Welcome to RSFF5

October 6th — 10th, 2026
THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE & LOS FELIZ 3

CO-PRESENTED BY

Sogbots,
TOPCAT MANAGEMENT,
& The American Cinematheque

Hey RSFF filmmakers, friends, and family,

Can you believe it’s been five years? Whether this is your first time or fifth time, we’re grateful to welcome you into one of the finest communities of rising filmmakers in Los Angeles.

LA’s Rich & Successful Film Festival is born out of a desire to connect more meaningfully with our filmmaking community and to build bridges and relationships that extend beyond our work. Like the industry at large, we succeed through collective effort, and we believe that a rising tide lifts all boats.

That spirit of collective growth has guided our fifth year: we’ve programmed more features, expanded our ancillary and year-round offerings, and established the Rich & Successful Film Community as a nonprofit organization. These milestones support our determination to build an enduring home for emerging independent filmmakers in Los Angeles. Through exhibition, education, artist support, and community, we’re dedicated to creating more opportunities for Angeleno filmmakers to share their work, develop their craft, access meaningful resources, and be a part of a sustaining and robust community that makes up RSFC.

This festival is nothing without the movies you have seen earlier this week and the ones you are seeing in this theater today. It is nothing without our filmmakers, without our staff, without our volunteers, and without every single person who lends a hand or an ear or a voice of support to ensure this festival can be the best that it can be. As RSFC grows, we hope you’ll continue to be part of what we’re building: a vibrant, collaborative, and attainable future for independent filmmaking in Los Angeles. Please take a moment this weekend to meet our team, learn more about our year-round work, and discover how we can foster a thriving independent filmmaking community together.

Thanks again for joining us. We can't wait to hear what you think of the films.

Love,

The RSFF Team

The Program

The features program @ los feliz 3
&
the shorts program @ the egyptian theatre

Jump to bottom of program

the features
@ los feliz 3

October 8th & 10th

DOWNBEAT

Directed by DANNY MADDEN

October 8th — 7:00p at Los Feliz 3

Fleeing mistakes in Atlanta, Mauro crashes on his sister’s couch in Boston. He takes to bucket drumming on the streets for a way out, but can’t stop screwing things up and drawing everyone else into his own feral shortcomings.

Writers: Danny Madden, Daniel Rashid, Addie Weyrich, Arkira Chantaratananond

Producer: Benjamin Wiessner

Cinematographer: Danny Madden

Key Cast: Daniel Rashid, Addie Weyrich, Arkira Chantaratananond

Composer: Charles Humenry

Production Designer: Rowan Landaiche

Re-recording Mixer: Tony Villaflor

Runtime: 1:31:00

@downbeat.movie

with short film

DROPPING OFF

Directed by WILL MAYO & IAN SCOTT MCGREGOR

Shot almost entirely on security cameras and iPhones, Dropping Off follows Thom, an aspiring musician gigging as a rideshare driver, who is unexpectedly asked by a grieving passenger to spread her grandmother’s ashes. What begins as an awkward errand becomes a strange, funny, moving encounter with grief, music, and connection in the City of Dreams.

Writers: Will Mayo, Ian Scott McGregor

Producers: Will Mayo, Ian Scott McGregor

Cinematographer: Matthew Roveto

Key Cast: Tanner Agpoon-Steinbock, Alyssa Limperis, Rebecca Metz

Editor: Will Mayo

Sound Designer: Bobb Barito

Runtime: 0:13:51

@droppingoffshort

BAGWORM

Directed by OLIVER BERNSEN

October 8th — 9:30p at Los Feliz 3

After a sexually frustrated hammer salesman steps on a rusty nail, he must determine whether the world’s sudden and violent turn against him is real or the result of an infection consuming his body and mind.

Writer: Henry Bernsen

Producers: Zoe Rosenberg, A.J. Calabrese

Cinematographer: Adriel Gonzalez

Key Cast: Peter Falls, Michelle Ortiz, Robbie Arnett, Sydney Winbush, Corbin Bernsen

Editor: Nicholas Nazmi

Composer: Ari Balouzian

Production Designer: R. Tyler Evans

Costume Design: Mark McGinnis

Makeup and Hair Design: Hatti Rees

Runtime: 1:37:00

@bagwormmovie

with short film

SHADOW DADDY

Directed by ANDREW THEODORE BALASIA

When a mysterious dream sparks an unexpected conversation, a boyfriend and girlfriend spiral into revealing the insecurities lurking beneath their relationship.

Writer: Andrew Theodore Balasia

Producer: Collin Druz

Cinematographer: Hayden Mason

Key Cast: Blu Hunt, Kimball Farley

Composer: James Pratley Watson

Colorist: Connor Bailey

Runtime: 0:08:30

@andrewtheodorebalasia

VALENTINA

Directed by TATTI RIBEIRO

October 10th — 1:00p at Los Feliz 3

A series of bureaucratic mishaps plagues Valentina as she tries to tackle a simple to-do list at the El Paso-Juarez border.

Writers: Tatti Ribeiro, Noelle Forougi

Producers: Tatti Ribeiro, Noelle Forougi, Jack Pearkes, Keyla Monterroso Mejia

Cinematographer: Chris Ripley

Key Cast: Keyla Monterroso Mejia, Nathan Monterroso Mejia, Juan Carlos Monterroso, Thaddius ‘Mac’ Callaway

Runtime: 1:18:00

@valentinamovie

with short film

BLUSH

Directed by ANA CHAVEZ

Amidst the humidity of a bustling city-island, a group of teenagers navigates friendship, first love, and the messiness of growing up. Blush is an improvisational portrait of youth in Singapore — drawn from the real lives of its cast, and shaped by the moments between.

Writer: Ana Chavez

Producers: Mitchka Saberi, Zhi Qi Yeo, Cheryl Tan

Cinematographer: Shiao-ya Huang

Key Cast: Kai Milla Karunanithi, João Guilherme Fonseca da Silva, Jade Clementine Weckx, Phoebe Summer Wadham, Mary Rose Jacob

Composer: Tate Egon Chavez
Sound Designer: Ethan Zeitman
Title Designer: Noah Smith

Runtime: 0:14:30

@_anachavez

THE SHORTS program
@ THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE

October 9th — 7:00p

SUPPER

Directed by SAVANNAH BRASWELL

A lonely man’s obsession with an online mukbang livestreamer leads to a tense confrontation with an unsuspecting dinner guest.

Runtime: 0:20:00

Writer: Savannah Braswell

Producers: Savannah Braswell, Mariah Christian

Cinematographer: Samuel Wright Smith

Key Cast: Jayme Lawson, Sam Straley, Mia Sydney

Editor & VFX: William Lancaster

Production Designer: Malcolm Quinn Silver-Van Meter

Colorist: Zack Chalmers

@savannahbraswell_

A CRIME ACROSS FOUR LANDSCAPES

Directed by AIDAN WEAVER

When a small-town crime goes awry, the evidence is scattered across four picturesque landscapes in the Southern American countryside - inviting viewers to piece together what happened.

Runtime: 0:06:57

Writers: Aidan Weaver, William Christopher Stephens

Producer: Katie Sanderson

Cinematographer: Jared Freeman

Key Cast: Alphie Hyorth, Rohan Myers, Jason Kierce

Editor: Aidan Weaver

Production Designer: Riley Patterson

@aidan_weaver

VISITORS

Directed by MINNIE SCHEDEEN

A young woman in the throes of early pregnancy starts to question her own reality when strange things begin to happen to the people closest to her.

Runtime: 0:14:47

Writer: Minnie Schedeen

Producers: Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Zola Glassman, Gilana Lobel

Cinematographer: Kai Czarnowski

Key Cast: Sarah Yarkin, Will Hochman, Maria Dizzia, Danny Burstein, Jon Bass, Mia Vallet

@minnie.movies

BOMB

Directed by INÉS CORINA

The story of an exploded second.

Runtime: 0:03:41

Writers: John Albrecht, Inés Corina

Producers: John Albrecht, Hector Martinez

Cinematographer: John Albrecht

Key Cast: Ashley Alva, Vanesa Melendez, Anja Racić, Peter Winkelmann, Christopher O’Conner, Soel Celeste

@ciggiesmalls

@inescorina

@producedbyhector

ANGELS

Directed by SAM MANDICH

On their way to a house party two teenage best friends are forced to run for their lives.

