"We are the Descendants (in 79 languages)" is a narrative music film featuring vocalists worldwide, all singing the very same phrase, in 79 languages: "We are the descendants."

This affirmation of our common origin features American rapper, Fredo Bang, performing English language verses in a futuristic, sci-fi setting, after the earth has become uninhabitable.

The second half of the film implies a parallel reality, set to a completely different musical score, with all 79 languages singing their phrases simultaneously, against orchestral textures. Creating a strong narrative regarding the combined efforts of disparate strangers as necessary for survival.

Screens with "Psychopomp".

A young man steals a hearse from a funeral and picks up a hitchhiker in this comedy film.

Screens with "We Are The Descendants".

Tonino and Ima, one a teenager from Italy lost on a fishing boat and the other a migrant kid on a life raft, find themselves stranded in the Mediterranean. Amidst distrust and struggle, they realize that the only way to survive is to work together and join forces: while their friendship grows faster than their prejudices.

Meet your Award Ceremony Hosts as they oversee limited quantities of Free Popcorn, while you mingle with festival filmmakers and guests at the only "All-Ages" social reception of the festival. Taking place from 4:30pm until 6:30pm on Friday afternoon.

Meet with your fellow filmmakers while having some fun during a full day of festival film screenings, at our fun-filled and not-to-be-missed event that takes place at L.A. LIVE.

Purchase an HRIFF Party-Ticket Package to be able to check out all of our party events. Get your tickets today!

4:30pm-6:30pm
All Ages

LGBTQ / DRAMA BLOCK A-7

An endless drought has befallen the world due to climate change.

Colby manages to survive in isolation, but her routine is interrupted by an intruder. Will her longing for connection lead Colby to dropping her guard?

LGBTQ / DRAMA BLOCK A-7

This film follows a young man named Fernando -who is trying to fill a void inside left by his father. Struggling with these daddy issues, he often finds himself yearning for the attention of older men.

In his quest to work through his trauma he seeks comfort from a self-proclaimed “daddy”. What was supposed to be just a casual dinner turns into an unexpected encounter that offers Fernando the clarity he’s been longing for.

LGBTQ / DRAMA BLOCK A-7

An American man embarks on a journey to meet his mother, a retired, larger-than-life flamenco dancer whose sleep disorder is deteriorating her mind and body to death.

In Madrid, as he witnesses her worsening, he learns that death is part of life, but suffering shouldn’t be, and he becomes instrumental in helping her find peace and restfulness.

SHORT FILM BLOCK B-7

A former child star fights for meaningful roles in Hollywood while battling her manipulative talent manager, exposing the dark comedy of the industry's control over artists.

SHORT FILM BLOCK B-7

Frenemies are forever. Especially when you need their life-rights for a primetime miniseries about the boarding school murder you all covered up.

In the spirit of Jawbreaker and Heathers, this film mines the trauma of bullying and leads one to ask which is worse: being reunited with your former clique or being forced to record a podcast?

Put your keys in the bowl for this 90's teen-style dark comedy. Oh! And do NOT share a glass with anyone.

SHORT FILM BLOCK B-7

Danielle has something very important to talk to her friend Alan about. Alan just wants to take Danielle to the school dance. But Alan is in for a big surprise …and it's not about a sex change operation.

SHORT FILM BLOCK B-7

This film is a story about the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, and how the magic of family can bring them back together. It explores the deep connections that hold us together, even when life tries to pull us apart.

As the girl struggles to find her place in a world that feels different, she discovers that love and family never truly leave us. It’s the story of a girl who is not ready to let go but is ready to move on.

SHORT FILM BLOCK B-7

As a deadly pandemic ravages Earth, a group of young survivors are forced into cohabitation in an underground bunker, facing isolation, dwindling resources, and rising tensions.

Each person carries their own set of struggles, and divisions begin to form, creating fragile factions within the group. As personal battles intensify, they must confront their fears and differences, finding a way to work together in order to survive the unforgiving new reality.

HORROR SHORTS C-7

Everyone has a breaking point.

This psychological thriller delves into the fractured mind of a young woman who is trapped in the shadows of her abusive marriage.

HORROR SHORTS C-7

grey • scale / grāskāl / noun: A relationship that is not black or white but exists in varying shades of confusion.

Music artist Duckwrth presents a 1940s noir-style film that serves as a visual metaphor for the relationships in his life. The contrast of the two characters (both played by Duckwrth) provides a look into the psyche of the artist, and a picture of the inner battles we all face.

HORROR SHORTS C-7

When the daughter of a legendary novelist is abducted by an undead wolf, a Sicilian filmmaker descends into a stone well in order to rescue her -- and learn the truth about the wolf's origins.

HORROR SHORTS C-7

This horror film explores themes of objectification and projection.

A man’s carefully maintained routine is disrupted when he discovers the lifeless body of a young woman in his garden. As he interacts with her, it becomes clear that he is responsible for her death, yet he continues to treat her as an object rather than a person.

The film then shifts to the corpse’s perspective, emphasizing the horror of having one’s autonomy and voice taken away.

Created by an all-female crew, this film is a meditation on power, guilt, and the consequences of unchecked entitlement, and was inspired by real-life cases of violence against women.

The movie challenges viewers to confront the discomforting reality of how women are dehumanized, both in life and in death, while critiquing the societal structures that enable such things to repeatedly happen.

HORROR SHORTS C-7

A group attends a séance in hopes to communicate with their lost departed, but inadvertently attract a malevolent entity poised to feed on their souls.

This tragicomedy/mystery about a middle-aged man, named Charlie (Scott Cohen), whose life is completely falling apart, until he begins to believe that his pre-teen son Shane (Romyn Smith) may be able to save their family - and much much more.

Charlie’s new obsession puts him in direct conflict with his ex-wife (Angela Bettis), his girlfriend (Inga Stamboltyan), his rabbi (Almog Pail), a conflicted doctor (Darwin Shaw), and a mystery woman (Svetlana Efremova), who may hold the key to Charlie’s secret.

But is Charlie’s quest real or imaginary?

Q&A with director Yuri Zeltser moderated by Phillip Noyce (director of Rabbit Proof Fence, The Bone Collector, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, Blind Fury, Dead Calm, The Saint, Salt, Above Suspicion, and many more).

Starring Golden Globe nominee Beverly D’Angelo, Oscar nominee Eric Roberts, and original cast member of MAD TV Debra Wilson, "Unfriendly Fire” is a bold, irreverent, laugh out loud mockumentary that satirizes a fictional second American Civil War.

Blending dark humor with sharp political commentary, the film chronicles the rise of America’s first woman president, as she fights to save the nation from radical Christian fascism. Through the eyes of Kit Brighton, an unlikely nonbinary Antifa hero, we witness absurd battles, militia mishaps, and the war’s unexpected cultural shifts.

From drag queens stopping armed marches to conservative militias accidentally sabotaging themselves, the film delivers a hilarious yet thought-provoking critique of extremism.