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6th Annual Indie Short Fest – Industry Panel
Regal LA Live · Los Angeles · May 9, 2026
Get a glimpse into the Industry Panel at the 6th Annual Indie Short Fest, moderated by Tristan Boesch and featuring an inspiring conversation with acclaimed actor Stephen Tobolowsky, actress Alexa Mansour, and producer, actress, and writer Cynthia Gravinese.
Guest speakers
With a career spanning more than 250 film and television productions, Stephen Tobolowsky is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable character actors, known for standout performances in classics and hit series including Groundhog Day, Memento, Silicon Valley, Californication, Glee, and The Goldbergs. During the panel, he reflected on storytelling, acting, career longevity, and his experience portraying Holocaust survivor Wladyslaw “Walter” Wojnas in Watching Walter — an award-winning proof-of-concept short inspired by the true story of a Holocaust survivor-turned-watchmaker navigating memories of Nazi-occupied Poland and post-war life in Philadelphia.
Alexa Mansour, widely recognized for her breakout role in The Walking Dead: World Beyond and for recent work in major television productions, joined the conversation to discuss performance, emotional authenticity, and her role in the award-winning short Unruly. Based on the true story of writer and producer Antonia Horlick, the film follows a rebellious teenager struggling with addiction and grief who is taken against her will into a deeply abusive “troubled teen” program masked as therapeutic reform.
Producer, actress, and writer Cynthia Gravinese shared insights into independent filmmaking, producing, and the journey behind Watching Walter, which has been earning recognition across the international festival circuit.
Special Guests
The panel later welcomed special guests Mitch Yapko, director of Watching Walter, Mark Dylan Brown, writer and producer of the film, and Antonia Horlick, writer and producer of Unruly, expanding the discussion into the creative development, personal inspirations, and collaborative process behind both award-winning projects.
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