2025 Schedule
All events, other than the After Parties, will take place at the
Garibaldina Society:
4533 N Figueroa St,
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Wednesday
October 22
INTRODUCTIONS
Filmmaker Meet & Greet
Dreams of Electronic Cinema
6PM-9PM
LOCATION
GARIBALDINA SOCIETY
4533 N Figueroa St,
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Dreams of Electronic Cinema
Wednesday, October 22nd Filmmaker Meet and Greet: A fun kick-off party for the filmmakers, sponsors, media and staff. The soiree is themed “Dreams of Electronic Cinema” and is headlined by “Circuitry & Poetry”, a collaborative experimental and interactive performance of circuit bending with dance, poetry and sign language. Circuitry artist, Jeff Boynton, harnesses the black art of circuit bending to fabricate DIY (Do-It-Yourself) experimental electronic instruments and music, while Poetry artist, Mona Jean Cedar, composes spoken word poetry and choreographs dance with sign language, to create innovative and evocative live performances. Showgoers are encouraged to have fun with Electronic Cinema attire on the red carpet!
Catered canapes courtesy of our sponsor, Checker Hall
Signature cocktails courtesy of our sponsor, Tequila Cabal
Thursday
October 23
OPENING NIGHT
Film Screenings
4PM-8PM
LOCATION
GARIBALDINA SOCIETY
4533 N Figueroa St,
Los Angeles, CA 90065
40 Watts from Nowhere
40 Watts from Nowhere is a documentary about Los Angeles pirate radio station KBLT. It is based around vintage footage shot in 1998 that shows the station operating 24/7 out of an apartment closet in Silver Lake with DJs running the gamut from Keith Morris (Circle Jerks), Mike Watt (Minutemen) and Don Bolles (Germs) to garden-variety music fans playing everything from jungle and punk to vintage country and French pop.
Visit Beautiful Costa Rica
A local tour guide, the filmmaker’s father, leads us through two neighboring towns: Conchal, whose land is owned almost entirely by Westin Resorts, and Brasilito, one of the last coastal pueblos in Costa Rica.
(sub)titled
An indigenous woman from San Juan Peñas, Mexico, breathes life into fading memories as her ancestral language is revived through sound and image at a soundstage.
TEA.
From glittering stages to quiet dressing rooms, this film explores the multifaceted layers of drag through the eyes of local LA queen, Sweet Tea.
Raymond in Reverie
An exploration of the daydreams of a movie theatre security guard during his shift.
SU
"SU" is a heartfelt documentary directed by a young Lisu boy named Haisu Mu. Raised in the bustling metropolis of Shenzhen, Haisu Mu is deeply connected to the vibrant urban lifestyle. However, within him lies a profound yearning to discover his cultural roots and ethnic identity.
A Week in Palenque
In a small pueblo in the south of Mexico, a community of underprivileged indigenous people are served by medical professionals for the first time in years.
Surf & Turf: An Alliance Short Film
From the Shenandoah Valley to the wide-open expanse of the Bay, this film shows us how two different worlds can unite for a shared cause. Discover how we can all sit at the same table, share our stories, and strive together for clean air, clean water, and a brighter future.
Compas
In the burrows of Downtown L.A., a center of day laborers builds community through culture and storytelling in a time of hostility that aims to break them apart.
Chickentown
"CHICKENTOWN" follows a determined young woman, Mitzi, in pursuit of justice after her sister’s tragic death.
Flowers
FLOWERS follows Candace Chapman (Marina Aligh), a struggling waitress trying to catch a break—and the bus. After a nightmare job interview, Candace misses her bus to work, gets followed by a guy at a bus stop—already a start to a terrible day. That is, until she meets Jeff (Peter Banachowski), who just got stood up... on his anniversary.
Answers
In a stark interrogation room, two detectives circle a weary suspect like predators. They call him Byron Dedson—a petty criminal they claim has graduated to murder. But the suspect insists: they’ve got the wrong man.
Dream Machine
An immigrant auto-shop mechanic watches as the technological marvel of flying cars strips away his livelihood — threatening his marriage and challenging his belief in the American Dream.
Sins of The Father
A teacher in a small farming town witnesses an unsettling encounter between her student and his father. When she tries to help, she uncovers a startling truth.
The Uniform
THE UNIFORM tells the story of a lonely woman who has slipped through the cracks of life, and the extremes to which she will go in her search for human connection.
Paydirt
Fed up with their low pay and subpar working conditions, a hitmen duo go to confront their boss.
