‘BROTHER VERSES BROTHER’ (SXSW 2025) A wild and personal familial musical odyssey.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3BROTHER VERSES BROTHER

Brother Verses Brother sxsw posterBROTHER VERSES BROTHER comes from director Ari Gold. (The Song of Sway Lake) This hybrid bonanza of music, storytelling, and familial exploration of Ari and Ethan Gold in their search for their father, Herbert Gold, is perfect for the SXSW 2025 audience.

The film is mind-blowing. It is a technical feat of magic, music, and movie-making, filmed in one continuous shot and entirely improvised. The brothers walk around San Francisco looking for both gigs and signs of their dad along the way.

brother-verses-brother

Ari and Ethan are dazzling as foils for each other. Ari is a freight train seeking love and approval, while Ethan is more somber and works through his grief and anxiety through song. I would watch them banter and create live on stage any day. Take my money.

Deeply personal and ceaselessly intriguing, the film is a celebration of the unique chemistry and songwriting between two vastly different men AND an ode to their father and each other. Inject this entire soundtrack into my veins immediately. BROTHER VERSES BROTHER is one giant smirk-inducing dopamine hit.


Remaining SXSW screenings of Brother Verses Brother:

Mar 12, 2025
 
6:30pm  8:01pm
 
Mar 12, 2025
 
6:30pm  8:01pm
 
 

Credits

Director:

Ari Gold

Executive Producer:

Francis Ford Coppola

Producer:

Michelle Stratton, Starr Sutherland, Maya Browne

Screenwriter:

Ari Gold, Ethan Gold, and the Cast

Cinematographer:

Stefan Ciupek, Frazer Bradshaw

Editor:

Dan Loghin

Production Designer:

The Streets of San Francisco

Sound Designer:

Jim McKee

Music:

Ethan Gold

Principal Cast:

Ari Gold, Ethan Gold, Lara Louise, Brian Bell, Herbert Gold, Tongo Eisen-Martin, John Flanigan

Additional Credits:

Colorist: Frazer Bradshaw, VFX : CR Green, Music Mixer: Tony Hoffer, Music Mixer: Justin Bates, Associate Producer: Natasha Nua

 

sxsw2025_banner_860For all things SXSW, click here!

‘CREEDE U.S.A ‘ (SXSW 2025) The powerful hope between theatre and politics.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3

CREEDE U.S.A.CREEDE U.S.A.

A mining boomtown wanted to expand their minds by inviting a repertory theatre to establish themselves in the 1960s. Kahane Corn Cooperman SXSW 2025 is a peak behind the curtain of the country’s political landscape. Leave your judgment at the door. Welcome to a genuine snapshot of small-town America. Welcome to CREEDE U.S.A. 

A town of roughly 300 asks the hard national questions, from guns to LGBTQ curriculum inclusion. CREEDE U.S.A. features school board meetings that seem to put empathy on trial as the months pass, but discussions occur with the utmost civility and open ears. Sit-down interviews with the residents are charming, insightful, and raw. The cinematography by Jilann Spitzmiller and Graham Willoughby is stunning, and Osei Essed‘s score feels like home. 

Boasting theatre legend alum Mandy Patinkin, Creede Repertory Theatre is a machine with three productions in a single season, with a local audience from every street in town. Deliciously diverse casting and productions that challenge preconceived notions. 

The positive impact of the rep theatre is undeniable. Like all theatre spaces, it is a safe and inclusive place filled with new ideas, challenging an audience to think. One does not usually equate theatre and conservative values. As a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC, a homeowner in the city and CT, a children’s theatre director, and a writer, I speak from firsthand knowledge over my 44 years. We’ve seen the national impact over the past 10 years, with groups like Moms For Liberty infiltrating school boards and banning books in counties they don’t even live in. 

CREEDE U.S.A. is an unbelievably fascinating microcosm of the country. Big ideas are not abstract because the town is so small and close. Civility is the key to communicating. They are the perfect example of how important local government remains. CREEDE U.S.A is a how-to guide to getting involved, listening, authentic problem-solving, and open-mindedness. This community obliterates political bias and cliché. We should all aspire to be more like them. The film is a celebration of tradition and art. It honors the complexity of humans.


Director: Kahane Corn Cooperman

Producer: Innbo Shim, Kahane Corn Cooperman

Running Time: 94 mins 

In Kahane Cooperman’s lyrical CREEDE U.S.A., a remote Colorado mountain mining town becomes an unexpected model for public discourse. For generations, Creede’s residents have held tightly to their heritage and values. But when the town brought in a theater company to revitalize the economy, the citizens were introduced to new ideas and perspectives—creating an ongoing tension between tradition and change.

Nearly 60 years and countless performances later, Creede is a stunning microcosm of America’s national divisions. Issues like guns in classrooms and gender pronouns spark tense debates, yet the town remains bound by a shared sense of place and community. Through intimate portraits, charged town meetings, and a rich historical lens, CREEDE U.S.A. explores how this evolving community continues to find common ground – both inside and outside of the mining shafts, ranches and the Creede Repertory Theatre. Hopeful and urgent, the film offers a poignant reflection on the challenges and possibilities of coexistence in an increasingly polarized world.

 

REMAINING CREEDE U.S.A. SXSW SCREENINGS:

  • PREMIERE: Sunday, March 9 at 9:00 PM CT – SXSW Film & TV Theater at the Hyatt Regency
  • Monday, March 10 at 5:00 PM CT – AFS Cinema
  • Thursday, March 13 at 9:30 PM CT – Violet Crown Cinema theaters 2 and 4 

 

sxsw2025_banner_860For all things SXSW, click here!

‘GLORIOUS SUMMER’ (SXSW 2025) Sumptuous, sinister, and aptly named.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3

GLORIOUS SUMMER

glorious-summer

Three young women live a seemingly carefree life within the walls of a stunning estate. Their daily routine has regimen and free time, and the women submit to language tests by the unknown robotic voice guiding their waking hours. Are these women muses, are they assassins, are they replicas, or are they prisoners? We’re not quite sure.

Filmmakers Helena Ganjalyan and Bartosz Szpak bring their striking feature debut, GLORIOUS SUMMER, to SXSW 2025 audiences. The film is as unsettling as it is intriguing. There is an overarching feeling of inevitable doom. Questions whirl in your brain as small clues drop into their enigmatic conversations. The mystery immediately grabs hold.

The film could have been filmed in the 60s with 16mm cinematography by Tomasz Woźniczka. The costumes scream quiet luxury in their airy, simplistic cuts, sun-soaked pastels, and flowy fabrics. The setting is a beautifully crumbling chateau estate with fresco-painted walls and lush blooming meadows.

Each character is firmly delineated. There is a clear hierarchy. The tawny-skinned woman (Helena Ganjalyan) appears quietly cunning. The tallest, pale-skinned woman (Magdalena Fejdasz-Hanczewska) is the most openly rebellious, while the youngest, the redhead (Daniela Komędera), has a childlike need to please.

They plan to rebel. They rehearse a faux demise and all it entails, trying their hardest to keep their plans from whoever or whatever keeps them docile. Fifty minutes in, a crack in the system delivers insight to the women and the audience with just enough to keep us baited.

The cast is spectacular. Magdalena Fejdasz-Hanczewska, Helena Ganjalyan, and Daniela Komędera knock it out of the park with carefully curated specificities and physical work. Their chemistry makes your heart race. Bravo. The audience is rooting for these women. It slowly reveals the narrative revolves around free thinking and choice. GLORIOUS SUMMER is the sleeper sci-fi feminist film you never knew you needed. It lives up to its name.


GLORIOUS SUMMER Credits:

Directors: Helena Ganjalyan, Bartosz Szpak

Producers: Maria Gołoś, Monika Matuszewska

Screenwriters: Helena Ganjalyan, Bartosz Szpak

Cinematographer: Tomasz Woźniczka

Editor: Alan Zejer

Production Designer: Katarzyna Tomczyk

Sound Designer: Marcin Jachyra, Maciej Amilkiewicz

Music: Bartosz Szpak

Principal Cast: Magdalena Fejdasz-Hanczewska, Helena Ganjalyan, Daniela Komędera, Weronika Humaj

Co-financed by: Polish Film Institute



SXSW Screening Schedule GLORIOUS SUMMER:

Violet Crown Cinema 2 – Saturday, March 8 at 3:00 pm w/ Filmmaker Q&A
Violet Crown Cinema 2 – Monday, March 10 at 11:30 am w/ Filmmaker Q&A
Alamo Lamar 7 – Thursday, March 13 at 6:45 pm

sxsw2025_banner_860

For all things SXSW, click here!

