since 1967…

The Humboldt International Film Festival has been a beacon for extraordinary filmmaking talent from across the globe. In its 59th year, we continued this proud tradition, inviting you to celebrate an incredible array of films and filmmakers. Along with our four main categories of Narrative, Experimental, Documentary, and Animation we are bringing back our Spotlight Films, this year we focused on films that explore the theme “Into The Woods Somewhere.”

We were thrilled to welcome three guest judges to the fest: Latajh Weaver, Julian Doan, and Kat Ball.

HIFF Guest Judges

LaTajh Simmons-Weaver is an Oakland-based screenwriter, director, and producer, named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Their work employs humor and irony to highlight underrepresented Black queer narratives. They have produced films for The Guardian, the Museum of African Diaspora, and the SF Queer Arts Foundation. Their films, Budget Paradise (SFFILM) and Hold Me Close (Sundance), premiered in 2025. They also served as associate producer on Earth Mama (A24), which premiered at Sundance in 2023 and won a BAFTA.

Latajh Weaver

WEBSITE

Julian Doan is a writer/director preoccupied with the mundane, ironic, and absurd. His short films RASPBERRY (Sundance 2021) and LONG’S LONG LOST & MINI MART (Tribeca 2025), are the first 2 of his “dead dad trilogy”, to be completed with his 1st feature HALF SWEET (Gotham Project Market 2021): a Tati-esque satirical tragicomedy about a family keeping a dying father alive against his will. Together, these films all explore the commodification of grief. He’s also an editor and assistant editor with credits such as THE SYMPATHIZER, IN TREATMENT, MAINSTREAM, and WILD WILD COUNTRY. He’s a recently converted cat daddy.

Julian Doan

WEBSITE

Kat Ball is an animator originally from New York City, currently living in Los Angeles. She is a character designer on the Netflix animated series Long Story Short and seasons two & three of Tuca & Bertie. She is the founder & curator of the animation screening series Loose Frames, which aims to uplift independent animators locally and internationally. She is also on the board and the Fellowship Program Director of the 501(c)3 non-profit Silver Lake Shorts.

Kat Ball

WEBSITE

HIFF 59 Co-Directors

Danica is a Film major at Cal Poly Humboldt in her senior year. Since transferring, she has written, produced, and directed several short films and has enjoyed learning the ins and outs of the film industry as well as the creative process that goes into making independent short films. She particularly enjoys the hands-on work of building props and designing sets, as well as the research and material sourcing that go into production design. Once she graduates, she hopes to pursue a career as an Art Director and/or Production Designer, where she can bring her artistic visions to life and help bring stories to the screen. Within HIFF, Danica is thrilled to be a co-director, even more so by helping with its expansion. She's focused on learning more about the branding/marketing aspects of running a successful festival and looks forward to helping with programming and working with the students involved to create a festival that inspires other filmmakers.

Danica Frey

WEBSITE

Sara Ortega is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, double-majoring in Film and Communications. She transferred to CPH after earning Associate Degrees in Film Studies, Communications, and Arts & Humanities from Santa Monica College. As a filmmaker, Sara has directed and produced several short films. Her long-term goal is to launch her own production company, one that not only supports emerging filmmakers by fostering a strong, collaborative creative community but also inspires and uplifts the dreams of children through storytelling, mentorship, and access to filmmaking opportunities. As a HIFF co-director, Sara is committed to expanding the festival’s reach and impact by programming and selecting diverse films. She hopes to inspire collaboration, encourage teamwork, and spark a shared passion for cinema between both participants and attendees.