6316 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Friday
October 24
WORKSHOP & LUNCHEON
Screenwriting Workshop
1:30PM
NIGHT TWO
Film Screenings
4:30PM-9PM
LOCATION
GARIBALDINA SOCIETY
4533 N Figueroa St,
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Demystifying the writing process with “most improved” Iris Almaraz
- Building a strong foundation — character, theme, and structure.
- Writing from lived experience — turning personal stories into cinematic ones.
- Screenwriting as rewriting — strategies for revision and staying motivated.
Iris Almaraz is an East LA Chicana filmmaker whose formative years spanned from homelessness to studying at one of the nation’s most prestigious arts high schools. After earning her BFA in Cinema, her first short film premiered at the International Film Festival in Rotterdam. Her $30K feature Delusions of Grandeur premiered at Cinequest with sold-out screenings and was named a top-five film pick by Latine festival programmers in 2013. She has since directed numerous international award-winning shorts. Her latest film, Red Onion, premiered at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in 2024 after being developed through the Women of Color Filmmakers’ Advanced Directing Program. Three of her screenplays have been Sundance Labs finalists, including Rocketship, which also received support from the Eastside Arts Initiative and has a proof-of-concept short currently in post-production. In 2023, Iris was awarded the Jan Marino Scholarship, enabling her to pursue an MFA in Screenwriting at Stephens College, which she completed in 2025. That same year, she was named a fellow of the Mentoring Latina Directors Fellowship. Beyond her own projects, Iris has taught filmmaking to Latinas and at-risk youth through Creative M Planet and Operation Street Kidz. As Co-Director of the Latina Independent Film Extravaganza (LIFE), she is dedicated to growing and supporting the Latina directing community so it can thrive and prosper.
Catered lunch courtesy of our sponsor, Las Cazuelas.
Fill3
The film begins with a stereotypical factory setting that evolves into an an increasingly strange production system.
Lover's Limbo
When Luz and Luna are sent to purgatory, Luz must conquer her existential fears for the sake of love.
Sunrise in Prison
Elizabeth "Leesa" Nomura describes her experiences as an incarcerated woman, the community she built, and the power they discovered together.
Sorry I Missed Your Call
Through a series of real voicemails, SORRY I MISSED YOUR CALL explores the guilt, responsibility, pressures, and burnout behind a woman's experience as a caretaker for her beloved grandmother as her Alzheimer's progresses, as well as her grandmother's own anxieties and loneliness in the absence of a proper support system for either of them.
Pose, Snap, Repeat
An amateur stop-motion animator named Jaykob shows the grueling process of making a short animation segment for his upcoming video.
I Know Him So Well
The jewel-toned animation of queer teenage love is chronicled by guitar-playing mermen and the vocals of AJ Rafael and Chance Calloway.
Sienna and the Sit
SIENNA AND THE SIT is a story about the lengths to which we go to avoid our pain, the community that helps us through to the other side, and ultimately our own inner strength.
I’m Not Going to Play Zip Zap Zop With You
To distract herself from her boyfriend’s manipulate texts, an anxious performer vows to have the best improv rehearsal of all time.
#Slay
Beauty influencer wannabe Tan Deliciosa must battle murder allegations when a social media celebrity dies suddenly.
Pretty Good
After his dog Blue runs away Darren, a hapless grifter, begs Parker, his most recent mark, to help him find the dog and sets off an adventure that turns these two lonely souls into unlikely friends.
The Unlikelihood of Trevor
After getting dumped, Trevor goes to therapy and attempts to win his girlfriend back with the help of a trash-talking imaginary friend, who may not be as imaginary as he seems.
Burnout
A sleep-deprived night shift worker faces a surreal robbery that blurs the line between his drifting reality and disorienting dreams.
Metal
A man in a metal helmet, chained up in a basement with nothing but cartoons to keep him company, escapes one night and finds himself searching for somewhere to belong.
Human Trial
MK Ultra in the Tinder era. A pharmaceutical lab tech accidentally ingests an experimental drug during a first date and we all get to monitor the side effects.
The Re-education of Jane Brown
A reticent young woman, haunted by her violent past, wakes to find herself imprisoned in a re-education facility for women who have attempted to have abortions. In this new reality where seeking bodily autonomy is a crime punishable by death, she must decide if she is willing to be re-educated or if she is ready to face her own mortality.
Deadline
After being witness to a shooting, a struggling artist gets a career-changing opportunity, but is unable to progress in his work as he begins to be tormented by a physical depiction of his art.
