What if two members of Baltimore’s Wham City Comedy took drugs and time traveled to the lo-fi, experimental underground cinematic heyday of Maya Deren to craft a surreally and absurdly bonkers riff on the Ship of Theseus paradox wherein a sad sack snaps after his girlfriend dumps him because he realizes he cannot escape the self-destructive patterns that have ruled his entire life … not even after he’s been reinvented as a hypnotically gyrating fiend?

The answer is Robby Rackleff (who also writes and edits) and Alan Resnick’s (who also lenses, edits, and provides special effects alongside Eris Deo) Dance Freak. It’s one hundred minutes of pure irreverent nonsense in a gorgeous visual package that utilizes what appears to be old school compositing, direct animation, and trippy transitions to augment some gnarly distortions, repurposed glue guns, and an out-of-body skin suit that’s as much a prison as it is a home.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say those hundred minutes felt like a thousand with the strobing and prolonged gags causing patience to wane. If someone were to nod off, you wouldn’t be missing much during those lapses since there’s rarely anything important going on. Not when the dialogue feels ripped from cringe comedy skits with characters fawning over a political candidate, professing posthumous love for a mentor, and vicariously enjoying someone else’s old game show appearance.

We meet Obie (Rackleff) as he stumbles through a birdhouse hobbyist lesson before racing across town for his date with Dorty (Megan Koester). We learn a bit about his abandonment issues and desire to force joy into his life through the comfort of routine rather than fun via a dream-like collage of memories before seeing how overcome by fear he is upon being cornered by some of this rapidly disintegrating town’s more unsavory characters.

It’s a who’s who of familiar alt-comedy faces whether Bad Prostitute (Jury Duty: Company Retreat‘s Rachel Kaly) and her Upset Man pimp (Never Change!‘s Nate Varrone) or a trio of Salad Boys that includes Saturday Night Live‘s Sarah Sherman. They hassle Obie until he’s even more despondent than before and perfectly primed to endure Dorty’s “let’s still be friends” speech that inexplicably brings the titular Dance Freak (also Rackleff) into the fold.

His moves are mesmerizing. It’s like Elaine Benes if her constantly flailing appendages put you in a trance rather than a state of revulsion. He does it not only because he loves music, but also because the effect makes it easier to kill his prey. Whether it’s the dance itself that melts their insides or a product of him bashing their faces in (depending on you interpretation of on-screen “reality”), this monster’s connection to Obie is unavoidable.

Enter the cops (David Rhodus’ Det. Arsonist and Jamel Johnson’s Det. Gittit), a sympathetic scientist (Sheila Mears’ Dr. Dilly Gorgul, a name you can’t forget since the filmmakers decide to superimpose it onto the proceedings three separate times despite never putting anyone else’s name up), and a belligerent boss (Stavros Halkias’ Megaman) for Obie to contend with and Dance Freak to target. Are they the same person or doppelgängers? Why not both?

Rackleff and Resnick are moving to the beat of their own drum en route to simultaneously homage avant-garde cinema and send it up via farce. Because, while the plot is insane and the characters veritable cartoons, there is a real emotional through line as far as Obie’s journey towards understanding who he is and what he has to offer his loved ones … even if the best thing he can do for them is to erase himself from this world.

But wait. I thought this whole thing was a science experiment gone wrong? You know, parallel dimensions and whatnot (a phrase always hilariously responded to with silence before conversation recommences as though it was never uttered)? Sure, I guess you could buy that. I guess Gorgul might be a key component to the story and not just another piece of the puzzle to help Obie see beyond the “nice guy” persona he so fervently implores others to believe. Why not?

The whole thing was apparently crowdfunded three-and-a-half years ago (the list of names is as disorienting as the film, with some being repeated five times in a row) and shot on a $40,000 budget with twice as many pick-up days as the actual shoot. All that time might not have conjured comprehension, but my goodness it facilitated an awesome aesthetic. Would I watch it again? No. Should you watch it once? As long as you’re prepared to wonder whether you’ve had a stroke.

Dance Freak screened at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.

The post Fantasia Review: Dance Freak Is Pure Irreverent Nonsense, Gorgeously Conveyed first appeared on The Film Stage.

The Criterion Channel’s mass-addition of restorations marked a watershed moment for Hong Kong cinema’s exposure in the United States, but—as with seemingly all else in cinema—there’s always more. Beefing up their collection of Ringo Lam films, then, is an August-bound series that includes the previously programmed City on Fire, Prison on Fire, Prison on Fire II, and School on Fire (arguably his masterpiece) with Wild Search, Victim, and Full Alert, probably the definitive action film about the 1997 handover. Further in the month’s directorial retrospectives are two films by Barbara Kopple (Harlan County USA and American Dream), an eleven-feature set on the perpetually underrated Julien Duvivier, and three shorts by Neo Sora. Highlighting another artist, albeit one who never stepped behind the camera, is the succinctly titled James Baldwin On-Screen: I Heard It Through the Grapevine, James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket, and three shorts.

For themed series, the also-succinct Rock Biopics That Don’t Suck, curated by Bandsplain‘s Yasi Salek, features some of the genre’s best-known least-shamefuls (I’m Not There, Velvet Goldmine, 24 Hour Party People, Control); I’ll make a special recommendation for The Hours and Times, which I suspect captures John Lennon better than any of Sam Mendes’ four upcoming biopics. Pairing nicely (as far as sweat and sexual tension go) are Desert Trips and Southern Gothic: the former is most exciting for giving a streaming platform to Antonioni’s perpetually underrated Zabriskie Point, the latter is a good opportunity to discover Elia Kazan’s Baby Doll, and both feature Wild at Heart. In the meantime, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have curated their own Adventures in Moviegoing.

August’s Criterion Editions are Med Hondo’s West Indies, Nagisa Oshima’s Cruel Story of Youth, Luis Buñuel’s That Obscure Object of Desire, Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter, Kasi Lemmons’ Eve’s Bayou, and Douglas Sirk’s Written on the Wind; no less notable is the out-of-print Carrie Criterion arriving alongside. For recent films making streaming debuts, there’s the magnificent Blue Heron, Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo), and Cactus Pears, while a restoration of I Heard It Through the Grapevine is joined by Ebrahim Golestan’s Brick and Mirror and three anthology features (Quartet, Trio, Encore) adapting W. Somerset Maugham. Finally, a special notice to George Armitage’s Miami Blues, a film whose profile has risen in recent years but is still not high enough.

See the full lineup below and more at the Criterion Channel:

24 Hour Party People, Michael Winterbottom, 2002

Amadeus, Miloš Forman, 1984

American Dream, Barbara Kopple, 1990

The American Ruling Class, John Kirby, 2005

Baby Doll, Elia Kazan, 1956

The Beguiled, Don Siegel, 1971*

Brick and Mirror, Ebrahim Golestan, 1965

The Buddy Holly Story, Steve Rash, 1978

Cactus Pears, Rohan Kanawade, 2025

Cape Fear, J. Lee Thompson, 1962*

Cape Fear, Martin Scorsese, 1991*

Carrie, Brian De Palma, 1976

The Chicken, Neo Sora, 2020

Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements, Gorman Bechard, 2011

Control, Anton Corbijn, 2007

Dream Lover, Nicholas Kazan, 1993

Encore, Pat Jackson, Anthony Pelissier, and Harold French, 1951

Eve’s Bayou, Kasi Lemmons, 1997

La fête à Henriette, 1952

Full Alert, Ringo Lam, 1997

The Hours and Times, Christopher Munch, 1992

I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Pat Hartley and Dick Fontaine, 1982

I’m Not There, Todd Haynes, 2007

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket, Karen Thorsen, 1989

Lisztomania, Ken Russell, 1975

The Long Goodbye, Robert Altman, 1973

Love & Mercy, Bill Pohlad, 2015

Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo), Joel Alfonso Vargas, 2025

Miami Blues, George Armitage, 1990

Nico, 1988, Susanna Nicchiarelli, 2017*

The Night of the Hunter, Charles Laughton, 1955

Nowhere Boy, Sam Taylor-Johnson, 2009*

The Paperboy, Lee Daniels, 2012*

Quartet, Ken Annakin, Arthur Crabtree, Harold French, and Ralph Smart, 1948

Rockers, Theodoros Bafaloukos, 1978

The Runaways, Floria Sigismondi, 2010*

Sugar Glass Bottle, Neo Sora, 2022

That Obscure Object of Desire, Luis Buñuel, 1977

Through the Night, Loira Limbal, 2020

Trio, Ken Annakin and Harold French, 1950

Velvet Goldmine, Todd Haynes, 1998

A Very Straight Neck, Neo Sora, 2025

Victim, Ringo Lam, 1999

Wild Search, Ringo Lam, 1989

Zabriskie Point, Michelangelo Antonioni, 1970

*Available in the U.S. only

The post The Criterion Channel’s August Lineup Features Ringo Lam, James Baldwin, Desert Trips, and Rock Biopics first appeared on The Film Stage.

