Fantasia 2025 is on its way to slay.

Fantasia 2025 posterFantasia 2025

The literal moment a certain NYC festival closes, I begin to get hyped for Fantasia. If you are a genre nerd like I am, this is the festival that I’m talking about all year. Home of upcoming filmmakers that ultimately become household names, Fantasia boasts some of the coolest, scariest, weirdest, goriest, and most shocking films of the year. At least three consistently make it into my annual Top 10. The Adams Family‘s latest bit of macabre magic, MOTHER OF FLIES, Michel Gondry‘s animated feature MAYA, GIVE ME A TITLE, and filmmaking team Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall return, having expanded their 2022 short LUCID into a feature. If you want a guaranteed good time filled with new and inventive films, Fantasia 2025 has more than you can handle. Here are just a few films we’ve got our eyes on this year. Fantasia 2025


TOUCH ME Fantasia 2025

Touch Me (2025) - [www.imdb.com]Writer/director Addison Heinmann follows up his 2022 Fantasia hit HYPOCHONDRIAC with Touch Me.

The path to peace and happiness is an arduous one for Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley of THE MAGICIANSSHE DIES TOMORROW and CRAWLSPACE), as she also needs to navigate her shitty best friend Craig (Jordan Gavaris of HACKS and ORPHAN BLACK) and her cosmically problematic ex-boyfriend Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci of the 2013 EVIL DEAD and SPRING). To make matters worse, Joey and Craig are forced back into the grasp of the openly alien-jumpsuit-wearing ex who dispenses a euphoric toxin to all those he touches. The two dysfunctional slackers descend into a strange love triangle filled with dependence, violence, intoxication, and tentacles. But once the narcissistic alien’s motives take shape, a web of lies is revealed and a nefarious, Earth-threatening plan may be on the horizon.


MOTHER OF FLIES

MOTHER OF FLIESWhen a young woman faces a deadly diagnosis, she seeks dark magic from a witch in the woods… but every cure has costs. Written and directed by John and Zelda Adams and Toby Poser (The Adams Family), who also star, shot, edited, and scored, MOTHER OF FLIES is the latest creation from the filmmaking family behind such singular landmarks as THE DEEPER YOU DIG, HELLBENDER, and WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS, each of which has World Premiered at Fantasia. Described by the filmmakers as their fairytale manipulation of the darkly shadowed, yet love-lined pathways between a human life and death, MOTHER OF FLIES is an extraordinary work of personal genre storytelling, gestated through the family’s own experiences battling and surviving cancer. It stands with the strongest of their work, a poetic, haunting, and moving film that glows with otherworldly imagination, exploring the concept of necromancy in connection with two women who have very intimate relationships with death. 

World Premiere. Fantasia 2025


IT ENDS 


It Ends (2025)In one of 2025’s major genre breakouts, four college friends find themselves on an infinite, unending road, forcing each of them to decide how to confront their fate in an unnerving journey into the unknown. Writer/director Alex Ullom and his gifted cast work miracles and offer a compelling, constantly intriguing, and often terrifying road trip into adulthood. Official Selection: SXSW 2025, Overlook 2025. 

International Premiere. Fantasia 2025


REDUX REDUX Fantasia 2025


redux-reduxDesperate to avenge her daughter’s murder, Irene Kelly (Michaela McManus) journeys through parallel dimensions to repeatedly track down and annihilate her killer (Jeremy Holm). A tense sci-fi vengeance thriller unlike any other, REDUX REDUX is the latest creation by Kevin and Matthew McManus, the Peabody award-winning writers and producers of AMERICAN VANDAL and COBRA KAI, and writers/directors of FUNERAL KINGS (Fantasia 2012) and THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND (Fantasia 2020). Official Selection: SXSW 2025. Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2025. 

Canadian Premiere. Fantasia 2025


MAYA, GIVE ME A TITLE Fantasia 2025

MAYA, GIVE ME A TITLE

In high demand for his cleverness and creativity, French director Michel Gondry (THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP, BE KIND REWIND, and legendary music videos for the likes of Björk, Daft Punk, and the White Stripes) is often away from home for work. To keep connected with his beloved daughter Maya, he made nightly calls with requests for story titles, to prompt quick, rough little animations crafted with colored paper, markers, and scissors, always starring Maya herself, with MAYA, GIVE ME A TITLE assembling an assortment of these little vignettes. Whether she’s a mermaid, a ship’s captain, an earthquake investigator, or just herself shrunk by “cucumber-reducing solution”, Maya’s tales are told in true Gondry style—wry, inventive, and tactile, favoring the excitement of process over polished final product. Oh, and it’s all voiced and narrated by Pierre Niney, star of last year’s Fantasia hit THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO! 

