Beverly Hills Film Festival (BHFF) serves as a cinematic cultural template for emerging, talented filmmakers who wish to express their uniqueness through the lens of past excellence while exposing themselves to the latest innovative concepts in the arts. The Beverly Hills Film Festival’s objective is to merge today’s filmmaking pioneers with the wealth of cinematic heritage by edifying and developing the cinematic community.
Schedule of Events:
Block 1 at 1:30 PM:
Relationship Rehab:
Animation (1 min) United States
Directed By: Voice Directed by Donna Grillo
Written By: Nikki Moore
Produced By: Nikki Moore, Donna Grillo
Cast: Nikki Moore
Synopsis: We follow Dr. Sally and group therapy participants as they navigate relationship woes. Olivia goes through, yet, another breakup. Let’s see what the doc has to say…
Tree:
Animation (5 min) United States
Directed By: Jeongmin Koo
Written By: Jeongmin Koo
Produced By: Jeongmin Koo
Cast: Paul Johnson, Ethan Joonseo Park
Synopsis: A man comes up to the lonely and broken tree on a small hill. As he reaches the wounded tree, he goes back to the past for his memories and feelings. However, even the ones he wished to forget start to haunt him.
Starship:
Animation (6 min) Australia
Directed By: Christian Debney
Written By: Christian Debney
Produced By: Christian Debney. Jonathan Hairman.
Cast:
Synopsis: An astronaut embarks on a momentous journey to Mars, driven by the deep-seated desire to fulfill her late father’s wishes. As she traverses the void between Earth and the Red Planet, her thoughts linger on the memories of her father. Upon setting foot on the Martian surface, she not only realizes her own dreams but also honors the legacy of her father, making his long-held aspiration of reaching Mars a reality through her, cementing their bond across the infinite expanse of space.
The Esteemed Priority:
Animation (6 min) United States
Directed By: Al Bohl
Written By: Al Bohl
Produced By: Al Bohl
Cast: Denise Robinson
Synopsis: The Esteemed Priority is a short stop motion animated film using silhouettes in the classic tradition of the filmmaker Lotte Reiniger. It’s a story as old as time but just as timely. In today’s world where the chaos of hate, prejudice, and racism is everywhere we ask the questions, “what is love? Is what we call love, really love? How do you know? Is there a means to measure or determine if we truly love something or someone?” Yes, there is a way, and this makes love – the priority of highest esteem. A man went on a journey….
Driftwood:
Animation (9 min) United States
Directed By: Christopher Hills Eaton
Written By: Christopher Hills Eaton
Produced By: Anderson Clark, Christopher Hills Eaton, Brad Post
Cast: Aaron Mark Brown
Synopsis: A young sailor survives the attack on Pearl Harbor by clinging to a floating driftwood log, but when he’s finally rescued, he refuses to let go, leading to a lifelong relationship of sacrifice and respect.
Back to Normal:
Animation (10 min) United States
Directed By: Cecilia De Jesus
Written By: Cecilia De Jesus
Produced By: Jaena Sta. Ana, Donnie McCormick
Cast: Angel Stafford
Synopsis: Two little blobs named Red and Orange make their way through a global pandemic that completely upends their lives. The isolation of lockdown takes a heavy toll on Red, whose mental health deteriorates as Orange tries to find ways to show love and support.
Luki & the Lights:
Animation (10 min) United States
Directed By: Toby Cochran
Written By: Toby Cochran, Sascha Groen, Janna Brouwer-Schouten
Produced By: Adrian Ochoa
Cast: Anjo Snijders, Kendra Vernon, Toby Cochran
Synopsis: LUKi, a charming and upbeat robot known for living life to the fullest, is diagnosed with the life-altering disease ALS. He must choose how to face life going forward.
Aikane:
Animation (13 min) United States
Directed By: Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson
Written By: Dean Hamer
Produced By: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Judith Light, Daniel Karslake
Cast:
Synopsis: A valiant island warrior, wounded in battle against foreign invaders, falls into a mysterious underwater world. When the octopus who rescued him transforms into a handsome young man, they fall in love and an epic adventure begins.
Tomorrow:
Animation (16 min) Iran
Directed By: Aryasb Feiz
Written By: Aryasb Feiz, Kaveh Ruintan, Amir Zoghi
Produced By: Aryasb Feiz, Sadia Ashraf, Farida Rafique
Cast: Farvaag, Mahsa Ahmadpour
Synopsis: A scrappy 10-year-old urchin, struggling to survive the day-to-day hardships of 1970s Iranian street life, forms a friendship with a stray dog, forever changing their lives.