Janus Films has acquired the 4K restoration of René Laloux’s final feature, Gandahar—a notable-enough effort in micro, and more significant for the distributor now possessing rights to all three of the visionary Frenchman’s features. Unfair though it is to set expectations, one can hope for a Criterion set comprising Fantastic Planet, The Time Masters, and this lesser-seen curtain call, known (if at all) stateside for a bowdlerized, Harvey Weinstein-directed English-language dub translated by Isaac Asimov. The less said about that, the better when Janus will begin rolling out the original, uncut French edition on August 28 at New York’s IFC Center, and with which comes a new trailer and poster.

Here’s the official synopsis: “An entire civilization must confront its destiny in alternative-animation pioneer René Laloux’s final feature, a cult classic of mind-bending science fiction. In a distant world, a merciless army of automata attacks Gandahar, turning its peace-loving people to stone. Hoping to discover the source of these Men of Metal, a council of matriarchs enlists the brave yet inexperienced warrior Sylvain (Pierre-Marie Escourro), who, while journeying through his planet’s outer regions, teams up with the Deformed, a race cast out from Gandahar after failed science experiments rendered them mutants. Soon, Sylvain learns that a gargantuan brain called Metamorphis (Georges Wilson) is responsible for his utopian society’s strife and—together with the beautiful Airelle (Catherine Chevallier)—travels through time to defeat him, in the process risking their lives and Gandahar’s very existence. Featuring stunningly surreal creatures and wondrously bizarre environments designed by renowned comic-book artist Caza, Gandahar is a visceral, visionary head-trip in which animation opens a gateway to the furthest reaches of the imagination.”

Find preview and poster below:

The post New Trailer René Laloux’s Final Film Gandahar, Arriving in 4K Restoration on August 28 first appeared on The Film Stage.

We’re delighted to exclusively announce the lineup for the 28th annual Sidewalk Film Festival, taking place in Birmingham, Alabama, from August 24-30. Set to open with John Wilson’s feature debut The History of Concrete and close with Kenya-Jade Pinto’s The Sandbox, the lineup also features Tamra Davis’ The Best Summer, Maya Annik Bedward’s Black Zombie, Nico Lopez-Alegría and ZZ’s Earth to Michael, Rustin Thompson’s The Last Picture Shows, Andrew H. Brown and Bea Wangondu’s Kikuyu Land, Rob Rice’s Ponderosa, a 100th-anniversary screening of Buster Keaton’s The General with a live score, and much more.

This year, Spotlight attractions occur during the week (including an Animation Masterclass by the legendary Bill Plympton), leading up to a weekend filled with film premieres, encores, and parties. Eleven walkable venues will connect the 15,000 attendees and filmmakers to more than 250 screenings, panels, and special events happening throughout Downtown Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District.

You can get tickets here and view the lineup below.

The History of Concrete (Opening Night Film)

Directed by: John Wilson | Country: USA

The hilarious directorial debut from John Wilson follows our eponymous hero on a journey through a Hallmark writing class, to filming New York potholes, to visiting the oldest street in America on a mission to know more about concrete. From Vimeo Staff Picks to HBO’s How To with John Wilson, we now find John documenting mysterious characters and urban locations (as only he can) to help us uncover more clues to one of life’s great mysteries.

A Mess of Memories

Directed by: Ebony Blanding | Country: USA

Siblings who’ve drifted apart are brought together in an effort to prevent the eviction of their mother from their family home due to her obsessive hoarding. As they deal with the physical mess, they are forced to confront their own issues on a journey of reconciliation and healing.

A Woman’s Work

Directed by: A.R. Ephraim | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

A remarkable story of an Appalachian community. A Woman’s Work shares the natural beauty of the region while focusing on the hard-working people and their daily struggles. A stirring portrayal of a female coal miner working to support her sisters while dreaming of a life with her secret girlfriend. This film truly makes you feel for these characters and the beauty and sadness of their daily lives.

Adam’s Apple

Directed by: Amy Jenkins | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

A transgender teen and his family document the two-decade transitioning process with care and honesty. A counterpoint to the hostility often shown towards those in transition, this film shows the family and the thoughtful way they communicate their needs and their love of one another.

Admission Possible

Directed by: Bowie Alexander and Matthew Syrett | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Tender, urgent, and hopeful, Admission Possible follows seven New York City high school seniors applying to college as first generation students. Guided by their determined and caring college admissions counselor, they grapple with the complex cultural, social, and political factors influencing higher education today. Debates over testing, legacies, and family loyalty muddy the waters of their decisions.

All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea

Directed by: Jeanie Finlay | Country: UK | Premiere: US Premiere

For centuries, Stan Rennie’s family has worked the same stretch of coastline in northeast England. When a tide of poisoned crabs and lobsters washes up like a biblical plague, all signs point to an industrial development along the River Tees that empties into the once-teeming waters. Stan becomes a reluctant spokesman for his community, with a cool head and a heart of rage.

Amazing Live Sea Monkeys

Directed by: Aaron Schock and Mark Becker | Country: USA

In a David-and-Goliath fight over one of the world’s most recognizable toys, the widow of the Sea-Monkeys creator battles for control of her husband’s legacy. What starts as a quarrel over quality control uncovers an unexpected history and the troubling affiliations buried beneath the packet of instant pets.

The Ark

Directed by: Viacheslav Rakovskyi and Jeremy Chilnick | Country: USA

A film that shows love and kindness in action for animals displaced by the Ukrainian War with Russia. It starts with one soldier heading to war asking his friends to take in his 37 goats. They do and their home quickly becomes a refuge for hundreds of animals in need. Their home opens up to include cows, sheep, pigs, peacocks, even a crocodile and a sweet donkey.

As Goes the South

Directed by: Brian “B+” Cross and Eric Coleman | Country: USA

As a means to reframe outdated half-truths, this vibrant narrative illustrates a new chapter of Birmingham’s legacy. This story aims to linger beyond our stained reputation by highlighting the people and places that embody the essence of what makes this city “Magic.”

The Best Summer

Directed by: Tamra Davis | Country: USA

Evacuating the 2025 California wildfires, director Tamra Davis unearthed long-lost tapes from 1995, featuring concert footage and backstage interviews she had shot of the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Bikini Kill, and many others. This time capsule offers a rare glimpse of bands on the edge of fame.

Beyond The Vote

Directed by: Marshall “P” Pollard | Country: USA | Premiere: World Premiere

A story about what freedom could look like–beyond the vote: 145 relational organizers mobilize millions of Black voters in Eastern North Carolina, reclaiming “woke” as a call to action to build lasting community power.

Birmingham’s Front Lawn

Directed by: Michele Forman | Country: USA

Birmingham’s Front Lawn explores the creation of Railroad Park in the heart of Downtown Birmingham. Watch as the park, which has become an integral part of life downtown, transforms from unassuming acreage to a lush urban green space and hear from the park’s champions who turned their dream into a reality in order to uplift Birmingham.

The Birds Tell Me All There is to Know

Directed by: Aidan Cronin | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

An older man with dementia befriends a grieving young woman as their lives intersect in unexpected ways. While both are overwhelmed with relationships past and present, their lives in upstate New York reflect each others’ struggles with loss, ennui, and acceptance. Through the hypnotic visual texture found in Video8 footage and starring members of his own family, this ambient meditation on life and its universal anxieties sees director Aidan Cronin arriving at his debut feature with an original filmmaking language all his own.

Black Zombie

Directed by: Maya Annik Bedward | Country: Canada/USA

One of cinema’s greatest subgenres also has one of its most complex histories: the origin of the Zombie. Through the lens of cinema history, this doc chronicles the advent of the horror trope from spiritual Haitian Vodou rituals through the evolution of contemporary Hollywood horror. The film dispels rumors and attaches significance to the entity of the walking dead.

Bob and David Climb Machu Picchu

Directed by: Michael LaHaie | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

“Hey everybody, it’s Bob and David!” From Mr. Show to movie and TV stardom, witness two legendary comedians risk their lives, careers, and friendship to hike one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Will they survive? Will they achieve clarity? Will they argue over bedding? Yonder lies adventure!

The Bulldogs

Directed by: Noah Dixon and Ori Segev | Country: USA

After being forced to evacuate after a train carrying carcinogenic chemicals derails in the small community of East Palestine, Ohio, community members return to their homes with lingering doubts and questions about what their already struggling community will be like.

Clovers

Directed by: Jacob Hatley and Tom Vickers | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Glimpse into the lives of several regulars of Clovers, a strip-mall casino in Asheboro, North Carolina. The film follows a community grappling with their material conditions and the hope for a better future. With an incredibly honest portrayal of its subjects, the film presents a judgment-free, nuanced exploration of family, community, and the enduring pursuit of an ever-unreachable American Dream.