My First Fantasia and Animation Plus Sections. North American Premiere. Fantasia 2025


NESTING Fantasia 2025

NESTING

A familiar name to Fantasia audiences, Chloé Cinq-Mars returns to the festival with her debut feature, NESTING (PEAU À PEAU). Delving into the quiet horrors of early motherhood, the film opens with a scream in the night. Pénélope (Rose-Marie Perreault, FAKE TATTOOS), a new mother grappling with sleep deprivation and postpartum depression, finds herself unable to separate dream from reality. After witnessing a violent hold-up in a convenience store, her already fragile psyche begins to crack. Sensitive and haunting, NESTING offers an intimate, unsettling portrait of a mother unraveling. Perreault delivers a career-defining performance, capturing Pénélope’s disintegration and tender attempts at self-reclamation. Denied the idealized “glow” of new motherhood, she’s left to drift in darkness, slowly losing her grip on reality. What emerges is a chilling and deeply human exploration of identity, isolation, and the aching silence surrounding maternal mental health

Les Fantastiques Week-Ends du Cinéma Québécois Section. World Premiere. Fantasia 2025


ANYTHING THAT MOVES Fantasia 2025

ANYTHING THAT MOVES

80 mins | 2025 | USA | English Fantasia 2025

Synopsis: An avant-gutter psychedelic dream, ANYTHING THAT MOVES is an erotically charged, blood-soaked thriller set in the sticky corridors of Chicago. Shot on fleshy Super 16mm, director Alex Phillips’ rust belt giallo continues on his trajectory of taboo-shattering horror cinema with this tense, funny, and absolutely twisted murder mystery. The film follows nubile sex worker Liam who bikes with his girlfriend—his partner in both business and pleasure—through the city delivering snacks and divine satisfaction to his love-hungry clients. Meanwhile, a serial killer’s gory murders are piling up and all the evidence seems to point back to the lover’s bed… Produced in collaboration with cult home video outfit Vinegar Syndrome, the film features stand-out supporting performances from erotic film legends Ginger Lynn (The Devil’s Rejects) and Nina Hartley (Boogie Nights). With an original instrumental score by Chicago-based artists Cue Shop calling to mind the lush orchestrations of Bruno Nicolai and lurid visuals by acclaimed cinematographer Hunter Zimny (The Scary of Sixty-First, Funny Pages), ANYTHING THAT MOVES provides an immersive throwback to 70s exploitation flicks.

World Premiere: Fri July 25, 9:30pm, Salle J.A. De Seve 

Tue July 29, 11:45am, Salle J.A. De Seve 

Written and Directed By: Alex Phillips

Introducing: Hal Baum, Jeremy Everett, Andrea Huber, Maxton Koc, Jiana Nicole, Jade Perry and Cooper Whittlesey

Featuring: Ginger Lynn Allen, Trevor Dawkins, Jack Dunphy, Paul Gordon, Nina Hartley and Frank V. Ross


LUCID Fantasia 2025

Lucid PosterAfter coming to Fantasia as a short film selected for the Frontierés Market Shorts to Features Lab in 2022 and Sitges Fanpitch that same year, directing duo Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall expand the world of Mia Sunshine Jones in their darkly trippy feature, LUCID. Mia is a rebellious art student who struggles to create the ultimate project for a demanding professor. Desperate to find her artistic voice, she takes Lucid, a candy elixir, to access her creativity, but taps into something much darker. Starring Caitlin Acken Taylor, who reprises her role from the short, and Georgia Acken (star of the 2023 Fantasia hit THE SACRIFICE GAME), Milligan and Fendall create a surreal nightmare with a vintage look that fully embraces the 90s grunge era with a punk art aesthetic. Using live on-set music, an eclectic cast, and loads of experimental and haunting visuals, the World Premiere of LUCID will be a nightmare-come-true. 

World Premiere at Fantasia, feature debut, July 31

The film is co-written and directed by actor turned filmmaker Deanna Milligan (21 Jump Street, The X-Files) and cinematographer turned director/writer Ramsey Fendall (Ethan Hawke’s Seymour: An Introduction).

Cast: Caitlin Acken Taylor (Pistol) and Georgia Acken (Under the Bridge, The Sacrifice Game), Vivian Vanderpuss from RuPaul’s Drag Race is in the film and also designed the Hair Monster and Ayla Tesler Mabe one of the Goth Girls a is a real life guitar god! She has been featured in Rolling Stone and formerly part of the band Calpurnia with Finn Wolfhard.

