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V Edition - Brisk Los Angeles - 2025

The Morgan-Wixson
(August 15th - September 7th 2025)

Welcome to the 5th Edition of Brisk Festival Los Angeles!

Brisk Festival returns for its fifth edition, once again celebrating the transformative power of live theater through dynamic short plays of up to 10 minutes. This international festival serves as a vibrant platform where creativity thrives, and the energy of live performance is fueled by the collaboration of talented writers, directors, and performers. Brisk Festival fosters a spirit of artistic exchange, inviting audiences to experience a wide range of emotions and thought-provoking narratives—all in a condensed, impactful format.

Festival Dates: August 15 – September 7, 2025
Location: Morgan-Wixson Theater, Santa Monica, California

Submissions are now closed, and we are thrilled to announce that 48 plays have been selected to take part in this special edition. A full list of this year’s plays will be announced soon. In the meantime, here’s a preview of some of the selected works:

I Edition of Brisk Buenos Aires 2024

Border Theatre
(November 23rd - December 7th 2024)

The First Edition of the Brisk Festival Buenos Aires took place from November 23rd to December 7th at the BORDER Theater in Palermo.

36 plays, selected from around 200 entries, were divided into four programs, each featuring 9 plays. Each performance presented one program, within which the plays competed in the categories of Best Script, Best Play, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Actor. A professional jury, along with a popular jury (the audience), determined the winners.

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About

The Brisk Festival believes in the magic and power that theater can bring to human beings. That’s why we like to celebrate our love of the stage with wonderful and talented artists who want to share their stories with our audiences.

We offer a unique opportunity for large audiences to enjoy a great number of short plays in the span of a few weeks in a wonderful theatrical environment. Our superb list of short plays in competition are chosen after a long selection process that encourages a variety of stories and artists.

Theater allows us to connect with each other and awakens our senses and emotions. The Brisk Festival is driven by a dedicated, professional and motivated team charged with choosing a unique selection of short plays and a wonderful group of generous artists. Full Emotions, a multi-awarded production company with more than 12 years of experience in producing films, television and theater, proudly offers the Brisk Festival to give our audiences a marvelous and memorable stage experience.

“The Brisk’s Sustainability Program”
Performing arts are a reflection of our changing society, create community and have the power to change the world. Short stories multiply emotions and feelings. Sustainability meets The Brisk Festival.
• A transformational journey that begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long after it has come down.
• Finding new ways to innovate through sustainability, inclusivity, and digital transformation.
• Small changes that go a long way in knocking down the barriers.
• It starts with The Pledge.
Come join us at the free Brisk Festival ‘s sustainability workshop that will be held on August 20th 2023 at 4:15pm at the Morgan-Wixson theatre in Santa Monica, CA.

Our Festival Director and Brisk Festival Founder and Executive Producer, Christian Rodrigo, has been in the Entertainment Industry for the last 20 years. Christian Rodrigo is a Spanish actor and filmmaker, based in Los Angeles, with a background as a producer and director. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA, as well as the Actors Studio (Directors’ Unit & Play Development Unit), and the Cinema Academy of Catalonia.

He has worked as an actor in several films, TV shows, theater plays, music videos and commercials. He has, also, hosted several events and tv programs. As a producer, he also has an extensive career. He founded in Barcelona, Spain, his production company, Full Emotions SL, in 2007, and then, in 2019, in LA, CA, Full Emotions Inc. With his production companies, he has produced several films some of them awarded internationally such as Wings or My Invisible Friend, commercials, music videos or TV Shows such as LA Confidential (that he also directed for Non Stop People). In 2013 he also founded his Acting Studio in Los Angeles, coaching actors from all over the world.

He is affiliated with The Actors’ Gang (actor and teacher), a Los Angeles theater company of which Tim Robbins is the artistic director. His first big project on stage was in 2004 as the Assistant Director of John Malkovich for the play Hysteria produced in Barcelona and Madrid. Additionally, he has a diverse and extensive experience as a Host, Photographer, Camera Operator, Director and Editor. He has directed other theater festivals too in the past.

