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Awareness Film Festival

@awarenessfest

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Eye-opening films from around the 🌎
Oct 13th-18th 2026 Santa Monica, CA

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WE WON!!! 🏆

Sending much gratitude and love to @awarenessfest for the honor of SAY HER receiving the “Special Jury Award for Directing” at the 17th Annual Awareness Film Festival In Santa Monica, CA this past weekend!!

This award would not have been possible without every single member of the cast & crew, our musicians, our media team, our partners in the weightlifting world & construction industry, and everyone that has come out to support our film in person and on socials.

We are screening again as an Official Selection @ptafilmfestival on Saturday, 11/7/26 at 3:10PM at The KULT LA, located at 251 S. Main Street in Los Angeles. DM us for FREE tickets and come out and celebrate with us and 3X Team USA Olympian Weightlifter/Youth Advocate Kendrick Farris!!

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What an incredible week at the 17th Awareness Film Festival! 🎬 So many inspiring films, powerful stories, and unforgettable connections.

Thank you for honoring our film, “Hoy no me puedo levantar” (“Today I Can’t Get Up”), with this award. We are deeply grateful to be part of a community of storytellers who go above and beyond to move hearts and inspire change.

My mother, my sister, and I were thrilled to experience such amazing films and meet the people behind them. We came for a festival and found a family. ❤️

We’re leaving with full hearts, renewed inspiration, and gratitude through the roof!

#AwarenessFilmFestival #HoyNoMePuedoLevantar #TodayICantGetUp #IndependentFilm #Storytelling

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Had the opportunity of being one of the lead graphic designers for the 17th annual Awareness Film Festival @awarenessfest
As an Adobe NEXT Campus Leader I was excited to share my process designing the main poster/graphics using Adobe Illustrator, with the slides at the end!
Adobe really helped me bring my ideas for this concept to life ❤️!
It means a lot to me to participate in an organization that raises funds supporting accessible wellness services, and promotes films that inspire positive change. Everyone I worked with was amazing and taught me so much!

Excited to keep sharing what I create using Adobe, and bringing more Adobe NEXT events to my campus ❤️💘

#adobenextcampusleader #adobe #awarenessfilmfestival #positivechang

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What an unforgettable evening at the 17th Annual Awareness Film Festival!

Last night, Alchemy in Venice was part of the festival’s closing night celebration in Santa Monica, bringing together our cast, crew, and audiences for a special screening of the film.

From walking the red carpet at the closing night gala to sharing the film with audiences, participating in a Q&A, and enjoying a beautiful live performance by @caitjustice, the night truly reflected the art, creativity, and community at the heart of this project.

And to make the celebration even more special, we’re incredibly honored to announce that Alchemy in Venice received the GRAND JURY AWARD for Narrative Feature!

A huge thank you to @awarenessfest for selecting our film, recognizing our work, and giving us the opportunity to be part of this year’s festival. We’re equally grateful to everyone who attended the screening and helped make the night so memorable.

To our incredible cast, crew, artists, and everyone who has contributed to bringing Alchemy in Venice to life, this recognition means so much. Thank you for being part of the journey!

__
#AlchemyInVenice #AwarenessFilmFestival #GrandJuryAward #independentfilm #FilmFestival

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#awareness
#awarenessfilmfestival
@johnnyweichel
@awarenessfest

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Well, Awareness Film Festival was a pretty incredible week!! 🏆

Got to screen @stillhereshortfilm in a magic theater, meet some amazingly talented filmmakers, speak on my first filmmaking panel, and somehow come home with the Emerging Filmmaker Award!!!

All while being part of a festival dedicated to using storytelling to bring awareness to important causes.

So grateful to @awarenessfest, everyone who came out to support our film, and the incredible people who helped bring this story to life ❤️

Next stop: FirstGlance LA on November 15! 🎬

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🎬🩷 A HUGE THANK YOU TO @awarenessfest & @healoneworld⁠! 🩷🎬

What an incredible experience screening our film WELL(NESS) and speaking on my very first panel as a film director! 🎤✨

I had SO much fun doing red carpet interviews, meeting wonderful filmmakers, and watching their important, inspiring, and impactful films!