Runtime: 0:10:14

Writer: Annabel Newland

Producers: Paloma Pinto, Alex Bush

Cinematographer: Dominika Podczaska

Key Cast: Nuha Jes Izman, Sirena Warren

Casting: Ruby Green

Production Designer: Natalie Peracchio

Editor: Joey Cao

Assistant Editor: Sydney Sullivan

Sound Design: John Warrin

@sammymandich

ONE TWENTY-SIX

Directed by DAN LESSER

Evan tries to outshine his best friend and prove himself to the seniors by taking them on a high-speed joy ride in his mom’s Mini Cooper.

Runtime: 0:13:26

Writer: Dan Lesser

Producers: Mikey Nicholas, Vito Lyles

Cinematographer: Sam Davis

Key Cast: Ethan Highsmith, Kalel Bolas, Matthew Ouidiani, Kaid Hostetler, Dylan Orrell

Casting Director: Kim Vela

Editors: Hayley Stablow, Dan Lesser

Sound Designer: Chris Fleming

Production Designer: Sydney Weinberger

@dan_lesser

THE CHAIR

Directed by DUSTIN TAN

A carpenter makes a chair for a customer, but it’s not a normal chair.

Runtime: 0:06:58

Writer: Dustin Tan

Executive Producer: Davin Tan

Producer: Maleah Goldberg

Cinematographer: Jake Wolfert

Key Cast: Al Warren, Jakob Longcob

@dustin_tan

I GOT MY BROTHER

Directed by VICTOR GABRIEL

Two brothers reflect on their candid and often humorous memories of surviving the foster care system and prison, realizing along the way that their path to healing has always been each other.

Runtime: 0:16:47

Writer: Victor Gabriel

Executive Producers: Ben Proudfoot, Josh Rosenberg

Producers: Rachel Earnest

Cinematographer: Robert Hunter

Editor: Nadine Mundo

Key Cast: Jarrett Harper, Baylon Harper

Original Score: Katya Richardson

Sound Supervisor & Re-recording Mixer: Sean Higgins

Colorist: Stephen Derluguian

@wherekingsreign

@earne100

DISC

Directed by BLAKE WINSTON RICE

The story of a hookup gone too far up.

Runtime: 0:13:56

Writers: Victoria Ratermanis, Blake Winston Rice

Producers: Robert Ravenscroft, David Breschel, Blake Winston Rice, Victoria Ratermanis

Cinematographer: Nyk Allen

Key Cast: Jim Cummings, Victoria Ratermanis

@discthemovie

@blakewrice

LIL GIBBOS |
HOT DROP

Directed by ARIUS ZIAEE

On the face of an imbecile, named Gibby, lives a miraculous world of microscopic organisms called Gibbos. Gibby has no knowledge of the Gibbos, and yet the Gibbos are at the whim of Gibby’s biology.

Runtime: 0:05:03

Writer: Arius Ziaee

Producer: Arius Ziaee

Cinematographer: Arius Ziaee

CG Animation: Angus Oakes

BG Characters: Kate Renshaw-Lewis

Opening Theme Song: Otto Benson

Closeup Illustration: Jude Carrisosa

Voice Acting: Otto Benson, Dallas Havoc, Zoe Padilla, Harrison Wyrick

Score: Meredith Guerrero

@the.marooned

A TALE OF AN UNIMPRESSIVE MAGICIAN

Directed by GORDY DE ST. JEOR

A nervous magician performs his last trick.

Runtime: 0:03:42

Writer: Gordy De St. Jeor

Producer: Galileo Mondol

Cinematographer: Zayd Ezzeldine

Key Cast: William Sibley, Jillian Moray

Production Deisgner: Emmett Tekstra

Production Sound: Ethan Lee

Sound Design: Adrian Arteaga

@gordydestjeor

THUMP

Directed by ALEXAH ACUÑA

A teen girl prepares to leave for prom when a sudden thump halts her. Marked by the experience, she and her mother retreat into unspoken rituals— until the past demands a reckoning they can no longer ignore. Inspired by true events, “Thump” is a raw, surreal descent into the unknown.

Runtime: 0:11:25

Writer: Alexah Acuña

Producers: Philip Ge, Marie Rodriguez

Cinematographer: adeline Leach

Key Cast: Ariana Raygoza, Evelina Martinez, Jonathan Nichols-Navarro, Mary Ellen Ashley

Music: Sergio Galindo

@cinnamon_hands

YOU DO NOT EXIST

Directed by DWAYNE LEBLANC

In the stillness of his yard, Booker watches the sky fill and empty with passing planes. As the world moves around him, he lingers, circling a memory whose edges blur with time.

Runtime: 0:08:00

Writer: Dwayne LeBlanc

Producer: Dwayne LeBlanc

Cinematographer: Andrew Yuyi Truong

Editor: Nathan Rodgers

Key Cast: Barrington Darius

Sound Design: STEMS Group

@madehaste

NO HANDS

Directed by JOSLYN JENSEN

Over drinks, an old friend reveals a wild masturbation technique that must be experienced to be believed.

Runtime: 0:04:00

Writer: Joslyn Jensen

Producers: Frank Mosley, Liz Cardenas

Cinematographer: Adam J. Minnick

Key Cast: Leah Henoch, Kira Pearson

Art Director: Eman Akram Nader

@joslynjensen_

THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH

Directed by ERIC JACKOWITZ

A blind violinist ascends to first chair at the Rome Symphony, just as a black-gloved killer begins stalking the orchestra. The only witness to the murders is her loyal seeing-eye dog.

Runtime: 0:17:18

Writer: Eric Jackowitz

Producers: Colton Mastro

Cinematographer: Blake Gaytan

Key Cast: Gabrielle Montes De Oca, Ethan Edenburg, Thomas McGovern, Melissa Villaseñor, Anna Garcia, Colton Mastro, Eric Jackowitz

@seeingeyedogfilm

@ericjackowitz

LISTEN

Directed by TALIESIN BLACK-BROWN

Listen is a short documentary set in the largest wilderness on Earth. It follows Alaskan author Hank Lentfer as he records forgotten sounds of the natural world and cares for his mother with dementia. Listen is a sensory immersion that dissolves the boundaries between us and the more-than-human world.

Runtime: 0:14:52

Producers: Taliesin Black-Brown, Greg Moga, Sam Davis

Cinematographer: Mack Fisher

Key Cast: Hank Lentfer, Mary Lentfer

Field Recordists: Hank Lentfer & Richard Nelson

Editor: Ben Kaplan

Music: Garth Stevenson

Sound Design & Mix: Calvin Pia

@listendocumentary

ALEXAH ACUÑA (she/her) — dir. THUMP

Alexah Acuña (b. 1994, Chicago, IL) is Mexican-American production designer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She holds a BA from USC’s Roski School of Art & Design and brings over a decade of experience in the film industry. Her directorial debut, THUMP, a coming of age psychological thriller based on true events, premiered at the 2025 Florida Film Festival, the 2025 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), and the 2025 Raindance Film Festival in London- all Oscar-qualifying festivals. Acuña’s process is cathartic and personal, often referencing her own liminal feelings. She employs and explores the uncanny, the dreamy, the nostalgic, the in-between, the gritty, and most importantly, the other.

ANDREW THEODORE BALASIA (he/him) — dir. SHADOW DADDY

Raised in the backwoods of Delaware making short films with friends, juxtaposed with a young working life on Hollywood backlots as a child actor, these two polarized environments were formative in honing a voice distinctly his own. Andrew’s style explores emotional realism through a surrealist perspective, contrasting heavier themes with dark comedy. With a background in experimental video art commissioned by Jeffrey Deitch Gallery and MoMA, Andrew approaches narrative storytelling with this visual practice. His stylized short films have been in competition at Fantasia Film Festival, Maryland FF, Palm Springs International, Sarasota FF, and published online with Metrograph, Nowness, Short of the Week, No Budge, & others.

