presented by The Discover Indie Film Foundation
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
A young lunch lady in Brazil needs to fight the world to protect her unique friendship with Lola, a helpless 71-year-old woman with a mental disability.
Director(s): Agnès Shinozaki
Writer(s): David Barbeschi, Agnès Shinozaki
Producer(s): Agnès Shinozaki
Key Cast: Monique Hortolani, Cristiane Natale, Marcelo Gomes
Country: United States
Los Angeles Premiere
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Animation
LIFTED is an animated tale of awakening and transformation, following one man’s fantastical journey aboard an elevator.
Director(s): Daniel Robichaud
Writer(s): Daniel Robichaud
Producer(s): Daniel Robichaud
Country: United States
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
A divorced couple tries to navigate addiction, control and custody of their young son.
Writer(s): Alyson Croft
Producer(s): Actor’s Cartel
Key Cast: Alyson Croft, Hunter Bodine
Country: United States
World Premiere
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Animation
A lonely alien searches for intelligent life in the Galaxy.
Director(s): Ari Flesch
Writer(s): Ari Flesch
Producer(s): Ari Flesch
Country: United States
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
A young dancer is torn between her lifelong love for ballet and a new passion that has emerged in her life. Is this passion truly new, or is it merely a reflection of years of trauma? She falls in love at first sight with the most beautiful pair of red high heels she has ever seen, but the only available pair is too small for her feet. The more she wears them, the more they hurt her. Eventually, she faces a difficult decision: should she choose ballet pointe shoes or the alluring red high heels?
Director(s): Rafaela Goncalves, Leandro Stephan
Writer(s): Rafaela Goncalves
Producer(s): Rafaela Goncalves
Key Cast: Rafaela Goncalves, Sagan Barbour, Leandro Stephan, Nathalie Zagar
Country: United States
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Animation
A Duck’s surreal journey in its quest for bread, or something more.
Director(s): Nick Zweig
Producer(s): Noah Pardo
Key Cast: Marianna Hersko, Ben Bishop, Richard Micheals, Nick Zweig
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Documentary
The topic of recidivism is told through the narrative of David, who has been in and out of prison his entire life, but through re-entry and gang intervention services like Homeboys, he has found redemption and grace.
Director(s): Dima Puchkarev
Producer(s):Dima Puchkarev
Key Cast: David Zamudio, Aya Gruber, Greg Boyle, Shia LaBeouf
Country: United States
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Animation
In a surreal suburban hell, Frank lives through eternal loops, until a self discovery forces him to break away from his nightmare.
Director(s): JOHNNY GALVAN
Writer(s): JOHNNY GALVAN
Producer(s): JOHNNY GALVAN
Key Cast: Michael Malconian
Country: United States
Los Angeles Premiere
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
A disabled wheelchair user tries to solve the biggest question in physics, a solution to the theory of everything, while struggling with the cigarette butts and other rubbish falling onto his apartment balcony from the neighbours above.
Director(s): Leo Berkeley
Writer(s): Leo Berkeley
Producer(s): Leo Berkeley
Key Cast: Leo Berkeley
Country: Australia
Los Angeles Premiere
2025 Official Selection: Short Film – Horror
After a father fails to remove his ankle monitor, he’s pursued by his parole officer and a hellbent demon who’s after his soul.
Director(s): Lukas Anderson
Writer(s): Lukas Anderson, Elio Andres
Producer(s): Alexus Es
Key Cast: Cole Kelley, Courtney Powell-Walker, Everett Anderson
Country: United States
