my Alma mater San Jose State University to teach film. Ironically, the same department I had graduated from 20 years prior.

As chronicled in our film, I witnessed the horrific events unfold that day while attending class as a student. It was such a full circle moment to be at the helm and tell my story with half our crew consisting of my dedicated students, while filming on the very same campus. I'm so proud of my entire crew for their shared passion and hard work in bringing this film to fruition. It turned out to be such a cathartic experience and I really hope our audience enjoys watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.

What I didn't realize then that I do now, was that 9/11/01 was the start of being looked at differently by some of my fellow Americans. As a proud first generation middle eastern American, I'm really hoping this story's message resonates with everyone: We are weakest when divided, but strongest when united.

In our film, we did our best to honor the city and all the victims and their families from that tragic day. We are honored to be given a platform to tell our story and share our tribute.

BOOTIE’S (what we’re calling a s*w work workplace comedy) is set in a space often overshadowed by gritty, intense portrayals. This story shows another side: a world where friendship and absurd humor thrive amid the unexpected. Our vision every step of the way was authenticity. We filmed this short on location at the real club where our writer + executive producer (Gracie Canaan) worked and received inspiration from, featuring real dancers who bring depth and authenticity to each scene. By rooting our production in a space with real experiences, we created a story with a raw, genuine feel that captures the humor and lightness of this setting. We worked alongside an incredibly talented all-female crew. From start to finish, the production was infused with love and laughter—an energy that radiates through the film and, we believe, will spill out into the audience’s experience.