OLIVER BERNSEN (he/him) — dir. BAGWORM

Oliver Bernsen was born in 1989. He is a director, painter and landscape designer. He is fascinated by the beauty of ugliness. This can be seen in his short films Connective Tissue and Memory Box, which premiered at Beyond Fest 2024. His directorial debut, Bagworm, had its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival in 2025, where it won the People’s Choice Award in the Panorama Section before having its North American Premiere at SXSW in 2026.

TALIESIN BLACK-BROWN (he/him) — dir. LISTEN

Taliesin was born underwater in a barn in Vermont to a performance artist and a compost engineer. His earliest memories were of catching fish, frogs, snakes, and birds, and being part of a loving community. Teenage years were marked by a long, slow dance with bone cancer. While recovering from twenty surgeries and the removal of his left hip and pelvis, he began flying cameras on drones — a way to re-experience the world in motion. Drones became films; films became stories — and healing took flight. Taliesin cares about relationships and stories of connection. His films are more poetic and favor immersion over explanation. Listen, his latest project, produced by Academy Award winner Sam Davis, premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival and won the award for Best Documentary Short.

SAVANNAH BRASWELL (she/her) — dir. SUPPER

A graduate from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Savannah is informed by her upbringing in an increasingly digitally-connected yet physically-isolated world. She uses her experiences as a format to attempt to answer unnerving questions about herself and her generation. Her debut short film SUPPER won the Special Jury Award in the Narrative Short Competition at SXSW, and she is currently developing her directorial debut feature.

ANA CHAVEZ (she/her) — dir. BLUSH

Born in LA & raised in Singapore, Ana Chavez is a filmmaker & video artist exploring intersectional identity and youth culture through a hybrid filmmaking approach. She holds a BA in Film from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she first explored storytelling through documentary editing. Ana’s short film Her & I won Best Screenplay and Best Filmmaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 10-10-10 Competition in 2021. Her coming-of-age film Blush won the Wave Grant in 2025 and premiered at Aspen Shortsfest. The film explores themes of transition, cross-cultural identity, and liminality amongst a group of teenagers growing up in Singapore, and is shaped by improvisation from its cast. Ana is drawn to Super 8, mobile cameras, and field recordings pulled from everyday conversations and the world around her. For her, filmmaking is a practice of building a personal archive – a fragmented, intuitive collage of memories and articulations of what home feels like. Rooted in LA’s arts communities, Ana’s skill for documentation & editing has been leveraged by experimental arts organizations across the city, including Living Earth, Leaving Records, and dublab. She also mentors emerging teen photographers at Las Fotos Project in Boyle Heights.

INÉS CORINA (she/her) — dir. BOMB

Inés Corina is a Venezuelan-American writer and director fascinated with exploring the resilience of the human spirit and our relentless search for connection, despite our likelihood to fail. Her previous work has screened at Oscar-qualifying festivals across the country and has earned significant nominations, including for the Georgia Film Critic’s Oglethorpe Award. Since graduating from the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts in 2015, she amassed experience as a production coordinator on projects for Netflix, TBS, and Sony, later serving as an in-house coordinator at Adult Swim. Her passion for storytelling in all its forms led her to Fern, an animation studio in Atlanta, where she worked as Senior Producer.

VICTOR GABRIEL (he/him) — dir. I GOT MY BROTHER

Victor Gabriel is a black male writer/director who has turned to filmmaking as way for him to look at our shared humanity through the lens of humor. He holds an MA in Clinical Psychology and has been working as an LMFT with survivors of trauma in Compton/Watts/South Central for the past several years. His most recent narrative short film HALLELUJAH, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and the feature is now in development with Taika Watiti’s production company. He is also currently writing a screenplay for Searchlight and developing multiple projects.

ERIC JACKOWITZ (he/him) — dir. THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH

Eric Jackowitz is a Miami-born musician-turned-filmmaker whose creative journey began behind a drum kit. After drumming through childhood, Berklee College of Music, and performances with artists like George Clinton, Blake Mills, and Nick Waterhouse, Eric co-founded the bands The Cooties and Wolves of Glendale. His transition to filmmaking began in 2018, directing music videos for his band Cape Weather, which ultimately led to his debut short film, The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much. Influenced by Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Quentin Tarantino, and Spike Jonze, Eric’s work blends music, humor, and genre filmmaking into a style that is as rhythmic as it is cinematic. Like Carpenter, he edits and scores his own films, ensuring his singular creative voice carries through every frame. His goal is simple: to create films that immerse, entertain, and stay with audiences long after the credits roll.

JOSLYN JENSEN (she/her) — dir. NO HANDS

Joslyn Jensen broke into the world of independent film as an actress in the Independent Spirit Award winning film Without (2011), winning the Best Actress Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival and the Mar del Plata Film Festival, as well as special jury prizes from the Florida Film Festival and Slamdance Film Festival. Screenwriting credits include: Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme (Tribeca 2024, Neon Release, Hulu), Technically Yours (UpTv, 2024), an episode of the Duplass Brothers-produced web-series The Ride (Sundance Film Festival, 2020) and hundreds of episodes on Pocket FM, the world’s #1 audio series platform. No Hands is her directorial debut.

DWAYNE LEBLANC (he/him) — dir. YOU DO NOT EXIST

Dwayne LeBlanc is a first-generation Caribbean-American filmmaker whose work explores migration, visibility, and dual identities. His debut narrative short film, CIVIC, was named one of The New Yorker’s Best Movies of 2023. The film won the jury and audience awards at Indie Memphis and received special recognition at the New Orleans Film Festival. His sophomore film, NOW, HEAR ME GOOD, premiered in the Tiger Shorts Competition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and won the jury award at the San Diego Underground Film Festival. Both films are now distributed on the Criterion Channel. LeBlanc’s most recent work, YOU DO NOT EXIST, premiered at IFFR in 2026. Together, the three films form a loose trilogy examining what it means to come home, leave, and remain in place. His work has been presented globally at institutions including The Met, MoMA, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, NYU, and CalArts. LeBlanc is one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, a 2023 L.A. Performance Practice fellow, a 2024 Dolby Institute Fellow, a Berlinale Talents alum, a Zurich Film Festival Academy alum, and a 2025 MacDowell Fellow. He is currently developing his debut feature film.

DAN LESSER (he/him) — dir. ONE TWENTY-SIX

Dan Lesser is an Aussie-born, now Los Angeles–based director who loves telling stories rooted in identity, self-love, and anything that can get a cheeky giggle out of an audience. Whether narrative or commercial, he strives to create authentic and visually dynamic work. His films have screened across the world — from the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to billboards in Times Square, NYC — and have been accepted into festivals such as the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival, where he won the VORTEX Directorial Discovery Grand Prize. Dan has also directed countless music videos, including a recent ARIA Award–nominated video for Spacey Jane, as well as commercials and branded documentaries for companies such as Fujifilm and Skechers. His branded work has been recognized on the renowned 1.4 Long List.

SAM MANDICH (she/her) — dir. ANGELS

Sam Mandich is a biracial writer, director, and dancer from Long Beach, California. Her work explores belonging and identity through an intimate, physical lens rooted in movement and emotional realism. A graduate of the American Film Institute’s MFA Directing program and the Paris College of Art’s MA Photography program, Sam was selected to represent AFI’s 2025 class at the Telluride Film Festival for her distinct filmmaking voice. Before filmmaking, Sam spent years performing and choreographing in New York, training under the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, an experience that continues to shape her instinct for rhythm, gesture, and corporeal storytelling. Her work blends social realism with visceral lyricism, often centering youth, vulnerability, and the tensions of coming of age. Her graduate thesis film, JIA, which she wrote and directed, premiered at AFI Fest before competing for Best U.S. Student Short and Best LGBTQ+ Short at the Palm Springs International ShortFest. Her latest short film, ANGELS, had its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in July. Most recently, Sam was a part of the inaugural cohort of Square Peg Social, led by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen. She was also selected as one of eight female directors to receive the Proof of Concept Accelerator Grant from Netflix and Dirty Films. She currently has two feature films in development with her writing partner Annabel Newland.