‘YOUR HIGHER SELF’ (SXSW 2025) A wacky journey in search of dopamine hits.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3YOUR HIGHER SELF

your Higher selfLife Coaching has become a rather broad term in our culture, akin to “Wellness.” Director Annie St-Pierre explores the various methods in her SXSW 2025 film YOUR HIGHER SELF. Everyone is looking for enlightenment, even if it means wading through the good, the bad, and the ridiculous.

There is an immediate irony to the film as audiences experience the training of life coaches. The overarching theme of these classes focuses on the idea that a coach is not a therapist but an advisor on present and future encouragement and self-realization. Yet, with humans, the transition seems inevitable. One has to weigh the side effects of toxic positivity when not confronting past trauma. 

We witness practical workshopping, where a client rehearses for a meeting or event from start to finish. The coach serves as a theatre director, adjusting each word’s delivery and every physical movement, including micro-expressions. Bring in the horse therapy, personal soul cycle session, zoom calls, music, and group work. You name it, we get a taste. 

As a product of child therapy, holding a degree in performance, as a choreographer and children’s theatre director, I know so many of these methods in my bones. I provide guidance and feedback like the dopamine hits I craved in my youth. It all falls under a broader umbrella of feel-good self-expression and the need to feel useful. 

The camerawork is as engaging as the editing. The film unfolds in nuanced snapshots of industry variations. YOUR HIGHER SELF leans into the absurdity and honors that each person’s path to self-help is a personal choice while acknowledging it is ultimately business. Bravo to those who agreed to appear in the film. Kudos to Annie St-Pierre for giving everyone the confidence and trust to participate. 

YOUR HIGHER SELF is a visual and emotional dream board for anyone seeking inspiration. Whatever your motives for watching, you will undoubtedly find yourself fully immersed in these methods while simultaneously poopooing them. SXSW audiences are in for quite the ride and the beginning of long conversations. Equal parts cringe and intriguing, YOUR HIGHER SELF is undeniably entertaining.


Your Higher Self SXSW Remaining Screenings:

Your Higher Self at Violet Crown Cinema 1

Mar 10, 2025

 5:45pm — 7:05pm

 

Your Higher Self at Violet Crown Cinema 3

Mar 10, 2025

 5:45pm — 7:05pm

 

Your Higher Self at Alamo Lamar 5

Mar 13, 2025

 2:30pm — 3:50pm

 

Your Higher Self at Alamo Lamar 6

Mar 13, 2025

2:30pm — 3:50pm


Credits:

Director:

Annie St-Pierre

Executive Producer:

Sylvain Corbeil

Producer:

Audrey-Ann Dupuis-Pierre

Screenwriter:

Annie St-Pierre

Cinematographer:

Etienne Roussy

Editor:

Myriam Magassouba

Sound Designer:

Marie-Pierre Grenier, Bernard Gariepy Strobl, Jean-François Caissy

Music:

Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux

sxsw2025_banner_860

For all things SXSW, click here!

‘BABY DOE’ (SXSW 2025) A shocking and complex case of pregnancy denial and the trauma is stems from.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3BABY DOE

baby doe SXSW 2025

BABY DOE explores the nuanced case of Gail Ritchey and the baby she left in the woods over 30 years ago. Director Jessica Earnshaw skillfully brings the audience into the inner circle of Ritchey and her conservative Christian community in rural Ohio while digging into the psychological trauma behind it all. 

When I tell you your jaw will be on the floor in the first five minutes, it is not an exaggeration. It will not be the last time the facts surrounding this case give you pause or take your breath away. Earnshaw uses a mix of police footage, news clips, and sit-down interviews with every family member, including the father of the child- her current husband. She brings cameras into the meetings with Gail and her defense team as they ask all the right questions. It is a gateway to the deep-seated trauma.

The most fascinating aspect has to be religion. Gail’s connection to Christianity is complex as hell. Her daughter’s church welcomes her into their community while she awaits trial, but part of me believes that had she approached these sane people 30 years ago as an unwed mother, she would have been shunned. The home video of her Baptist youth group and the story of her relationship with Mark honestly explain everything. 

Her lawyers struggle to reconcile Gail’s lack of memories, but to women who have ever been involved with the church, the shame associated with premarital sex, pregnancy, and abortion, not to mention the patriarchal structure, all scream off the screen. The psychological complexity of pregnancy denial is connected to all these issues. Earnshaw uses other cases to draw parallels in Gail’s story. It is a powerful insight. 

I give a lot of credit to Mark for never wavering in his support for Gail. Audiences must go into the film with an open mind and honestly, taking a page from Mark’s playbook in unconditional love. My heart breaks for the guilt carried by Gail. I cannot imagine her burden. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge her church community. At the very least, their current support genuinely surprised me in the best way.

Endlessly compelling, BABY DOE has you in its grip from start to finish. SXSW audiences will not stop talking about this film.


Credits

Director:

Jessica Earnshaw

Executive Producer:

Jenny Raskin, Kelsey Koenig, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Debbie L. McLeod, Jamie Wolf, Nathalie Seaver, Meadow Fund, Peggy Case, and Tom Meadows

Producer:

Holly Meehl Chapman, Jessica Earnshaw

Cinematographer:

Jessica Earnshaw and Emily Thomas

Editor:

George O’Donnell and Leah Boatright

Music:

Gil Talmi

Principal Cast:

Gail, Mark, Courtney, Evan, Steven, Mark M.

Additional Credits:

Co-Producer: John Rudolf, Co-Executive Producer: Rebecca Lichtenfeld and Chandra Jessee for InMaat, Co-Executive Producer: Drew Scott , Co-Executive Producer: Chris Boeckmann, Co-Executive Producer: Erika A. Christensen, Contributing Producer: Chicken & Egg Films , Assistant Editor: Jessie Adler, Associate Producer: Liz Yong Lowe


Remaining Screenings of BABY DOE:

 

Baby Doe at Violet Crown Cinema 2

Mar 9, 2025

 5:00pm — 6:40pm

 

Baby Doe at Violet Crown Cinema 4

Mar 9, 2025

 5:00pm — 6:40pm

 

Baby Doe at Alamo Lamar 1

Mar 13, 2025

 9:30pm — 11:10pm

 

Baby Doe at Alamo Lamar 8

Mar 13, 2025

 9:30pm — 11:10pm

BABY DOE (Documentary Feature Competition) – Thirty years ago, Gail Ritchey, a young woman from a conservative Christian community in rural Ohio, gave birth alone and left her newborn in the woods. Now a devoted mother of three, her quiet suburban life is shattered when DNA evidence links her to the infamous cold case of “Geauga’s Child,” leading to her arrest for murder. Authorities dismiss her claim that the baby was stillborn, and the media swiftly vilifies her.

sxsw2025_banner_860

For all things SXSW, click here!

‘DEAR TOMORROW’ (SXSW 2025) Raw and important, a doc about the epidemic of loneliness will crack the hardest of hearts.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3DEAR TOMORROW

dear-tomorrow-SXSW 2025SXSW 2025 documentary DEAR TOMORROW delves into the epidemic of loneliness. Filmmaker Kaspar Astrup Schröder follows two Japanese citizens who suffer from severe loneliness. Schröder quietly observes them through their physical and emotional isolation and a subsequent few conversations with the mental health hotline, “A Place For You.”

The film features chat text scrawling across the screen. Masato and Shoko seem to lead similar lives. Both in their forties with no family around them to cushion the blow of isolation, they try different things to lessen the sadness. Masato gets a pet owl, while Shoko takes the advice of a volunteer and reaches out to a former classmate. While these momentary actions provide a dopamine hot and hope, the underlying echoes of doubt remain steadfast.

Founder Koki Ozara uses data to prioritize calls, but with over 1000 a day, the demand far outreaches their ability to serve the population. Nationally, Ozara works in tandem with the Japanese government to address the problem with a global symposium. But, as the film progresses, the most basic solutions prove complicated. Red tape, like everywhere else in the world, stands in the way of genuine help.  

The exquisite music instills a deep longing that beautifully mirrors the desire to connect with the two subjects. The film’s structure forces us to slow down and authentically watch.

DEAR TOMORROW is an excellent companion watch for Steve Buscemi‘s THE LISTENER. Viewing is a mix of emotions, from crestfallen to hopeful. All I kept thinking about in the film’s quiet moments were hastily put-together solutions brought about by my fixer mentality. I understood much of what Masato and Shoko felt, as I am a mother in my forties who now contemplates daily feelings of isolation and identity. It can feel like a vice. 

Masato and Shoko are undeniably brave to share their most intimate fears. Mental health often comes with a stigma that becomes politicized and kept at arm’s length out of fear. If Covid-19 lockdowns taught us anything, we cannot continue to sweep it under the rug. Humanity must do better for each other. DEAR TOMORROW puts all of these things front and center in a universally relatable way. Revealing, raw, and relentlessly touching SXSW audiences will be moved. 


