Director: Christopher DeHau Lee
PG USA
SHORT FILM BLOCK 15-A
Hope and redemption can come from unexpected places.
A struggling young man’s delivery gig unfolds into a new friendship, a contest for a woman’s affection, and the opportunity to avoid homelessness. In the vibrant streets and silky sands of Venice Beach, Tyler, a former star athlete turned food delivery driver, stumbles into a high-energy battle of freestyle calisthenics. He faces off with a ruthless rival who vies for the affection of Cassie, an entrepreneur whose passion and beauty captivate Tyler.
Amidst fierce competition and superhuman feats, Tyler must find true victory and rise above life's obstacles... ABOVE THE BAR.
WORLD PREMIERE
1:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Yimeng Yuan
G USA
SHORT FILM BLOCK 15-A
This drama that depicts a magical realistic day in the life of an evicted Asian immigrant woman, and her conversation with a waitress who reunites with her dog, an aged Latina obsessing over plants, and a mysterious man.
Director Yimeng Yuan intends to create a meditative experience in Fish Tank, and to explore how it feels to be inundated by a metropolitan city - one where we are rootless and are constantly drifting in a space of non stopping changes.
WORLD PREMIERE
1:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Kate Sunday
PG USA
Best Documentary Short
SHORT FILM BLOCK 15-A
Did you know music can have a positive effect on your brain?
Music can shape the way we think, act and even how we connect with others. Classical California host Brisa Siegel takes you on a journey into classical music and neuroscience with the team at the USC Dornsife Brain and Creativity Institute. Their groundbreaking research has shown music's transformative impact on young minds working with the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. We hope you will embrace the magic of classical music and our mission for it to be accessible to all.
WORLD PREMIERE
1:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Erika Maish
PG USA
SHORT FILM BLOCK 15-A
Exploring heat and its various manifestations: "Swelter" is based on the surreal desert world of Vermilion Sands by JG Ballard.
This experimental short film flows through a fever dream-like state set inside a decaying desert motel. Orchids, defying the arid environment, bloom as eerie reminders of the uncanny nature of the setting. Inhabitants form living paintings, akin to the lifelike recreations of the Pageant of the Masters.
“Swelter” combines mixed media techniques, incorporating digital, iPhone, and Hi8 footage. Features original costumes by Erika Maish, 'Dying on the Vine' cover by German musician Ava Vegas, starring dancer Layne Paradis Willis.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE
1:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Ricky Jhou Ruei-Ci
PG USA
SHORT FILM BLOCK 15-A
A woman and a young girl live in a fantastical house, where the woman is eating nightmares in an attempt to break a curse.
After enduring many days of consuming nightmares and experiencing nightly suffering, she finally receives information about her missing son. Faced with this revelation, she must decide whether to leave in search of her son or to stay, or perhaps consider another option altogether.
WORLD PREMIERE
1:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: DJ Holman
PG-13 USA
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
DJ Holman directs and stars in this punk rock video game musical odyssey “PUNK XP”.
When spawning in a grungy downtown alley as the punk rock character Djay Thriller, there’s practically no choice but to embark on a self-destructive venture. Gameplay is a matter of life and death. Endure his odyssey of cosmic euphoria from substances and guitar tracks both electrifying and terrifying.
Welcome to “PUNK XP”
WORLD PREMIERE
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Chico Bennett
R USA
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
Star2 is a new man in this over-the-top music video “New Me,” which features performances from Soulja Boy and Luh Kel.
Directed by Chico Bennett and filmed by Hector Toro, this music video is set in a sleek, multi-million-dollar, ultra-modern mansion with two Lamborghinis and a white Rolls Royce Cullinan SUV in the driveway, as Star2 hosts a pool party with a backyard full of frolicking, thong-wearing beauties…spraying whipped cream on each other, splashing Luh Kel and Star2 in a Jacuzzi filled with $100 bills, and twerking beside Big Draco in his orange Lambo.
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Timothy A. Bennett
PG-13 USA
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
A music video inspired by Sean Haitz upcoming feature film "Area 5150".
This video features a musical performance in area 51, while prisoners escape to be hunted down by soldiers and aliens. Featuring cameos by Brett Wagner, Joe Castro, Sean Haitz and Ryan James.
Will Dirty Freaken Joe make it out alive? Do the prisoners escape or meet their fate?
