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 1:00 PM:
Cat Got Your Tongue:
Comedy(12 min) United Kingdom
Directed By: Georgina Hellier
Written By: Georgina Hellier
Produced By: Georgina Hellier, Tess Kermode, Andy Harold
Cast: Georgina Hellier, David Sterne, Sid Sagar
Synopsis: Cat Got Your Tongue is a heartfelt comedy about not being able to carry on living until you’ve buried what’s already dead. Hazel is trying to track down the man she thought she had a connection with. At her friend Nick’s store, she assists the elderly Brian and consequently learns more about love and relationships.
I,Lina:
Comedy(12 min) Italy
Directed By: Luana Fanelli
Written By: Luana Fanelli
Produced By: Luana Fanelli, Finalestudio, Azione Dramatic Arts, CREI interpreti LIS
Cast: Magdalena Lazzari, Aurora Lo Monaco, Luigi Imola, Michele Capuano, Clio Evans, Ismaele Mele
Synopsis: Lina spends her 14th birthday just like every other day, stuck on the farm working and not in education like her more affluent teenage neighbour Clara, who attends a school for the deaf. Overhearing her older brother wanting to attend a party but needing female accompaniment to get in, Lina shares this knowledge with Clara. This news is the perfect excuse for the two girlfriends to make up a plan and escape their sad reality, for just one night.
Gift:
Comedy(22 min) China
Directed By: Xiaotong Jiang
Written By: Xiaotong Jiang
Produced By: Jun Ying
Cast: Ke Bai, Benyu Zhang, Hehuizi Zheng
Synopsis: Two desperate men, Shui and Jin, plan a gold shop robbery. As they wait, Shui shares his dream of taking his loved one to the Maldives, sparking a transformation in both men towards justice. A leaflet of beaches serves as a symbol of hope, guiding them away from crime and towards a brighter future.
Block 2 at 1:15 PM:
When I Close My Eyes:
Drama(5 min) United States
Directed By: Lily Gavin
Written By: Lily Gavin
Produced By: Ani Schroeter, Lily Gavin, Matt Parker
Cast: Aimee Mullins, Tallulah Rose Sanders, Agnes Post, Nedra Williams, Youngja Yoo
Synopsis: A young girl in New York City, witnesses the growing disconnect of the world around her, including her family. She turns to the outside world and uses her sensitivity and imagination to connect to the spiritual and physical world; through voices and visions, she finds freedom from a world that is collapsing onto itself.
How I Sound:
Drama(7 min) United States
Directed By: Zuzana Martinkova
Written By: Zuzana Martinkova
Produced By: Marisha Legan-Johnson, Zuzana Martinkova
Cast: Alexis Beckman, Jessica Khatib
Synopsis: Overwhelming circumstances push Faith to make a decision of ending her life by jumping from the rooftop. However, her death sentence is thwarted by a random girl in a hoodie who somehow knows more than she should.
Fiona:
Drama(12 min) United States
Directed By: Makeda Diggs
Written By: Makeda Diggs
Produced By: Jennifer Downes, Makeda Diggs
Cast: Makeda Diggs, Hannah Lipton
Synopsis: For most of her life, Fiona was a pre-professional violinist training to become a soloist. After experiencing a great loss, she grapples with what it means for her that she no longer plays. Amidst the identity crisis that ensues, Fiona finds new meaning in music, friendship, and her interpretation of joy.
Run Away to Mars:
Drama(14 min) United States
Directed By: Courtney Paige
Written By: Courtney Paige
Produced By: Courtney Paige, Kyler Fisher, Adam Sigal, Joanna Clark, Matthew Tucker, Adam Sigal, Shane Morrisun
Cast: Kyler Fisher, Taytum Fisher, Oakley Fisher, Kevin Forrest Clark
Synopsis: A man goes on a mission to preach the gospel only to find he’s put his family in a life or death situation with a cult
Pendulum:
Drama(15 min) United States
Directed By: Britt Falardeau
Written By: Britt Falardeau
Produced By: Britt Falardeau, Daniel Novick, Meghan Redding
Cast: Daniel Novick, Meghan Redding, Ernesto Ruvalcaba
Synopsis: Spiritual Stomach Flu: A period where one suffers from depression, anxiety, and/or overwhelming feelings of being lost. Like a stomach flu, symptoms can vary between individuals and the best treatment is rest, release, and time. Pendulum is a short film about Cal and his spiritual stomach flu. Desperate for a way out, he returns to his family’s ranch as means to cope, ultimately finding, sometimes the only way through is to surrender.
