The Laugh-Out-Loud Shorts program unlocks access to nine short films created by filmmakers from across the globe, as well as several filmmaker introduction videos. Each individual program screening can be unlocked for $5 a piece. Additionally, you can purchase our All-Access Festival Pass to unlock access to our entire festival lineup for one low price! You can find more information on our All-Access Festival Pass <a href="https://csiff.eventive.org/passes/buy" target="_blank" class="ql-size-small" style="color: rgb(194, 133, 255);">here.</a>

During its first quarter year of release having already earned 22 film festival Awards and 33 nominations from 385+ scheduled screenings in 38+ countries on 6 continents plus 6 United States and counting, Vahan Bedelian's “WineGame” absurdly retells the Sisyphus punishment myth with the stone rolling up the hill being a worker's wagon fueled by the Nectar of the Gods. Hollywood's 2020 Holy Grail IFF &amp; Monthly Online IFF BEST ACTOR Phillip E. Walker-MFA is this comic, one-man-silent mini short film's lone performer. Director Biography -&nbsp;Vahan Bedelian<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/71a707e3af2bcb47f9b9e5edfab91053.jpg" width="239" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em;">﻿2020 Panjim IFF BEST DIRECTOR &amp; Indus River Cinefest BEST EDITOR Awards Winner, Vahan Bedelian was born May 6, 1991 of Armenian heritage. Now a graduate film student out of LA's Loyola Marymount University, he first got into filmmaking by shooting and editing documentaries on martial artists. From this background, Vahan brings a strong understanding of rhythm and action in visual storytelling. He combines these elements with his love of setting, production design, and generally strange imagery for a style that he hopes can feel unique and fresh to audiences. Director StatementI feel like we can all relate to trying to carry too many things at the same time, both literally and metaphorically. I wanted to make a movie about that.

WineGame

A man, a hill, and a wagon full of wine. All he has to do is make it to the top. What could possibly go wrong?

A teen boy brings his best friend to the movie theater, the only problem is no pets are allowed. Director - Tyler Harding ﻿<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/ea0bfef81fe2a2ae522987241d76aa94.jpg">

Willy's Great Escape

When a movie theater doesn't allow pets, a man finds a clever and amusing way to bypass the policy.

Two bank robbers steal more than they bargained for in contemporary Los Angeles. Director Biography -&nbsp;Nic L. Kelly<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/5085bfe877a1ab110bf16a7085d16a60.jpg" width="291" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em;">Baltimore filmmaker, Nic L. Kelly spent his days rummaging around old record stores and his nights in music studios before discovering a love for screenwriting. After earning a degree in Cinematic Arts from The University of Maryland Baltimore County, he headed west to attend USC’s MFA program, where he made several award-winning short films as both a writer/director, Blackground (LA Diversity Film Festival, Born In Baltimore Film Festival - Best Narrative Award), and producer, Ichigo – Ichie (DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival), and Delay of Game (Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, United Talent Agency - Best Student Documentary Award).

It's All Criminal

This comedic short film tells the story about two Los Angeles bank robbers who mistakenly steal more than they bargained for.

In 1973, the host of The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson, made a joke that toilet paper was going out of stock. By the next day, stores across the country were completely sold out. This is the story of the first day of the toilet paper crisis. Director Biography -&nbsp;Bryan Taira<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/88a5c286747cf9f9def1de9f009dabf7.jpg" width="217" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Bryan Taira is a Japanese-American film director, born and raised in Carpinteria, California. His imagination for highlighting social and economic issues are portrayed through contradictory genres. As a storyteller and artist he strives to cultivate a connection between humanity and the natural world through various mediums. Recently graduated from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Bryan looks forward to creating and collaborating on more films. He has a tendency toward dark comedy as a vessel for highlighting inequality and injustices.

Out of Stock

This comedic short film draws inspiration from an unnecessary toilet paper crisis inadvertently caused by a joke in 1973, leaving hundreds of stores across the country completely out of stock.

Dating is hard. Especially when you’re married. Nothing is what appears to be in this short romantic-comedy about two people who find each other on a very special dating app. You just can’t trust what you read anymore. Married writing team Minsun Park and Teddy Tenenbaum took a break from their usual horror fare to tackle a comedy about romance in the age of apps, starring Emmy-nominated Michael Muhney. Teddy directs from a script written by the team. Director Biography -&nbsp;Teddy Tenenbaum<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/9edaea099fc57dae401afb08e6c0cae1.jpg" width="237" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em;">Teddy Tenenbaum &amp; Minsun Park are primarily a writing team with combined experience in features and television, including pilot sales, staff writing, feature spec sales, and feature and television assignments. They have written separately and together, and currently write both as a team and as solo writers. They specialize in genre writing, including horror, thriller, and action, typically with a humorous edge. With Minsun's background as an Asian-American woman born in Korea and Teddy's experience as a White dude from Ohio, they cover a lot of bases. Director StatementIn a social media age where connecting with other people is just a swipe and a scroll away, we feel more disconnected than ever. It’s never been easier than ever to meet somebody new and connect but it’s also never been easier to ghost somebody in our cancel culture. We are afraid of vulnerability, but hungry for human connection and affection, and Sidepiece takes a sly swipe at our swipe-right culture and the real consequences of hiding behind our profile pics and carefully curated online personas.

Sidepiece

This short film rom-com takes an interesting angle on the subject of dating apps - where both users are already married!

After an unsuccessful attempt to renew his car registration, Dejan falls in a bureaucratic trap that tests his determination to be a responsible father. Director Biography -&nbsp;Georgi M. Unkovski<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/d180d3540ad06ee0a2454f029c95933c.jpg" width="279" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em;">Georgi M. Unkovski was born in New York City in 1988 , after which he spent most of his youth in Macedonia, Europe. At the age of 22 he graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology - Eastman’s School of Photography, in the field of the Fine Arts (Rochester, NY). Shortly after his graduation he moved to the Czech Republic to pursue his passion in film making and enrolled in the post graduate program at renowned university of FAMU in Prague. Since his post graduate studies Georgi has lived in Skopje, and works as a full time director in one of the largest ad agencies in North Macedonia - “Futura 2/2”, as well as its sister agency “Cinema Futura”, dedicated to film production.

STICKER

Failing to renew his car registration, a father's strength and love for his daughter is put to the test as he struggles to make it on time to his daughter's recital.

Watch a brief video from filmmaker Pat Battistini as he introduces his short film, Advice.

2020 Filmmaker Intro - Pat Battistini

Watch a brief video from filmmaker Pat Battistini as he introduces his short film, Advice.

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