Clutch Gang

Directed by: Daniel Jarvis and John Kassab | Country: Australia, USA | Premiere: World Premiere

The film follows Compton’s Clutch Gang mini-bike club after the death of their beloved leader in an illegal street race. Left fractured and grieving, the group’s unlikely hope rests with the club’s homeless black sheep, who must step forward if they are to stay together and compete in the GTS — the biggest mini-bike tournament of the year.

Cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood

Directed by: Yukimitsu Ina | Country: Japan

The debut feature from Yukimitsu Ina, Cocoon combines the gracefulness of Miyazaki animation with the emotional impact of Grave of the Fireflies. War rages in Japan, and even children can’t escape it. When friends San and Mayu are forced into a war zone, their loyalties to one another are tested.

Crime & Parody

Directed by: Will Thwaites | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

When an Ohio man builds a fake Facebook profile mocking his local police department, the joke lands him in real legal trouble, escalating to the Supreme Court. To his rescue comes The Onion, a group familiar with parody, resulting in a legal brief so ridiculous that it became a legend.

Demonwarp

Directed by: Emmett Alston | Country: USA

TVs of Terror RETURNS to Sidewalk Film Festival with a wild lost video store artifact – DEMONWARP! A group of teens embark on what’s supposed to be a cozy woodland retreat, but after being warned off by an unsettling local, they’re besieged by a bloodthirsty Sasquatch. And it only gets weirder from there! Buckle up for the ride of the summer (of 1988) as Sidewalk and TVs of Terror join forces for a truly nutty night at the movies!

Don’t Come Upstairs

Directed by: Mike Lobel | Country: Canada | Premiere: US Premiere

Mike Lobel of Degrassi: The Next Generation fame makes his directorial debut with this true crime tale about his own family. Lobel sets out to uncover the truth about his father that his parents kept hidden for 35 years. During his entire childhood, Lobel’s family had two major rules: Don’t ask what Dad does for a living and never go upstairs when he’s working.

Earth to Michael

Directed by: Nico Lopez-Alegría and ZZ | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

For those who couldn’t get enough of the successful Artemis II mission, comes a space documentary unlike any other. Director Nico Lopez-Algeria invites us along on a deeply personal journey and a look behind the curtain of what families of career astronauts experience when their loved ones dedicate their lives to space exploration.

Echoes of the Forks of Cypress

Directed by: Frederick DeShon Murphy | Country: USA

Film director, Sidewalk alum and mental health therapist Frederick DeShon Murphy brings together families of both the enslavers and enslaved connected to the Forks of Cypress plantation in Florence, AL, to share their deeply personal histories and to create an opportunity for community and reconciliation.

Fork in the Road

Directed by: Jonathan Nastasi and Vivian Sorenson | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Come along with Nick Offerman as he visits farms, gardens, and fisheries across the United States to engage with those who work daily to keep fresh food on our tables. With an affable spirit and an intelligent eye, the benefits and innovations of independent farming are contrasted with the inherent perils of mass-produced, ultra-processed foods in a palatable, easy-to-digest manner, serving as a call to action as well as an appreciation of the best versions of the salad or burger on your dinner plate.

Frogtown

Directed by: Costa Karalis | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

How powerful is childhood imagination? Costa Karlalis’ Frogtown draws us into a world where myth is reality. Set in a small Southern town, this feature reminds us about the art of collective dreaming. In this film, you’ll see complex family dynamics along with a reverence for the mystery of the natural world. Suspend your disbelief and amplify the amphibian!

Game

Directed by: John Minton | Country: UK

Produced and co-written by Portishead co-founder Geoff Barrow and starring post-punk duo Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson. A car crash turns one man’s night of clubbing into a claustrophobic fight to stay alive. Alone in the wreckage, injured and trapped, he has to outlast the elements, the dark, and whatever’s watching just outside the light, raising the question of who’s really game.

The General: 100th Anniversary (with Live Score)

Directed by: Buster Keaton | Country: USA

Honoring the Centennial of “The General” and the heritage of independent film, the Alabama Chapter of the American Theatre Society along with Sidewalk Film Festival presents a celebratory screening of what is considered Keaton’s greatest film. Presented with Live Organ Accompaniment with original score by Tom Helms, the film is presented much as it would have been in 1926 with the Alabama Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer.

Ghost in the Machine

Directed by: Valerie Veatch | Country: UK | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

A sharp take on AI’s dark side—where eugenics fears and human worth clash in a tech-driven world. It dares us to ask: What happens to people’s value when those who build AI decide who matters? The risks of AI go far beyond what most expect.

Glorious Summer

Directed by: Bartosz Szpak and Helena Ganjalyan | Country: Poland

Filled with stunning, sun-soaked cinematography and big questions about what it means to be a girl in the world, GLORIOUS SUMMER conjures an atmosphere of curious serenity—a series of perpetually peaceful summer days in which three young girls live, play, and commune in a crumbling idyll. Amid this visual poetry, however, tensions surface.

The Happiest Day of My Life (O Dia Mais Feliz da Minha Vida)

Directed by: Vicente Alves do Ó | Country: Portugal | Premiere: World Premiere

The prismatic colors of Portugal in 1982 contrast the tensions that are the pulse of this film. 10-year-old Vasco is caught between childhood’s wonders and adulthood’s miseries. His mother is struggling to stay afloat, social pressures keep him from knowing his father, and he simply wants to understand it all.

Heaven Above Rowan

Directed by: Alice Voena | Country: USA | Premiere: World Premiere

Director Alice Voena’s mumblecore feature is a luscious journey through the mind of a queer cult leader consumed by psychedelic visions of a prophesied doomsday. Told in a series of poetic monologues narrated by Rowen Amadeus Camor (Alice Voena) and a hallucinated deity named Promise (John Cameron Mitchell), Rowen searches for meaning and identity as the revelation approaches.

Human Theories

Directed by: Jess Zeidman | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

In this directorial debut from Jess Zeidman, we watch people living in New York City, walking with them through their day-to-day interactions. Human Theories immerses us in the colorful tapestry of the city while enticing us to reflect on our own relationships and explore how far-reaching our connections could be with passing strangers.

Hunky Jesus

Directed by: Jennifer Kroot | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are known for inserting bawdy humor and zany satire into unique queer activism. Explore this entertaining closeup on their San Francisco origins and following a riveting set of campy nuns during an over-the-top Easter in the Park 2023 celebration set against a beautiful sunny afternoon backdrop in Dolores Park.

I Got Bombed at Harvey’s

Directed by: Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

In 1980, a gambler who’d lost a fortune at a Lake Tahoe casino decided to get revenge, forcing his two sons to help him build a bomb and hold the casino hostage for millions. What they assembled in the family garage became the most diabolical device the FBI had ever seen.

In Love, In Memory

Directed by: Shalon Buskirk and Drew Swedberg | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

A parent and a poet convene to build a vulnerable vignette about grief, remembrance, and the future of their ever-changing environment. Linking the topics of gun violence and housing injustice, they highlight the impacts of displacement and the desire for communal stabilization.

INTERACTION

Directed by: Dallas Richard Hallam | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Set in a town that could be anywhere, USA, “Interaction” follows a woman who works as an independent housekeeper. In addition to cleaning houses, she has a passion for spying on her clients, eventually coming in contact with someone who is equally as depraved as her. Directed by Dallas Richard Hallam, who grew up in Birmingham, “Interaction” is a very well made psychological suspense horror film that you will not forget, for better or for worse.

Jaripeo

Directed by: Efraín Mojica and Rebecca Zweig | Country: Mexico, France, USA

Jaripeo offers a nuanced exploration of queer identity within the deeply traditional world of hypermasculine Mexican rodeos. Set in rural Michoacán, the film captures the eclectic lives of rancheros that navigate this secret subculture which both honors and defies the rigid cowboy mythology. Lensed beautifully on Super 8, Jaripeo is the feature directorial debut of Efraín Mojica and Rebecca Zweig.

Joybubbles

Directed by: Rachael J Morrison | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Meet the charming Josef Carl Engressia Jr, an early hacker aka a “phone phreak” from the 1960s, who although blind, could whistle with perfect pitch to make long distance phone calls for free. While definitely illegal, it enabled him to chat with and inspire people all over the world. (Audio description and captioning devices available upon request.)

Kikuyu Land

Directed by: Andrew H. Brown and Bea Wangondu | Country: Kenya

The central highlands in Kenya is one of the most verdant, fertile agricultural lands in the world. A land rights dispute attracts Kenya-based journalist Bea Wangondu to uncover the depths to which multinational corporations have exploited this veritable “Garden of Eden” and its inhabitants. The secrets she uncovers and the struggles she documents reveal the undying legacy of a wicked past.

The Last Picture Shows

Directed by: Rustin Thompson | Country: USA

Bittersweet love letter to small town movie theaters in the American West. Beautiful visuals and enchanting music underscore the stories of the struggles of independent cinemas. If you love going to the movies, don’t miss it.

