Early Bird Deadline
January 29, 2023 - $25
Regular Deadline
February 26, 2023 - $30
Late Deadline
March 26, 2023 - $35
Extended Deadline
April 23, 2023 - $40
Notification Date
June 25, 2023
Event Date
August 18 - 20, 2023
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!
Join us August 18-20th, 2023
Current Playhouse West students are not allowed to buy single block tickets and must purchase a Full Festival Pass to attend the festival.
Playhouse West alumni and other guests may purchase single block tickets at the theater during the festival. Friday night tickets are $20. Block tickets and panels during the weekend are $15.
See you at the movies!

ABOUT
The Playhouse West Film Festival screens films which involve their current or former members. All films must either have a Playhouse West member in a leading or primary supporting acting role, or as the director, writer or producer.
The annual Playhouse West film festival is a three day event at the historic El Portal Theater in North Hollywood, CA, showcasing the filmmaking and acting talents of the Playhouse West students, both former and current. As a Meisner-based acting school (Sanford Meisner taught there late in his teacher career), Playhouse West is the only acting school which not only inspires its acting students to take control of their careers by making their own projects, it hosts a top notch festival where they can show off their work.
The Playhouse West Film Festival is sponsored by the Playhouse West Arts Foundation, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization dedicated to the inspiration, education and development of motion picture and theater artists of independent vision, and to the exhibition of their work. By sponsoring programs such as the Playhouse West Film Festival, we can also educate the public about the art of filmmaking, and introduce them to the work of aspiring new film artists of the future.
The Playhouse West Film Festival is well-known as one of the most positive, filmmaker-friendly festivals in the country. Each year we hear more and more from filmmakers that our festival has been their favorite. From our well organized, run-on-time format, to our unique Q&A’s after each screening block, giving filmmakers a platform to discuss their films at length with our audience, we take great pride in making our festival a fantastic experience for filmmakers.
As an institution, Playhouse West leads the way in encouraging young filmmakers. Playhouse West members from Los Angeles, Philadelphia produce over 250 films per year, many which go one to be accepted and win awards at film festivals around the country and world.
LOCATION

EL PORTAL THEATER
5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
PARKING
Parking is available in the surrounding neighborhoods. Please be mindful of street signs dictating time restrictions.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18th
Film Lab Panel 2pm-3:30pm
AI & FILMMAKING
AI is the fastest adopted technology in human history. Will traditional filmmaking and actors become obsolete? What does AI mean to the future of your careers? Find out how to survive and prepare for what’s coming, maybe sooner than you think.
Run Time
1:30:00
Red Carpet Arrival/Check-in 5-7pm
Come dressed to impress! Walk the Playhouse West Red Carpet and get your picture taken.
Run Time
2:00:00
Opening Ceremony 7pm-7:30
Opening Ceremony | Welcome Address
Festival Director | Wolfgang Bodison
Founding Director | Robert Carnegie
Run Time
0:30:00
Casting Panel
CASTING & AUDITIONING
Auditions can be overwhelming and stressful, especially when you're trying to showcase your talent. However, with the right mindset and preparation, you can minimize anxiety and increase your confidence. Hear advice from industry casting directors that can help you perform your best during auditions.
Run Time
1:00:00
9am Panel
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19th
Jennifer and Chicken
A mockumentary comedy following toxic party-girl Jennifer in a DIY reality show, co-starring sweet best friend, Chicken.
Run Time
0:10:00
Hometown Boys
Prior to snatching a lockbox from a porn store, four dimwits deal with the store's security guard, a gimp ready to kick their sorry asses.
Run Time
0:09:37
B.M.O.
Two strangers meet and connect over the course of a single night while waiting for a giant crab to destroy them.
Run Time
0:13:00
Boys II Fem
Jasmyn tows the line between masculine and feminine making it hard to date. She documents her journey into becoming a socially acceptable woman.
Run Time
0:13:33
Linda Evans is my Spirit Animal
A pompous English actor arrives in Hollywood with a burning desire of starring in the Dynasty remake.
Run Time
0:17:46
10am Shorts
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
1pm Feature Film
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
Truth or Scare
When a group of young adults eat the cursed seeds of a pumpkin, their game of truth or dare changes instantly.
Run Time
0:04:26
Surprise!
Frustrated lovers duel to outwit each other but face life-or-death consequences triggered by suppressed fantasies and unexpressed desires.
