2026 Official Selections – Page 3 – Sherman Oaks Film Festival

November 3, 2026

Are We Still Married?

2026 Official Selection: Short Film – Comedy

Over the course of one night Laura must decide if she will invite her husband Jack, who has recently been turned into a vampire, back into their house

Program 03 – Eclectic Spotlight · Fri, Dec 4, 2026 · 8:00 PM

Director(s): Kit Steinkellner
Writer(s): Kit Steinkellner
Producer(s): Barry Galperin
Key Cast: Taylor Misiak, Dustin Milligan
Editor(s): Shelby Hall
Cinematographer(s): Justin McWilliams
Production Designer(s): Courtney Wynn Cooper
Sound Designer(s): Kal Pipal
Composer(s): Sofia Degli Alessandri

Language: English

Runtime: 12m

Country: United States

Synopsis: Over the course of one night Laura must decide if she will invite her husband Jack, who has recently been turned into a vampire, back into their house

November 3, 2026November 3, 2026

Your Neighborhood

2026 Official Selection: Featurette – Arthouse/Experimental

Program 07 – Your Neighborhood · Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · 6:00 PM

Director(s): Alan Powers, Amanda Remy
Writer(s): Alan Powers, Amanda Remy
Producer(s): Casey Michael Donovan, Hannah GIni
Key Cast: Joseph Apolonio Santos, Courtney Outland, Casey Michael Donovan
Editor(s): Alan Powers
Cinematographer(s): Alan Powers, Emerson Harris
Production Designer(s): Amanda Remy
Sound Designer(s): Emerson Harris
Composer(s): The Toxhards

Language: English

Runtime: 45m

Country: United States

World Premiere

Synopsis: The visual companion to The Toxhards’ concept album of the same name, Your Neighborhood follows Adam as he drives drunk through the hometown that he’s stuck in, reflecting on his place in life following the death of his father, Johnny, and breakup with his girlfriend, Beatrice. When he inevitably crashes his car, the ensuing near-death experience forces him to come to terms with his own faults and take accountability for his life.

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

Visit this Official Selection’s Facebook →

Visit the official website →

November 3, 2026November 3, 2026

The Hour

2026 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama

A portrait of a young woman’s first year after leaving an abusive spouse as she navigates her healing journey and discovers the power of community.

Program 23 – Unconventional Spotlight · Sun, Dec 6, 2026 · 5:45 PM

Director(s): Paige Henderson
Writer(s): Molly Flanagan
Producer(s): Molly Flanagan, Lady Maggie Anwer, Kelsey Fordham, Maddy Murphy
Key Cast: Molly Flanagan, Ari Hader, Phoebe Holston, Samantha Cutaran, Joseph Callari, Eileen Grubba
Editor(s): Ji Ye Won
Cinematographer(s): Luísa Dalé Silva
Production Designer(s): Emily Palmer
Sound Designer(s): Griffin Fisher
Composer(s): Jina Hyojin An

Language: English

Runtime: 17m

Country: United States

Synopsis: The chronicles of a woman’s first year of healing after leaving an abusive spouse. Guilt and shame slow her progress, and tensions rise as years of domestic violence come to the surface. But with the support of her therapist, women in her support group, and her family, she may be able to rediscover the strength in herself and ultimately choose to heal.

Inspired by a personal story, this film was made in response to an industry that too often uses sexual abuse for shock

Click here to watch the trailer →

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

Visit the official website →

November 3, 2026November 3, 2026

HONOR

2026 Official Selection: Short Film – Arthouse/Experimental, Music Video, Short Film – Dance

Program 21 – Cutting Edge Spotlight · Sun, Dec 6, 2026 · 5:15 PM

Director(s): Natalya Zrazhevskaya
Writer(s): Natalya Zrazhevskaya
Producer(s): Natalya Zrazhevskaya
Key Cast: Natalya Zrazhevskaya, Billy Mustapha, Ieva Bračiulytė, Sarah Jane Bracy, Jasmine Mason, Adriano Bettinelli, Derion Loman, Kana Tune, Riley Roberts, Connor Pierce, MaryAnn Chavez, Meredith Erickson, Anna Argente, Skylar Evans

Language: English

Runtime: 20m

Country: United States

Synopsis: Across time, space, and movement, N searches for the pieces of herself she has lost along the way. Between echoes of who she was and reflections of who she is becoming, HONOR unfolds as a quiet realization: every version of yourself belongs.

Featuring original music by Natalya Z.

Click here to watch the trailer →

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

Visit the official website →

November 2, 2026November 3, 2026

Warm Body

2026 Official Selection: Short Film – Horror

After spending the night with her ex-boyfriend, a hopeful woman uncovers the truth behind their relationship…and is devoured by it.