Last Shot

Directed by: Andy Palmer | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Filmed right here in Birmingham, Last Shot follows 12-year-old basketball player Caden Isaacs as he navigates an unexpected and sudden tragedy. Forced to move to a different city to live with his previously absent, workaholic mother, Caden learns that his actions have consequences as he tries to fit in with a new basketball team while Lexi juggles family and work responsibilities.

Latin Clowns Evolution

Directed by: Jacob Koestler and Michael McDermit | Country: USA | Premiere: World Premiere

Latin Clowns Evolution chronicles an annual weeklong convention where Latino clowns gather in South Los Angeles. The documentary seamlessly juxtaposes their joyful performances with stories of immigration, sacrifice, and resilience. As they learn new tricks and share deeply personal backstories, these artists remind us that spreading joy and laughter is a radical healing force.

Leaving Angola

Directed by: Andrew Kukura | Country: USA

Leaving Angola follows Justin Singleton, a man serving life without parole for murder at Louisiana’s infamous state penitentiary, and Derek Moss, a young father preparing for early release who he has taken under his wing. When Derek returns home, he must put Justin’s life lessons to the test as both of the men’s lives take unexpected turns. Filmed over seven years with rare access inside America’s largest maximum-security prison, this film is a powerful exploration of family, redemption, and the realities of reentry in America’s most incarcerated state.

Lilly

Directed by: Rachel Feldman | Country: USA

When Lilly Ledbetter discovered that she was being paid much less than male co-workers doing the same job at the Goodyear plant in Gadsden, Alabama, she sued, taking the case all the way to to the US Supreme Court. Patricia Clarkson portrays Lilly in this 2024 film, showing the personal risks and emotional costs of that fight.

Lunar Sway

Directed by: Nick Butler | Country: Canada | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

In a remote desert town called Moon Crest, Cliff, a young man struggling with his love life, takes an unexpected turn when he encounters his estranged birth mother, whose hidden past draws him into an unexpected adventure, challenging his hopes for connection, identity, and love.

Moonchild: The Life and Music of Yusuf Salim

Directed by: Kenny Dalsheimer and Rafael Samanez | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

An endearing look at Jazz musician Yusuf Salim through his voice and the artists he inspired over the years. Salim was the core force behind the development of a beautiful music community in Durham North Carolina. A community built on connection and support which shows the power of music.

Nuclear Boy

Directed by: Joren Molter | Country: Netherlands | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Aike is a 17 year old boy from the Netherlands who builds a nuclear reactor in his shed. I guess you could call him Aikenheimer! Nuclear Boy is a charming, quirky, beautifully shot coming of age film with an eerie musical score about a precocious teen trying to find their place in the world.

Our Body Electric

Directed by: Dana Reilly | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

As three elite female bodybuilders pursue their dream of a Ms. Olympia title, they confront the difficult realities of a male-dominated sport. Balancing physical demands with relationships, careers, and motherhood, they each question what sacrifices are worth it and how much space to take up in a world that tries to keep women small.

Penny Lane is Dead

Directed by: Mia’Kate Russell | Country: Australia

Set in the sweltering Australian summer of 1986, Mia’Kate Russell’s survival thriller debut feature follows Penny and her best friends celebrating university acceptance at a remote beach house. The ‘no dick event’ spirals into a blood-soaked nightmare when an uninvited cousin, Kat, and a crew of dangerous men crash the party.

Pigeon Religion

Directed by: Troy Vetri | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

New York City has about five million pigeons and eight people who really truly love them. Some race their pigeons. Others rescue sick and hurt ones, while a few just think pigeons are beautiful, even though most people call them dirty. This movie shows why they care so much.

Ponderosa

Directed by: Rob Rice | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

After the Ponderosa buffet closes, an older regular, George (Bill Camp), tries to become a surrogate father figure to Zeke, the aimless son of a single mother who works at the restaurant. As Zeke searches for a sense of self against a backdrop of generational expectations and half-formed ideological notions of masculinity, George is drawn into his own distorted attempt at self-recognition.

Possum Town

Directed by: Daniel Christian | Country: USA

Through the lens of prolific photographer O. N. Pruitt, Possum Town introduces us to Columbus, MS during the Jim Crow era. Nearly a century later, the citizens of Columbus’ lives are juxtaposed against the images of the past and the perspectives of today as we are guided through Pruitt’s photographic archive. This film invites us to engage with history, its preservation and its influence on the present.

PUNKIE

Directed by: Audrey Olsen | Country: USA

You may know Punkie Johnson from several seasons on SNL, but PUNKIE creates a raw, behind the scenes portrait of a stand up comedian and Saturday Night Live star as she deals with life, touring on the road, trying to protect her artistic voice, and true self.

Riverkeeper

Directed by: Jason Goldman | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Award-winning, lifelong environmental activist Dr. Jackie Echols is dedicated to protecting Atlanta’s South River, the largest freshwater system in the state. When planned construction of “Cop City” (the largest police training facility in America) threatens the ecosystem and forest that serves predominately Black communities, activism and politics intersect into a story of environmental defense and grassroots activism. This observational documentary shows how environmental issues affect us all while also serving as a call for immediate action.

Saber

Directed by: Matthew Wiatt | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Star Wars fandom meets competitive fencing in this moving documentary. Part underdog sports story, part celebration of fandom, part touching story of friendship through competition. The best time you will have watching nerds whack each other with glowsticks.

Saving Etting Street

Directed by: Amy Scott and Dena Fisher | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Carpenter Shelley Halstead trains a group of three young, Black women in construction skills by rehabbing vacant and abandoned houses in West Baltimore, challenging generations of racism and sexism in housing. When tensions arise within the diverse group of young women she’s teaching to build and a suspicious fire destroys one of her buildings, Shelley is forced to rethink her vision of community.

Seized

Directed by: Sharon Liese | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

The Marion County Record in Marion, Kansas was raided by the police in 2023 for very dubious reasons. “Seized” examines the events of that day along with the fallout, including personal tragedy. It’s a story of small town politics resulting in an international look at press freedom and journalistic ethics.

Sell Your House

Directed by: Eric Alexander Foss and Brandon Pickering | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Two enthusiastic dreamers with practically no cash set out on what’s sure to be a brilliant venture. James, fueled by his ever-present ambition, bets his entire house on Francis’ indie film—because who needs stability when you could be a cinematic legend? But of course, such reckless pursuits tend to blow up in your face, reminding us that sometimes, having endless ambition is just a fancy way of shooting yourself in the foot.

SELMA: Songs of the Crossing

Directed by: Jean-Jacques Cunnac | Country: France | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

A lost New York artist visits Selma, Alabama searching for himself and inspiration. He explains his experiences, explorations, and the history to his son while he visits the town for the Jubilee highlighting the contrasts of the city’s past and history to current daily life.

Sender

Directed by: Russell Goldman | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Julia grapples with her wavering sobriety and unemployment when the first unordered package arrives. It’s her lipstick – which she knows she didn’t order – in the package that marks the start of the mysterious deliveries that bombard her new rental home. In her hyperfixated search for the sender, Julia spirals in and out of her paranoia.

She Keeps Me Young

Directed by: Doron Max Hagay | Country: USA

Meaningful story about self discovery and learning to stand up for yourself. It also explores the complexity of friendships, especially questioning if they are genuine. The ending is thought provoking and leaves you wondering if Michelle finally recognizes the truth about her so-called friendship with Kelly.

Show Me the Line

Directed by: Kelsey Ianuzzi | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

When an Alabama court jeopardizes access to IVF and her own embryos, artist Abbey Crain refuses to surrender her creative power. In this triumphant tour de force, Crain and a group of fertility patients reckon with the threats to their family future, unearthing hope from an unsettled legal landscape.

Sincerely, Ric

Directed by: Jesse Carfield | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Ric Routledge covered the dog-show world for a living, mailing subscribers a VHS tape from every ring on the circuit, decades before streaming. When he died, his old friend Jesse Carfield inherited the entire archive and assembled the story of Ric’s rise and fall, told in Ric’s own voice.

Snake Oil Song

Directed by: Micah Van Hove | Country: USA

In the outskirts of the Amazon, Chino spends his days hunting down anacondas. When an American journalist hires him for a mysterious job, his life on the river goes downstream.

Sons of Detroit

Directed by: Jeremy Xido | Country: USA | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Director Jeremy Xido does the near-impossible by constructing an autobiographical film with a detective story about his own upbringing while delving deep into the last gasp inside Detroit’s working class of the 1960s and ‘70s. An honest conversation 20 years later about family and race develops as he digs deep after returning home to a community gripped with conflict, silence and clouds of mystery.

TheyDream

Directed by: William David Caballero | Country: USA

After a series of successful short films, director William David Caballero has evolved his storytelling techniques and crafted a unique debut feature that doubles as an ode to his own family. Centered around his own Puerto Rican parents’ struggles with loss and acceptance, this hybrid animated documentary is unlike anything else you will see this year. Deeply personal stories are rarely told with such imagination, and TheyDream is a shining example of creating as an act of healing.

