Schedule
The 12th HIDFF (JAN 2025)
12th Season Schedule
This event will be held at the Sherry Theater in North Hollywood on August 24th 2025.
For details on the venue location, see our Festival page.
BLOCK A - Aug 24 at 12:10pm
The Score (UK)
Cutler and Mica nervously hole up in his failed bar - him tense and armed, her high and paranoid - waiting to make an illicit trade for the money he desperately needs. When the other party, Portman and her two bodyguards, arrive they are not who Cutler was expecting and everything he isn't: young, female and in charge. They attempt to make the deal but as tension and prejudice reach a crescendo, fingers and guns are pointed when they finally realise they can all hear the film's musical score, and it's trying to trick them into killing each other.
Written & Directed by Christopher Hewitt
Cast: Dani Moseley (Dreaming Whilst Black, The Kitchen), Sofia Antonia Milone (Veronica, Roll The Dice, In the Bittersweet), Yasmine Holness-Dove (Invasion, The Midwitch Cuckoos), Adele Nicoll, Alastair G. Cumming (Velvet Goldmine, Out at Night, Sensation)
Shallow Water (USA)
History is crafted bead by bead, woven ever so delicately into the fabric of Super Bowl lore. The day after Super Bowl LVIII, while confetti was being swept up in Las Vegas, the NFL announced Queen Tahj Williams as the official designer of Super Bowl LIX’s logo. Through the lens of Queen Tahj, NFL vet Tyrann Mathieu, and NFL Alumni Big Chief Dow Edwards, we head to New Orleans to learn about the hidden history behind the city’s Black Masking Indians and the legacy of resistance and community woven into American culture's fabric.
Directed by Osahon Tongo, Shayna Hayes
Rise of Chow (USA)
New to Las Vegas, a young man with dreams of becoming a headlining magician is derailed by tragic events and mental health battles that cause him to spiral into the violent and deranged crime lord that we all now know as Leslie Chow.
Written & Directed by Hymnson Chan
Cast: Hymnson Chan (Avengers: Endgame, Bullet Train, Grey's Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm), Megan Le (NCIS: LA, Medical Police), Yoshi Sudarso (Bullet Train, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Buffalo Boys)
Wait Until Tomorrow (USA)
This documentary follows the journeys of Black families over two years, showcasing their struggles, survival, and pursuit of success across diverse economic paths. It examines five distinct themes that shape Black economic mobility, intercut with expert interviews from McKinsey’s Black Economic Mobility Institute. Through intimate family stories, it explores the challenges and triumphs of Black life, offering an in-depth look at the factors influencing economic mobility and the fight for a better future.
Written & Directed by Osato Dixon
Cast: Kelley Robins Hicks
BLOCK B - Aug 24 at 2:35pm
A Matter of Poultry (USA)
When an ordinary guy on the cusp of starting his dream job finds out he's pregnant with an alien parasite, he flashes back to the time he told his teenage girlfriend to not get an abortion.
Written & Directed by Nandini Bapat
Cast: Luis Ochoa, Sydney Emma Gates, Anne Akhila, Andi Norris, Abby Hendricks, Megan Barlow, Steve Harper, Constance Jiang
Aunt Cindy and The Alchemist (USA)
Aunt Cindy and The Alchemist is a short film that revolves around a seemingly ordinary family whose lives take a surprising turn. The story centers on Elena, a spirited woman with a close bond with her father, a retired advertising man who’s claim to fame was promoting the new Ford Mustang convertible. Elena’s life with her husband and son appears idyllic on the surface, but as the film unfolds, subtle hints reveal underlying tensions. The family's dynamic shifts when Elena takes a road trip through Italy with (The Alchemist) and discovers the true meaning of love. As they delve deeper into the alchemist's world, long-buried secrets and ambitions rise to the surface, leading to an unexpected and life-altering twist in the final moments.
Written & Directed by Devin Scott
Cast: Casey Campbell
Sorority (USA)
A trans woman of color in the early stages of her transition learns to accept herself when welcomed into the sorority of sisterhood in the most sacred of places, the women's restroom.
Written & Directed by Ashley Gianni
Cast: Epiphany Kali, Danielle Beckmann (Liza Anonymous (Tribeca 2019), The Fuscos, Sam and Kiki), Shelly Ro (Carly, Paradise Road), Ashley Gianni (The Fuscos), Madalyn Horcher (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Gracepoint, Big Sky)
#TwoMoms (Japan)
This documentary follows four female same-sex couples in Japan as they build their families through assisted reproductive technology. Each couple faces discrimination and legal challenges, and the film portrays the common joys and struggles of becoming parents, as well as the additional trials of being an LGBTQ+ family in modern Japan. Uniquely, this film is shot by a lesbian mother who is also navigating her own journey through parenthood. It invites viewers to reflect on the hidden diversity of families within Japanese society.