Creatively applying his MBA from ESADE/ Emory, Christian has fused his business and artistic background and distinguished himself as a serious, dynamic filmmaker in films, music videos, commercials, television programs, theater and documentaries.

Christian and his team are very careful about giving a pleasant and superb experience to all of the participants and the audience members that come to support the Festival, and he is very thankful to be a part of the Festival.

Ramon Valdez, LA & Mexico City Producer of the brisk festival, originally from Mexico, began his career as an actor in the telenovela “Las Grandes Aguas”. Without knowing that this project would become the beginning of a great career as an actor, participating on 25 telenovelas , 3 movies, 5 TV shows and more than 50 unitary programs.

Later he began his career as a producer and director of his first TV series, A2D3 falls, counting with first-rate actors such as Mario Zaragoza, Pedro Romo, Zuly Keith, among others. After this project, he opened his own production company in Los Angeles California, with which he has already been working on different projects. Then he produced four other TV shows and directed some of them Pamboleros, Los elegidos, Cryogenesis, and Limbo which entered into the pilot season 2013/2014 selection.

After that, he started to direct unitary programs about paranormal cases, and produced game programs such as Retofamosos, the Show of Lagrimita and Costel, and the Radio Awards Ceremony in 2014 that was broadcasted live nationally from the Nokia theater in Los Angeles.

These last years he’s been producing several TV commercials and music videos. It is also worth mentioning that he has a wide agenda and relationship with celebrities, and he is the Artistic Director of some TV programs from Estrella TV bringing guests to different shows improving the ratings of the network.

Right now he has an extensive list of TV shows and programs. He was also the producer of the first musical in Spanish produced in California, Burlesque the musical with Mrs. Olga Breeskin, in May 2015.

He is currently the content director of the TVC +Latino network in the city of Los Angeles California.

Luciana Di Laura is a Peruvian actress and storyteller based in Los Angeles. She has a BFA in Theater Performing Arts from California State University, Los Angeles. She has experience acting in theater, film, and TV. Luciana is passionate about creating her own content and opportunities.

Besides acting she has taken classes in directing, playwriting, stage management, stagecraft, lighting design, costumes, and makeup. She has worked in theater productions as a stage manager, director, assistant director, lighting board operator, and assistant stage manager.

Luciana is a former professional tennis player and an athlete at heart. She is disciplined, determined, and a team player.

Charlotte Hendrickx, born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium, is a multi-talented producer, actress, and entrepreneur. As an only child, she found ways to stay active, which led to her discovery of a love for dance. Ballet classes at an early age opened the door to the world of arts and acting—a world she soon fell in love with.

After graduating from college in 2016 with a degree in Human and Behavioral Sciences, Charlotte committed wholeheartedly to her true passion: bringing stories to life. In 2017, she began her occupational arts training at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Over two years, she honed her craft, learning from some of the industry’s best. Her talent and dedication were recognized, and in 2020, she was invited to join the exclusive Company Year of the Academy for advanced training.

Since graduating, Charlotte has been part of numerous remarkable projects.

Her interest in the creative process behind the camera led her to explore producing. Charlotte now has several productions to her name, including the short drama “Heated,” which she also directed, and the award-winning film “Enough.” “The Spell That Backfired” in collaboration with Rayna Campbell. She recently completed “Open The Door” a movie she wrote, produced, and starred in, and has several international productions lined up, though details remain under wraps for now.

Charlotte Hendrickx continues to push the boundaries of her craft, driven by her passion for storytelling and her versatile talents both in front of and behind the camera. She can not wait to see what’s next for her.

Ainara Landon: Ainara Landon is an award-winning international independent producer, originally from Spain. In 2019, she co-founded Prickly Pears Films in LA, a multi-location production company with sister companies in Switzerland and Spain. This venture has provided her with the opportunity to collaborate with exceptional professionals and clients on an international scale.

