The Los Angeles Dance Shorts Film Festival began in June of 2017 with the work of filmmakers from around the world. For a couple of years, the festival was held at the Mimoda dance studio in mid-city Los Angeles which shares a corner building with the wonderful Paper or Plastik Café. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, Organizers and Co-Directors Nicole Manoochehri and Olivia Mia Orozco just announced that the 4th annual Film Festival will take place online November 13th-15th, 2020. There are two programs, each one available on demand for 24 hours and the admission is FREE.

Manoochehri is a storyteller, dancer, filmmaker and the founder of the Los Angeles Dance Shorts Film Festival. Orozco is a dancer, actress, choreographer and filmmaker who became Co-director of the Los Angeles Dance Shorts Film Festival in 2019.

There are a total of 34 films with each film running approximately 10 minutes and each program lasts from about 1 hour and 40 minutes. At 2:00pm the day after each program there will be a discussion with the filmmakers via Zoom, followed by a Q&A moderated by Manoochehri and Orozco. Details below.

Program 1

November 13th  (video on demand for 24 hours PDT)
Run Time: 1:40
Register HERE

For The Time Being Directed by Heidi Duckler (United States)
BEEHIVE (do you want me to bee) Directed by Luigi Coppola (Italy)
A Hard day’s night Directed by Benjamin Hoffman & Mathieu Mondoulet (France)
Breath In Directed by Melissa Barak (United States)
Alive Directed by Carissa Dorson (United States)
Liminality Directed by Jennifer Akalina Petuch & Annali Rose (United States)
Underground Directed by Jun Bae (United States)
Røtter Directed by Raven Jackson (United States)
EGO Directed by Dan ‘danidge’ Lowenstein (United Kingdom)
Dreams of Waking Directed by Aeric Meredith-Goujon (United States)
The Bull | El Toro Directed by Audrey Bow (Canada)
NILYNDA Directed by Jill Crovisier (Luxembourg)
Atena/Nets Directed by Mark Freeman (Ghana/United States)
Golden Directed by Kate Mitchell (United States)
Control Directed by Saemi Kwak (Korea)
daydreaming Directed by Peter Litwinowicz (United States)
Teorema Directed by Massimiliano Bomba (United States)

Filmmaker Q&A via Zoom for Program 1

November 14th @ 2 pm (PDT)

Register HERE.
Join a discussion on Dance Films with local and international filmmakers! Learn more about the process of creating their films as well as the world of screendance. Moderated by Festival Directors Nicole Manoochehri & Olivia Mia Orozco. We will be raffling a Fest Shirt during the Q&A!

"Breathe In" Directed by Melissa Barak (United States)

“Breathe In” Directed by Melissa Barak (United States)

Program 2

November 14th (video on demand for 24 hours PDT)
Run Time: 1:36
Register HERE.

Collective Loss Directed by Alyssa Thompson (United States)
Toporzeł Directed by Iwona Pasińska (Poland)
OLHE-SE (Look at Yourself) Directed by Ilana Paterman Brasil (Brazil)
WAKE Directed by Katie Beard & Naomi Turner (United Kingdom)
Between the Lines Directed by Jen Guy Metcalf (United States)
Making Men Directed by Antoine Panier (Belgium)
She Directed by Adele Thomas (Canada/United States)
Apple Directed by Jiang Xiong (China)
The Sum Of All Parts Directed by Lukas Timulak & Peter Bilak (Netherlands)
Y’U, had things to do in the other world Directed by Joyce Islas, Mariana Fernández, Julio López & Sebastián Rojo (Mexico)
WEARNHEM Directed by Alberto Villanueva & Jurrien Schobben (Netherlands)
Traces Directed by Alex Murrull (Spain)
AGON Directed by MANUEL NOGUEIRA (Brazil)
Burden Directed by Lawrence Fung (United States)
Claim Directed by Keely Song (United States)
Fragments Directed by Can Heinrich Toepffer (Germany)
The Grid (collab) Directed by Jeffrey Prioleau (United States)

Filmmaker Q&A via Zoom for Program 2

November 15th @ 2 pm (PDT)
Register HERE.
Join a discussion on Dance Films with local and international filmmakers! Learn more about the process of creating their films as well as the world of screendance. Moderated by Festival Directors Nicole Manoochehri & Olivia Mia Orozco. We will be raffling a Fest Shirt during the Q&A!

The Directors hope that you will join them for the 4th Annual Film Festival in the comfort of your own home. Join Us For Our 4th Annual Film Festival!

Support for the festival is possible through the purchase of a T-Shirt

PLUS! Vote for your favorite film! One “Audience Choice Award” will be given per screening. The winner will receive $100!


By Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.

Featured image: Making Men Directed by Antoine Panier (Belgium) – Screenshot courtesy of LADSFF