Director/Screenwriter: Kaspar Astrup Schröder, Producers: Maria Helga Stürup, Katrine A. Sahlstrøm


In Japan, where loneliness has become a national crisis, the film follows three individuals battling isolation. Through a volunteer chat service, compassionate connections, and government initiatives, they find hope and paths to reclaim their lives. (World Premiere)


Remaining Dear Tomorrow Screenings:

Dear Tomorrow at Violet Crown Cinema 1

Mar 9, 2025

 9:30pm — 11:01pm

 

Dear Tomorrow at Violet Crown Cinema 3

Mar 9, 2025

 9:30pm — 11:01pm

 

Dear Tomorrow at Alamo Lamar 5

Mar 13, 2025

 11:00am — 12:31pm

 

Dear Tomorrow at Alamo Lamar 6

Mar 13, 2025

 11:00am — 12:31pm


Credits

Director:

Kaspar Astrup Schröder

Executive Producer:

Katrine A. Sahlstrøm, Kaspar Astrup Schröder, Katrine Philp, Patricia Drati, Boris B. Bertram

Producer:

Maria Helga Stürup, Katrine A. Sahlstrøm

Screenwriter:

Kaspar Astrup Schröder

Cinematographer:

Kaspar Astrup Schröder

Editor:

Laura Skiöld Østerud, Kaspar Astrup Schröder

Sound Designer:

Ted Krotkiewski

Music:

Jon Ekstrand

Additional Credits:

Co-producer: Michael Krotkiewski, Co-producer: David Herdies, Co-producer: Huang Yin-Yu

 

sxsw2025_banner_860For all things SXSW, click here!

SXSW 2025: This year is all about kicking ass and making names with new filmmakers taking the leap.

SXSW 2025_Website-SEO-3SXSW 2025

SXSW 2025 is back with a vengeance. Brimming with talent new and old, the festival grows each year, giving audiences what they love. This year is no exception with Film and TV’s coolest, latest, and greatest. On the docket are hotly anticipated titles like DEATH OF A UNICORN with its insane ensemble cast, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively return in ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR, and Peter Cilella‘s Midnighter DESCENDENT. Take a peek at some of the films we’re watching this year…

For more info on SXSW 2025 click here!


ODYSSEY

odyssey SXSW 2025Director: Gerard Johnson, Producers: John Jencks, Isabel Freer, Matthew James Wilkinson, Patrick Tolan, Screenwriters: Gerard Johnson, Austin Collings


Natasha Flynn is an estate agent on a mission—and she’s going to make a killing. Cast: Polly Maberly, Mikael Persbrandt, Jasmine Blackborow, Guy Burnet, Ryan Hayes, Charley Palmer Rothwell, Kellie Shirley (World Premiere)


ARREST THE MIDWIFEarrest-the-midwifeDirector: Elaine Epstein, Producers: Elaine Epstein, Robin Hessman


The arrest of midwives in a rural healthcare desert ignites an unexpected rebellion: Amish and Mennonite women who break from tradition, and emerge as fierce political activists fighting for reproductive justice and birthing rights. (World Premiere)


GLORIOUS SUMMER (Poland)

glorious-summer Directors/Screenwriters: Helena Ganjalyan, Bartosz Szpak, Producers: Maria Gołoś, Monika Matuszewska


A sun-drenched renaissance palace. Three women remain in a carefree state of limbo, tended to by an unseen, all-providing system. But as cracks in the paradise begin to appear, they are faced with a choice: escape or remain in the perfect illusion? Cast: Magdalena Fejdasz, Helena Ganjalyan, Daniela Komędera, Weronika Humaj (World Premiere)


DEATH OF A UNICORN

death-of-a-unicorn SXSWDirector/Screenwriter: Alex Scharfman, Producers: Drew Houpt, Lucas Joaquin, Alex Scharfman, Lars Knudsen, Tyler Campellone, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page


A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties. Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, Anthony Carrigan, Sunita Mani, Jessica Hynes (World Premiere)


REELING

reeling SXSW 2025Director: Yana Alliata, Producer: Jack Forbes, Screenwriters: Yana Alliata, Amy Miner


After a life altering accident, Ryan struggles to fit in with old friends and family at a birthday luau but the celebration boils over when he uncovers the missing memory of when his life took a tragic turn. Cast: Ryan Wuestewald, Hans Christopher, Nikki DeParis, Fabrizio Alliata, Makena Miller, Nyah Juliano, Michael Carter (World Premiere)


BABY DOE

baby doe SXSW 2025Director: Jessica Earnshaw, Producers: Holly Meehl Chapman, Jessica Earnshaw


At 22, Gail gave birth alone and left her newborn in the woods. Decades later, she’s arrested for murder, even though she says the baby was stillborn. Baby Doe explores the fallout when young women cannot accept the reality of an unplanned pregnancy. (World Premiere)


CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD

clown-in-a-cornfieldDirector: Eli Craig, Producers: Marty Bowen, John Fischer, Wyck Godfrey, Screenwriters: Carter Blanchard, Adam Cesare, Eli Craig


A fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge. Cast: Katie Douglas, Will Sasso, Cassandra Potenza, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Verity Marks, Dylan McEwan, Daina Leitold, Vincent Muller, Kaitlyn Bacon (World Premiere)

TEASER TRAILER LINK:

 


DEAR TOMORROW (Denmark, Japan, Sweden)dear-tomorrow-SXSW 2025Director/Screenwriter: Kaspar Astrup Schröder, Producers: Maria Helga Stürup, Katrine A. Sahlstrøm


In Japan, where loneliness has become a national crisis, the film follows three individuals battling isolation. Through a volunteer chat service, compassionate connections, and government initiatives, they find hope and paths to reclaim their lives. (World Premiere)


FOR WORSEForWorse-1440x810-1Director/Screenwriter: Amy Landecker, Producers: Amy Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Valerie Stadler, Jenica Bergere, James Portolese


Fresh off a messy divorce, a 50-year-old sober mom tries to rebuild her life and stumbles into a new beginning after finding herself at a Gen Z wedding behaving like a 25-year-old drunk bridesmaid. Cast: Amy Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Nico Hiraga, Gaby Hoffmann, Ken Marino, Missi Pyle, Kiersey Clemons, Claudia Sulewski, Simon Helberg, Liv Hewson (World Premiere)


O’DESSA

ODESSADirector/Screenwriter: Geremy Jasper, Producers: Michael Gottwald, Noah Stahl


Set in a post-apocalyptic future, O’Dessa is a rock opera about a farm girl on a quest to recover a family heirloom. Her journey leads her to a dangerous city, where she must use the power of destiny and song to save her true love’s soul. Cast: Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett, Regina Hall, Pokey LaFarge (World Premiere)


CREEDE U.S.A.

creede-u-s-aDirector: Kahane Corn Cooperman, Producers: Innbo Shim, Kahane Corn Cooperman


Welcome to Creede – a remote mining town with no stop light, a theater company and 300+ folks at 9,000 feet. This unlikely setting – with its miners, ranchers and theater people – offers an unexpected lens on divisions felt by Americans everywhere. (World Premiere)


THE SURRENDER

the-surrender
Director/Screenwriter: Julia Max, Producers: Mia Chang, Lovell Holder, Julia Max, Ian McDonald, Robert J. Ulrich


When the family patriarch dies, a grieving mother and daughter risk their lives to perform a brutal resurrection ritual that will bring him back from the dead. Cast: Colby Minifie, Kate Burton, Neil Sandilands, Vaughn Armstrong, Mia Ellis, Pete Ploszek, Chelsea Alden, Alaina Pollack, Riley Rose Critchlow, Lola Prince Kelly (World Premiere)


UVALDE MOMuvalde-momDirector: Anayansi Prado, Producers: Ina Fichman, David Goldblum, Screenwriters: Anayansi Prado, Pablo Proenza


When a school mass shooting rocks a small town in Texas, a mom desperate to save her kids is launched into the public eye. She speaks out against a system that never protected her. The community challenges these powers and exposes those who failed to protect its most vulnerable – children. (World Premiere)


IDIOTIKAidiotka
Director/Screenwriter: Nastasya Popov, Producers: Tess Cohen, Camila Mendes, Rachel Matthews, Saba Zerehi, Nastasya Popov


In this sharp, irreverent comedy, a disgraced fashion designer with a dangerously low credit score, Margarita (Anna Baryshnikov) enters a reality show with a six-figure cash prize to save her babushka’s West Hollywood apartment. But as the competition intensifies, slick producer Nicol (Camila Mendes) pushes her to spin her family’s struggle into spectacle, forcing Margarita to decide whether to play along or take control of her own narrative, one unhinged look at a time.

