A Los Angeles-based short film festival Salute Your Shorts Film Festival has announced its 7th edition full lineup. Additional to the robust lineup includes a festival-favorite BACKFLIP by Nikita Diakur, a Palm Spring Shortfest's Audience Award for Best Documentary ECO-HACKS! by Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty, a half-hour comedy DAY JOBS by Stevie Wain and Auri Jackson, and Alden Ehrenreich's directorial debut SHADOW BROTHER SUNDAY, with Francis Ford Coppola executive producing.
The festival will take place exclusively in person from August 18-20 at Assistance League Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets and passes will be available soon.
[Updated] Here is the full lineup for the 2023 Salute Your Shorts Film Festival.
A FOLDED OCEAN
DIR. Ben Brewer
a couple gets lost in each other
ADDRESSES
DIRS. María Luisa Santos, Carlo Nasisse
In Costa Rica there are no street addresses. Or they may exist in some government office, but the people have steadily resisted any effort to develop a centralized system. Instead, an address contains a series of directions in reference to various landmarks. In this film, a Costa Rican woman who has always felt pressing anxiety by this lack of order tries to understand its origins. In doing so she discovers a larger story about human memory and place.
ATTA GIRL
DIR. Jess Hock
Caught between her anxiety-riddled digestion and an intrusive plumber in the bathroom, Frankie tries to find inner-peace with New Age miracle cures.
BACKFLIP
DIR. NIkita Diakur
A digital avatar learns to move, walk and talk. Inspirational quotes from the internet drive him forward and his creators capture the process in an improvised documentary.
BIRDS
DIR. Katherine Propper
Moments in the lives of Austin teenagers in the heat of Texas summer.
BOUNCE HOUSE
DIR. Callie Bloem, Christopher J. Ewing
Civilization has ended. Everyone Polly loves is dead. But at least she has a bounce house.
BREAKING SILENCE
DIR. Amy Bench, Annie Silverstein
BREAKING SILENCE is a verité portrait of a deaf father and CODA daughter from Baton Rouge, who work together upon Leslie’s release from prison to help others in their community affected by the prison system. An intimate exploration into parenthood, regret, and, ultimately, healing.
BRETT KAVANAUGH IS RUINING MY SEX LIFE
DIR. Kristin Slaysman
A dark comedy about a couple struggling to reinvent their sex fantasies.
BURN IT ALL
DIR. Jack Hickey
After her father leaves her mother for her best friend, a devastated Bobbie embarks on a chaotic campaign of revenge...
CANCELED
DIR. Christopher Guerrero
On Halloween night, an arrogant TikTok influencer refuses to acknowledge her cultural appropriation of Mexican culture as strange things happen in the shadows.
CLAUDIO'S SONG
DIR.Andreas Nilsson
A young man faces the wrath of a family of criminals that target people who are famous on the internet and extort money from them. When their scheme fails, the plan to kill him takes an unexpected turn.
CONFESSIONS
DIR. Stephanie Kaznocha
After the death of a friend, two nuns in their golden years contemplate what their future holds. One confession leads to another and before they know it, they're embarking on an adventure.
CREATING THINGS
DIR. Bryan Simpson, Taylor Simpson
Two brothers use interview fragments, pieces of art, and various family mementos to explore the legacy of their father and what he left behind.
DAY JOBS
DIRS. Stevie Wain, Auri Jackson
After losing her temper at a babysitting job interview on the eve of her 27th birthday, aspiring lesbian LA comedian, Stevie Tripp, is given a scathing review online that blacklists her from finding other babysitting gigs. Desperate to pay her ex-boyfriend rent, she reaches out to her rich closeted ex-girl-fling, Scarlett, for the dough. The only problem? Stevie promised Jason she’d NEVER go back to her. FUCK. By the end of the episode, Stevie hooks up with Scarlett and secretly becomes her new babysitter, she finally makes rent to Jason, and she does standup that reveals to us why her relationship with Scarlett is so toxic.
ECO-HACK!
DIRS. Josh Izenberg, Brett Marty
Biologist Tim Shields has watched desert tortoise populations in the Mojave Desert plummet since the 1990s. The latest threat? Ballooning populations of ravens, thanks to increased human activity in the desert. Tired of "taking notes on a quiet catastrophe," Tim quits traditional observational biology in exchange for direct intervention. Building specialized drones, desert rovers, laser cannons, and fake exploding tortoise shells, Tim is waging a technological war on ravens in a last ditch effort to save the species, and prove that innovation, technology, and imagination may be the last hope for saving the planet.
