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Welcome to the 12th Annual Sunset Film Festival, May 20th, 2023
With so few spots available at the bigger film festivals, independent filmmakers struggle to get noticed. After all the hard work of making a movie, there's nothing like seeing it on the big screen. Sunset Film Festival seeks hidden gems bigger fests often overlook. Our programmers are looking for visionary filmmakers with fresh voices to share with an audience hungry for independent film. We screen local, national and international films. Venue. LAPAC. Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory, 10931 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. Parking. Street Parking or 2383 Midvale Ave (1 hour/$1, 10 hours/$4) 
PROGRAM
12:15 PM. Red Carpet 12:30 PM. Screenings + Q&A with Filmmakers. Block 1 Val (-e-ree), drama, 10:36 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! One From Without, drama, 11:56 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Writer's Block, comedy, 4:18 Becoming Howard, documentary, 22:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! CIRCLE, drone, 6:10 Shelane, drama, 18:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Summer Blood, animation/comedy, 2:27 LA Medical, drama, 3:54 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! The Odd Couple, sport, 8:18 approx 89 min 2:00 pm Q&A 2:20 pm break $10 door, $9 online here 2:30 PM. Screenings + Q&A with Filmmakers. Block 2 Rubbernecking, drama, 2:15 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! RIP, drama, 13:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Shark Beat, animation/parody, 2:09 Line&Air, sport, 39:00 CAIN - "Spaced Out", music video, 2:47 Project Restart, drama, 8:08 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Reclaim Wilderness, Fantasy, 8:55 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Animating Autism - The Dane Parsons Story, documentary, 6:55 approx 85 min 4:00 pm Q&A 4:20 pm break $10 door, $9 online here 4:30 PM. Screenings + Q&A with Filmmakers. Block 3 Free Range Yolky, Experimental, 1:57 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Down with the Ship, drama, 6:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Monsters, music video, 4:49 Counterpart, student/experimental, 8:19 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Healing Through Food, documentary, 42:52 AYSHA, drama/foreign, 12:53 Channel 0, student/thriller, 5:43 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! Awakening, drone, 3:00 Portrait - My Mother's Eyes, documentary, 3:31 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON! approx 90 min 6:00 pm Q&A 6:20 pm break $10 door, $9 online here 7:00 Awards 7:15 The Festival Ends. All Films Pass $30 door, $27 online here 
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Detailed Program
Saturday, 12:30 PM. Screenings + Q&A with Filmmakers. Block 1
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Val (-e-ree), drama, 10:36 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Samantha D Lavin A first responder suffering from agoraphobia after a sexual assault at work must walk through the flames of a past trauma to step into a new life. |
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One From Without, drama, 11:56 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Daniel Stearns A young homeless man receives a visit that will forever change the course of his life. |
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Writer's Block, comedy, 4:18
Director Kyle Kolding In the glittering city of Hollywood, two writers battle against one of the most dreaded enemies of all, writer's block. As they struggle to put a script and storyboards together, they strive to achieve what all writer's yearn for most: The perfect story. |
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Becoming Howard, documentary, 22:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Matt F Fuller A 58 year-old person with autism leaves his job as a crossing guard for his 40th high school reunion in the Midwest. |
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CIRCLE, drone, 6:10
Director Phillip Kaminiak "Circle" is an analogy between the modern human being, living in mass cities, and the phenomenon of the circle of death - observed in nature with ants who are separated from the main foraging party and lose the pheromone track. They begin to follow one another, forming a continuously rotating circle, commonly known as a "death spiral" because the ants might eventually die of exhaustion. |
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Shelane, drama, 18:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Melanie Thompson Two women simultaneously go through traumatic events, and connect briefly over a phone call. |
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Summer Blood, animation/comedy, 2:27
Director Sarah Natasha Djuandy An eager vampire named Drac has finally awakened from his long sleep waiting for summertime to arrive. After knowing that the sun disintegrates him into ashes, Drac tries all the possible ways to create shade so he can avoid sunlight. Unfortunately, all plans fail. Therefore, he used his last resort by calling Invisible boy for an invisible spray. Drac becomes invisible and is finally able to sunbathe under the sun. |
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LA Medical, drama, 3:54 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Nicole Peplinski Dr Porter loves her patients and finds such meaning in her work. As she loses a long, arduous battle in her own life: it's her patients and their battles that help her navigate her personal life. |
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The Odd Couple, sport, 8:18