American Oxygen:
Drama (20 min) United States
Directed By: Adam Hazelton, Emily Hazelton
Written By: Adam Hazelton & Emily Hazelton
Produced By: Emily Hazelton
Cast: Flora Jiwu Wang, Shiva Ayama, Dakota Loesch, Dwayne Tarver
Synopsis: A young woman living on permanent supplemental oxygen rushes to catch the last bus to L.A. and be healed by a miracle-working televangelist.
Driving There:
Drama (21 min) United States
Directed By: Marlaina Smith
Written By: Marlaina Smith
Produced By: Marlaina Smith
Cast: Luke Dimyan, Marlaina Smith, Sandra Saad, Tom Shohat, Kendrick Patino
Synopsis: Daniel, a young man grappling with loss, embarks on a solitary road trip to a familiar yet changed destination. As he navigates his memories, he encounters Marly, a spirited but burdened traveler.Taking on the road together, the gap between their experiences gradually narrows, bringing each other closer to what pulls at their hearts.
Block 3 at 1:30 PM:
Lace and Fog:
Drama (3 min) United States
Directed By: Ally May
Written By: Ally May
Produced By: Ally May, Craig Vincent
Cast: Alan Zeichner, Johnny Rosales, Alicia Dawn Hampton, Sherill Quinn
Synopsis: A man struggling with his memory wanders in to a bar and is met with unfamiliar faces.
Glimpse of Childhood:
Drama (7 min) United States
Directed By: Nizami Murtuzayev
Written By: Nizami Murtuzayev
Produced By: Ohia Morrison, Grace Ward
Cast: Justine Colan, Alessandra Eelen, Kristiana Roemer, David Nash, Sam Brinkley
Synopsis: On her birthday, a young girl finds herself in the company of a guilt-ridden and emotionally detached family, where each member grapples with personal challenges in an attempt to rise above their troubles.
X AE A-12:
Drama (10 min) United States
Directed By: Chris Collins
Written By: Chris Collins
Produced By: Terrell Sandefur
Cast: Steven Morana, Malia Rock
Synopsis: X wakes up from a haunting nightmare in which the Tesla Roadster his father gave him explodes in front of his eyes, setting off a series of reflections and insights that will change his life forever.
Two Cents & A Footlong:
Drama (11 min) United States
Directed By: Kanin Guntzelman
Written By: Kanin Guntzelman
Produced By: Kanin Guntzelman, Elisa Logan, Brando Ross, David Hunter, Jane DiMambro, David Pierce
Cast: George Russo, Saul Trujillo, Arielle Uppaluri
Synopsis: When a depressed insomniac walks into a sandwich shop at 4 in the morning, he’s forced to assess every decision he’s ever made in his life—all because the sandwich guy asks him, “How’s it going?”
Next:
Drama (18 min) United States
Directed By: Chelsea Alden
Written By: Jennings Rice
Produced By: Nina Madzirov, Jennings Rice, Chelsea Alden
Cast: Jennings Rice, David Beatty, Maite Garcia, Steph Martinez, Coby Larinde
Synopsis: What if dying was a little like going to the DMV? Sara Clayborne is about to find out.
The Lost Weekend:
Drama (21 min) United States
Directed By: Charlie Norton
Written By: Charlie Norton
Produced By: Charlie Norton, Ted Omo, Brendan Egan, Stephen Astor
Cast: Brendan Egan, Chloe Lang, Henry Lynch, Mathew Ray, Olivia Donnelly, Elise Ramaekers
Synopsis: In the Summer of 2004, James, a teenage boy grappling with his masculinity, embarks on a weekend trip to Cape Cod. As he confronts toxic expectations about what it means to be a man, James must make a life-changing decision that will shape his future.
