Monthly Film Festival

February 14, 2026 12:00pm PST - 07:30pm PST

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosts its February Monthly Film Festival and annual InFocus: Black Cinema program, spotlighting Black stories and emerging Black talent in front of and behind the camera in two shorts programs, along with a selection of short film highlights from NFMLA’s ongoing monthly program.

The day kicks off with  February Shorts, an eclectic program of films that includes dark comedy, horror, drama, and musical celebrations. These stories include intrigue, danger, performance, the joy of authentic expression, finding a place within one’s culture, and looking out for one’s neighbors. 

The day continues with InFocus: Black Cinema Shorts I,  the first of two programs showcasing Black storytelling and stories. This collection offers stories of perseverance, authenticity, lifelong excellence, formative childhood experiences, introspection, grief, struggles with self-image and communities coming together for one another. This block opens with a selection of films produced through Black Girls Film Camp,  an incubator for the next generation of storytellers. The program invites high school Black girls across the US to pitch a story idea, selecting a cohort of ten each year to have their short film project produced through the program.

The night’s programming concludes InFocus: Black Cinema Shorts II, which tells stories of joy and confrontation. Characters confront their fears, the spirit world, racist family members, systems and history, while finding joy in their talents and passions, friends, loved ones, and glimpses of a better life.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both our general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates representation by spotlighting various communities of filmmakers as part of the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival. This project is made possible in part by grant support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).  

The South Park Center is an ADA compliant venue and is wheelchair accessible. We request captioned films from all filmmakers participating at our Festival. For any accessibility needs, please send a request to info@nfmla.org at least 72 hours prior to the event.

Schedule Details

Program #1 – February Shorts
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM – Pre-Reception
12:30 PM – 2:15 PM – Program
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM – Audience Q&A

Program #2 – InFocus: Black Cinema Shorts I
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Pre-Reception
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Program
5:00 PM – 5:15 PM – Audience Q&A

Program #3 – InFocus: Black Cinema Shorts II
5:15 PM – 5:45 PM – Pre-Reception
5:45 PM – 7:15 PM – Program
7:15 PM – 7:30 PM – Audience Q&A

Event Location

Event Entrance
1139 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Directions


Paid Parking
1133 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Directions

February Shorts
Finding Daddy Thumbnail
Finding Daddy
Dir. Emily Wilson, Writ. Emily Wilson & Prod. Suki-Rose Simakis, Dimitri Simakis, Michael Scott
12 Mins | USA
Claire Bikes Thumbnail
Claire Bikes
Dir. Molly Weinstein, Writ. Molly Weinstein & Prod. Ryan Stopera, Annette Bryant, Robert Blood, Molly Weinstein
11 Mins | USA
Stupid F**King Cow! Thumbnail
Stupid F**King Cow!
Dir. Pacey Hansen, Writ. Pacey Hansen & Prod. Pacey Hansen
9 Mins | USA
MascLooking
Dir. Jonathan Brandon Hammond, Writ. Jonathan Hammond & Prod. Regina Pigsley
9 Mins | USA
Just Wait
Dir. Blaine Morris, Writ. Julia Elizabeth Evans & Prod. Fabiola Andrade, Brian Grigsby
11 Mins | USA
Émigré/Americana
Dir. Usman Ally, Writ. Usman Ally & Prod. Courtney Rowe, Desmin Borges, Atil Singh, Kristoffer Diaz, Vance Smith, Justin Kirk
16 Mins | USA
Pow!
Dir. Joey Clift, Writ. Joey Clift & Prod. Goldie Chan
8 Mins | USA
Zari
Dir. Shruti Parekh, Writ. Shruti Parekh & Prod. Kajri Akhtar, Shruti Parekh
19 Mins | USA, India
Fighting Feelings Thumbnail
Fighting Feelings
Dir. Joanna Joy, Writ. Joanna Joy & Prod. Dianna La Grassa
11 Mins | Australia
InFocus: Black Cinema Shorts I
Rewinded Thumbnail
Rewinded
Dir. Aaliyah Idrissa, Writ. Aaliyah Idrissa & Prod. Black Girls Film Camp
8 Mins | USA
Crescendo
Dir. Gabrielle Vance, Writ. Gabrielle Vance & Prod. Black Girls Film Camp
8 Mins | USA
Black(Out)
Dir. Auset Adams, Writ. Auset Adams & Prod. Black Girls Film Camp
7 Mins | USA
Just-As-Poetic
Dir. Kalahari Lewis, Writ. Kalahari Lewis & Prod. Black Girls Film Camp
7 Mins | USA
You Just Watch & See Thumbnail
You Just Watch & See
Dir. Moya Bailey, Writ. & Prod. Whitney Peoples, Tejumola Adegoke
13 Mins | USA
July 4th, East New York Thumbnail
July 4th, East New York
Dir. Adewale Olukayode, Writ. Adewale Olukayode & Prod. Munir Atalla
16 Mins | USA
Makeup & Medicine Thumbnail
Makeup & Medicine
Dir. Gabriyèl Barlatier, Writ. Cyn Hilaire & Prod. Cyn Hilaire, Xavier DuBose
14 Mins | USA
I Might Be The Problem Thumbnail
I Might Be The Problem
Dir. Tay Jenkins, Writ. Tay Jenkins & Prod. Toryn Seabrooks, Leonard R. Jones III
15 Mins | USA
Cycles
Dir. Chinwe Okorie, Writ. Chinwe Okorie, Alex Chew & Prod. Josh Ruben, Ashley Robinson, Travis Lee Ratcliff, Jane Schwartz, Brody Carmichael
8 Mins | USA
Baldy The Film
Dir. Eddie Griffith, Writ. Melvin Taylor II & Prod. Melvin Taylor II, Tracy Oliver, Tre’Vell Anderson, Felicia Bell, Diana Alleyne, Max Hague, Sarah-Michelle Léger, Niina Taapopi, Sunni Valentine, and Alyssa Fauntleroy.
16 Mins | USA
The Inconvenience Store
Dir. Ifeanyi Ezieme, Writ. Nzinga Kadalie Kemp & Prod. Fabiola Rodriguez
12 Mins | USA
InFocus: Black Cinema Shorts II
Ree’s Destiny
Dir. Steven Mosley, Writ. Steven Mosley & Prod. Steven Mosley, Jenna Mahmoud Bosco, Sherry Thompson, Adam Taylor, Jay Thames
16 Mins | USA
Haint
Dir. Jahmil Eady, Writ. Jahmil Eady & Prod. Tara Austin, Selena Leoni, Doménica Castro, Constanza Castro
15 Mins | USA
Unsaid
Dir. Monique Moses, Writ. Robert King & Prod. Melisa Breiner-Sanders, Shannon Taylor, Monique Moses, Robert King
12 Mins | USA
What Freedom Thumbnail
What Freedom
Dir. Paul James, Writ. Meghan Best & Prod. Jessica Kelly, Joseph Restaino, Ashley Park, Bashir Salhuddin, Findley Davidson, Tony Stopperan
16 Mins | USA
Madawa
Dir. Musila Munuve, Writ. Musila Munuve & Prod. Julia Hunt, Lizannette Velasco de Jesús, Musila Munuve
13 Mins | USA
Cottonmouth: A Short Dark RomCom Thumbnail
Cottonmouth: A Short Dark RomCom
Dir. Ama Anane, Writ. Ama Anane & Prod. Jessica Barr, Alexander Spenser-Gould, Ama Anane
15 Mins | USA