Thursday, May 10th - Pacific Theaters at The Grove

Adam "Mirror" Canada

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Best Web Content

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

ADAM, our amnesiac hero, is on a deadly trek from the walled city to a refugee outpost where he will discover a clue to his identity. This is the second installment of the ADAM Universe, a series of short films created with the Unity game engine.

IFS Premiere

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Freedom USA

Director: Ayaka Furukawa

LGBTQ SHORTS 10a

Savannah sneaks out of her repressive town and meets the lover that will change her whole entire world. Should Savannah leave everything she’s ever know for love?

Or should she stay in the place she’s always known for true freedom. Brought to you by the vision of Ayaka Furukawa comes a story about choice, love, and family. Freedom is a story that reminds all of us who we are and who we chose to be.
Mature Content - Nudity

Los Angeles Premiere

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Private Life USA

Director: Gregory L. Williamson

LGBTQ SHORTS 10a

When Eric, a young reclusive photographer, secretly follows his boyfriend Chris into the mountains, he hopes to find answers about Chris’s fidelity. Instead, Eric finds a deeper connection to himself and to Chris just as they fall prey to a stranger who targets them, a tragedy that changes Eric forever. Private Life is inspired by an actual hate crime.
Mature Content - Nudity

IFS Premiere

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Narration of your Death (Relato de tu muerte) USA

Director: Rosger Toledo / Alisa Kasimova

LGBTQ SHORTS 10a

Based on a Mexican short story, this film noir follows a man who narrates how, and why, he would kill his ex-lover, ...if he could.

World Premiere

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Hearts of Palm USA

Director: Jeffrey R. Kent

COMEDY SHORTS 10b

A stubborn jar of hearts of palm is personified in a quirky, short romantic comedy about loving, dating, and growing

IFS Premiere

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Catlady USA

Director: Max Roux

COMEDY SHORTS 10b

The story of a delusional young woman mourning the death of her cat, who receives an unexpected visitor.

World Premiere

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Booster Mom USA

Director: Ashley Pacini

COMEDY SHORTS 10b

Booster Mom is a lighthearted comedic web series which follows the adventures of an unlikely group of volunteers. In our first episode somebody took the fun out of fundraising, so we find our Boosters in the midst of a crisis. The students don't understand why the parents take being a booster so seriously, but then again, the students aren't aware of what it takes to navigate the cut throat world of volunteering for high school programs.

World Premiere

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The Ex-Mas Story USA

Director: D. Fontaine

COMEDY SHORTS 10b

Santa and the Toothfairy used to date. The breakup wasn't quite civil.

Tonight they end up bumping into each other while both on the job. One delivering presents, the other leaving money in exchange for a tooth …at the same house.

A bit of tension ensues (to say the least), in this fun and romantic comedy.

World Premiere

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Life After QVC USA

Director: Malik Shakur/ Dale Madison

COMEDY SHORTS 10b

Life After QVC is a parody of television docu-biographies of celebrities. A QVC shopping host ends up performing as a Drag Queen when he loses his job and gets type cast in Hollywood. Celebrity appearances include Shangela of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Andre Braugher, Susan Lucci, and George Hamilton.

World Premiere

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Legends of Baja USA

Director: Jack Cooperman

Best Documentary Short

A documentary about the longest, toughest and most dangerous race in the world. In 1969, two titans of cinema (Steve McQueen & James Garner) both got behind the wheels of race cars to compete in the Mexican Baja 1000.

This film has the only known footage of Steve McQueen driving the infamous 'Baja Boot' and James Garner driving 'The Grabber'.

These men shared a deep friendship in life, but were fierce competitors in racing. Driving non-stop for nearly 1000 miles on the punishing rugged course known as ‘The Devil's Playground’.

Chad McQueen tells how he drove his father's baja car years later down that same rugged course. Other racers shown include Parnelli Jones, Rod Hall, Bruce Meyers, as well as Michael Nesmith (of "The Monkees" fame) riding his Triumph motorcycle.

Legends of Baja is a story of daring men & women, with their support teams and macho machines, ...all taking on the Baja desert in an epic off-road race from Ensenada to La Paz, Mexico.

