The Hollywood Short Film Festival- Official Selections Screening

Beach Day

When Little Monster wants to go outside during a quarantine, he has to figure out a creative way to get past the watchful eye of his big sister.

Adrift

When a young, devoted painter finds himself stranded in space, he must work through his grief in order to face the challenges ahead and decide whether to return home or move on.

Casting libre

Olivier is a french director with some business et personnal problems. Casts are a hard step in his work and his wife doesn't help him because she is obsessed by their futur wedding. He will have to make choices.

Claraphyll

A ghost girl comes back to celebrate the Day of the Dead and care for her beloved plants.

Dia De Los Muertos

A father takes his son on a spiritual journey to honor his ancestors, and keep their traditions alive.

Drip's Trip

Nature's Water Cycle is experienced by an animated drop named "Drip"!

Fog

A woman reunites with her childhood teacher and questions the nature of their past relationship.

Hunger

In a society where everyone lives inside their own little world, someone dares to break the status quo.

It's Okay

In the style of Black Mirror, It's Okay follows a couple as their life takes an unexpected turn in this futuristic, Sci-Fi short.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS VFX led by Ingenuity Studios (MARVEL, HBO, NETFLIX, UNIVERSAL) Crowdfunded on Seed & Spark

12th Street

Each year 25,000 inmates are released in Huntsville, Texas — one of the largest prison towns in America. Monday through Friday, the glass doors swing open on the front of the Civil War-era, red-brick prison they call The Walls. The inmates exit and shuffle along the sidewalk, some smiling, some pensive, all shouldering onion sacks full of belongings. With no one to greet them, most of them stream past the private homes and prison offices toward the Greyhound bus station three blocks away. For hours, until buses have carried them off, there are lines of released prisoners everywhere near the station: a line for bus tickets, a line to cash prison checks, a line to buy new clothes.

This documentary features a number of these newly released prisoners and explores one of the most critical issues in the national debate over criminal justice reform: the flood of prisoners returning to American communities without the guidance and support needed for a successful transition back to society. What awaits them on the outside? How are they prepared to deal the new world? Where do they go from here?

A Tale of Loneliness

Far beneath the beautiful sea, a unique whale sings a song that is all his own. Inspired by the incredible true story of the 52 Hz whale, “52 A Tale of Loneliness,” invites viewers on an underwater journey that is certain to be as unique as 52 himself.

Bitch, Popcorn & Blood

At Salt’ n Sugar, a popcorn bar in the middle of nowhere, LILY a bored waitress, is goingto turn her life around when two fishy strangers show up in the bar.A mix of onirism, violence and dark humor, Bitch, Popcorn & Blood is simply the weapon that everyone has dreamt of being one day.

Claralina

Martin’s illustrating career takes an unexpected turn when he’s hired by a disgraced children’s author with a penchant for setting things on fire.

Forest

‘Forest’ is an experimental short film rendered using real-time graphics. Through contrasting a vibrant virtual paradise with a dark reality, the film reflects upon humanity’s ignorance of their destructive nature on earth; the innocence of youth and the indifference of adulthood.

Grandpa's Long March

Grandpa’s Long March is a heartwarming road trip story about a Chinese veteran suffering from Alzheimer's, his journey to reunite with his grandson who goes to college in Los Angeles, with the help from some people he might just have a chance to celebrate the Spring Festival together.

Mazu Pilgrimage

Preface/

The patron goddess of seafarers, Mazu, is one of the most well-known deities among Taiwan and China. People believe that they would be blessed by worshipping the goodness. “Mazu’s Pilgrimage” is the annual event that her holiness set off from temple, touring to bless her devotees and expel evil spirits. Every year, more than 400,000 followers join this 9-days pilgrimage tour of this religious event in Taiwan.

Concept/

One after another, wars and chaos befall, green lands and forests burn, disease and illness attack. Unbearable, mother earth roars with counterattacks.

The Earth is crying, lands are crying, people are crying,

Down and hopeless… “Please let the world be peace, families be safe, our love ones be happy”, Shout with all the strength, and the wishes seem to vanish into the void.

