Saturday, May 12th - Beverly Hills Music Hall

Zygote Canada

Director: Neill Blomkamp

IFS Special Series: Four new Science-Fiction films from director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Chappie):

Dakota Fanning stars in ZYGOTE Stranded in an arctic Mine, two lone survivors are forced to fight for their lives, evading and hiding from a new kind of terror.

IFS Premiere

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Noah's Truck Canada

Director: Juliana Carpino

DRAMA SHORTS 12a

A story about family hardships, child abuse, accepting death and Autism awareness; Noah's Truck defines humanity and love at a young age.

North American Premiere

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Not Me USA

Director: Ian Lyndon

DRAMA SHORTS 12a

Based on true events, a vulnerable 21 year old food runner (Ashton), finds himself trapped in a compromising situation due to his commitment to provide a rich hotel guest, (Steve), with excellent service. Ashton remains dedicated and focused on doing the best job possible, in spite of Steve's attempts to lure him into something he does not want to do.

World Premiere

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Half a Glass USA

Director: Thomas Petborisooth

DRAMA SHORTS 12a

Two apparent strangers cross paths at a Los Angeles Bar where they must come to terms with the actions they have made.

World Premiere

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Triads USA

Director: Matt McClelland

DRAMA SHORTS 12a

Triads is a realistic depiction of a polyamorous relationship. We follow a gay couple who decide to bring a third person into their relationship to save their failing marriage. This decision has unintended consequences for all of them and will lead them to permanently redefine how they view love and relationships.

World Premiere

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Mimesis USA

Director: Patrick Lee

GENRE SHORTS 12b

Exceptional beings from other dimensions harness mimetic machines to quietly observe and influence the natural world while no one seems to notice.

IFS Premiere

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Parallax Effect: Abduction USA

Director: Davy Perez

GENRE SHORTS 12b

A Sci-Fi thriller that explores the concept of lost time after a paranormal event. When Cesar Lopez tries to piece together the last 48 hours of his life, he discovers a horrifying truth. Starring Wesam Keesh, Philippa Coulthard, and featuring Alex Ward. Parallax Effect: Abduction is the directorial debut of television writer Davy Perez.

World Premiere

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Vandecomo USA

Director: Ivan Jacome

GENRE SHORTS 12b

Vandecomo is a peak into a feature film series planned for production. The franchise moves through history from the 1960s to the current date taking real events spinning them into horror themes that God’s Prophet battles. In this short film, we meet the young prophet, Evan Vandecomo. Halen Howard Neil is the ten-year-old star who brings the character Evan Vandecomo to life.

World Premiere

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Bubble USA

Director: Matt Dearborn

COMEDY SHORTS 12c

Even though the two lovers only communicate through emoticons and “likes”, their passion is as real, and as heart-wrenching as any.

The film looks at new ways to define romantic obsession: courtship, “stalking”, voyeurism, and intimacy. Ultimately, after Kaya threatens Perry at knifepoint, they agree that what they have is special and worth saving… they just prefer their intimacy from a distance.

Featuring Graham Patrick Martin (TNT's Major Crimes), AJ Michalka (ABC's The Goldbergs), Mikaela Hoover (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Youtube Fashionista, Desi Perkins.

Southern California Premiere

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The Love Trials USA

Director: Theodore James

COMEDY SHORTS 12c

When twenty-something Avery (Ashley Donigan) is persuaded by her wildly suspicious friends to secretly test her new fiancé (Josh Covitt ) to make sure he’s really ‘the one’ as he seems way too good to be true, she discovers just how crazy love can be.

IFS Premiere

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Verified USA

Director: Ashley Zipperman

COMEDY SHORTS 12c

When social media overwhelms a naive girl from the Midwest, it’s up to her to decide whether she values reality or her public image.

World Premiere

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Raspberry Pie USA

Director: Joshua Lester

COMEDY SHORTS 12c

A young man and a young woman with one goal, pie. Unable to make it to a cafe or pie shop they decide to bake a pie themselves. It's an immediate failure. So from there they explore what makes pie such a simple and sweet setting for dates. Likewise, what comes along with modern dating and how important it is these days to have an open mind. Will they fall for one another? "Romance is sweet, bitter and funny. I don't pretend to understand it. I do know pie, and pie is good. It's led me to meet a lot of interesting people, all sizes and all colors." - Joshua Lester

World Premiere

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Sidelined USA

Director: Maurice Hall

COMEDY SHORTS 12c

Lou and Pete think they've scored when they get invited to watch football with Cara and Stacey. Little do they know, one penalty may have cost them the game. This comedy ensemble stars Candice Bolek, Sarah McDermott, Andy Cohen, and Matthew Nye. This short is sure to please comedy and football lovers alike. What happens when a woman writes a film about football? Well, you get Sidelined.