IFS Premiere

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Laboratory Conditions USA

Director: Jocelyn Stamat

BEST SHORT FILM
Best Sci-Fi Short

SHORTS BLOCK 10c

A physician investigating a missing body disrupts an unlawful experiment in this Sci-Fi film starring Marisa Tomei and Minnie Driver.

World Premiere

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The Birds Sing Too Loud USA

Director: Jack Kenny

Best Actress in a Short Film - Jane Lynch

SHORTS BLOCK 10c

Jane Lynch & Kate Mulgrew star in a comedy about relatives that overstay their welcome: even if it’s only been a few minutes.

Jack Kenny ("Titus," "The Book Of Daniel," "Warehouse 13"), wrote and directed this comedy, following a man trying his best to stay in touch with his late father’s sisters, women with only one style of communication: bitter complaining.

Inviting them to his lavish Hollywood home for a visit, the nephew doesn't make it past the first 15 minutes before these ladies wear out their welcome, and he begins to wish they were dead.

World Premiere

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The Sheep and the Wolf Ireland

Director: Ronan Day-Lewis

Best Independent Short

THRILLER SHORTS 10d

A woman returns to her family home in rural Ireland to find herself caught in a cruel mind game with someone she had forgotten. Starring director Rebecca Miller (Maggie's Plan, The Ballad of Jack and Rose).

West Coast Premiere

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Fifty Minutes USA

Director: Paul Schneider

Best Actor in a Short Film - DJ Qualls

THRILLER SHORTS 10d

Starring Stephen Tobolowsky and DJ Qualls in a shifting game of cat and mouse, Paul Schneider’s "Fifty Minutes" finds a successful therapist negotiating for his life when a vexed patient suddenly draws a pistol.

Revolving around a desperate man (DJ Qualls) looking for answers and a frightened therapist (Stephen Tobolowsky) looking for solutions, Fifty Minutes leaves its audience in a delicate position to study the dramatic impulses carried out.

IFS Premiere

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Cheri Amour (Trailer) USA

Director: G. Lane Hillman

THRILLER SHORTS 10d

CHERI AMOUR is a tale of obsession and revenge that reaches a fever pitch in one American family. Two young ladies both deeply connected by one thing, so near and dear to both of them, that each are willing to die for it.

This Award Winning trailer is a teaser to the feature-length thriller of the same name, written by G. Lane Hillman. CHERI AMOUR trailer screens within the THRILLER SHORTS 10d program.

IFS Premiere

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Ghosts of Anbar USA

Director: Armen Ohannesian

THRILLER SHORTS 10d

In Iraq's Anbar province, a little boy checks for landmines as ISIS rebels in a pick-up truck follow at a safe distance. ISIS is known to intimidate and scare children into joining them. Some of the kids will be foot soldiers, while others are trained to be suicide bombers.

One day, a 13 year-old American girl is brought into class with her hands tied, wearing a bomb vest. The teacher informs the students in the class they will all be wearing bomb vests like this tomorrow in Baghdad. Many of their friends are already there for this big operation. But these kids have other plans.

World Premiere

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The Assassin's Apprentice USA

Director: Russ Emanuel

Best Short Thriller

THRILLER SHORTS 10d

A fast-paced film about apprentice Kaylee (Tarah Paige), her trainer Pete the master assassin (Robert Picardo), and their mutual handler Miranda (Marina Sirtis). Pete is training Kaylee in the dark arts of the assassin, when they receive a call to execute a hit on a local drug kingpin. But the journey does not go as planned.

Starring Tarah Paige (Chalk it up, Alice in Wonderland, True Blood), Robert Picardo (Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek: First Contact) and Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: First Contact), and Rico E. Anderson (The Orville, The Mick, Goliath), this film is director Russ Emanuel's second film in this genre following his award-winning film "Girl With Gun".

World Premiere

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Special Lunch USA

Director: Michael Kang

Best Director - Short Film Awards

COMEDY AWARD SHORTS 10e

Michael Kang, director of the Sundance Award-winning feature, “The Motel,” has teamed up with Gina Gold & Aurorae Khoo, writers on Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie” and CBS’s “Unforgettable” to present “Special Lunch.”

