Los Angeles Short Film Award

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒! UNIQUE CHANCE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM TO THE FAVORITE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL FOR NEW FILMMAKERS 𝐋𝐎𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐌 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒!

Are you a short film maker who wants to make it big in Hollywood? Then you are at the right address! 𝐋𝐨𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 - 𝐈𝐌𝐃𝐛 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 is a unique online film festival in which 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟎𝟓 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 have already placed their trust.

Last year, we honored the directors who were 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐀 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Previous winners of our festival are well-know directors such as 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐭 (France), 𝐁𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐞 (United States), 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐯 𝐙𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐫 (Kazakhstan), 𝐉𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧 (Philippines), 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠 (United States), 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐨 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐳 (Spain), 𝐄𝐝 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐚 (United States), 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐳 (Mexico) and others. Filmmakers from more than 50 countries have already won awards at our festival. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥. This is also why our festival is the right place for your film.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦? I often hear the answer that the local cinema is small, even if the cinema with a capacity of 100 spectators is full. But imagine that your film can be watched by 1.000 to 10.000 viewers at one time during our online screening. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬. Yours can be successful thanks to our film festival.

The festival is particularly interested in projects that offer character-driven dramas, stories focusing on outsiders or underrepresented groups, and narratives depicting interiority and mental subjectivity. Celebrating diversity, 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐅𝐀 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚.

We ourselves are filmmakers, producers and entrepreneurs. We know how difficult it is to show the world that someone appreciates your work. That's why we came up with a unique project in which we involved several jurors from around the world and created a new opportunity to show your film to the world. Our mission is to recognize talent and passion and to award the best film project.

Our festival can have a greater reach and be more effective for filmmakers than a live screening festival, because nowadays everyone in the world can watch online screenings, not just from one city.

About Our Jury
Kotaro Sakai – Artistic Lead of the Festival, supporting bold short-form storytelling and strong cinematic craft

Vinnie Velez – Jury member recognising originality, direction, and overall storytelling impact

Michael Mammarella – Screenwriter and author focused on character-driven stories, with award recognition for his romantic comedy feature work

Pal Kolndrekaj – Screenwriter and filmmaker trained in Italian film institutions, with work selected at the Venice International Film Festival and multiple competition screenings

Maxine de Vere – Producer and line producer with international experience across features, commercials, and music videos

Siamak Dehghanpour – Independent filmmaker and TV journalist with multiple award-winning shorts and a strong festival track record

Ornella Hawthorn Gardez – Jury member valuing originality, pacing, and confident directing choices

Jennifer Booth – Jury member focused on performance, story clarity, and cinematic execution

Daniel Prypchan – Producer/director and performer with extensive production output and award-winning festival projects

Sarah James – Jury member supporting emerging voices and distinctive short-film storytelling

More than 50 categories are available to you! The chance to get 🥇GOLDEN SHORTS is really high. 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒!

OUR JURY MEMBERS

YING-HSUEH CHEN
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Ying-Hsueh Chen (b. 1983) is a Taiwanese-Danish percussionist and composer known for her innovative approach to contemporary music and strong international presence. She has received the Danish Music Critics’ Artist Award and the Danish Composers’ Society’s Musician Prize, and was nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize in 2025. Her recent projects Dark Radiance and Mirage: An Architectural Sonic Experiencehave earned major international awards and 6-star reviews from Politiken.

MICHAEL MAMMARELLA
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Michael Mammarella is an emerging screenwriter and author focused on character-driven stories with heart, humour, and emotional honesty. His romantic comedy feature screenplay The Love Game has received award recognition during its festival run, including Best Romance Script at the Los Angeles Short Film Awards. He is currently developing new films and television projects, alongside his work as the author of The Writer's Compass.
Learn more: INSTAGRAM | IMDB

RAIN STORY
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Rain Story is an alumna of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Kentucky. She earned two B.A.s and four years of graduate studies before personal tragedies pulled her away from her graduate work. She is also a proud Donaghey Scholar and fellow of the William G. Cooper, Jr. Honors Program in English. Currently, Rain is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and story/script consultant for several WGAw and DGA members.