A Shattering:
Animation (20 min) United States
Directed By: Jan Jalenak
Written By: Jan Jalenak
Produced By: Baby Doll Films, Janey Huey
Cast: Scott Cohen, Kelly Wolf, Isabelle Phillips
Synopsis: A carefully constructed marriage implodes when an unexpected call unleashes the fragility and wounds that have been simmering for years.
Sri Aurobindo - A New Dawn:
Animation (27 min) India
Directed By: Suresh Eriyat
Written By: Arkish Aftab, Shania Brinda Symons
Produced By: Nilima Eriyat
Cast: Victor Banerjee, Deepti Naval
Synopsis: What does freedom mean to you? Sri Aurobindo dedicated his lifetime in the pursuit of finding the answer to this question. This film is a tribute to his selfless endeavor for mankind.
Block 2 at 1:45 PM:
Way of Life:
Documentary (8 min) Australia
Directed By: Tom Park
Written By: Tom Park
Produced By: Descent Productions
Cast:
Synopsis: Way of Life is an ocean based documentary shot in Koh Tao, Thailand. The film explores the history of Koh Tao, and its people’s deep, yet changing connection to the ocean and the underwater world. The story focuses on the incredible reef conservation and restoration work local groups and businesses have been engaged in for the last 15 years, in efforts to alleviate pressure off their natural coral reefs which have suffered from Koh Tao’s recent surge in popularity. The film explores the reef restoration methods Koh Tao residents have employed to protect their way of life.
For Your Eyes Only:
Documentary (11 min) United Kingdom
Directed By: Sergio Angot, Barry Hoffman
Written By: Sergio Angot
Produced By: Sergio Angot
Cast: John Mills, Paul Little, Jacob O’Neill, Adam Thorn, Michael Goldberg, Sharon Vardi, Eric Price, Greg Nichols, Tom Hawknill, Chris Priest, Tristan Carlyon, Toby Stokes, Adam Brody, Orlando Harrington, Heather Murphy, Andrea Berlese
Synopsis: For Your Eyes Only is a short documentary that chronicles the end of the homonymous videoshop in London. Its absence leaves an open wound in the local community who grew to see the shop’s staff as an extension of their families. A closure symptomatic of a city that has morphed into a ruthless grinding machine that relegates small independent businesses to history books.
Heart of Recovery:
Documentary (19 min) United States
Directed By: Kassi Crews
Written By: The Beacon House Association of San Pedro
Produced By: Kassi Crews, Jonathan Higgins, Victoria Villarreal, Zach Martin, Avalon Silver, Nathan Swan, Ivan Rizo Patron
Cast: The Beacon House Association of San Pedro
Synopsis: Heart Of Recovery takes viewers on a compelling journey into the heart of The Beacon House Association of San Pedro, a state-licensed-and-certified substance abuse recovery program that has been a transformative force in the lives of countless men for over five decades.
We Rise:
Documentary (64 min) United States
Directed By: Michael Afendakis
Written By: Michael Afendakis, Jonathan Leveck
Produced By: Michael Afendakis, Jonathan Leveck
Cast: Sammi Phan, Jessica Hellman, Sofia Kupper, Angela Liu, James Scharf, Bernie Greenfield, Ren Pham, Celia Zimmerman, Lucas Simone
Synopsis: Driven to the cause of social justice, Sofia, Jessica, Sammi, Angela, Celia and Lucas, the impressive rising stars of a high school mock trial team from the heart of Silicon Valley, navigate the defense and prosecution positions of a murder case while sharing their personal challenges, crises, and long fought for victories that have molded them into the strong, powerful, resilient young adults they have now become.
Block 3 at 2:00 PM:
Mary Pickford a blessing and a curse:
Documentary (53 min) France
Directed By: Clara and Julia Kuperberg
Written By: Clara Kuperberg, Julia Kuperberg
Produced By: Clara Kuperberg, Julia Kuperberg
Cast: Tracey Goessel, Tony Maietta, Katleen Feeley
Synopsis: Mary Pickford’s name remains inseparable from the legend of American cinema. She invented the star system at the beginning of the 20th century, and was the biggest star ever known, not just in Hollywood, but worldwide, at a time when actors didn’t even have their names on movie posters. She was more than a pioneer, she was a jack-of-all-trades: world-famous star, producer, formidable businesswoman, screenwriter, director in the shadows, and studio boss. Mary Pickford alone embodied the entire legend of cinema and the advent of women in that particular era.