This flim tells the story of sixteen-year-old Sharon Foo, who waits tables at her parents’ modest Chinatown restaurant. She’s had it with her controlling mother and capitalistic little sister. One day Sharon spots Joey, a mysterious "bad boy", and she invites him in for dumplings …on the house.

When Sharon’s sister accuses Joey of dining and dashing; Sharon must tell her family she gave Joey a free lunch – the ultimate sin. In a surprising moment of defiance, this young girl stands up to her family ...for the first time in her life.

World Premiere

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Cat's Outta the Bag USA

Director: Stacey Wilson

Best Comedy Short

COMEDY AWARD SHORTS 10e

An innocent millennial finds herself in a dark social media triangle that can only be solved by...you guessed it....her cell phone.

U.S. Premiere

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Sports Suits USA

Director: Dylan Kamm

Best Episodic Series

COMEDY AWARD SHORTS 10e

Sports Suits is a workplace comedy about a group of utterly incompetent sports agents who happen to represent some of the highest paid athletes in the world.

In this pilot episode, Luke and his three cohorts Cindy, Isaac, and Thaddeus, are put on notice after losing the next huge superstar to rival agency DLA. As a result, they have less than three days to produce enough deals to cover for the loss or hit the road. In fear of ending up on the streets, they decide to roll up their sleeves and kick it into high gear.

Starring Chris Degner, Katie Gunderson, Dylan Kamm, Demetrius Thomas, Jim Hanks, Henry LeBlanc, and Angie DeGrazia.

World Premiere

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IFS SPECIAL EVENT

Come get your press and personal photos taken on the IFS Red Carpet before the IFS Awards Ceremony!

Show off those swanky threads! Show up early to take photos before the rush.

All IFS festival filmmakers, cast, crew, and attendees are invited to our Red Carpet Press Photo event at the Grove!

IFS SPECIAL EVENT

The largest and most talked about event of the IFS Film Festival!

Our IFS Awards Ceremony is where IFS Members honor the best independent filmmaking from the past year.

The 26th Annual IFS AWARDS celebrates true independent filmmaking. At the Ceremony, this years IFS Awards are presented to the filmmakers chosen democratically by our 200+ Membership ranks.

Surprise celebrities have also been known to stop in to greet tomorrows superstars as well, come join us for the fun!

Get your tickets early, as this event sells out quickly each year!
Buy tickets online prior to the event to insure you can get a seat.

Award Ceremony Tickets only available online.
Purchased Tickets must be picked up at IFS Box Office at The Grove for entry.
Ticket Holders make sure to arrive by 6:40pm, for pre-seating check-in.

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Collusions USA

Director: Anthony Vietro

BEST ACTOR - Tom Everett Scott

COLLUSIONS is a cerebral, character driven crime mystery starring Tom Everett Scott that follows five people intertwined in the legal and law enforcement world of LA as the story of a beaten woman, her missing tooth and their motives are revealed.

World Premiere

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Cynthia USA

Director: Kenny Gage / Devon Downs

BEST HORROR FILM
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Sid Haig

They wanted a baby in the worst way.

Cynthia is a horror film about the ‘perfect’ couple and their desperate obsession to have a baby that descends into a terrifying dark comedy. Robin and Michael are college sweethearts who have everything… but one thing is missing... a child... and they want one in the worst way. Finally, after years of trying, Robin gets pregnant. Is it a dream come true or a nightmare come to life?

Starring Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween The Runaways), Sid Haig (The Devil’s Rejects, House of 1,000 Corpses), Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects, Chainsaw Massacre 2), Robert LaSardo (Death Race, Anarchy Parlor), Rebecca Marshall (Saw 3D), Kyle Jones (Masters of Sex), Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies) and James Karen (Poltergeist, Return of The Living Dead). Creature built by Mario Torres Jr.(Award Winning FX team member for The Shape of Water).

West Coast Premiere

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AWARDS GALA AFTER-PARTY

IFS PARTY EVENT

Join us at our biggest and most exciting party event of the season: The Awards Night Gala After-Party.
Meet and greet with filmmakers and industry at our most special party event.

Award Ceremony Tickets only available online.
Purchased Tickets must be picked up at IFS Box Office at The Grove for entry.
21 and up.

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