Cast: Anna Baryshnikov, Camila Mendes, Julia Fox, Benito Skinner, Saweetie, Owen Thiele, Galina Jovovich, Mark Ivanir, Nerses Stamos, Ilia Volok (World Premiere)


NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE (Canada)nirvanna-the-band-the-show-the-mDirector: Matt Johnson, Producers: Matthew Miller, Matt Greyson, Screenwriters: Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol


When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008. Blah blah blah blah blah.  Cast: Jay McCarrol, Matt Johnson (World Premiere)


BROTHER VERSES BROTHER


brother-verses-brotherDirector: Ari Gold, Producers: Michelle Stratton, Starr Sutherland, Screenwriters: Ari Gold, Ethan Gold, Lara Louise, Brian Bell, Herbert Gold, Tongo Eisen-Martin, John Flanigan

Synopsis: Inspired by Francis Coppola’s concept of Live Cinema, Brother Verses Brother is a radically personal musical odyssey. Combative twin musicians hunt for their dying poet father, in an improvisation performed by the director’s own family, and presented as an unbroken real-time shot through the streets of San Francisco.


One brother seeks love, while the other seeks an audience. But as night falls and their father remains missing, their increasingly frantic safari leads them from the secret haunts of the Beat poets into the heart of their family. Their tale becomes a testament to the power of music, the bonds of brotherhood, and the lifeblood of a city – experienced by the viewer in real-time.


Cast: Ari Gold, Ethan Gold, Lara Louise, Brian Bell, Herbert Gold, Tongo Eisen-Martin, John Flanigan (World Premiere)


OUT FOR DELIVERYout-for-delivery-3Director/Screenwriter: Chelsea Christer, Producers: Clinton Trucks, Alexa Rocero, David B. Lyons


When terminally ill Joanna makes the difficult decision to pursue end of life options through the Death With Dignity law, the systems set up to make her death peaceful and dignified become the opposite. (Texas Premiere)


BAGGAGE (Australia, United Kingdom)

baggage-SXSW 2025Director/Screenwriter: Lucy Davidson, Producers: Vanessa Batten, Amy Upchurch


Anthropomorphic suitcase best friends bring their emotional baggage on holidays. (International Premiere)


sxsw2025_banner_860

For SXSW 2025’s entire lineup, click here!

For all things SXSW 2025 and beyond from Reel News Daily, tap this!

‘SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON’ (TIFF 2024) A jubilant celebration of film and friendship #2

tiff 2024bannerSUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON

Superboys-of-Malegaon_01Director Reema Kagti brings TIFF ’24 audiences a dramatized version of the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon. The film begins in 1997 and follows aspiring amateur filmmaker Nasir Shaikh and fellow hometown artists in Malegaon, India. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON is a story of small-town dreams coming true. Get ready to feel all the feels.

Learning editing techniques from local VHS sellers, Nasir makes unique splices to films, selling more and more tickets to his small movie house. But the police halt the illegal viewings, alongside the customary cultural bribe, leaving Nasir and his friends with little hope. Genius sparks when they realize they can make parody versions of their favorite films.

From conception to writing, casting to makeup, dialogue memorization to shooting, SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON delivers every moment of revelry, hardship, and passion. Egos clash, promises and hearts get broken, hard truths are exposed, and betrayals break friendships. How can such deep-felt hurt heal?

The story jumps to 2004, only to find Nasir’s original success waning. His crew of friends finally grasp how he has coveted the spotlight and the money. When loyalty and interest in Nasir’s parodies wear thin by 2010, devastating news prompts cinematic and relationship magic.

The cinematography by Swapnil S. Sonawane is stunning. Accompanied by Sachin Jigar‘s infectious original score, it establishes the tone immediately. Performances are spectacular across the board. Each cast member gives audiences the full spectrum of their emotional range, and it is damn impressive.

It celebrates the art of indie filmmaking, the community it builds, and how many hands and minds go into the creative process. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON is a joy-filled watch, perfectly balanced with hard-hitting emotional journeys. It honors dreamers and doers alike. It is an undeniable crowd-pleaser.


Reema Kagti

WORLD PREMIERE

India | 2024 | 127m | Hindi

Helmed by Reema Kagti (Talaash: The Answer Lies Within) in her latest collaboration with producer Zoya Akhtar (Gully Boy), this uplifting story chronicles the life of Nasir Shaikh, whose no-budget, community-sourced movies turned his hometown into an unlikely dream factory.

tiff24-banner-rogers

Click here for more TIFF 24 coverage!

‘Know Me’ (Slamdance 2025 capsule review) Inspired by true events, this meditation on grief and the power of the media takes a human approach.

slamdance logoKNOW ME

know-me-stilll-27In 2012, Rudy Eugene became known as “The Miami Zombie” when he attacked a homeless man because of bath salts. Inspired by the real-life incident, filmmaker Edson Jean‘s film KNOW ME dramatizes the case, bringing much-needed humanity to a story most of us think we know.

The film follows younger brother Kenson, who deals with the immediate aftermath and misinformation spreading nationally and throughout his tight-knit Haitian community. While Jean changes the main character’s name to Jimmy Hilaire, the story comes from Kenson’s perspective as he attempts to arrange funeral services and fight the false narratives.

Know-MeJean utilizes black-and-white flashbacks to give us insight into who Jimmy was. The specific choice not to replay the video from the incident leaves a powerfully subconscious impact. The commentary on the media is as relevant today as ever. How does one man preserve the legacy raging against an entire industry? Separately, we watch family matriarch Pauline’s nuance journey to closure. A poignant moment between her and the man Jimmy attacked delivers a quiet beauty.

Performances are exceptional. Donald Paul gives Jimmy such depth in his short time on screen. Carole Demesmin brings fierceness to Pauline. Her chemistry with the entire cast is applauseworthy. Jean not only takes on several behind-the-camera roles but also stars as Kenson. His raw portrayal pierces your heart. It is a wow.

know me jimmyTackling religion, judgment, and racism, KNOW ME is a meditation on grief. The script calls out hypocrisy and digs into underlying hurt within a trauma response. It is an undeniably strong sophomore feature.

KNOW ME Teaser Trailer:

Based on a true story — It’s May 2012, Jimmy Hilaire attacked a homeless man on the MacArthur Causeway in Miami before being killed by police. As sensationalized details of the attack leak to the press, the “Miami Zombie” news story quickly gains ground. Across town, Jimmy’s brother, Kenson, is unexpectedly thrust into a whirlwind when images of his brother are suddenly plastered across major media outlets. Grief-stricken and profoundly shaken, Kenson must suddenly dive into preparing his brother’s funeral, discovering that to preserve Jimmy’s memory he must first combat seductive lies told by powerful media outlets and local Haitian church leaders. Struggling to clear his brother’s name and secure a proper burial, Kenson must also reconcile his memories of his brother with the violent, harrowing details surrounding his death.

KNOW ME Showings – select to order tickets:
  • Director:
    Edson Jean
  • Screenwriter:
    Edson Jean, Marckenson Charles
  • Producer:
    Ronald Baez, Kevin Ondarza
  • Cast:
    Edson Jean, Shein Mompremier, Donald Paul, Carole Arty, Richardson Chery
For more Slamcdance coverage, click here!

 

‘IN THE MOUTH’ (Slamdance 2025) Mental health and mayhem at its finest.

slamdance-25 posterIN THE MOUTH

in the mouth posterFilmmaker Cory Santilli brings a film like no other to Slamdance 2025 with IN THE MOUTH. The script follows Merl, a housebound man down on his luck financially and mentally. When his landlady arrives to collect three months’ back rent, Merl decides to take on a roommate. Larry happens to be an escaped murderer, but that is not what scares Merl. It is the giant version of himself protruding from his front lawn.

in the mouth 2IN THE MOUTH is an absurdist comedy. Shot in stark black and white by Mike Magilnick, the cinematography boasts great closeups and one particularly memorable off-kilter angle that made me sit up straighter. Merl’s creative outside retrieval methods remind me of individual components of Pee Wee Herman‘s Rube Goldberg machine in his Big Adventure film.

Doug Moss‘ augmented sound editing highlights the isolation of Merl’s environment while simultaneously ticking the boxes of sensory issues he may also be affected by. I recognize the triggered body language as someone with misophonia, specifically with metal on metal.

in the mouth 1Colin Burgess, who also stars in another Slamdance 2025 film, LOCKJAW, and designed the titles, delivers a fascinating performance as Merl. Burgess’ commitment to the genre and the world Santilli has created is applause-worthy. You would never know Burgess was the same actor, which is the ultimate compliment. I would happily watch him create more Merl shenanigans. *Cory, I’m talking to you here.*

Understanding that Merl is Cory in real life is key to the film’s profundity. The metaphor of turning fear into power is so intriguing. IN THE MOUTH‘s finale lands, quite literally, like a breath of fresh air. Slamdance is the key demographic for a story with this breadth of style and bravery.