Under her production company’s banner, Ainara has successfully helmed the production of the TV pilot “Brutal,” directed by Samuel McConnell, as well as four feature films that have gained numerous awards in prestigious film festivals and are being distributed – “Ibiza Blue,” “Marco Polo,” “Love, Bees and Fuckery,” and “Witchy Ways,” all filmed across locations in Los Angeles and Europe.

Her journey into the film industry began after her attainment of a law degree and her training in acting at the prestigious Cristina Rota Acting School. In 2013, she made the leap to Los Angeles, where she delved into production work for films and commercials.

She has established herself as a Line Producer and Production Manager for respected production companies in both Los Angeles and New York, including Tandem Pictures (Black Bear, The Surrogate), the first conscious film production company that operates within strict sustainability guidelines.

Ainara has further expanded her expertise by studying Legal Entertainment at UCLA Extension, effectively merging her legal background with the entertainment industry.

Zulma Latino is an actress and executive producer. She began her performance art career at the IDARTES Institute in the city of Bogota, Colombia with an emphasis on Folklore and the study of different indigenous communities. She has appeared in plays in the city of Los Angeles and has also done collaborations such as being a television host and radio host, and has also starred in music videos. Even to this day she works as a producer, manager, director of events, conferences, and congresses in the city of Bogota, Mexico, Peru, Los Angeles and Orange County.

Fashion designer, costume designer, art director, creative writer and illustrator. Active since 2006, Vanessa is the cofounder of Nuvula, an independent, creative arts fashion brand and costume design atelier. Since its inception in 2007, Nuvula has focused on originality, on responsible manufacturing, and on environmental sustainability, including the rejection of any animal-based products. Vanessa has participated in a number of independent film projects, theater productions, music videos, commercials and large magazine editorials as a designer and art director, with various awards and magazine articles recognizing Nuvula’s designs and contributions to the industry. Their work has been featured in over 20 editorial spreads and has graced the covers of more than 5 fashion magazines. With an unusual professional background as a marine biologist, she focuses most of her artwork around the environment, with a particular interest on the ocean and the plastic crisis enveloping it.

Our Festival Sustainability Director, Luis Yanguas, has more than 20 years of multi-cultural multi-industry executive experience in Europe, Canada and U.S..
Spanish Applied Development Economics PhD and ESG specialist, based in L.A.
Optimist passioned sustainability advocate with an extensive background in international humanitarian and community service organizations.
Luis Yanguas is thankful to be part of the Festival and to join the team to support with all-things sustainability.”

Producer and Choreographer. Luli has produced and choreographed in France, Spain, the United States, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Her credits include significant work in musical theater. In Buenos Aires: Fenix Entertainment Group, Teatro Gran Rex, Teatro Opera, Teatro Tango Porteño, Teatro Maipo. In New York: Off Broadway’s “Día y Noche” (Labrynth Theater), “Infernal the Musical” (The Flea), “Fuse, A Backyard Stravaganza” (HHK Films), “Book of Job” (Theatre 315), National LGTBQ+ Task Force, among others. She is the founder of PRODUCCIONES FRANCAS and currently the Director of Communications for PITCHBLACK IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES. She delves into the world of dance film, creating her own dance movies, many of which have been screened at international film festivals. You can find her latest dance film, “Mascara,” in the DIF (Discover Indie Films) series on Amazon Prime. She is also the founder and producer of the NYBA DANCE FILM FEST.

Actor, musician, director, and producer, he began his career in music before transitioning to the performing arts. He has acted in various independent theater productions: “Edad Crítica” at La Gloria; the monologue “Reencuentro” at El Arenal and other venues; and “Epitafios Las Paces” at Teatro Vera Vera. He also directed and performed as a musician and performer in the multidisciplinary play “El Juego Se Terminó,” which premiered at El Galpón de Guevara. More recently, he worked as a composer and actor in the docu-fiction “Manos Vacías” and in the web series “Modo Zoom.” In 2022, he starred in the musical “Senza Fine” at Teatro Gargantúa. His audiovisual work “Tiempo” won the “Puentes Culturales” call from the Ministry of Culture of Buenos Aires. His most personal project, “Fuera de Tiempo,” was selected to participate in “La Noche de la Música 2023.”

