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ABOUT
Los Angeles Film Awards (LAFA) is a monthly international competition dedicated to elevating the voices of filmmakers and screenwriters from around the globe.
As one of the highest-rated festivals on FilmFreeway with over 1,000 five-star reviews, LAFA serves as a powerful stepping stone for independent storytellers. Each month, our jury selects exceptional projects through private screenings, offering winning filmmakers industry recognition, exclusive reviews and spotlight interviews, official award certificates, and eligibility for our prestigious Annual Awards.
LAFA on IMDb: www.imdb.com/event/ev0004043
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FILM & SCREENPLAY REVIEWS
Faith and the Christmas Star: Film Review
“Faith and the Christmas Star” directed by Anne Trenning is a marvelously refreshing take on classic Christmas stories. Much of today’s modern filmmaking, particularly the ones driven toward young viewers, exists in overwhelm and overstimulation. Fast paced action, sound, and editing assault the senses and create unnecessary adrenal spikes. Seeing Trenning’s animated film allows the viewer to pause and take a deep breath. I would happily recommend including this film as a par
Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre: Film Review
Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre / Written and Directed by Jesse Edwards Family films are often the hardest to pull off. They need to entertain younger audiences while still offering enough heart, humor, and adventure to keep everyone else invested. Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre does exactly that, delivering a charming mystery packed with memorable characters, genuine laughs, and a heartfelt celebration of friendship, family, and following your dreams. At the center of the s
Yahoo Boy: Screenplay Review
A screenplay by Wendy J. Bednarz Yahoo Boy is a cross-cultural comedy that begins with a simple but striking premise: a lonely widow falls victim to an online romance scam and decides to travel across the world to confront the man who deceived her. What starts as a story of loss and betrayal gradually opens into something far more unexpected, funny, and emotionally rich. At the center of the screenplay is Madge, a character who feels refreshingly authentic. She is sharp, impu
ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS
Spotlight: An Interview with Mingfeng Li ("So Long")
Rising filmmaker Mingfeng Li makes a powerful entrance with So Long, a beautifully crafted black-and-white drama that has already begun capturing attention for its emotional honesty and stunning cinematography. As co-writer, co-director, and director of photography, Li brings a unique visual clarity to this story of an undocumented immigrant family navigating danger and impossible decisions. His work transforms a student project into a cinematic experience filled with heart,
Spotlight: An Interview with Nguyen Dang Vy ("Facade")
For Nguyen Dang Vy, filmmaking began long before his first day on set. It started in a modest French home filled with the glow of old VHS tapes: Jurassic Park, The Matrix, Back to the Future, films that ignited a lifelong fascination with storytelling. After years of crafting visual effects for Hollywood hits, DangVy stepped behind the camera to create Facade, his bold and haunting directorial debut. We caught up with him to discuss how it all began, and where it’s headed nex
An Interview with Mack Lindon ("Rise of the Underdog")
Mack Lindon is no stranger to adversity, and no stranger to turning it into art. The Australian actor-turned-director first stunned audiences with RISE, his powerful debut based on his own wrongful imprisonment. Now, with Rise of the Underdog, Mack continues to carve out an inspiring path in independent cinema, sharing not only his story but also his unwavering belief in the underdog spirit. As his latest feature heads toward international distribution, Mack opens up about re
LAFA WINNERS
LAFA Winners - July 2026
Best Picture Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre - Jesse Edwards Best Narrative Feature Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre - Jesse Edwards Best Narrative Short Small Town - Rhianna Georgia Morris Best Indie Feature Twentieth Century Revenants - Juaquin Sebastian Rosales Best Indie Short Sempiterno - Fiorella Limay Guisse Best Drama Together - Christopher Hunt, Morgan Mead Best Dark Comedy Toothman - Clint Green Best AI Film Curious (The Story of Pie) - Jeong Jin Kim Best
LAFA Winners - June 2026
Best Picture The Baby Clause - Maty Young, LK Bermudez Best Narrative Film SEEK II: The Unsung Scars - Shane Kosugi, Kenji Qurata Best Indie Film A Lot to Lose - Yiqing Wei, Brycen Guerrero Best Drama Second Life - Ching-Hung An Best Comedy A World Class Superpower - Mikael Genachte-Le Bail Best Parody A World Class Superpower - Mikael Genachte-Le Bail Best Musical Rappaccini's Daughter - Lorena Maza Best Dance Film POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency) - Zoee Marsh Best Act
LAFA Winners - May 2026
Best Picture Citizanos Episode One - Efrain Cortes Best Narrative Feature Texas Rhapsody - Sam Pfiester, Taylor Stanley Best Narrative Short Blue Sky - Tony Jopia Honorable Mention: Narrative Film Que - Tianqi Zhao Best Indie Feature Call me Joe - Franco Ceredi Best Indie Short Same Face - Sang-Hoon Lee Honorable Mention: Indie Film Trepidation - Elgin Cahill Best Drama Pink Trees - Malhar Abhijit Talwalkar Best AI Film The Artist - James Hendry Best Horror Sar
ANNUAL AWARDS
11th Annual LAFA 2026 Nominations
Entering its second decade, the Los Angeles Film Awards continues to serve as an elite global benchmark for filmmaking excellence, spotlighting extraordinary narratives that carry the depth and polish of high-end cinema. The selection process for our 11th annual edition highlighted a breathtaking caliber of films, driven by complex storytelling, magnificent ensemble casts, and profound cultural relevance. Standing at the forefront of this year's competition with a remarkable
10th Annual LAFA 2025 Nominations
Over the past decade, the Los Angeles Film Awards has established itself as a premier destination for cinematic excellence, acting as a vital bridge where high-caliber studio storytelling and elite independent vision meet. As we celebrate our milestone 10th anniversary, the official nominee class of 2025 represents the absolute vanguard of the craft. These are the films that captivated our jury with their exceptional technical execution, star-studded performances, and profoun
9th Annual LAFA 2024 - The Winners
Best of Fest We Are Living Things - Antonio Tibaldi Best Narrative Feature Alta Valley - Jesse Edwards Best Narrative Short Rare Land - Efthimis Hatzis Best Indie Feature Stranger In The Woods - Adam Newacheck Best Indie Short Look Around - Ulisses Malta Junior, Gustavo Azevedo Santos Best Web/TV Pilot The Risk Takers - Xano Alexander Cuervo Best Web/TV Series The Nordic - Clay E Croft Best Documentary Feature Patria y Vida: The Power of Music - Beatriz Luengo Best Documen
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