We turn to Mazu and pray: for world peace, for safety, for good health. Hoping that her holiness would hear our prayers and shows her grace.

Paul J Lucero’s: NINA

This pilot episode of the tv series NINA follows Nina in the most trying time of her life. Nina’s Mom is a world champion boxer but she tragically is involved in a horrible accident. Now Nina must decide if she wants to give up on her life or stand up and fight to become the next world champ and save her family from financial ruin.

Plant

In a near future humanity has been forced to flee the Earth, a planet now uninhabitable due to wars and climatic turmoils. On the space station Explorer 7, Karen is now ready to deploy on the planet to complete an important mission: to find a plant which might regenerate Earth’s flora and restore mankind’s hope. Escorted by David’s advice, an AI that follows Karen in her journey she manages to reach the surface of the planet finding herself in front of a barren grey spread. Weakened by Earth’s plethora of adversities, the young scientist is forced to camp after few hours of exploration: in this difficult time she remembers all of the wonderful moments spent with her dad by the sea. Safe from the gusts of wind, she gets back on her journey and sees the disintegration of a dying tree, a scene very different from the one she saw in her memories where she recalled the beautiful walks she had with her father. Warned by the signals of an incoming storm David ill advises Karen to go further, but the explorer is stubborn, and deciding to pay no attention to her AI she gets caught by the storm debris. With a severely damaged equipment she wakes up but there are no signs of the plant. After remembering the loss of her mother in a moment of sorrow, the researcher gathers her last strength to go back to her pod, but suddenly she witnesses a miracle: the plant flourishes in front of her with stunning rapidity. In a mixture between joy and bitter insight, Karen decides to sacrifice her personal oxygen to allow the plant’s survival and desperately tries to reach the extraction point. Near to her goal, she collapses to the ground almost dead recaling a peaceful moment with her father. Clutching the ampoule in which she collected the precious plant, she gazes collapsed skyscrapers before exhaling her last breath. 25 years after these events, the ships of the Explorer’s expedition head back to Earth, wich in the meantime it’s totally healed thanks to Karen’s ultimate sacrifice.

Reappear

A son restores his late father’s vintage motorcycle, so he can recreate his mother’s most treasured photograph.

Regarding Annabel

Set in 1970's Regarding Annabel is a comedy about parental expectation, outside influence and keeping up appearances.

High achieving Annabel has unexpectedly failed the entrance exam to the prestigious Winterbourne School for girls. Her mother Melissa knows why she's failed, but must hide the truth from her friends.

At a house party that Melissa's hosting her secret doesn’t feel safe.

The Hunt

“THE HUNT” IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THAT AIMS TO POINT THE ATTENTION AND TO PROVOKE THE AUDIENCE ON AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL PHENOMENON / CRIME THAT IS IN INCREASE AND OFTEN HITS WOMEN AS TARGETS: COERCIVE CONTROL.

“THE HUNT” IS THE RAW REPRESENTATION AND THE DEMONISATION OF WHAT IS MOSTLY THE MAIN CAUSE: TOXIC MASCULINITY, THAT ALLOWS THIS HATE CRIME TO BE OFTEN CARRIED ON BEHIND DOORS WITHOUT THE VICTIM EVEN NOTICING IT.

WITH THIS FILM (MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH MET FILM SCHOOL – EALING STUDIOS) I HOPE TO CONDEMN THIS PHENOMENON AND TO SENSIBILIZE AUDIENCE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

LOGLINE: When a hunter discovers his wife dead in his holiday house and sees a mysterious man lurking nearby, he is forced to confront his darker side in order to discover the truth about his marriage.

The One and Only Jewish Miss America

“The One and Only Jewish Miss America” is the surprising story of Bess Myerson, the talented beauty queen from the Bronx, and how she won the world’s most famous beauty pageant 75 years ago, at the tail end of World War II. The film follows Bess, the middle daughter of poor Russian immigrants, from her childhood in a one-bedroom Jewish housing project apartment through the suspense-filled pageant. Impressed by the college-educated musician, the judges chose her in spite of anonymous threatening phone calls and sponsor disapproval of a Jewish pageant winner. On her 1945 Miss America tour, Bess faced antisemitism and closed doors at race-restricted venues which did not allow Jews. It is also a story of courage as her disappointment turned to determination, leading Bess Myerson to start her own tour to teach tolerance at high schools and colleges around the country -- a tour which launched her lifelong passion for justice.

