A crowd-pleasing post script to primary election season, E. Hughes Martinez‘s 40-minute political thriller THE FOURTH BRANCH screens as an Official Selection in the 15thinstallment of the 2026 Marina del Rey Film Festival(MDRFF). The event unfolds on Monday, June 22, at 4:00 p.m. in Block AAA (Theatre 2) at Beverly Hills’ Lumiere Cinema. Written and directed by Martinez, THE FOURTH BRANCH chronicles the cautionary tale of fictional rookiejournalist Aldo Kane, whose first major assignment – an expose´ on a city council member’s murder – ensnares him into a nightmarish collision of politics, intrigue, and tabloid media.
THE FOURTH BRANCH boasts significant recognition on the festival circuit, including multiple honors from the Independent Shorts Awards (Winner, Special Jury Award, Best Short of the Season, Best Male Director, and Best Original Story). The project also has a track record ofprestige exhibitions, including those at the Culver City Film Festival, the Riverside International Film Festival, and the Art Film Spirit Awards.
The Marina del Rey Film Festival recognition underscoresa banner year for Martinez. In a case of life imitating art, Martinez follows in the footsteps of his FOURTH BRANCH lead character and turns journo. He is the author of a comprehensive and well-received feature article re: the February 2026 San Francisco Writers Conference for JOURNEY THROUGH THE SENSES MAGAZINE.
This year, Martinez also enjoys an expanded producing portfolio. He is Executive Producer on the Western featurefilm RUN HONEY RUN, starring Beth Hurt, and Associate Producer on WILDCARD, a Mexico-set big screen projectthat stars David Arquette and James Le Gros.
Further highlighting his growing profile within the indie film community, Martinez now has an in-person April 25DigiFest Temecula cinematography panel debut – alongside DP Mario Ortiz and producer David Lindwall -under his belt. Additionally, Martinez’s podcast interview credits continue to climb with recent guest spots on BEST IN FEST, MAN WITH A MENTOR, SMALL TALK WITH MARLENE AND CHRIS, BREAKING THE BIZ, and TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ.
“This has been an incredibly rewarding year,” saysMartinez. “From covering the wordsmith profession at the San Francisco Writers Conference to producing exciting new films and advancing the festival journey of THE FOURTH BRANCH, I’ve been fortunate to work across multiple creative disciplines. I’m especially honored that THE FOURTH BRANCH will screen at Marina del Rey Film Festival alongside so many talented cinematic artists and outstanding projects.”
Martinez has expressed particular pride that THE FOURTH BRANCH shares the MDRFF lineup with acclaimed audience favorites THE PERFECT PALM (Ayse Altinok) and WE ARE ANIMALS (Nina Jackel, Nicholas Tana), thereby reflecting the strength and diversity of this year’s presentations.
Peter Greene, founder and director of the Marina del Rey Film Festival, praises the selection. “E. Hughes Martinez represents the kind of independent voice that our festival is proud to champion. THE FOURTH BRANCH combines compelling storytelling with timely themes, and we’re delighted to offer the film as part of the 2026 program.”
‘If it bleeds, it leads,’ is Martinez’s cheekily appropriate tag line for THE FOURTH BRANCH. The film persists in building momentum as audiences discover its intelligent blend of dark humor, media commentary, and suspense. Martinez’s clever screenplay explores questions of journalistic integrity and the pursuit of truth in an era of competing viewpoints and misinformation.
The 2026 Marina del Rey Film Festival runs June 18-26 in Beverly Hills. It unites auteurs, critics, and cinephiles from around the world for movies, panels, and networking events.
Tickets and festival information are available through the Marina del Rey Film Festival website.
