El Paso Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

This year’s Narrative Shorts programs bring together bold, imaginative storytelling from diverse voices around the world. Across two curated sessions, audiences will experience deeply personal dramas, surprising comedies, and inventive tales that leave a lasting impact.

Narrative Shorts Program 1

• Skin Deep – A piercing drama that asks how far we’ll go to protect the ones we love — and ourselves.
• THE SENTRY – A tense and intimate look at duty, loyalty, and the quiet moments that define us.
• Video Barn – Nostalgia collides with change when a small-town video store faces its final days.
• Finding Daddy – A heartfelt search for truth and family unravels a past filled with both pain and hope.
• Hafu – A touching exploration of identity, belonging, and the spaces in between cultures.
• NANI – A warm and witty portrait of generational bonds, resilience, and love.
• Choice – A powerful and personal take on decisions that change the course of a life forever.

Synopsis

This year’s Narrative Shorts programs bring together bold, imaginative storytelling from diverse voices around the world. Across two curated sessions, audiences will experience deeply personal dramas, surprising comedies, and inventive tales that leave a lasting impact.

Narrative Shorts Program 2

• Long’s Lost Mini Mart – Quirky humor meets small-town mystery in this offbeat story of family and legacy.
• Bus Driver Who Wanted to be GOD – An absurd and charming fable about fate, desire, and unexpected encounters.
• Margaret The Brave – A tender, inspiring story of a young girl finding courage in the face of fear.
• Fireline – Set against the backdrop of wildfire, this gripping drama captures human strength under pressure.
• Plantasy – A whimsical and surreal adventure where plants might just have the last word.
• The Steak – A sharp and savory slice-of-life about conflict, compromise, and what’s truly at stake.

The El Paso Shorts program celebrates the creativity, passion, and storytelling talent of filmmakers from right here in our own community. From moving dramas to quirky comedies, these films capture the spirit, grit, and imagination of El Paso.

El Paso Shorts Program

• Cart Bay Republic – A witty and sharply observed look at everyday turf wars in the most unexpected of places.
• Crawford – A tense and moody drama where small-town secrets refuse to stay buried.
• Double O Zero – A playful, spy-inspired romp that proves you don’t need a license to thrill.
• El Olvido – A poetic and haunting meditation on memory, loss, and the passage of time.
• La Mai – A heartfelt portrait of cultural heritage, family bonds, and the power of tradition.
• Red Sands – A stark and visually striking tale of survival in the unforgiving desert.
• The Count’s Will – A darkly comedic unraveling of greed, inheritance, and eccentric family dynamics.
• Who’s Afraid – A clever and unsettling twist on fear, courage, and the stories we tell ourselves.

Come join us for our opening night VIP and Filmmaker evening reception where you’ll get to meet the filmmakers of El Paso Film Festival. Enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres on us. VIP Badge and Filmmaker Badges required for entry.

The El Paso Film Festival is proud to announce that acclaimed filmmaker, actor, and pop culture icon Kevin Smith will be the featured guest for a special one-night-only event, An Evening with Kevin Smith, on Thursday, September 25 at the historic Plaza Theatre in downtown El Paso at 7:00 PM.

Tromaville has a monstrous new hero. The Toxic Avenger is born when meek mop boy Melvin falls into a vat of toxic waste. Now evildoers will have a lot to lose.

Our Texas Shorts program celebrates the incredible creativity of filmmakers from the Lone Star State. These bold, captivating stories reflect the diversity, artistry, and spirit of Texas filmmaking at its finest.

Texas Shorts Program

• The Mourning Of – A deeply emotional story of loss, remembrance, and finding the strength to move forward.
• Hour of Blood – A gripping tale of betrayal and survival that doesn’t pull its punches.
• The Ohio Texas Remix – A high-energy mashup of cultures, sounds, and stories bridging two states.
• Neuro – A tense psychological journey through the mind’s deepest fears and desires.
• Randy as Himself – A raw, heartfelt portrait of identity and self-discovery in unexpected places.
• Jeff – A sharp and darkly funny exploration of friendship, loyalty, and secrets.

Our **Documentary Shorts** programs offer compelling real-life stories from across cultures, communities, and continents — from deeply personal journeys to explorations of history, identity, and resilience.

Documentary Shorts Program 1

• A City That Cares – A heartfelt portrait of a community coming together to lift its most vulnerable members.
• Building a Champion – Inside the grit, discipline, and heart it takes to rise to the top.
• Lessons Learned in Cotulla – One small Texas town reveals big lessons about education, culture, and change.
• The Wild Girl of Brushvalley Township – An untold story of freedom, survival, and the mysteries of rural life.
• Bailando Culture – Dance as a living expression of heritage, joy, and community spirit.

67 BOMBS TO ENID is an intimate, character-driven documentary about survivors of nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands who relocated to rural America. The film presents intimate access to characters with first-hand accounts of bomb blasts and their descendants who speak to the generational impact these perverse weapons of war have had on humans.

Our Student Shorts program shines a spotlight on the next generation of filmmakers, showcasing fresh perspectives, daring ideas, and bold storytelling from emerging voices.

Student Shorts Program

• Healing Hands – A moving exploration of compassion, care, and the quiet strength of human connection.
• A Woman is Many Things – A poetic and powerful portrayal of womanhood in all its complexity.
• Tornado – A tense and emotional story set against the chaos of a looming storm.
• Experts in a Dying Field – A poignant look at love, memory, and what remains when everything else fades.
• The Truck – An intimate journey sparked by an unexpected roadside encounter.
• Division – A sharp, timely reflection on lines drawn — between people, places, and beliefs.
• Star Crossed – A heartfelt tale of connection and fate under a shared night sky.
• Fear and Tremble – A gripping study of inner conflict and the courage to face the unknown.