Producers Joy Leaper, Luke Slobin Housemates Max and Georgia share more similarities than differences, with CrossFit as the glue that binds them together. This is a story that celebrates how sport brings people together and gives us a sneak peak behind the scenes of the highly competitive CrossFit championships, the Torian Pro. |
Saturday, 2:30 PM. Screenings + Q&A with Filmmakers
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Rubbernecking, drama, 2:15 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director E. K. M. Watson Anna is commuting to work when she comes across a disturbing car accident. |
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RIP, drama, 13:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Patricia Frontain When nightmares start impinging on her reality, a fragile woman must fight her inner demons to save her decades-long marriage to a doting, but manipulative, husband. Is love enough to overcome? |
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Shark Beat, animation/parody, 2:09
Director Chelsea Alexandra Schrett "Shark Beat" is a short animated film with a story about a shark who's just trying to make fish friends at school, but every time he takes a step, a JAWS-like theme song plays and scares all the fish away. Through different attempts of the shark trying to fix his situation by walking slower, backwards, or faster, nothing does the trick and all the different groups of fish continue to flee away in fear. |
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Line&Air, sport, 39:00
Directors Guido Perrini, Bertrand Delapierre It is with Geraldine's official partner The North Face that the amazing Line&Air project continues aboard her ultra-light airplane. This Snowboard/Ski documentary of epic proportions follows 3 world class riders in their quest to shred a series of iconic mountains and lines in the Alps. |
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CAIN - "Spaced Out", music video, 2:47
Director Jake Webber A dream inspired music video in which a boy chases after a girl. |
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Project Restart, drama, 8:08 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Marc Paul Ibarra Sileo is thriving in life, but finds out the truth about her past and what her true purpose is. |
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Reclaim Wilderness, Fantasy, 8:55 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Directors Andrew Connor Essig, Matthew William Winters When an enchanted forest comes under threat, it's up to the last of the Elves to use her magic and keep the danger at bay. |
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Animating Autism - The Dane Parsons Story, documentary, 6:55
Director Matthew Griffey Explore the heartfelt story of Dane Parsons, a young artist, and filmmaker, who was diagnosed with autism at a young age. Though they have faced many challenges together, the Parsons family has found a way to overcome allobstacles thrown their way. |
Saturday, 4:30 PM. Screenings + Q&A with Filmmakers, Block 3
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Free Range Yolky, Experimental, 1:57 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Corydon Wagner Grace Tong performs an original choreography to Ritual by Ryan Tauber and Burn What's Next by Cubby |
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Down with the Ship, drama, 6:00 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Andrew Svistunov When air raid sirens blast, a retired nuclear missile designer prepares to commit suicide, but his daughter pays him an unexpected visit. |
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Monsters, music video, 4:49
Director Emely Hardt There ain’t no coming back if there’s a monster at your door - A Bonnie and Clyde inspired tale with a twist. |
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Counterpart, student/experimental, 8:19 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Ethan Grover A composer facing writer's block finds inspiration through an otherworldly counterpart. |
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Healing Through Food, documentary, 42:52
Director Myriam Masihy After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, investigative reporter Myriam Masihy takes a deep dive into the relation between nutrition and disease. In the documentary Healing Through Food, she chronicles her personal journey with plant-based eating and learns how many people are preventing and reversing chronic diseases with diet and lifestyle changes. |
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AYSHA, drama/foreign, 12:53
Director Cengiz Akaygün A fully veiled girl named AYSHA(10) is sitting in the courtyard of a house in Rojava, Syria playing with her slingshot when her little SISTER(11) joins them. The two are presented this morning by a WOMAN (38), who is also covered, in front of an exam. They should quote from the Koran. While Aysha's sister passes the exam in an exemplary manner, Aysha struggles with it. Unlike her sister, she is rebellious and would like to break out of the role that has been assigned to her. When the woman takes more drastic measures, Aysha understands the seriousness of the situation. |
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Channel 0, student/thriller, 5:43 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director James Shaw A young woman moves into a new home with a strange old tv with only one channel. Things turn for the worst when she tries to change the channel. |
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Awakening, drone, 3:00
Director Enrique Alexander GRACIA HERRERA Video poem telling of a young woman's daydream, her spiritual and sensory journey through the unspoiled islands of the Azores. |
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Portrait - My Mother's Eyes, documentary, 3:31 FILMMAKERS IN PERSON!