Program 22 – Thrilling Spotlight · Sun, Dec 6, 2026 · 5:30 PM

Director(s): Nicole Spinnler
Writer(s): Nicole Spinnler
Producer(s): Ali Hanson, Nicole Spinnler
Key Cast: Ayana Workman, Tyler Miles
Editor(s): Dee Juliano Scott
Cinematographer(s): Kevin Michaluk
Production Designer(s): Riley Mitchell
Sound Designer(s): Kayla Anchell
Composer(s): Hanna Inui

Language: English

Runtime: 9m

Country: United States

Los Angeles Premiere

Synopsis: After spending the night with her ex boyfriend and thinking they’ve reconnected, our protagonist, SHE learns HE is still seeing the very woman He left her for. An argument ensues, leaving her frustrated, embarrassed, and eventually, stuck to his mattress. When she tries to call him out, the mattress starts slowly sucking her into it…leaving him to watch with sinister indifference as she disappears forever.

Click here to watch the trailer →

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

November 2, 2026November 3, 2026

White Room

2026 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama

Program 03 – Eclectic Spotlight · Fri, Dec 4, 2026 · 8:00 PM

Director(s): Joshua Tobin Rees
Writer(s): Joshua Tobin Rees
Producer(s): Daniel E. Catullo III, Brian Mitchell, Ian Start
Key Cast: Vince Hill Bedford, Jordyn Jones, Robert Stephenson
Editor(s): Brian Mitchell, Ian Start
Cinematographer(s): Christian Klein

Language: English

Runtime: 11m

Country: United States

Synopsis: White Room is the story of Reese, as he finally tries to come to terms with the loss of his sister fifteen years ago. But standing in his way is his own mind, scared to deal with those suppressed emotions. In coming to terms with them he must confront not only his feelings of loss but those of resentment and denial he has about losing her.

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

Visit the official website →

November 2, 2026November 3, 2026

The Impossible Friend

2026 Official Selection: Short Film – Comedy

One day Benson will stop running from this intervention, just give him a few millennia

Program 01 – Creativity Spotlight · Fri, Dec 4, 2026 · 7:00 PM

Director(s): Kyle Allen, Anders Jay Ravenstad
Writer(s): Anders Jay Ravenstad, Kyle Allen
Producer(s): Kyle Allen, Anders Jay Ravenstad
Key Cast: Matt Cook, Kyle Allen
Editor(s): Shelby Lee Parks, Anders Ravenstad
Cinematographer(s): Shelby Lee Parks
Production Designer(s): Anastasiia Glushneva, Josh Lykkeberg
Sound Designer(s): Marco Cordova

Language: English

Runtime: 15m

Country: United States

Los Angeles Premiere

Synopsis: A play on film, in which the unpredictable Benson has become addicted to his ability to time travel, forcing his friend Parker to stage a one man intervention. This leads them to confront a lifetime of misgivings together as they try to find out if this relationship was ever really worth it.

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

November 2, 2026November 3, 2026

Say Less

2026 Official Selection: Feature Film – Comedy

Siblings Cassie and Max’s petty war escalates when she discovers their dad’s secret—turning their rivalry into a crisis that could destroy the family.

Program 19 – Say Less · Sun, Dec 6, 2026 · 3:30 PM

Director(s): Michael Kellman
Writer(s): Michael Kellman
Producer(s): Michael Kellman, J. Zachary Thurman
Key Cast: Jenny Lange, Matt Linton, Genevieve Thomas, Manny Spero, Ben Taylor, Roxanne Hart, Philip Casnoff
Editor(s): Michael Kellman
Cinematographer(s): J. Zachary Thurman
Production Designer(s): Nancy Mette
Sound Designer(s): Chris Campbell
Composer(s): Lex Stout, Sam Mohart

Language: English

Runtime: 1h 21m

Country: United States

Synopsis: With their parents out of town, the already-fraught relationship between a brother and sister is strained to its breaking point as they vie for control of the house, each inviting over a romantic interest and making cataclysmic discoveries about their parents, and each other, along the way.

Click here to watch the trailer →

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

November 2, 2026November 3, 2026

A Widow’s Peak & The Death Benefit

2026 Official Selection: Screenplay – Screenplay – Short Film

Screenplay Awards Ceremony · Sun, Dec 6, 2026 · 2:00 PM

His wife is gone. His hair is going. Her $100,000 life insurance can only buy back one of them, and it might include a trip to Turkey.

Writer(s): Tommaso Di Blasi

Language: English

Country: Not Specified

Visit this Official Selection’s Instagram →

Dominic Russo only trusted his wife, Grace, to cut his hair. A year after she dies giving birth to their daughter, he’s balding fast, and nightmares of a veiled widow aren’t helping. When Grace’s $100,000 death benefit arrives, his dermatologist suggests a hair transplant in Turkey. Then a prank goes awry, and his half-blind neighbor Morris recommends a toupee. At Grace’s grave, an allergic reaction forces Dominic to face reality. He shaves his head clean.

November 1, 2026November 3, 2026