Black Spines centers on a chilling Detroit legend of a man in a long red coat known as "The Pill," rumored to be responsible for numerous disappearances.

The film transports us to the sleepy town of Page Hollow, where a string of gruesome murders shatters the quiet community. Shortly after the first killings, outcast high school photographer Cameron discovers a collection of mysterious VHS tapes that may contain cryptic clues to the murders.

His discovery launches him into a harrowing race against time, down a path of terrifying revelations - where the killer may be closer than he ever imagined...

LOS ANGELES PREMIERE

12:15pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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This documentary takes a look at what happens to a German citizen after they get arrested - for reposing a meme.

WORLD PREMIERE

2:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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FILM PROGRAM 16-A

This music video "Better Half of a Dollar" (by LA rock band Fime) explores the struggles of work, financial instability and the grind of everyday life.

Follow Beto and Maxine through their days and meeting some characters along the way. This video takes the viewer on a playful journey, despite the drag of the endless work to be done.

IFS PREMIERE

3:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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FILM PROGRAM 16-A

This heartwarming comedy is about the power of female friendships.

70-year-old Delilah has always lived life by the rules, until Dallas, her childhood friend resurfaces and reminds her what it's like to live without regrets. Meanwhile, Dallas is still harboring feelings for her first queer love from high school. Dallas & Delilah will inspire you to follow your heart, no matter your age.

IFS PREMIERE

3:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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FILM PROGRAM 16-A

A Russian illegal immigrant earns money in the United States in all possible ways: from cutting marijuana to fetish photo shoots, while her new neighbor, a law-abiding American postman, is involuntarily drawn into her crazy adventures.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

3:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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DRAMA PROGRAM 16-B

A young woman living alone, experiences increasing levels of panic upon discovering a pair of unfamiliar men's shoes outside her door. The difficulties faced by women living alone are not a deliberate attempt to create suspense or fear, but are the real safety hazards they face.

WORLD PREMIERE

4:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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DRAMA PROGRAM 16-B

During the future American Civil War, a captain in charge of a bunker, where his psychopathic doctor tortures prisoners, discovers his humanity through a connection with one of the captive soldiers.

IFS PREMIERE

4:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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DRAMA PROGRAM 16-B

This film dramatizes the testimony of real life WW II tail gunner George “Bob” Caron, a man who witnessed the bombing of Hiroshima from the air.

Shot inside of a real B-29 bomber and featuring historically accurate dialogue, “Little Boy” asks viewers to reflect on a moment which changed the face of warfare forever, and what victory in war ultimately looks like.

Alex Caron stars as his ancestor Bob Caron, an all-American boy with a love of planes who becomes unwittingly embroiled in a world-deciding international conflict.

WORLD PREMIERE

4:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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DRAMA PROGRAM 16-B

With Christmas looming, Hayden takes on a dodgy deal on the promise that it will take him far, far away from his lonesome home life. Which in this case ended up as twenty-four hours on the white sand beaches of the Philippines.

But Manila has its own plans for Hayden, and as day turns dusk (tagalog: silim) in the City of Sun, Hayden finds himself pulled into a roiling high-speed chase that brings him face-to-face with the man he's becoming.

WORLD PREMIERE

4:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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5:00pm - 7:30pm

This Friday Reception is the second in our series of four ticketed Film Festival Party events being held this season and is the only "all-ages" party event this season.

Hang out with festival attendees in a very casual setting and get to meet some of your favorite festival filmmakers at this social reception event taking place from 5:00pm to 7:30pm on Friday, May 16th at a venue to be announced.

Purchase a Festival Party Ticket Package to check out all of this years festival parties and events. Party & Event Tickets are available ONLINE ONLY and all online tickets must be redeemed at the L.A. Film Fest Hospitality Box Office (located in the lobby of Regal Cinemas / L.A. Live) to be exchanged for Festival Party Entry Passes.

Festival Party & Reception Events

Friday Reception Social
Line at 4:45pm
Doors at 5:00pm
All Ages

5:00pm - 7:30pm

May 16th L.A. LIVE Venue - To Be Announced

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Wander Women is a female-led buddy-action pilot that flips the genre on its head with irreverent humor, heartfelt moments, and two wildly unexpected heroines. Executive Produced by the legendary Ann-Margret and directed by Sundance grantee Drew Denny, the pilot is Produced by a team of all-female USC alumni.