World Premiere

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Beef Wellington USA

Director: Jimi Dava

THRILLER SHORTS 12d

The city is in the grip of a serial killer nicknamed the Butcher. He hangs his victims like a hindquarter of beef and butchers them with the precision of Jack the Ripper. About to strike his latest victim, he's lured by the intoxicating smells coming from a neighbor's home and quickly finds out he's not the only one who knows what the best cut is.

An intense thriller, with a comedic edge: Beef Wellington serves up a mouthwatering dish of revenge.

Los Angeles Premiere

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A Brave Face USA

Director: Paul Galazo

THRILLER SHORTS 12d

A Brave Face is about the horrific social crime known as honor killings that is occurring in the United States as well as around the globe.

Esteemed actor Lovelee Carroll portrays Amina, a young woman whose life is threatened by her husband for an act deemed shameful and disobedient.

IFS Premiere

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The Dark Kill USA

Director: Kenneth Lui

THRILLER SHORTS 12d

Knife (Bill Zasadil, Day One) and Bricks (Pall McQueen) are two rival gangsters meeting secretly at night. Brick's girlfiend, Deedee (Boti Bliss, CSI:Miami), is accussed of infidelity. When the meeting doesn't go as planned the gangs pull out their guns and suddenly the room goes dark.

World Premiere

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Girl Power USA

Director: Ada Gorn

FAMILY SHORTS 12e

When a 9 year old girl’s parents divorce and scuttle her chances to compete in the dance championship finals, she forms a life changing connection with an elderly neighbor and in the process ends up changing both of their lives.

IFS Premiere

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Designated Caretaker Redux USA

Director: Frederick Keeve

FAMILY SHORTS 12e

This family drama follows Paul, an aspiring filmmaker, struggling to make a film about acting coach Michael Chekhov, but his obsession to make this film coincides with losing his grip on reality as his wife leaves him after 19 years of marriage, while his children feel alienated from him. Paul’s muse, Michael Chekhov, begins guides him on his journey, helping Paul reclaim his power as a man, a father, and as an artist.

Paul’s Michael Chekhov documentary-within-the-film is highlighted by interviews of Jack Palance, Anthony Quinn, Richard Schickel, clips from classic films starring Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Anthony Quinn, Marlon Brando, Tyrone Power, Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, and narration by Gregory Peck, are all woven into the fabric of the film.

North American Premiere

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Forever & Always USA

Director: Gia DiNino and Yitao Yang

Best Student Short

FAMILY SHORTS 12e

Forever & Always, starring Olivia DiNino & Jonathan Kells Phillips is about the death of her mother and the journey to put the past behind her to allow her and her father to move on in life.

Todd Sheridan is an award-winning cinematographer and a graduate of AFI.

IFS Premiere

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Voz De Mando: 'Latin American Soldier' USA

Director: Carlos Alberto Hurtado

Best Music Video

MUSIC VIDEOS 12g

New song from 2 time Latin Grammy nominee band 'Voz de Mando'. This is a visual narrative music film called 'Latin American Soldier' that narrates the story of young Latino soldiers taking the decision to join the army to fight for their country and protect their families. This film is about and for the Dreamers / DACA. For that reason - there is special cameos from DACA 'Dreamers' students in the film.

With a special appearance with actor Johnny Ortiz (from Disney’s McFarland USA, and ABC’s American Crime) who takes on the role of the young soldier. Actress Yareli Arizmendi (Like Water for Chocolate, A Day Without a Mexican) is the soldier’s mother.

World Premiere

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HXXS - Seppuku USA

Director: Anders Ericsson

MUSIC VIDEOS 12g

HXXS - Seppuku: Psychedelic, stuttering, spooky. Anders Ericsson's video for 'Seppuku' is a time-stuck look at frustration and repetition. Using tiny looped segments of video, Seppuku brings you into paranoid, claustrophobic proximity with noise-pop duo HXXS.