Run Time
0:13:43
A Pumpkin's Life
In a world ruled by pumpkins, humans are slaughtered for Halloween.
*2022 120-Hour Film Festival Winner
Run Time
0:06:00
Haunted
Eldon finds himself haunted by a demon who dwells in the memory of a tragic event.
Run Time
0:10:00
Glamping
"A group of friends go on a weekend ""glamping"" trip. Things quickly take a turn for the worst and their friendships are tested. "
Run Time
0:14:56
3pm Shorts
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
Jean Elie
Jean is an acclaimed Haitian-American actor, showrunner, and brand influencer. He rose to fame portraying Issa Rae's brother, Ahmal Dee, on the Emmy award-winning HBO series, Insecure. Hear him talk about how he accomplished his most recent venture, co-writing, producing, and starring in Send Help, a series for AMC Networks' AllBlk, the new treaming platform that celebrates Black culture.
Run Time
1:00:00
5pm Guest Speaker
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
7:30pm Feature Film and Q & A
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
LUNCH BREAK 12pm - 1pm
DINNER BREAK 6pm - 7:30pm
Writing Panel
DEMYSTIFYING THE FORMAT
Are you interested in writing a short film but don't know where to start? Are you unsure of the format or what makes a short film work? This seminar will discuss the mechanics of short film writing from story to structure to execution. Topics will include the difference between short film and feature films, the basic structure of a short film, and how to develop an effective short film story.
Run Time
1:00:00
9am Panel
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20th
Libertad Condicional / Conditional Freedom
A dog analyzes her life as a pet while she questions her lack of freedom.
Run Time
0:04:00
Punctured
A couple comes to a crossroads about their relationship on their way to a family dinner.
Run Time
0:04:02
CTRL + ALT + DEL ME
In the nostalgic world of the early 2000s social media reigns supreme - stalking crushes, tweeting shade, and facing the dilemma of online presence vs. digital disappearance.
Run Time
0:07:22
The Fisherman Fishes Fish
Traversing both space and time, a lost 18th century fisherman embarks upon a journey of the mind seeking redemption in a fantastical realm.
Run Time
0:12:12
To Sea
A young sailor questions his knowledge of the world when met by a pirate and his quest for a mystical totem.
Run Time
0:15:00
Yakh
What starts as Aram's 21st birthday celebration with her three childhood best friends turns into a night that she will neither remember nor forget.
Run Time
0:12:41
10am Shorts
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
1pm Feature Film
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
Difficult
A tempestuous relationship is rearing its ugly head. Do they keep fighting to stay together or is it best to sever ties forever?
Run Time
0:03:21
Parveen's Game Night
During a game night hosted by Parveen and Alan, tensions rise when a truth-detecting AI game exposes hidden secrets putting their relationship at stake.
Run Time
0:05:00
Something Borrowed
A groom panics before his wedding and as his best man is trying to calm him down he realizes he’s hiding a dark secret.
Run Time
0:12:00
It's Not About the Lemons
A young woman comes home after the death of her abusive father to reconnect with the sister she left behind.
Run Time
0:13:00
Rest Stop
In the near future, a young auto mechanic struggles to keep his family's roadside rest stop afloat and find his place in a newly mechanized world.
Run Time
0:14:58
Helmet
Helmet has nowhere to go when he joins the last honest tow truck company in LA… only it isn't honest.
Run Time
0:22:33
3pm Shorts
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
Lukas Behnken
Lukas is co-founder with wife, Katherine Boecher, of Sterling Light Productions and is an actor, DGA UPM, director, story consultant, and producer. He'll share his journey from accompished actor to successful producer with projects such as, Mully, and American Skin, as well as newly released projects such as Cabrini, Sound of Freedmon,and the basketball series, Baselines, streaming on the new service, MANSA, which Lukus was heavily involved in developing.
Run Time
1:00:00
5pm Guest Speaker
Tickets for individual blocks are sold at the festival
Awards Ceremony
7:30 Awards Ceremony
This block is free.
LUNCH BREAK 12pm - 1pm
DINNER BREAK 6pm - 7:30pm
FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM
DATES & FEES
Early Bird Deadline
January 29, 2023 - $25
Regular Deadline
February 26, 2023 - $30
Late Deadline
March 26, 2023 - $35
Extended Deadline
April 23, 2023 - $40
Notification Date