April 3rd-8th, 2025
We are thrilled to welcome you to the 4th consecutive year of one of the most exciting short film festival: Hollywood ShortsFest. A celebration of creativity, storytelling, and the power of cinema.
Our curating team has worked thoughtfully not only on the visual identity of this edition but also in crafting each block of films as a cohesive journey. While every short film stands as its own unique story, together they create a flow, a “follow-through”, guiding you from one cinematic experience to the next.
Over the course of this weekend, you will have the chance to discover 65 short films, each a world of its own, each a masterwork. Sit back, and celebrate the magic of Cinema.
Footsteps that cannot be erased. These stories will leave a mark, they will engage your every sense and make you unable to look away. Stories of pain and stories that must be heard.
Haunted by bad omens and surreal encounters, a well-meaning spin.
Nurse Teresa must leave her children at home to begin her hospital shift. When her son injures his head, she realizes she cannot leave the ward as the only qualified caregiver. She reaches out to her ex-husband, who steps in but threatens to take custody. Meanwhile, a patient suffers a cardiac arrest, and Teresa fights to save his life. Ultimately, she learns that her children are safe, but her shift is far from over—she must return to the ward.
In TAYAL FOREST CLUB, Taiwan’s first Indigenous female film director, Laha Mebow shares a coming-of-age tale that interweaves Tayal characters, settings, and symbols with the complexities arising from her community’s interactions with contemporary society.
A 70-year-old, wealthy Polish woman, Elżbieta, refuses to help her Ukrainian housekeeper, Oksana. When as a result of their conflict, Oksana leaves at night without a word, Elżbieta goes on a journey to find her. The expedition reveals the fate of Ukrainian war refugees who have arrived in Poland.
“Rouge” is a throwback crime film set in post-war France.
The animated film tells the story of a Haitian migrant in Brazil fighting for his rights to work, buy a house and most importantly, reunite with his family from Haiti.
Rhythmic beats that create unimaginable worlds. Some real, some not-so-much. Delve into this block filled with true stories and experimental worlds that will captivate you from start to finish.
In a surreal, industrial dystopia, a travelling salesman encounters a singing behemoth. This towering, two-headed monstrosity tempts him with a terrifying (but lucrative) proposition.
A strange creature living in a bottle of alcohol is captured by a little girl, and in her hour of need he must remember who he is and why he is stuck.
LAMENTO is a poetic and metaphorical reflection on time, memory, the immigrant journey, and the looming impact of climate change, starring Grammy-winning artist Gaby Moreno and actor Tony Revolori. Set against the surreal, haunting backdrop of an abandoned Guatemalan beach resort slowly reclaimed by the sea and teetering on the edge of disappearance, the film follows Gaby on a poignant journey to rediscover a place from her childhood, now on the brink of destruction. Accompanied by a local fisherman (Tony Revolori) and a mysterious companion, FINITOR—a flying obsidian rock with a 3D-scanning lens—they strive to capture and immortalize the soul and memory of a life and a land they left behind, before it all fades away. Inspired by the personal experiences of both Moreno and director Diego Contreras—who left Guatemala at 18 to build their lives in Los Angeles—the film pays tribute to their roots while embracing the pursuit of new horizons in Hollywood and beyond.
In Zimbabwe, of the four reconstructive surgeons working in the public sector to meet the needs of the country’s nearly 16 million inhabitants, only one of them is a woman. With the help of the Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery (PWRS) program, Dr. Thandiwe Munaiwa hopes to become the second. It’s a story of courage, determination, and a global mission for healthcare equality.
A glimpse into the life of street artist Ongosf.
A visual scrapbook of individuals’ memories of colorism, recounting the messages they received about skin tone during their youth and examining how these experiences have left lasting imprints on their lives today.
After an attempted suicide, a sentient hand must save its body from certain death.
An unsuspecting medical volunteer participates in a neurotechnology experiment, being controlled by the film’s audience. When the experimental technology starts to go rogue, what will you do?
A nomadic prospector discovers a massive deposit of rare substance and must fight to keep his find.
For those who are hopeful and those with strong beliefs. These films convey strong bonds and very intense moments for those who might feel the same way. Fragments of different lives of different types of people, who are all in the lookout for something similar…
A young boy attempting to escape the mundanity of junior high runs away into the woods, only to find a preschooler who snuck into his backpack during his escape. Together, the two must embark on an adventure full of excitement, hand to hand combat, monkeys, and friendship.