ENDLESS SEA
DIR. Sam Shainberg
Carol, 70, begins a normal day only to find out that her heart medication has doubled in price. Afraid, but not without hope, she sets out to find a solution. She goes to work, tries to borrow from family and friends, even attempts a desperate appeal to the Social Security Administration, only too in the end be forced into a desperate act of revolution.
ESPERANZA
DIR. Shruti Parekh
Dev, an Indian taxi driver in upstate New York, ferries passengers to a Canadian border crossing for quick money. When he picks up a Salvadoran couple with a great deal at stake, they find themselves at odds in the shared pursuit of a better life.
EVERY HOUSE IS HAUNTED
DIR. Bryce McGuire
The realtor told them the house was haunted. That doesn't stop long-time couple, Maya and Danny, from moving in anyway. After years of compromise and losing sight of what she wants, Maya finds part of herself that’s been missing in the spirits that occupy their new haunted house.
FOLLOWERS
DIR. Julia Bales
Wendy invites her new neighbors over for a dinner party only to realize they might not be who they say they are.
FUME
DIRS. Olivia Kimmel, Paul Cadenhead
A young girl finds the courage to escape her oppressor when she discovers that she is not the only victim. As her rage builds, she chooses to take action.
GERANIUM
DIR. Kait Schuster
A queer couple takes to the bedroom to process a sexual assault through role play -- until a forgotten safe word threatens the already-messy afternoon.
GET AWAY
DIR. Michael Gabriele
A group of friends spending the weekend at a remote vacation rental in the desert, play a mysterious VHS tape, and realize that there are too many strange and terrifying coincidences.
GIVE IT TO ME
DIR. Courtney Hope Therond
In a bid to finally process a traumatic sexual experience, Max hires Lucy, a sex worker, to recreate the scene - but things don't go according to plan.
GIVING UP
DIR. Kris Lefcoe
A New York couple faces their own deadline to either "make it" or give up their dreams.
I AM WHOLE
DIR. Bianca Poletti
A coming of age story about a girl starting to find her voice while struggling with the pressures of growing up too fast from her peers and social media.
I HAVE NO TEARS, AND I MUST CRY
DIR. Luis Fernando Puente
Maria Luisa is ready to escape immigration limbo, but when her green card interview takes an unexpected turn, she faces the anxiety of losing the life she had planned.
MAHOGANY DRIVE
DIR. Jerah Milligan
In this comedy horror tale, three Black friends wake up to a nightmare — a dead white woman on the floor of their Airbnb. Tensions rise, sweat beads, and accusations fly, but they slowly come to a terrifying truth: this house is killing white women!
MAKEOVER MOVIE
DIR. Sue Ding
For more than a hundred years, movie makeovers have promised audiences that with a little help, any ugly duckling can transform into the belle of the ball. Featuring clips from nearly a hundred films, MAKEOVER MOVIE immerses us in the candy-colored and kinetic world of the makeover montage. Alongside these iconic images, women of color and queer women reflect on the racialized, heteronormative, and contradictory beauty standards at the core of the movie makeover.
ME NIGHT
DIR. Anna Salinas
Allie Webb is revved and ready for a night out on the town when her flaky friends bail. There’s no way she’s spending the night alone, so she contacts every human in her orbit. When no plans transpire, Allie fears the worst. Cue her mean-girl Inner Demon, who turns what could be a heavenly night-in to an anxiety-fueled nightmare.
MORNING JOY
DIR. John Henry Hinkel
A recently widowed pianist has an unexpected encounter.
MOTHERLAND
DIR. Christina Yoon
Leah, a Korean adoptee raised in America, returns to Korea to search for her birth mother. Leah is met with secrecy from the adoption agency as well as her own family but remains relentless on her solo journey, driven by her longing to discover the truth of her origins.
MT. MYSTIC RANGERS
DIR. Jeremiah Dunlap
In a race against time, Rangers at the underfunded Mt. Mystic State Park must remove a mysterious monolithic structure that appears on the eve of the new lieutenant's arrival, facing supernatural forces as they scramble to prepare the park.
PICTURE DAY
DIR. Kelly Pike
Casey, an Asian-American tomboy coming of age on Army bases, prepares for picture day at her new school, deciding what she's willing to sacrifice in order to fit in.
PLAY THIS AT MY FUNERAL
DIR. Ray smiling
A series of short stories highlight the intimate moment a pop song, becomes your song.
