A Silver Screen Soiree: The Beverly Hills Film Festival Celebrates a Quarter Century of Indie Storytelling
By Natalie McCarty, With Reporting by Arya Desai
The 25th anniversary of the Beverly Hills Film Festival was a toast to resilience, talent, and the timeless power of indie filmmaking, and the stars in attendance had no shortage of reflections to share.
Jesse Metcalfe / Image Credits: Livia Wippich
“It was pretty easy for me to step into this character,” said Jesse Metcalfe, star and producer of The Comic Shop. “He was sort of a guy who was having a bit of a midlife crisis, his life hadn’t turned out the way he wanted… I think anybody can relate to disappointment and becoming a little disillusioned in your chosen career. I’ve been disillusioned in this industry — I even thought about not acting anymore — but I keep coming back to making TV and movies because I love it.”
Eric Roberts / Image Credits: Livia Wippich
“It was revenge,” Eric Roberts said of his role in The Method, a darkly funny indie that skewers the world of bad acting coaches. “There’s so many bad acting teachers, there’s so many bad acting methods. The ones that are good always work, and the ones that are bad never work. You just have to find them.”
The festival’s lineup was stacked with personal storytelling, strong debuts, and urgent messages — and this year’s Golden Palm Film Award, the fest’s highest honor, went to Hello Beautiful.
Among jury winners, The Grand Strand took home Best Feature Film, while Manua Coleman was named Best Director for Engelstan. Actor Steven Grayhm’s powerful performance in Sheepdog , which also won Best Film Screenplay, earned him Best Male Performance, while Sinem Koseoglu took Best Female Performance for her role in Good Morning, Mom.
“I hope the film reminds people that immigration is not easy,” said Ara Torosian, director and star of The Wandering Glider, a poetic feature exploring identity and displacement. “We miss our homes all the time.”
Steven Grayhm / Image Credits: Livia Wippich
Matt Dallas, who starred in Sheepdog, described the project as “a fourteen-year journey.” He explained, “Steven [Grayhm] had an experience with a tow-truck driver who opened up and shared his experience with the war when he came home. He couldn’t get it out of his head, so he came to me with this story.”
The Suit took home the Best Film Score Award, Miracles won for Best Cinematography, and The Blue Diamond scored Best Editing.
Documentary filmmakers had a strong showing as well. Tears in Rain won Best Documentary, while World Without Cows, though not a winner, stirred conversations on food ethics and climate. “It’s so much more than a documentary about cows,” said director Michelle Michael. “It’s truly a catalyst for critical conversations about the future of food and the planet.” Her co-director Brandon Whitworth added, “We’re tired of people yelling at each other from across the aisle. Our film is about creating a baseline for how we talk about the future.”
On the shorts side, The Remaining Ones won Best Short Film, while After the Bomb took Best Short Doc. Audience picks included All There Is for Best Feature Film, Dizzy for Best Short Film, and Call Me Shamz for Best Short Doc. Animated standouts included Jus d’Orange and The Illusionist Dilemma, both honored for their visual storytelling.
Other standout quotes from the carpet closing night included:
Smahi Anand on Silent Cycle: “There was someone who came to me after and said she cried during the screening... that was my motive and what I wanted.”
Rushan Jesani on Kadda: “I wanted to be a professional soccer player but I couldn’t… so I made something to inspire people not to give up.”
Gabriella Kessler on her multi-hyphenate project I Don’t: “There was a picture I found in high school of a runaway bride sitting in a diner, stuffing her face with Cheetos… I love the paradox between this girl who wanted everything and chose something else.”
Jonathan Fishman on Shorthanded: “I’ve coached youth sports myself, so this was personal… The opportunity to do this version of a human was really exciting.”
Jeremy Max on The Second Oldest Man Alive: “We wanted to create a folksy, Coen brothers-like energy where we could marry psychological drama with absurdist comedy.”
Kimmie Deveraux and James Barker on Remnants of Nova: “The initial pitch was to make a film surrounding mental health in the queer community… and the film set was a vast majority of queer filmmakers from top down.”
Gabriella Kessler / Image Credits: Livia Wippich
As the weekend wrapped up, it was clear that even after 25 years, the Beverly Hills Film Festival is still a home for bold storytelling and emerging voices. “I felt very cradled by these lovely humans who took the reins,” said Micah Giovanni of The Comic Shop. “It felt like a comfortable set where I could explore the character… I couldn’t ask for a better cast than Jesse Metcalfe and Tristin Mays.”
From deeply personal memoirs like The Alibi to absurdist comedies like Aliens Don’t Like White People, this year's selection proved that while Beverly Hills may be known for glitz and glamor, it also has a beating heart for indie soul and unfiltered vision.