Three Black Men

Directed by: Sienna McLean-LoGreco | Country: USA | Premiere: US Premiere

Three Black men retrace the harrowing slave route, walking through sites of historical suffering and resilience. As they confront the lingering brutality of colonialism, they retrieve lost stories and power, transforming generational trauma into pride. Along the way, they connect with communities, honor their ancestors, and forge a vibrant, revitalized sense of connection and identity. Their journey evolves into a powerful act of remembrance, healing, and cultural affirmation.

Voyager

Directed by: Trevor Mastro | Country: USA | Premiere: World Premiere

Embie, an aspiring concert photographer, embarks on a tour with an intergalactic band that challenges his own perceptions of success and responsibility. An animated micro-feature five years in the making, Trevor Mastro has independently crafted and produced a personal, one-of-a-kind psychedelic experience (with an excellent soundtrack) that you are unlikely to forget.

Warla

Directed by: Kevin Alambra | Country: Philippines | Premiere: US Premiere

WARLA is a crime-drama based on the true story of the Warla Gang, a group of transgender women who kidnap foreigners for ransom money to fund their gender-affirming surgeries. The film examines the struggles and treatment of marginalized individuals searching for acceptance.

Warriors

Directed by: Leland Hall | Country: USA | Premiere: World Premiere

Warriors reveals the story of Mobile’s 2009 Davidson High School football team which featured the first high school duo drafted by the same NFL team, Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt. The reminiscences of the players, coaches, and family members of this dynamic team overlap to reveal the combined pressures of young athletes doing everything to follow their NFL dreams.

We Are The Shaggs

Directed by: Ken William Kwapis | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

After a father in rural New Hampshire is inspired by his own mother’s prophecy that his three daughters will be world famous rock stars. The problem was that the daughters, Dorothy, Betty, and Helen Wiggin, had no interest in playing music. This did not stop their father who bought them their own recording studio which produced music that was once called the worst band in rock history.

We Name Ourselves

Directed by: Alejandra Alcala and Alex Garcia Martinez | Country: Mexico | Premiere: Southeast Premiere

Once a grim prison, now a Malawi migration camp. Asylum seekers convert hardship into inspiration, which is meant to crush the human spirit. The camp, on fire with resistance against inhumanity, empowers young people to host a vibrant festival that draws tens of thousands. Spoken word speaks truth to power, weaving strength and unity. Even in oppression, dreams are reborn and an unbreakable sense of community flourishes, defying every hardship.

When We Were Live

Directed by: John Spottswood Moore | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Go back in time to when Austin, Texas was weird and its public access television in the 1980s was even weirder in the best ways possible. When We Were Live is a collection of the actual footage that helped give a voice to a colorful assortment of Austinites.

Wood Street

Directed by: Caron Creighton | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

Award-winning director Caron Creighton gives an inspiring look into Oakland, California’s largest unhoused encampment. The film follows John and LaMonté, two of the encampment’s residents, as they work to organize their neighbors against the state and local governments’ efforts to displace their community.

You Fuckers Figure It Out: A Jason Molina Story

Directed by: Tommy Nickoloff | Country: USA | Premiere: Alabama Premiere

As a songwriter who gave us, in his own words, “one continuous thread” throughout his work, Jason Molina (1973-2013) meant so much to so many people. This film gives us the beginning of a haunted legend and quietly leaves us in the middle of his story, one that only his friends and collaborators can help decipher. “Every night pain comes from a different place,” indeed.

The Sandbox (Closing Night Film)

Directed by: Kenya-Jade Pinto | Country: Canada

One journalist. One man seeking a better life. One tragedy. Experience the hidden connections between surveillance technology and migration, greedy corporations and corrupt governments exploiting the lives of vulnerable people. These events reflect a wider pattern of exploitation and tragedy in a system focused on profit rather than on protecting asylum seekers. As borders tighten and technology becomes more invasive, human rights are eroded, and compassion fades. This film aims to expose this profit-driven system, but a question remains: What will it take for the world to see migrants’ humanity?

SHORT FILMS

Alabama Docs: From River to Clay

• The Mayor of Rasslin’ — Directed by Layla Khan-Hickman (United States)
• Are You Listening? Poetry in the Magic City — Directed by Juliana Eberhardt, Sophie Estrada, Amelia Velaski (United States)
• HYPERSCALED — Directed by Maya Estrera (United States)
• Final Press — Directed by John Haley (United States)
• Monograph: David Brower — Directed by Christopher E. Holmes (United States)
• Memory Work — Directed by Jada Brielle Ceaser (United States)
• Ādi — Directed by Sukanya Subramaniyan (India)
• The Chukker: Nation of Misfits — Directed by Nate Billings, Charlotte Gale (United States)
• Wall of Sound — Directed by Anissa Latham-Brown (United States)

Alabama Narratives: Made in Alabama

• Picklish — Directed by Jori Parson, Clea Collins
• Job Search — Directed by Lewis Bruce
• Growing Up in the 4th Dimension — Directed by Dylane Thomas Hurd
• Scrambled in Space — Directed by Lih Cunha Rohleder
• “Bleeds Through” by Noah Praise God — Directed by Julian Clark
• A Shot in the Dark — Directed by Grantland Thomas Earle, Regan Arnett
• Cause of Death — Directed by Benjamin Johnson
• Mr Jesus — Directed by Emily Best
• Man and Mattress — Directed by Andrew Reisfeld

Animated Shorts: Cel-ular Delight

• Church Hat — Directed by Miceál Og O’Donnell
• FIRSTBORN — Directed by Olivia G Porrill
• Sundays — Directed by Ashley Gerst
• Living with a Visionary — Directed by Stephen P. Neary
• To Have and To Hold — Directed by Julianne Martin
• Idle Hands — Directed by Ellie Roberts
• Deep in the Folds of My Mind — Directed by Mac Muggeo
• Dormilón — Directed by Olivia Marie Valdez
• Snow Bear — Directed by Aaron Blaise
• Captain Zero: Into the Abyss Part II — Directed by Z Cher-Aimé

Animated Shorts: Colors of the World

• Chip — Directed by Pete Ireland
• One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six — Directed by Yingdan Lai
• 113 Words for You Today — Directed by Bo Qing Tang, Lan Zeng
• Blessed — Directed by Birute Sodeikaite
• Snake Soup — Directed by Zack Demirtshyan
• On Saint Nicholas’ Eve — Directed by Robin Emy Mirel Ivasca
• A Sparrow’s Song — Directed by Tobias Eckerlin
• The Nest — Directed by Aurélien Coquery, Léa Kermanach, Soline Mauguin, Abel Tixador, Jean Baounon, Romane Selter-Fiette
• Dreamwalker — Directed by Luca Schenato, Sinem Vardarli
• Éiru — Directed by Giovanna Ferrari

Black Lens Shorts: More Than a Monolith

• Capriccio — Directed by Kiah Clingman
• Lemon — Directed by Beth Curry
• A Mystical Ornithology — Directed by Jeremy Seifert, Benjamin James Roberts
• God Sleeps On Sundays — Directed by Naishe Nyamubaya
• Eternal — Directed by Joshua Jeffrey Miller
• Spilled Milk — Directed by Jared Leaf

Crime Docs: Beyond the Bars

• That Night — Directed by Hoda Sobhani
• Correspondence — Directed by Paul K. Oh
• Investigator — Directed by Jennifer Grausman
• Sites of Memory — Directed by Antonio Tarrell, Castel V Sweet, Michael Fagans
• Free Joan Little — Directed by Yoruba Richen

Doc Shorts: Expanding Horizons

• What’s My Name? — Directed by Yuge Zhou
• Within Me — Directed by Sherlyn Reyes Zamora
• Freedom of the Press — Directed by Pablo Quintero
• Rolling Film, Rocking History, Al Maysles Captures the Beatles — Directed by Bart Weiss
• The Day Is Not Lost — Directed by Kay Hannahan
• The Theory of Spice — Directed by Gilly Barnes
• Zastava Brothers — Directed by Pep Stojanovic

Doc Shorts: Legacies

• ERUCTATION — Directed by Victoria Trow
• Houdini II: A Beautiful Day to Die — Directed by Daniel John
• Hwy 101 Yard Sale — Directed by Andrew Johnston, Jackson Townsend
• Fred’s Basement Bijou — Directed by Michael T Vollmann
• BUCKSKIN — Directed by Mars Verrone
• Submitting Tigers — Directed by Luke Kellerhouse

Doc Shorts: The Extra-Ordinary

• Monograph: Ajene Williams — Directed by Matthew Grcic
• Oh Whale — Directed by Winslow Crane-Murdoch
• From Rodeo to Polo: The First HBCU Polo Team — Directed by Kendi King
• Roots & Relics — Directed by Matthew Josiah Avant
• A New Inferno — Directed by Nita Blum, Jonathan Pickett