Producer and entrepreneur. He has been based in New York for the past 10 years, working in the Broadway musical theater circuit. With 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry, he has produced dozens of events and international tours, including Disney On Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Shawn Mendes, Blink 182, International Indian Film Awards, and Kinky Boots, among others. He is the founder of FRANCAS PRODUCCIONES and currently serves as a Production Advisor at Cmax System Inc. and a partner at F2F.

Sofi Esposito holds a degree in HR and has over 10 years of experience working in multinational companies in Argentina. Currently, her expertise is focused on the planning area of Mercado Libre at a regional level.

Sofi is a curious and restless person, always seeking new challenges where she can learn something new. This drive led her to recently join the Brisk Festival team, aiming to contribute her part to ensure the success of all the performances.

She believes in the transformational power of theater and the importance of audiences experiencing the wide range of emotions that each play offers. Art is an expression of the human soul, and it is vital for everyone to find ways to connect with this aspect of our nature. Our proposal is a channel for achieving this connection.

Participate

You'll have a fabulous and astounding experience if you end up participating in the festival. It will be one of the best decisions that you'll take as an artist. You'll see!!

Who can participate?

If you are a professional actor, director, writer or a theater company, you’re more than welcome to submit your short play for our consideration. We encourage our artists or theater companies to submit a short play with a script, director and actors attached, but we are open to receive scripts from writers, directors looking for a script, or actors looking to be cast in a play (but our recommendation is to be proactive and bring your own idea and your own team: be creative and be yourself the one taking the decisions).

How many times will the plays chosen perform?

Any play participating in the festival will be performing 4 times in total, once per day from Thursday to Sunday. Each play will be performing in a program of 6 plays each. Usually each festival have around 8 programs, making around 48-50 plays per festival. The winners of each program will perform one more time in a Final Gala, the last day of the festival. As a result of that Final Gala, we’ll find out who the winners are.

What can I expect from the Festival?

The brisk festival is a perfect platform for any artist who is looking for an audience to share her/his talent with. We have a professional jury that works on the film, TV and theater industry that besides judging the selected short pieces, they are also looking constantly for new talent. There will be press covering the festival. Also, you’ll meet other great professionals like you that will be participating in the festival. But the most important is to have a fantastic and fun experience, while sharing your stories and your talent.

How much does it cost to submit a play?

We are artists and we love to give everyone an opportunity to show their talent. We know how hard it’s to be an artist nowadays, that’s why our policy is that as a participant there’s no cost involved at any time, not even when submitting your proposal/play. The only thing that we ask in return is your commitment if you’re chosen in the festival, to bring a high quality theater piece, and a great and very positive energy,

Is it there any compensation if I'm chosen?

We’d love to be able to give you some funds if you’re selected, but pitifully we have a very small budget to run the festival, and we can’t afford any compensation for your participation. Nevertheless, there is a $500 award for the winning play, and the production of a short film of a chosen play among the official ones selected. There are also small awards for the winners of the rest of the categories: Writer, Director, Actress, Actor and People’s Choice.

Contact

We'd like to hear from you. If you would like to volunteer with us, have any doubts, suggestions or you'd just like to know more about us, please send us your info and we'll be happy to answer you as soon as we can.

Email: [email protected]

Phone:+1 (323) 863-6052

Address: 3942 3rd Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90008 (Offices – Not theater address)

brisk festival – 3942 3rd Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, USA [email protected] – T:+1 (323) 863-6052

V Edition - Brisk Los Angeles - 2025

The Morgan-Wixson
(August 15th - September 7th 2025)

I Edition of Brisk Buenos Aires 2024

Border Theatre
(November 23rd - December 7th 2024)

COMMUNITY PARTNERS