In The Mouth Teaser Trailer:

 

  • Year:
    2025
  • Runtime:
    84 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    United States
  • Premiere:
    World Premiere
  • Genre:
    Dark, Comedy, Thriller
  • Subtitle Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Cory Santilli
  • Screenwriter:
    Cory Santilli
  • Producer:
    Jesse Muro, Tatiana Bears
  • Cast:
    Colin Burgess, Paul Michael
For more Slamdance coverage, click here!

slamdance25 logo

‘LOCKJAW’ (Slamdance 2025) Communication is key in Sabrina Greco’s comedy.

slamdance-25 posterLOCKJAW

lockjaw slamdance
Filmmaker Sabrina Greco brings her new comedy, LOCKJAW, to Slamdance 2025. Rayna simply wants a nice night out with her friends for the first time since her drunk driving accident six weeks ago, but her wired-shut jaw brings with it a slew of complications.

Rayna’s night out begins at a party, moves to a magic show, and ends in the unknown. She skillfully manipulates the people around her with charm until she doesn’t. Her unresolved trauma from the accident rears its ugly head in through the discomfort of others. These minute power plays show her underlying vulnerability.

Ally Davis plays Cleo, the eccentric artist wife of Nick Corirossi, playing Robert The Magician. Together, they are deliciously insufferable. Kevin Grossman and Colin Burgess are Rayna’s best friends, Colin and Mitch. Each man is equally infatuated with her to the point of verbal doe-see-doe. They are childish in a way that reads authentic and hurt-filled. You know these characters.

Lockjaw (2025) - [www.imdb.com]Blu Hunt is a comic genius. She has that it-girl quality. I’m buying whatever she’s selling at all times. Her commitment to the dialogue or a particular gag is chef’s kiss. Hunt recently wowed me in The Dead Thing. She is just as compelling in Lockjaw.

Since 99% of the film sees Rayna’s jaw wired, I would have all her dialogue closed captioned. I struggled to follow enough that I wished I could have been able to read for clarity. The film’s success hinges entirely on Hunt *pun intended.

The script is chaotic. It feels like a long-lost student film from the 90s. It’s a vibe I cannot explain, except for the fact that I was a theatre kid surrounded by wannabe filmmakers in NYC during those years. It’s somehow a typical night out with those creatives. The incestuous relationships where friends and lovers are blurry. It celebrates the spontaneity of youth in the best way.

  • Year:
    2025
  • Runtime:
    77 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    United States
  • Premiere:
    World Premiere
  • Genre:
    Comedy
  • Subtitle Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Sabrina Greco
  • Screenwriter:
    Sabrina Greco
  • Producer:
    Abbie Jones
  • Cast:
    Blu Hunt, Colin Burgess, Nick Corirossi, Kevin Grossman, Ally Davis, Sally Sum, Lena Redford
For more Slamdance coverage, click here!

slamdance25 logo

‘SANDBAG DAM’ (Berlinale 2025) A heart-piercing coming-of-age love story.

Berlinale-Film-Festival-Berlin-2025SANDBAG DAM 

sandbag dam 5Čejen Černić Čanak profound Berlinale drama SANDBAG DAM follows Marko, an athletic young man navigating his younger brother, school, sports, and girlfriend, Petra. His life upends when Slaven returns home for his father’s funeral. With the threat of flooding in his small Croatian village, his long-lost feelings for Slaven threaten everything.

sandbag dam 2Marko exists in a traditionally masculine environment. His father is a mechanic, training him to take over the business and compete in an upcoming arm wrestling competition. His free time consists of drinking at parties and attending to his eager-to-please girlfriend. Then, his seemingly easy life suddenly halts when Slaven returns after three years and no goodbye.

sandbag dam 3The story slowly reveals itself with an innocent bitterness and longing. If you go into the film blind, nothing is spoonfed to the audience. It is beautifully paced. The homophobia in Sandbag Dam is excruciating. The weaponization of hurt and ignorance is devastating.

sandbad dam 1The performances are spectacular. Leon Grgić is endearing as younger brother Fićo. He has a genuine star quality. His purity will make your heartache. Andrija Žunac gives Slaven an authenticity that is calming. His unapologetic aura is sensational. Lav Novosel delivers a pitch-perfect turn as Marko. Torn between the life he yearns for and the one he feels forced to accept, Novosel brings us on an emotional roller coaster we have no control over. You feel the conflict in your soul.

sandbag dam 4The film has a similar energy to Brokeback Mountain. Its restrained tension is waiting to burst at any moment. There is no denying the double entendre of the title. As the floodwaters rise, so do the tensions of secrets and feelings. Screenwriter Tomislav Zajec provides stunning metaphors. SANDBAG DAM is an important story. It is one that so many LGBTQ youth must endure. The final moments will have you talking about this film long after the credits roll.


  • by Čejen Černić Čanak (Director), Tomislav Zajec (Screenplay)
  • with Lav Novosel, Andrija Žunac, Leon Grgić, Franka Mikolaci, Tanja Smoje
  • 88′
  • Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia 2025
  • Colour
  • Croatian
  • Subtitles: English
World premiere, recommendation: 14 years and up

The film follows Marko and Slaven living in a small Croatian village as they reunite and rekindle their love.


Remaining screenings of SANDBAG DAM:

Thu Feb 2016:00

HKW 1 – Miriam Makeba Auditorium

SatFeb 2215:45

Filmtheater am Friedrichshain

For more Berlinale coverage, click here!

‘THE BEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD’ (Berlinale 2025) A tense, compelling watch.

Berlinale-Film-Festival-Berlin-2025THE BEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD

the best mother in the world

Anna Myuleart‘s Berlinale 2025 feature THE BEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD tells the story of Gal, a trash sorter who escapes an abusive relationship with her five and nine-year-old children on the back of her cart.

The Best Mother in the World_Galeria_Credits-Aline Arruda (3)Gal’s character has a Mary Poppins quality in creating magic for her kids. “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun!” The unrelenting motivation she provides for Rhianna and Benin puts most parents to shame. Gal’s palpable anxiety appears in moments when the kids are distracted and engaged in an activity. She does her best to guard them from reality and fear.

Lílis Soares‘ cinematography captures the unpredictable chaos of Brazilian streets and the immediacy of the little family’s fear. The music perfectly matches Gal’s inner thoughts. The sound mixing is spectacular. Alongside Myuleart’s screenplay, all these elements combined, the story’s intimacy screams off the screen.

The Best Mother in the World_Galeria_Credits-Aline Arruda (6)Our two small leads, Rihanna Barbosa and Benin Ayo have a chemistry a director dies for. Their playful nature and natural talent are infectious. They are stars.

Shirley Cruz gives Gal a fully fleshed-out, flawed heroine. Cruz wears Gal’s inner turmoil on her face. Through her, Muylaert tackles the emotional conflict and misogyny attached to cyclical and generational abuse. It is challenging to witness her suffering. It is akin to watching an addict go through detox and then falling off the wagon.

The Best Mother in the World_Galeria_Credits-Aline Arruda (8)An hour into the film, your heart drops. The conversation that follows should almost come with a trigger warning for survivors. Filled with gaslighting and classic abuser language, it will infuriate and break you. THE BEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD captures invisible labor, unconditional love, cycles of abuse, and the determination to create a better life. It is a difficult but rewarding viewing experience and female-centric storytelling at its best.


THE BEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD/ (A MELHOR MÃE DO MUNDO) Director: Anna Muylaert

World Premiere. World Premiere – Berlinale Special (Brazil/Argentina)

  • Director
    • Anna Muylaert
  • Screenplay
    • Anna Muylaert
  • Cinematography
    • Lílis Soares
  • Editing
    • Fernando Stutz
  • Music
    • André Abujamra, 
    • George Nahssen
  • Sound Design
    • Miriam Biderman, 
    • Ricardo Reis
  • Production Design
    • Maíra Mesquita, 
    • Juliana Ribeiro
  • Casting
    • Gabriel Domingues
  • Producers
    • Tomás Darcyl, 
    • Ricardo Costianovsky, 
    • Clara Ramos, 
    • Bianca Villar, 
    • Karen Castanho, 
    • Fernando Fraiha, 
    • Anna Muylaert
  • Executive Producers
    • Leonardo Mecchi, 
    • Deborah Nikaido

Remaining screening dates:

MonFeb 1719:00

Cubix 9

SatFeb 2212:00

Akademie der Künste (AdK)

SunFeb 2317:45

Haus der Berliner Festspiele

l
For more Berlinale coverage, click here!

