SATURDAY
SEPT 5
STORIES OF
RESILENCE
SHOWCASE
RECOVERING FROM THE FIRES
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00 THEATER I
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RETURN TO THE EARTH
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 6:59 • USA
Director: Amy Smyth
This intimate micro-documentary tells the story of Betty Seaman—a mother, builder, and teacher—who constructed her family's cob home with her own hands. What began as a quest for affordable, sustainable shelter grew into a living classroom for resilience and community.
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FISH FOR THE FUTURE
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 5:02 • USA
Director: Matthew Benton
Multiple agencies and volunteers come together after the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, CA to rescue an endangered fish population before they are threatened to be completely wiped out by an upcoming mudslide.
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REMEMBER HERE
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 4:00 • USA
Director: Mike Marshall
"Remember Here" documents the aftermath of the January 7, 2025 Eaton Fire in Altadena, CA, USA. Using pastel chalk and drone cinematography, the piece captures both the physical devastation and emotional journey of the affected community.
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REGENERATION
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 9:20 • USA
Director: Kyle Jonah Ruddick
Regeneration is a short dance film that pays homage to the capacity of the human psyche and spirit to metabolize destruction into full bloom. Shot in the ashes of the Santa Monica Mountains in the weeks following the fire, the film captures a dancer amongst the desolate beauty of LA’s scorched terrain as she and it metabolize destruction back into full bloom.
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BIG ROCK BURNING
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 27:49 • USA
An intimate documentary exploring the resilient spirit of Malibu's Big Rock community as they rebuild from the ashes of the devastating Palisades Fire. The film captures the raw aftermath of a harrowing night when residents were left to fend for themselves after officials deemed the area too dangerous to enter. With no help coming, neighbors turned into first responders.
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BEARS IN HOT TUBS
Saturday sept 5 at 12:00
RUNTIME: 17:00 • USA
Directors: Claire Musser, Maddie Bear
Bears in Hot Tubs is a tender, emotionally resonant short film co-created with Maddie Bear and her wild kin, who move through the suburban landscapes of Los Angeles with curiosity, intelligence, and quiet grace. From soaking in backyard tubs to wandering garden paths, these black bears are not intruders; they are neighbors, navigating a world remade by human presence.
YOUNG
FILMMAKERS
SHOWCASE
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00 THEATER II
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TREE OF LIFE
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 6:12 • Croatia
Director: Jana Bedić
The Tree of Life is a poetic experimental short film that explores the relationship between memory, existence, and time. Narrated by a spectral voice drifting through the misty landscapes of a swamp, the film blends voice-over, rhythmic music, and cinematic imagery of nature to visualize inner emotions and transformation.
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THE SILENCE THAT FOLLOWS
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: :4:07 • USA
Directors: Raina Ventana Del Gatto
A teenage boy drives deep into the isolated chaparral, carrying a mysterious bag he’s desperate to get rid of. The voices in his head haven’t always been there, but now they won’t stop, growing louder as he reaches a barren hollow in the earth. Determined to bury whatever is inside, he begins to dig, trying to silence both the voices and his rising panic.
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WTF?
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 1:50 • USA
Directors: Gigi Nettleton, Lola Stieg, Lila Vidinsky, Coco Yuster
Four girls wake up in a barn and are chased by a strange man.
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THE STAND IN
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 8:57 • USA
Directors: Kody Hinnant, Ben Sowden
A wannabe actor who can't seem to land any roles finally nabs a high-paying gig when he's asked to portray the co-worker of a dead man at his funeral.
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LIVVY ARE YOU THERE?
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 7:18 • USA
Director: Synnove June
Ridden with guilt and grieving the loss of her childhood friend, Gia fights for a second chance in the only way she can - by bringing her friend back from the dead.
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TOOTH FAIRY, INC.
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 11:20 • USA
Director: Max Zou
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LIP SYNC
THEATER II SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 12:00
RUNTIME: 3:14 • USA
Directors: Amelie, Harper, Isla M, Maria, Maxine, Olivia
New chorus students run into unexpected challenges.