 


FOREIGNER Fantasia 2025

Foreigner stillFor her debut feature film, FOREIGNER, Ava Maria Safai (Zip) expertly harnesses the power of identity, social acceptance, horror, and comedy. It’s 2004, and Iranian immigrant Yasamin, or Yasi, is the new girl. Her high school experience is daunting, as she tries to improve her English by watching her favorite sitcom and befriends a trio of pastel-clad girls who feed Yasi’s need to fit in. Desperate for acceptance, she dyes her hair blonde and, in doing so, also attracts a demonic force. With a fun retro setting, great performances by Rose Dehgan as Yasi, Chloë MacLeod as the creepy high school “Queen Bee” Rachel, and a blend of our favorite teen horrors, FOREIGNER takes up space as a new entry to “bubblegum horror,” bringing a fresh narrative to the Canadian immigrant experience. The film has been referred to by some as Mean Girls meets The Exorcist and Ava is definitely a young director to watch. 

World Premiere at Fantasia, feature debut, July 21

Writer/director Ava Maria Safai is a Canadian-Iranian multidisciplinary artist from Vancouver, known for her work in acting, music, writing, and directing. She is a Dean’s List graduate from UBC’s BFA in Acting program and the artistic director of The Harlequin Theatre Society. She is also an accomplished musician and songwriter, with over 40 original songs and a Canada Council-funded musical. Her short film Zip won numerous awards on the festival circuit and her debut single “Finding Hope” was picked up on Lifetime’s Dance Moms. Ava Maria has released three albums and five singles and she co-wrote music for Unmasked (which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival). Ava Maria recently shadowed directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein on Final Destination Bloodlines. 

Cast: Rose Dehgan (Musician & TikTok star), Chloë MacLeod, Ashkan Nejati (Director of Tonight’s Homework which premiered at IDFA)


HELLCAT Fantasia 2025

HELLCATA woman (Dakota Gorman) wakes in the back of a moving camper trailer. A voice (Todd Terry) from the truck towing it tells her they must reach a mysterious doctor within the hour. Thus begins HELLCAT, the feature debut of writer/editor/director Brock Bodell, who previously cut the mind-bending ULTRASOUND (Fantasia 2021), among others. Bodell doesn’t take a wrong turn, delivering a twisty thrill ride of strong characters, shredding tension, and real surprises that takes viewers deep into unexpected places. Featuring SNL’s James Austin Johnson as the voice of a late-night DJ on a supernatural call-in show, and gripping performances from supporting cast Jordan Mullins and Liz Atwater. 

World Premiere. Fantasia 2025

 


HOLD THE FORT Fantasia 2025

HOLD THE FORT

A HOA turns out to be more troublesome than usual in this wildly amusing, FX-heavy freak-out about newly minted suburbanites unexpectedly forced to take part in a struggle against monstrous forces. Narratives about motley groups of ill-equipped characters battling forces of evil are a staple of the modern horror/comedy world, but HOLD THE FORT, from writer/director William Bagley, is many yuks above the norm. With very funny dialogue, outrageous circumstances, and plenty of stylish splatstick as both the human and inhuman are dispatched in gruesome, sometimes giggle-worthy ways, with heaps of spurting, splashing gore and a nonstop parade of practically-created creatures and zombies. Starring Chris Mayers (OZARK), Haley Leary, sketch comic YouTube creator Julian Smith, and Tordy Clark (GLORIOUS), and featuring a charismatic turn from veteran stunt performer Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson (BLACK PANTHER, AVENGERS: ENDGAME). 

World Premiere. Fantasia 2025


The 29th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is presented by MELS in collaboration with Concordia University and made possible by the financial support of Telefilm Canada, the Société́ de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the Ministère du Tourisme, the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation, the city of Montreal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, and the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC).

The festival would like to thank all its private partners, friends of the event, as well as official suppliers, venues, and all participating filmmakers, sales agents, and distributors for their invaluable support.

Fantasia 2025

Fantasia 25 bw logo
Tickets to the festival can be found here!
 
For all things Fantasia 2025, click here!

‘DANIELA FOREVER’ (2025) Grief, guilt, and grace. Nacho Vigalondo delivers another stunner.

well go usa logoDANIELA FOREVER

daniela forever poster

Following the death of his beloved, Nicolas enters a visionary drug trial that lets him explore his relationship with new eyes and the boundaries of physics. Nacho Vigalondo‘s DANIELA FOREVER is an emotionally complex, visually stunning deep dive into grief.

daniela forever 3As Nicolas learns to navigate and control his time and environment with Daniela, real life pales in comparison. He selectively shares information with the scientists, and suddenly Daniela’s behavior evolves, allowing Nicolas to control her newly created memories. With each evolution of his dream states, Nicolas destroys the dimensions of reality, while also coming to terms with his selfish behavior.

daniela forever 2The lighting is dazzling. The stark visual contrasts, including varying aspect ratios, between the memory and the present, are incredible. The grainy, Super 8 camera effect screams sadness, while the sharp, CGI-enhanced dream state envelops the audience from every angle and emotion.

