BAGWORM / "Shadow Daddy"

ABOUT THE EVENT: Created by and for Los Angeles–based independent filmmakers, RSFF is a non-competitive festival that brings bold, distinctive work to the big screen—and brings the people behind it into the community. Across four days, filmmakers and audiences gather to discover new voices, pack theaters and build the relationships that sustain creative lives in Los Angeles. From October 7–10, RSFF presents 19 short films and three features at the Egyptian Theatre and Los Feliz 3. This year’s program was shaped by a committee of alumni filmmakers, industry professionals, and experienced programmers, including Festival Directors Page Brady, Nir Liebenthal, Noah Morse, Jeremy Roth-Rose and Dylan Trupiano; filmmaker and RSFF alum Calleen Koh; documentary filmmaker Aurora Brachman; producer Nuer Taqa; programmer Lily Bolton; Unapologetic Projects Creative Executive Kyle Bowles; Book of Shadows producer and executive Nix Santos; and Imani Davis on behalf of the American Cinematheque. ABOUT THE FILMS: “Shadow Daddy,” 2026, Dir. Andrew Theodore Balasia, 8 Min, USA When a mysterious dream sparks an unexpected conversation, a boyfriend and girlfriend spiral into revealing the insecurities lurking beneath their relationship. FORMAT: DCP BAGWORM, 2025, Dir. Oliver Bernsen, 97 Min, USA After a sexually frustrated hammer salesman steps on a rusty nail, he struggles to determine whether the world’s sudden and violent turn against him is real, or the result of the infection consuming his body and mind. FORMAT: DCP