Director Corydon Wagner Renowned graffiti artist Sandro "Sen2" Figueroa shares his process and his life with Award-Winning director Corydon Wagner. |
Screenplay Category
Please note the festival does not read screenplays at the event.
Obsession
Writer Jason Andrew White
A bored librarian takes an unhealthy interest in her new neighbors and begins to blend the lines between fantasy and reality.
Ink & Quill
Writer Alex Martins
Written by Alex Martins also known as A. Alico Favela Kid
When a hopeless romantic poet discovers that his girlfriend is stealing his poetry, he must make a decision: to fight for their love or, choose himself and his voice. Dwight and Amanda both have a love for one another as well as for words, (poetry) each creative in their own way. That is until Dwight finds out that Amanda begins to steal his poetry and call it her own. Both were struggling to get noticed for their creative gifts.
Dwight is blinded by love, he doesn’t want to lose Amanda. He is desperate to save their relationship. Amanda however deceitful and dishonest has plans of her own. In this journey of heartbreak and betrayel, in a war of emotions and expression where the stakes are High for self worth and love who will get the last word.
Off The Path
Writer Richard Redlo
Eddie Chen, a 14-year-old Chinese-American Buddhist, hides his genius as instructed by his recently-deceased mother, in order to stay on the Path to Enlightenment. However, his pride and his sense of justice make him stray from the path, culminating in an intricate plot to use his skills to disrupt the high-school status quo.
POSTMAN
Writer ANTHONY DIVASTANZO
When the opportunity to move forward arrives at his doorstep, a mortician must decide whether to heal or hide.
Super Nova
Writer Jonathan Cardell Sims
Super Nova" is a heartwarming story about the bond between a father and daughter, and the ways in which that bond can shape and influence our lives. Nova's father works for NASA and each night he shares his space explorations with her, sparking her imagination and allowing her to dream. But when he becomes a workaholic and distant, Nova's dreams stop and she grows up to be just like him - cold and unhappy. It's only when she has a daughter of her own that Nova realizes the importance of pouring into and encouraging the imagination of the next generation. Can she break the cycle and be a better parent to her daughter and rediscover the power of dreaming?
Taming Holden Caulfield
Writer Virginia Austin
Snatching Holden just before he can begin the original Salinger odyssey, Goth girl extraordinaire and headmaster’s daughter Selma Thurmer is determined to find the one antidepressant that will put a smile on his face. And armed with an endless supply of alcohol, one-liners, and an arsenal that would make even a warrior princess weep, nothing will get in her way.
No Address
Writers Julia Verdin, James Papa
A group of homeless people bond together as a family, struggling to survive the streets while fending off a harassing gang, an unforgiving community and the local authorities in hopes of finding their humanity again.
All Blood is Red
Writer Richard A Levine
The story of Charles Richard Drew. An African American athlete, physician and scientist struggles to find his purpose in the era of Jim Crow. In the process he saves countless lives, helps win a war, and proves that excellence can transcend ignorance.
Please note the festival does not read screenplays at the event.
Obsession
Writer Jason Andrew White
A bored librarian takes an unhealthy interest in her new neighbors and begins to blend the lines between fantasy and reality.
