A resonant, new short film exploring family, faith and identity
Los Angeles, CA (August 16, 2025). Sunday Sauce is a new short film starring Academy Award nominee Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull, Casper). The film is an officially selection at the 2025 Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. It is written, directed, produced and features a supporting performance by Tribeca alum Matt Campanella. The short is a genre-bending portrait of tradition, repression and what happens when the truth refuses to stay buried.
Sunday Sauce is has a 14 minutes running time. It takes audiences on a rollercoaster of humor, body horror and heart. They explore the messy collision of identity and inheritance. Set over the course of one pressure-cooked Sunday dinner. The film follows Gino, a middle-aged man navigating the rituals, expectations, and landmines of his Italian-American family. It’s a story about the roles we’re forced to play. The secrets we carry, and what happens when reality starts to crack—all over a plate of pasta.
Moriarty’s standout role is magnetic—layered with both sharp comedic timing and vulnerability. Her performance as Nancy, the family’s matriarch, reminds us why we fell in love with her searing presence in Raging Bull in the first place. Cathy adds a compelling anchor to the ensemble cast, which also stars TV veteran Matthew Risch (Tales of the City, How to Get Away with Murder, Modern Family, Switched at Birth), Matt Campanella (writer, director, producer), Nicole Ehinger (Fresh Kills, Law & Order: SVU), Maria Carrozza (Daddy Issues), and Vincenza Campanella, the director’s real-life Nonna, making a memorable screen debut as the sharp tongued Antonella.
This is the third film from multi-hyphenate Matt Campanella whose previous short Daddy Issues, premiered at the Tribeca Festival to rave reviews. Campanella’s previous films have screened at top festivals including Outfest, NewFest, and Frameline, earning acclaim for their sharp writing, unique tone, and cinematic edge. He’s currently in development on several features, including the feature adaptation of his acclaimed short Sunday Sauce.
Matt Campanella is the writer, director, and producer. Anthony Campanella is a producer. Cathy Moriarty “Nancy” *Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Raging Bull), Matthew Risch “Gino” (How to Get Away with Murder, Modern Family), Nicole Ehinger “Francesa”, Matt Campanella “Marco”, Vincenza Campanella “Antonella”
Sunday Sauce is executive produced by Scott Aharoni, whose past work includes the Academy Award-shortlisted short The Criminals and Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut The Chronology of Water. His upcoming feature, The Carpenter’s Son—starring Nicolas Cage, Noah Jupe, and FKA Twigs—will be released by Magnolia Pictures later this year. Aharoni joins forces with brothers/producers Matt Campanella (C4MP Films) and Anthony Campanella (Happy Camper Entertainment) as well as an acclaimed creative team: cinematographer Stefan Nachmann (ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award recipient), editor John Rafanelli (Survival of the Thickest, Emily in Paris), production designer Cat Gubernick (Emmy nominee), and special effects artist Olive Ryan (Mean Girls, Unholy).
While Sunday Sauce explores queer identity, it taps into something universal: the weight of tradition, the fear of being truly seen, and the reckoning that comes with transformation. A love letter to messy families and buried truths, the film invites audiences to reflect on who they are—and who they might become—when they finally stop hiding.
Sunday Sauce will premiere at HollyShorts 2025, with additional festival screenings to follow. Serving as a proof of concept, the short hints at a larger cinematic vision already on the page—and ready to be brought to life.
About HollyShort Film Festival
An Oscar®-Qualifying short film festival based in Los Angeles. Since its establishment in 2005, HollyShorts has grown into a premier platform for independent filmmakers worldwide. As an Academy Awards-qualifying festival in four categories, HollyShorts presents a diverse selection of innovative short films across various genres.
About BitPix
Bitpix is a streaming service for shorts films, accessible on over 1000 devices including iOS devices, Android devices, MACs, PCs, streaming media boxes such as Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast. Bitpix was created by filmmakers for filmmakers. Born and bread out of the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, Bitpix is your home to watch the best short films from around the world—every day. Bitpix News is your home for the latest news, reviews, and updates about these shorts featured on the platform.
About 88th Street Productions
HSFF provides 88th Street Productions access to over 40,000 short films and filmmakers in all genres, The Company has long standing relationships with these filmmakers, talent and entertainment industry executives. 88th Street is able to activate these relationships to source to access projects in all genres. Alta Global Media provides access to established filmmakers, executives and talent agencies.
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