Author: Jeff

642. Hao Yan & Mandy Chen “Winter Psalm”

Posted on by Jeff

A case of the Mondays? This chat will surely shake that off.

Hao Yan & Mandy Chen collaborated to make the short film “Winter Psalm,” a wonderfully touching film that they brought to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Drama. Hao wrote and directed the film while Mandy produced, collaborating from beginning to end.                                                                                                                                                                          This wonderful film always strikes at my heart with its very original story and wonderful filmmaking.

When the film releases online we will add a link here, but in the meantime you can follow both of these filmmakers at: @hao_yan3  and @mmandy.cc
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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

641. 4Qs with Cate Fogarty

Posted on by Jeff

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out.

Filmmaker Cate Fogarty brought her short comedy “Baby Husband” to Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025 and went home with the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality – Comedy.

I truly respect that talents and mind of this filmmaker and could not wait to hear what she had for us with her 4 Questions.

You cannot watch “Baby Husband” online yet, but when you can we will update the show notes with a link.                                                                                                                                                                                 In the meantime, you can follow Cate on Instagram at @catefogarty to see if you can catch it at a festival sometime!

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

640. Cate Fogarty “Baby Husband”

Posted on by Jeff

A wonderful Wednesday to Everybody tuning in!

Filmmaker Cate Fogarty brought her short comedy “Baby Husband” to Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025 and went home with the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality – Comedy.                                                       I am personally a huge fan of Cate’s inventive, hilariously truthful short film and it was a joy to see her on the podcast schedule.
The truth is that “Baby Husband” is not just a smart comedy, it is a courageous filmmaking leap.                                                                                                                                                                                              This film required things that many a filmmaker would look at on the page and think, “that is going to be tough to pull off. I think I’ll try something easier.”                                                                                                    Cate stepped up to the challenge!

You cannot watch “Baby Husband” online yet, but when you can we will update the show notes with a link.                                                                                                                                                                                 In the meantime, you can follow Cate on Instagram at @catefogarty to see if you can catch it at a festival sometime!

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

639. 4Qs with Aaron Bennett

Posted on by Jeff

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out.

Aaron Bennett brought his film “Jokers Wild” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December, 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director of a Horror Short as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design, Short Film for his sound designer Matt Broadfoot.

Aaron and I had a fantastic chat and I had a strong feeling I was going to really enjoy the follow up 4 Questions.

Follow Aaron on Instagram at @aaronwritesstuff
Follow Jokers Wild on Instagram at @jokerswildmovie
Follow Jokers Wild on TikTok at @jokerswildmovie

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

Yellowstone 88 – Song of Fire

Posted on by Jeff

2026 FI-Lima Official Selection:  Short Film – Animation

In the summer of 1988 dry lightning sparked a fire in the parched and drought ridden landscape of Yellowstone Park, igniting a blaze that would scorch over 1.5 million perimeter acres of the park.

Song of Fire, a narrative poem, guides the animation of YELLOWSTONE 88 telling the story of this conflagration that raged unabated for months until a snow of such intense severity extinguished the flames. That winter surviving Fauna, exhausted from fire and weakened by hunger, die in greater numbers than those claimed by the fire. The cosmos turns from one season to another and another and life in the park begins anew.

Director(s): Jerry van de Beek, Betsy De Fries
Writer(s): Betsy De Fries
Producer(s): Betsy De Fries
Key Cast: Peter Coyote

Country: United States
South American Premiere

Return to 2026 Official Selections – Films

Source: FILA