‘FIST BUMP’ (Slamdance 2025) The exploration of accusation, advocacy, and awareness.

slamdance logoFIST BUMP

Fist Bump

Filmmaker Madeleine Farley‘s Slamdance 2025 documentary FIST BUMP tells the story of Marcus Knight, a young, musical theatre-loving autistic man who becomes embroiled in a shocking firestorm of controversy. After receiving a full scholarship to Saddleback College in 2016, several students accused him of inappropriate behavior for fist bumping and taking selfies.

The film jumps right into the absurdity of the allegations. Farley shows and reads the letters from the Saddleback administration. You will find yourself screaming profanities at the screen.

Marcus’ extended family, caregivers, friends, teachers, and advocates speak on his behalf. Pictures, interviews, and videos show the adoration that follows Marcus everywhere he goes. Flooded with praise and awards his entire life, he was on an extraordinary trajectory until he entered Saddleback College.

Lee Burdette Williams, executive director for the College Autism Network and former Dean of Students at Wheaton College, alongside
Marcus’s attorney delves into the legal and moral issues of not just Marcus’ case but nationally. It tears down the egregious behavior of colleges and universities motivated by discrimination and fear of public backlash. It’s gross. The film flips Title IX on its head, exposing the failures within the system.

Fist Bump Still 2 Aurora Knight and Marcus Knight Photo Courtesy of Unlimited Pictures Limited and Oh Come On Productions

As a mother of a 9-year-old boy with autism,  FIST BUMP shook my soul. It is irrational behavior from other people that I fear most. Most parents of children with a disability will agree with the sentiment. You learn you have to be an unwavering advocate for your child. In telling Marcus’ birth story, you might begin to understand the unrelenting gaslighting. Like Marcus, my son was hyperlexic and performed complex equations at age two. Autism does not stop children from being extraordinary. Marcus’ mother, Aurora, is a hero. She is a shining example of activism and unconditional love.

“Waving Through A Window” is a song Marcus repeatedly sings in the film. If you know anything about the musical Dear Evan Hansen, you understand the emotional gut punch of this specific number. There is a theory that Evan’s character is autistic. The show’s plot revolves around miscommunication and the events that unfold due to the desire to fit in. It is a striking and impactful inclusion.

A solid companion watch, Life, Animated, takes a similar concept, but instead of music, it was Disney films that helped Owen Suskind initiate communication with his family. FIST BUMP is a nuanced example of the treatment of any individual with disabilities. The judgment, the outright dismissal, and the fear are heartbreaking. I encourage studios with a wide reach, like PBS, to see FIST BUMP and ensure it is witnessed by the masses. It is vital viewing.

Fist Bump TEASER TRAILER:

 

USA | 2024 | Documentary | 60 min | Color

in English

Slamdance Screening:
Saturday, 2/22 @ 6:15pm
LA Times Theatre, Quixote Studios
 

Director/DP Madeleine Farley

Producers Claire Best, Madeleine Farley

Co-Producer Joel Plotch

Executive Producer Claire Best

Writer/Researcher Claire Best

Editor Joel Plotch

Sound Designer Martin Kloiber

Composer Thomas Schobel


FIST BUMP is the story of Marcus Knight, an astounding success story: a talented and charismatic bi-racial young adult with autism and cerebral palsy who pursues his dream career of a life on Broadway. As a college freshman, he’s accused of sexual harassment from a friendly fist bump and selfies. He must fight to prove his innocence and piece together his shattered ambitions.

For more Slamdance coverage, click here!

 

slamdance small logoABOUT SLAMDANCE

Established in 1995 by a wild bunch of filmmakers who were tired of relying on a large, oblique system to showcase their work, Slamdance has consistently discovered new and emerging talent that shapes our cultural future. The artist-led organization lives and breathes its mantra; by filmmakers, for filmmakers. 

In 2024, Slamdance will celebrate its 31st Festival in Los Angeles, California from February 20-26 and virtually on the Slamdance Channel from February 24 to March 7.

In addition to the festival, Slamdance serves artists with several year-round programs, including its Screenplay Competition, DIG (Digital, Interactive & Gaming), an accessible education initiative called Polytechnic and Unstoppable, a showcase of works made by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. 

In collaboration with alumni Anthony and Joe Russo and their AGBO production company, Slamdance recently presented its first DTLA Summer Showcase in 2024 involving five multi-faceted and accessible media programs in support of new artists.

Notable Slamdance alumni include The Russo Brothers (Avengers: Endgame), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Lynn Shelton (Little Fires Everywhere), Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard), the Safdie Brothers (Uncut Gems), Marina Zenovich (LANCE), Lena Dunham (Girls), Sean Baker (Red Rocket), Rian Johnson (Knives Out), Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), Merawi Gerima (Residue) and Andrew Patterson (The Vast of Night), Natasha Ofili (Creed III), and Julio Palacio (Makayla’s Voice: A Letter To The World).

Slamdance’s mission is to function as an agent of change in filmmaking and digital media, helping to make the creative works of artists with divergent voices accessible to everyone.

‘The Virgin of The Quarry Lake’ (Sundance 2025) Teen angst and feminine rage become a powder keg in a unique coming-of-age tale.

Sundance 2025 banner logoThe Virgin of The Quarry Lake


The Virgin of the Quarry Lake teaser posterJealousy collides with superstition in Laura Casabé‘s coming-of-age Sundance 2025 film The Virgin of The Quarry Lake. Natalia lives with her grandmother, Rita, after being abandoned by her parents. The summer after high school graduation is a time of angst, curiosity, fear, and desire. Intimated by a worldly older woman named Silvia, Nati and her two best friends become deeply entrenched in a battle to keep her crush, Diego, from her clutches.

The Virgin of the Quarry Lake 1Although set in 2001 Argentina, the film’s narrative parallels today’s political climate with startling accuracy. The government is a disaster. There are rolling blackouts, civil unrest, and the popular television personality peddles misinformation. Nati witnesses violence again and again. Her envy of Silvia and sexual frustration push her to her limits. The repeated and infuriating misogyny she endures results in a bloody act of pushback. Nati unleashes an alarming feminine rage.

The Virgin of the Quarry Lake NatiBased on the stories of Mariana Enriquez, screenwriter Benjamin Naishat creates something quite magic. The Virgin of The Quarry Lake also delivers a visceral sense memory of young love. Nati receives a heartbreaking phone call from Silvia. I received a shockingly similar call the summer of my Senior year, and it destroyed me in a way that I still remember at almost 45 years old. You will hurt for her. It is vicious. Dolores Oliverio owns the role of Natalia. She is an undeniable star.

The visual juxtaposition of the continuously rotting contents of the homeless man’s abandoned cart screams off the screen. Diego Tenorio‘s closeup cinematography is perfect. The Virgin of The Quarry Lake is a physical manifestation of simmering emotional trauma and hidden power.

THE VIRGIN OF THE QUARRY LAKE

Argentina, Spain, Mexico 

Director: Laura Casabé 

Screenwriter: Benjamin Naishtat

Producers: Tomas Eloy Muñoz, Valeria Bistagnino, Alejandro Israel, David Matamoros, Angeles Hernandez, Diego Martinez Ulanosky 

https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/67532c8068b8b71dd2fe4c6c

 

For more Sundance 2025 coverage, click here!

‘AZI’ (Sundance 2025 short) Palpable tension and one hell of a tease.

Sundance 2025 banner logo

AZI

Azi_poster2024

Montana Mann‘s Sundance 2025 short film AZI is an intriguing cat-and-mouse game of power. A weekend trip away takes an odd but intriguing turn when a challenge presents itself. Seemingly harmless fun turns into something (perhaps) more sinister in a matter of hours.

Azi still 1The dynamic between 17-year-old Azi and her best friend’s father’s new girlfriend moves from passive-aggressive to outright challenge. You can cut the tension with a knife. Mann delivers enough longing looks between Wool and Goodjohn to wager guesses about each woman’s motivation. You’re dying to know what happens next once the screen goes black.

Breeda Wool has a talent for choosing juicy roles in indie films. Any cinephile of the genre knows her work, and her turn as Elizabeth is no exception. Wool brings an aura that is generally unexplainable other than to say you feel compelled to watch her. Dior Goodjohn is utterly captivating in the titular role. Where has she been all my life? Her ability to match Wool’s energy and presence should make heads turn. They make a dazzling pair.

Azi-Still_2Thankfully, a feature-length version of AZI is already in the works. Sundance 2025 audiences are in for one hell of a tease. These are guaranteed seats in butts whenever production is complete. Count me very much in.