Written & Directed by Satoko Nagamura
BLOCK C - Aug 24 at 4:55pm
Hysteria (Denmark)
Houda (27) suffers from unexplained pain in her stomach and lower abdomen. She has consulted countless doctors over the past 10 years but has only been met with skepticism and dismissal. This has resulted in a misdiagnosis of menstrual pain, despite her insisting that it is much more painful than that. As her latest doctor says, "It's a woman's burden." Houda's chronic condition worsens and affects her relationships at work as well as her relationship with her boyfriend Teo. Only when Houda is found unconscious on the bathroom floor does she finally get taken seriously. Houda finally receives clarity when she is diagnosed with the chronic condition endometriosis.
Directed by Miriam Carlsen
Written by Ibbi El Hani
Cast: Ibbi El Hani, Alban Lendorf
The Pura Vida Path (USA)
Dariel Meléndez, a 23-year-old from Costa Rica, shares his journey of self-discovery. Growing up surrounded by nature, he developed a deep love for water, learning to swim with his grandfather. However, a life-changing accident at a young age led to the loss of his leg after a traumatic encounter on a train track. Facing immense challenges, including the passing of his grandfather, Dariel refused to give up. Through surfing, he found a renewed purpose, adapting his technique and progressing to some of Costa Rica’s most challenging waves. His journey led him to the U.S. Para Surfing Championships, where he connected with the High Fives Foundation and mentor Jose Martinez. Becoming part of the High Fives community opened new doors, including experiencing snow and skiing for the first time. His story is one of courage, passion, and an unbreakable spirit.
Directed by Roy Tuscany
Dwarf Story (UK)
Seven years ago, a miracle drug, Vosoritide, came on the market. It provided hope for an end to a medical condition called achondroplasia, more commonly known as dwarfism, that affects one in every 25,000 people. Families were told it would make their children significantly taller, as well as treating other medical complications associated with the condition, offering the promise of a more "normal life". But has it worked? In DWARF STORY, we join three extraordinary young people from around the world (from America, Britain and Australia) - and the clinical geneticist who has led the development and application of the drug - as they reveal how their lives have been affected by the treatment. At the intersection of parental choice, personal identity and social stigma, their experience give voice to a vital and urgent question. As scientific advances redefine what's possible...is dwarfism, and in turn disability in general, a problem to be cured?
Directed by Riccardo Servini
BLOCK D - Aug 24 at 7:00pm
Face Blindness (USA)
After a car accident, Yong's face was transformed into another person by his surgeon Su, and became her revenge tool. With the implementation of the revenge plan, Yong fell in love with Su, and gradually fell into her well-designed trap. When the truth getting close, a car crashed into Yong again...
Directed by Xiang Cao, Luying Wang
Written by Zongying Liu
Cast: Jonathan Tanigaki, Shiona Lee, Felisha Wong
The Hype (USA)
A young Black couple battles the sleazy sea of L.A. materialistic culture, at a party in the Hollywood Hills.
Directed by Justin Casselle
Written by Joel Boyd, Maya Cryor
Cast: Joel Boyd (Drop The Mic (TBS), The Many Saints of Newark (HBO Films)), Maya Cryor (Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (Netflix), Martin: The Reunion (BET+)), Alexis Brown (Betsy's Bestie (2019)), Ezekiel Ajeigbe (SEAL Team (Paramount+)), Fana Tesfagiorgis (In The Heights (HBO Max)), Eliza Skinner (Earth To Ned (Disney+)), Randall Harr (Chicago Fire (NBC))
Best Mom Ever (USA)
Ali, who recently gave birth to her first child, goes back to work and encounters unexpected difficulties.
Directed by Chaewon Suh
Written by Yoojin Kang
Cast: Chandler Young
My Little Moon (USA)
The story of this film is based on real events during the protests last year against compulsory hijab and the killing of many young girls and boys in Iran by the Iranian regime.
Written & Directed by Ali Atshani
Cast: Natalia Polo, Elnaz Sepantamehr, Matthew Fairman
AWARDS PRESENTATION
Awards will be presented at 9:20pm on Aug 24th.
Previous season schedule