MAXINE DE VERE
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Maxine is a film producer and line producer who entered the industry through her background as a UK and Spanish accountant, initially recruited by the BBC. She has worked across features, commercials, and music videos, including the cult film Sexy Beast, later founding production companies in Spain and the UK before continuing as an international freelance producer. Learn more: IMDB

FRANCISZEK KIZINSKI
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Franciszek Kizinski is an emerging Polish filmmaker whose work focuses on intimate, character-driven stories. His short films include Piotrek and Marcel, Des-illusions, La Vie en Rose, 4 Friends, and Factory of Love. He has also gained on-set experience in technical roles on professional productions, including The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer.
Learn more: INSTAGRAM | IMDB

DANIELLE JAEGGI
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Danielle Jaeggi has made films linking individual pathways and history, fictions such as Pano ne passera pas ( Locarno 1969), La Fille de Prague(Perspectives Cannes 1978), experimental films such as l'Arche de Nam June Paik, My very first kiss which is part of the permanent collection at the Moma.

KLIDI APOSTOLI
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Klidi Apostoli is a novelist and screenwriter drawn to the darker edges of storytelling—where tragedy, drama, dark humor, absurdism, and thriller genres intersect. An award winner in several writing contests, his work reflects a strong link with philosophy and psychology.
Learn more: FILMFREEWAY

PAL KOLNDREKAJ
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Born in Rome, he studied at DAMS and trained at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. His graduation short Kushta Mayn – My Constantinople was selected for the Venice International Film Festival (Orizzonti section), and three shorts he wrote were screened in competition at the European Film Festival in Lecce. He also won FABRIQUE DU CINEMA for Best Italian Short Film as screenwriter of Il mento.

ALAN NATALE
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Alan Natale has been writing and directing short films and comedy sketches for over a decade, with several projects earning awards at film festivals. His work often leans toward comedy, inspired by real-life characters and stranger-than-fiction moments. He is currently developing a new short film.
Learn more: IMDB | VIMEO

ANTÓNIO COSTA VALENTE
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
He is a filmmaker, producer, and academic, and one of the authors of the first Portuguese animated feature film. He has produced more than 200 award-winning films, receiving over 800 awards worldwide. He holds a PhD in film, teaches at the University of Algarve, directs the AVANCA Film Festival, now in its 30th edition, and serves as editor of the International Journal of Cinema.
Learn more: INSTAGRAM

KIMBERLY OLSEN
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Producer, writer, debut-director, and founder of Coupage Productions LLC (Miami) and Co-Founder of NAFI (Native American Film Initiative). Originally from the USA, but based between Malaga, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Multicultural and international-minded with projects around the globe. Passionate about telling meaningful, thought-provoking, as well as entertaining stories.

SIAMAK DEHGHANPOUR
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Siamak Dehghanpour is an Iranian American award winning independent filmmaker and TV journalist, born and raised in Tehran and later educated at American University in Washington, DC, where he earned an MFA in film and media arts. His recent films, including My Fears (2021), Let Her Sing(2023), The Passion of a Revolutionary Cinderella (2024), and Exposed(2025), have won multiple awards at international festivals.
Learn more: INSTAGRAM | LINKEDIN | X

DANNY PRYP
Jury Member for Los Angeles Short Film Awards
Danny Pryp is an acclaimed Australian film producer, director, and singer who uniquely combines artistic vision with high-level financial expertise as a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA). The founder of Human Productions, he has produced over 20 films and directed award-winning projects that have earned top honors at international festivals in the US, UK, and beyond. A versatile performer trained in opera and acting, Danny’s bilingual music career has garnered global recognition, solidifying his reputation as a multi-talented force in the international entertainment industry.
Learn more: IMDB | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

KOTARO SAKAI
I studied filmmaking under director Kazuki Omori at Osaka University of Arts. After graduating, he worked as an assistant director under directors Takashi Yamazaki, Takahiro Miki, Ryuichi Hiroki, and Kensaku Kakimoto. Most recently, he has been involved in a Netflix production scheduled for release next year.