Block 4 at 2:45 PM:
The Sadness in Freedom:
Drama (7 min) United States
Directed By: Aylya Marzolf
Written By: Aylya Marzolf
Produced By: Sibongile Mlambo
Cast: Melodie Casta, Brent Bailey
Synopsis: Leah, grappling with the weight of death and the ache of solitude, finds herself entangled in a web of conflicting emotions. Amidst the echoes of happier times and haunting memories of abuse, she mourns the loss of her beloved and wrestles with self-blame for his outbursts.
The Noise:
Drama (10 min) United States
Directed By: Bryce Gheisar
Written By: Jillian Shea Spaeder
Produced By: Jillian Shea Spaeder, Shane Brady
Cast: Jillian Shea Spaeder, Shane Brady
Synopsis: Ella secretly struggles with an eating disorder. On her birthday, her family makes her a rich, mouth-watering meal that causes the negative thoughts in her head to become incessant. The personified version of these thoughts takes an intimidating physical form—The Noise—who continuously pulls Ella into a liminal space to discipline her for her actions. Ella does her best to engage in everyday life, but the harder she fights against The Noise, the more monstrous it becomes.
The Jukebox:
Drama (18 min) United States
Directed By: Jon Housholder, Jeff Schafer
Written By: Jon Housholder, Jeff Schafer
Produced By: Brent Kunze
Cast: Chester Shepherd, Joseph Gray, Zach Humphrey, Harrison Fowler, Luca Acevado, Tania Joy, Peggy Barnell
Synopsis: In The Jukebox, memories of the past swirl in the mind of a young man who must watch as his father succumbs to a terminal illness. Years after, while still seeking closure, this same man is unexpectedly reunited with an heirloom from his youth.
Seul:
Drama (20 min) United States
Directed By: Timothy Arielli
Written By: Blake Leon
Produced By: Blake Leon, Timothy Arielli, Lena Coccetti
Cast: Blake Leon, Sade Katarina, Jax Buresh, Marisa Petroro, Ozborne Williams
Synopsis: After completing his second tour in Afghanistan, Jason (Blake Leon) did not come home the same man he was when he left. Struggling with PTSD, alcoholism, and hallucinations, finding his way back into society may not be possible.
Lines:
Drama (24 min) United States
Directed By: Sara Werner
Written By: Liesl Wilke
Produced By: Liesl Wilke, Spark Arts & Letters, Nicholle Navarro, Tracy Mulholland
Cast: Julia Wilke, Philip Solheim, Lauren Han, Ken Weiler, Jonathan LaPaglia, Tracy Mulholland, Mark Adler
Synopsis: An 80s Ivy League college student grapples with confusion and shame after a visit to an older painter’s studio off campus.
Sam:
Drama (26 min) United States
Directed By: Luka Bursac
Written By: Luka Bursac, Sonja Devi
Produced By: Luka Bursac Sonja Devi, Shamsa Al Habtoor
Cast: Chad Coe, Sonja Devi, Marco Cacioppo, Kate D’Aronzo, Luis Andres Sanchez, Bodhi Tabatabai
Synopsis: After receiving a phone call from his ex-girlfriend, Z goes through a spiral of emotions and memories in the final attempt to get his lover back.
Block 5 at 3:30 PM:
Betty Bites Back:
Comedy (3 min) United States
Directed By: Jessica Michael Davis
Written By: Jessica Michael Davis, Author: Mindy McGinnis
Produced By: Jessica Michael Davis, Jeffrey Weber, MARS, Stacey Maltin
Cast: Jessica Michael Davis, Jeffrey Weber, Alexandria Benford
Synopsis: Adapted from the short story “Vagina Dentata” by Mindy McGinnis featured in “Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy” and follows a young woman who is requesting to have retractable teeth surgically installed in her vagina.
Catch Him:
Drama (10 min) United States
Directed By: Leah Bleich
Written By: Leah Bleich
Produced By: Max Berger, Harley Harrison
Cast: Harley Harrison, Christina Toth
Synopsis: With just a few minutes to spare before his daughter arrives, a young dad must catch the guinea pig roaming free in his house.
