The Valley Film Festival Announces Winners!

In it's twenty-fourth year, The Valley Film Festival announced the winners of the 10 Degrees Hotter Award – named after the temperature in the San Fernando Valley (which is always ten degrees hotter than anywhere else in Los Angeles).

Best Feature Narrative.

Winner: The Ghost Trap.

Reminiscent of 'Manchester by the Sea' and based on the novel by K. Stephen , the Ghost Trap is the haunting story of Jamie Eugley, a young lobsterman struggling with the grinding responsibilities of a head-injured fiancé and mounting trap wars in a small Maine lobstering community. Directed by James Khanlarian. Written by K. Stephens, James Khanlarian. Produced by Peter Couture, Kaley Stephens, Candace Cason. With Zak Steiner, Greer Grammer, Sarah Catherine Hook, Taylor Takahashi, Steven Ogg, Sarah Clarke, Xander Berkeley, Lucinda Jenney

Cannes: Byron Allen’s Freestyle Acquires North American Rights to ‘The Ghost Trap’ (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. May 17, 2024. 6:08 AM. Lily Ford.

Runners Up:

A Little Family Drama, (United States) A Mexican American family, whose lives revolve around their legendary restaurant, prepares for their annual family reunion dinner oblivious to the fact that a shattered taco truck dream is about to change everything. Directed by Nadia Zoe. Written by Ramón Torres, Nadia Zoe. Produced by Michael Karp, Nadia Zoe, Ramón Torres. With Alma Martinez, Romi Dias, Diana Torres, Jeff Meacham, Marissa Reyes, Ramón Torres.

Bad Generation, (United States) A Dogma production about a “family” of homeless teenagers who find themselves torn apart after a brutal discovery is made. Written and Directed by Tanner Novotny. Produced by James Abroms, Tanner Novotny, Frank Smathers. With Grace Petro, Jasmine Aivaliotis, Sawyer Shine, Beau Hogan, Liam Santa Cruz, Tanner Novotny, Darrian Greene, Abe Khalil, Eric Harrison, Mike Travers, Mayur Chauhan, Cesar Santamaria Jr., Emma Elle Bird, Ellen Gerstein, Steven Fusani.

Live at the Porpentine: A Comedy of Errors, (United States). Separated by a shipwreck when they were babies, two sets of identical twins get mixed up in each other's lives over the course of a day. Adapted from Shakespeare's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS and re-imagined as an early 1960's technicolor musical comedy. Written and Directed by David Melville. Produced by Melissa Chalsma, David Melville. With Brent Charles, Xavi Moreno, Bukola Ogunmola, Carene Mekertichyan, Erika Soto.

Stakes is High, (United States) – Much like TAXI DRIVER was a reflection of post-Vietnam America, STAKES IS HIGH captures America right now. Will Goldin is the everyman of this moment, living off the fumes of a dream, turning to the gig economy with hopes of a better future only to find a rat race to the bottom. Written and Directed by Jean-Pierre Caner. Produced by Shaz Bennett, Vicki Syal. With Rahad Coulter-Stevenson, Kestrin Pantera, Noel Arthur, Larry Clarke, Clayton Farris.


Tomorrow, You Pretty Ghost, (United States) – Two high school friends, prone to playing elaborate tricks on their friends, pull off one last prank before graduation that has grim consequences for their relationship. A horror story about keeping in touch with your childhood friends, Tomorrow, You Pretty Ghost is a tense examination of yearning, guilt, and ironic detachment. Written and Directed by Alex Morand and Rocky Pajarito. Produced by Vincent Jingzhe Wang, Abigail Sims, Alex Morand, Rocky Pajarito. With David Brown, Abigail Sims, Everardo Barriga, Cricket Arrison.

Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep, (United States) – Based on the work of HP Lovecraft, renowned oneirologist, Ambrose London, is requested to Arkham Asylum to study the strange case of split personality in patient James Fhelleps/Joe Slater. Written and Directed by Chad Ferrin. Produced by Chad Ferrin, Robert Miano. With Edward Furlong, Susan Priver, Robert Miano, Bai Ling, Steve Railsback, Ginger Lynn, Lew Temple. Rated X for nudity, adult themes, sexual assault, and language.


Best Documentary Feature.

Winner: American Pot Story.