WILL MAYO (he/him) — dir. DROPPING OFF

Will Mayo is a Los Angeles-based editor-director whose work has been Oscar®-shortlisted, Emmy®-nominated, and screened at Sundance, Venice, Berlinale, Telluride, Tribeca, and other leading festivals. Working across narrative, documentary, commercial, branded, and music video, Will brings a director’s perspective to an unusually diverse body of work. His credits include the Oscar®-shortlisted New Yorker documentary Cashing Out, Grindr’s Emmy®-nominated scripted series Bridesman, Searchlight short Starfuckers, Shudder feature Haze, and projects for The New York Times, Panera Bread, Aperol, Chappell Roan, and Kai Cenat. His work has been featured in 11 Vimeo Staff Picks, including two Best of the Year selections. Will directs films with his husband, Ian Scott McGregor. Their films First Night Out and As Beautiful Inside both became Vimeo Staff Picks. Their latest short, Dropping Off, has screened at Palm Springs ShortFest, Nashville Film Festival, and Encounters Film Festival, and is Oscar®-qualified. Originally from rural Tennessee, Will holds a BFA in Film & TV from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

IAN SCOTT MCGREGOR (he/him) — dir. DROPPING OFF

Ian Scott McGregor is a writer, actor, filmmaker, and comics historian based in Los Angeles. Ian has performed in iconic film, television, commercials, and is known for his voice and motion capture roles in Rockstar Games’ infamous Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises. Ian makes films with his husband, Will Mayo, writing and producing their Vimeo Staff Pick shorts First Night Out and As Beautiful Inside. Together, they co-wrote and co-directed The Mountain and Dropping Off. Ian’s documentary My Dinner With Angelo, about MAD artist Angelo Torres, premiered at Comic-Con in 2025.

BLAKE WINSTON RICE (he/him) — dir. DISC

Blake Winston Rice is a writer-director from New Jersey and a graduate of Rowan University. His breakout short Tea (2024), a 1990s dramedy starring Michael Gandolfini and executive produced by Patty Jenkins, premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Blake’s most recent film, DISC, premiered at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival and continues its festival run in competition at the 2026 Clermont-Ferrand and Tribeca Film Festival. DISC was highlighted by IndieWire as one of the “Best New Films That Premiered at the Fall Festivals.” Recently named a 2025 Vimeo Breakout Creator for his emerging body of work, Blake is a frequent guest director on ALMOST FRIDAY TV, and also produced PRIME, which was selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. He is represented by Kaplan Perrone and is currently developing his debut feature The Empty Lot (Wild Atlantic Pictures).

MINNIE SCHEDEEN (she/her) — dir. VISITORS

Minnie Schedeen is a writer/director from Los Angeles, CA. She is a three time fellowship winner with Sundance for her post-apocalyptic feature film FARMHOUSE. On the film side, Minnie adapted a horror novel for New Line and was hired to adapt her own novella EXOPLANET, which sold in a bedding war to Amazon/MGM with Gina Prince Bythewood attached to direct. On the TV side, Minnie sold her sci-fi neo-noir short story DUSK to Netflix to adapt herself. Minnie is currently adapting Adrian Tchaikovsky’s novella SATURATION POINT for Universal with Cynthia Erivo attached to star. Her genre short film VISITORS had its world premiere at SXSW 2026.

AIDAN WEAVER (he/him) — dir. A CRIME ACROSS FOUR LANDSCAPES

Aidan Weaver is an LA–based writer/director whose films push against the boundaries of form and genre to take audiences into bold, subversive, and unexpected territory. A graduate of UNCSA, his thesis film was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award. His latest short, A Crime Across Four Landscapes, premiered at Tribeca in 2026 and received the Vimeo Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs ShortFest.

ALEXAH ACUÑA (she/her) — dir. THUMP

Alexah Acuña (b. 1994, Chicago, IL) is Mexican-American production designer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She holds a BA from USC’s Roski School of Art & Design and brings over a decade of experience in the film industry. Her directorial debut, THUMP, a coming of age psychological thriller based on true events, premiered at the 2025 Florida Film Festival, the 2025 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), and the 2025 Raindance Film Festival in London- all Oscar-qualifying festivals. Acuña’s process is cathartic and personal, often referencing her own liminal feelings. She employs and explores the uncanny, the dreamy, the nostalgic, the in-between, the gritty, and most importantly, the other.

ANDREW THEODORE BALASIA (he/him) — dir. SHADOW DADDY

Raised in the backwoods of Delaware making short films with friends, juxtaposed with a young working life on Hollywood backlots as a child actor, these two polarized environments were formative in honing a voice distinctly his own. Andrew’s style explores emotional realism through a surrealist perspective, contrasting heavier themes with dark comedy. With a background in experimental video art commissioned by Jeffrey Deitch Gallery and MoMA, Andrew approaches narrative storytelling with this visual practice. His stylized short films have been in competition at Fantasia Film Festival, Maryland FF, Palm Springs International, Sarasota FF, and published online with Metrograph, Nowness, Short of the Week, No Budge, & others.

OLIVER BERNSEN (he/him) — dir. BAGWORM

Oliver Bernsen was born in 1989. He is a director, painter and landscape designer. He is fascinated by the beauty of ugliness. This can be seen in his short films Connective Tissue and Memory Box, which premiered at Beyond Fest 2024. His directorial debut, Bagworm, had its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival in 2025, where it won the People’s Choice Award in the Panorama Section before having its North American Premiere at SXSW in 2026.

TALIESIN BLACK-BROWN (he/him) — dir. LISTEN

Taliesin was born underwater in a barn in Vermont to a performance artist and a compost engineer. His earliest memories were of catching fish, frogs, snakes, and birds, and being part of a loving community. Teenage years were marked by a long, slow dance with bone cancer. While recovering from twenty surgeries and the removal of his left hip and pelvis, he began flying cameras on drones — a way to re-experience the world in motion. Drones became films; films became stories — and healing took flight. Taliesin cares about relationships and stories of connection. His films are more poetic and favor immersion over explanation. Listen, his latest project, produced by Academy Award winner Sam Davis, premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival and won the award for Best Documentary Short.

SAVANNAH BRASWELL (she/her) — dir. SUPPER

A graduate from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Savannah is informed by her upbringing in an increasingly digitally-connected yet physically-isolated world. She uses her experiences as a format to attempt to answer unnerving questions about herself and her generation. Her debut short film SUPPER won the Special Jury Award in the Narrative Short Competition at SXSW, and she is currently developing her directorial debut feature.

ANA CHAVEZ (she/her) — dir. BLUSH

Born in LA & raised in Singapore, Ana Chavez is a filmmaker & video artist exploring intersectional identity and youth culture through a hybrid filmmaking approach. She holds a BA in Film from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she first explored storytelling through documentary editing. Ana’s short film Her & I won Best Screenplay and Best Filmmaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 10-10-10 Competition in 2021. Her coming-of-age film Blush won the Wave Grant in 2025 and premiered at Aspen Shortsfest. The film explores themes of transition, cross-cultural identity, and liminality amongst a group of teenagers growing up in Singapore, and is shaped by improvisation from its cast. Ana is drawn to Super 8, mobile cameras, and field recordings pulled from everyday conversations and the world around her. For her, filmmaking is a practice of building a personal archive – a fragmented, intuitive collage of memories and articulations of what home feels like. Rooted in LA’s arts communities, Ana’s skill for documentation & editing has been leveraged by experimental arts organizations across the city, including Living Earth, Leaving Records, and dublab. She also mentors emerging teen photographers at Las Fotos Project in Boyle Heights.

INÉS CORINA (she/her) — dir. BOMB

Inés Corina is a Venezuelan-American writer and director fascinated with exploring the resilience of the human spirit and our relentless search for connection, despite our likelihood to fail. Her previous work has screened at Oscar-qualifying festivals across the country and has earned significant nominations, including for the Georgia Film Critic’s Oglethorpe Award. Since graduating from the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts in 2015, she amassed experience as a production coordinator on projects for Netflix, TBS, and Sony, later serving as an in-house coordinator at Adult Swim. Her passion for storytelling in all its forms led her to Fern, an animation studio in Atlanta, where she worked as Senior Producer.

