Whittier Film Festival 2025

Support visual arts college students and filmmakers
from Southern California.

Kickoff Ceremony (Live Event)

  • Friday, September 19, 2025
  • Shannon Center, Whittier, CA
  • Doors Open: 6:30 PM
  • Host: 95.5 DJ Frazer Smith
  • Music: Big Band by The Wiseguys
  • Special Recognition: Actor Robert Carradine
  • Guests:
  • Paul Rodriguez
  • Carolyn Hennessy
  • Colleen Bell
  • Mayor Joe Vinatieri
  • Senator Bob Archuleta

Featured Films & Panels

A weekend of celebration featuring award-winning films, filmmaker panels, red carpet photo ops, raffles, and a free outdoor street festival in Uptown Whittier

Q&A with Paul Rodriguez

Q&A with Paul Rodriguez & Mel Garcia

Q&A with the Filmmakers of Carlos Through the Tall Grass

Q&A with Patti McCarthy & Miguel Angel Garcia

The Big Red One (Remastered)

First screening in Whittier with Robert Carradine

Others to be announced!...

Meet Our Esteemed Panelists

Panels all day Saturday and Sunday with directors, producers, designers, writers from all your favorite movies

Joe Vinatier

Mayor

Colleen Bell

Commissioner

Bob Archuleta

Senator

Fiona Ma

State Treasurer

Henry Stern

Senator

Joe Vinatier

Mayor

Colleen Bell

Commissioner

Bob Archuleta

Senator

Fiona Ma

State Treasurer

Henry Stern

Senator

Other political panelists include, Councilmembers Mary Ann Pacheco, Fernando Dutra, Kathy Warner, Octavio Martinez, Gustavo Camacho, Sal Melendez, and David Torres. Promoting young artists, film makers, writers, designers and future directors from

Whittier College, Rio Hondo Community College, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Los Angeles,
Cerritos College and Biola University.

2025 Whittier Film Festival

Official Film Selections & Festival Schedule & Awards List

2025 Whittier Film Festival — Official Selections, Schedule & Awards
September 19–21, 2025 • Whittier, California
Opening Gala · Sept 19 Screenings · Sept 20–21 Awards · Sept 21

Opening Ceremony & Gala Event

Whittier College — Ruth B. Shannon Center 13406 E. Philadelphia St, Whittier, CA 90602
6:00–8:00 PM
Silent Auction, Wine & Appetizers
8:00–10:00 PM
Gala Event
Special Guests
Robert Carradine, Carolyn Hennessy, Patrick Warburton, Jonny Vatos & Oingo Boingo, among many others · Comedy Hall of Fame Award Presentations

Get Tickets

Theatre 1 — Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas

7038 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA
12:00–1:30 PM
Student Short Films
15-minute Q&A follows
View film list
INFINITY Drama · Dir: Lauren Blazey 4:45
DO YOU COPY? Comedy · Dir: Luke Agajanian 9:24
BLACK BLOOD Western · Dir: Chris Payne 5:00
ARGUS Drama · Dir: Lauren Blazey 5:00
MY DEAREST JANE Drama · Dir: Cielo Valenzuela; Wren Paul 8:00
FEVER DREAM Thriller · Dir: Miranda Perdomo 9:22
ADAM’S CHOICE Comedy · Dir: Nathan Carrasco 30:00
2:15–3:15 PM
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans: The Jose Ramos Story
Feature / Documentary
Presented by Anaconda Street Productions · 20-minute Q&A
3:35–5:15 PM
HOLY CASH
Feature / Comedy
Dir: Paul Rodriguez · Starring: Paul Rodriguez, Emilio Rivera · 20-minute Q&A
5:25–6:45 PM
THEY CAN’T KILL US
Feature
Dir: Johnathan Lopez · 20-minute Q&A
7:30–8:55 PM
CARLOS THROUGH THE TALL GRASS
Feature / Comedy
Dir: Rick Dominguez · Prod: Patti McCarthy · 20-minute Q&A