Letty, an anxiety-ridden sixteen year old must learn to face her fears behind the wheel after her driving test is hijacked by an opportunistic bank robber looking for a quick getaway.
Two brothers from a struggling community defy immense odds in a high-stakes track tournament, but a moral choice threatens to divide them just as they stand on the brink of victory and a chance to change their future.
JESSICA and ALMA, two sisters in a situation of domestic violence, will begin to treat each other with love instead of violence through one of their routine trips to the food stamp office on the night of San Juan, a Spanish holiday.
William helps Henrik carry a double bass. Henrik helps William carry his emotional turmoil. A short film on grief, friendship and acceptance.
In the 1960s, a Korean boy (16), kidnapped and assaulted at a juvenile center on a remote island, must escape with his rival to survive.
Troubled by the death of her brother, a young girl and her best friend run away from their convent school for an afternoon. After burying a dead bird, the young girl realizes she must look inward for the will and the courage to carry on.
In a vast desert, two starving and exhausted children knock on the door of an isolated RV, begging for food. A tense, oppressive atmosphere emerges as a scruffy man peers at them through the cracked door. When two innocent children enter the RV, an unexpected story begins.
Escaping the rising tensions in his home, a young Lebanese man has lucid visions and interactions of his deepest anxieties through the smoke of a hookah.
On the day of the World Cup final between Brazil and France, Erika Oguihara, a Japanese-Brazilian teenager who rejects her family traditions, experiences a violence that seems invisible and plunges into a painful sea of emotions.
Get ready for a rollercoaster of laughs. Ranging from unexpected twists, to awkward, light-hearted comedy, this block will have all you need to drift your mind from any troubles. Sometimes, the best stories are the funniest ones.
“Rock” is a film about friendship and the wonders of living.
Showbiz never dies, even in an apocalypse! When two women on opposite teams of a dating show realize their partners aren’t the ones, they must win a life-saving luxury bunker in an alternative way or risk facing the end of the world alone.
A narrative film based on a true story of navigating the American healthcare system with a uterus. It’s a comedy. Kinda.
A satirical observation of the advertising business through the aspect of the pre-production process. A funny perspective on treatments and what it might be like if another industry had to go through what directors. producers and creative people go through on every project in the process of bringing something to life. In this case, literally.
Bardo takes place over the three days after Steph’s mother’s death when she returns home to find a surprise visitor and wrestles with guilt over not being more present when her mother was alive.
Two friends make a pact to explore who they are beyond the “masks” of neurotypical and gender binary expectations.
Prism is a visually striking short experimental fiction film, following Miranda as she bursts from her beige cocoon and embraces her queer identity for the first time
With spiralling debts and a partner at the end of her tether, Alex, a mid 40s freelancer, desperately needs some work. A golden opportunity at an absurdly trendy agency offers a way out. But he’s going to have to play their game if he wants to land the role.
When Bibi’s dog dies, there’s only one shoulder she wants to cry on. It just belongs to her hot-tempered ex.
A guy breaks up with his girlfriend to chase a new opportunity… on the moon.
Your dog is always thinking about you and wants to get you a cold soda.
Growing up can be fun, dramatic, and vulnerable, all at the same time. Immersing ourselves through their highs and lows of self-discovery, and allowing us to rethink our past, this showcase proves that the journey to adulthood is as transformative as it is unforgettable.
If they manage to make the best video of the summer, Mike and his little brother Tom will fly to the Bahamas. The Bahamas, that’s where their father went a long time ago. And that’s where they now hope to find him again. Whatever it takes.
After receiving a bike as a birthday present from her older brother, 14-year-old Alicia is accused of theft at school. Confronted with a moral dilemma, she must decide whether to betray her brother, who already has a criminal record or take the blame for a crime she did not.
Somewhere in the Limburgian countryside, in the southern Netherlands, 17-year-old Olli juggles a job at a local warehouse with a dark side hustle as a burglar. Fueled by desperation, the timid teen transforms into a seasoned and calculating thief as soon as he puts on his mask. But how long before his conscience intervenes?
