By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 11/1/25 – The Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF) concluded its 2025 edition on Sunday, October 27th, with an unforgettable celebration of cinematic creativity and cultural pride at The Garibaldina Society. As a proud media partner, The Hollywood Times was honored to witness this vibrant, community-driven event that continues to uplift diverse voices and champion authentic storytelling.
This year’s theme, “Heart and History,” set the tone for a festival filled with bold narratives, emotional resonance, and social impact. The lineup featured an impressive slate of world, California, and Los Angeles premieres, along with filmmaker panels and discussions that highlighted the power of film to unite and inspire.
Opening night launched with Sue Carpenter’s riveting rock documentary 40 Watts From Nowhere — a pulse-pounding exploration of L.A.’s pirate radio scene that went on to win Best Documentary Feature Film. The festival closed with the moving Mexican drama Kokoro: Heart of A City by director Mauricio Medina Elizondo, which took home Best Narrative Feature Film for its deeply human portrayal of love, loss, and resilience.
Throughout the four-day festival, attendees experienced a dynamic mix of shorts, features, and animation blocks that showcased the diversity of independent cinema. From eerie delights like The Nature of Death (Best Horror in the Hood) to heartfelt works such as You Used to Be Fun (Best in Herspective Cinema), each category reflected the creative pulse of filmmakers from Los Angeles and beyond.
2025 Award Winners
Best Documentary Feature: 40 Watts From Nowhere
Best Narrative Feature: Kokoro: Heart of A City
Best Short: Terminally Ill
Best Performance: Jammie Patton, The Uniform
Best Ensemble: Sienna and the Sit
Best Student Film: Sage Hen
2025 Micheaux Film Festival Award Winners
Music Video – I’m in Love
Choreography – COURAGE
Student – Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain
Experimental – The Ride
Horror/Thriller – Missing Rhythms
Sci-Fi/Fantasy – The Lord of All Future Space and Time
Documentary (Short) – 20 Summers: Rebuilding the Rhythm of New Orleans
Documentary (Feature) – It’s Dorothy!
Editing (Short) – The Off-Brands
Editing (Feature) – Lives Beyond Motion
Music/Sound Design – The Village It Took
VFX – #1 Bad Dad
Cinematography (Short) – Mas Alla
Cinematography (Feature) – Young King
International – Neither Donkey Nor Horse
Dramatic Short – ADO
Comedic Short – Better Life
Animated – Wednesdays with Gramps and I Know Him So Well
Dramatic Performances – Jimmy Jean-Louis (Sins of a Father), Angel Theory (Them That’s Not)
Comedic Performances – Marcus Scribner (Food for the Soul), Ivonnah Erskine (Love Is Blind)
Performance – Audrey Zahn (She Dances), Freddy Ramsey Jr. (The Rewrite)
Dramatic Writing (Short) – I Thought You’d Never Ask
Comedic Writing (Short) – I Hate My Love Life
Writing (Feature) – The Rewrite
Comedic Directing – BeforeHand
Dramatic Directing – Sometimes I Imagine Your Funeral
Directing – She Dances
Digital Series – Remember
Jury Short – BELIEF
Jury Feature – The Rewrite
…and many more category winners across audience and jury awards, honoring emerging and established filmmakers alike.
Since its founding in 2014, the Highland Park Independent Film Festival has served as a beacon for grassroots storytelling and creative collaboration. Even after the beloved Highland Theatre closed for renovations, the festival thrived thanks to community partners and its 2025 venue sponsor, The Garibaldina Society, which offered an intimate and inspiring setting for this year’s screenings.
Beyond the festival weekend, HPIFF continues to engage with the community year-round through its Community Film Series and Youth Mentorship Program at Franklin High School, initiatives that nurture the next generation of storytellers and film lovers.
Festival organizers, including Executive Director Marita De La Torre, Board President Lance Simon, and Artistic Director April Ibarra, extended heartfelt thanks to filmmakers, sponsors, volunteers, and media partners like The Hollywood Times for their ongoing support. “Hope to take it to new levels next year!” shared publicist Anita Lee, echoing the collective enthusiasm for what’s to come in 2026.
Follow HPIFF
Stay connected with the Highland Park Independent Film Festival on:
Facebook: @highlandparkindependentfilmfestival
Instagram / X / TikTok: @hpifilmfest
Website: www.hpifilmfest.com