Ink & Quill
Writer Alex Martins
Written by Alex Martins also known as A. Alico Favela Kid
When a hopeless romantic poet discovers that his girlfriend is stealing his poetry, he must make a decision: to fight for their love or, choose himself and his voice. Dwight and Amanda both have a love for one another as well as for words, (poetry) each creative in their own way. That is until Dwight finds out that Amanda begins to steal his poetry and call it her own. Both were struggling to get noticed for their creative gifts.
Dwight is blinded by love, he doesn’t want to lose Amanda. He is desperate to save their relationship. Amanda however deceitful and dishonest has plans of her own. In this journey of heartbreak and betrayel, in a war of emotions and expression where the stakes are High for self worth and love who will get the last word.
Off The Path
Writer Richard Redlo
Eddie Chen, a 14-year-old Chinese-American Buddhist, hides his genius as instructed by his recently-deceased mother, in order to stay on the Path to Enlightenment. However, his pride and his sense of justice make him stray from the path, culminating in an intricate plot to use his skills to disrupt the high-school status quo.
POSTMAN
Writer ANTHONY DIVASTANZO
When the opportunity to move forward arrives at his doorstep, a mortician must decide whether to heal or hide.
Super Nova
Writer Jonathan Cardell Sims
Super Nova" is a heartwarming story about the bond between a father and daughter, and the ways in which that bond can shape and influence our lives. Nova's father works for NASA and each night he shares his space explorations with her, sparking her imagination and allowing her to dream. But when he becomes a workaholic and distant, Nova's dreams stop and she grows up to be just like him - cold and unhappy. It's only when she has a daughter of her own that Nova realizes the importance of pouring into and encouraging the imagination of the next generation. Can she break the cycle and be a better parent to her daughter and rediscover the power of dreaming?
Taming Holden Caulfield
Writer Virginia Austin
Snatching Holden just before he can begin the original Salinger odyssey, Goth girl extraordinaire and headmaster’s daughter Selma Thurmer is determined to find the one antidepressant that will put a smile on his face. And armed with an endless supply of alcohol, one-liners, and an arsenal that would make even a warrior princess weep, nothing will get in her way.
No Address
Writers Julia Verdin, James Papa
A group of homeless people bond together as a family, struggling to survive the streets while fending off a harassing gang, an unforgiving community and the local authorities in hopes of finding their humanity again.
All Blood is Red
Writer Richard A Levine
The story of Charles Richard Drew. An African American athlete, physician and scientist struggles to find his purpose in the era of Jim Crow. In the process he saves countless lives, helps win a war, and proves that excellence can transcend ignorance.
Watch now FREE on Tubi, Prime, and more Lacinefest.org/films
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Become a Film Festival JUDGE! Watch films online in your spare time! Apply here hollywoodscreenings.org/become-a-judge
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CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!
HONORABLE MENTION RIP
HONORABLE MENTION Project Restart
HONORABLE MENTION Super Nova
HONORABLE MENTION Off The Path
HONORABLE MENTION Monsters
BEST THRILLER Channel 0
BEST EXPERIMENTAL Free Range Yolky
BEST STUDENT Counterpart
BEST FANTASY Reclaim Wilderness
BEST DOCUMENTARY Healing Through Food
BEST DRAMA One From Without
BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR Val (-e-ree), Samantha D Lavin
BEST SCREENPLAY IN DRAMA CATEGORY Shelane
BEST SUPER SHORT UNDER 5 min LA Medical
BEST SUPER SHORT STORY Rubbernecking
BEST DIRECTOR Project Restart, Marc Paul Ibarra
BEST FOREIGN DIRECTOR Andrew Svistunov, Down with the Ship
BEST MUSIC VIDEO CAIN - "Spaced Out"
BEST UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY All Blood is Red
BEST ANIMATION Summer Blood
BEST SPORT The Odd Couple
BEST DRONE Awakening
BEST OF THE FESTIVAL Becoming Howard
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The 12th Annual is Sunset Film Festival sponsored by
