Official Selections: 13th LA Women in 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
Residue
Short
World Premiere
Hilary has to move out, a task weighed down by tension and unspoken truths. Hilary remains avoidant, Michael, her partner, watches. Clinging to distractions, while her apprehensive friend’s only goal is to help, they pack, procrastinate, and argue. Neither party is willing to face the reality of the ended relationship —until the truth emerges.
“Inspired by the five stages of Grief - residue is an exposé of the raw, unimaginable suffering that comes with death and change. A gritty ‘fuck you’ to fate, the unjust nature of life and having to trust it again.”
Director: Virginia Cassavetes
Producer: Jessica Orcsik & Madison Dell'Aquila
Writer: Madison Dell'Aquila
Cast: Madison Dell’Aquila, George Anagnostou, Luca Johnstone and Preston Pimentel
Cinematographer: Maty Young
Editor: Robbie Ryde
Website: www.diversitypictures.org
Instagram: @residue_shortfilm
The Big Match Girl
Short
Desperate to escape the voidness of her life, Brielle hires actors to pose as her perfect family for her 40th birthday. As the lines between fantasy and reality blur, she’s forced to confront the painful truth about what she’s truly missing.
Director: Marie Rouhban
Producer: Ilayda Centinkaya, Sarah Woodruff
Writer: Marie Rouhban
Cast: Rosie Roy, Jack Taylor, River Jean, Damir Pavlovskyi
Cinematographer: Weiland Kurt
Editor: Hsiao Wei Lin
LA Shorts 2026 - Official Selection
Our key creatives' previous work has won Student Academy Awards, and featured in AFI Fest, Tribeca Film Festival, HollyShorts, LA Shorts, Outfest, and the American Cinematheque's Proof Festival.
Instagram: @thebigmatchgirl
https://www.instagram.com/thebigmatchgirl/
The Children
Short
West Coast Premiere
A struggling addict checks into an airbnb and becomes transfixed with the religious community that occupy the rest of the building. Her hunger for connection quickly turns to obsession driving to her final act as 'savior', which may be her darkest decision yet.
Director: Charlotte Gulezian
Producer: Yelena Krivosheyeva, Daniel Korth and Jessica Carlsen
Writer: Charlotte Gulezian
Cast: Zarah Mahler, Grant Rosenmeyer, Mehrnaz Mohammadi, Nick Pisko, Wyatt Aber and Cooper Jack Mills
Cinematographer: Bethany Michalski
Editor: Connor Jay Colebrook
Composer: John Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_children_short_film/
The Country They Call Life
Short
In a kaleidoscope of memories, Maxine must navigate the surreal and transformative decision of terminating a pregnancy, questioning the very fabric of her identity and future.
Director: Grace Sims
Producer: Don Ohmer, Grace Sims
Writer: Grace Sims
Cast: Sydney Cole Alexander, Bates Wilder, Dee Freeman, Jerah Milligan, Taylor Rose, Jake Ryan, Savannah Rose Wells.
Cinematographer: Riede Dervay
Editor: Natalie Hill
The production was directly impacted by the 2025 LA fires, which interrupted the initial shoot. The team regrouped, and writer/director Grace Sims raised an additional $12,000 to remount the production before the original permits expired. Shortly after completing post-production, Grace discovered she was pregnant. She welcomed her son two months before the film’s world premiere at LA Shorts International Film Festival.
2025 BlueCat Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalist, Creative World Awards Screenplay semifinalist.
Website: https://www.gracesims.com/the-country-they-call-life
Instagram: @thecountrytheycalllife
The Hour
Short, Drama
A portrait of a young woman's first year after leaving an abusive spouse as she navigates her tumultuous healing journey and discovers the power of community.
Director: Paige Henderson
Producer: Molly Flanagan, Kelsey Fordham (Corbin)
Writer: Molly Flanagan
Cast: Molly Flanagan, Phoebe Holston, Ari Hader, Samantha Cutaran, Joseph Callari, Eileen Grubba
Cinematographer: Luísa Dalé Silva
Editor: Ji Ye Won
"The Hour" is inspired by a personal story, this film was made in response to an industry that too often uses sexual abuse for shock value; centering on the violence instead of the voice of the survivor and their strength in moving forward.
I’m proud to say that our film offers a message of hope and healing to survivors and lets others know they are not alone - while shining a light on this important topic that affects so many more people than we know.
Awards:
Winner Best Short Film at Madrid International Film Festival
Winner Social Awareness Award at La Femme Independent Film Festival London
Winner Best Short Film Audience Award at La Femme Independent Film Festival London
Winner Best Social Awareness Award at La Femme Independent Film Festival Paris
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehourfilm/
Until Morning, Margaux
Short
USA Premiere
Unaware of how the day will unfold, Margaux reunites with a man she met only once, hoping for some company.
Margaux is in the comfort of her local cafe when she discovers the phone number of Danny, a man she met fleetingly in a pub. Driven by loneliness and a longing for connection, she invites him to join her for breakfast. Despite their differences, an unexpected bond emerges. As they drift through the day together, Margaux finds comfort in the rare feeling of being seen. But as time wears on and alcohol begins to blur Danny’s edges, the fragile illusion of companionship starts to fracture.
Director: Anoushka Zena
Producer: Anoushka Zena
Writer: Anoushka Zena
Cast: Rachel Fielding, Raffaello Degruttola, Elsa Mills
Cinematographer: Willow Bidwell
Editor: Anoushka Zena
Official Selection at Indie Short Fest and Boundless Film Festival
Wedding Flowers
Short
A begrudgingly adept family outcast and her overbearing mother struggle to find connection as their family reunites for a wedding celebration. Set against the heightened intimacy of a Vietnamese-American Wedding, the film explores the quiet loneliness that can exist between a mother and a daughter, even while surrounded by family.
Director: Madeleine Tran
Producer: Madeleine Tran, Shreeya Jayabharathi
Writer: Madeleine Tran
Cast: Brittney Quach, Cat Ly, Jonathan Agustin, Stacy Song
Cinematographer: Amira Aboudallah
Editor: Madeleine Tran
Instagram: @weddingflowersfilm www.instagram.com/weddingflowersfilm/