The heartwarming coming-of-age comedy SAVING CEDAR has been selected to screen at the IndieWood Film Festival (Best Short Film). The screening will take place Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 7:30 PM at Hollywood’s iconic TCL Chinese Theatre, Theater 3, as part of Block HH.

The film brings together Ryche’s distinctive cinematic style, musical background and signature approach to visual storytelling. SAVING CEDAR represents the latest chapter in his narrative filmmaking work as he continues developing future feature-film projects.

The ensemble cast features veteran actor Bill Bogner alongside emerging young performers Avison Kate Aust, Daniel Cobden, Kyra Crandell, Isabella Davies, Emilia C. Fogel, Daphne Huang, Margarita Latyk, Tiani Jin and Lucy Shin.

Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker C.G. Ryche in association with SEED School of the Arts, who is really happy for this selection. “For me, SAVING CEDAR is an homage to one of my favorite writer-directors, John Hughes, and the films I grew up loving, movies that made you laugh, but also had something real to say about growing up, friendship and figuring out who you are,” said Ryche. “I wanted to capture some of that spirit with Saving Cedar.

SYNOPSIS 

For nearly thirty years, Cedar Performing Arts has been a cornerstone of its community, developing generations of young musicians, actors, dancers and artists. When declining enrollment, growing competition and mounting financial pressures threaten the school’s future, a mismatched group of students bands together to produce an ambitious benefit concert to save the place they love. Along the way, they discover that saving Cedar will require more than talent – it will take teamwork, perseverance and character.