Theatre 2 — Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas

7038 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA
12:00–1:45 PM
Student Short Films
15-minute Q&A follows
View film list
BREATH Animation · Dir: Arishmita Manna 5:17
PLAYBOY Animation · Dir: Nadia Samarina 1:42
CHOP CHOP! Comedy · Dir: Ievgen Koshyn 12:42
LAS ADELITAS Crime Drama · Dir: Carlos Zelaya 5:32
DREAMING WORLD Experimental · Dir: Alexi Scheiber 4:25
DUST WILL REMEMBER ME Documentary · Dir: Mohamett Derman 13:00
MOURNING DOVE Drama · Dir: Marina Liberato; Chalise Robbins 12:27
HISTORY LOOKS THE SAME ON US Visual Poem · Dir: Zoe Epperson 1:31
A LOVELY NIGHT Musical · Dir: Enrique Ibarra Jr.; Kayla Madrid 4:00
BAKUNAWA Animation · Dir: Maya Lauren Sullivan 2:15
A RING OF IMPERFECTIONS Animation · Dir: Arishmita Manna 3:39
BIRTHDAY PARTY Comedy · Dir: David S. Heiser, Jr. 7:01
IN CAPTIVITY OF FINGER +2 Animation · Dir: Zahra Shafiei Dehaghani; Mohammadali Taheri; Alk Akbar Ardeshir; Ismail Mokhtarian 3:38
WHITTLE ME THIS Animation · Dir: Breanna Lawton; Ashley Hayden 3:16
TALE OF PISSONUS Comedy · Dir: Zany Zebra 3:08
2:00–3:30 PM
STUDENT FILM
Feature / Sci-Fi Thriller
Dir: Aaron Huisenfeldt; Keith Russell · 20-minute Q&A
4:00–5:30 PM
THE BIG RED ONE
Feature / War Drama
Dir: Samuel Fuller · Starring: Robert Carradine; Mark Hamill · 20-minute Q&A
6:15–7:30 PM
Alonzo Williams Documentary
Feature / Documentary
Dir: Timothy Conley · 20-minute Q&A
8:00–10:00 PM
ST. AGATHA
Feature / Thriller-Horror
Dir: Darren Lynn Bousman

Theatre 1 — Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas

7038 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA
12:00–2:15 PM
Student Short Films
20-minute Q&A follows
View film list
IN ANOTHER PLACE Experimental · Dir: Emerson Little 24:33
THINGS OF BEAUTY Fantasy · Dir: Meredith Lee 5:00
THE SLEEPER Animation · Dir: Lauren Swintek 2:00
MEMORIAM Drama · Dir: Lauren Swintek 7:00
SESSION 8 Crime Drama · Dir: Arturo Jimenez; Jesus Casso 19:10
THE SIGN Science Fiction · Dir: Cara Jonas Delos Reyes 14:00
HISPANIC OUTREACH TASKFORCE (H.O.T.) Documentary · Dir: Keidan Chavez 31:28
2:30–5:00 PM
Short Films
30-minute Q&A follows
View film list
ZONE OF SILENCE Drama · Dir: Angel Jimenez 11:49
IN THE TRAP Drama · Dir: Alexander Mikhaylov 8:12
WISHING YOU THE BEST Music Video · Dir: Michael Khernosky; Monique Sherell Brown 2:52
SOMETIMES A FANTASY Comedy · Dir: Omar Zamora 19:59
MY SO-CALLED IRAQI WEDDING Comedy · Dir: Ayser Salman 13:15
DOVAH Experimental · Dir: Marcus Felix 4:09
PIER POET Documentary · Dir: Lesly Mendez; Ger Skinder 4:59
HOLIDAY’S AT GRANDPA’S Drama · Dir: Amir Kaken 20:29
LETTER FROM A STRANGER Animation · Dir: Shima Markazi Omidvar 5:49
STARDUST Drama · Dir: Cristian Baustista 13:57
MISMATCH Animation · Dir: Luna Lee 2:32
BEETHOVEN’S GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILD Comedy · Dir: Daniel Maggio 9:34
LAST WORDS Dramedy · Dir: Inez Franco 17:30