Block 4 at 3:30 PM:
Building The Beatles:
Documentary (72 min) United States
Directed By: Tony Guma, John Rose
Written By: Cinema Vérité style documentary with talking heads
Produced By: John Rose, Tony Guma
Cast: Sam Leach, Allan Williams, Pete Best, Mike Pender, Freda Kelly, Billy J Kramer
Synopsis: Although Brian Epstein is recognized as the one who made the the Beatles worldwide famous, he didn’t “discover” them. Beatlemania was born long before Epstein came on the scene. The Beatles were already the number one standout group in Liverpool’s massive Mersey Beat scene drawing thousands of screaming fans to their shows. The Mersey Beat movement started with a number of local promoters. This is their story for without them there may have never been a Beatles.
Block 5 at 3:45 PM:
Package+:
Comedy (10 min) United States
Directed By: Adam Foster Jacobs
Written By: Adam Foster Jacobs
Produced By: Serena Violet Hodges
Cast: Tessa Williams, Ravi Kapoor, Roddy O’Hehir, Vee Kumari, Yordanos K Himed, Janira Hernandez
Synopsis: Package+ (Package Plus) follows Diamond (Tessa Williams), a delivery driver who arrives late to work and is placed on a substitute route for premium customers. Under the stress of falling behind, she makes a terrible mistake. The fallout from this event is not as expected – it’s business as usual.
Hang Loose:
Comedy (12 min) United States
Directed By: Tim K
Written By: Tim K, David Neher
Produced By: Abigail Jones
Cast: David Neher, Jack Allison
Synopsis: Dave really needs to clear the air with his annoying roommate.
Pinewood:
Comedy (12 min) United States
Directed By: Josh Kahn
Written By: Josh Kahn
Produced By: Joy Chanik, Tom Culliver, Josh Kahn
Cast: Eric Zaklukiewicz, Charlotte Raith, Alyssa Mann, Tristan Maghett, Dexter Ahmed
Synopsis: Bill begs his competitive-to-a-fault daughter Clarice to play fair as they arrive at what’s sure to be a contentious Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby tournament. Bill, having slept with (and ghosted) another parent, the vindictive Nance, is doing his best to stay out of the fray, but he can’t help but get involved in the drama after Clarice begins sabotaging her opponents’ cars for her own benefit. Calamity ensues as the other race attendees catch on to Clarice’s plans, but Bill and Clarice end up understanding one another better than ever before.
Who Am I?:
Comedy (12 min) United States
Directed By: Christine Lakin
Written By: Alex Ellis
Produced By: Alex Ellis
Cast: Petey Pablo, Alex Ellis
Synopsis: Who Am I is a short film about Petey, a skeptic who discovers the value of therapy in confronting his past and finding his true self. Through humor and music, it challenges the stigma around mental health and offers a message of growth and self-discovery.
Enforcer of the Month:
Comedy (13 min) United States
Directed By: Michael Ashton
Written By: Michael Ashton
Produced By: Michael Ashton, Kelly Hayden
Cast: Michael Ashton, Robin D. Stanton, Cassidy Kidd, David Sandoval Jr, Ethan Dampf, Tim Martin
Synopsis: In the competitive world of parking enforcement, the “Enforcer of the Month” title is the holy grail. Harold Birkeland has dominated the competition by winning seven consecutive months, much to the frustration of the passive Jimmy Wen. Tired of Harold’s winning streak, Jimmy teams up with a new colleague to bring Harold down and claim the top spot for himself. As the race heats up, Jimmy and his partner must decide if winning is truly worth it.
We’re Good:
Comedy (14 min)United States
Directed By: Sadie Dean
Written By: Sadie Dean
Produced By: Sadie Dean, Yusuf Khan, Rob Palmer
Cast: Shira Gross, Mike Wierzenski
Synopsis: A chronically content couple realizes they have never had an actual argument and feel their relationship is lacking. A shocking turn in their evening leads to them exposing their secret feelings.
Ready:
Comedy (15 min) United States
Directed By: Kirby
Written By: Kirby
Produced By: Kirby, Daniel Smith Coleman
Cast: Kirby, Larry Fields, Yesel Manrique, Ayden Mayeri
Synopsis: A millennial couple in the throes of a pregnancy scare, try to weigh the pros and cons of parenthood, whilst simultaneously preparing to host a friends baby shower.