VICTOR GABRIEL (he/him) — dir. I GOT MY BROTHER

Victor Gabriel is a black male writer/director who has turned to filmmaking as way for him to look at our shared humanity through the lens of humor. He holds an MA in Clinical Psychology and has been working as an LMFT with survivors of trauma in Compton/Watts/South Central for the past several years. His most recent narrative short film HALLELUJAH, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and the feature is now in development with Taika Watiti’s production company. He is also currently writing a screenplay for Searchlight and developing multiple projects.

ERIC JACKOWITZ (he/him) — dir. THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH

Eric Jackowitz is a Miami-born musician-turned-filmmaker whose creative journey began behind a drum kit. After drumming through childhood, Berklee College of Music, and performances with artists like George Clinton, Blake Mills, and Nick Waterhouse, Eric co-founded the bands The Cooties and Wolves of Glendale. His transition to filmmaking began in 2018, directing music videos for his band Cape Weather, which ultimately led to his debut short film, The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much. Influenced by Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Quentin Tarantino, and Spike Jonze, Eric’s work blends music, humor, and genre filmmaking into a style that is as rhythmic as it is cinematic. Like Carpenter, he edits and scores his own films, ensuring his singular creative voice carries through every frame. His goal is simple: to create films that immerse, entertain, and stay with audiences long after the credits roll.

JOSLYN JENSEN (she/her) — dir. NO HANDS

Joslyn Jensen broke into the world of independent film as an actress in the Independent Spirit Award winning film Without (2011), winning the Best Actress Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival and the Mar del Plata Film Festival, as well as special jury prizes from the Florida Film Festival and Slamdance Film Festival. Screenwriting credits include: Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme (Tribeca 2024, Neon Release, Hulu), Technically Yours (UpTv, 2024), an episode of the Duplass Brothers-produced web-series The Ride (Sundance Film Festival, 2020) and hundreds of episodes on Pocket FM, the world’s #1 audio series platform. No Hands is her directorial debut.

DWAYNE LEBLANC (he/him) — dir. YOU DO NOT EXIST

Dwayne LeBlanc is a first-generation Caribbean-American filmmaker whose work explores migration, visibility, and dual identities. His debut narrative short film, CIVIC, was named one of The New Yorker’s Best Movies of 2023. The film won the jury and audience awards at Indie Memphis and received special recognition at the New Orleans Film Festival. His sophomore film, NOW, HEAR ME GOOD, premiered in the Tiger Shorts Competition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and won the jury award at the San Diego Underground Film Festival. Both films are now distributed on the Criterion Channel. LeBlanc’s most recent work, YOU DO NOT EXIST, premiered at IFFR in 2026. Together, the three films form a loose trilogy examining what it means to come home, leave, and remain in place. His work has been presented globally at institutions including The Met, MoMA, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, NYU, and CalArts. LeBlanc is one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, a 2023 L.A. Performance Practice fellow, a 2024 Dolby Institute Fellow, a Berlinale Talents alum, a Zurich Film Festival Academy alum, and a 2025 MacDowell Fellow. He is currently developing his debut feature film.

DAN LESSER (he/him) — dir. ONE TWENTY-SIX

Dan Lesser is an Aussie-born, now Los Angeles–based director who loves telling stories rooted in identity, self-love, and anything that can get a cheeky giggle out of an audience. Whether narrative or commercial, he strives to create authentic and visually dynamic work. His films have screened across the world — from the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to billboards in Times Square, NYC — and have been accepted into festivals such as the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival, where he won the VORTEX Directorial Discovery Grand Prize. Dan has also directed countless music videos, including a recent ARIA Award–nominated video for Spacey Jane, as well as commercials and branded documentaries for companies such as Fujifilm and Skechers. His branded work has been recognized on the renowned 1.4 Long List.

SAM MANDICH (she/her) — dir. ANGELS

Sam Mandich is a biracial writer, director, and dancer from Long Beach, California. Her work explores belonging and identity through an intimate, physical lens rooted in movement and emotional realism. A graduate of the American Film Institute’s MFA Directing program and the Paris College of Art’s MA Photography program, Sam was selected to represent AFI’s 2025 class at the Telluride Film Festival for her distinct filmmaking voice. Before filmmaking, Sam spent years performing and choreographing in New York, training under the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, an experience that continues to shape her instinct for rhythm, gesture, and corporeal storytelling. Her work blends social realism with visceral lyricism, often centering youth, vulnerability, and the tensions of coming of age. Her graduate thesis film, JIA, which she wrote and directed, premiered at AFI Fest before competing for Best U.S. Student Short and Best LGBTQ+ Short at the Palm Springs International ShortFest. Her latest short film, ANGELS, had its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in July. Most recently, Sam was a part of the inaugural cohort of Square Peg Social, led by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen. She was also selected as one of eight female directors to receive the Proof of Concept Accelerator Grant from Netflix and Dirty Films. She currently has two feature films in development with her writing partner Annabel Newland.

WILL MAYO (he/him) — dir. DROPPING OFF

Will Mayo is a Los Angeles-based editor-director whose work has been Oscar®-shortlisted, Emmy®-nominated, and screened at Sundance, Venice, Berlinale, Telluride, Tribeca, and other leading festivals. Working across narrative, documentary, commercial, branded, and music video, Will brings a director’s perspective to an unusually diverse body of work. His credits include the Oscar®-shortlisted New Yorker documentary Cashing Out, Grindr’s Emmy®-nominated scripted series Bridesman, Searchlight short Starfuckers, Shudder feature Haze, and projects for The New York Times, Panera Bread, Aperol, Chappell Roan, and Kai Cenat. His work has been featured in 11 Vimeo Staff Picks, including two Best of the Year selections. Will directs films with his husband, Ian Scott McGregor. Their films First Night Out and As Beautiful Inside both became Vimeo Staff Picks. Their latest short, Dropping Off, has screened at Palm Springs ShortFest, Nashville Film Festival, and Encounters Film Festival, and is Oscar®-qualified. Originally from rural Tennessee, Will holds a BFA in Film & TV from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

IAN SCOTT MCGREGOR (he/him) — dir. DROPPING OFF

Ian Scott McGregor is a writer, actor, filmmaker, and comics historian based in Los Angeles. Ian has performed in iconic film, television, commercials, and is known for his voice and motion capture roles in Rockstar Games’ infamous Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises. Ian makes films with his husband, Will Mayo, writing and producing their Vimeo Staff Pick shorts First Night Out and As Beautiful Inside. Together, they co-wrote and co-directed The Mountain and Dropping Off. Ian’s documentary My Dinner With Angelo, about MAD artist Angelo Torres, premiered at Comic-Con in 2025.

BLAKE WINSTON RICE (he/him) — dir. DISC

Blake Winston Rice is a writer-director from New Jersey and a graduate of Rowan University. His breakout short Tea (2024), a 1990s dramedy starring Michael Gandolfini and executive produced by Patty Jenkins, premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Blake’s most recent film, DISC, premiered at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival and continues its festival run in competition at the 2026 Clermont-Ferrand and Tribeca Film Festival. DISC was highlighted by IndieWire as one of the “Best New Films That Premiered at the Fall Festivals.” Recently named a 2025 Vimeo Breakout Creator for his emerging body of work, Blake is a frequent guest director on ALMOST FRIDAY TV, and also produced PRIME, which was selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. He is represented by Kaplan Perrone and is currently developing his debut feature The Empty Lot (Wild Atlantic Pictures).

MINNIE SCHEDEEN (she/her) — dir. VISITORS

Minnie Schedeen is a writer/director from Los Angeles, CA. She is a three time fellowship winner with Sundance for her post-apocalyptic feature film FARMHOUSE. On the film side, Minnie adapted a horror novel for New Line and was hired to adapt her own novella EXOPLANET, which sold in a bedding war to Amazon/MGM with Gina Prince Bythewood attached to direct. On the TV side, Minnie sold her sci-fi neo-noir short story DUSK to Netflix to adapt herself. Minnie is currently adapting Adrian Tchaikovsky’s novella SATURATION POINT for Universal with Cynthia Erivo attached to star. Her genre short film VISITORS had its world premiere at SXSW 2026.

AIDAN WEAVER (he/him) — dir. A CRIME ACROSS FOUR LANDSCAPES

Aidan Weaver is an LA–based writer/director whose films push against the boundaries of form and genre to take audiences into bold, subversive, and unexpected territory. A graduate of UNCSA, his thesis film was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award. His latest short, A Crime Across Four Landscapes, premiered at Tribeca in 2026 and received the Vimeo Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs ShortFest.

