2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
A couple struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
Director(s): Stephen Ohl
Writer(s): Stephen Ohl
Producer(s): Stephen Ohl
Cast: Stephen Ohl, Anne Newton
World Premiere!
What Happened
Jeff Can’t Swim
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Comedy
Plagued by his desperately funny act-outs when nervous, sweet-hearted Jeff finds himself as a total fool on a much anticipated day.
Director(s): Michaela Myers
Writer(s): Jon Ebeling
Producer(s): Michaela Myers, Jon Ebeling
Cast: Jon Ebeling, Kirstin Leigh, Michaela Myers
Lou
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Comedy
Peggy opens her door to find Lou, her cat she gave away 12 years ago, looking for answers.
Director(s): Karina Wolfe
Writer(s): Karina Wolfe
Producer(s): Karina Wolfe, Andrew Fairbank, Micheala Myers
Cast: Karina Wolfe, William Knight
World Premiere!
An American Childhood
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
Collin is a 9 year old boy living a typical American childhood until his life is forever changed by an increasingly common act of violence against a family member. His story further adds to the national dialogue on racial profiling and discrimination.
Director(s): Ryan Alan Petti
Writer(s): Ryan Alan Petti
Producer(s): Ryan Alan Petti, Tania Faruque
Cast: Elohim NycaLove, Amani Atkinson, Nicole Gutteriez
Los Angeles Premiere!
Pathei Mathos
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Arthouse/Experimental
Increasingly disturbing flashbacks haunt a grieving girl who struggles to navigate her own pain in a desperate attempt to free herself from the trauma that has taken over her life.
Director(s): Vitória Vasconcellos
Writer(s): Vitória Vasconcellos
Producer(s): Vitória Vasconcellos, Erik He, Billy Gould, Hannah Kreiswirth, Vasilisa Beloken
Cast: Vitória Vasconcellos, Jenna Herz, Santiago Gavidia
My Own
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
When Bianca, a nonbinary ballerina, is forced to choose between the male and female dance, they decide to do neither and create a new form of non gendered expression
Director(s): Courtney Hope Therond
Writer(s): Shannon Gibbs
Producer(s): Allison Powell
Cast: Catherine Dent, Shannon Gibbs
Los Angeles Premiere!
EXITS
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Drama
An estranged couple recollects—or do they relive?—their traumatic final moments together.
Director(s): Allan Zhang Tran
Writer(s): Allan Zhang Tran
Producer(s): Matthew P. Higgins
Cast: Kelly Lou Dennis, Jae Kim
World Premiere!
Lucky
2021 Official Selection: Short Film – Arthouse/Experimental
A couple’s fears about having a baby bubble over in a surreal bar outside time and space.
Director(s): Michael Heubel, Schyler Martin
Writer(s): Michael Heubel, Schyler Martin
Producer(s): Chris Widin, Schyler Martin
Cast: John Bradford, Lacey Buchanan, Chris Widin
Los Angeles Premiere!
2021 Official Selections Announced!
In 2021, the team at the Sherman Oaks FIlm Festival went crazy! We received a record number of submissions and therefore we have a record number of Official Selections! How many? Ninety-two films and fifteen screenplays!
Click these links to see the lists!
Grand Jury Prize Winner to have Broadcast Premiere on Turner Classic Movies
“Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity” won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2016 Sherman Oaks Film Festival and we have wonderful news!
“Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity” Broadcast Premiere Set for December 11th, at 8 PM EST / 5 PM PST
103-Year Old “Actorvist” Marsha Hunt to be Featured in Upcoming Turner Classic Movies Tribute
Los Angeles, California — The television broadcast premiere of Roger C. Memos’ film “Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity”, which is co-produced and co-written by Richard Adkins, Joan Cohen and Roger C. Memos, will air on December 11, 2020 at 8 p.m. EST on Turner Classic Movies.
“Sometimes you have to get away from the madness of the world and take a break to find some inspiration. 103 year old actor-activist Marsha Hunt survived the Hollywood Blacklist and became one of Hollywood’s first activists. I’ll be honored if you watch this film about civility and hope,” says director Roger C. Memos.
Marsha Hunt’s life story has peaks and valleys that span the course of the 20th century. In 1935, 17-yearold aspiring actress Marsha Hunt was discovered in Hollywood. She signed with Paramount Pictures and went on to a flourishing career at MGM. She made 54 films in 17 years before a series of unfortunate events led to her being unfairly blacklisted. After the Hollywood Blacklist, she championed humanitarian causes, forging a career as one of Hollywood’s first celebrity activists. As far back as 1955, Marsha Hunt worked tirelessly alongside her mentor Eleanor Roosevelt to support the work that the United Nations Association was accomplishing in the United States.
Marsha Hunt is the only member of the Committee for the First Amendment alive today who can talk about the trip to Washington D.C. that she and others took in October 1947 to support the “Hollywood 19”. The underlying theme of this timely documentary is that Marsha rose above adversity. This film is Marsha Hunt’s “final act” of activism. Through this film, her words and deeds serve as an inspirational primer and call to action for activists of all ages.
Acting was always Marsha Hunt’s first love. She made 28 films for MGM. She is the last person alive from the famous 1943 MGM Stock Company photo. Turner Classic Movies will be airing a “Marsha Hunt Marathon” on December 11th, showing seven of her films, leading up to the prime time broadcast premiere of “Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity”. Check your local listings for the U.S. and Canada. “Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity” film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ6T-qlO7w4.