Far Out:
Comedy (10 min) United States
Directed By: Mackenzie Lauren Taylor
Written By: Mackenzie Lauren Taylor, Frank Gress
Produced By: Mackenzie Lauren Taylor
Cast: Henley Gorham, Frank Gress, Mackenzie Lauren Taylor
Synopsis: Two young, runaway hitchhikers encounter a mystery man on their way to Los Angeles in the year 1969.
#Cringe:
Comedy (14 min) United States
Directed By: Alexandra Madison
Written By: Alexandra Madison
Produced By: Jonathon Bouffard, Alexandra Madison
Cast: Jonathon Bouffard, Alexandra Madison
Synopsis: A famous influencer couple goes on a luxury weekend brand trip to the desert, where they uncover secrets about their marriage.
The Purple Glasses:
Comedy (15 min) United States
Directed By: Susan Sullivan
Written By: Autumn Palen, Susan Sullivan
Produced By: Brent McHenry, Susan Sullivan
Cast: Carolina Rezende, Ariana Gomez, Audrey Pinto, Melissa Paladino, Roberto Raad, Annie Tedesco, Shane Sterling
Synopsis: Set in the late 80’s during middle school, The Purple Glasses explores the fun and new found freedom that this age brings along with the emotions of it all. Emily, a precocious young student, loses her glasses shortly after a fight with her cool-girl classmate Sara. Sara is left with a decision that brings her to a new realization. The story involves a twist of fate that brings the two middle school girls together.
Pepperoni:
Comedy (17 min) United States
Directed By: Jacob Staudenmaier
Written By: Jacob Staudenmaier
Produced By: Ashley Beuhler, Nikki Ghalili
Cast: Toby Grey, Leandro Cano, Ronan Adair Mailhot, Elena Hollander, Rhett Phares, Andre Hotchko, Bijan Shemirani, Fanny Pierre
Synopsis: Sam, an awkward middle schooler, seeks the help of his favorite wrestler after a school bully threatens to reveal his darkest secret: his pepperoni nipples.
Chakras For Sale:
Comedy (19 min) United States
Directed By: Punya Chatterjee
Written By: Punya Chatterjee
Produced By: Toni Adeyemi
Cast: Rishi Mahesh, Karan Menon, Dani Lyle, Maya Rangulu, Shamik Ganguly, Karthik Kal
Synopsis: After failing to make it big as a rock band, four Indian Americans in 1960s San Francisco attempt one last rebrand to ride the hippie wave and finally get their big break.
Barely Breathing:
Comedy (20 min) United States
Directed By: Derek Evans
Written By: Neal Reddy
Produced By: Alina Lia, Jamie Flanagan, Neal Reddy, Derek Evans
Cast: Neal Reddy, Anil Bajaj, Lindsay Marie Bytof, Gunner Willis, Vas Sanchez, Alex Nguyen, Johnny Land, Kyle Gaskin, Pedro Hoyos, Kasey O’Barr, Dre Bravo, Jakkar Thompson
Synopsis: Barely Breathing is a dark comedy about Sai, who is guilted into moving in with his Father and Step Mother after nearly dying in an embarrassing autoerotic asphyxiation (AEA) accident. In order to get his dad off his back, Sai begins “hanging” with an AEA support group filled with loveable misfits but humor can only hide so much. As Sai begins to get comfortable, the distance between him and his father grows deeper in the lingering chasm left behind by the death of Sai’s mother ten years prior.
Block 6 at 3:45 PM:
Would You?:
Comedy (5 min) United States
Directed By: Autumn Palen
Written By: Kyle Matthew, Autumn Palen
Produced By: Kyle Matthew, Autumn Palen
Cast: Kyle Matthew, Jonetta Kaiser, Chris Williams, Patrick Pankhurst
Synopsis: A couple’s five year anniversary unravels as the unconditional nature of their love is put into question.
Guy Meets Girl:
Comedy (8 min) United States
Directed By: Alex Forstenhausler
Written By: Alex Forstenhausler
Produced By: Lindsay-Elizabeth Hand
Cast: Gianmarco Soresi, Sarah Pribis, George Nicolaidis
Synopsis: More than just your average romantic comedy, “Guy Meets Girl” explores modern romance by showing different versions of a chance encounter. Who is right? Who is wrong? Or does the truth lie somewhere in between?