LA'S Rich & Successful Film Festival 2026

RSFF would like to thank our CO-PRESENTERS

SOGBOTS,
TOPCAT MANAGEMENT, and
THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE

EXPERIENCE PARTNERS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

20% discount to all attendees

SCRIPTATION

PAGE BRADY — Director of Programming

Page Brady is a producer and executive from Michigan. She currently works on film and television projects at Celadon Pictures. She also serves as the Head of Programming for LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival. Previously, she was at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in the media finance department, where she assisted in securing financing and distribution for independent films. Most recently, she associate produced BUBBLE & SQUEAK (currently spelled SQEUAK), which premiered In Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

NIR LIEBENTHAL — Director of Strategy

Nir Liebenthal is a producer and strategist based in Los Angeles. He is a co-founder of Sogbots and LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival, where he leads the team across both companies, guiding vision, structure, and execution across all projects. Nir has worked in production management at Netflix and Disney, and in creative strategy at Penta Creative for Fortune 500 companies. Additional experience includes managing research and operations at UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers.

NOAH MORSE — Director of Partnerships

Noah Morse is a director, writer, and producer from Johnston, RI. He is one of the co-founders of sogbots, a production company based in Los Angeles. Noah currently serves as Creative Director and Director of Development for LA's Rich and Successful Film Festival. Annually, he volunteers at the Galaxy Theatre at Telluride Film Festival. Formerly, he worked as assistant to Larry Charles on A24's Dicks: The Musical as well as assistant to the head of the Literary Division at WME. Noah is a recipient of the 2024 Big Sky Film Grant for his upcoming film, But I'm Your Brother.

JEREMY ROTH-ROSE — Director of Growth

Jeremy Roth-Rose is an actor, producer, and creative strategist originally from southeastern Massachusetts. One of the co-founders of LA's Rich and Successful Film Festival (RSFF), Jeremy oversees day-to-day operations and sets long-term strategy. As an actor, Jeremy played Rob Lewis in the Netflix series “The Society,” and was a multi-season performer with the Tony-award winning Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, RI. Additionally, he's developed creative and innovation strategy for clients such as Microsoft, Mayo Clinic, and the Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi. Formerly, Jeremy served on the Programming team of the Ivy Film Festival – where he first fell in love with short films.

DYLAN TRUPIANO — Director of Media

Dylan Trupiano is a director, writer and editor from Metro Detroit. He is a co-founder of Sogbots and LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival, where he serves as Director of Media. His directing work has screened at festivals including HollyShorts, Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival and New/Next Film Festival. In 2022, he was one of 50 directors from around the world selected for Playlab Films' Creators Lab, where he studied under Palme d'Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives). His latest film, RECESSES, received the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant and is currently on the festival circuit.

KASEY KARINEN — Events Producer

Kasey Karinen is an LA-based Event Producer who has spent her life in hospitality, creating spaces where people can connect and celebrate. She has produced everything from weddings and art fairs to non-profit galas and community gatherings—and she’s happiest when there’s a full table and good company. This is her second year working with LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival.

MICHAEL De HAAN — Creative Director

Michael De Haan is a Creative Director and Writer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. His love for the film has propelled his design style toward the cinematic. After running an independent arthouse in Salt Lake City, Michael transitioned to creating visuals. He has worked internationally as a Creative Director and designer for clients such as Universal Pictures, Disney Animation, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, NEON, and several independent production houses. In May of 2024 he opened the doors to his creative agency - DONE.™ He is currently in post production of an experimental narrative audio series _xcerpts; his directorial / writing debut. Michael and his family recently moved to the Berkshires of Massachusetts.

CHARLIE HOFFMAN — Finance & Operations

Charlie Hoffman is a producer and strategist focused on developing sustainable approaches to independent film. He began his career in the Motion Picture Literary department at William Morris Endeavor before joining Robert and Susan Downey’s production company, where he helped manage their feature film slate as a creative executive. During his tenure, Team Downey held first-look deals with both HBO and Netflix. Charlie oversaw projects at various stages of development and supported the production of Shane Black’s forthcoming Play Dirty at Amazon.

KYRA CALAWAY — Development Coordinator

Kyra Calaway is a midwest born actor and producer currently based in New York. One of the co-founders of Topcat LLC, Kyra has produced the off-off Broadway show Before the Flood as well as the podcasts Sommer Stories: The Forgotten and Zero Initiative: Curse of Strahd. Recent acting credits include the short film The Captives and the podcast The Town With No Name (currently in post). Kyra is beyond thrilled to come back for RSFF4 and secretly hopes there will be a karaoke machine at the afterparty.

AYANA AHUJA — Production Coordinator

Ayana Ahuja is a filmmaker from Chantilly, Virginia. She currently serves as Production Intern at A24 and as Production Coordinator for LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival. As Creative Producer for the Indo-Caribbean Windrush Oral History Project, she is producing content for Royal Museums Greenwich in London. She recently was an EDU Fellow at the Gotham Film & Media Institute. A senior at Brown University, Ayana is currently directing her thesis film.

OREN LIEBENTHAL — Social Media Manager

Oren Liebenthal is a Montreal-based photographer. He is a student at Mcgill University, studying psychology and film. Before joining the RSFF team, he developed a music criticism platform on Instagram that grew to over 30,000 readers. Additional experience includes volunteering for London’s Open City Documentary Festival and working as a research assistant in two psychology labs.

CISSI EFRAIMSSON — RSFF5 Guest Animator

Cissi Efraimsson is a Swedish, Los Angeles-based stop-motion animation director, writer, and artist. Working across animation, painting, ceramic sculpture, and music, she creates tactile, handcrafted worlds populated by folklore-inspired creatures and eccentric characters. Efraimsson’s work combines bold colors, dark humor, and playful storytelling, exploring the meeting point between fantasy and everyday life. Her surreal worlds draw from folklore, mythology, and contemporary culture. Her work includes the short films Sea Angels (2024) and My Ex Boyfriend (2021), music videos for The Hives, Viagra Boys, and Upchuck, as well as projects for IKEA and Adult Swim. Sea Angels premiered on Swedish national television and has toured internationally on the festival circuit. Efraimsson holds an MFA in Experimental Animation from the California Institute of the Arts (2022) and a BFA in Fine Arts from the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm (2018). She also creates music under the name CISSI TV and previously toured and released albums with the bands Those Dancing Days and Vulkano.

JULIA AMI FURUTA LEPECKI — Production Assistant

Julia Ami Furuta Lepecki is a Brazilian-Japanese artist who served as a Production Assistant for LA's Rich and Successful Film Festival. She is currently an undergraduate student at Brown University, studying Modern Culture and Media and Entrepreneurship. At Brown, Julia serves as Head of Production for Brown Motion Pictures, where she helps oversee student film productions. Her experience also spans creative strategy and marketing, including roles as Creative Director at a startup and Marketing Intern at Cider. Growing up in a multicultural environment shaped by Brazilian, Japanese, Polish, and Mexican influences, Julia developed a deep interest in the ways media and storytelling can bridge cultures. She hopes to combine art and entrepreneurship to amplify diverse voices and create media that connects audiences across cultures.

ACADIA PHILLIPS — Production Assistant

Acadia Phillips is a writer from Tennessee. She has previously worked as a Speakers and Screeners coordinator for the Ivy Film Festival, collaborating with studios like Neon, A24, Universal Pictures as well as interned with The Wilbury Theatre Group in producing their annual festival, FRINGEPVD. Acadia is currently a junior at Brown University where she studies Modern Culture & Media and the Literary Arts.

KYLE BOWLES — Programmer

Kyle Bowles serves as Creative Executive at Unapologetic Projects, where he's proud to continue his mission-driven work of fostering underrepresented stories in cinema. Prior to Unapologetic, Kyle served as CE at Macro Film Studios, where his feature credits include FREAKY TALES (2024) and YOUNG. WILD. FREE. (2023). Kyle previously assisted filmmaker Michael Mann at Forward Pass Inc. and began his career in the mailroom at Gersh. Kyle is a graduate of Villanova University and an LA native from Inglewood, CA.

