FILMMAKERS
HIGHLAND PARK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (HPIFF)
fosters emerging and established filmmakers by providing forums for screening projects, networking with
industry professionals and mentoring student filmmakers in Northeast Los Angeles.
All films will screen at the historic Highland Theatre on a DCP system.
Festival date: October 6th-8th / Awards Brunch October 9th
Location: Northeast Los Angeles
Awards Brunch RSVP: april@hpifilmfest.com
(All filmmakers will be competing for two prestigious awards: Best Cinematography and Best Musical Composition.
Other awards include: Best Feature, Best Short, Best Feat Doc, Best Short Doc, & Audience Choice - Best Short)
FILM DELIVERY
We are presenting in DCP (Digital Cinema Package) only. If you do not own a DCP our festival sponsor is Penguin DCP.
You can make arrangements directly with them to do a package build out.
SHORT FILMS please submit a Quicktime ProRes along with a DCP file to Penguin DCP.
You can make arrangements directly with them to do a package build out.
SHORT FILMS please submit a Quicktime ProRes along with a DCP file to Penguin DCP.
Contact email is hello@penguindcp.com and contact number is (213) 973-2218
Mailing address:
5121 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Los Angeles, Ca 90041
Mailing address:
5121 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Los Angeles, Ca 90041
ALL FILMMAKERS must fill out entry form and email to info@hpifilmfest.com.
SHORT NARRATIVE
"Sins of the Father" dir. Rachel Howard. A father's violent past comes back to haunt him and he loses everything. Does he take revenge or does he forgive like he was forgiven so many years ago?
"Whittier Boulevard" dir. Michael Patrick Spillers. A rock 'n roll fable about André, a transgender teen runaway who falls in love with a rockabilly princess on the streets of East Los Angeles.
"Golden Golden" dir. Erica Cho. When two broke 20-somethings from San Bernardino visit a Los Angeles fortuneteller, conjoined crystal balls and queer, pop song visions open up new spaces for desiring and becoming — across Asian, Black, and Latinx imaginaries.
"As We Say Goodbye" dir. Jhosimar Vasquez. After being unwillingly separated from her mother, and brother Nicole will dedicate her last days to saving her brother's life where he will meet her for the first in the operating room.
"The Walk" dir. Alonso Alvarez Barreda. In the harshness of the Arizona desert a Mexican man and his son are faced with a major crisis of conscience as they try to cross the border illegally.
"Step 9" dir. Leonora Pitts. Two friends, one in recovery and one decidedly not, set off on a road trip to make amends.
"Now What?" dir. Anna Jones. Two lifelong friends discuss the complicated nuances of getting older and rerouting their dreams.
"Room 3" dir. Blake Hodges. When Jessica becomes tormented by disturbing visions from a past life, she attempts a new experimental form of therapy.
"Losing It" dir. Nathaniel Katzman. Mackenzie and Alexander discover they are pregnant while on tour with their band and are forced to make a decision that feels far beyond their years.
"Sandboy" dir. Vittoria Colonna. Set in the Californian desert, Sandboy is a tale of loss and redemption.
"Cross" dir. Gerry Maravilla. A young man is lured into the world of backyard boxing in order to save his mother's life.
"Portavoz" dir. Juan Diego Ramirez. Vicente Infante desires to return to his native land of Mexico and live the remainder of his years, however, his two children disagree with his decision to return to a politically turbulent and violent country.
"The Best and Worst Days of George Morales Unnaturally Long Life" dir. Seth Cuddeback & Benjamin Dohrmann. George and Susie Morales own a restaurant in East Los Angeles and have been happily married for nearly forty years.
"Pillow Talk" dir. Nardeep Khurmi. Danny and Jennifer just had sex.
"Lotus" dir. Edmund Lozano & Jazmin Harvey. Michael prepares to share his true self with friends.
"Risky Game" (Germany) dir. Stefan Plepp & Christine Kabisch. 17years old Melanie gets beaten by her father when she has bad grades.
"Los Angeles 1991" dir. Zacarias & MacGregor. Los Angeles, 1991. The streets have become a hotbed of racial tension and hate about to burst
"Maman(s)" (France) dir. Maimouna Doucoure. The 8-year-old Aida lives in an apartment in the Parisian suburb. The daily life of Aida and the whole family is overwhelmed when her father comes back from Senegal, their country of origin.