Theatre 2 — Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas

7038 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA
12:00–2:00 PM
STREET SMART: Lessons from a TV Icon
Documentary Feature
Dir: Ernie Bustamante · Starring: Sonia Manzano · 20-minute Q&A
2:15–4:00 PM
SQUATCHERS: The People Who Believe in Bigfoot
Documentary Feature
Dir: Barret Hacia; Josiah Bultema · 20-minute Q&A
4:15–5:30 PM
CHICAS
Drama
Dir: Rena Torres · 1-hour Q&A
6:00–7:00 PM
Filmmaker Awards & Closing Ceremony
Theatre 1 · Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas
7038 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA

Festival Awards

Feature Films
Best Comedy CARLOS THROUGH THE TALL GRASS · Dir: Rick Dominguez; Prod: Patti McCarthy
Best Documentary SQUATCHERS: THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN BIGFOOT · Dir: Barret Hacia; Josiah Bultema
Best Student Short Films
Best Comedy CHOP CHOP! · Dir: Ievgen Koshyn
Best Drama MEMORIAM · Dir: Lauren Swintek
Best Drama ARGUS · Dir: Lauren Blazey
Best Drama/Documentary HOLIDAY’S AT GRANDPA’S · Dir: Amir Kaken
Best Docudrama ZONE OF SILENCE · Dir: Angel Jimenez
Best Experimental IN ANOTHER PLACE · Dir: Emerson Little
Best Fantasy THINGS OF BEAUTY · Dir: Meredith Lee
Best Music Video/Drama INFINITY · Dir: Lauren Blazey
Best Animation BREATH · Dir: Arishmita Manna
Best Short Films
Best Comedy SOMETIMES A FANTASY · Dir: Omar Zamora
Best Comedy MY SO-CALLED IRAQI WEDDING · Dir: Ayser Salman
Best Drama LAST WORDS · Dir: Inez Franco
Best Experimental DOVAH · Dir: Marcus Felix
Best Documentary PIER POET · Dir: Lesly Mendez; Ger Skinder
Best Animation MISMATCH · Dir: Luna Lee
Best Music LAS ADELITAS · Dir: Carlos Zelaya
Honorable Mentions
UNSEEN WOUNDS Dir: David Guria
IDENTITY COMA Dir: Kchris Anda
KNIGHTS OF CYDONIA Dir: Juan Madrigal
ANSWERS Dir: Christian Ramirez
50 DAYS BEFORE THE BEGINNING Dir: Leily Malenkzadeh
SENSATION: CRUISE Dir: Oleh Yaremenko
NOOR-E-JUNGH Dir: Aishwarya Poddar
THE SEASONS AROUND THE CORNER… Dir: Enrique Ibarra, Jr.
ROOTS OF LOVING US Dir: Bridget Valenzuela
VENUS SUCKS Dir: Sivan Eyal
WATCH YOUR STEP Dir: Christine Vu
ACCEPTING IMPERFECTION Dir: Lucas Amaya
LIFE SUPPORT Dir: Jamon Tolbert
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Dir: Maggie Kubeja
MINE Dir: Isabella Anna Karena Strickland
SUGAR BEACH Dir: Noely Mendoza
EYE OF THE EMPRESS Dir: Sanjini Bhakata

Weekend Highlights

  • Street Closure: 12:00 PM–8:00 PM on Saturday, September 20
  • Movies All Day: Starlight Theater
  • Panels: At the Doubletree Hotel
  • Over 25 Bars & Restaurants –
Promo week in Uptown Whittier
  • Photo Ops: All week long
  • Buy a ticket to Friday's event and
get a Special Inaugural Lanyard!

Ticket Pricing

Pick up raffle tickets at Starlight Cinema on Greenleaf.

$15

Ticket

  • 1 film + 1 panel
  • 2 raffle tickets
Buy Ticket

$40

Ticket

  • Kickoff or Awards Ceremony
  • 2 films + 2 panels
  • 10 raffle tickets
Buy Ticket

Ticket Pricing

Pick up raffle tickets at Starlight Cinema on Greenleaf.

$15

Ticket

  • 1 film + 1 panel
  • 2 raffle tickets
Buy Ticket

$40

Ticket

  • Kickoff or Awards Ceremony
  • 2 films + 2 panels
  • 10 raffle tickets
Buy Ticket

Location & Schedule

6760 Painter Avenue, Whittier, CA 90601

When: Friday, September 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM

Event Link