IFS Premiere

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Can't Take My Eyes Off You USA

Director: Gabriele Fabbro

MUSIC VIDEOS 12g

"Can’t Take My Eyes Off You" is a narrative music video based on one of the most famous song by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The story evolves around a confused young man that has to reject his top-model girlfriend in order to follow his true love. With the music as the driving force of the story, the film aims to break the common conception of "soundtracks perceived as accompaniment to the visual".

IFS Premiere

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A Way Out USA

Director: Michael Sanchez

MUSIC VIDEOS 12g

A Way Out. A music video from Olivia Jane's beautiful pastoral about fear and hope. Directed by Michael Sanchez.

IFS Premiere

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No Means No USA

Director: Michael J Prieto

MUSIC VIDEOS 12g

Me Too and Times UP are the modern day prescription for sexual harassment and assault. But the cure to this social cancer still has yet to be found. Calling it out after it happens brings awareness but it does nothing to kill the cancer at its core. No Means No is exactly what it means. Raising boys to become gentlemen and raising girls to love themselves without need for validation is the prevention to the cancer.

Los Angeles Premiere

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FOOD USA

Director: Jeff Fuller

GENRE SHORTS 12h

All Nail wants is to make his father proud. But when his father takes him hunting for the first time, things don't go quite as planned. Now Nail's rite of passage could be a passage right to Hell.

A new horror short from Writer Bryce Abood and Director Jeff Fuller.

"You Are What They Eat!"

World Premiere

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Heavy Rain USA

Director: Motaz Ezzat Elbahaey

GENRE SHORTS 12h

A young man holds his father hostage at gunpoint after watching his mother be brutally murdered. he is torn by the choice to get revenge or let justice prevail.

Starring: Doug Haley, Jonnathon Cripple, Estella Volturo, Samantha Romero, Lara Repko

World Premiere

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Ana's Murder USA

Director: Manuel Roman

GENRE SHORTS 12h

Bruno witnesses a violent crime at his doorstep. But the consequences of his trauma only emerge a couple generations later.

his film explores a different side of gun control, one not often mentioned in the news. The title, “Ana’s Murder”, begs the question “who is the murderer?”

World Premiere

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Jane Love USA

Director: Jessica O'Keefe

Best Horror Short

SHORTS PROGRAM 12n

In a small, seemingly idyllic Louisiana town, where people with skeletons in their closets end up dead, lives our hero Jane Love. A fiery chef with the style of Grace Kelly and the spunk of Lauren Bacall. After years of trying to start a family, she's finally pregnant. Her life appears perfect. But Jane has a secret.

Kate Norby (The Devil’s Rejects, Mad Men, Big Love) stars as the title character Jane Love in this dark and deliciously humorous take on murder and morality choreographed by Cherice and Charissa Barton of Barton Movement (Con Man The Series, America's Got Talent, The Grammy Awards).

Jane Love® is the inspiration for a six-season series.

World Premiere

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Bloom USA

Director: Samm Hill

SHORTS PROGRAM 12n

What started as a series of one-act plays created through Ensemble Studio Theatre Lab in New York has become this short dark comedy about love, friendship, and endurance. First-time quad-hyphenate (writer-director-producer-actor) Samm Hill stars with Monique Bricca, Michele Seipp, and real-life sisters Beth and Lara Fisher to give life to the story of a very pregnant bride on what should be the happiest day of her life.

World Premiere

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Dead Sexy USA

Director: Brian Newell

BEST COMEDY FILM

Dead Sexy is an upbeat comedy about three girls who move into a house for the summer and discover that it’s haunted by a paranormal force that makes them question the need for the opposite sex. The “extra friendly” entity gives them all the experience of their lives. Then someone decides to give up the ghost and all hell breaks loose. Suddenly they realize just how difficult it can be to break up with a jealous spirit.

West Coast Premiere

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Gun USA

Director: Sam Upton

IFS VANGUARD AWARD

A washed-up, alcoholic ex-prizefighter makes a comeback to boxing after his top-middleweight contender son is wrongfully blinded in the ring. This is Sam Upton’s tour-de-force, and his performance is touchingly raw and utterly believable. Upton (Gone, Lincoln Lawyer) wrote, directed and stars in this award-winning gritty story of addiction and redemption. Mark Boone Junior (Sons of Anarchy) is excellent as Jimmy the reluctant guide, while Jared Abrahamson (Travelers) gives a moving and masterful performance. 90mins. USA.

IFS Premiere

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