"In Lucidity" dir. Kay Al-Atrakchi. Eric has a problem -- a persistent nightmare that has been haunting him for months.
"The Ranfla" dir. Juan Rodriguez. Actors, Daniel Villarreal & Danny De La Paz AKA Lil' Puppet & Big Puppet from the film "American Me", are on their way to a fan meet and greet but encounter a problem that might hurt their street cred.
"The Shadow of Our Togetherness" (US/Ireland) dir. Aisha Tyler. Irish brothers, separated by time and class, struggle to pierce their isolation during a chance reunion.
"Solidarity" dir. Dustin Brown. Two undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles, dealing with loss, unknowingly become connected in a mysterious and profound way.
"Fill in the Blanks" dir. Chloé Marçais. At the laundry a man listens to two girls’ intimate conversation.
"Zero" (US/Mexico) dir. David Victori. Father and son are emotionally and physically separate the day that Earth loses gravity intermittently.
“Archon, LLC.” dir. Jeremy Pfau. "A struggling academic is forced to consider a strange proposition when two strangers show up at his door. "
SHORT DOCS
"Watts Waits - The Redevelopment of Jordan Downs" dir. Drew Bachrach. Jordan Downs is the most recognizable housing project in South Central Los Angeles.
"Nancy From East Side Clover" dir. Gregorio Davila. Growing up poor, Chicano, a woman and a lesbian in mid 20th century East L.A., Nancy Valverde’s life was a constant uphill battle, complicated by the fact that she preferred the comfort of men’s clothes.
"Throwing Their Weight Around: Leveraging Power for Social Change" dir. Suzanne Ali . This documentary film explores leaders who are challenging the power paradigm by using their influence to create a more equitable, sustainable, inclusive society.
"Zulu Maniacs" dir. Rachael Pelzer. A group of hip-hop dancers, the Zulu Maniacs, lead by the enigmatic Crystal and Spider, perform and travel to spread the true meaning of hip-hop: Peace, Love, Unity and Having Fun
"The Narwhal's Wake" dir. Ian Rowan. Baffin Bay is home to 90% of narwhals on earth as well as their defender: Mayor Jerry Natanine. One man fighting for the rights of his community, their ancestral way of life, and for the narwhals that he has come to love in the face of oil exploration that threatens the entire ecosystem.
"Highland Park is Fig" dir. Josh Buck. This film takes you on a historical journey into the historical realities and current issues facing Highland Park.
"War Story" dir. William Nestlehutt. A World War II medic, Sgt. Marty Fuhrman, recounts his journey through some of the bloodiest battles in the South Pacific
ANIMATION
"El Coyote" dir. Javier Barboza. "El Coyote" is a Film based on true a story of a human smuggler also know as a coyote.
"In The Distance" (Germany) dir. Florian Grolig. It's calm and peaceful above the clouds. But chaos lurks in the distance and each night, it draws closer.
FEATURE NARRATIVE
"Money" (US/Spain) dir. Martin. Two wealthy businessmen are about to get away with $5 million in ill-gotten money until their plans are revealed by an uninvited house guest.
"Pedro" dir. Nick Oceano. In 1994 Pedro Zamora was the first HIV-positive homosexual to appear in a reality show on MTV. The audience of 'The Real World: San Francisco' identified easily with this intelligent, good-looking Latino.
FEATURE DOCS
"Dark Progressivism" dir. Rodrigo Ribera d'Ebre. Out of two violent decades shaped by the explosion of the crack epidemic, gangs, vandalism, stepped-up law enforcement, riots, earthquakes and police scandals, a new urban mentality and art style developed.
"Slingshot" dir. Paul Lazarus. SlingShot focuses on Segway inventor Dean Kamen and his work to solve the world's water crisis.
"Charles Lummis: Reimaging the American West" dir. Stephen Pagano. The season's debut program chronicles the life and legacy of Charles Fletcher Lummis, an eccentric and forward-thinking polymath who founded the Southwest Museum in 1907.