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Adrian Pruett (ONEBIGPARTY) & AMMO
PG-13 USA
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
For eight years, Lil Toe's signature ski mask served as a symbol of his courage and danger as a gangster rapper. Even his closest friends had never seen his face. Until now.
Lil Toe sheds his mask, baring his soul through a soulful ballad that showcases his transition into an artist of depth.
"Harm" is a testament to the strength and power of honest self-expression.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Luigi Calabrese
G USA
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
This Music Video is set in the heart of one of the birthplaces of cinema on the west coast, The Los Angeles Theater.
The theater opened its doors in 1931 with the premiere of Charlie Chaplins “City of Lights” and the building remains an iconic symbol of Los Angeles’ defining place in cinema history. Immersing the song in the theater's rich history and opulence, Palm Reader celebrates the band’s ability to weave music and movies into one beautiful tapestry as emotional as it is impactful, a true visual feast of sight and sound and overall tone.
WORLD PREMIERE
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Tyler Hubby
PG USA
Best Music Video
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
"Beware the Charmer. Easier said than done, for the heart knows what it wants. Pity the head knows what you're going to get." - Sheila B. Ellis
A grownup twist on Lewis Carroll's tale of rabbit-hole woes, via the journey of love-struck fools.
Annabel (lee) are Sheila and Richard Ellis. This Music Video features David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets) as the Mad Hatter, James Duval (Donnie Darko) as the White Rabbit, and Darenzia as Alice. Directed by Tyler Hubby and shot by cinematographer, Kinsey and filmed in the now defunct art installation, Cakeland, created by artist Scott Hove.
WORLD PREMIERE
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Romeiro Davis
PG-13 USA
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
Inspector Rehd is heartbroken over not being able to find someone to give his devotion, so he takes to the streets on a journey to investigating where his love could be. Following a few clues leads him to Los Angeles, where he never expected to be.
1990s R&B rhythmic flow created this smokey, slow burning, mysterious feel. This Love Song and Video expresses Inspector Rehd's desires of getting to the bottom about why he’s feeling blue.
WORLD PREMIERE
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Sam Guest & Julia Baylis
PG-13 Ethiopia
MUSIC VIDEOS 15-B
This film uses a series of songs from Berhana's upcoming album "AMEN".
The Nomad's Dream (or የዘላን ህልም in Amharic), explores themes of identity, including what it means to be a first-generation American and the strength of ties to ancestral lands. The film, an integral part of an album release, blends music and culture in a way that is deeply connected to the experiences of Ethiopian (and East African) diaspora communities.
WORLD PREMIERE
2:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Michele Noble
PG USA
Best LGBTQ Short
COMEDY BLOCK 15-C
This film was a labor of love, about love, and how the mundane chore of cleaning can reveal something deeper.
Bixby Elliot, the writer/producer/actor of this narrative comedy/drama short is a queer writer for theater, film and television. His work often examines the past through a queer lens flipping history. While director/producer, Michele Noble’s Emmy nominated work often centers around social justice. In many ways, our narrative short flips the script and shines a light.
WORLD PREMIERE
3:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Chloe East
R USA
COMEDY BLOCK 15-C
Best friends Lex And Didi, work at one of the last remaining Tanning Salons in Los Angeles. While their High School friends graduate college and move on to bigger things in life, they wonder if they are complete losers or total geniuses for staying at the Tanning Zone.
WORLD PREMIERE
3:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Michael K.Y. Yip
R USA
Best Comedy Short
COMEDY BLOCK 15-C
Adulting is a mess, and a monster.
After moving into her first apartment, 25-year-old Yuka is determined to prove to her overbearing mother that she is finally an adult. But when she misses the delivery of her laundry, the chaos and clutter grow into a mischievous Laundry Monster, dead set on messing up Yuka's lie of being the perfectly clean-cut adult for when her mother comes to visit.
WORLD PREMIERE
3:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Yifan Xiang
PG-13 USA
Best Experimental Short
DRAMA BLOCK 15-D
An old, blind painter living life alone in his trailer, during whose last breaths, suddenly regains his vision and picks up his painting brush, fantasizing about his younger self and his lovers, dying after his last brush-stroke.
IFS FESTIVAL PREMIERE
4:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Alex De Ocampo
PG-13 USA
Best Action Short
DRAMA BLOCK 15-D
Dive into the adrenaline-fueled world of "Bare-Knuckle," where a hitman grapples with his sexuality amidst a ruthless underworld.