Environmental Docs: This World We Call Home

• Discarded — Directed by Jason O’Brien
• Constellations of the Sea — Directed by Addie Akina Knoll
• Where the River Flows — Directed by Emily Rabbideau
• UNDERMINED — Directed by Lily Huffman
• Willie and His Pigs — Directed by Emily Cooper
• Invasive Florida — Directed by Stephen DeVries
• A DERAILMENT — Directed by Nathan Truesdell

Family Shorts: Forever Young

• Blu’s — Directed by Rajesh PK
• Reel Birmingham — Directed by Daniel Munoz, Brandon Grant
• Forever Home — Directed by Ashley Wong
• Dawn — Directed by Gary Telly Jeannot
• Like Father — Directed by Jared Callahan
• Armadillo Olympics — Directed by Bae Allen
• Snow Bear — Directed by Aaron Blaise
• Two Tears — Directed by Josefina Pieres

Family Shorts: Kid at Heart

• Doggozord — Directed by Kelsey Norden
• Chasing Dreams — Directed by Gerald Crummie
• Sunspark — Directed by Danny Bourque
• Symphony in the Skies — Directed by Nathan Winston Burrell
• Jamie’s Cosmic Chase — Directed by Gabrielle Foret
• Creep — Directed by Daniela Abarca
• The Epic of Enkidu — Directed by Mike A Smith
• Flick: A Fingerboarding Story — Directed by Graham Abney
• The Ottoman — Directed by Mike Stamm

Genre Shorts: A Midnight Dreary

• Run From It — Directed by Racha Kongsommart
• It’s a Wonderful Night of the Living Dead — Directed by John Bell, Dan Bell
• The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much — Directed by Eric Jackowitz
• “Ye Kou Si Kuo” by Naive New Beaters & Star Feminine Band — Directed by Lola Lefèvre
• Dirty Fuzz — Directed by Daniel Chimes
• The Knowing — Directed by Marcus January
• NEEDLE — Directed by Sofie Somoroff
• 99 GHOSTS — Directed by Gonzalo Francisco Torrens Thevenet

Genre Shorts: More Things in Heaven & Earth

• Please and Thank You — Directed by Hal Kirkland
• Ultra Juice — Directed by Carl Conway Maguire
• Aptitude — Directed by Natasha Mynhier
• “Take Me To Your Leader” by My Mom Is Here — Directed by Benjamin Rummans
• The Humbug — Directed by Cole Paviour
• Ape Shit — Directed by Dahlia Jane Kressler
• Headphones — Directed by Steven Arriagada
• Closing Hour — Directed by Tim Smink
• Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting — Directed by Alexander Thompson

Life & Liberty Shorts: Claiming Space

• From Fields to Flight — Directed by Ipshita Bhattacharyya
• Faithful Defenders — Directed by Barbara Jean Hall
• White Nine — Directed by Nilou Safinya
• Oceanbone — Directed by Lani Cupchoy
• HER BABY DIDN’T BLOCK HER JUMP SHOT — Directed by Emily M Lobsenz

Life & Liberty Shorts: Freedom in Practice

• Sea Song — Directed by An-Phuong Ly
• Honor Song — Directed by Ryan Begay
• 60 Years of Selma — Directed by Jori Parson
• The Other Roe — Directed by Wendy Eley Jackson
• Projecting Protest — Directed by Thomas Clement

Narrative Shorts: In Frame

• Reflections — Directed by Stephen DeVries
• The Repetition for Love — Directed by Kyungrok Kim
• Gary — Directed by Tim Cofield
• Timelessness — Directed by Sasha Timan
• Leica — Directed by Sagi Kahane-Rapport
• Pinball, Brooklyn — Directed by Geoffrey Levy
• The Ride — Directed by Slava Denisov

Narrative Shorts: In Translation

• THE SENTRY — Directed by Jake Wachtel
• “Tell ‘Em” by Terry Blade — Directed by Terry Blade
• Paloma — Directed by Raul Martinez Liera
• Unwanted — Directed by Roman Sinitsyn
• Max — Directed by Adrien Boublil
• Escudo Invisible (The Invisible Shield) — Directed by Maximilian Barrón

Narrative Shorts: Never Alone

• The Boy with the Dinosaur Head — Directed by Imran J Khan
• Leo Lets It Rain — Directed by Jasmin Prophete
• DISC — Directed by Blake Rice
• “dirt” by emory — Directed by Julia Fernandez
• Terrarium — Directed by Morgon Dickerson
• Mary the Widow — Directed by Ryan Noufer
• Vital — Directed by Amir Zargara
• I Think About Killing You — Directed by Ran Ran Wang

Narrative Shorts: To Make You Smile

• Loco — Directed by Eddie Mujica
• The Sisters of Scott County — Directed by Courtney Hoffman
• Stop to Stop — Directed by Samantha Massell, Asher Grodman
• A Night In — Directed by Eduardo Olmos
• Big Little Love — Directed by Liesa Cole
• UN-DEAD — Directed by Bo Webb
• Another Day in the West — Directed by Matthew Sliger
• The Method — Directed by Luke Howe

SHOUT Shorts Docs: Exploring Community

• Love Birds — Directed by Elliott Kennerson, Angel Morris
• Rainbow Rider — Directed by Georgia Krause
• There’s a Small Hotel — Directed by Michael Grodner
• Drag Me To Church — Directed by Isabella Sullivan

SHOUT Shorts Narratives: Slice of Life

• The Chimney — Directed by Michael McFarland, AP Boland
• Tomorrow — Directed by Christian Meola
• The Burial of the Black Cat — Directed by Maryam Esmaeli
• I Am The Prize — Directed by Sai Karan Talwar
• Cottonmouth — Directed by Ama Anane
• Sofia — Directed by Camila de Ilhéus

SHOUT Shorts: Almost After Dark

• Evergreen — Directed by Luke McCormick Gardiner
• Tuna Tartare — Directed by Lena Greene
• something still — Directed by Ariel S Mahler
• Scissors — Directed by Hannah Alline
• Cockroach — Directed by Justice Maya Singleton, Liliana Padilla
• The Bone Grinder — Directed by Danny Rhodes

Teen Shorts: Tomorrow’s Filmmakers

• Love You — Directed by Davy Forrester
• Time Will Tell — Directed by Peyton Cooper
• MIME — Directed by Gabri Blankson
• Dualists — Directed by Worthy Culverhouse
• Grow Up — Directed by Dari Justin
• Magnacamp — Directed by Landon Zimmer
• CHAD — Directed by Maria George, Silverr King
• Rocket — Directed by Luke Ashton Beall
• The Prime Candidate — Directed by Joseph Pickens, Graham Cason
• Dwell — Directed by Luke Ashton Beall
• No Small Matter — Directed by India Anne Mitchell
• Instant — Directed by Hudson Hillin
• Draupadi — Directed by Rishan Sathiyaa

The post Exclusive: 2026 Sidewalk Film Festival Lineup Features John Wilson, Buster Keaton & More first appeared on The Film Stage.

Unless you’re living in the cave of Polyphemus, you are surely aware that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey arrives today. With it, Ludwig Göransson’s 23-track, two-hour score—concluding with an end-credits collaboration with Travis Scott and James Blake—is now available to stream.

As the composer revealed to Time, no orchestra was used for the score, and instead he “rented 35 bronze gongs of varying sizes, experimented, recorded them with synths, and began sending the director songs.” Göransson notes, “It’s not like the orchestra existed back then. It was a challenge and also an opening to try to make something unique.”

Nick Newman said in his review of The Odyssey, “The Odyssey‘s A-list ensemble tends to play material at a morose even keel—stone faces, teary eyes, throaty whispers. Only certain outside-the-line colorings smuggle revelation. Most evident is Robert Pattinson’s take on the antagonistic Antinous as (keeping up with Nolan’s script by putting this in the parlance of our times) a crazy white boy whose stated inspiration (James Woods in Casino) was neither sensed in the moment nor shocking to learn ex post facto. The energy inflected by one spitting of wine or crookening of smile can’t help begging questions about his relative-to-Spider-Man sidelining, though I suppose that query at last stretches back to Homer, and we cannot consult him.”

Listen below and pick up the vinyl edition here.

The post Listen to Ludwig Göransson’s Score for The Odyssey first appeared on The Film Stage.

Now in its 40th edition, Il Cinema Ritrovato has swollen to become a true labyrinth of cinema, a Borgesian garden of forking paths that one goes to get lost in. The festival takes place over nine days across 10 or so theaters and comes replete with a 500-page catalogue that weighs you down like a rock as you shuffle through the porticoed streets of Bologna between movies. It’s a cinephile’s dream and it’s hard to describe how magical it feels to watch hundred-year-old silent films or experimental Armenian movies amongst thousands of people seated in the Piazza Maggiore next to a gorgeous 500-year-old Italian cathedral.