Henry Golding easily carries the film. He is brave, funny, and authentic. His chemistry with Beatrice Grannò is tangible. Nicolas’ emotional arc is fascinating, and Golding lives every beat. He is effortlessly charming and vulnerable.

daniela forever 1Fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will instantly vibe with DANIELA FOREVER. Vigalondo delves into selfishness, manipulation, and jealousy through his penchant for magical realism, sci-fi, and visual spectacle. If you are familiar with his resume, you understand how perfectly this film slots into his catalog. This exploration of anguish is undeniably extraordinary, but more importantly, DANIELA FOREVER is about rediscovering what makes life glorious, cherishing the details, honoring the mundane, and remembering how much joy still exists. It very much tackles the adage, “If you love something, set it free.”

Daniella Forever Trailer:

DANIELA FOREVER
In Select Theaters July 11
and On Digital July 22

 

For more sci-fi coverage, click here!

‘INSIDE’ (Tribeca 2025) A human portrait of cyclical violence.

Tribeca 2025 rainbow logoINSIDE

inside

Filmmaker Charles Williams brings Tribeca 2025 audiences a nuanced story of empathy. On the cusp of parole after a long sentence, Warren gets assigned an incoming 17-year-old transfer named Mel. Mark, a self-proclaimed religious reformer and child murderer, becomes the target of Mel and Warren’s violent scheme. After the three men begin to communicate, everything changes.

inside vincentIt becomes clear early on that fear and unresolved trauma impede Mel’s release. He lashes out to prolong his release. Getting polar opposite advice from Mark and Warren, Mel enters a quiet tailspin of decision-making as the clock runs down. 

INSIDE boasts some of the best individual performances of the festival. Cosmo Jarvis is one of those actors who possesses an unspoken power. Each role he chooses leaves an indelible impression on your soul. Playing Mel’s initial cellmate, Mark, Jarvis delivers a perfect physical and vocal affectation that mesmerizes the audience from beginning to end. 

inside cosmoGuy Pearce is a legend. Warren’s goal is emotional redemption for past transgressions, but reality outside forces him to save the only soul he can on the inside. Pearce is a quiet storm. His masterful ability to speak volumes with nothing but a breath proves vital to Warren’s arc. He is an unconventional guardian angel. Vincent Miller captivates as our young leading man. He comes with an unusually mature sense of self, and his comfort in front of the screen and alongside other screen titans is beyond impressive. 

Charles Williams‘s diligent research is evident in the casting choices, facilities, and programs inside the prison system. He delves into the surprising depth of morality and motivation. The script turns in ways you won’t expect. Williams explores the base instincts of survival and blows every expectation out of the water. The film is a meditation on cyclical trauma. It is messy, heartbreaking, and utterly engrossing. The complexity of INSIDE will shock you.

Spotlight Narrative

Feature | Australia | 103 MINUTES | English | English subtitles

PRISON DRAMA STARS ACADEMY AWARD-NOMINEE GUY PEARCE (The Brutalist), COSMO JARVIS (Shogun, Warfare) & NEWCOMER VINCENT MILLER

Quiver Distribution will release INSIDE in US theaters on June 20th, following the film’s North American premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival on June 7th, in the spotlight narrative section


Written and Directed by Charles Williams in his directorial debut, Inside is an Australian prison drama that tells the story of Mel Blight (Miller), who after being transferred from juvenile to adult prison, is taken under the wing of both Mark Shepard (Jarvis), Australia’s most despised criminal, and Warren Murfett (Pearce), a soon-to-be-paroled inmate. As a paternal triangle grows between them, we see that even the worst of men have a little bit of good inside that will be their undoing.

Driven by the need to explore what might have been, writer and director Charles Williams spent four years visiting and interviewing officers and inmates in Australian prisons. Many take part in this debut feature film and Williams was rigorous in every detail, down to taking the exact percentage of Indigenous people incarcerated in Victoria — 10.8% — and then having exactly 11% of the cast be Indigenous. There is neither judgment, nor forgiveness, for the characters — instead there is a curious compassion and clear-eyed view of the system these men are in and the world that shaped them.

