Beyond Shorts: Heartburn

Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM

Los Feliz Theatre, Los Angeles

### **ABOUT THE EVENT:** An explosive rebound situation, a husband’s hidden chamber of secrets, a group of men radicalizing before our very eyes: this block follows men coming undone with lovers, with each other and with themselves. Bitter, unsettling and occasionally ugly, these shorts trace a throughline of masculinity fraying at the edges, whether the wound is romantic, repressed or entirely self-inflicted. ### **ABOUT THE FILMS:** **“Early Human Media,” Dir. Adrian Delcan, 12 Mins, USA** At the end of their second date, Joaquin accepts Misty’s invitation up to her apartment, but the night takes a turn when her eccentric brother subjects him to a surreal trial that leaves him questioning reality and love. FORMAT: DCP **“The Sorrows of Young Charlotte,” Dir. Shir Ariya, 14 Mins, UK** Still nursing a breakup, Charlie has a rebound night with her friend Werther, but when he pops her ex’s potency pills, unrequited love and pharmaceutical overkill collide in a most unexpected way. FORMAT: DCP **“Fester,” Dir. Max Parr, 18 Mins, Canada** Unable to digest the end of his relationship, Robert develops a haunting gut-rot that sends him spiraling down the toilet… and into his ex-girlfriend’s new lover’s apartment. FORMAT: DCP **“Jack & Christine,” Dir. Noam Kroll, 9 Mins, USA** A quiet dinner party spirals into emotional chaos when a mysterious guest from the past arrives. FORMAT: DCP **“Friends Like Us,” Dir. Ray Savaya, 11 Mins, Canada** A dark comedic thriller where two sitcom actors have to reenact a new version of their show’s series finale after a crazed fan keeps them hostage. FORMAT: DCP **“Overlooked,” Dir. Lola Blanc, 4 Mins, USA** In this 8mm oner, a group of men become more radicalized with each turn of the camera. FORMAT: DCP **“Bad Look,” Dir. Maxwell Rousso, 16 Mins, USA/Germany** After her first nude photo shoot, an ambitious model becomes unsettled by the way a well-known photographer has framed and interpreted her body. When she confronts him to regain control of the images, their negotiation spirals into a charged argument that exposes the power and insecurity underlying their collaboration. FORMAT: DCP **“Mancave,” Dir. Fredrik S. Hana, 23 Mins, Norway** Charlotte Husebø is drawn into a labyrinth of repressed fantasies and dark secrets when she discovers that her husband, Didrik Husebø, has a hidden room in the family’s garage. FORMAT: DCP