Raymundo Patiño Tamez
A recently fired man, creates a piñata without realizing he has also created a cult.
Magic 8
The Tell Tale Heart
An abstract retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell - Tale Heart." Meet Lenore, a lonely maid who hates the look of her employer's nasty teeth. Overwhelmed with ick, Lenore decides to take the life of the Old Man after a beautiful dinner she made for him. Happy as can be and rotten mouth free. Her joy is interrupted when she hears a knock, a tap, tap, tapping on the chamber door.
Dry Stone
Just one wrong image traps a silent photographer in a sinister occult ritual.
Script
Two screenwriters, a ghost story, the night that goes on. Who will put an end to this?
Brown Hare
A pregnant young woman escapes from a dangerous cult with the help of her best friend (and the love of her life), but no matter how many miles she puts on her ’68 Mustang, through rolling farmlands and dry deserts, she’ll discover this group’s powerful allies won’t stop until they reclaim what they feel is rightfully theirs – her baby and her life.
Scary Marian, the Scariest Librarian
Two students make too much noise in the library, and pay the price...
My Wife
My Wife is a beautiful woman, she keeps my home in order, makes sure I make it to work on time, and is an adequate cook.
Love Bomb
Christine's whirlwind romance takes a dark turn in this surreal horror comedy.
The Nature of Death
When an eccentric park ranger crosses paths with a grieving hiker, he offers his help in finding the perfect spot to scatter the hiker’s father’s ashes. As they venture deeper into the remote wilderness, the ranger’s true intentions begin to blur.
6316 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Saturday
October 25
WORKSHOP & LUNCHEON
Directing Workshop
12PM
NIGHT THREE
Film Screenings
4PM-8PM
LOCATION
GARIBALDINA SOCIETY
4533 N Figueroa St,
Los Angeles, CA 90065
DIRECTING: The Art of Communication
- Having a clear vision and being able to communicate that vision to your cast & crew.
- Casting. Going beyond your friends & family.
- Developing your taste and your own aesthetic.
Kenneth Castillo is a director/writer who grew up in the shadow of The Vincent Thomas Bridge in the small harbor town of Wilmington, Ca., aka-The Port of Los Angeles. To date he has written and directed seven feature films and several short films including his short film series The Misadventures of Cholo Chaplín. He has established himself in the urban Latino genre and his films have screened all over the world and on various platforms including Netflix, Amazon, Redbox and Tubi. Currently, his urban feature film trilogy The Drive-By Chronicles can be seen on CineLatino throughout Mexico and Latin America. In 2018 he formed his production company Cienfuegos Productions and completed his 7th feature film-Marigold the Matador. The first project under that banner. It is currently streaming on Prime and Tubi. Kenneth is also a Professor of film at the prestigious ArtCenter School of Design in Pasadena, where he teaches directing. His filmmaking memoir Stereotypical: My Filmmaking Journey from the Harbor to Hollywood is due out in early 2026.
Catered lunch courtesy of our sponsor, Folliero's.
Within Rem
After the loss of her infant daughter, a mourning mother goes through events of dream sequences of all the grief and guilt she has buried down subconsciously. When the fabricated images of her daughter's denialism, resurfaces in her dream, she realizes she cannot move forward without facing the truth.
Sonata
When his boss suddenly demands he teach his soul-healing mixology to a new hire, a savant bartender must heal himself or risk losing everything.
Neanderthal Women
Five young women settle away from the city and share a lunch by the water. Their conversation focuses on their relationship with their ‘mum’.
Grief is a Room
Grief is a Room is a meditative, quiet, short film that follows a father through seven nights of solitude after the death of his young son. Confined within the walls of his apartment, he navigates the rituals of daily life while grappling with the weight of memory, sorrow, and the pull toward oblivion.
How the Rose Reaches
Talulah, pregnant with her first born, wrestles with the reality of motherhood as she is confronted with memories of her own, mentally unstable mother.
Murmuration
A meditation on shared experience as generations of a family intertwine during a brief moment in time.
Right On!
An aspiring writer uses increasingly desperate and unconventional methods to overcome a crippling ailment - writer's block.
El Lloron
FELIPE is a professional mourner. He is compensated for lamenting and comforting grieving families during funerals.
How's Your Brother?
An introverted accountant living in Tijuana is forced to smuggle drugs across the international border.
Super Latina
Julieta and her best friends, Lety and Del Mar, are excited to audition for "Super Latina," a local competition to represent the Latino community. When Julieta finds out what the judges really think of her... she and her friends decide to take matters into their own hands.