In this high-octane action odyssey, this hitman battles not only his foes, but also his inner demons, aiming to redefine his destiny through self-love and redemption. As punches fly and bullets rain, this film delivers a raw and unapologetic glimpse into the electrifying struggles for identity and acceptance.
Brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride of explosive action, heart-pounding suspense, and unyielding determination. Experience the pulse-pounding thrills of a journey where every punch thrown is a step towards liberation and every gunshot fired echoes the resounding call for self-acceptance.
LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
4:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Shawnette Heard
R USA
DRAMA BLOCK 15-D
This film is about a mother named Adele, who helps ease her son’s fears through a very creative method. However, when a series of events one night force Adele to confront her own fears, she must find the courage to overcome for both their sake. Through this journey, she discovers the deep entanglement of their fears.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE
4:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Liliana M. Molina
PG-13 Puerto Rico
Best Drama Short
DRAMA BLOCK 15-D
The story of a mother and daughter duo, dramatically impacted by dementia.
Carmen is a 75 year old woman in the early stages of the disease. Laura, her eldest out of four children, lives a hectic life, but she always makes time to take care of her mother. Things get more hectic for Laura when Carmen can't find her precious emerald ring, a gift from her beloved husband Sebastian.
WORLD PREMIERE
4:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
IFS SPECIAL EVENT - Red Carpet Press Photo Event #1 4:30pm-5:30pm
Get your press & personal photos taken on the IFS / L.A. Film Festival Red Carpet before the Award Ceremony and show off those swanky threads!
Due to massive Red Carpet Photo Event crowds in the age of selfies & social media: the festival has created three separate Red Carpet Press & Photo Events - to make sure everyone gets the photos they need.
This event, the Red Carpet Photo Event #1 is for Award Ceremony Attendees Only. Award Ceremony Ticket is required for entry to Red Carpet Press & Photo Event #1. Red Carpet Photo Event #1 takes place from 4:30pm-5:30pm - just prior to the Award Ceremony.
Award Ceremony attendees can get press and staff photos while dressed up in their Award Ceremony threads, and then disperse to the Award Ceremony, just in time to line-up for entry.
Those not attending the Award Ceremony, may attend the second Red Carpet Photo Event (#2) which takes place after the Award Ceremony is underway.
Red Carpet Press & Photo Event #1
Award Ceremony Attendees Only Award Ceremony Ticket Required for Entry to Red Carpet Event #1
Red Carpet Press & Photo Event #1: Schedule
4:15pm: Line-Up Begins for Red Carpet Photo Event #1 - Ceremony Attendees Only.
4:30pm: Red Carpet Photo Event #1 Begins: w/ Getty, Wire, & Fest Staff Photographers.
5:30pm: Red Carpet Photo Event #1 Ends. Red Carpet Closed.
5:35pm: Award Ceremony attendees to be directed towards the Award Ceremony entry line.
5:40pm: Award Ceremony Line-Up Begins
Red Carpet Photo Event #1 located at LA LIVE: Venue - To Be Announced
WORLD PREMIERE
4:15pm - 5:30pm
June 15th Venue - To Be Announced
Director: Jenna Milly
PG-13 USA
Best Actress In A Short Film - Abbey McBride
AWARD SHORTS-1 (15-E)
This film is a fun action-comedy starring Abbey McBride (Veep) and Bayne Gibby (Lady Bird).
Two ladies go head-to-head in the world of Black Friday shopping. When Abbey sets out to buy a doll for her daughter, she discovers it’s not that easy to win at the art of being a mom if you aren’t willing to get your hands dirty.
Two moms, one doll, no tomorrow.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE
5:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Chris Youngless
PG-13 USA
AWARD SHORTS-1 (15-E)
Brace yourself for the terrifying Last Job Interview on Earth!
The cityscape smolders in eerie ruin as humanity's battle against the cosmic invaders from Mars rages! Yet one woman defies the alien overlords - Bertha Waits (Cloie Wyatt Taylor) whose quirky hobbies matter more than a job.
Her landlady demands Bertha trade solving jigsaw puzzles for cubicle drudgery to settle her back rent while the doomsday clock ticks its final beats. Bertha must brave through friendly looters, an obsessive barista, and an IT guy... being an IT guy!
Will Bertha's shockingly awkward interview for employment survive the backdrop of an entire world gone mad? See it if you dare!