AURORA BRACHMAN — Programmer

Aurora Brachman is an Emmy Award-winning documentary director, producer, and cinematographer. She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film and a Vimeo Breakout Creator. Through patient and poetic storytelling her films explore narratives of intimate relationships within families and communities. Her latest film, HOLD ME CLOSE, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Her short documentaries, including WHEN THE REVOLUTION DOESN’T COME, CLUB QUARANTINE, JOYCHILD, STILL WATERS, and THE GALLERY THAT DESTROYS ALL SHAME, have been acquired by The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and POV; selected for Vimeo Staff Picks; exhibited at the MoMA, and screened at numerous festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, True/False, and BlackStar. She co-produced Apple TV+’s GIRLS STATE (Sundance 2024), associate produced A24’s STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERRATED (Sundance 2023); and assisted on the critically acclaimed Showtime docuseries COUPLES THERAPY.

IMANI DAVIS — Programmer

Imani Davis film programmer, scholar, producer, writer, and creative entrepreneur. Currently she is a film programmer at the American Cinematheque, a 501c3 nonprofit boasting over 1,600 film screenings a year. Imani has worked to put on events with A-list filmmakers and talent such as Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee, Timothee Chalamet, Sean Baker, Jordan Peele, Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Damien Chazelle, Christopher Nolan, and many more. Imani is also the founder and lead programmer of the American Cinematheque's newest short film festival called PROOF, which is the only festival completely dedicated to proof-of-concept short films.

NIX SANTOS — Programmer

Nix Santos is a Los Angeles-based creative producer and development executive. She produces at Book of Shadows, the production company behind Hamnet. She oversees the company's independent film slate, developing and producing filmmaker-driven projects with an emphasis on emerging voices. She also produces across Kodansha Studios, where she develops live-action adaptations of acclaimed manga for global audiences. Previously, Nix worked at J.J. Abrams's Bad Robot Productions.

NUER TAQA — Programmer

Nuer Taqa is a Central Asia–born, U.S.-based producer whose career began in Paris. He has produced over 35 films, series, and commercials, and is the founder of Radiance Pictures, with over a decade of experience across international productions, commercials, and music videos. Fluent in multiple languages, Nuer brings a global lens to every story he produces. In the past year, he received both an Academy Award for co-producing THE SINGERS and a VMA for “Push 2 Start” by Tyla. His recent narrative feature projects include BLKNWS: TERMS AND CONDITIONS, which premiered at Berlinale, Sundance, NYFF, and TIFF. His latest project, RIVERRUN, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Zoe Saldaña, launched at the 2026 EFM and will premiere later this year.

PAGE BRADY — Director of Programming

Page Brady is a producer and executive from Michigan. She currently works on film and television projects at Celadon Pictures. She also serves as the Head of Programming for LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival. Previously, she was at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in the media finance department, where she assisted in securing financing and distribution for independent films. Most recently, she associate produced BUBBLE & SQUEAK (currently spelled SQEUAK), which premiered In Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

NIR LIEBENTHAL — Director of Strategy

Nir Liebenthal is a producer and strategist based in Los Angeles. He is a co-founder of Sogbots and LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival, where he leads the team across both companies, guiding vision, structure, and execution across all projects. Nir has worked in production management at Netflix and Disney, and in creative strategy at Penta Creative for Fortune 500 companies. Additional experience includes managing research and operations at UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers.

NOAH MORSE — Director of Partnerships

Noah Morse is a director, writer, and producer from Johnston, RI. He is one of the co-founders of sogbots, a production company based in Los Angeles. Noah currently serves as Creative Director and Director of Development for LA's Rich and Successful Film Festival. Annually, he volunteers at the Galaxy Theatre at Telluride Film Festival. Formerly, he worked as assistant to Larry Charles on A24's Dicks: The Musical as well as assistant to the head of the Literary Division at WME. Noah is a recipient of the 2024 Big Sky Film Grant for his upcoming film, But I'm Your Brother.

JEREMY ROTH-ROSE — Director of Growth

Jeremy Roth-Rose is an actor, producer, and creative strategist originally from southeastern Massachusetts. One of the co-founders of LA's Rich and Successful Film Festival (RSFF), Jeremy oversees day-to-day operations and sets long-term strategy. As an actor, Jeremy played Rob Lewis in the Netflix series “The Society,” and was a multi-season performer with the Tony-award winning Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, RI. Additionally, he's developed creative and innovation strategy for clients such as Microsoft, Mayo Clinic, and the Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi. Formerly, Jeremy served on the Programming team of the Ivy Film Festival – where he first fell in love with short films.

DYLAN TRUPIANO — Director of Media

Dylan Trupiano is a director, writer and editor from Metro Detroit. He is a co-founder of Sogbots and LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival, where he serves as Director of Media. His directing work has screened at festivals including HollyShorts, Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival and New/Next Film Festival. In 2022, he was one of 50 directors from around the world selected for Playlab Films' Creators Lab, where he studied under Palme d'Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives). His latest film, RECESSES, received the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant and is currently on the festival circuit.

KASEY KARINEN — Events Producer

Kasey Karinen is an LA-based Event Producer who has spent her life in hospitality, creating spaces where people can connect and celebrate. She has produced everything from weddings and art fairs to non-profit galas and community gatherings—and she’s happiest when there’s a full table and good company. This is her second year working with LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival.

MICHAEL De HAAN — Creative Director

Michael De Haan is a Creative Director and Writer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. His love for the film has propelled his design style toward the cinematic. After running an independent arthouse in Salt Lake City, Michael transitioned to creating visuals. He has worked internationally as a Creative Director and designer for clients such as Universal Pictures, Disney Animation, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, NEON, and several independent production houses. In May of 2024 he opened the doors to his creative agency - DONE.™ He is currently in post production of an experimental narrative audio series _xcerpts; his directorial / writing debut. Michael and his family recently moved to the Berkshires of Massachusetts.

CHARLIE HOFFMAN — Finance & Operations

Charlie Hoffman is a producer and strategist focused on developing sustainable approaches to independent film. He began his career in the Motion Picture Literary department at William Morris Endeavor before joining Robert and Susan Downey’s production company, where he helped manage their feature film slate as a creative executive. During his tenure, Team Downey held first-look deals with both HBO and Netflix. Charlie oversaw projects at various stages of development and supported the production of Shane Black’s forthcoming Play Dirty at Amazon.

KYRA CALAWAY — Development Coordinator

Kyra Calaway is a midwest born actor and producer currently based in New York. One of the co-founders of Topcat LLC, Kyra has produced the off-off Broadway show Before the Flood as well as the podcasts Sommer Stories: The Forgotten and Zero Initiative: Curse of Strahd. Recent acting credits include the short film The Captives and the podcast The Town With No Name (currently in post). Kyra is beyond thrilled to come back for RSFF4 and secretly hopes there will be a karaoke machine at the afterparty.

AYANA AHUJA — Production Coordinator

Ayana Ahuja is a filmmaker from Chantilly, Virginia. She currently serves as Production Intern at A24 and as Production Coordinator for LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival. As Creative Producer for the Indo-Caribbean Windrush Oral History Project, she is producing content for Royal Museums Greenwich in London. She recently was an EDU Fellow at the Gotham Film & Media Institute. A senior at Brown University, Ayana is currently directing her thesis film.

OREN LIEBENTHAL — Social Media Manager

Oren Liebenthal is a Montreal-based photographer. He is a student at Mcgill University, studying psychology and film. Before joining the RSFF team, he developed a music criticism platform on Instagram that grew to over 30,000 readers. Additional experience includes volunteering for London’s Open City Documentary Festival and working as a research assistant in two psychology labs.