AI AND THE CREATIVE SOUL Saturday SEPT 5 AT 1:00-2:00 Theater II • Panelist to be announced shortly
The panel does not attempt to defend creativity as a purely human trait, nor to settle the question of ‘AI, good or bad’. It begins with the reality that we are entering an emergent and radically expanded creative universe, increasingly shared with highly capable nonhuman intelligence.
The inquiry is one of reorientation: finding new ways to make and express, new forms of authorship and collaboration, and new meaning in the act of creation itself – all while reckoning with how this new creative landscape will reshape access, agency, ownership and power.
As the boundaries of human creativity become destabilized, we are left with a deeper question: Why is the creative soul driven to make in the first place – and what might we discover about ourselves as the very meaning of creation begins to change?
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URS is a creative professional with over 25 years of experience building influential networks across the film, technology, and art industries. Currently focused on the generative AI movement, he curates conversations around AI's impact on cinema, the ethics of deep fakes, and the intersection of creativity and AI-driven innovation.
As the founder of Multidimensional, Jeremy fosters collaborations between the creative and tech sectors, working with global brands like TED, Sundance, and SXSW to push the boundaries of innovation. His latest project, How I Faked My Life with AI, delves into the intersection of AI, identity, and personal relationships.
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A Topangan and fifth-generation Californian—is the CEO of Journey Metrics®, and an Associate professor in biotech. Instead of relying on trained models, Journey Metrics uses a single metric to inform risk across diseases--including mental health--rooted in her medical literature-backed framework for health, disease, and resilience to stress.
With a background in neuroscience and engineering, she has the understanding of the tech and the underlying wet mess that inspired neural networks. Along the way, she’s helped raise over €100 million in research funding through partnerships with companies like GE, Philips, and Siemens. Now, through Journey Metrics’ e-store, she’s sharing her favorite hack to restore cellular balance and undo the health consequences of stress.
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Galvanize Studios is currently engaged with Amazon Prime Video, helping the product design team to envision the future of the experience. Prior to this, Galvanize Studios worked with Verses.ai on their vision video and strategy. John was formerly Chief Experience Officer of Blockchain Creative Labs and Former VP of Product Design at Hulu.
At Blockchain Creative Labs, John oversaw Product Development, Product Design, Marketing and Brand, leading teams to innovate in the web3 space. Blockchain Creative Labs, FOX Entertainment’s Web3 technology company, is on a mission to forge the future of content creation, distribution and monetization through connecting creators and communities with blockchain technology.
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Kyle is a groundbreaking experience designer, AI creator, and filmmaker.
His documentary feature "ONE DAY ON EARTH" made history as the first film to be made in every country in the world on the same day.
In 2024, Kyle founded Makers with AI, a company focused on creating richer, more vibrant, and unprecedented creative storytelling experiences with the help of artificial intelligence. His company has developed deepfake experiences that are both funny and safe at scale. Additionally, Kyle has created "The Mirror," a real-time immersive AI experience which is currently touring events globally.
Lucasfilm Alumni, USC Film Alumni, TED Speaker, Holder of multiple world records.
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A pioneering creative technologist who bridges the worlds of art and advanced technology, Don Allen Stevenson III has shaped digital innovation at companies like DreamWorks, OpenAI, and Meta, while sharing his vision for accessible AR and AI technology through platforms like TED and
FORK IN THE ROAD
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 2:00 THEATER I
Directors: Jonathan Nastasi, Vivian Sorenson
Fork in the Road follows small farmers, visionary chefs, and innovators working to heal the land,
improve our food systems, and transition toward a regenerative future for both people and the planet.
SHORT
NARRATIVE
SHOWCASE I
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 2:00 THEATER II
FILMS COMING SOON
COMPOSER PANEL Saturday SEPT 5 AT 4:00 Theater I
PANEL DETAILS COMING SOON
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Jeremy is a creative professional with over 25 years of experience building influential networks across the film, technology, and art industries. Currently focused on the generative AI movement, he curates conversations around AI's impact on cinema, the ethics of deep fakes, and the intersection of creativity and AI-driven innovation.
As the founder of Multidimensional, Jeremy fosters collaborations between the creative and tech sectors, working with global brands like TED, Sundance, and SXSW to push the boundaries of innovation. His latest project, How I Faked My Life with AI, delves into the intersection of AI, identity, and personal relationships.
-
A Topangan and fifth-generation Californian—is the CEO of Journey Metrics®, and an Associate professor in biotech. Instead of relying on trained models, Journey Metrics uses a single metric to inform risk across diseases--including mental health--rooted in her medical literature-backed framework for health, disease, and resilience to stress.
With a background in neuroscience and engineering, she has the understanding of the tech and the underlying wet mess that inspired neural networks. Along the way, she’s helped raise over €100 million in research funding through partnerships with companies like GE, Philips, and Siemens. Now, through Journey Metrics’ e-store, she’s sharing her favorite hack to restore cellular balance and undo the health consequences of stress.
-
Galvanize Studios is currently engaged with Amazon Prime Video, helping the product design team to envision the future of the experience. Prior to this, Galvanize Studios worked with Verses.ai on their vision video and strategy. John was formerly Chief Experience Officer of Blockchain Creative Labs and Former VP of Product Design at Hulu.
At Blockchain Creative Labs, John oversaw Product Development, Product Design, Marketing and Brand, leading teams to innovate in the web3 space. Blockchain Creative Labs, FOX Entertainment’s Web3 technology company, is on a mission to forge the future of content creation, distribution and monetization through connecting creators and communities with blockchain technology.
-
Kyle is a groundbreaking experience designer, AI creator, and filmmaker.
His documentary feature "ONE DAY ON EARTH" made history as the first film to be made in every country in the world on the same day.
In 2024, Kyle founded Makers with AI, a company focused on creating richer, more vibrant, and unprecedented creative storytelling experiences with the help of artificial intelligence. His company has developed deepfake experiences that are both funny and safe at scale. Additionally, Kyle has created "The Mirror," a real-time immersive AI experience which is currently touring events globally.
Lucasfilm Alumni, USC Film Alumni, TED Speaker, Holder of multiple world records.
-
A pioneering creative technologist who bridges the worlds of art and advanced technology, Don Allen Stevenson III has shaped digital innovation at companies like DreamWorks, OpenAI, and Meta, while sharing his vision for accessible AR and AI technology through platforms like TED and
SELL OUT
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 4:00 THEATER II
Directors: Nicholas Jude Holden, Joshua Ashy Holden
A neurotic novelist can’t tell if his biggest problem is the blank page,
his Southern family —or his best friend’s off the rails political campaign.
TOPANGA
MUSIC SPOTLIGHT
VIDEOS COMING SOON
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 5:00 THEATER I
SUMMER TOUR
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 5:00 THEATER I
Director: Mischa Richter
Young Jerry and Annie as they chase Dead and Company's final 2023 tour in a questionable camper van, organizing their lives around the music with intensity.
FOOD AND
ECOLOGY
FILMS
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 6:00 THEATER II
DETAILS COMING SOON
SHORT FILM THEATER I
KOSTIA
Director: Elliott Thornton RUNTIME: 4:54
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 7:00 THEATER I
After failing a drug test on the eve of a tournament, an aging professional tennis player finds twilight turning to dusk all too quickly.
DANTE: 500 MILES ON PSYCHEDELICS
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 7:00 THEATER I
Director: Fernando Gonzalez
A man runs 500 miles through the desert using psychedelics to test his limits.
Battling inner demons and harsh terrain, he seeks redemption while proving human potential
is boundless and challenging stigma around unconventional healing.
INVITE ONLY
SPECIAL
SCREENING
SATURDAY SEPT 5 AT 7:00 THEATER II
MUSICAL GUEST
WILL WORDEN
9:00-11:00