The title of the festival translates to the cinema rediscovered and its overwhelming breadth offers a unique opportunity to move past your own film-watching habits and embrace the unknown. With hundreds of films in the program, there’s inevitably a point around the festival’s midway where I almost entirely give up on all of my planning and rationality; I simply let intuition and coincidence decide what movies I’ll watch and walk into screenings with little expectation or foresight. Quoting German theorist Aby Warburg, one of the festival directors advised during the opening ceremony that, “the book you need is always right next to the one you’re looking for.” At Il Cinema Ritrovato I tried to ignore my own wants and let the pursuit of discovery show me what I was really looking for. Here are four highlights which not only amazed me, but, in true Il Cinema Ritrovato form, surprised me.

Pakeezah (Kamal Amrohi, 1972)

The movie of the festival that brought me closest to Stendhal syndrome, Pakeezah is a sumptuous Urdu musical set in Northern India. Shot over 15 years as the director Kamal Amrohi kept restarting production to move from black and white to Eastmancolor and eventually Cinemascope, the movie has a George Cukor-like conception of how precise visual beauty can craft layers of emotional depth beyond the narrative. The story is a tragic romance between a courtesan, Sahibjaan (Meena Kumari), and a man, Salim (Raaj Kumar), who leaves her a love letter after glimpsing her feet on a train. He calls her Pakeezah, or the pure one, even as she tries to run away from him out of shame over her past. Filmed on lavish sets depicting opulent mansions and massive street scenes, Amrohi utilizes a breathtaking mastery of space, depth, color, and camera movement. The various dances we see Sahibjaan perform as a courtesan are rendered with a sublime contrasting sense of stillness and movement: glacial tracking shots over large, nearly empty chambers contrast with Kumari’s deliberate, methodical spins to create rhythms that are hypnotic and filled with poetic overtones. Whole sequences in the film consist of nothing but camera movements through empty palace rooms––dolly shots around fountains, mirrors, curtains billowing in the wind, crimson carpets with intricate gold lace, the moon in the sky––and the purely aesthetic textures were enough to nearly move me to tears.

L’Enfant Du Paris (Léonce Perret, 1913)

Giving proof to Martin Scorsese’s quip that “whatever you do now that you think is new was already done in 1913,” Léonce Perret’s L’Enfant Du Paris is a work of filmic craft on the highest level that changed my understanding of what the first decades of cinema look like. The story of the search for a small girl orphaned and then kidnapped after her father is presumed dead in a colonial war, the plot echoes Dickens while also looking forward to the crime serials of Louis Feuilluade, who served as producer. While largely a melodrama, and a very effective one too, the film would be remarkable in any time period for how gracefully it pulls off multiple contrasting tonal registers. From thrilling chases across the streets of Paris to documentary street scenes of lower-class saloons to small comic interludes––the film continually moved in surprising new directions without ever losing the emotional thread. In one of the movie’s most striking moments, Bosco, a side character who met the girl while she was kidnapped, unexpectedly becomes the narrative focus for the second half of the plot. Suspense even slowly gives way to leisurely sentimentality when the trail runs cold in Nice and he spends days meandering around the city, broke and crying whenever he passes a doll shop because it reminds him of the girl. Accompanied by a wonderful score by Gabriel Thibaudeau on Piano and Fabiana Sommariva on English Horn, L’Enfant Du Paris epitomized the Il Cinema Ritrovato viewing experience for me in quality, novelty, and revelatory wonder.

By the Law (Lev Kuleshov, 1926)

Directed by Lev Kuleshov, who is effectively known as the inventor of psychological editing with the eponymous Kuleshov effect, By the Law is a bleak morality tale based on a Jack London novel. Set in the Yukon Territories, the film is a frontier thriller about a group of prospectors overtaken by madness and murderous instincts on the eve of winter. Snowed and flooded into their cabin for an entire season, the surviving prospectors grapple over their own morality as they watch over their murdering friend, waiting to bring him before the law. Filled with some of the greatest faces of Soviet silent cinema at their most contorted and grotesque (Alexandra Khokhlova, Vladimir Fogel, and Pyotr Galadzhev are the leads) plus beautiful chiaroscuro cinematography that takes good advantage of natural landscapes––ice-breaking, trees blooming, torrential rainstorms––the film is an atmospheric wonder with layers of rich philosophical allegory undergirding it. Brutal and swift like the best pulp art, the film is filled with moments of quick action surrounded by slow descents into regret and moral confusion. While the crimes committed are clear-cut and wrong, Kuleshov fills the proceedings with a heavy sense of ambivalence and fatalism, letting the best characters give into their worst sides and the worst characters demonstrate their most human features so that no one comes out clearly good or evil. The law, for its part, becomes an increasingly obscure and senseless force in absentia, a defining order that, in Kafka-esque fashion, never quite appears, but rules over everything. 

Lady in the Dark (Mitchell Leisen, 1944)

A retrospective dedicated to an undersung auteur of the Hollywood studio system is becoming a staple of the program at Il Cinema Ritrovato. This year’s focus on Mitchell Leisen served as a chance to reevaluate the career of a director whose reputation rests almost entirely on being unrecognized and written off. Often eclipsed by the two most famous screenwriters who worked for him, Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges, Leisen’s relegation to Andrew Sarris’ “Likely Likeable” category in The American Cinema seems like a curse that might never wear off. While I have to admit that after the six films of his I saw at the festival I walked away convinced that Sarris was largely right, what I did discover was how interesting, if highly imperfect, Leisen’s films often are. 

A perfect case in point is Lady in the Dark, a Ginger Rogers vehicle that is half a splendorous technicolor musical and half a creaky workplace comedy rife with unfunny jokes and misogyny. Rogers plays Liza Elliott, a fashion magazine editor who goes to psychoanalysis to try to overcome her terrible anxiety. The doctor, ultimately and eye-rollingly, tells her she needs to embrace her womanly side, but before that he asks to hear about her dreams, each of which initiates a fantasy sequence set to Kurt Weill music and Ira Gershwin songs. The less said about the non-fantasy sequences the better, but Leisen, who began his career as a costume designer and art director, has a wonderful eye for visual design and the sumptuous studio sets are the real attraction of the film. From a monochromatic blue ballet to a 30-foot-high gold wedding cake waltz to a circus tent filled with bizarre puppets and Ginger Rogers in a stunning crimson mink dress lined with gold––allegedly the most expensive costume ever created at the time––the film is pure brilliance if you shut your ears to the script and only open your eyes. A pretty movie does not, however, necessarily make for an interesting one, but what actually does make Lady in the Dark worthwhile is an inherent, almost subliminal tension between these lavish sequences, which are all surface yet purport to give a sense of depth to Liza, and the regressively dull real life material, which has little in the way of surface pleasures and too much expository explanation. There’s a schizophrenic nature to the film, its two registers never able to fully complement each other even though they’re ostensibly about one another, and the whole thing comes across as slightly incoherent and never in full control of itself. Yet in this way it’s also true to itself for its a more interesting and authentic psychoanalytical object than many other contemporary films that demonstrate a more coherent grasp of Freudian psychology.

The post Four Must-See Classic Films From Il Cinema Ritrovato 2026 first appeared on The Film Stage.

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Backrooms (Kane Parsons)

The opening five minutes serve as an ideal primer for anybody unfamiliar with Parsons’ Backrooms web series, and who maybe need a little extra convincing that a 20-year-old YouTuber has some juice: a found-footage recording of a researcher lost in the endless liminal space who gets chased by some unseen force of evil. Even when seen in the extremely low resolution of period-appropriate early-1990s camcorders, there’s something immediately disquieting about the uncanny production design (courtesy of Perkins’ regular collaborator Danny Vermette), where signs appear as their mirror image, various objects of furniture have melted into the floor, and the only living souls are seagulls. It’s an uncomfortable space to be in before the echoes of footsteps begin gathering speed behind our cameraman, and as this tape ends in offscreen devastation, we flash forward approximately ten days to meet Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a failed architect and owner of the fabulously named furniture store Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire. – Alistair R. (full review)

Where to Stream: VOD

The Currents (Milagros Mumenthaler)

Writer-director Milagros Mumenthaler paints an intimate portrait of a woman trying to reckon with her fractured identity, trying not to fall into the grip of madness. Mumenthaler understands that motherhood requires an element of performance that reminds the mother that her life is no longer hers alone. Though the love for her daughter is still there inside, she cowers from it, preoccupied with inspecting the current shape of her life. In therapy, Lina expresses a fear of water’s power and the strength of a current that could wash her away. It’s as if she now knows the fragility of her existence, and that the confidence that once governed her was washed away when she jumped off the bridge. Despite the eccentricity of her fears, the emotions behind them are painfully relatable to any woman who feels that the inertia of her life has taken over. – Jourdain S. (full review)

Where to Stream: VOD

Exit 8 (Genki Kawamura)