An immersive archival documentary that reanimates the clash between the then-emerging World Trade Organization (WTO) and the more than 40,000 people who took to the streets of Seattle to protest the WTO's impact on human rights, labor, and the future effects of continued globalization.

Come join us for our Friday evening VIP and Filmmaker evening reception where you’ll get to meet the filmmakers of El Paso Film Festival. Enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres on us. VIP Badge and Filmmaker Badges required for entry.

Evan takes his old friends Mark and Nolan on a backpacking trip to rekindle their friendship. Things are idyllic until Evan reveals his true motive: he’s concerned about Nolan. Feeling betrayed, Nolan angrily disappears. As they search for him, Evan and Mark must confront the perils of masculinity and embrace the power of being vulnerable with one another.

Our Late Night Shorts lineup is for the bold and adventurous — a mix of the bizarre, provocative, and darkly funny, perfect for night owls and risk-takers.

Late Night Shorts

• She-Devil – A devilishly stylish tale of temptation, vengeance, and transformation.
• The Knock Knock Game – Childhood curiosity opens a door to something chillingly unknown.
• Whitch – Witchcraft and reality blur in this unsettling, surreal vision.
• Magdalena, Te Amo – Passion, obsession, and danger intertwine in this haunting romance.
• Last Call – The night takes a dark turn just before closing time.
• Chicken Salad – A delightfully twisted dish of humor, absurdity, and surprise.
• God’s Lonely Magician – Magic, faith, and loneliness collide in this strange, mesmerizing short.
• Familiar – An eerie connection between master and servant unfolds in the shadows.

From whimsical adventures to deeply emotional tales, our **Animated Shorts** program showcases the artistry and limitless imagination of animation in all its forms.

Animated Shorts

• Common Fly – The everyday life of a fly is anything but ordinary in this witty short.
• Animal Math – A playful and clever exploration of numbers, nature, and learning.
• Holy Heaveness – A heavenly vision with a satirical twist on faith and perfection.
• Saq Nikte and the Spirit of the Mask – An enchanting cultural tale brought to life with vivid artistry.
• The Death of James – A visually arresting meditation on mortality and transformation.
• Weekend at Maury Island – Quirky animation meets sci-fi mystery in this unforgettable escapade.
• In Half – A surreal and touching story of division, connection, and unity.
• But I’m a Shoe – A charming and imaginative journey from a very unusual perspective.
• Mio Mao – A gentle, whimsical tale that delights audiences of all ages.

ASCO: Without Permission is a genre-defying film that profiles the extraordinary, Los Angeles based, Chicano art group of the 70's-80's, ASCO, who merged activism and art as they challenged representation in the art world, Hollywood and the news media.

Our annual comedy block, The Good, The Bad, The Indie, brings together hilarious, offbeat, and heartwarming short films from a mix of first-time and veteran filmmakers. Expect unexpected twists, sharp wit, and plenty of laughs.

The Good, The Bad, The Indie

• To Write the Ending – A clever, self-aware romp about rewriting the story — literally.
• Clowning Around – Chaos and comedy collide in this outrageous look at life under the big top.
• Waiting for Aphrodite – A quirky tale of love, destiny, and the gods’ questionable timing.
• Pool Toys – Summer fun takes a bizarre turn when the toys start to steal the show.
• Two Headed Calf – Absurdist humor meets poetic reflection in this unique short.
• The Eclipse – Comedy and cosmic events mix in a brilliantly timed chain of mishaps.
• Frank & Beans – A zany culinary comedy with a surprising dash of heart.
• Ashes to Dust – Morbid humor and family drama stir together in a hilariously awkward send-off.
• Donor – A sharp and snappy satire about giving, taking, and everything in between.
• SHE – A playful, surreal exploration of identity, relationships, and unexpected turns.

An up-and-coming writer refuses to leave the spotlight when his best friend and debate opponent suffers cardiac arrest, leading to an obsession over his new opponent and a growing rift with his ailing wife.

Our **Documentary Shorts** programs offer compelling real-life stories from across cultures, communities, and continents — from deeply personal journeys to explorations of history, identity, and resilience.

Documentary Shorts Program 2

• Teddy – A tender and moving look at love, family, and perseverance.
• Rock & Roll Film History – A rocking ride through the untold stories where music and movies collide.
• Running to Stand Still – The struggle to move forward when life keeps pulling you back.
• Simple Machine – A poetic meditation on mechanics, invention, and the beauty of simplicity.
• My Tia During an Eclipse – A moving family story set against the magic and mystery of a rare celestial event.

Three people navigate a dangerous treatment industry rife with insurance fraud.

A small-town woman in need of medical care in West Texas is forced to break the law.

Alex Vasquez, now in his 80's, looks back on the heavy hearted and joyful times with his one true love, Gloria.

For over two decades, Eric Power has been working as an indie animator specializing in cut paper stop motion. Join him on a journey through all the highs and lows of a life dedicated to the wonderful world of animation.

Come join us for our Saturday evening VIP and Filmmaker evening reception where you’ll get to meet the filmmakers of El Paso Film Festival. Enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres on us. VIP Badge and Filmmaker Badges required for entry.