"Bridging Los Angeles" dir. Andrea Galvin. Bridging Los Angeles is the story of how destructive flooding and snarled traffic congestion brought about the funding, design, and construction of the 14 monument bridges that span the Los Angeles River
"Hollywood Shorties" dir. Ryan Steven Green . THE HOLLYWOOD SHORTIES is a documentary on the birth of organized sports in the American dwarf community.
"Paint Life" dir. Daniel Zana. The Army of Snipers documentary focuses on their trip to Thailand to mentor youth in art. (WORLD PREMIERE)
"#BeRobin The Movie" dir. Kurt Weitzmann. #BeRobin The Movie is a documentary about Margaret Cho’s homeless outreach campaign inspired by the philanthropy of Robin Williams.
"Sins of the Father" dir. Rachel Howard. A father's violent past comes back to haunt him and he loses everything. Does he take revenge or does he forgive like he was forgiven so many years ago?
"Whittier Boulevard" dir. Michael Patrick Spillers. A rock 'n roll fable about André, a transgender teen runaway who falls in love with a rockabilly princess on the streets of East Los Angeles.
"Golden Golden" dir. Erica Cho. When two broke 20-somethings from San Bernardino visit a Los Angeles fortuneteller, conjoined crystal balls and queer, pop song visions open up new spaces for desiring and becoming — across Asian, Black, and Latinx imaginaries.
"As We Say Goodbye" dir. Jhosimar Vasquez. After being unwillingly separated from her mother, and brother Nicole will dedicate her last days to saving her brother's life where he will meet her for the first in the operating room.
"The Walk" dir. Alonso Alvarez Barreda. In the harshness of the Arizona desert a Mexican man and his son are faced with a major crisis of conscience as they try to cross the border illegally.
"Step 9" dir. Leonora Pitts. Two friends, one in recovery and one decidedly not, set off on a road trip to make amends.
"Now What?" dir. Anna Jones. Two lifelong friends discuss the complicated nuances of getting older and rerouting their dreams.
"Room 3" dir. Blake Hodges. When Jessica becomes tormented by disturbing visions from a past life, she attempts a new experimental form of therapy.
"Losing It" dir. Nathaniel Katzman. Mackenzie and Alexander discover they are pregnant while on tour with their band and are forced to make a decision that feels far beyond their years.
"Sandboy" dir. Vittoria Colonna. Set in the Californian desert, Sandboy is a tale of loss and redemption.
"Cross" dir. Gerry Maravilla. A young man is lured into the world of backyard boxing in order to save his mother's life.
"Portavoz" dir. Juan Diego Ramirez. Vicente Infante desires to return to his native land of Mexico and live the remainder of his years, however, his two children disagree with his decision to return to a politically turbulent and violent country.
"The Best and Worst Days of George Morales Unnaturally Long Life" dir. Seth Cuddeback & Benjamin Dohrmann. George and Susie Morales own a restaurant in East Los Angeles and have been happily married for nearly forty years.
"Pillow Talk" dir. Nardeep Khurmi. Danny and Jennifer just had sex.
"Lotus" dir. Edmund Lozano & Jazmin Harvey. Michael prepares to share his true self with friends.
"Risky Game" (Germany) dir. Stefan Plepp & Christine Kabisch. 17years old Melanie gets beaten by her father when she has bad grades.
"Los Angeles 1991" dir. Zacarias & MacGregor. Los Angeles, 1991. The streets have become a hotbed of racial tension and hate about to burst
"Maman(s)" (France) dir. Maimouna Doucoure. The 8-year-old Aida lives in an apartment in the Parisian suburb. The daily life of Aida and the whole family is overwhelmed when her father comes back from Senegal, their country of origin.
"In Lucidity" dir. Kay Al-Atrakchi. Eric has a problem -- a persistent nightmare that has been haunting him for months.
"The Ranfla" dir. Juan Rodriguez. Actors, Daniel Villarreal & Danny De La Paz AKA Lil' Puppet & Big Puppet from the film "American Me", are on their way to a fan meet and greet but encounter a problem that might hurt their street cred.
"The Shadow of Our Togetherness" (US/Ireland) dir. Aisha Tyler. Irish brothers, separated by time and class, struggle to pierce their isolation during a chance reunion.
