It’s nearly the end of 2023, and while the days wind down into the major holiday season, we here at BitPix want to give you the gift we aim to give you almost every month: the gift of some incredible short films! All of these incredible films will be available to view in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theaters on November 29th, or on BitPix from November 29th to December 3rd. With over a dozen selected for this month’s screenings, there’s no time to waste. So let’s get on with this month’s entries!
This One Is For The Neighborhood – Renee Victor and non-binary actor ZYI come together in this beautiful story of an artist finding themselves hired to do a self-portrait for an older woman. Tasked with capturing their essence, Ben (ZYI) and Dona Vicky (Victor) develop a relationship and slowly reveal Vicky’s history, changed by the greed of real estate agents and developers. It’s a very sweet story that makes a big move at the end, and is all the better for it. A truly wonderful film by Miguel Melo.
Starfish – Writer and director Alicia Buckner gives us a very heavy but ultimately uplifting story of a woman who was trafficked as a young woman, and ultimately jailed for being present with the person victimizing her after a routine police stop that changes the course of her life. Eventually, however, Iris (played by Emily Mahon, whose performance most definitely made me cry in the best way) is allowed tell her story and attempt to get her life on track, thanks to the help of a non-profit law office that focuses on helping victims of sex trafficking. It’s a hard story to hear, but an important one, and to see even a fictionalized version of a victim of this horrific crime be able to tell it is really impactful. The film also stars Samantha Lebrecque, John Henry Richardson and Luciana Elisa Quinonez.
Bottom Of The Night – Writer/director Joe Mitchell delivers on a film that is rather out there, as the parents of a missing child find what they hope is a break in the case, only to find it’s something else entirely. Starring Mitchell, DeMorge Brown, Margot Kistler, Shawn Stoner and Danny Wooten, this is a very odd and very fascinating film that is wholly unique in its concept.
A Best Man – Directed by Dylan Tuccillo and starring Adam Elliot, who also wrote the film, this is piece that really has a pretty amazing twist and builds that tension beautifully. Set inside the moments before a wedding, Kyle (Nathaniel Levin) is set to marry the love of his life, Cassie (Kelly McCready). But everything changes after he gets a last minute visit from his best friend, and best man, Josh (Elliot). It’s an impressive work that keeps the setting static to allow the real story to seep out slowly and giving the actors a chance to do some really stellar work.
Plan C – Writer/director/star Lauren Caster really illustrates the ways in which people can find things to help get them through, both emotionally and financially, in the modern world. Max, pregnant, single and emotionally destroyed, is struggling both with her pregnancy and her life in general. With little to no options and under the advice of friend Blair (Angie Simms, also a credited co-writer of the film), Max takes a unique path to fulfillment and freedom that can only be found on the internet. Taking this path is done so well, with Caster and Simms having excellent chemistry, despite not being in the same room in their scenes.
Messy – Director Nicole Lipp and writer Mariah Goolsby collaborate together in every aspect of this film the is solidly one of the more unique ways to do a film. A bottle film, this entire piece takes place in the bathroom at the location of a friend’s 30th birthday party. As people move in and out of it, with their own lives, issues and dynamics, the focus is mostly on Mo (Goolsby), a person whose mostly put everyone else’s needs and feelings above her own, including this party, where she’s mostly in charge of keeping the birthday girl in check. This event changes that, and through the lens of the singular bathroom location, we get to see it all. The entire ensemble cast is amazing, and honestly, this looks like a hell of a party.
Worst Date, Best Date – This was a polarizing film to watch. As the Cameron Thrower written (along with Heather Turman) and directed film begins, all you see are two very horrible people who are set up by their grandmothers for a blind date. As the two of them revel their awful habits, extreme practices and shocking admissions, the film slowly turns, until the big reveal happens and the entire film goes from uncomfortable to beautiful. This film’s payoff was one of the best seen in recent times, with stars Patrick Hilgart and Kim Perrin excelling in the lead roles, with excellent chemistry and wonderful emotional acting.
[ha-ha] – Writer/director Alberto Acosta takes an interesting view of the dynamics of relationships, as Alejandro (Zander Torres) struggles with insecurity after getting the impression that his girlfriend dislikes his laugh. After discussing it with his friend Ronny (Juan Wood), Alejandro eventually confronts Rosa (Mariana Cedeno) about her dislike of his laugh and his own feelings about it. It takes a great turn near the end, with an equally terrific payoff.