The First Time:
Comedy (8 min) United States
Directed By: Michael Chi Peer
Written By: Michael Chi Peer
Produced By: Andre Abrahamians
Cast: Logan Miller, Medalion Rahimi
Synopsis: A modern couple comes to an uncomfortable crossroads in their relationship, and it doesn’t smell good.
Missing Her:
Comedy (14 min) United States
Directed By: Karl Shefelman
Written By: Mike Gerbi
Produced By: Jennifer Plotzke, Mike Gerbi
Cast: Mike Gerbi, Lena Josephine Marano, Trent Dawson
Synopsis: When a middle-aged man, coping in a dystopian world, is forced to spread his dead wife’s ashes by a government mandated deadline, a stranger’s kindness is the only lifeline to help him through the sacred ritual before time runs out.
3.2.1:
Comedy (16 min) United States
Directed By: Aleksa Palladino
Written By: Aleksa Palladino
Produced By: Logan Donovan, Aleksa Palladino
Cast: Aleksa Palladino, Andrew Perez
Synopsis: A night designed for an anonymous hookup devolves (evolves) into a night of emotional intimacy when a failed attempt at role-play exposes a personal struggle.
Hold You So Tight:
Comedy (16 min) United States
Directed By: Eric Rudnick
Written By: Eric Rudnick
Produced By: Joan Baron, Cameron Fife, Tamika Katon-Donegal, Mike McNamara, Stacey Risotti, Davey Robertson, Eric Rudnick
Cast: Charisma Carpenter, Kristina Wong, Kareem Ferguson, Eric Rudnick, Tamika Katon-Donegal, Steve Chiotakis
Synopsis: A woman on the verge of a mental breakdown meets two men in a motel room who run a business that clients claim “Frees you from the burdens of this world” – only to discover that the procedure involves a hug from a homemade robot.
Lock it Up:
Comedy (20 min) United States
Directed By: Laura Colella
Written By: Laura Colella
Produced By: Patrick Clarke, Laura Colella, Charles Shi
Cast: Billy Finn, Brian Moller, Elise Hudson, Joan Darling, Mindy Fox, Aizhaneya Carter, Olugbenga Joseph, Danusia Trevino, Michael Staffieri, Maiya Jannah.
Synopsis: On a film set with a troubled director, ripples become waves that throw the whole crew off course. Will they find their way or is individualism the enemy of collective action? Witness action-packed inaction in action!
Block 7 at 5:30 PM:
Bau, Artist at War:
Comedy (130 min) United States
Directed By: Sean McNamara
Written By: Deborah Smerecnik, Ron Bass, Sonia Kifferstein
Produced By: David Brookwell, Marc Griffith, Michelle P. Griffith, Sean McNamara, Deborah Smerecnik
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Inbar Lavi, Yan Tual, Josh Zuckerman, Josh Blacker, Adam Tsekhman, Edward Foy
Synopsis: Bau, Artist at War” is based on the true story of Joseph and Rebecca Bau, whose wedding took place in the Plaszow concentration camp during WWII, an event immortalized in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List. This film is a war drama, love story, and espionage tale that needs to be told in this era where survivors are dying, and the Holocaust is slipping from memory. Using his artistic skills and his sense of humor in the camps, Joseph stays alive and helps hundreds to escape. Miraculously, he finds love in the midst of despair—a love that will last a lifetime. Years later, when called to be a key witness in the trial of the brutal Nazi officer who tortured him and killed his father, he is thrust back into vivid memories of the Holocaust and calls upon this love and resilience of spirit to face the ultimate demon of his past.
Block 8 at 5:45 PM:
Murder at Hollow Creek:
Action (94 min) United States
Directed By: David Lipper
Written By: Keli Price
Produced By: David Lipper, Robert A. Daly Jr., Keli Price
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Keli Price, Jason Patric, Penelope Ann Miller, Perrey Reeves, Patrick Muldoon, Paul Ben-Victor, Casper Van Dien, Jack Kesy, Jessica Lord, Tiffany Hines, David Lipper
Synopsis: A cursed necklace results in three kids losing their parents at a young age, at the hands of a Serbian mob boss (Mickey Rourke). Detective Harris (Jason Patric) makes it his life’s mission to solve these murders and give closure to these kids.