"Solidarity" dir. Dustin Brown. Two undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles, dealing with loss, unknowingly become connected in a mysterious and profound way.
"Fill in the Blanks" dir. Chloé Marçais. At the laundry a man listens to two girls’ intimate conversation.
"Zero" (US/Mexico) dir. David Victori. Father and son are emotionally and physically separate the day that Earth loses gravity intermittently.
“Archon, LLC.” dir. Jeremy Pfau. "A struggling academic is forced to consider a strange proposition when two strangers show up at his door. "
SHORT DOCS
"Watts Waits - The Redevelopment of Jordan Downs" dir. Drew Bachrach. Jordan Downs is the most recognizable housing project in South Central Los Angeles.
"Nancy From East Side Clover" dir. Gregorio Davila. Growing up poor, Chicano, a woman and a lesbian in mid 20th century East L.A., Nancy Valverde’s life was a constant uphill battle, complicated by the fact that she preferred the comfort of men’s clothes.
"Throwing Their Weight Around: Leveraging Power for Social Change" dir. Suzanne Ali . This documentary film explores leaders who are challenging the power paradigm by using their influence to create a more equitable, sustainable, inclusive society.
"Zulu Maniacs" dir. Rachael Pelzer. A group of hip-hop dancers, the Zulu Maniacs, lead by the enigmatic Crystal and Spider, perform and travel to spread the true meaning of hip-hop: Peace, Love, Unity and Having Fun
"The Narwhal's Wake" dir. Ian Rowan. Baffin Bay is home to 90% of narwhals on earth as well as their defender: Mayor Jerry Natanine. One man fighting for the rights of his community, their ancestral way of life, and for the narwhals that he has come to love in the face of oil exploration that threatens the entire ecosystem.
"Highland Park is Fig" dir. Josh Buck. This film takes you on a historical journey into the historical realities and current issues facing Highland Park.
"War Story" dir. William Nestlehutt. A World War II medic, Sgt. Marty Fuhrman, recounts his journey through some of the bloodiest battles in the South Pacific
ANIMATION
"El Coyote" dir. Javier Barboza. "El Coyote" is a Film based on true a story of a human smuggler also know as a coyote.
"In The Distance" (Germany) dir. Florian Grolig. It's calm and peaceful above the clouds. But chaos lurks in the distance and each night, it draws closer.
FEATURE NARRATIVE
"Money" (US/Spain) dir. Martin. Two wealthy businessmen are about to get away with $5 million in ill-gotten money until their plans are revealed by an uninvited house guest.
"Pedro" dir. Nick Oceano. In 1994 Pedro Zamora was the first HIV-positive homosexual to appear in a reality show on MTV. The audience of 'The Real World: San Francisco' identified easily with this intelligent, good-looking Latino.
FEATURE DOCS
"Dark Progressivism" dir. Rodrigo Ribera d'Ebre. Out of two violent decades shaped by the explosion of the crack epidemic, gangs, vandalism, stepped-up law enforcement, riots, earthquakes and police scandals, a new urban mentality and art style developed.
"Slingshot" dir. Paul Lazarus. SlingShot focuses on Segway inventor Dean Kamen and his work to solve the world's water crisis.
"Charles Lummis: Reimaging the American West" dir. Stephen Pagano. The season's debut program chronicles the life and legacy of Charles Fletcher Lummis, an eccentric and forward-thinking polymath who founded the Southwest Museum in 1907.
"Bridging Los Angeles" dir. Andrea Galvin. Bridging Los Angeles is the story of how destructive flooding and snarled traffic congestion brought about the funding, design, and construction of the 14 monument bridges that span the Los Angeles River
"Hollywood Shorties" dir. Ryan Steven Green . THE HOLLYWOOD SHORTIES is a documentary on the birth of organized sports in the American dwarf community.
"Paint Life" dir. Daniel Zana. The Army of Snipers documentary focuses on their trip to Thailand to mentor youth in art. (WORLD PREMIERE)
"#BeRobin The Movie" dir. Kurt Weitzmann. #BeRobin The Movie is a documentary about Margaret Cho’s homeless outreach campaign inspired by the philanthropy of Robin Williams.
SPONSORS