WORLD PREMIERE
5:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Raphael Buisson Enlas
PG-13 France
Best Short Film Director - Raphael Buisson
AWARD SHORTS-1 (15-E)
In this psychological thriller, two brothers find themselves entangled in a violent confrontation at a beach house in Malibu.
One of the brothers loses his life, while the other, awaiting the arrival of the police, reflects on the events that led to this tragedy.
WORLD PREMIERE
5:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Greg Maksudyan
PG-13 USA
Best Trailer
AWARD SHORTS-2 (15-H)
An American family fights for their lives on Christmas Eve, when they're ambushed by a deadly extremist group that's landed stateside.
WORLD PREMIERE
5:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Mike Mitchell
PG USA
Best Animation
AWARD SHORTS-2 (15-H)
Welcome to The Intergalactic Cafe, a docking bay for smugglers, bounty hunters, tourists, and space travelers crisscrossing the galaxy.
Both customers and employees consist of bug-like aliens, giant blobs, colorful furry beasts, squid-like creatures, and glowing orbs made of gas. It's kind of like the Star Wars cantina meets a truck stop on route 66. And the cafe gets some pretty unique visitors, including the occasional traveling dignitary and extraterrestrial celebrity. And the food is just as exotic as the customers!
WORLD PREMIERE
5:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Ella Purnell
R USA
Best Short Film
Best Actor in A Short - Max Bennett Kelly
AWARD SHORTS-2 (15-H)
Musician Max Bennett Kelly has teamed up with Fallout star Ella Purnell for a unique cinematic experience - a short film/music video hybrid that chronicles the story of boxer Hollywfood Thompson and his inner struggle with fearing his own power in Ella Purnell’s directorial debut.
In a surrealist Los Angeles, where boxing replaces the entertainment industry, we follow Hollywood Thompson: a champion boxer who earned his title with only a single punch, but now refuses to fight. His girlfriend, Decency "Dee" DiMartini, works doubles to support them both as he spirals downwards. When his manager goes behind his back and signs him up for a high paying fight, a more sinister plan reveals itself.
Hollywood faces an internal battle: is he truly a pacifist, or is there a deeper reason behind his reluctance to fight?
Junk Male features music from its companion EP (by creator and lead actor Max Bennett Kelly), which plays in track list order throughout the film.
IFS FESTIVAL PREMIERE
5:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Jessa Zarubica
PG-13 USA
Best Independent Short
AWARD SHORTS-2 (15-H)
In the future, truck drivers known as Mothers, provide essentials to dwindling civilizations outside the city. When the last human trucker, Mother, is injured on a vital supply run her angsty daughter must take over the journey forcing them to bond in a whole new way.
WORLD PREMIERE
5:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
IFS SPECIAL EVENT - IFS L.A. Film Festival Award Ceremony
The 33rd Annual IFS AWARD CEREMONY is where the IFS Film Society membership honors the best independent cinema of the year.
Our Award Ceremony celebrates truly independent filmmaking, with 24 Awards that were democratically chosen by votes from the 140+ members of the IFS Film Society, tonight being presented to this season's Award Winners.
Surprise celebrity guests are also are known to stop by and greet tomorrow's legends at what has become the largest, most talked about event of the festival every year. This Is The Event Not To Be Missed.
Come join us for the fun! Get tickets early, as this event sells out quickly each year. To make sure you get a seat at this popular event, check out our tickets sales online!
Award Ceremony Tickets are only available for sale online: ifsfilm.com.
All purchased tickets must be redeemed at IFS Box Office at L.A. Live for event entry passes.
AWARD CEREMONY: Event Schedule
5:30pm - Red Carpet Photo Event #1 for Ceremony Ticket Holders ENDS.
5:45pm - Award Ceremony Line Up BEGINS.
6:00pm - Doors Open & Award Ceremony Seating BEGINS.
6:10pm - No Late Entry Allowed After 6:10pm.
6:15pm - Award Ceremony BEGINS.
Ceremony Venue located at LA LIVE: Venue - To Be Announced
5:45pm
June 15th Venue - To Be Announced
IFS SPECIAL EVENT - Red Carpet Press Photo Event #2: 5:45pm-6:45pm
For filmmakers not attending the Award Ceremony - The IFS / L.A. Film Festival Red Carpet re-opens after the Award Ceremony starts, to get those press and staff photos for our festival filmmakers who are NOT attending the ceremony.