Block 9 at 6:00 PM:
The Kindness Within:
Documentary (91 min) United States
Directed By: Steven Tati
Written By: Asimakis “Alfa” Pagidas, Leon Logothetis
Produced By: Leon Logothetis, Chris Philip, Erick Torres, Steven Priovolos, Will Allen, Betsy Chasse
Cast: Sadhguru, Yasmin Mogahed, Mike Dooley, Neale Donald Walsch, Kute Blackson, Dr. Gabor Mate’, Sister Draupadi, Richard Rohr, SadhviJi, Inni Kaur, Kurtis Lee Thomas, Ted Klontz
Synopsis: Come on the journey of a lifetime with Leon Logothetis aka the Kindness Guy – five-time best selling author, host of the Kindness Diaries on Netflix and Discovery+ and a former broker. Watch as he finally faces his pain, surrenders to his calling, and goes on an incredible, soul-stirring adventure to find the meaning of life.
Block 10 at 7:45 PM:
Chuck Zito: An American Story:
Documentary (87 min) United States
Directed By: Dominique Milano
Written By: Chuck Zito, Mark Chapman
Produced By: Dominique Milano, Ryan march, John Ierardi, Fabrice Sopoglian, Todd Causley
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, James Caan, Pamela Anderson, Mickey Rourke, Chazz Palmiteri, Joan Jett , Robert Davi , Robert Patrick , Tony Danza
Synopsis: The film covers the life of Chuck Zito, a bodyguard of hollywood elite documented by his best friends and clients like Sylvester Stallone, James Caan, and Pamela Anderson
Block 11 at 8:00 PM:
And You Are…?:
Drama (18 min) United States
Directed By: Alicia Coppola
Written By: Alicia Coppola
Produced By: Alicia Coppola, Nancy Kirhoffer, Anthony Micheal Jones
Cast: Jane Seymour, Zach Barack, Diana Lu
Synopsis: And You Are? is the most unlikely of buddy films: Lynn, a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s only has the past to prove she exists. Her transgender grandson Max, desperately wants to erase his past as it never proved his true existence.
Me:
Comedy (90 min) United States
Directed By: Jefery Levy
Written By: Jefery Levy, Susan Traylor
Produced By: Jefery Levy and Susan Traylor
Cast: Jefery Levy and Susan Traylor and Jennifer Jason Leigh
Synopsis: A film about a crazy person who believes he is living in his own reality show.
Block 12 at 8:15 PM:
Finding Serenity:
Drama (5 min) United States
Directed By: Kim Richards
Written By: Jana Brown
Produced By: Kim Richards, Rachel Shimko
Cast: Emily Swallow, Emma Schertz, Jack Schertz
Synopsis: Becca (Emily Swallow) is a strong willed woman who has her life together, except for her feelings. One afternoon, when faced with a memory of her lost brother, Becca battles her emotions leading her into a journey of what was. Along this ride, Becca realizes to get the closure she needs she’ll have to tap into the good moments of grief.
The Flip Side:
Drama (6 min) United States
Directed By: Sophie Worm
Written By: Brandon Duncan
Produced By: Hyten Davidson, Ashley Bacon, Brandon Duncan, Brianna Cala
Cast: Ashley Bacon, Hyten Davidson
Synopsis: In a 1973 hospital nursery, a new mother has second thoughts about a done-deal adoption, while a strange woman tries to convince her to take the baby and run.
The Divorce Party:
Comedy (91 min) United States
Directed By: Heidi Weitzer
Written By: Heidi Weitzer
Produced By: Geenah Krisht, Adrienne Childress
Cast: Desiree Staples, Rumer Willis, Michelle Meredith, Kimia Behpoornia, Sarah Hollis, Laith Ashley, Dionne Gipson, Cap Peterson
Synopsis: Xan gathers her friends in Joshua Tree to celebrate her divorce. Chaos ensues when Xan reveals she wants her friends to help her spend her life savings and live out their wildest fantasies to prevent her ex from seeing a dime of it.
Buy Tickets
