Two Dallas-Shot Documentaries are Double-Heading @ Billy the Kid Film Festival

Almost Home
Director: Menhaj Huda
Country: United States; Running Time: 20 minutes
A decorated Muslim-American Marine battles his inner demons, prejudice, and a fractured sense of identity as he seeks self-discovery from the haunting memory of a life-altering event at war.

Bailar
Director: Hannah Marie Benavides
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 minutes
An elderly woman with late-stage dementia rediscovers an old pair of dance shoes, unlocking a lost love story from her past.

B.I.E
Director: Jesse Cowell
Country: United States; Running Time: 7 minutes
Two women, a generation apart, find themselves locked in an absurd battle for a coveted promotion. Desperate to outshine each other, the ladies escalate their rivalry from petty arguments to an all-out race to the office.

The Bounty Hunter
Director: Enrique Novials
Country: Spain; Running Time: 9 minutes
A young detective is on a mission to find a woman who has run away from her husband.

Butch & Mandalin: The Search for the Golden Morral
Director: Riley Engemoen
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 minutes
Two unlikely companions – a grumpy old trucker and a young, free-spirited hippie – embark on a river trip down the Rio Grande in far West Texas, chasing legends of buried Spanish treasure.

Cascades
Director: Brian Russell
Country: United States; Running Time: 14 minutes
A couple walks towards a crossroads on the day of their 30th wedding anniversary. Marcus and Denise have been happily married for 30 years. Well, almost happily married. Can they overcome the one thing that just might tear them apart? They both love Danny, but what happens when parents have radically different takes on what it means to love an adult child? What does it mean to let go of our children?

The Cowboy & the Rich Man
Director: Ian Mundie
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
In the old west, a cowboy, Jim, and a college graduate, Jack, face-off in a duel for the affections of Melissa, the local “desert flower”. Things aren’t so lucky for her though when she finds out that Jim, in his old age, has one foot in the grave and that Jack’s prospects are wrapped in massive college debt. Melissa takes control of her own future by pitting the clumsy men against each other. Will Melissa end up with the right man?

Crave Necklace
Director: Norry Nevin
Country: United States; Running Time: 1 minute
CRAVE is a brand renowned for its iconic pleasure jewelry and fine bedside products that inspire sexual empowerment and expression of desire. This advert is promoting the launch of their new vibrator necklace – the Vesper Mini

EL Lloron
Director: Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez
Country: United States; Running Time: 17 minutes
Felipe is a professional mourner. He is compensated for lamenting and comforting grieving families during funerals.

Fishy, Fishy
Director: Amaya G. Elijah
Country: United States; Running Time: 4 minutes
A suicidal girl tells her therapist about how she envisions her next life as a fish.

The Girl
Director: Mandy Kowalski
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
A young girl and mother travel a long way to their new home, only to discover the neighborhood is a bit rougher than they expected.

Golden
Director: Hank Bagwell
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
A short documentary film about a long iconic beard! William Lee Golden of Country Music Hall of Fame group, The Oak Ridge Boys hasn’t trimmed or shaved his beard since 1980. Music legends Jamey Johnson (You Should Have Seen it in Color, High Cost of Living, Stars in Alabama), Eddy Raven (Operator Operator, I Got Mexico, Joe Knows How to Live), Tony Brown (producer of over 100 #1 records including George Strait, Reba, Chris Stapleton, Wynonna Judd, Steve Earle and more) and famous photographers weigh in on it in this animated short doc.

Grey Matter
Director: Kildare Riordan
Country: United States; Running Time: 10 minutes
A desperate woman flees one monster—only to find herself in the home of another. Trapped between a brutal past and a man with even darker secrets, she must decide: escape, or finish what he started. Violence saves her life… but will it cost her soul?

Hellvette
Director: Amiel Peter Matthews
Country: Australia; Running Time: 15 minutes
A young mechanics dream build becomes his worst nightmare when his missing 1978 C3 Corvette resurfaces, transformed into a death machine leaving a trail of bodies-and every clue points back to him.

J.P. United
Director: Sidney Timmons
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 minutes
An isolated German college student seeks to build community in the United States by organizing a co-ed football team.

Just the Janitor
Director: Sterling Gates
Country: United States; Running Time: 25 minutes
Harold Miller was once a henchman for some of the most dangerous criminals in the underworld.  It wrecked his mind, his body, and his life.  Now, Harold’s an elementary school janitor, doing his best to keep the floors clean and his sordid past behind him. But when Harold’s old hench buddies ask to use his school for a huge score, Harold has to decide what’s more important: money… or protecting children’s lives?

Kidd
Director: Britt Crisp
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
A violent incident forces an outlaw to finally come to terms with the consequences of her actions by the hand of her father, the local sheriff. While both have differing opinions between right and wrong, the outlaw and her father are forced to make a difficult decision that could tearing family apart; life or death?

Kingman Stables
Director: JC Tovar, JR Molina
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 minutes
Brothers JC and Sebastian Tovar dream of refurbishing their family’s horse stables into a premier place to house a horse. The first step? Make a great commercial. They hire filmmaker Victor De La Cruz to produce a high quality commercial sure to bring in new clients. For De La Cruz, it’s an opportunity to revive his failed filmmaking career, but the brother’s overbearing personalities annoy Victor to the brink of quitting the project.