American Pot Story: Oaksterdam (United States). American Pot Story chronicles a campaign that brought cannabis into the mainstream and it’s also an inspiring reminder of how democracy can work when people come together in an effort to fulfill our pledge to liberty and justice for all. Directed by Ravit Markus and Dan Katzir. With Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D CA), Governor Gavin Newsom, Tommy Chong, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Dale Sky Jones, Richard Lee, Kat Murti, Evan Nison, Jim Gray, Jeff Jones.

Runners Up:

Origin, (France) – Origin unfolds the history of House Music as told by the pioneers in this genre. Directed by Sebastien Rossi. Produced by Koumetio Fabrice. With Bob Sinclar, Mike Dunn, Laurent Garnier, Marshall Jefferson, Terry Hunter.

Ray of Hope (Canada) – The 26-year armed conflict in Sri Lanka compelled numerous Eelam Tamils to seek refuge in foreign nations, notably in Canada. Among them is Rathika Sitsabaiesan, a former Canadian Member of Parliament, who fled the armed conflict in Sri Lanka with her Tamil family as a five-year-old child. The anguish and tales of the conflict drove Rathika's advocacy. In 2013, her visit to Sri Lanka rekindled her own traumatic memories, as she was surveilled by the very government accountable for widespread suffering. Directed by Ryan Singh, Nikila Cole. Produced by Ryan Singh, Patricia Scarlett, Nikila Cole. With Rathika Sitsabaiesan,Maya D'Elia, Sutha Shanmugarajah, Collins Perinpanayagam, Arthi Sathian, Aranan Sathian.

Best Foreign Language Feature.

Winner: Ciure. (Italy).

Salvo is a young father who struggles between makeshift jobs and a life of crime, to support his son in suburban Palermo, Sicily. When the spiral of violence turns against him, he runs into Ciurè, a transgender dancer who helps him find a way out of the underworld.

Runners Up:

aWake, (Ireland) – Anna seeks closure at the funeral of the man who assaulted her 10 years ago. Written and Directed by Mark McAuley, With Kojjii DeBurca, Lacy Moore, Sadhbh Larkin Coyle, Mark McAuley.

Purgatory Jack, (Canada) Purgatory Jack is a neo-noir mystery thriller set in the afterlife. The latest case for musician turned grizzled private detective, Jack Marlin, is helping new arrival Viv Vacious, a punk pop star who overdosed, stay safe as she races against time to find her mother who committed suicide twenty years earlier. Written and Directed by Brett Butler and Jason Butler. Produced by Brett Butler, Jason Butler, Pasha Patriki. With Tim Rozon, Alexandra Beaton, Emily Alatalo, Joel Thomas Hynes.

Under Water, (Netherlands) When a young woman is locked in a basement with her soon-to-be ex-husband by her mother, an avid doomsday prepper, she must finally confront the secrets of her family's past. Under Water is a dark offbeat comedy drama about survival of the fittest, rabbit holes of conspiracy theories and a challenging childhood. Directed by Edgar Kapp and Kuba Szutkowski. Written by Simon Weeda, Julia van de Graaff, Kuba Szutkowski, Edgar Kapp. Produced by Julia van de Graaff, Marc Thelosen. With Elisa Beuger, Julia van de Graaff, Stijn Westenend, Jack Wouterse, Zouhair Mtazi, Livia Lamers, Liv van Kollenburg, Guido van Hulzen.


ABOUT THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL

The Valley Film Festival is an all-volunteer non-profit arts organization that supports local and international voices that advance storytelling. Now in our 24th year, VFF is the first and longest running film festival in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, and screens short films along with narrative and documentary feature films from around the world. In addition to film screenings, The Valley Film Festival mentors filmmakers through every stage of their careers, via our Focus On: series of educational panels and professional development seminars.

The Valley Film Festival was founded by Los Angeles native, and proud “Valley Girl,” Tracey Adlai, in 2000, to spotlight locally produced films in response to the San Fernando Valley’s attempt to secede from Los Angeles. VFF remains the first and continuously running film festival in The Valley and runs August 1-8, 2024 at the Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood.

For more updates on programming follow @ValleyFilmFest and #VFF24 & #UnitedByFilm, on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X. Screening schedule and tickets can be purchased at ValleyFilmFest.com

PRESS CONTACT: info [at] valleyfilmfest.com