VINNIE VELEZ
Vinnie Velez is an award-winning American actor, writer, producer and director based out of New York. He got his start in entertainment by starring in multiple commercials for New York State's Department of Health and Transportation (Cross Walk Safety, Bilingual Stop Smoking Campaign), and then graduated to various lead & supporting roles in feature films (Charles Street, Disencumber, Highlighters, etc) lead roles in various television pilots (Down The Shore, Time Crunch, In Holding), short films (TempTasia, Father Forgive Me, Chopping Block, Graveyard Shift) and roles in television (Diabolical). Velez is co-owner and head writer of Hudson Valley Film Productions. His writing and directorial debut film TempTasia (2022) won Best Short Film at the Cine Paris International Film Festival and best Comedic Short Film at the Hollywood Gold Awards, also earning a personal Gold Award for Velez. He is represented across the US by the Eris Talent Agency (NY/LA) and Mautlsby Talent Agency (NY,ATL). When not in front of the camera, Velez has also lent his talents behind the camera to the likes of MAX and is a published photographer.

ORNELLA HAWTORN GARDEZ
Ornella is a BAFTA-accredited writer-director who focuses on genre narrative films with dramatic suspense, to take her audience on a rollercoaster of emotions. She is known for making films that start conversations and showcase personal stories that resonate with a global demographic. Having trained as an actor and dancer alongside her parents’ artistic and musical influence, the importance of timing within her films is evident. Her earlier work shooting and editing extreme sports, has influenced her distinct visual style dedicated to creating the rawest most impactful scenes. Ornella’s BAFTA accredited short film Slow-Down screened at multiple BAFTA, BIFA, and Academy Award qualifying film festivals, propelling her presence in the festival circuit and landing a development opportunity with Film 4, working on her first feature. This year, Ornella was part of the BFI South West Directors Lab 2024, in addition to wrapping her latest short Cherry B and post production on ‘God Loves a Trier’.

Jennifer Ann Booth - Jennifer Booth is a writer, producter, and actress. She recently wrote, produced, and starred in her short film, Notes for Tomorrow, which has gained attention at several film festivals and won awards, including her Best Supporting Actress honor. Over the past few years, she has been actively Involved in multiple projects across Utah and Georgia, building a diverse portfolio in film and storytelling.
Jennifer has filmed in her home and on her unique property, which allows her, as an actress, to enjoy participating in local film projects. She also gives back to her community by working with students and collaborating with independent film makers. In addition, she is a Salt Lake City International Airport Ambassador. She also serves on the board for CWAC, a non-profit that provides veterans with service animals.

PAOLO DI MAIO

With an international background, fluent in  fivve languages, (Italian, English,
French, Spanish and Portuguese) has lived, worked and studied around the world, Switzerland, Great Britain, Brazil, Azerbaijan, UAE, and USA, and Pakistan.
Paolo is an award winning and accomplished Artist, Production Designer/Art Director, Writer and Film Director As a Production Designer and Director he has worked for REDE Globo Brazil, TB Televisao where he has designed and directed many TV series Episodes in projects like: MiniSerie Brasileira, Quilombo - ART
Participated in Feature Film Cidade de Deus - City of God (nomited for Academy Awards - Oscars) Pais dos Sonhos ‘Hoje è Dia de Maria’ (nominated for Emmy Awards) - GATO ANIMATON STUDIO. Paolo is the founder and director of Gato Animation Studio, here he has written, directed and been part of the animation team for various Animation Shorts and TVC. Gato Studio has crested various Title Sequences for major TV shows and
Series for REDE Globo Brazil.