2024 Fun times gallery

Short block 2 - OCTOBER 12

SEYMOUR RUCK

Written & Directed by Peter Bolte (Dark Comedy/Drama, United States) “Seymour is the epitome of the mundane. One morning he gets a call that just might end this loop of existential dread. What could possibly go wrong?”

guts

Directed by Margaux Susi (Drama/Dark Comedy, United States) “Desperate for help, a woman in recovery asks an unlikely stranger on a dinner date.”

THE RIVER

Directed by Joseph Paul Alvarado (Horror/Sci-fi, United States) “An outdoor researcher catches a mutated fish, beginning a physiological and psychological descent into madness which results from an accident involving a woman he loved.”

STALEMATE

Written & Directed by Jeremiah Marcus Battle (Drama/Thriller, United States) “Husband & Wife, Myles & Sofia, retreat to their vacation home in hopes of salvaging their lost love. Their retreat soon turns into a desperate fight for survival from someone uninvited.”

HEADING OUT, I’ll be here

Directed by Carsen Schroeder & Stephen Johnson (Drama/Thriller, United States) “‘Heading Out, I’ll Be Here’ explores the consequences of our jaded perceptions of self. When we’re constantly manufacturing masks to wear and running from our fears and anxieties, how do we fare?”


2024 SHOWCASE

FCK’N NUTS

Written & Directed by Sam Fox

(Comedy/Horror, United States)


“Sandy is grievously forced to break it off with the boy of her
dreams in order to avert him from meeting her unusual parents.”

ODDITIES

Written & Directed by Tyler Savage

(Thriller/Horror, United States)


“When a drugged-out duo attempts to rob an antique store, they
realize the older woman running the shop isn't as defenseless as
she seems...”

BROKEN VESSELS

Written & Directed by Larry Ziegelman & Terry Ziegelman

(Drama/Horror, United States)


“While fighting a deadly blood cancer, Jane contends with the
effects of “chemo-brain”, attempting to discern reality from
fantasy.”

THE DOOR

Written & Directed by Alexander Seltzer

(Sci-fi/Horror, Canada)


“A year after their daughter's disappearance, Kara and Felix
struggle to move on in their own ways as their marriage falls apart
around them.”

WAKE

Written & Directed by Sean Carter

(Horror, United States)


“With a hurricane raging outside their hospital, two nurses have
one last job before evacuating: stow the "dead-on-arrival" corpse
of a girl in the downstairs morgue before the building floods.”

the unexpecteds

Directed by Alejandro Montoya Marín

(Comedy/Action, United States)


“Gary and his best friends seek revenge against a social media
influencer who has scammed them of their life savings.”

With live Q&A from director Alejandro Montoya MarÍn
and Matt Walsh, Francisco Ramos, Alejandro de Hoyos,
Ian Perez, and many more

THE MEDIA LAB SHOWCASE TBA

A showcase of local films created through ‘The Media Lab’

THE MAGIC HOUR

Directed by Nath Milburn

(Animation/Comedy, United States)


“Two brothers’ mission to fix their mom’s broken tablet, before she
comes home, is met with a series of challenges.”

SATURDAY RITUAL

Written & Directed by Sydney Horton

(Coming-of-Age/Comedy, United States)


“High School soccer players Cammie, Em, and Kara have a tradition
of visiting a different psychic after every Saturday match.”

FIRE F*cking FIRE

Written & Directed by Julia Eringer & Rachel Paulson

(Comedy, United States)


“When Ally - a type A, people-pleasing lesbian - beds her rock star
crush Meg, she thinks her dreams of love and popularity are finally
coming true...”

ESTELA, IS IT YOU?

Directed by Fabian Martin & Victor Martin

(Drama, United States)


“A grieving woman communicates with her dead husband through
her car radio.”

YAYA

Written & Directed by Leticia Akel Escárate

(Drama/Coming-of-Age, Chile)


“Yaya is a young woman with Down syndrome who befriends a
rebellious teenager who challenges her to break free from her
restricted routine.”

SEYMOUR RUCK

Written & Directed by Peter Bolte

(Dark Comedy/Drama, United States)


“Seymour is the epitome of the mundane. One morning he gets a
call that just might end this loop of existential dread. What could
possibly go wrong?”

guts

Directed by Margaux Susi

(Drama/Dark Comedy, United States)


“Desperate for help, a woman in recovery asks an unlikely stranger
on a dinner date.”

THE RIVER

Directed by Joseph Paul Alvarado

(Horror/Sci-fi, United States)


“An outdoor researcher catches a mutated fish, beginning a
physiological and psychological descent into madness which
results from an accident involving a woman he loved.”

STALEMATE

Written & Directed by Jeremiah Marcus Battle

(Drama/Thriller, United States)


“Husband & Wife, Myles & Sofia, retreat to their vacation home in
hopes of salvaging their lost love. Their retreat soon turns into a
desperate fight for survival from someone uninvited.”

HEADING OUT, I’ll be here

Directed by Carsen Schroeder & Stephen Johnson

(Drama/Thriller, United States)


“‘Heading Out, I’ll Be Here’ explores the consequences of our jaded
perceptions of self. When we’re constantly manufacturing masks to
wear and running from our fears and anxieties, how do we fare?”

