Monthly Film Festival

November 16, 2024 02:30pm PST - 10:00pm PST

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosts its November Monthly Film Festival, which features its annual InFocus: Indigenous Cinema program, which highlights the work of indigenous filmmakers in front of and behind the camera, African Giants, writer-director Omar S. Kamara’s award-winning -debut narrative feature, and November Shorts, an offering of highlights from NFMLA’s ongoing general program.

The line-up begins with shorts program November Shorts, an eclectic mix of short narratives highlighted this month that offer laughter, satire, connection, self-awareness, intrigue and fear. From an existential how-to to post-breakup body horror to the unearthing of a little-known historical figure to the birth of a vibrant resistance against the extraction of creative energy and everything in between, there is something for everyone in this block.

The day’s programming continues with InFocus: Indigenous Cinema, a selection of short films by indigenous storytellers from around the world. The program includes stories of profound interconnectedness with nature, the preservation of indigenous language, the battle against addiction in a family, and returning home to heal.

The evening concludes with African Giants, an honest, grounded and intimate look at the relationship between two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers as they navigate adulthood and their changing dynamic. The film is the first feature from writer-director Omar S. Kamara, and won the audience award at Slamdance earlier this year.

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 diversity, inclusion and region by spotlighting communities of filmmakers within our filmmaking community as part of our monthly program. This exhibition is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

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 – November Shorts
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 #2 – InFocus: Indigenous Cinema
5:15 PM – 5:45 PM – Pre-Reception
5:45 PM – 7:15 PM – Program
7:15 PM – 7:30 PM – Audience Q&A

Program #3 – Feature Narrative | African Giants
7:30 PM – 8:00 PM – Pre-Reception
8:00 PM – 9:45 PM – Program
9:45 PM – 10:00 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

November Shorts
How To Fill The Unfillable Hole Inside You
Dir. Dave Canning, Writ. Dave Canning & Prod. Collin Meath, Benjamin Thompson, Lianne Becker
10 Mins | USA
Golden Child
Dir. Hannah Levin, Writ. Hannah Levin & Prod. Hannah Levin, Gracie Catanzarite
10 Mins | USA
Tail
Dir. Yichien Lee, Writ. Yichien Lee & Prod. Wen Ou, Alex Bilodeau
19 Mins | Taiwan
Plantasy Thumbnail
Plantasy
Dir. Peyton Tenison, Writ. Peyton Tenison, Katie Jackson & Prod. Sam Wolf, Juan Felipe Díaz, Peyton Tenison
8 Mins | USA
To All the Girls I Could’ve Loved Before
Dir. Adolfo Mena Cejas, Writ. Adolfo Mena Cejas & Prod. Carolina Gimenez, Adolfo Mena Cejas
11 Mins | USA
How May I Help You
Dir. Ella Harmon, Writ. Ella Harmon & Prod. Ella Harmon, Naomi Zidon
15 Mins | USA
Ripper Was Here Thumbnail
Ripper Was Here
Dir. Joel Kazuo Knoernschild, Writ. Chris Schieffelin & Prod. Randy Wedick, Joel Kazuo Knoernschild, Josh Giroux, Barry O Donnell, Chris Schieffelin
19 Mins | USA
Come Back Haunted Thumbnail
Come Back Haunted
Dir. Logan James Freeman, Writ. Logan Freeman & Prod. Sean Temple, Nathan Sellers, Logan Freeman
11 Mins | Not Specified
Escape Artist Thumbnail
Escape Artist
Dir. Kieran Barker, Writ. Kieran Barker & Prod. Kimberly Joseph
7 Mins | USA
InFocus: Indigenous Cinema
Lea Tupu’anga (Mother Tongue)
Dir. Vea Mafile'o, Writ. Luciane Buchanan & Prod. Alex Lovell, Eldon Booth
17 Mins | New Zealand
The River
Dir. Clare Cooney, Writ. Claude Jackson Jr & Prod. Rainbow Dickerson
14 Mins | USA
River Bank (Pō-Kehgeh)
Dir. Charine Pilar Gonzales, Writ. Charine Pilar Gonzales & Prod. Charine Pilar Gonzales, Razelle Benally, Jess X. Snow, Shaandiin Tome, Ashley Browning, Jhane Myers, Holly Baker
13 Mins | USA
Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped In Black) Thumbnail
Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped In Black)
Dir. Matthew Thorne, Derik Lynch, Writ. Matthew Thorne, Derik Lynch & Prod. Matthew Thorne, Patrick Graham
25 Mins | Australia
Feature Narrative | African Giants
African Giants Thumbnail
African Giants
Dir. Omar S Kamara, Writ. Omar S Kamara & Prod. Leo Blumberg-Woll, Omar S Kamara, Jordan Tyner
107 Mins | Not Specified