The Hollywood Afterdark Film Festival is a celebration of bold storytelling, fearless voices, and the creative spirit that comes alive when the spotlight fades and the real stories emerge. Set in the heart of Hollywood, where cinema was born and reinvented countless times, the festival honors filmmakers and screenwriters who push boundaries and illuminate the human experience through powerful short-form storytelling.
Hollywood Afterdark embraces the raw, the intimate, and the unforgettable. It is dedicated to showcasing work that thrives beyond convention—stories that challenge, provoke, and resonate long after the screen goes dark. The festival provides a platform for emerging and established creators alike to present their work to an engaged audience of film lovers, industry professionals, and fellow artists.
The festival recognizes excellence in four categories:
- Best Short Film
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Short Script
- Best Documentary Script
By highlighting both completed films and unproduced scripts, Hollywood Afterdark supports storytellers at every stage of the creative process—from the written word to the finished frame.
More than a competition, Hollywood Afterdark is a space for discovery, connection, and artistic recognition. It exists to amplify distinctive voices and to honor the courage it takes to tell stories that matter. In a city defined by its dreams, Hollywood Afterdark celebrates the creators who dare to reveal what lies beneath the surface.
Hollywood Afterdark 