MEMORY CARD

Directed by Taras Lashchak & Stanislav Puzdriak

(Sci-fi/Drama, United States)


Two friends compete for a coveed memory card by finding hidden
coordinants across beloved retro Playstation One games.”

AS EASY AS CLOSING YOUR EYES

Directed by Parker Croft

(Drama/Sci-fi, United States)


“Academy Award-nominee Abigail Breslin presents: The story of a
grieving mother who battles her addiction to a black-market drug
that gives her life-like dreams about the son she lost.”

DEEP TISH

Written & Directed by Dave Paige

(Dark Comedy/Drama, United States)


“A.J.’s massage could have been better.”

UNIVERSE 25

Directed by David Tappan

(Sci-fi/Horror, United States)


“Imprisoned, a woman can’t know anyone longer than 30 days. It’s
difficult to say what’s worse: knowing that anyone she cares about
will disappear, or that they might be replaced by someone worse”

Written & Directed by Leo Behrens

(Experimental/Drama, United States)


“SKIN is a poetic exploration of identity and self-discovery, using
visual symbolism to depict a woman's transformation into a man.”

MEMORY CARD

Directed by Taras Lashchak & Stanislav Puzdriak

(Sci-fi/Drama, United States)


Two friends compete for a coveed memory card by finding hidden
coordinants across beloved retro Playstation One games.”

PANTIES

Written & Directed by Marissa Emmanuelle Velez

(Experimental/Documentary, United States)


“PANTIES is a provocative short film about a woman’s relationship
with this essential piece of clothing.”

LOSER

Written & Directed by Colleen McGuinness

(Drama/Dark Comedy, United States)


“LOSER follows 22 year-old ALICE, who works at a frozen yogurt
shop, on what turns out to be an unforgettable day of her life.”

VIAJE DE NEGOCIOS (BUSINESS TRIP)

Written & Directed by Gerardo Cello Escalante

(Drama, Mexico)


“Daniel arrives to school wearing a brand new pair of sneakers
that his father brought him from a business trip. He begins to
suspect something terrible when a classmate has the same shoes.”

DION & DENVER

Directed by Zack Hosseini

(Drama, United States)


“In the late 1960s, an aging Dion DiMucci, struggling to stay relevant
in a rapidly changing America, meets an ambitious young John
Denver who helps reignite his passion for music.”

SKIN

Written & Directed by Jim Cummings

(Dark Comedy, United States)


“Our time here is important.”

TRAPPED

Written & Directed by Sam Cutler-Kreutz & David Cutler-Kreutz

(Drama, United States)


“A high school janitor runs into a set of unexpected obstacles.”

IS NOW A GOOD TIME?

MEMORY CARD

Directed by Taras Lashchak & Stanislav Puzdriak

(Sci-fi/Drama, United States)


Two friends compete for a coveed memory card by finding hidden
coordinants across beloved retro Playstation One games.”

Written & Directed by Daniel Maggio & Hunter Hawkins

(Romance/Comedy, United States)


“Two people meet in the park...”

WOULD YOU STILL LOVE ME IF I WAS A COCKROACH?

Directed by Jeremy Alan Pappas

(Comedy/Drama, United States)


“A woman’s peculiar relationship with her boyfriend-turned-
cockroach \../”

2AM in temecula

Written & Directed by Lavelle Newman

(Comedy/Drama, United States)


“Random things happen at 2am in Temecula.”

switchblade HOliday

Written & Directed by Steven Aripez

(Horror, United States)


“Two psychopaths carry out their first joint murder, setting the
stage for their future as serial killers.”

Volkolak

Written & Directed by Johnny Legnard

(Fantasy/Drama, United States)


“A modern werewolf tale.”

CORN DOG

Following our local shorts block we will be announcing the winner
of our 2024
Golden Poppy award, voted on by our audience.

2024 golden poppy audience award ceremony

8:35pm

MEMORY CARD

Directed by Taras Lashchak & Stanislav Puzdriak

(Sci-fi/Drama, United States)


Two friends compete for a coveed memory card by finding hidden
coordinants across beloved retro Playstation One games.”

top rated films according to our audience

A 2-hour showcase of all of our audience favorites.

2024 Festival Details

EVENT Dates

Location

Temeku Cinemas

26463 Ynez Rd

Temecula, CA 92591


October 11-13, 2024

For great films throughout the year
visit our venue partner

Local Sponsors

THANK YOU TO OUR sponsors

VENUE PARTNERS

The Temecula Valley Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing the best in
independent film, while fostering a community of artists, filmmakers and
film enthusiasts in the local area. Our mission is to provide a platform for
emerging and established filmmakers to showcase their work, and to
bring the art of cinema to the Temecula Valley.

ABOUT US

TICKETS AND PASSES AVAILABLE HERE

The director’s cut

Cybolica

No Overnight Parking

Feature films

Mega ape

The Media Lab showcase

All about us

Penny Pincher

Halloween Special

mr. skelly

lego parkour

Wrestling promos

Creative=Science

Shorts BLOCK 1

Shorts block 2

divine mother

sweetest vacation

sacrilege

the other side of fortune

call me if you miss me

north star

Ronald’s little factory

Shorts BLOCK 3

the sperm bank

what comes

BAca the kid

so they say

bad acid

day jobs

bonus time

focus

home coming

interstate

knock-knock-knock

call tiff

adam 2

Messenger

2023 Lineup

opening night shorts