IndieX Film Fest is proud to announce that actress, writer, and producer Arielle Raycene will join the 2025 Q&A panel as a guest speaker on June 7 at 4:55 PM in Cinema #14 at Regal LA Live. Raycene stars in Growing Daisies, a bold and disturbing experimental short that is nominated for Best Experimental Short, Best Female Director, and Best Actress of 2025.

Directed by Alessandra Gaia Williams, Growing Daisies will screen in Block 7: Women in Defiance from 2:25 PM to 3:55 PM in Cinema #13.

This unsettling and provocative film unflinchingly explores the fractured inner life of a woman spiraling through obsession, repression, and emotional breakdown. Raycene delivers a raw, fearless performance that anchors the film’s haunting psychological portrait.

“I was drawn to the role because of how raw and real it reveals the female psyche—something so many women experience but that is rarely discussed openly,” Raycene said. “This film doesn’t shy away from the darkness or discomfort. It exposes truths that are often buried.”

Raised in a Kansas farm town while working as a child actor in Los Angeles, Raycene earned her SAG card at age 3 and has since built a multifaceted career across film, television, and theater. With degrees in Theater and Journalism, she brings an intellectual and emotional rigor to her work. A move to New York sparked a passion for stage performance, while recent years have seen her expanding into producing, writing, and launching Small Town, a clothing brand inspired by her roots and created during the SAG and writers’ strike.

Today, Raycene is focused on developing female-driven stories that explore complex, often overlooked emotional landscapes. Her interest in technology and entrepreneurial ventures further underscores her dynamic presence in the industry.

Following the screening of Growing Daisies, Raycene will take the stage for the Q&A panel to discuss the film’s themes, her creative process, and the importance of confronting the uncomfortable truths that shape women’s lived experiences.

She will be joined by fellow guest speakers AJ Lambert, Anthony Young, Carmine Carpenito, and Kayden Tokarski—each bringing their own unique voice and perspective to the conversation.

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