While the Hollywood machine continues to crank out IP sludge like it’s on autopilot, the DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) quietly wrapped its seventh edition in Los Angeles this week—reminding everyone that real storytelling still has a heartbeat. Held at the AMC Theatres at The Grove (a bizarrely corporate location for a fest that celebrates creative rebellion), DIFF lit up Closing Night on October 12 with its annual Leo Awards, honoring raw talent and bold voices from the global indie scene.
Taking the spotlight was Emile Hirsch, who took home the festival’s Honorary Leo Award for his work in Bau, Artist at War. If you’ve been sleeping on Hirsch post-Into the Wild, this is your wake-up call. His performance in Bau reminds us that he’s not just a blast from the past—he’s a force in the trenches of modern independent filmmaking. No capes. No multiverses. Just raw, human storytelling.
But the night’s biggest triumph belonged to Nawi, a powerhouse feature from Kenya that opened the fest and ended up snagging Best Feature Film. Already selected as Kenya’s official submission for the 2024 Oscars in the International Feature category, Nawi follows a 13-year-old girl fighting her way out of a forced marriage to chase an education. It’s a gut-punch of a story—resistance, survival, and transformation rolled into a powerful narrative that cements Kenya’s rising film scene as one to watch. This isn’t Oscar bait—it’s a sledgehammer wrapped in velvet.
Emile Hirsch, recipient of the Honorary Leo Award, on the red carpet at the DaVinci International Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Other standouts from the fest’s 2025 lineup include:
- Best Short Film: The Ride
- Best Short Documentary: Under Fire
- Best Feature Documentary: Clear Sky
- Best Animation: 113 Words For You Today
- Best Screenplay: The Benevolent
- GENiUS (Ultra-Short): To Nora
- Junior Leo: Why Can’t We Just Be Ghosts
Festival founder Chadwick Pelletier summed up the night best: “This year’s selections reflect the vibrant spirit of innovation and storytelling that defines independent film.” In other words, while the big studios continue to drown in recycled cash grabs, indie filmmakers are out here telling stories that actually matter.
With new international partnerships brewing through its FilmAfrica program, DIFF is only getting bolder and more global. Keep an eye on this one—the 8th edition in 2026 is already teasing more groundbreaking work from emerging voices.
More info and future fest dates at davincifilmfestival.com. Support indie cinema, or get used to another decade of cinematic landfill. Your move, audience.