A special thank you to the festival director Skye and her AMAZING volunteers! 🩷 Everyone was so welcoming, kind, and supportive. You truly made this festival something special!

And how wonderful to meet Apple and Rheagan from CineLot! Filmmakers, check out and follow @cine.lot, @cinelot_filminsight, @eo.flix, and @eoflixshorts! From film festival submissions and filmmaker interviews to independent film streaming and distribution, they’re creating exciting opportunities for filmmakers! 🎬🚀

So grateful for the films, the friendships formed, the laughter, and this beautiful filmmaking community! 🩷✨

And a special thank you to @illusionmagiclounge for hosting the festival in your magical venue!

#SantaMonica #WELLNESSshortfilm #CineLot #FemaleFilmmakers #WomenDirectors #IndependentFilm #AFF2026 Awareness Festival

CAST: 🎭
🎬 @rheagan_wallace
🎬 @kvanill
🎬 @lizadealey_thomason
🎬 and myself @marylousandler

Written by: Mary Lou Sandler • Rheagan Wallace • Kerri Van Auken • Liza Dealey-Thomason
Directed by: Mary Lou Sandler
Produced & Edited by: @JustinSandler
Camera: Nat Armenta
Sound: Hilary Stewart
Sound Mix: David F. Van Slyke
Colorist: Gene Blalock
DCP: The Archetype Company
Executive Producers: Mary Lou Sandler • Kayvan Ardalan • Randolph Dreyer • Jake Ehrenreich

UPCOMING SCREENINGS! 🎬🍿

@oldtowneff • October 24 • Orange, CA
@trifi.official • November 6–8 • Richland, WA (Tri-Cities)

@3cubedstudios
@wellnessshortfilm
@femalefilmmakersorg

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One more red carpet photo with my new friend, TJ Taylor. TJ was my festival-assigned liaison at @awarenessfest . You could not find a more welcoming, patient, hard-working, helpful group of volunteers than the amazing team Skye assembled to donate their time and energy to a vital festival spotlighting a diversity of films that help change communities. Those super-warm and friendly volunteers showed how a festival can model that kind of compassionate community too! Thanks for everything, TJ & co.! Y’all are family now!

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We are deeply honoured to receive the Merit Award from the 2026 @awarenessfest!

Embers will be available to watch online by virtual festival ticket holders from October 19 - December 31.

We’re thrilled to take part in a festival that raises awareness and inspires change by supporting the work of independent filmmakers. ✨

📸 @mposein

#Embers #AwarenessFestival

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🎬 @beverly.hills.manners Lisa Gache and @spencerbarnesla Spencer Barnes share their reactions to THE INSTRUMENT following its World Premiere at the 2026 Awareness Film Festival! ✨

So grateful to Lisa and Spencer for sharing their thoughts and being part of this special evening.

A heartfelt thank you to @awarenessfest for hosting our World Premiere and to everyone who came out to support the film! ❤️

YOUR NEXT CHANCE TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT!

✨ SECOND SCREENING
Hollywood Afterdark Film Festival
@filmfesthollywood

📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026 · 5 PM

🎬 Screening Block 3: 5–6:30 PM, with Q&A

📍 Upstairs El Centro
1103B N El Centro Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

🎟️ Ticket link in bio! ⬆️

“She went viral. He went within.”

#TheInstrumentFilm #AudienceReactions #AwarenessFilmFestival #WorldPremiere #HollywoodAfterdark

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Thank you so much @awarenessfest for this beautiful Merit Award! @_kristinjacques_ and @kent.hatch attended the Awards Ceremony in Santa Monica CA and we are incredibly honored to receive this recognition! @shostak.tv @moontokenfilm2025 @plattformpictures

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今日は、ロサンゼルスの映画祭「Awareness Film Festival」での授賞式がありました。
授賞式に秋山先生とルミナさんも駆けつけてくださり、特別な授賞式となりました。

この映画祭への応募は、昨年は600 作品だったようですが、今年はなんと 1000作品もの応募があったそうです。
その中から「愛の地球(ホシ)へ」を選んでいただけたことを、本当に嬉しく思います！

この映画に関わって頂いた皆さん、本当にありがとうございます！
そしてたくさんの方からの映画への応援、本当にありがとうございます！

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