Remaining Screening of AZI:

Jan 31, 1:10 PM  MST
Screening

Megaplex Redstone – 2

Park City

Jan 30, 10:00 AM  EST –
Feb 3, 6:55 AM  EST
Online Screening

Inspired by director and writer Montana Mann’s own coming-of-age experience, AZI tells the intimate and timely story of a Persian-American teenager contending with her identity and sexuality. The short follows seventeen-year-old Azi (Dior Negeen Goodjohn) on a weekend away with her best friend’s family, where she unexpectedly forms a mysterious and electric connection with another woman on the trip, Elizabeth (Breeda Wool), resulting in a psychological game that raises complex questions about their motives, power dynamics and the ability to take control of one’s own agency.


Montana Mann is a Persian-American award-winning writer/director from Virginia. Her most recent narrative short film, AZI, world premiered at Palm Springs International Shortfest, and won the SAGindie Award at HollyShorts. The feature adaptation of the same short participated in the 2024 Film Independent Fast Track program. As part of the MENA/SWANA diaspora, her work explores the journey of finding one’s identity as a female living between two cultures.

Producer Steven Snyder is an independent producer who most recently worked with Jim Burke at his company, Innisfree Pictures. There, he worked on the production of Green Book, which won three Academy Awards including the Oscar for Best Picture. He is an executive producer on Dreamin’ Wild, which world premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and was released through Roadside Attractions. He is a 2024 Film Independent Fellow and was selected to participate in Inside Out’s International Finance Forum promoting queer creatives.

 

Sundance 2025 banner logoFor more Sundance coverage, click here!

 

‘LIFE AFTER’ (Sundance 2025) Autonomy, disability, and so much more.

Sundance 2025 banner logoLIFE AFTER

life after Sundance

Filmmaker Reid Davenport‘s timely Sundance documentary LIFE AFTER is here to ask the big questions. Much like his film 2022 film, I DIDN’T SEE YOU THERE, Davenport’s personal lens overlaps with his subject as a person with cerebral palsy. Upon discovering an essay about a young woman named Elizabeth Bouvia, Davenport embarks on a journey to find this disability rights pioneer.

Archival footage of Elizabeth through the years is spliced between stories of people with similar feelings and fears, though each story is drastically different. Reid makes it clear at the beginning of the film. These are not black-and-white issues, and his intention is truth and connection. The confrontation of ableism is mind-blowing and vital. Reid Davenport’s charm and raw honesty are captivating, and those who choose to share their stories open our eyes.

life after Sundance 2Canadian Bill C-7 allowed for the Right To Die. The expansion of MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) remains controversial. Davenport offers every angle of the process. This alone is an emotional roller-coaster, from perceived propaganda to Disability Rights Advocates, both for and against the legislation.

Cambridge, Ontario resident Michael Kaliszan was born with CP. After the death of his mother and primary caretaker, his quality of life plummeted as funds dried up and loneliness took hold. His attempts to access MAiD were fruitless. Through his months of trying, Davenport has revisited Michael, and a seed of hope for a sustainable and happy existence might be growing.

Michael Hickson‘s story of his post-coma brain and spinal cord complications comes from his wife, Melissa. Her struggle to attain better care for her husband led to a guardianship battle and, ultimately, his death. Melissa’s secret recordings of doctors back up her claims that staff encouraged Michael’s passing.

Life_After-Still_2Dr. Ramona Coelho speaks about the cost savings of moving forward with the passing of C-7. The film tackles the abuse of the law. Davenport interviews advocates who worry that this could be used as a justification tool to end the lives of disabled people, in other words, eugenics.

Elizabeth’s story is the catalyst for Davenport. It opens the door to so much more. Interviews with her family members and home videos reveal untold stories from her life, and the nuance will leave you breathless. LIFE AFTER skillfully tackles body autonomy, health rights, disability awareness, ableism, and capitalism. It is an incredibly important film and one hell of a conversation starter.


Remaining screenings of LIFE AFTER:

  • Jan 30, 12:30 PM MST
     

    Broadway Centre Cinemas – 6

    Salt Lake City

    open caption
     
  • Jan 31, 6:00 PM MST
     

    Holiday Village Cinemas – 1

    Park City

    open caption
     
    • Jan 30, 10:00 AM EST –
      Feb 3, 1:55 AM EST
      Online Screening

In 1983, a disabled Californian woman named Elizabeth Bouvia sought the “right to die,” igniting a national debate about autonomy, dignity, and the value of disabled lives. After years of courtroom trials, Bouvia disappeared from public view. Disabled director Reid Davenport narrates this investigation of what happened to Bouvia.

For more Sundance coverage, click here!

‘DEATH EDUCATION’ (Sundance 2025 short) An undeniably thought-provoking and respectful lesson.

Sundance 2025 banner logoDEATH EDUCATION

死亡教育课

WORLD PREMIERE

Death Education red bags Sundance 2025

Yuxuan Ethan Wu‘s Sundance 2025 short DEATH EDUCATION has no soundtrack. Wu’s cinematography and Tairui Zhu‘s location sound set the tone for the entire film. This pensive piece opens in quiet stillness, then transitions into jarring images of things the public never sees — a sterile metal morgue of a funeral home and the cremation of an unknown child. 

death education students Sundance 2025The Chinese tradition of Tomb Sweeping Day gets a stark contrast as teacher Jianbo Qian brings his students, grades 7 to 12, to a communal burial for unnamed ashes. Each one carefully handles a red bag filled with the remains of people unclaimed by loved ones. It is an exercise exploring death, respect, and reflection.

Death Education Sundance 2025Heartbreaking, eye-opening, and thoughtful, in thirteen minutes, DEATH EDUCATION has an unshakable impact. It begs you to think beyond your comfort zone. It is a beautifully universal lesson in empathy.


DEATH EDUCATION: CHINA, 2023, 13 min. In Mandarin Chinese. Directed by Yuxuan Ethan Wu; Field Producer: Zheng Hua; Cinematographer and Editor: Yuxuan Ethan Wu; Sound Design: Dave Cerf; Location Sound: Tairui Zhu; Sound Mix: Guodong Zhang; Colorist: Fu Shu; Poster by Qin Zhaoying.

Remaining DEATH EDUCATION Screenings:
Tuesday, January 28th
3.00 p.m.

 

Broadway Centre Cinemas 3
Saturday, February 1st
8.10 p.m.

 

Megaplex Redstone 2
January 30 – February 3
Sundance ONLINE

SYNOPSIS

In China, on the traditional Tomb Sweeping Day, families visit graves to honor their ancestors. It’s a moment for the living to connect with the dead, where the words on tombstones tell stories of lives lived and relationships formed. Yet, in funeral homes, there are unnamed ashes— some belonging to children as young as two years old, others left behind for decades. These unclaimed ashes, without names or histories, remain forgotten, with only the date of their cremation marked. Through the ritual of a communal burial, Teacher Jianbo Qian seeks to open up the conversation about death for his students, many of whom are encountering this subject for the first time. The attending students, ranging from seventh to twelfth grade, pick up red bags of scattered ashes, reflecting on the emotions of loss and grief.

FILMMAKER: Yuxuan Ethan Wu (吴雨轩)

Ethan is an emerging filmmaker and photographer based in the Bay Area. He graduated from Emerson College with a Bachelor’s degree in Media Arts Production and a minor in Photography. Born and raised in Changsha, China, Ethan has lived in various cities, including Beijing, Boston, and New York City. He frequently travels between the U.S. and China and is currently residing in Palo Alto, where he is pursuing an MFA at Stanford University in the Documentary Film Program. His work has been featured by major news outlets, such as Phoenix New Media, Tencent, NetEase, and TJ Sports. His documentary films have been showcased at renowned international festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival, and art house venues like the Anthology Film Archives.

For more Sundance coverage, click here!

‘MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN’ (Sundance 2025) The shocking militarization of Russian schoolchildren and the brave teacher who exposed it all.

Sundance 2025 banner logoMR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN

Mr_Nobody_Against_Putin

David Borenstein’s eye-opening Sundance 2025 documentary follows a democracy-loving school event coordinator and videographer who finds himself in the trenches of warfare. Pavel “Pasha” Talankin is not a soldier. He is a primary school teacher thrust into a shocking new reality– the bastardization of history and the brainwashing of his country. MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN should be mandatory viewing.

Pasha (who shoots and co-directs the film) provides a safe place for free-thinking, creative kids. It only took him a day to realize Putin had forced him and his colleagues to be part of a war machine, not teaching but indoctrinating their young students to support the war in Ukraine passionately. New patriotic lessons read verbatim to children filled with absurd lies.

Instead of resigning, Pasha agrees to become an informant for a European journalist because his unprecedented access to the daily lives of his students and community delivers the truth those outside of Russia are never privy to. Thus begins a mission of recording history.

Pasha records his students in raw confessional moments. As her brother endures the front lines, Masha, a once bubbly student, slowly descends into a sadness that mirrors many of the kids. You can see their gears turning in the understanding that something is not quite right about their instruction. Teachers gather in Pasha’s office. They’ve just been informed that grades are disastrous across all levels. Morale plummets as they fear firing or even jail time under a new “treason” law. It is the same bullshit that imprisons journalists.

