Thursday, May 17th - Beverly Hills Music Hall

Ballad of a Righteous Merchant Mexico

Director: Herbert Golder

An never before seen portrait of the legendary and visionary director Werner Herzog. Narrated through the eyes of Herbert Golder a close friend and colleague. This film provides a behind-the-scenes look at the master at work and draws a deeply personal portrait of Herzog while exploring some of the most profound themes of his work.

Los Angeles Premiere

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Highway Children USA

Director: Lauren Clinton

Lauren Clinton (“Bridge to Terabithia”), makes her directorial debut with “Highway Children”.

A coming of age story of Alex and Katie, teenage runaways escaping the perils of their home lives in exchange for a vagabond existence.
Faced with the dangerous realities of the world, the pair have trouble navigating their new freedom, ending up in a series of risky situations. It isn’t until the two are firmly locked in a drunk stranger's hotel room, that they begin to fight their way out of it all.

IFS Premiere

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Bloodletting & Poe USA

Director: Mason Malone

DRAMA SHORTS 17

Bloodletting & Poe grew out of abject grief and madness after the death of writer Erica Bennett's best friend, former casting associate Charlotte Shoaff. Filmed on location on the street where Bennett and Shoaff met in 1994 after the Northridge earthquake.

Nicholas Thurkettle led voice actors Jill Cary Martin and Terri Mowrey. Brenda Kenworthy, Heather Enriquez, and Ronda Gilbert White star in the live action sequences. Music composed by Loretta Grikavicius (The Signals).

IFS Premiere

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Hell's Road USA

Director: Pedro Baron

DRAMA SHORTS 17

A man follows a mysterious woman through a hellscape as an evil doppelganger trails behind.

Starring Verena Puhm and Laurent Malaquais.

World Premiere

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The Way It Was USA

Director: Chris Newell

DRAMA SHORTS 17

The Way It Was is about how one man’s obsession with the past influences his present. The film follows Dan (Craig Jorczak) and Emma (Sarah Rosenkrantz), moving back and forth between the beginning and end of their marriage. As the story unfolds, we discover that a mysterious symbol could be the key to everything and that, for Dan, the best life may be the one already lived.

World Premiere

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Break USA

Director: Jennie Fahn

DRAMA SHORTS 17

A sullen woman in a dead-end job with a demoralizing boss, seeks asylum in the ladies’ room, where she begins to receive cryptic notes from the universe. A diverse and predominantly female cast and crew crafted this story about a woman discovering doors opening where you least expect it.

World Premiere

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High Is Home USA

Director: Nicholas A. Goldreich

DRAMA SHORTS 17

Inspired by a true story, High is Home is a ferociously energetic look into how a highly functioning opioid addict attempts to conquer his fears. It begins with Nick looking for his stash - his 30mg of Oxycontin that lets him brave the world. We see Nick go from cool, calm, and collected, to an outright savage and destructive force... until he finds another stash - hidden in a tissue in his car door. Immediately Nick’s disposition becomes sunny, but this is only temporary. Follow Nick as he gets higher and higher: we see an addict daydream, endure brief psychosis, experience unrequited love at a dog park, attempt a physical transformation, and eventually make a life-changing mistake, all in one afternoon...

Los Angeles Premiere

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Guardian USA

Director: Nicolas Jara

DRAMA SHORTS 17

Manuel (Carlos Flores, Jr) is a gay Latino teen who lacks guidance and support. Even though his mother, Anna (Virginia Blanco) deeply cares for him, she is only able to prove and instill her love through video tapes made from afar. Keeping his sexuality and boyfriend (Connery Morano) a secret from his homophobic father (Roy Manzanares), Manuel must decide the life he wants to live or end.

World Premiere

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Rumor from Ground Control USA

Director: Seaton Lin

A classified space mission involving the death of a celebrated astronaut is unraveled by local investigative journalist, Erica Grayson. In her effort to break the story, she uncovers a dark conspiracy that drives her through psychological destruction and threatens the lives of everyone in her circle.

Rumor from Ground Control stars Lexi Moeller, Chase McGuire, Megan Le and Marc Anthony Samuel (General Hospital), and featuring Pete Gardner (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Michael B. Silver (ER, Royal Pains, Suits, Instinct), and Mary Manofsky (Future Man).

World Premiere

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Pink Elephant USA

Director: Bernardo Velazquez & Daniel Williams

SHORTS 17b

A young photographer dreams of a mystical journey that leads her deep into the forest of her mind. There she encounters a female shaman who enacts a rite of initiation which reveals to her the mysteries of womanhood.

World Premiere

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Rally for Rivers India

Director: Isha Volunteer

SHORTS 17b

Ganga, Krishna, Narmada, Kaveri – many of our great rivers are depleting fast. If we do not act now, the legacy we hand over to the next generation will be one of conflict and deprivation. These rivers nurtured and nourished us for thousands of years. It is time we nurture and nourish them back to health.

World Premiere

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In The Orchard USA

Director: Christopher Knoblock

Charlotte Winston and her husband John are packing in preparation for a trip to the beach with their son as their car is struck in a head on collision and, tragically, only Charlotte survives.

Isolated on her farm Charlotte becomes swallowed up in an overwhelming morass of grief. Until she encounters an injured man on her property, and an unexpected bond develops between them.

PG 13

IFS Premiere

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