Marry, Mary:
Comedy (16 min) United States
Directed By: David A. Vargas
Written By: David A. Vargas
Produced By: David A. Vargas, Turner Munch
Cast: David Sullivan, Briana Marin Lopez, Jordan Wall, Oscar Torre, Jon Carter Levings
Synopsis: After finding out he only has months to live, Bryan tries to convince his best friend to marry his wife after he dies.
Block 6 at 4:00 PM:
Aska:
Drama (10 min) United States
Directed By: Haina Zhou
Written By: Haina Zhou
Produced By: Haina Zhou
Cast: Diana Dulinkova, Janusz Hummel
Synopsis: Returning to her childhood home to invite her emotionally distant father to become her chaperone. Aska ultimately realizes that there are some things that she has to ultimately leave behind.
To Shoot or Not to Shoot:
Drama (10 min) Switzerland
Directed By: Nelson Gains Wagner
Written By: Nelson Gains Wagner
Produced By: Philip Delaquis
Cast: Elsa Langnäse, Gilles Marti, Marcus Signer
Synopsis: A shooting range somewhere in Switzerland. Fog lies over the fields; winter is already here. Lukas, Simone, and Urs, their adoptive father, are training for the upcoming competition. The psychological confinement, the constant pressure, and the dark secret create a charged atmosphere. Simone gives his brother a chance for revenge. Should he take it?
The Accident:
Drama (12 min) Ireland
Directed By: John Fahey
Written By: John Fahey
Produced By: John Fahey
Cast: Alex Conlon, Freda King, Anthony Bohan, Siobhan Aislinn, Tim Casey
Synopsis: Chris has been involved in a terrible car accident. He is consumed by guilt. Chris’s wife Sarah’s relationship with Chris changes a lot because of the accident. Ger and Paul will never be the same after the accident. We explore the consequences of the accident and we see the guilt, regret and sorrow that it has caused.
Wrecker:
Drama (14 min) Ireland
Directed By: Martina McGlynn
Written By: Aoife Bradshaw
Produced By: Garret Daly, Emma Scott, Eamonn Fitzgerald
Cast: Sam Keeley, Cameron Barron
Synopsis: In 1849 Ireland, a young girl grows suspicious about how her father has been providing for them as famine tears through their community.
Scarlet:
Drama (24 min) Bulgaria
Directed By: Maria Bobeva
Written By: Maria Bobeva
Produced By: Maria Bobeva, Petro Dushkov, Stanislava Ivy
Cast: Eleonora Ivanova, Nika Ignatieva, Mira Boyajieva , Pavel Hristov, Sergej Ivanov, Stanislava Ivy, Venci Venc
Synopsis: Stella is a social worker from the State Child Protection Agency in Sofia, Bulgaria sent on a signal to check a house in a rundown area of the city. She enters the world of the 9 year old Scarlet and her negligent mother – a victim herself, abused by a despotic boyfriend, a small-scale thug. Beneath the girl’s innocence, charm and vivid imagination, Stella starts to slowly uncover the chilling details and the dark secrets within the household and in the surrounding environment. Is she strong enough to save the girl, who finds in her a friend, maybe even the mother she’s been missing ever since birth…?
The First:
Drama (28 min) Russian Federation
Directed By: Yurii Mezhevich
Written By: Yurii Mezhevich
Produced By: Ekaterina Mezhevich
Cast: Yurii Mezhevich, Artem Bystrov, Oleg Topolyanskii, Petr Skvortsov, Olga Lapshina, Maria Lapshina
Synopsis: Russia, March 1934. Mitrofan Nikitin, who once shared the ideas of revolution, realises that there is a gap between Party’s promises and reality. He decides to do something that has never been done, to raise awareness about country’s and society’s problems.
Block 7 at 5:30 PM:
Beyond The Grave:
Documentary (82 min) United States
Directed By: Serena DC
Written By: Serena DC
Produced By: Serena DC, Miko Allyn Quinones, Evan Jenkins
Cast: Serena DC, Dr. Eben Alexander, Susan Grau, Dr. Max Moore, Adam M Curry, Andrea Perron, Mary Telliano, Ellen Wheaton
Synopsis: What happens when we die? This film investigates near death experiences and reaches beyond the grave to explore conversations with the dead, cryonics, consciousness and paranormal phenomena with the world’s leading experts & experiencers.