CISSI EFRAIMSSON — RSFF5 Guest Animator

Cissi Efraimsson is a Swedish, Los Angeles-based stop-motion animation director, writer, and artist. Working across animation, painting, ceramic sculpture, and music, she creates tactile, handcrafted worlds populated by folklore-inspired creatures and eccentric characters. Efraimsson’s work combines bold colors, dark humor, and playful storytelling, exploring the meeting point between fantasy and everyday life. Her surreal worlds draw from folklore, mythology, and contemporary culture. Her work includes the short films Sea Angels (2024) and My Ex Boyfriend (2021), music videos for The Hives, Viagra Boys, and Upchuck, as well as projects for IKEA and Adult Swim. Sea Angels premiered on Swedish national television and has toured internationally on the festival circuit. Efraimsson holds an MFA in Experimental Animation from the California Institute of the Arts (2022) and a BFA in Fine Arts from the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm (2018). She also creates music under the name CISSI TV and previously toured and released albums with the bands Those Dancing Days and Vulkano.

JULIA AMI FURUTA LEPECKI — Production Assistant

Julia Ami Furuta Lepecki is a Brazilian-Japanese artist who served as a Production Assistant for LA's Rich and Successful Film Festival. She is currently an undergraduate student at Brown University, studying Modern Culture and Media and Entrepreneurship. At Brown, Julia serves as Head of Production for Brown Motion Pictures, where she helps oversee student film productions. Her experience also spans creative strategy and marketing, including roles as Creative Director at a startup and Marketing Intern at Cider. Growing up in a multicultural environment shaped by Brazilian, Japanese, Polish, and Mexican influences, Julia developed a deep interest in the ways media and storytelling can bridge cultures. She hopes to combine art and entrepreneurship to amplify diverse voices and create media that connects audiences across cultures.

ACADIA PHILLIPS — Production Assistant

Acadia Phillips is a writer from Tennessee. She has previously worked as a Speakers and Screeners coordinator for the Ivy Film Festival, collaborating with studios like Neon, A24, Universal Pictures as well as interned with The Wilbury Theatre Group in producing their annual festival, FRINGEPVD. Acadia is currently a junior at Brown University where she studies Modern Culture & Media and the Literary Arts.

KYLE BOWLES — Programmer

Kyle Bowles serves as Creative Executive at Unapologetic Projects, where he's proud to continue his mission-driven work of fostering underrepresented stories in cinema. Prior to Unapologetic, Kyle served as CE at Macro Film Studios, where his feature credits include FREAKY TALES (2024) and YOUNG. WILD. FREE. (2023). Kyle previously assisted filmmaker Michael Mann at Forward Pass Inc. and began his career in the mailroom at Gersh. Kyle is a graduate of Villanova University and an LA native from Inglewood, CA.

AURORA BRACHMAN — Programmer

Aurora Brachman is an Emmy Award-winning documentary director, producer, and cinematographer. She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film and a Vimeo Breakout Creator. Through patient and poetic storytelling her films explore narratives of intimate relationships within families and communities. Her latest film, HOLD ME CLOSE, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Her short documentaries, including WHEN THE REVOLUTION DOESN’T COME, CLUB QUARANTINE, JOYCHILD, STILL WATERS, and THE GALLERY THAT DESTROYS ALL SHAME, have been acquired by The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and POV; selected for Vimeo Staff Picks; exhibited at the MoMA, and screened at numerous festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, True/False, and BlackStar. She co-produced Apple TV+’s GIRLS STATE (Sundance 2024), associate produced A24’s STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERRATED (Sundance 2023); and assisted on the critically acclaimed Showtime docuseries COUPLES THERAPY.

IMANI DAVIS — Programmer

Imani Davis film programmer, scholar, producer, writer, and creative entrepreneur. Currently she is a film programmer at the American Cinematheque, a 501c3 nonprofit boasting over 1,600 film screenings a year. Imani has worked to put on events with A-list filmmakers and talent such as Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee, Timothee Chalamet, Sean Baker, Jordan Peele, Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Damien Chazelle, Christopher Nolan, and many more. Imani is also the founder and lead programmer of the American Cinematheque's newest short film festival called PROOF, which is the only festival completely dedicated to proof-of-concept short films.

NIX SANTOS — Programmer

Nix Santos is a Los Angeles-based creative producer and development executive. She produces at Book of Shadows, the production company behind Hamnet. She oversees the company's independent film slate, developing and producing filmmaker-driven projects with an emphasis on emerging voices. She also produces across Kodansha Studios, where she develops live-action adaptations of acclaimed manga for global audiences. Previously, Nix worked at J.J. Abrams's Bad Robot Productions.

NUER TAQA — Programmer

Nuer Taqa is a Central Asia–born, U.S.-based producer whose career began in Paris. He has produced over 35 films, series, and commercials, and is the founder of Radiance Pictures, with over a decade of experience across international productions, commercials, and music videos. Fluent in multiple languages, Nuer brings a global lens to every story he produces. In the past year, he received both an Academy Award for co-producing THE SINGERS and a VMA for “Push 2 Start” by Tyla. His recent narrative feature projects include BLKNWS: TERMS AND CONDITIONS, which premiered at Berlinale, Sundance, NYFF, and TIFF. His latest project, RIVERRUN, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Zoe Saldaña, launched at the 2026 EFM and will premiere later this year.

View the FESTIVAL FINALISTS

EMANUELA BOISBOUVIER
DAWN & BOB BRADY
DANSON COUGAR
JILL, JUDAH & ROSEMARY DE HAAN
PARKER & AUDREY DUNN
ANNIE HALL
RAM & EINAT LIEBENTHAL
HILARY MARCUS
MAUREEN & MARK MORSE
TALIA LIGHT RAKE
SHELLEY ROTH & DANIEL ROSE
SPENCER ROTH-ROSE & LYDIA ROBERTS
TIGER SASHI SCHENKMAN
JESSE SUMMERS
SAM & JUDE TRUPIANO
TOM, CHRIS & CHLOE TRUPIANO
DROR, MAGGIE, BAZ, & NEVE
NEWSPAPER CLUB

Love,
The RSFF Team

The RSFF team would like to thank...

Welcome to RSFF5

October 6th — 10th, 2026 THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE & LOS FELIZ 3

CO-PRESENTED BY

Sogbots, TOPCAT MANAGEMENT, & The American Cinematheque

The Program

the features @ los feliz 3

October 8th & 10th

DOWNBEAT

Directed by DANNY MADDEN

October 8th — 7:00p at Los Feliz 3

with short film

DROPPING OFF

Directed by WILL MAYO & IAN SCOTT MCGREGOR

BAGWORM

Directed by OLIVER BERNSEN

October 8th — 9:30p at Los Feliz 3

with short film

SHADOW DADDY

Directed by ANDREW THEODORE BALASIA

VALENTINA

Directed by TATTI RIBEIRO

October 10th — 1:00p at Los Feliz 3

with short film

BLUSH

Directed by ANA CHAVEZ

THE SHORTS program @ THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE

October 9th — 7:00p

SUPPER

Directed by SAVANNAH BRASWELL

A CRIME ACROSS FOUR LANDSCAPES

Directed by AIDAN WEAVER

VISITORS

Directed by MINNIE SCHEDEEN

BOMB

Directed by INÉS CORINA

ANGELS

Directed by SAM MANDICH

ONE TWENTY-SIX

Directed by DAN LESSER

THE CHAIR

Directed by DUSTIN TAN

I GOT MY BROTHER

Directed by VICTOR GABRIEL

DISC

Directed by BLAKE WINSTON RICE

LIL GIBBOS | HOT DROP

Directed by ARIUS ZIAEE

A TALE OF AN UNIMPRESSIVE MAGICIAN

Directed by GORDY DE ST. JEOR

THUMP

Directed by ALEXAH ACUÑA

YOU DO NOT EXIST

Directed by DWAYNE LEBLANC

NO HANDS

Directed by JOSLYN JENSEN

THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH

Directed by ERIC JACKOWITZ

LISTEN

Directed by TALIESIN BLACK-BROWN

RSFF would like to thank our CO-PRESENTERS SOGBOTS, TOPCAT MANAGEMENT, and THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE

EXPERIENCE PARTNERS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

20% discount to all attendees

The RSFF team would like to thank...

October 6th — 10th, 2026
THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE & LOS FELIZ 3

Sogbots,
TOPCAT MANAGEMENT,
& The American Cinematheque

the features
@ los feliz 3

THE SHORTS program
@ THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE

LIL GIBBOS |
HOT DROP

RSFF would like to thank our CO-PRESENTERS

SOGBOTS,
TOPCAT MANAGEMENT, and
THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE