This weekend marks the 9th annual HollyShorts Comedy Festival, and with it comes dozens of incredible films from the vast spectrum of comedy, from the bright and silly to the pitch black. There are bunches of contenders for awards coming out of this festival, and this list is by no means an all-encompassing look at the best of the best, but just a taste of what’s in store for those in attendance and for those looking to view the films online. The festival will already be underway when this goes live, but if there’s any time remaining and anyone is able to find their way to the LOOK! Dine-In Cinemas in Glendale, California, please do yourself a favor and get yourself tickets. It’ll be worth it at any point in the festivities. As usual, the blocks from the festival should be available shortly after the in-person screening on BitPix, so be on the lookout for all of these great films for your viewing pleasure. With that, let’s get on with the highlights!
Rich, Dumb Sluts – Amanda Hunt and Mel Owens star in this film written by Hunt and directed by Cara Manuele that sees Patty (Hunt) and Sandra (Owens) plan the perfect day out. That is, until they find themselves seemingly without a phone, with one forgotten and the other dead. With the few wits they seem to have about them, the two best friends have to navigate Los Angeles on their own, with just a bit of help from their friend Bits (improv and streaming star Rekha Shankar) in order to get to a very important appointment with their psychic. It’s ridiculous nd wonderful, with Hunt and Owens playing up the silliness perfectly.
The Cryptid Tapes – Abby Alleyne Brooke directs this film written by Sophie Fleur de Bruijn and plays up the horror mockumentary stylings of films such as Blair Witch and flips it on its head, with the normally reclusive cryptids of lore coming together in an attempt to make contact with humans. With Bigfoot (Fleur de Bruijn) helming the project and support from the Mothman (Andrew Cawley), the Dover Demon (Aidan Hart) and the Goatwoman (Rachel Horowitz), the plan doesn’t go off as intended, but it’s a very fun ride.
Fish – Ian Yarwood directs this Cara Mahoney written film that also stars Mahoney as Suzanna, a woman finally coming to terms with her queerness as she awkwardly navigates the dating scene in an attempt to find a female partner. Coming out so late in her life has made Suzanna a bit nervous, which shows as she goes through an experience unlike she ever has, to impressive results. It’s a fun and hilarious short, with Mahoney really shining throughout.
Piggy – Shelton Locke’s film about a misguided prison guard getting more than he bargained for when he finally works up the nerve to talk to a woman he’s interested in is an interesting and kind of dark film that sees Pete (Booker) infatuated with a woman who believes she is writing to a reknown serial killer, only for it to be Pete replying to her. When he finally acts on his infatuation with Kelly (Lettie Dyer), he finds that his manipulations aren’t exactly off-putting at first, until he takes it a bit too far. It’s an interesting film that really gets the viewer thinking when it comes to how different people approach different things, but the cast are all fantastic throughout.
Jane Austen’s Period Drama – A beloved piece that screened at last year’s HollyShorts Film Festival, this film showed that where a word is emphasized can make a huge difference. Set in early 19th century England, as is the setting of the Austen novels that these are modeled after, the film stars Julia Aks (who also co-wrote and co-directed the film with Steve Pinder) as Estrogenia, who looks to be on the verge of a major life change when the handsome Mr. Dickley (Ta’imua Hannemann) looks to be proposing marriage, stopping when he spots what he believes is an injury when he spots blood on her dress. This misunderstanding leads to a hilarious sequence of events as everyone tries to figure out whether or not to let Mr. Dickley know what’s really going on. The cast is excellent, and this is a brilliant premise, with the cast all doing an incredible job.
The Man Who Killed Terry Gilliam – A film by Joel Munu, this Spanish-language film is a wild, strange journey as it sees Emilio (Marc Balaguer), a runner for an ongoing arthouse film project get sent on an errand, only for misfortune to strike him and find him the clutches of an unstable actor whose obsession with being involved with Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote adaptation leads him to going to extreme lengths to get the film finished after Gilliam’s passing. It’s a film that has no shortage of eye-popping moments, but is all the better for just how off-the-rails it is.
Kumar Kumar – Directed by Kiran Koshy and written by Matt League, this film, starring the brilliant Parvesh Cheena is a very dark film about loneliness and isolation, as Kumar celebrates his birthday alone. Surrounded only by his empty home, Kumar’s solitary life is bleak enough for him to contemplate, and go as far as set him up for a suicide attempt, only for the sliver of hope of any form of communication and acknowledgement from others to be what keeps him from going through with it. A pitch black comedy with a touch of body horror, it’s still an incredible film that really encapsulates how deep a feeling like loneliness can go for those suffering through it.
