Honey Lauren’s Award-Winning “Mistake” Makes Its Los Angeles Debut at NFMLA for Pride Month

\

Honey Lauren’s Award-Winning

 “Mistake” Makes Its Los Angeles

 Debut at NFMLA for Pride Month

Writer-director Honey Lauren’s award-winning debut feature “Mistake” will make its Los Angeles screening debut on Saturday, June 20, as part of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles’ InFocus: LGBTQ+ Cinema program. The Pride Month screening marks a homecoming of sorts for Lauren, who returns to NFMLA 14 years after her award-winning short film “Dot Got Shot” screened with the festival.

Set in the American South from 1941 to 1971, “Mistake” follows Larry Benson, played by Dominic Bogart, a person born intersex whose life is shaped by a decision made at birth and reinforced through years of hormone treatment, family control, isolation and violence. The film traces Larry’s difficult path toward self-recognition while examining identity, alienation, love and the damage caused when human lives are forced into rigid social expectations.

“Mistake is a bit of my own story too,” Lauren said in a statement. “And while the world has come a long way since 1971, some things are sadly the same. The gender issues are current. They are relevant. If we can examine, learn, and heal from intolerant attitudes of our past, we can move towards a more equitable society where not only intersex people but people of all gender varieties can live free and happy. And really anyone who is forced or chooses to live outside strict social norms.”

The June 20 event is also positioned as one of NFMLA’s industry-facing Pride Month programs. The organization’s InFocus: LGBTQ+ Cinema celebration includes LGBTQ+ shorts programs, the Los Angeles premiere of “Mistake,” and participation from community partners including Outfest. NFMLA also lists industry delegates expected for the day, including representatives from Magnolia Pictures, Sundance Institute, Campfire Studios, Buffalo 8 and Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment, underscoring the festival’s role as a bridge between independent filmmakers, audiences and the broader entertainment community.

The film arrives in Los Angeles after a strong start to its 2026 festival run in the United States and Europe. It was the opening night film at the Tulipani di Seta Nera International Social Cinematography Festival in Rome, where it received the Sorriso per la Cultura Internazionale Award. Additional honors include the Director’s Choice Award for Best Inspirational Feature at the Sedona International Film Festival, the Festival Grand Prize and a Special Jury Award for Outstanding Cinematography at the Arizona International Film Festival, and Best Feature at the Reel Equals Film Festival, where it screened as the closing-night film.

“Mistake” also received Most Honorable Mention at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival and screened as a closing-night film at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, where it won Best Drama Feature and was named to the festival’s Judges’ Top 10.

The cast includes Bogart, whose credits include Netflix’s “American Primeval” and “Just Mercy,” and newcomer Jiji Hise as Lily Willets. Veteran actors Brett Cullen, known for “Joker” and “Ghost Rider,” and Kay Lenz, known for “Breezy” and “House,” also star, with supporting performances from Matt Bogart, Honey Lauren and Brandon Keener.

Produced by Brad Wyman, Davey Robertson, Erik Bakken, and David Shultz, the film was shot across locations in Los Angeles, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films has come on board as a sales representative.

Lauren, a writer, director, and actress with more than 100 film and television credits, has built a body of work around character-driven stories and outsiders navigating hostile worlds. Her shorts include “Dot Got Shot,” “Happy Hands” and “Wives of the Skies,” which collectively earned major festival recognition. “Mistake” expands that work into feature territory with a story that is intimate, bruising and urgent.

The NFMLA screening will take place at South Park Center in downtown Los Angeles. A pre-reception begins at 5 p.m., followed by the screening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and a Q&A from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m.