‘Screams from the Tower’ (DWF NY 2024) A gay, coming-of-age story of friendship, fearlessness, and the future.

Screams from the Tower Filmmaker Cory Wexler Grant gave DWF NY 2024 audiences belly laughs with the East Coast debut of SCREAMS FROM THE TOWER. The film follows best friends Julien and Cary as they vie for a morning radio spot at their high school in the early 90s. Getting there is only the beginning. As the show evolved, so Read More →

‘B!tch I’m Early (B.I.E.)’ (DWF NY 2024) Jeskid’s new short film takes on the absurdity of the rat race.

B!tch I’m Early In under six minutes, DWF NY 2024 audience winner B!tch I’m Early (B.I.E.) manages to be quintessentially New York and entirely universal in climbing the corporate ladder as a woman. This generational battle of two women, who are more alike than they realize, pit themselves against each other for an office promotion. Quite literally racing to the Read More →

‘CANCHAS’ (DWF NY 2024) A poignant short and snapshot of our collective trauma

CANCHAS From the moment it begins, DWF NY 2024 short film CANCHAS perfectly captures the chaos, fear, and unresolved trauma of COVID-19. The story follows a dermatologist who has become a vital frontline worker. The intimate hand camera work immerses the audience in those new and meticulous routines we created in masking, social distancing, sanitizing, and disinfecting. Watching brings back Read More →

‘DOUBLE EXPOSURE’ (DWF NY 2024) Guilt, regret, time loss, and ghosts from the past.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE Filmmaker Howard Goldberg brings DWF NY 2024 audiences a tale of emotional torture. When Peter’s (Alexander Calvert) ex-girlfriend Sara (Caylee Cowan) shows up in his life unexpectedly, the past and present mysteriously collide. The struggling artist grapples with guilt over what happened to his first love. Opening with a Sondheim quote was undeniably clever, but this puzzle is Read More →

‘PEAS AND CARROTS’ (DWF NY 2024) Evan Oppenheimer dishes out the laughs at the World Premiere of his latest film.

PEAS AND CARROTS***WORLD PREMIERE | DANCES WITH FILMS 2024 *** Evan Oppenheimer‘s hilarious DWF NY premiere PEAS AND CARROTS centers on 16-year-old Joey, the daughter of two one-hit wonder band members from the 90s. A glitch with the kids’ star projector opens a portal to an alternate universe where everybody only says three words: “Peas and Carrots.” The Wethersbys, your Read More →

‘GASBAG’ (DWF: NY 2024) A hilarious pilot that breaks the niche space

GASBAG Lynn Rosen‘s Season 2 pilot for her web series GASBAG features some of NYC’s best theatre performers. Rosen’s dialogue is hilarious. The cast is outstanding. Lead Chad Kessler is an undeniable star with the unrelenting energy of a catnip-high feline. This genuine ensemble overflows with talent, wit, and comic timing. GASBAG deserves a proper budget. While the show is Read More →

‘SWEATY LARRY’ (DWF:LA 2024) Gen Z’s newest and funniest superstition

SWEATY LARRY https://danceswithfilms.com/sweaty-larry/ 80s and 90s kid here. Ouija boards and Blood Mary were a right of passage at sleepover parties or Saturday nights. Filmmaker Vanessa Ionta Wright delivers a new generation of jaded kids trying to scare themselves in a world where they’ve already seen it all thanks to the internet. Our three youngest stars, Sienna Burton, Quinn Reames, Read More →

‘DEATH PERCEPTION’ (DWF: LA 2024) Killer art from a new perspective

DEATH PERCEPTION https://danceswithfilms.com/death-perception/ Filmmakers Alec Wry, Sam Slade, & Kevin Mix give DWF: LA 2024 audiences a fresh take on the slasher genre with DEATH PERCEPTION. The setup finds a group of college friends coming together for a watch party of Sean’s newly completed short film. No one seems particularly excited, aside from Sean. The night rolls on and the Read More →

‘DELICATE ARCH’ (DWF: LA 2024) This supernatural WTF showcases a new voice

DELICATE ARCH https://danceswithfilms.com/delicate-arch/ Filmmaker Matthew Warren brings DWF: LA 2024 audiences DELICATE ARCH, where four college students embark on a camping trip to prepare for the inevitable societal shift due to climate change. When they arrive, visions creep into their waking mind, blurring reality for everyone. Katie Self is the soothing voice of the narrator. While we hear her only Read More →

‘I NEED YOUR LOVE’ (DWF: LA 2024) Relatable yet unique shenanigans

I NEED YOUR LOVE https://danceswithfilms.com/i-need-your-love/ Earlier this month, Tribeca 2024 audiences got treated to episodes 1 and 3 of Walker Kalan‘s series I NEED YOUR LOVE. Now, DWF: LA gets a chance to laugh and play. Co-created by star Camille Trust, the show is  quick-witted, awkward (in the best way), and realistic, delving into how inevitable competition complicates friendships. It’s Read More →

