NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA. — The Valley Film Festival, a non-profit arts project of Community Partners, will celebrate its 26th year with two free screenings of its signature “Made in the (818)” program of films on Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 aka “(818) Day” at the Laemmle NoHo7 in North Hollywood.
Featuring 10 short films produced in the (818) and the true crime feature film Sunset Strip Killers (Chad Ferrin, 2026) about the Valley serial thrill killer couple (Carol Bundy and Doug Clark), the VFF26 lineup showcases work created across the San Fernando Valley, and the (818) area code, including Agoura Hills, Burbank, Chatsworth, North Hollywood, Northridge, Sherman Oaks, Sylmar, Tarzana, Van Nuys, and Woodland Hills. The screenings will be offered free to the public through the support of a grant from the NoHo Neighborhood Council.
This year’s festival tagline, “Keeping Hollywood Home Since 2001,” cements The Valley Film Festival’s longstanding commitment to spotlighting locally produced films and the filmmakers and small businesses that make film-making possible in Los Angeles. The theme is independently aligned with the goals of the Stay in LA grassroots coalition and the City of Los Angeles’ Keep Hollywood Home effort, both of which advocate for supporting local production and affiliated businesses in Los Angeles. The Valley Film Festival is not affiliated with either.
“For 26 years, The Valley Film Festival has believed that the (818) offers a landscape that not only supports important storytelling and talent, but that our Valley communities can be adapted to double as worldwide locations,” said Valley Film Festival founder Tracey Adlai. “At a time when our industry is working to keep productions, jobs and creative talent in Los Angeles, we are proud to continue to celebrate filmmakers who are already contributing to supporting local businesses.” David Krouse, the Festival’s Co-Producer added, “The ‘Made in the (818)’ short film program is what drew me to The Valley Film Festival in 2015 and why I return each year. This signature program launched my film exhibition career, and I’m excited for VFF to continue its mission supporting independent filmmakers.”
This year’s festival is supported by the generous donations from the NoHo Neighborhood Council, Laemmle Theatres, RKM Studios and Simple DCP.
5:00 P.M. — “Made in the (818)” Shorts Program
Post-screening Q&A with filmmakers in attendance.
The festival begins with eight locally produced short films spanning science fiction, drama, dark comedy, musical storytelling, thriller and horror:
• All for Tomorrow, directed by Russ Emanuel
• Dis-Ease, directed by Justin Zackariah Zagri
• Divisi, directed by Anabelle Corneau
• Is Your Shade of Blue the Same as Mine?, directed by Gabriel Urbano
• Meeting Your Maker, directed by Gregory JM Kasunich
• More Than This, directed by Chris Sarfin
• The Vinyl Collection, directed by Mateo Galindo Peña
• This Road Leads Nowhere, directed by Veronica Lara
7:30 P.M. — Sunset Strip Killers Feature Program
Post-screening Q&A with filmmakers in attendance.
The evening program is headlined by Sunset Strip Killers, directed by Chad Ferrin. Set in Los Angeles in 1980, the film follows Carol Bundy, a lonely nurse living in Van Nuys whose encounter with the charming but dangerously unstable Doug Clark pulls her into a horrifying world of obsession, deceit and bloodshed. The feature was produced in Chatsworth, Simi Valley and North Hollywood, with post-production completed in Burbank.
The feature will be preceded by:
• Devil’s Dilemma, a dark comedy directed by Darren Coyle
• If Affected, Do Not Drive a Motor Vehicle or Operate Machinery, the official music video from the band Any Two Words, directed by Rhys Schuffman and Vincent Millunzi
Event Information
26th Annual Valley Film Festival: “Made in the (818)”
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
“Made in The (818) Shorts Program: 5:00pm
Sunset Strip Killers Feature Program: 7:30pm
Laemmle NoHo7
5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
Admission is free, with reservations available through The Valley Film Festival website. Seating is subject to availability.
About The Valley Film Festival
Founded in 2000 by Toluca Lake native Tracey Adlai, The Valley Film Festival is the first and continuously running film festival in the San Fernando Valley. The all-volunteer nonprofit arts project of Community Partners supports local and international voices that advance storytelling while furthering the education, production and exhibition of film. Its programs include the signature “Made in the (818)” showcase of locally produced films, filmmaker mentoring and educational events, affordable submission opportunities and call-for- entry scholarships for filmmakers affected or displaced by conflict and war.