Tsehai – Sarah Shuman’s film about a mixed-race teen dealing with the major cultural clashes between her Ethiopian mother and white father is a tale that many should identify with. Culture can be a tough thing to mix, and Tsehai (Maryna Bennett) is caught in the middle of trying to live up to the expectations of being Ethiopian and of having to handle the dealings of white culture. It’s a great film that really gives some insights into how growing up like this could shape a young person, even in the best of circumstances, which is something of an impossibility wherever you go.
Puppet Seizure: Sometimes The Only Way Out Is In – Merissa Morin is a triple threat in this short, writing it alongside Brittany Taylor Visser, directing alongside Jennifer Plotzke, and starring as Miranda, an aspiring musician who makes plans to meet a date at her place, only for her family to be there to potentially ruin her night. Ready for a night out with Dameon (Lenny Thomas), Miranda and her date are besieged by her family, all of whom take puppeteering very, very seriously. Coerced into seeing a show put on by her sister Tara (Visser) and mother (Jane Stratten Mundstedt), the night goes well of the rails, but ends up being something much more special. It’s a silly, wild and heartwarming film that truly sets itself apart with its unique premise.
Ancient Ashes and Selfies – Monique Carmona gives us a beautiful and bittersweet film that stars Eric Staves and Fadoua Hanine as two people very much in love, and looking to honor the loss of a loved one in a special ceremony. The revelations that come with this film are powerful and heartbreaking, but shows the resilience and dedication to those you care the most about.
Aysha – Cengiz Akaygun writes and directs a hard-hitting film set inside Rojava, Syria and focuses on young Aysha and their sister. Both of them wear full-body veils as they are put through a religious test by their mother in a secluded area outside of their home, with Aysha’s strong will and need to express themselves in a way that could put them in danger rearing its head. It’s a fascinating film that focuses on identity and hiding that expression, and how dangerous that can be, especially in areas that are seeing major conflicts on a national level. Jiyan Akaygun stars as Aysha, with Halima Ilter and Ecen Turkmen starring alongside them.
Stalking The Bogeyman – Markus Potter, who wrote and co-directed this film alongside Jack Dorfman, sets his story alongside the true tale of David Holthouse, an investigative reporter and victim of childhood sexual abuse. Holthouse (played by Santino Fontana), confronts his abuser as a way of not only a way to get his own answers, but to exact revenge as well. What comes of this adaptation of the Off-Broadway play is something magical and gripping, as Holthouse attempts to clear his own life of the person who did him irreparable harm. Thomas Sadoski stars alongside Fontana as the titular Bogeyman. The film itself is beset with terrific, powerful acting, along with interesting direction and presentation, making it a must-see.
Hidden – Philicia Saunders and Chris Gardner star in this film that highlights the never-ending struggles that occur for the unhoused population in Los Angeles County. A married couple, one looking for work, the other pushing themselves to keep the pair afloat, go to whatever lengths they can to get themselves back on their feet while living in their car. It’s a heartbreaking film that shows the failures of the system to help those in need, and how so many have no interest in doing anything productive about it. Alex Smith and Alonzo Smith Jr. have created a brilliant film with a message that needs to be taken more seriously.
Illegally Brown – Jessica Marie Garcia and Annie Gonzalez star in this surprising and hilarious film by Gabby Revilla Lugo. Two Latina-American women find themselves temporarily exiled from their home and into Mexico, where they have to figure out a way to get back without being caught illegally crossing. This sets off a comedy of errors that includes attempts to find a coyote to escort them across, the resurfacing of online terrorists groups, and both characters generally being hilarious if not a bit oblivious. Interesting and well-done concept that is a surprise hit.
The Old Young Crow – Writer/Director Liam LoPinto gives us an absolute masterclass in presenting mixed media in film with The Old Young Crow, with seemingly interactive artwork, animated sequences mixed with live action and so much more as he tells the story of Mehrdad, an Iranian boy who moves with his family to Tokyo as a boy. As Mehrdad adjusts, he befriends an older Japanese woman while at a graveyard, sparking a friendship that is so emotionally satisfying and visually stunning. Naoto Shibata and Hassan Shahbazi are brilliant as Young and Old Mehrdad, respectively, with Keiko Yamashita adding a stellar performance as Tashiro Chiyo.
That’ll do it for this month! To see all of these incredible films, be sure to look for tickets at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Los Angeles on November 29th, or from the 29th to December 3rd, only on BitPix. See everyone next month, and thanks for checking out the work of these talented filmmakers!
BITPIX TV News 