Meet Me in Chinatown tells the story of San Francisco Chinatown’s nightclub era through the lived experience of cabaret dancer Cynthia Yee, then and now. Back in the 1960s, when Cynthia was dancing in fishnets and a feather boa at the Chinese Sky Room, some in her Chinese-American community did not respect her line of work. After all, wearing revealing outfits and moving her body like that was not what a girl should do. Yet Cynthia, now in her late 70s, is still moving her body like that, and she is bringing other women her age with her onstage—they call themselves the Grant Ave Follies. As they flow together onstage in a joyful and exceptional current of community, the group of 70 and 80-year-old dancers is the manifestation of Cynthia’s creative spirit, which is at the heart of returning to Chinatown for her. As Cynthia dances her way into old age, her movement disrupts assumptions about aging and its limitations.
A young female violinist with undiagnosed autism spirals out of control as she works on a new opus with a domineering composer, embarking on a psychedelic journey that both pushes her to the edge of mental collapse and fuels her creative power.
Madelyn is a teen mom – but only for the weekend. Her high school’s sex-ed program hopes that 48 hours of caring for an animatronic 3-month-old will be a deterrent to teen pregnancy. But if anything, she’s eager to be an adult.
Young Brett must navigate the underbelly of the Johannesburg gambling world as a seemingly harmless horse racing bet jeopardizes the surprise he’s prepared for his Father’s birthday.
In this family, you only truly belong when you’ve gotten your first wound. But Fabi is 12 and still without scars. On Grandpa’s farm, he has to finally prove that he fits in. Fabi’s father knows the boy must face this now – after all, they all had to. And Fabi really wants to belong. But how much of him (and his skin) will be left in the end?
These are stories of fighters. Of those who aren’t afraid to be knocked down and build strength to stand back up again. For those with fearless spirits and those who are bold and courageous.
I KNEW YOUR PEOPLE… JESUS MINE TRAPPED ME. After an Irish farmer’s breakdown and death, his friends struggle to express grief. His ghost’s appearance at an estate auction finally releases their repressed emotions in unexpected ways.
An introspective, avant-garde short delving into Wayne’s journey- a recovering bulimic navigating the minefield of triggers while returning home for Thanksgiving
The story of a grieving mother who battles her addiction to a black-market drug that gives her life-like dreams about the son she lost.
Thomas discovers the painful truth about a deep betrayal by his once-trusted friend. Tortured by anger and fueled by a desire for retribution, Thomas is presented with a life-altering choice: to either spare his once friend’s life or succumb to the darkness within him and take matters into his own hands.
A 12-year-old’s summer job sorting her recently deceased neighbor’s photographs brings painful memories to the surface.
Darcine’s Day is a short drama film about a woman struggling to find work, food, and housing in Los Angeles.
Cassius, a worn-down Latinx gladiator of modern life fights to make a living as a nighttime garbage man in the concrete arena of the Bronx. One night he’s inevitably laid off and faces his fear of becoming a homeless pariah. On his own terms, he sets up his final farewell but a fuse unexpectedly defaults him and makes him wonder through the night in quest of his truth.
Today’s the big day for Ernie – he’s ready to sell his car and, in his mind, solve his romantic dry spell. Armed with his questionable charm and a stack of sales techniques, he’s convinced a new set of wheels will do the trick. But his buddy, Tim and pretty much everyone else thinks he’s a moron. When Charles, the shady European, shows up, Ernie dives into his sales pitch, oblivious to Charles’ ulterior motives. Losing control of the sale, Ernie empathizes with Charles and lets him test drive the car. Charles drifts out of the driveway leaving Ernie and Tim in smoke as Ernie’s confidence starts to waver. After a nerve-wracking wait, Charles finally returns – but with no interest in buying. Ernie’s dreams of a romantic conquest come crashing down. The next day, a cop comes knocking, accusing Ernie’s car of a hit-and-run. Despite Ernie’s best efforts to explain, it seems his vageen machine has landed him in some serious trouble. Time for Ernie to learn the hard way about the consequences of his salesmanship shenanigans.
Yussef, a Lebanese migrant, is forced to work at the petrol station on the night of his daughter’s piano recital. As he tries to listen to her play over the phone a group of aggressive boys pull up and insist he pump their tyres, he does so uneasily. But as her music drowns out the violence of the world he becomes distracted…
Having just arrived in Ireland, Isaac is part of the rapidly growing unhoused population. One day, while charging his phone in a coffee shop, he meets Victoria, an elderly blind woman.
Either making us hold onto the edge of our seats or having us on an emotional edge; these films will transport us. They will not only convey horror in its mystique and suspenseful ways; it will also portray the terrifying world we live in.
