Academy Awards® Contenders Screening Series—Short Film Showcase and Filmmaker Conversations

LACMA members are invited to join FILM at LACMA for a short film showcase featuring compelling and awards-contending short films.

The Guy Who Got Cut Wrong
Acclaimed best-selling novelist Gary Shteyngart has everything except his foreskin. In The Guy Who Got Cut Wrong, he tells the funny and unexpectedly moving story of the botched circumcision that still haunts him today. This provocative and surprising documentary is a meditation on the immigrant experience, masculinity, and the betrayals of family, country, and religion. Followed by a conversation with writer and producer Dana Ben-Ari.

Shanti Rides Shotgun
For three decades, Shanti Gooljar has been the force behind New York City's most sought-after driving school, captivating everyone from A-list celebrities to the ultra-wealthy with her unapologetic teaching style. Behind the wheel, she's a master of the chaotic Manhattan streets. But beneath her tough exterior lies a world of heartache and loss. Followed by a conversation with director Charles Frank and Shanti Gooljar.

Last Days on Lake Trinity
The closure of a South Florida trailer park, owned by the world’s largest Christian TV network, reveals corporate cruelty, religious hypocrisy, and a mounting housing crisis for elderly Americans. The film follows three friends who navigate their search for new homes with humor and resilience.
Followed by a conversation with director Charlotte Cooley.

Saving Superman
Saving Superman tells the story of Jonathan, a 57-year-old autistic man who’s become a local hero in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn. Affectionately known as “Superman,” Jonathan is celebrated for his everyday acts of kindness and has been a beloved fixture in the town’s Fourth of July Parade for nearly 30 years. When a new building owner threatened his home, the community rallied behind him—led by his best friend, Julie—whose grassroots fundraiser sparked an outpouring of support to save not just his house, but the spirit of the town itself. Followed by a conversation with director and producer Sam Mirpoorian and director and producer Adam Oppenheim.

Qotzuñi: People of the Lake
The Uru communities of Bolivia have lived on Lake Poopó for generations. Faced with its disappearance, they must grapple with what it means to be Qotzuñi, or People of the Lake, when the lake ceases to exist. Followed by a conversation with co-directors Gastón Zilberman and Michael Salama.

The Life We Have 
Diagnosed with stage four cancer 20 years ago, Rob Shaver made a pact to run every day until he dies. The Life We Have is a quiet reflection on mortality, resilience, and the choice to live with beautiful effort. Followed by a conversation with director Sam Price-Waldman, writer and editor Tim Kressin, and cinematographer Greg Balkin.

Criminal
At a notorious Houston jail, thousands of people await trial behind bars because they can’t pay their way out. Criminal confronts an injustice of the justice system through song, testimony, and court footage. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director Robe Imbriano and Thomas Curtis, animation and design.

Songs of Black Folk
Songs of Black Folk, a new musical tradition, brings together the largest gathering of Black musical talent on a single stage in the Pacific Northwest, marking a new era for Black artists in the PNW, on the meaningful backdrop of Juneteenth. Led by Ramon Bryant Braxton and Rev. Dr. Leslie Braxton, this extraordinary performance group establishes a new tradition, inspiring audiences and the next generation of Black artists. This film captures and celebrates Black talent in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, ensuring their stories live beyond a single performance. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director and producer Haley Watson and director Justin Emeka.

This screening is hosted by Slipstream, a LACMA-approved third-party screening platform. If you have not previously registered with Slipstream, you will be asked to provide a valid email address and set a password to create an account.