Due to massive Red Carpet Photo Event crowds in the age of selfies & social media: the festival has created three separate Red Carpet Press & Photo Events - to make sure everyone gets the photos they need. This event, the Red Carpet Photo Event #2 is for those with films not attending the Award Ceremony.
Red Carpet Photo Event #1 ends at 5:30pm, just prior to the Award Ceremony, then the Red Carpet will be closed for 15-25 minutes as the Award attendees are ushered to the ceremony.
Red Carpet Photo Event #2 begins after the Award Ceremony is underway.
Red Carpet Press & Photo Event #2: Schedule
5:30pm: Red Carpet Photo Event #1 (for Award Ceremony attendees) Ends.
5:45pm: Line-Up Begins for Red Carpet Photo Event #2.
6:00pm: Red Carpet Photo Event #2 Begins w/ Getty, Wire, & Fest Staff Photographers.
6:45pm: Red Carpet Photo Event #2 Ends.
Red Carpet Photo Event #2 located at LA LIVE: To Be Announced
6:00pm
June 15th Venue - To Be Announced
Director: Samer Saifan
PG-13 USA
After his car breaks down on a desert road in the middle of nowhere, a young man seeks refuge in a mysterious stranger’s house. Violence soon escalates as he realizes the true, paranormal, nature of the stranger and tries to escape.
LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
6:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Jerry G. Angelo
R USA
Best Action Feature Film
Prepare to be immersed in a world where Navy SEALs, CIA operatives, and a fearless biker club collide with the unknown, embodied by the formidable extraterrestrial entity known only as OBSCURA. Her Sandbox, Her Rules.
This enigmatic being, the newest and baddest bully on the playground, sets the stage for a showdown like no other. A symphony of heroes and antiheroes, confronts the anomaly that threatens to tip the scales between life and death.
Enhancing this epic journey is an awe-inspiring score by world-renowned composer Sacha Chaban, brought to life by an eighty-piece orchestra that elevates every moment to new heights. With a sound design that sends shivers down your spine.
OBSCURA is not just a film—it's a grand slam of entertainment that will leave audiences breathless and craving for more.
WORLD PREMIERE
7:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Kit Rich
PG-13 USA
Best Director - Kit Rich
Isabel’s Garden, a hopeful family drama, stars Karen David (Fear The Walking Dead) about an ambitious small-town TV reporter whose life is upended when the death of her husband tasks her with having to help raise her 15-year-old stepdaughter.
Written & directed by Kit Rich, this film also stars Gabriela Flores (Walker), Valery Ortiz (Skeletons in the Closet), Manuel Rafael Lozano (Teen Wolf, 9-1-1) and Jayne Taini.
LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
8:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Max Tzannes
R USA
Best Actor - Lou Diamond Phillips
Best Horror Feature Film
This film takes place in an old regional theater. The play is Julius Caesar. The cast is local. The crew is trying. And the director is considering ending them all...
Malcolm McDowell (2015 IFS/L.A.Film Festival Award Winner for Best Actor) and Lou Diamond Phillips (2024 IFS/L.A. Film Festival Best Actor Winner) co-star in this feature length, darkly comedic horror thriller.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE
9:30pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
Director: Artour Bajanov
PG-13 USA
Best Science Fiction Feature
Anima (Diana Cochran) a young woman finds herself lost in a vast wilderness. Neil (Jacob Espinoza) a solitary survivalist offers her shelter in his cabin. Anima has no memory of her past and suspects that she’s being trapped. She attempts an escape and along the way meets Atta (Michael Kopelow) a custodian of an apple orchard.
Going in and out of consciousness, Anima sees visions that make her to become self-aware. However, it soon becomes evident that Anima is far more important to both men than she could ever imagine.
LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
10:00pm
June 15th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14
IFS PARTY EVENT - Award-Night After-Party
Join us at the biggest and most exciting party event of the year: the Award-Night After-Party.
Socialize with filmmakers and industry professionals - at our most special party event.
Purchase a Festival Party Ticket Package to be able to check out all of our festival parties and events.
Party & Event Tickets are available online only at: ifsfilm.com
All Party & Reception Event Tickets must be redeemed at the IFS Box Office (located in the lobby of Regal Stadium Cinemas/L.A. Live) to be exchanged for Festival Party Entry Passes.
Award-Night After-Party
Saturday, June 15th | 10:30pm - 1:00am
Award-Night After-Party venue located at or near LA LIVE: Venue - To Be Announced
10:30pm
June 15th Venue - To Be Announced