Let Go
Director: Jacob Christopher Sizemore
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 minutes

Makin’ Progress
Director: Simon Flory
Country: United States; Running Time: 17 minutes
In February of 2025, people gathered at Record Town in Fort Worth,  Texas to celebrate Roger Harvey and Simon Flory’s new album of early country, folk, and protest songs by artists like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Joe Hill. An album called Progress. Makin’ Progress chronicles the duo’s nearly five year journey from their cancelled tour due to the global pandemic, to recording in-studio and live performances, interviews, and the album’s ultimate release and reception in the midst of social and political upheaval.

The Motorcycle Man
Director: Jason Ward
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
A 21st century trip set in the birthplace of the 60’s, this slice of Americana stars Tony Award winner John Glover as an easy-riding and sharp-tongued guide to two young travelers looking for Ken Kesey’s cabin deep in Northern California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. Examining ideas of autonomy, cultural literacy, and unexpected connection, the film was shot by National Geographic’s Emmy winning director of photography Ben Mullin and directed by Northern California filmmaker Jason Ward.

Neon Moon
Director: E’an Verdugo, Francis Juarez
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 minutes
Music Video

Out on a Limb
Director: Filip Kojic
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 minutes
In the Old West, a soul-searching son returns home to rescue his ill-fated mother. Out on a Limb is an original twist on the classic Western. A smart and engaging meditation on coming to terms with our violent pasts while forging a new road with Eastern influences. 

Predator’s Mark
Director: Jacob Mejia
Country: United States; Running Time: 10 minutes
PhD biology students Oliver and Vega, former lovers turned reluctant colleagues, encounter a strange phenomenon in a remote part of Texas while on a field research trip. What begins as a study into natural wildlife becomes a terrifying ordeal when they discover an unnerving predator preying on the local ecosystem. As their expedition takes a deadly turn, they are forced to confront their own vulnerabilities in the face of an unknown and relentless force.

Pregnancy Smart
Director: Marisa Mendoza
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
Two young women take a pregnancy test for the first time… they are not taking it because they think they aren’t pregnant.

Reditus
Director: Stephen Bouldin, Michael Kelley
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
A decorated combat veteran struggles with PTSD and the loss it has caused in his life.

Ritual- Heir to Nothing
Director: Alessia Devecchi, Ryn
Country: United States; Running Time: 7 minutes
Music video for the release of Heir to Nothing’s song ‘Ritual’

Samuel Flint & the Magpie Gang
Director: Alessia Devecchi
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 minutes

Second Chance
Director: India Anne Mitchell
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 minutes
An inspired young filmmaker who witnessed a disturbing incident at school looks inside Juvenile Hall and Court, through the moving account of a juvenile offender and his parents, as well as the insights of the judge, attorneys and probation officer. Second Chance takes a step towards better understanding, compassion and ultimately, hope for juveniles who are some of the most vulnerable in our society, and who are also part of its future.

Slick
Director: Nick Thompson
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
Two environmentalist thugs enlist the help of a cat burglar to vandalize valuable art in the name of their righteous cause. However, they fail to foresee that their plan to protest pollution has a problem.

Stubborn
Director: Robert Gamperl
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
A horse breeder stumbles upon an injured man and discovers a gold nugget that could change her life. A horse breeder stumbles upon an injured man and discovers a gold nugget that could change her life. Driven by greed, the horse breeder descends into violence, only to become trapped in a mysterious cycle.

Toxic Abuse
Director: Robert Cantu
Country: United States; Running Time: 20 minutes
As ambitious Det. Rachel doesn’t realize how her alcohol addiction is ruining her career professionally and personally. Like all alcoholics, Det. Rachel doesn’t see the path awaiting her.

Unseen in Plain Sight
Directors: Rae’Dawn Rebert, Abigail Newlon, Samantha DiFiore, Juan Manosalva
Country: United States; Running Time: 14 minutes
We pass them on street corners, beneath interstate overpasses, and along busy shopping districts—yet we often fail to truly see them. The unhoused community, often at their most vulnerable, faces immense challenges and rarely receives the help they need. Unseen in Plain Sight is a compelling documentary that explores the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness, many of whom are battling addiction and mental health struggles.

Up In Flames
Director: Christopher Botvidson
Country: United States; Running Time: 24 minutes
A woman, desperate for freedom, lures her vengeful ex into a final, violent showdown with the ruthless kingpin who destroyed their lives. But she’s not the only one playing a dangerous game, and no one is guaranteed to make it out alive.

What We Imagined
Director: Shubhavi Arya
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 minutes
In a magical park, two children meet across a divide — one fast like a cheetah, the other once feared. Through questions, sketches, and a desktop of dreams, they invite us into a story of transformation, truth, and imagination. Their message is simple but powerful: Be who you are. Even if you’re still figuring it out.

When the Autumn Comes
Director: Pedro Moreno del Oso
Country: Spain; Running Time: 10 minutes

Who’s Chico?
Director: John Salanoa
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 minutes
After one of his collections comes in short, crime boss Maka Kupa‘a thinks a lesson in torture is just what his crew needs to fall in line. But the crew has other plans. Will the strongest survive, or the most cunning?

You Ain’t Gotta Die
Director: Chris Beyrooty
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 minutes
In a blaze of bullets, poison, and pure sass, Kaitlin Butts’ ‘You Ain’t Gotta Die to Be Dead to Me’ follows cowgirl Kissin’ Katie B as she rides into town to settle the score with every no-good man in sight.