Gameplay simplicity and use of the trendy liminal horror subgenre made The Exit 8 a viral success––currently the game has sold over 1.5 million copies––which also saw a boost in popularity from streamers whose videos have amassed millions of views. But how do you create a feature-length film out of a game that could be beaten in a matter of minutes? For director and co-writer Genki Kawamura, it’s to rely on horror’s tried-and-true method of leaning into allegory, with Exit 8’s premise becoming a representation of how routines can trap us in cycles of bad behaviors. The film’s main character is The Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya), who we see on his daily commute in the Tokyo subway. While navigating the labyrinthine system of pedestrian tunnels, he gets a call from his recent ex-girlfriend who tells him she’s pregnant, and he has to tell her if he wants her to keep the baby. – C.J. P. (full review)

Where to Stream: Shudder

Jinsei (Ryuya Suzuki)

Maybe it’s harder than it looks to present the end of the world calmly, especially in only 93 minutes. That’s one of the major achievements of the new, relatively lo-fi anime film Jinsei. Over a hundred years—all through the prism of pop music and Japanese identity—one quickly learns how much millennial- and zoomer-doom mindset is just as present in the land of the rising sun. – Ethan V. (full review)

Where to Stream: VOD

Marc by Sofia (Sofia Coppola)

Sofia Coppola, Marc Jacobs, and 30 years of friendship between them––this triad was promising enough for A24 to jump on the project and for the Venice Film Festival to host its world premiere (out of competition). Where else if not Italy does a big director show their fashion documentary for the first time? Luca Guadagnino did (Salvatore, Shoemaker of Dreams) well knowing it would go straight to streaming after. Yet the subgenre of fashion documentary portraits has an honesty to it, wearing its formulaic structure, talking heads, and fast-paced supercut editing to match a predictable, zippy rhythm. Fame, beauty, a ruthless industry where one can either be great or good––all those are tropes that sell, but when Sofia Coppola is making such a film about designer Marc Jacobs and his A/W 2024/25 collection, it’s supposedly much more than a well-calculated commission. – Savina P. (full review)

Where to Stream: HBO Max

Mile End Kicks (Chandler Levack)

There’s a reason Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill speaks to Grace Pine (Barbie Ferreira). It’s the same reason her pitch endears a publisher to cut her an advance and contract to publish a 33 1/3 book on the subject: the feminist rage; the honesty; the fact that the world was willing to fork over millions of dollars to listen as a woman bared her soul. There’s catharsis in it, inspiration. What’s stopping Grace from achieving that same success through authentic voice and impeccable taste as a burgeoning music critic in Toronto? The adrenaline rush answers: “Nothing!” The inevitable crash back to earth supplies a revision: herself. – Jared M. (full review)

Where to Stream: Netflix

Miroirs No. 3 (Christian Petzold)

Christian Petzold’s fifteenth feature Miroirs No. 3 marks his fourth with Paula Beer, the actor-muse he first directed in 2018’s Transit, a film that shares significant themes with his newest––chiefly that of total strangers inexplicably recognizing each other and immediately feeling a deep, soulful bond with nary a word. Needless to say Miroirs No. 3 is, like the others, an enigma. – Luke H. (full review)

Where to Stream: MUBI

Obsession (Curry Barker)

For as wild and uncomfortable as Obsession becomes, it is less a question of where the film is going than how it’s going to get there and what path it will take. To Barker’s credit, however, it never feels like he’s stalling for time; a lot of the film is spent observing Bear and his other co-workers, including Sarah (Megan Lawless), the owner’s daughter, who perhaps has a bit of a crush on Bear. Both she and Ian find Nikki’s sudden change a bit odd, concerned that Bear may be taking advantage of a mental breakdown. It’s a development that shows Barker has something on his mind, perhaps recognizing that another version of this movie could be horrific in its misogyny. – Devan S. (full review)

Where to Stream: Peacock

Also New to Streaming

Fandor

Anything That Moves

Kino Film Collection

The Souffleur

MGM+

Is God Is

Prime Video

Lorne

VOD

The Python Hunt
Stop! That! Train!

The post New to Streaming: Miroirs No. 3, Backrooms, The Currents, Obsession & More first appeared on The Film Stage.

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Roxy Cinema
Nicholas Ray’s The Lusty Men and On Dangerous Ground screen on 35mm Saturday and Sunday; Basil Dearden’s Victim shows on Friday and a print of Gone with the Pope plays Saturday.

Anthology Film Archives
Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer and Takashi Miike’s Ichi the Killer play in a retrospective of the first New York Asian Film Festival.

Museum of the Moving Image
A De Palma retrospective continues with Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, and a print of Snake Eyes; Dodsworth on 35mm, The Net: The Unabomber, LSD, and the Internet, and a 10th-anniversary screening of Arrival; Practical Magic features prints of Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans.

Film at Lincoln Center
Tsai Ming-liang’s The Hole continues playing on a new 35mm print—read our interview with the director—while Infinite Football screens for free on Friday night at Lincoln Center’s Hearst Plaza.

Museum of Modern Art
Films by Jim Jarmusch, Jan Troell, Joan Micklin Silver, and more screen in Immigrant Nation.

Film Forum
Ross McElwee’s Sherman’s March continues; Zoot Suit plays on 35mm this Friday; a Laurel and Hardy series continues; It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World screens on Sunday.

IFC Center
Lino Brocka’s Macho Dancer plays daily in a new restoration; Miami Vice, Nowhere, Easy Rider, Gummo, and a print of Elephant show late.

Nitehawk Prospect Park
Source Code and She’s the Man play early on Saturday and Sunday.

Metrograph
Dirty Ho, The Seventh Bullet, Basic Instinct, Jacob’s Ladder, and Belle de Jour play on 35mm; Among Friends, Dressed by Yves Saint Laurent, Take Care of My Cat, and My Name Ain’t Suzie start while Eric Rohmer and Gary Oldman retrospectives, When Carolco Was King, The Worldwide West, Christopher Doyle, and The Night Has Opened My Eyes continue.

The post NYC Weekend Watch: Nicholas Ray, Ichi the Killer, Snake Eyes & More first appeared on The Film Stage.

Mohammed Ali Naqvi’s nail-biting thriller documentary Hanging by a Wire, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, has now been acquired by AB2 Media Group and its theatrical releasing division Abramorama. Ahead of an August 28th theatrical release, the first trailer and poster have now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “In August 2023, a routine school commute in northern Pakistan turns terrifying when two cables snap, leaving eight passengers—including six schoolboys—dangling 900 feet above a ravine as rescuers race desperately to save them.”

“Hanging by a Wire is exactly the kind of urgent, true-life storytelling we love to bring to audiences,” said Karol Martesko-Fenster, CEO of AB2 Media Group and Abramorama. “Audiences at Sundance were riveted, and we can’t wait to bring this nail-biting, deeply human story to theaters across North America this summer.”

“We couldn’t ask for a better partner to bring this story to the big screen,” said Amanda Spain, executive producer and EverWonder Studio. “Abramorama has a proven track record of giving documentaries like this one the theatrical platform they deserve, and we’re thrilled audiences will get to experience this incredible true story the way it was meant to be seen.”

“This film is a tribute to the ordinary people who became extraordinary when it mattered most,” said director Mohammed Ali Naqvi. “To have Abramorama bring Hanging by a Wire to theaters means this story will reach audiences as we intended — together, in the dark, holding their breath as a real-life disaster thriller unfolds through the voices and footage of the people who lived it.”

John Fink said in his review, “A brisk docu-thriller that could do more with the richness of the players it chronicles, Mohammed Ali Naqvi’s Hanging by a Wire is not without thrills and human drama. Yet it seems focused more on a death-defying rescue than on what could be done to prevent this from happening again.”

See the trailer below.

The post Hanging by a Wire Trailer: Thrilling Rescue Documentary Will Arrive This August first appeared on The Film Stage.

Backed by Moonlight and Minari producers Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (along with Michel Franco), the coming-of-age tale Olmo will now be arriving next month. A selection at TIFF and Berlinale, Fernando Eimbcke’s film stars Aivan Uttapa, Gustavo Sánchez Parra, Diego Olmedo, Andrea Suárez Paz, Rosa Armendariz, and Melanie Frometa. Ahead of an August 7 release from Greenwich Entertainment, the first trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Fourteen-year-old Olmo and his family are struggling to make ends meet in 1979 New Mexico. Due to an illness that keeps his father Nestor confined to his bed, his mother Cecilia, his sister Ana, and even he himself must contribute to the daily caretaking responsibilities. Olmo, in the throes of selfish adolescence, would much rather hang out with his best friend Miguel and try to impress his beautiful next-door neighbor Nina than take care of his dad. And when Nina finally invites him to a party on the day that he’s been left alone with his dad, Olmo will do whatever he can to get out of his duties, embarking on a journey of mischief and chaos. In his desperate attempt to escape his home life, he will come to realize that the place of his deepest pain is also where he will find solace: with his family.”

See the trailer below.

The post Olmo Trailer: Fernando Eimbcke’s TIFF and Berlinale Selection Arrives This August first appeared on The Film Stage.