ROSEMARY A.D. (AFTER DAD)
DIR. Ethan Barrett
Would my daughter be better off without me? The question swims around a father’s mind as he cradles his newborn.
SAND MAMA
DIR. Catherine Loerke
An ambivalent mother resolves her struggle with the all-consuming nature of motherhood by making a startling choice on a family beach trip.
SCABS
DIR. Tommy Butler
A skin picker and his girlfriend dance around his compulsive behavior, which threatens to tear their relationship apart.
SCOTTY'S VAG
DIR. Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz
The night of a sorority hazing event, Scotty, a college freshman, must make an impression on the older girl she wants as her “big”. As the night goes on, Scotty realizes how far she’s willing to go to prove herself. Power dynamics are not what they seem.
SHADOW BROTHER SUNDAY
DIR. Alden Ehrenreich
A down-on-his-luck musician returns home on the day of his younger brother’s movie premiere to steal his computer and sell it to the paparazzi.
SLEEP STUDY
DIR. Natalie Metzger
A restless new mother confronts a dangerous terror whenever she tries to sleep.
SPROUT
DIR. Zora Kovac
A scientist lives alone in a large mansion, controlling every aspect of his life with a series of machines that allow him to have no interaction with the outside world. After he accidentally creates a plant creature that takes the form of a baby, his bond with it opens him up to a connection he previously refused to have. As the creature gets older and tries to go outside, the scientist stops it, until one day it grows to a size he can no longer control. As he tries to contain the creature, it breaks free and swallows him whole before bringing him on a journey through the outside world where he learns that it is not as threatening as he may have previously thought.
SUCKS TO BE THE MOON
DIR. Tyler March, Eric Paperth
Jealous of the Sun’s stardom, the Moon journeys into space, searching for a planet that actually cares about him.
THAT'S OUR TIME
DIR. Alex Backes
Danny's stuck in a dead-end job. It keeps him focused on the clock and unable to connect with those around him. At their final session, his sympathetic therapist tries to help him realize that it's more important to focus on the time you have left than the time you've already spent.
THE BLAKE
DIRS. Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato
In this deeply touching memoir, filmmaker Courtney Sposato explores her childhood experience of her brother’s illness while learning about the wonders of the galaxy aboard a replica of the space shuttle Challenger, created by her elementary school teacher from a dilapidated bus. A love letter to teachers, a lesson about grief and a beacon of hope, The Blake is a revelation of connections wrapped in Saturnian rings.
THE BOND
DIR. Jahmil Eady
Pregnant Aria applies to an in-prison nursery program. She is determined to keep her baby close and turn her life around; however, when Aria goes into labor she faces her biggest challenge yet. This character-driven short is based on a true story.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
DIR. Daniel Sinclaird
Jane and Teddy are on the brink of divorce – but when their marital problems come to a sticking point, they have an unexpected breakthrough.
THE STUPID BOY
DIR. Phil Dunn
London is being terrorised by christian white supremacists. While a broken man is groomed for the next attack, a boy from Brixton sees the
THE VACATION
DIR. Jarreau Carrillo
A group of friends decide to take a trip to the beach on the last day of the summer but when their car won't start they are forced to take their vacation in their car.
THEY GROW UP SO FAST
DIR. John F. Beach
Fast and frantic, this comedy follows Brian the morning after meeting Amy during a night out on the town. When he wakes up and things seem oddly more serious between them, he realizes that life is moving much faster than he e as it keeps changing in the blink of an eye.
TROY
DIR. Mike Donahue
Troy has loud sex. Troy has loud sex 24/7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives… Or is he saving them?
WE WERE MEANT TO
DIR. Tari Wariebi
In a world where Black men have wings and their first flight is a rite of passage, Akil must defy fears, insecurities, and societal barriers while discovering his perfect launch into manhood.
WHEEL
DIR. Honora Talbott
A casting director gets hit with some bad news while helping her eccentric neighbor tape a Wheel of Fortune audition. Tensions are high, nerves are shot, and it's awkward as hell.
WHEN THE LAPD BLOWS UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
DIR. Nathan Truesdell
Tensions rise on a busy street as news organizations and local residents witness an extremely volatile situation turn into a literal powder keg.
WOMEN OF VIRTUE
DIR. Stéphanie Halfon
Etel, a 9-year-old girl who lives in the Hassidic community in Paris, gets her period for the first time. Myriam, her mother, finally looks at her as if she were a woman. Etel is blessed, until she finds out that in her religion, women are considered impure when they have their period.
YES, DADDY
DIR. GG Hawkins
A quick and dirty short about avoiding the moment.