The pilot follows curious Hannah and dogmatic Eve as they escape a doomsday cult and stumble into the chaos of modern-day Los Angeles. When a pit stop turns into a runaway adventure, their journey spirals into a hilarious, high-stakes quest for identity, belonging, and survival.

What begins as a spiritual odyssey quickly becomes a wild chase across the city. Wander Women is an outrageous and bold celebration of friendship.

IFS PREMIERE

5:15pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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GENRE AWARD PROGRAM 16-C

After a bad accident, Kaia returns home from the hospital with her dad Phil, her caretaker for the foreseeable future. Despite their close relationship, dueling stubbornness puts the father and daughter at odds as Kaia struggles with the recurring trauma of her accident.

Can Kaia's typical fortitude carry her through? Or will she, for the first time in a long time, need to open up and lean on Phil? This film, inspired by director Anna Musky-Goldwyn's own life experiences, stars her sister, Tess Goldwyn, their family friend, Jeff Perry, and was made as a gift to her own father, Tony Goldwyn, who similarly cared for her.

CALIFORNIA PREMIERE

6:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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GENRE AWARD PROGRAM 16-C

Erebus is a haunting tale about the indelible and irrevocable power of memory, love, and loss.

Nestled in the twisted woods of their private and broken world, Miles and Sarah must consider the cost they are willing to pay to keep their love alive.

This film offers a beautiful and haunting depiction of the underworld, where nature plays a central role, as the characters find themselves entangled in the mysterious realm between life and death.

WORLD PREMIERE

6:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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GENRE AWARD PROGRAM 16-C

The Hike is a genre-bending mix of thriller, drama, and dark comedy that explores the complexities of male toxicity and friendship.

When Mike and James set out on a hike, lighthearted banter and candid conversations quickly give way to rising tensions. As things spiral, the lines between camaraderie and conflict come to a head.

Some paths should never be taken.

WORLD PREMIERE

6:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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GENRE AWARD PROGRAM 16-C

Wrapping her legs around a cyclone of metal and machinery, she is… The Girl On A Motorcycle!

Rebecca, a young adulterous teenage girl, flees the idyllic hills and her less than ideal marriage to the rugged and dangerous space of the desert to find solace in the wild arms of her lover Daniel.

Guided by vicious Rock N Roll, she goes wherever she wants, however she wants, on her 1967 Harley Davidson Electra Glide!

IFS PREMIERE

6:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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Inspired by Guy de Maupassant’s Pierre et Jean (1888), The Reckoning is a visceral drama cloaked in a knife edge psychological thriller.

An inversion of the prodigal son parable, the film’s disturbing intensity is unrelenting, the focus constantly shifting, layering, unraveling like its main character. Fast descending to a mayhem where objective truth is indiscernible, and full immersion to an open eyed nightmare involuntary.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

7:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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Consumed by an internet conspiracy about a sinister, unseen entity, a journalist becomes increasingly convinced the threat is real. As his investigation deepens, he begins to lose his grip on reality and spirals into paranoia.

Ignoring his roommate’s dire warnings, he turns to a fringe parapsychologist who feeds his obsession. Soon he no longer knows if he’s closing in on the ominous presence—or if it’s hunting him. This feature film is a haunting descent into the lies we tell ourselves, ...where the scariest truths might be the ones we carry within.

WORLD PREMIERE

8:30pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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Alex Edwards is a documentary filmmaker who is hired to investigate a mysterious event from thirty years ago. The alleged incident, buried beneath the secrecy and silence of a small town, continues to haunt the family at the center of it all.

Told through a series of intimate and often-conflicting interviews with family members, the story unfolds piece by piece, exposing deep emotional scars. As the film sifts through decades-old evidence, buried truths rise to the surface.

With each revelation, the story grows more complex, until one question remains: How far will Alex go to uncover the truth? Driven into obsession, with everything on the line, she finds the answer comes at a tragic cost.

WORLD PREMIERE

10:00pm

May 16th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

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