GOOD NEWS: FIRST DATES selected for CREDO 23 Film Fest in LA

Congratulations to VPA member Aram Coen, whose short film First Dates has been selected for the CREDO 23 Film Festival in Los Angeles, where it will screen on Sunday, March 29.

First Dates is a 2024 German-language short about two strangers who strike up a conversation in a café while waiting for their dates. What begins as a casual chat about love, family, and relationships gradually leads to an unexpected revelation.

The film’s post-production was completed here in Vancouver, with VPA Member Sharpe Sound Studios handling the final mix. Colour was completed by Matt Wells, with Yegor Irodov providing sound design. Aram served as editor, co-writer, director, and producer, working in collaboration with Lino Russell.

Originally from Hamburg and of German and Mexican heritage, Aram began his career as a child actor before discovering his passion for storytelling in the editing room. Realizing early on that films are truly shaped in the edit, he gravitated toward the technical side of filmmaking, drawn to the intersection of story, technology, and computers. Through contacts from his acting work, he began assisting on film sets and in editing rooms soon after finishing school, learning the craft on flatbed editing systems.

After moving to Vancouver in 2007, Aram spent several years at Electronic Arts, editing videos for the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise before returning to film and documentary work. His editorial credits include Doppelganger Paul, The Death Debate, Design Canada, and Chasing Steve, among others.

Congratulations to Aram and the entire team on this exciting festival selection — and don’t miss the chance to watch this thoughtful and quietly moving short film.

Watch the film below!