Cowboys And Other Young Men – Aiyana White’s film about a rough and tumble vandal looking for revenge on a cowboy whose done her wrong is both serious and silly in equal parts, with star Emma Pasarow doing a great job of playing a no-good villain and providing a bit of narration, as well as being very goofy in certain cutaways. The same can be said for co-star Shelley Robertson, who is a bit of a no-nonsense foil to Pasarow, making them a fantastic combination.
Unisex – Sam Hocking and Rachel Nicholson do it all in this film, sharing directing, writing and acting duties as they tell the mostly true story of a young couple who finally get together for their first date, only for it to go so, so badly. Mishap after mishap afflicts Harry, whose nerves and bad jokes doom his attempts to woo Lucy, with the final straw coming in the form of an incident involving a unisex bathroom and Harry’s attempts to not look as bad as he’s already come off. It’s awkward, funny and relatable, with both Hocking and Nicholson both excellent in their various roles of putting this film together.
Catcall – Lily Alexander and Adam Collins star as a couple who are just celebrating their one-year anniversary by going out to a fancy dinner, with Lucy (Alexander) dressing up for their date, and Chase (Collins) doing his best. Despite all the stares and comments that wouldn’t be uncommon when dressed her best, Lucy is surprised and a bit outraged to see that at the restaurant, it’s Chase getting all the special treatment, stares and lewd comments. With Alexander writing the film, as well as co-directing it with Michael Gold, it’s a fun take on turning a trope like women getting catcalled while in public by terrible men on its head in a way that is wild and hilarious.
Ghost Town – Britt Harris and Molly Muse come together for this film that sees two friends go on a tumultuous journey to break a curse. Starting their trip by car and then having to travel on foot towards an abandoned ghost town to fix a mistake made by Fiona (Harris), she and Kimmi (Muse) go through a series of strange events in order to get things settled. It’s a darkly funny cautionary tale that sees the two of them deliver great performances in a film beautifully shot by Muse.
You’re An Angel – Zachary Eglinton writes and directs this short film that stars Brian McElhaney and Avital Ash. Tate and Carla are getting hot and heavy on their third date, only for Carla to have an odd secret revealed after the two of them finish getting busy. Her usage of an ages old medical treatment involving bodily fluids seems to be a bit too much for Tate, especially as a mishap leads him even deeper into her own methods. It’s a bit of an uncomfortable film, if only because of the subject matter, but it’s executed wonderfully by a very talented cast.
Adam Adamson: Licensed Realtor – Adriano Valentini directs this film co-written by him and star Adam Elliot and sees delusional relator Adam Adamson filming a commercial for his real estate services, only for the commercial, and Adamson, to slowly break down. It’s the kind of comedy that slowly unravels as it continues, leaving the audience wondering what kind of turn it’s going to take next. It’s expertly paced, and a wild ride that is sure to keep people talking.
Deep Tish – Zack Fox stars in this film by Dave Paige that is a wild, surreal ride about deep tissue massages, strange voyeurs and the perils of dating in LA. When A.J. (Fox) goes to get himself a massage, both the therapist and the spa itself prove to be far more than they seem. With A.J. still dealing with the fallout and recounting it to his date Ashanti (Zolee Griggs), his day goes from weird to weirder, leaving him to ponder his situation. Fox is known for his eccentric comedy, and this film fits him perfectly, allowing him to shine in a starring role.
Mission A, Plan B – Nikki MacCalum directs, co-writes and co-stars in this film with co-writer Laura Cantwell and Bryan Mittelstadt in this very fun film that serves as a metaphor for female body autonomy. It sees Bryce (Mittelstadt) planning a romantic getaway for him and his partner Sarah (Cantwell), with the latter thinking he’s going to propose, and the former thinking this whole trip is her way of planning to get an abortion. Through myriad miscommunications, the two are finally set straight by a visiting OBGYN (MacCallum), who gets them to communicate and talk about making this big decision, in either way it lands. It’s funny, a bit ridiculous, and has a terrific message, with the cast all nailing it in this off-beat comedy.
That’ll do it for this spotlight on the HollyShorts Comedy Festival! Look up above for ticketing and streaming information. More will come as it can about winner and any other news coming from the event, and for all else, be sure to check back for more screenings, news and more!
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