Block 8 at 6:00 PM:
Joe Baby:
Action (86 min) United States
Directed By: Steven Brand
Written By: Todd Samovitz
Produced By: David Lipper, Robert A. Daly Jr.
Cast: Dichen Lachman, Willa Fitzgerald, Corin Nemec, Harvey Keitel, Ron Perlman, Kenneth Choi, Dan Bakkedahl, Kelly Hu
Synopsis: Joe Baby (Dichen Lachman) is a private investigator searching for money that has been stolen from Heather Stanton (Willa Fitzgerald), only to find all roads lead to the mysterious death of her father, Walter Baby (Corin Nemec).
Block 9 at 6:10 PM:
Bleecker:
Comedy (103 min) United States
Directed By: Edith Hagigi
Written By: Edith Hagigi
Produced By: Edith Hagigi, Andy Zolot, Gary Giudice, Alvaro R. Valente, Tal Hagigi, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Robyn J. Davis
Cast: Bob Ari, Alicia Crowder, Aidan Fiske, Tovah Feldshuh, Anita Gillette, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Callie Thorne
Synopsis: Bleecker tells the intertwining stories of a motley of characters in NYC’s Village. Maya, a straight face here who has come to The Big Apple to find her place in this world, a longtime couple who express their affection by bickering, a Texan lass who is forever searching for love, and others who create distractions for themselves instead of dealing with what’s really gnawing at their souls: big questions without answers. As Maya settles in, she starts to care about these folks, which leads her through twists and turns to her own self-purpose.
Block 10 at 7:15 PM:
Ana:
Drama (14 min) United States
Directed By: Amauta M. Firmino
Written By: Amauta M. Firmino
Produced By: Sarah Sullivan, Ana Blundell, Maxwell Neely-Cohen, Don Gummer
Cast: Louisa Jacobson, Maia Mihanovich
Synopsis: A young woman struggling to find inspiration is interrupted by a mysterious guest who tests her limits. She locks herself up in her studio, hoping she’ll catch inspiration in solitude, but soon learns that inspiration isn’t something you can simply catch — inspiration catches you.
Wrong Numbers:
Drama (90 min) United States
Directed By: Duane Edwards
Written By: Frederick Mensch
Produced By: Duane Edwards, Phil Lee, Darryl Manuel, David Kelsey
Cast: David Kelsey and Emily Hall
Synopsis: After a disastrous blind date, Emma strikes up a conversation with Jack. They stumble into a one-night stand that turns out complicated and destructive.
Block 11 at 7:30 PM:
Stall:
Drama (14 min) United States
Directed By: Jordan Blazak
Written By: Jordan Blazak
Produced By: Devi Rawal
Cast: Teddy Larsen, Jean Evans
Synopsis: On a roadtrip to spread their father’s ashes, two estranged siblings must settle their differences when their vehicle breaks down in the frigid Sierra mountains.
Mississippi Scholar:
Drama (90 min) United States
Directed By: Marcus Bleecker
Written By: P.J. Leonard, Obba Babatunde, Marcus Bleecker
Produced By: P.J. Leonard, Joey Chimenti, Morgan Cutturini, Nora Kirrane
Cast: Shannon Brown, Gisla Stringer, Sonny Marinelli, Obba Babatunde
Synopsis: Mississippi Scholar reveals the impediments one underprivileged intellectual must overcome to realize his dreams of the future.
Block 12 at 7:50 PM:
The Shifting:
Drama (16 min) United States
Directed By: Tony C. Silva
Written By: Tony C. Silva
Produced By: Nick Larovere, Tony C. Silva
Cast: Sean Dillingham, Michael Harrelson, Kaleb Papali’i
Synopsis: On a quest to find his lost son, a man faces great challenges as he wanders through a land that shifts constantly through space and time.
The Lost Princess:
Drama (95 min) Morocco
Directed By: Jean-Daniel Camus, Hicham Hajji, Jonathan McConnell
Written By: Hicham Hajji, Irma Lake
Produced By: Cillian O’Sullivan, Soraya Azzabi, Gary Dourdan, Robert Knepper, Eric Roberts
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Synopsis: Alec Touati discovers his true destiny when he stumbles upon a haunted castle with a tragic love story. With Nassim and Hana’s help, he fights to protect the castle’s legacy and fulfill his ancestral purpose.
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