“Pieces of Central Park” was inspired by the sight of conservancy staff at work. This music video is a heartfelt tribute to a song that explores the notion that one can collect fragments of the park’s solitary visitors to mend discarded dreams of love. It is a reflection on finding unexpected beauty and moments of joy amid the solitude. The video is essentially a playful visual exploration of the common saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” This is the official music video for Olivia Foschi’s latest album, “A Window Within”, which emerges as a deeply personal narrative set against the backdrop of global upheaval and personal loss. The album as a whole, is a testament to Foschi’s resilience and creativity. Amid the reflective solitude of the Covid pandemic, Foschi embarked on a cathartic creative process that reaffirmed her identity as a composer and musician.
Inspired by the life of my grandmother, Chicken Bones is the story of a bitter Italian crone from New Orleans (Rita Katerina) hanging to life by a pure thread of spite as she spends the evening in assisted living, hunting down a forbidden cigarette as a hurricane approaches.
A knock at the door in the middle of the night and a warning from a faceless stranger set the stage for a young man’s fear-driven dilemma between shrugging off the dangers lurking outside or ignoring those from within.
Two computer programmers developing a weather forecasting AI are unnerved to discover their creation is far more powerful than they’d imagined.
Set in 1961, during the height of the US-Soviet space race, an ambitious USAF test pilot is recruited by NASA for a daring suborbital mission in an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft with astronomical implications. Inspired by actual historical events.
Portrait of a Grieving Housewife is an exploration of evil in ordinary life. Mrs. Parker is interrogated about her deceased husband, who tragically drowned in their swimming pool a few days earlier, however, something is amiss as she retells her side of the story…
A skeptical science major scours the streets of New York City, searching for proof of the afterlife.
Weird things keep happening while Elise is alone, so when her husband, Derek, returns unexpectedly from a business trip to surprise her, it has the opposite effect.
Two coworkers are upended forever at the drop of an elevator.
At a Halloween carnival, a young father steals a magician’s rabbit to impress his ten year old son. The thrill of the petty theft quickly dissolves into reality when the young boy is tasked with getting himself, his father, and his new pet home safe.
Mauro, a truck driver, meets a strange group of young people at a roadside rest stop who lead him into the woods for a journey bordering life and death.
A compelling lineup of dramatic films that delve into the depths of the human experience. From the chaos of groundbreaking inventions to the personal struggles of self-worth, these narratives capture the emotional turmoil and complex decisions faced by individuals. With themes ranging from trauma and identity to addiction and self-discovery, each story paints a raw, unflinching portrait of the human condition in a world that often feels uncertain and overwhelming.
This documentary collection highlights individuals and communities breaking barriers. From the forest defenders of the Amazon to the refugee skaters in Ukraine, these films showcase resilience, courage, and the pursuit of justice. Through powerful stories of empowerment, compassion, and collective action, this block reminds us of the strength found in shared purpose and the determination to make a difference in the world.
A collection of films that explore the absurdity of life’s challenges through humor. From a freelancer desperate to impress a trendy agency to a funeral director unraveling an unexpected mystery, these comedies showcase a blend of quirky characters, surreal situations, and laugh-out-loud moments. The perfect reminder that even in the most bizarre of circumstances, laughter is often the best way to cope.
This session weaves together horror, experimental cinema, and music video, where fear, self-reflection, and the power of sound intersect. From chilling encounters with the supernatural to the internal struggles of personal and environmental crises, these films explore the dark sides of the human experience. The music video “The Words” adds a layer of existential reflection, where communication is drowned out by modern noise. Prepare to journey through a collection of films that will leave you questioning the invisible forces that shape our world.
SESSION 1 – THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES
SESSION 2 – AS GOOD AS IT GETS
SESSION 3 – BRAVEHEART
SESSION 4 – AMERICAN BEAUTY
SESSION 5 – SCREAM
SESSION 6 – TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
SESSION 7 – GOOD WILL HUNTING
SESSION 8 – STAND BY ME
BLOCK 1 – LOVE
BLOCK 2 – FREEDOM
BLOCK 3 – BEAUTY
BLOCK 4 – TRUTH
BLOCK 5 – FEAR
BLOCK 6 – TRUST
BLOCK 7 – ADRENALINE
BLOCK 1 – LOUDER & LOUDER
BLOCK 2 – RITES OF PASSAGE
BLOCK 3 – LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH
