What happens when one half of a Podcast that usually lives knee-deep in mutant alligators, killer puppets, and Eric Roberts deep cuts gets dropped into a prestigious Oscar-qualifying short film festival at the Chinese Theater? Chaos. Beautiful, cinematic chaos.

Joe hit the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles on August 12–13 — soaking up films, panels, and red carpet coverage with all the enthusiasm of a B-movie fan who just found a mint VHS copy of Samurai Cop. HollyShorts is known for curating some of the sharpest, weirdest, and most innovative short films from around the globe… so naturally, we fit right in. Sort of.

Belinda by Isaac Kasende was our standout here — a perfect cocktail of social commentary and supernatural horror. The premise? Three struggling hotel workers discover a machine that spits out cash if you feed it a dead body within an hour. Yes, it’s as messed up (and entertaining) as it sounds. We’d watch a full feature of this in a heartbeat — and probably review it twice on the podcast just to talk about that machine.

This block had range — and we don’t just mean aspect ratios.

Comet Orphan by Hyejin “Grace” Park had a quirky charm, exploring the immigrant experience through the lens of a girl who got left behind on Earth during a family space vacation. It’s heartfelt, funny, and had us wondering if we’d pick life on Earth over cosmic family drama. See the teaser.

Busted by Emily Everhard — based on her real life — had Sarah Adelman delivering a killer performance as a research scientist in trouble for spilling too much about her job… in a comedy set. It’s sharp, awkward, and painfully relatable. Check out the trailer.

Spit It Out directed by The Ray Sisters starred none other than Eric Roberts, a true Perfect Turd Podcast hall-of-famer. Seeing him pop up in this heartfelt family drama felt like bumping into an old friend at the Oscars — if that friend had fought cyborgs and mutant sharks in 12 different movies we’ve covered.

This block was stacked with strange and memorable shorts.

Undeletable, by Benjamin and Christopher Blaine, delivered an incredible one-take performance by Sophia Di Martino that will having you going back to look for an edit point.

Hat Trick by Tess Lafia and Noah Deats gave us the weirdest kids’ birthday party since Problem Child. It’s outrageous, heartfelt, and Payson Whitwell’s performance is unforgettable. Watch the trailer.

Joe also attended a powerhouse panel on film crowdfunding by Bri Castellini — loaded with no-nonsense advice for indie filmmakers. If you’re trying to fund your next cinematic masterpiece (or glorious disaster), check out her work at bricastellini.com.

Covering HollyShorts was a blast. It’s refreshing to step away from the mutant sea serpents and haunted VHS tapes of our usual beat and see what filmmakers can do with a short runtime, a bold idea, and zero compromises. The creativity here is off the charts — and who knows, maybe we’ll spot the next cult classic before it hits Tubi.

Until next time, keep your turds perfect and your film reels spinning.