Mime

A dimension-shifting mime player is disturbed in his peace by a student fraternity. His response is unexpected: by using the fourth wall, he turns their world on its head; literally. However, his powers are useless to achieve romance. Will he find a human way to express his feelings?

Off for some Beers!

A lot of times we are wondering what kind of person is the one living next door. The delivery man comes to show us and lead us along, with his beers in one of his usual quests.

Oregano

A couple decides to try mushrooms for the first time. The "fun high" turns into a psychedelic bad trip as they find out a little kid has gone missing in the neighborhood...

Permanent Resident

Jian and his mother came to Australia to seek a better life. But reality is that only few people will be granted with 'Permanent Residency' every year. During the application period, Jian drops out the school and works in a factory because of the financial issues that he and his mother are confronting. Meanwhile, his mother is also heavily undertaking two jobs a week to save more money for her son. Being outsiders in this society have cause them many troubles to be accepted and their destiny is like a leaf in the wind.

Please Don't Spill The Milk

A woman's bizarre sexual fantasy leads to her boyfriend's heartbreaking confession, followed by distorted modern-day empathy: an instant solution for his deepest wound.

Quaranteen - A tale of confinement

Puberty is a peculiar time, characterized by enormous changes, insecurities and questionable choices. Now imagine if you add a global virus to the mix.

Save The Digis

It's a satirical digital pets rescue commercial.

The last supper

In the tiny castle town of Berat, Albania, each family is bustling in preparation for a grand turkey feast for tonight's New Year's celebration. A sensitive and restless young boy, overlooked by his parents and rejected by his schoolyard peers, finds himself on an adventure of a lifetime when he accidentally lets the wily family turkey - tonight's main course - escape the pen, leading to a thrilling chase throughout the labyrinthine cobblestone fortress, which will take both adversaries to their wits' end. With every epic twist and turn, the question remains: Who will prevail: boy or bird?

The Magic Show

A humiliated magician turns the tables on the children who tormented him.

Three Amigos

At the end of university, three friends take a road trip. Halfway through the journey, one of them finds a bag full of money. Without saying anything, he takes it and they continue with the trip. What he does not know is that the money has a name on it: Mr. Express, a relentless hitman willing to recover the bag at all costs.

when the light comes

It's an animated short film about the encounter and parting throughout the life journey.

Time is streaming away and overshadowing numerous relationships. Life is a continuous journey of saying goodbye to different people at different stages.

Saying goodbye is the most general thing everyone has experienced in daily life. This short animation film aims to visualize the farewell, to strike a chord, to trigger deep thoughts among the audience.

WOUND RIDERS

When a young woman ventures into the unknown night, unexpected obstacles and the tantalizing distractions of creatures of the night transform her mission into a journey of self-discovery. Surrounded by throbbing humanity, she stands alone until she finds what she is looking for.

YOU PROMISED

Adam stands between two choices, should he choose his gang or family?

The Nameless Call - Inside Costa Rica

We sometimes make the mistake of believing that we have seen it all now. However, an epic adventure a year ago has destroyed this assumption, and some other things we claimed to have known. This film attempts to tell the journey of that (re-)discovery. Alongside pals from Vroomie, Wow Tapes team traveled on a bus throughout Costa Rica’s untouched gems of rainforests, beaches, volcanoes, waterfalls - all of which are home to a diversity of natural wildlife. Like any other paradise, we are left in awe with the alluring beauty of its nature, people and culture. But Costa Rica awashed upon us another kind of profound magic, one that perplexed us, at the same time brought us a sense of oneness. (Deep inside, we recognize that this experience can never be justified, but the mystery still beckons to be told.) The Nameless Call is an ode to the awakening of the mostly forgotten but perpetually calling sacred relationship between nature and humans.