2025 Annual Awards: Block 11. Dark Comedies & Other Indies

Cinema #14 | 2:45pm – 4:45pm | Regal LA Live, June 7th 2025

(PG – Some material may not be suitable for children)

Another Her Beneath the Sea

A quiet life by the sea unravels when a fisherman’s daughter is reunited with a former classmate from the city. What begins as a nostalgic connection soon fractures as buried secrets come to light. When she uncovers the truth her old friend has been hiding, the bond between them is tested—and both women are forced to confront what they’ve lost, and what they can no longer ignore.

By Steve Zhao (China)

08:30

WORLD PREMIERE

Jules

Jules hides her love for motocross from her controlling boyfriend Clutch, a former racer broken by injury. When she meets Rome, a bold rider who reignites her passion, she’s torn between loyalty, love, and the freedom to ride on her own terms.

By Tiffany M Abney (USA)

20:00

Olan, TX

After a long absence, Olan returns to his small Texas hometown to bury his estranged father—only to find he’s already too late. Recently discharged from the Army and reeling from personal loss, Olan inherits nothing but debts, a rundown truck, and a scrappy terrier named Cicero. As he grapples with unfinished business and long-buried resentment, Olan must confront his past—and make an impossible choice to honor a final wish.

By Nathan Markiewicz (USA)

13:32

La Bala

The story of a Mexican family living in Arizona who is faced with imminent deportation. Instead of being handled by the INS, they take matters into their own hands and attempt to flee back to their homeland. On their journey, they are faced with more brutal dangers than they could have ever imagined.

By Brie Zepeda (USA)

22:43

CALIFORNIA PREMIERE

Mustang

When Susan, a mysterious drifter, stumbles upon a remote ranch, she finds more than just a place to rest. The ranch is home to James and Betsy, siblings whose hope rests on a single prized horse that they dream of turning into a breeding success. Desperate and on the edge, James is immediately smitten with Susan, and the two share a night of unexpected passion. But Betsy keeps a close, jealous watch—suspicious of her brother and captivated by Susan in her own way.

By Dylan Hayes (USA)

13:58

WORLD PREMIERE

English Rose

Adam and Butterfly, a newly acquainted traumatic couple, embark on 24 hours of chaos in search of new beginnings.

By Alexander Bather (UK)

16:28

USA PREMIERE

O.C.D.

A neurotic delivery driver named Owen battles his OCD at a local convenience store while his TikToker girlfriend plans an exposure therapy dinner date at home. But when she helps him resist his compulsion, it subsequently triggers the apocalypse.

By Luca Pizzoleo (USA)

12:13