‘BURN OUT’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Overworked and ambitious are a dangerous combination

BURN OUT https://danceswithfilms.com/burn-out/ A clearly overworked and unwaveringly determined Virgil will do anything to show his boss the very personal presentation he has toiled over. Nothing can stop him from completing this passion project, not even a fire. Filmmaker Russell Goldman‘s DWF: LA 2024 short BURN OUT dives headfirst into the competitive nature of hardcore office culture under the guise Read More →

‘TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX’ (DWF:LA 2024) Brilliantly funny sci-fi with a side of self-love. No, really.

TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX https://danceswithfilms.com/tim-travers-the-time-travelers-paradox-2/ Stimson Snead takes us on a comedy of trial and error in DWF: LA sci-fi feature TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX. This film is a story of a mad genius’s guide to what if, get ready to have your mind blown. The badass credits come in hot from the first Read More →

‘PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX’ (DWF: LA 2024 short) A cut above the rest in college admissions

PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX https://danceswithfilms.com/princetons-in-the-mix/ In PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX, the modern woes of college admissions season get uglier when elite parents find a new way to get a leg up in the competition. Heather Burns, my favorite actress from Miss Congeniality (and the eternal April 25th meme), gives Beth a lethal edge. She nails this role. Charlie Besso plays Read More →

‘YOU ARE HERE’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Universally great

YOU ARE HERE https://danceswithfilms.com/YOU-ARE-HERE/ A short film about our minds going down the proverbial rabbit hole of unfathomable information, Michael Friberg‘s DWF: LA short, YOU ARE HERE, is pure delight. When insurance underwriter Peter reads a newspaper article about the number of stars in the galaxy, he fixates on the enormity of space and life itself. Peter is every science Read More →

‘HOW I ROLL’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Resilience at its finest

HOW I ROLLhttps://danceswithfilms.com/HOW-I-ROLL-2/ One of the most harrowing stories I’ve seen featured in a short film comes from BriGuel‘s HOW I ROLL. This 13-minute emotional rollercoaster is an eye-opening tale of resilience. Robin Cohen lives with MS, navigating Miami, Manhattan, and a family history of shocking violence, loss, and great love.  BriGuel beautifully edits Cohen’s innermost thoughts, one on top Read More →

DWF LA review: Thriving with anxiety is a challenge in Sara Friedman’s ‘HEIGHTENED’

HEIGHTENED Neurodivergent behavior manifests in a myriad of ways. Sometimes it rears its ugly head in the form of ticks, rituals, and a short temper, but mostly in weird behavior misunderstood by the general population. HEIGHTENED boasts an augmented sound design that perfectly captures what it feels like to be sensory overloaded. As a fellow SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) sufferer, Read More →

DWF LA review: ‘KATIE’S MOM’ is a delicious homage and star vehicle for Dina Meyer.

KATIE’S MOM SYNOPSISA heartfelt comedy influenced by THE GRADUATE but told from the perspective of a protagonist inspired by Mrs. Robinson. Set in Pasadena, KATIE’S MOM is about Nancy Rosenfeld (Dina Meyer (STARSHIP TROOPERS, SAW)), a nurturing mom and recent divorcée, whose beloved Jewish/Christmas mashup holiday celebration with her adult children is derailed when she falls for Alex Rojas (Aaron Read More →

DWF LA review: Christopher Beatty’s film ‘BIBI’ is hauntingly beautiful madness.

BIBI Writer-director Christopher Beatty gives DANCES WITH FILMS audiences a stunningly atmospheric film with BIBI. Stuck in a cycle of grief, Vivian experiences nightmares of her late daughter Ava. Seeking solace through a strained relationship with her eldest daughter Bibi, the nightmares bleed into her reality. Discerning between the two becomes a battle between good and evil, the past and Read More →

DWF: LA review: ‘GLUE TRAP’ is a slow burn into total darkness.

A slow burn first act establishes a struggling relationship between Dan and KJ. A weekend getaway begins in solitude and boredom, with their only point of conversation being what to do with a mouse trapped in a glue trap but has yet to die. When a stranger arrives, things get tense. The cabin owner’s sister Eliza shows up for a Read More →

DWF: LA is coming! Take a peak at a few of the eclectic selections at this year’s festival.

Some of the best new discoveries of the year come out of Dances With Films. (Their brilliant lineup of shorts is to die for.) It’s a festival you should never sleep on. Here is a preview of a few titles you can catch from June 22nd to July 2nd. DANCES WITH FILMS (DWF: LA & DWF: NYC), now in its Read More →