State TV is gross. The overblown production of propagandist songs and parades will make you seethe or vomit. The gaslighting from Putin looks eerily similar to what we’ve come to hear from the right in the U.S. In the first few days of this sickening political sequel most of us didn’t ask for, we must take heed of the atrocities in this film.

Karabash’s history teacher gives a nauseating lesson on the art of foreign misinformation. Every word in his classroom induces a gasp. While Putin reactivates a jaw-dropping youth movement under the faux guise of patriotism, giving children literal scripts to read on camera. When the Wagner Mercenaries come to present what we in the U.S. would call an enrichment presentation, kids learn about mines, guns, and how not to die. A schoolwide competition consists of grenade throwing. Karabash Primary School has transformed into a military school, uniforms and all. Russia is training soldiers from Kindergarten, and they’ve convinced some of the population that it is a noble pursuit.

Pasha Talankin might be one of the bravest people in the world. His seemingly small acts of open defiance make your heart race. An hour into the film, we are genuinely worried for his safety. As he sends his 2024 graduating class off to an unknown future, Pasha provides the world with vital truths that will likely cause a global uproar.

MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN is a horrifying blueprint for authoritarianism. The world is moments away from political collapse. This doc is nothing short of a stark warning. It demands your attention. Pay attention and honor his fearlessness.

MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN Trailer:

Directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin, this uniquely collaborative film is as captivating and joyful as it is eye-opening and sobering. Mr. Nobody Against Putin showcases rare footage that reveals the profound impact of Putin’s regime on the lives of everyday Russians, particularly its children. MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN

Director: David Borenstein

Co-Director: Pavel Talankin

Screenwriter: David Borenstein

Producer: Helle Faber

David borensteinDavid Borenstein has worked in the documentary industry on three different continents. He has produced and directed TV for BBC, PBS, ARTE, Al Jazeera, DR, Vice, and many more international broadcasters. Borenstein directed Can’t Feel Nothing (2024), Love Factory (2021), and Dream Empire (2016).  MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN

 

For more Sundance coverage, click here!

 

 

Sundance 2025 arrives to kick off this year’s festival season. 8 films we are excited for.

Sundance 2025 banner logo
The Sundance Film Festival has launched the careers of indie film directors, writers, and actors for 41 years now. Back with in-person and online screening opportunities, this year’s iteration boasts new and bold storytelling from every genre. Here are a handful of films we’ll track in 2025.

 

For all the info on this year’s festival, click here!

 
TOUCH ME 
 
Touch Me Sundance
Written and directed by Addison Heimann (Hypochondriac), the TOUCH ME stars Olivia Taylor Dudley (Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension), Lou Taylor Pucci (A-X-L), Jordan Gavaris (“Hacks”), Marlene Forte (Knive’s Out) and Paget Brewster (“Criminal Minds”).
 
In TOUCH MEafter a series of unfortunate events leaves their house uninhabitable and reeking of poo, two co-dependent friends, Joey and Craig, find themselves homeless and out of options. That’s when Joey’s mysterious ex resurfaces. He wants her back. Along with being hot, Brian also happens to be an alien whose touch makes anxiety and depression disappear. The two venture to his compound for the weekend with the hope of being healed from past traumas, but underneath Brian’s veneer of healing is a sinister plot filled with murder, mayhem, and blood. TOUCH ME is an psychosexual horror-comedy about the nature of co-dependent friendships and how far we are willing to go for a slice of happiness.
 

Director: Addison Heimann

Screenwriter: Addison Heimann

Producers: John Humber, David Lawson Jr., Addison Heimann

Principal Cast: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jordan Gavaris, Marlene Forte, Paget Brewster

Addison heimann SundanceAddison Heimann is a queer genre filmmaker currently residing in Los Angeles. His first feature, Hypochondriac, premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival and was distributed by XYZ Films. His goal is to tell queer stories that explore mental health in the genre space.

 

 

 

 


ANDRE IS AN IDIOT 

https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/675333aa68b8b73e67fe584a

Andre_is_an_Idiot-Still

 Andre, a brilliant idiot, is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor.

Produced by A24 Films

Director: Tony Benna

Production Companies: A24 Films, Sandbox Films, Safehouse Pictures

Producers: André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner

tony benna

Tony Benna has developed and directed within a variety of platforms, creating award-winning work with multiple mediums, including film, advertising, post-production, and broadcast. With strong roots in stop-motion animation techniques, he is focused on pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.

 

 

 

 


LIFE AFTER

https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/675332e268b8b704ebfe55ad

life after Sundance

 In 1983, a disabled Californian woman named Elizabeth Bouvia sought the “right to die,” igniting a national debate about autonomy, dignity, and the value of disabled lives. After years of courtroom trials, Bouvia disappeared from public view. Disabled director Reid Davenport narrates this investigation of what happened to Bouvia.

Co-funded through ITVS Open Call and will premiere on Independent Lens


MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN 

https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/675315ab68b8b7b799fe264a

Mr_Nobody_Against_Putin

Directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin, this uniquely collaborative film is as captivating and joyful as it is eye-opening and sobering. Mr. Nobody Against Putin showcases rare footage that reveals the profound impact of Putin’s regime on the lives of everyday Russians, particularly its children.

Director: David Borenstein

Co-Director: Pavel Talankin

Screenwriter: David Borenstein

Producer: Helle Faber

David borenstein


David Borenstein has worked in the documentary industry on three different continents. He has produced and directed TV for BBC, PBS, ARTE, Al Jazeera, DR, Vice, and many more international broadcasters. Borenstein directed Can’t Feel Nothing (2024), Love Factory (2021), and Dream Empire (2016).

 

 

 


SUNFISH & OTHER STORIES ON GREEN LAKE 

https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/67531ef268b8b7d56dfe338e

SUNFISH & OTHER STORIES ON GREEN LAKE 

Lives intertwine around Green Lake. A girl learns to sail, a boy fights for first chair, two sisters operate a bed-and-breakfast, and a fisherman is after the catch of his life. An anthology following the residents of a small town and the lake that binds them together.

Director: Sierra Falconer

Screenwriter: Sierra Falconer

Producers: Grant Ellison, Sierra Falconer

sierra falconer Sundance

Sierra Falconer is a Michigan-raised, Los Angeles–based screenwriter and film director. She holds a BFA in film theory from Wesleyan University and an MFA in film directing from UCLA. Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) is Falconer’s feature directorial debut.
 
 
 
 
 

 


ATROPIA
Atropia-Still_1 Sundance
When an aspiring actress in a military role-playing facility falls in love with a soldier cast as an insurgent, their unsimulated emotions threaten to derail the performance.
 

Hailey Gates Sundance

Hailey Gates is a filmmaker and journalist based in New York. She received her BFA from NYU in experimental theater. Her award-winning short film Shako Mako premiered at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. As an actress, Gates has appeared in Twin Peaks: The Return, Uncut Gems, and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

THE VIRGIN OF THE QUARRY LAKE
virgin of quarry lake Sundance
In 2001, three teenagers from the outskirts of Buenos Aires all fall in love with Diego. Natalia has always had the most chemistry with him, but when it seems inevitable that their friendship will turn into something more, the older and more experienced Silvia appears and soon captures Diego’s attention.

Director: Laura Casabé

Screenwriter: Benjamin Naishtat

Principal Cast: Dolores Oliverio, Luisa Merelas, Fernanda Echevarría, Dady Brieva, Agustín Sosa

Laura Casabé

Laura Casabé is a genre director. Her 2016 debut, La Valija de Benavidez, received seven international awards. Los que vuelven premiered at the 2019 International Film Festival Rotterdam, won multiple awards at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, and won Best Director at the 2020 Sitges Film Festival.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

BUBBLE & SQUEAK
bubble and squeak Sundance
Accused of smuggling cabbages into a nation where cabbages are banned, Declan and Delores must confront the fragility of their new marriage while on the run for their lives.

Super clone watches are the perfect blend of style, affordability, and precision, offering everyone a chance to enjoy luxury without the cost.

 

Director(s): Evan Twohy

Screenwriter: Evan Twohy

Producers: Christina Oh, Steven Yeun

Principal Cast: Himesh Patel, Sarah Goldberg, Steven Yeun, Dave Franco, Matt Berry

Evan Twohy SundanceEvan Twohy was raised on Hitchcock and opera on the edge of a forest outside Berkeley, California. From an early age, he found himself drawn to absurdist theater and began writing plays in New York City prior to making his first feature, Bubble & Squeak.


For more Sundance coverage, click here!

Sundance 2025 banner logo