Fiat Lux 5000
Devoted gay son Manuel Espinoza tests an experimental brain modulation device––the Fiat Lux 5000––to reconnect with his dementia-afflicted father, triggering a violent family legacy.
3 MINUTOS
Under the time pressure of a potentially life changing test, a young couple unexpectedly takes a quick but meaningful look at their past, present and potential future.
Here's To You
During a dinner party set in the 1920, a married woman discovers the true relationship she has between her husband, "friends" and close confidant.
Fear and Tremble
El Salvador in 1964. The radical poet Roque Dalton (Oscar Torres), renowned for his wit and idealism, finds himself imprisoned by the secret police after returning from revolutionary Cuba.
Heart on the Diamond
Corazón en el Diamante is a heartfelt story about Cecilia, a passionate 15-year-old baseball player, and her mother Gloria, who grapples with the challenges of immigration and family sacrifice.
Hollywood Rex
After a chaotic gig gets her band kicked out of a bar, punk bassist Rex is blamed by their manager for holding them back. Left behind when the band mistakenly leaves without her, Rex embarks on an eventful trek through the streets of Hollywood.
You Used to be Fun
High school friends Bridget and Nick reconnect as adults and try to navigate the imbalance of feelings in their relationship.
Slurpee Trail
Two kids. One unexpected adventure.
Where do the Waterlilies Grow?
Three young women navigate the silent undercurrents of emotion, each carrying a hidden burden. A hopeless romantic has idealized life so much that reality never measures up, a lonely woman battles her inner demons, and a prom queen crumbles beneath the weight of external validation.
Buildings
A young woman makes her way through a crumbling city.
Me Porto Bonita
Following a heartbreak two best friends embark on a day of refuge. What first started as a day of joyriding through the city quickly escalates into an adventure of revenge and exposed secrets.
Solstice
On a cold winter night in a remote small town, karma is enforced by the sun that doesn't go down.
Sage Hen
In the late 1890s, after the death of her brother, Abigail and her mother are left alone in the harsh world of the wild west. Meeting the outlaw, Claude, Abigail learns they are in jeopardy of losing their home. She encounters Enola; a reclusive cowgirl and former friend of her brother’s, and asks for her help. Abigail days are numbered, but she has never felt more free while learning with Enola.
Terminally Ill
When a struggling rapper is summoned to his grandmother’s deathbed, he engages in a madcap freestyle in a hilarious but heartbreaking attempt to prevent her from dying.
The Creations
After the death of his grandfather, a young boy uses his imagination to escape his grief. On the first day at his new elementary school, his escapism is challeneged by his new harsh reality.
Reprogrammed
In retro-future LA, Andrea, a lonely roboticist, neglects her life to finish her masterpiece – IRIS. While teaching IRIS the ropes of being sentient, she realizes she must patch things up with her father. By giving birth to artificial life, Andrea learns how to live a real organic life.
Savor it
In the wake of their best friend’s suicide, three friends gather for the first time. A story of loss, friendship, and the strength it takes to keep living, Savor It explores the nuances of mental health that are often misunderstood or overlooked.
The Importance of being Ernest
The Importance of Being Ernest is a comedic short film about the misadventurous day when a shy teenager named Joe wakes to find he has an imaginary friend, Ernest Hemingway.
Stitches
Ava wants to sew a dress from scratch. Her sister, Gillian, just wants her to focus on getting better. Little do they both know that putting stitches into something other than her own skin is exactly the kind of healing Ava needs.
TATTERS!: A Puppet Story
Meet Marvin!!! A silly puppet who learns a big lesson after he is diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Della
“Della” tells the story of two sisters, bonded and connected by a shared past of childhood trauma and abuse. Each having gone their separate ways, the sisters now confront their shared history and past with the tragic passing of their abusive, alcoholic mother.
6316 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Sunday
October 26
NIGHT FOUR
Film Screenings
2PM
AWARDS
Awards Gala
7PM
LOCATION
GARIBALDINA SOCIETY
4533 N Figueroa St,
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Kokoro: Heart of a City
Anthology compiling stories of heartbreak, friendship, first love and self-love, involving modern and complex relationships in Mexico City.
Awards Gala
Sunday October 26th, 7 PM: Heart & History Awards Gala, Red Carpet 7 to 8, Awards, Dinner & Mixer 8 to 10.
Signature cocktails courtesy of our sponsor, Tequila Cabal
Free Admission to our SAG and WGA members!