SUBMISSONS NOW OPEN
MíraLA Film Festival 2026
Saturday March 21, 2026
look at her
A FESTIVAL for
women of color to be seen & Heard
The MIRALA FILM FESTIVAL (MFF) showcases the work of independent women of color filmmakers amidst the beautiful backdrop of southern California. MFF is about women of color, filmmakers, audiences and film professionals establishing a relationship and supporting underrepresented filmmakers in film.
3rd Annual film festival
Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and to those who streamed the festival from around the world. Your energy and support made this year’s event truly unforgettable.
Missed the Festival? Check out the Event Recap on the HITKOR FrontRow platform.
OuR VENUE
A special shout-out to HITKOR. They provide a premium LIVE streaming entertainment experience like no other. Our film festival thrives because of their support.
2025 FilmS
BLOCK 1 - Documentary& Sex positivity SHORTS
1 – As leaves in the wind (10:00)- Two transgender women who migrate from their home countries seeking asylum and opportunities in a new continent. Their lives go through structural changes when they meet and take part in a new support network. Made by them for them.
2 – Guiding Light (5:00)- Through the compelling interviews of the lead prosecutor, the defense attorney and the police chief, “Guiding Light” tells the story of a young teen (Polly Hannah Klaas) in a small town in America who was kidnapped from her bedroom during a slumber party while her family was in the house. In “Guiding Light”, India Mitchell, a teen growing up in the same town thirty years later brings a fresh perspective and highlights the importance of the legacy of this case to the continuing endeavor to keep children safe.
3 – Coming Home (10:19)- “Coming Home” follows Dr. Mónica Feliú Mójer as she returns to Puerto Rico to serve as the emcee of the national conference of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). The film showcases her upbringing in a rural working class community and how it instilled values of equity, justice, solidarity, and collective care that drive her science communication and engagement work today.
4 – My Boyfriend’s Girlfriend (19:59)- Four entangled relationships that cannot be untangled, and four promises made to each other that cannot be fulfilled. Jay, who loves Scarlett but cannot have her, was promised to spend the New Year’s Eve with her, but on that night, he had to accompany her in tracking down Mr. Green, the man Scarlett loves but cannot have. While spying on Mr. Green, he is inevitably drawn into memories of his time with Daisy. Amidst the chaotic memories and the blurred timeline, he realizes that Scarlett is just like him, and everyone else. Unbeknownst to them, Mr. Green, who seems to be at the top of the food chain of love, actually waited all night, but still could not receive any response from Daisy. The relationships turn out to be a cycle, which is always unequal and mismatched.
BLOCK 2 - STUDENT & EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
1 – Inheriting Hood (20:52)- After being jumped, Olivia tries on the hood life with the help of her long lost cousin in order to retaliate. It’s about a girl that tries to belong to a community because her previous self was no longer serving her. She wasn’t able to defend herself in a physical altercation and now she wants to be tougher. But than she becomes the person she was initially trying to defend herself against.
2 – Sirens (13:44)- Logline: A single mother sets out to seek justice for the murder of her son at the hands of a police officer, but first, she must come to terms with her past
3 – Brett Wong’s Ex-girlfriends (10:35)- A revenge-driven high school senior gathers a group of four other women, including a permanently limped former athlete, to plot the murder of their mutual ex-boyfriend, Brett Wong.
BLOCK 3 - QUEER & MENTAL HEALTH SHORTS
1 – Yellow Inside (14:50)- In a quaint coffeeshop, Josephine finds solace in her poetry, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. Unexpectedly, her verses catch the attention of Sydney, an old high school acquaintance Josie once admired from afar. Strangely, Sydney fails to recognize her, sparking a new connection between them. As their bond deepens, evolving from friendship to romance, a secret looms—one that only Josie harbors. When the truth surfaces, they confront a pivotal question: can love triumph over hidden truths?
2 – Me Porto Bonita (19:00)- Following a heartbreak two best friends embark on a day of refuge. What first started as a day of joyriding through the city quickly escalates into an adventure of revenge and exposed secrets.
3 – Boarders Between Us (5:40)- It’s a story of how accumulated grief makes us see the world in a different colour. The film tells a story of loneliness and the importance of community.
4 – Nuestro Apoyo (10:57)- Seventeen-year-old Emily Jimenez struggles with mental distress but feels unable to seek help due to her Latinx immigrant family’s cultural stigma around mental health and help-seeking. When her parents, Raul and Elena, witness the extent of her emotional challenges, they confront their doubts about mental health treatment. Despite initial resistance, they decide to support Emily by embracing therapy, realizing that overcoming stigma is essential to helping their daughter heal. The film highlights how parental support can make a profound difference in a child’s mental health journey. Produced by nonprofit production company The Studio at Reel Works in collaboration with Fordham University.
BLOCK 4 - NARRATIVE SHORTS
1 – One Person’s War (19:49)- At the age of thirteen, Xiao Ying began to experience several years school bullying because of an unwarranted rumour of puppy love. Ridiculously, she had no idea of the boy she was in love with before the rumour. More ridiculously, her mother worked as a teacher then in that school, but she seemed to turn a blind eye to the rumour. How ridiculous it was! Thus, Xiao Ying got ill. Since then, She has been standing in a war. There are so many people on the battlefield, but she can’t even find an enemy. Thus, she begins to play games with time. This is a lengthy game. No one knows who will win or lose until the end. In this prolonged war, she has learned to get along with time day by day…
2 – Into the void (2:01)- A spoken word poem about sexual assault.
3 – Punks (10:45)- A vignette of a Houston punk show through the eyes of a lonely teenager. Amidst the chaos of mosh pits and rebellion, they struggle to find their place until interactions with a show photographer, a concert promoter, and a punk couple, along with a mosh pit collision, unexpectedly pave the way for acceptance and understanding.
4 – Chopped Chilies (2:52)- two sisters spend a hot summer afternoon going on a drive for burgers. As Dani navigates the tumultuous waters of adolescence, she finds herself lethargic in the sweltering summer heat. When her sister Ana urges her to break free from their stifling routine and grab a meal, Dani reluctantly agrees. As they venture out together, their sisterly bond shines through, illuminating the beauty of simple gestures and the enduring love that defines their relationship.
5 – Development (10:13)- Struggling to climb the corporate ladder, a Latina office worker finally lands a leadership training seminar, only to realize that to be successful, trainees must become clones of the “nepo baby” boss.