Official Selections: 6th LA Horror 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.
The Exorcist Girlfriend
Short
Los Angeles Premiere
Jared’s deceased ex lover takes over his new girlfriend’s body for a “contorted” revenge. Will he fight to save his life or get distracted by their bendy history?
Director: Kouryou Ngin & Rhea Mallari
Producer: Rhea Mallari
Writer: Rhea Mallari
Cast: Rhea Mallari, Kouryou Ngin
Cinematographer: Charles Zhu
Editor: Rhea Mallari
Website: www.youtube.com/@Rheawind
Instagram: Rhea Mallari (@rheawind_ )
Filmmaker & Actress: Rhea Mallari
Bio: Rhea Mallari aka “Rheawind” is an action comedy actress, contortionist breakdancer, and movement director/choreographer. Her films have sentimental messages played by her corky characters and playful storylines. Get ready to pee your pants from terror and laughter!
The Peel
A chemical peel leaves a young woman unraveling - literally exposing horrors far deeper than vanity.
Director: Sydney Ross
Producer: Charlotte Marcoulis
Writer: Sydney Ross
Cast: Madhulika Krishnan
Cinematographer: Jordan Mason
Editor: Sydney Ross
Instagram: @rossblessedforless
The Good, The Bad and The Bloodthirsty: Sun’s Salvation
Animation
West Coast Premiere, Los Angeles Premiere
In this gothic western horror, a ruthless vampire hunter—cursed with a thirst for blood—sets out to find a cure hidden within vampire veins. But her quest spirals into chaos when she stumbles upon a horde of undead vampires more monstrous than anything she's ever faced.
Director: John Kalning
Producer: John Kalning
Writer: John Kalning
Editor: John Kalning
Website: www.neuralpunks.com
Instagram: NeuralPunks
Twitter: TheNeuralPunks
The Otherkind
FEATURE
World Premiere
A Scenic Lake Community is Corrupted by Mysterious Disturbances.
A woman wakes up alone and tainted by an undesirable encounter during a night at the lake with friends. Meanwhile a troubled cop starts to lose control. Chaos erupts in a sleepy mountain town when something terrifying infects their water. The Otherkind is an arthouse psychological thriller, filmed in California.
Director: Mary C. Russell
Producer: Caroline O'Meara
Writer: Mary C. Russell
Cast: (Marc Anthony Samuel, Rebekah Kennedy, Lestonja Diaz, Paris Dylan, Muneeb Rehman, Laura Dromerick, Luciana Faulhaber, Shylo Molina, Caroline O’Meara, Jeff Pride, and Madonna Young-Magee)
Cinematographer: Ben Meredith
Editor: Pete Szijarto, Jonathan Fallik
Awards: Best Feature Film - The Dunwich Horror Fest
Instagram: @theotherkindmovie
Executive Producers: Gary A. LaBranche and Karen LaBranche of "LaBranche Productions" from Chicago.
The Witch Doctor
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.Short Film
World Premiere
A professional and prim witch doctor’s rituals blur the line between worlds, leading to a terrifying final confrontation with a revenant unable to find peace for its past sins.
Director: Nikita Voronin
Producer: Daniels Joffe, Julija Voronina
Writer: Nikita Voronin
Cast: Marat Efendiev, Inna Pedane
Cinematographer: Daniels Joffe
Editor: Daniels Joffe
Awards, accolades and additional details: Official Selection – LA Horror Film Festival 2025 (World Premiere in Los Angeles). The Witch Doctor was developed as a proof of concept for a potential series blending detective mystery, horror, and psychological thriller. It is an independent short film produced in Latvia, created by a Baltic filmmaking team with a strong background in genre cinema and visual storytelling.
Yellow - Parallel Dimensions
Short
West Coast Premiere
A mother and her baby move into their new home. As days go by, Cristina realizes that someone or something is watching them, but she can't see it nor prove it.
Director: Marlene Guerin
Producer: Marlene Guerin, Aldo Jovan Diaz
Writer: Marlene Guerin
Cast: Alina Margot, Mauricio Aspe, Paulo Borrajo Martinez, Maria Letona
Cinematographer: Danny Valdes
Editor: Marlene Guerin, Danny Valdes
Awards:
Chicago Horror Film Festival 2024 / Nominated to Best Foreign Film
Milwaukee Horror Film Festival 2024 / Nominated to Best Foreign Film
Morbido Merida 2024 / Official Selection
L.A. Indie Horror Fest 2024 / Honorable Mention (Not screened)
Mirada Corta Mexico City 2025 / Semifinalist
Libelula Dorada Dominican Republic 2025 / Official Selection
Instagram: @marleneguerin, @dannyvaldesdp