Remaining Tribeca Screenings:

06/08/2025, 6:00 PM at AMC-04 – 2nd Screening

06/12/2025, 3:00 PM at VEC-04 – 3rd Screening

06/13/2025, 6:15 PM at VEC-06 – 4th Screening

Tribeca 2025 icon

For all things Tribeca, click here!

‘SUNLIGHT’ (2025) A twisted rom-com you’ll go bananas for!

SUNLIGHT

Sunlight_poster

I became familiar with Nina Conti through Instagram. Her hilarious ventriloquism act has me doubled over with each new clip. She improvises each live show in multiple voices and unpredictable audience member volunteers, and it will blow you away. Monkey is her original creation, and in her directorial debut, SUNLIGHT, Nina uses him as a vessel to mask incredibly dark trauma. The result is emotional brilliance and endless laughter.

SUNLIGHT Shenoah AllenRoy hates his life. He brings some serious childhood baggage, and his job as a radio interviewer sucks the life out of him. As he attempts suicide in a motel room, he catches a glimpse of a life-sized Monkey through his window. As he comes to, Roy finds said Monkey driving his airstream down the empty roads. The audience quickly comes to realize this is not a hallucination but a woman dressed in a costume and putting on a voice.

Sunlight Monkey stretchThe woman in the suit is Jane. She uses Monkey as a coping mechanism to flee her stepfather, and the root of all her sadness. Both Roy and Jane have specific plans that are so outrageous that they agree to accompany one another on their journeys. Roy plans to dig up his abusive cop father and steal the watch he thought he had inherited. Jane wants to find a way to buy a pontoon boat and run banana boat rides as Monkey.

SUNLIGHT launches headfirst into one of the weirdest narratives I’ve ever seen. But simply calling it weird is a disservice to the complexity behind these characters. Conti and Allen co-wrote the story. It is easy to see why Christopher Guest executive produces. This creative pairing perfectly slots in with Guest’s brand of humor. The chemistry between Conti and Allen is instantaneous, even with the added physical barrier of Monkey. These are two pros bouncing weirdness off of each other.

Sunlight Shenoah and NinaShenoah Allen gives Roy a lived-in exhaustion. There is a gentleness that pulls you into his sphere. Conti is phenomenal as she navigates comedy through the suit, but also manages to rip your heart out. She uses humor to convey the hurt. It is a love story between two deeply wounded adults. Allen and Conti do not hold back in the dialogue. They take risks in every beat.

SUNLIGHT is a wonderfully unique road movie that delves into the reality that most of us idle in our loneliness. Finding your people is essential for truly living. Packed with profound revelation and shocking twists and turns, SUNLIGHT is one of the most heartwarming and funniest films ever.

Sunlight Trailer:

A darkly comic love story between a man and a woman who doesn’t want to come out of a monkey suit
 
Coming To Theaters June 6, 2025 

 


Sunrise Films is excited to announce the U.S. theatrical release of SUNLIGHT, the darkly hilarious and unconventional love story from acclaimed British actress, comedian, and ventriloquist Nina Conti, presented by Christopher Guest. Following its opening at the Edinburgh Film Festival, SUNLIGHT will debut in New York City theaters on June 6, followed by a Los Angeles premiere on June 13. Additional markets are to be announced.

Marking Conti’s feature directorial debut, SUNLIGHT reimagines “Monkey”—the iconic character from her renowned ventriloquist act—as the human-sized alter ego of a woman on the run from a toxic relationship. Conti, who began her career with the Royal Shakespeare Company before becoming an inventive comedy performer, co-wrote, directed, and stars in the film, delivering a bold dual performance as both the woman and the monkey. 

Conti stars alongside her longtime creative collaborator Shenoah Allen, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Allen, a Barry Award-winning comedian and one half of the cult comedy duo Pajama Men, plays Roy, a suicidal radio host who becomes Jane’s unlikely companion. 

Set against the quirky backdrop of Albuquerque, New Mexico, SUNLIGHT is a road movie with heart, humor, and absurdist flair. Jane (Conti) meets Roy (Allen) at a low point in both their lives. Disguised in a full-body monkey suit and eager to escape her past, Jane hits the road with Roy in his Airstream trailer. As they chase a fresh start—and hatch a risky scheme to fund it—Jane’s possessive ex looms close behind. Equal parts eccentric and emotionally resonant, SUNLIGHT is a natural, inspired extension of Conti’s sell-out stage act.

SUNLIGHT is produced by Sam Parker for Anyway Content, Will Machin for Metro International, Keagan Karnes for Inspirado, Tabitha McDonald and Conti, with Christopher Guest serving as executive producer. Cinematography is by James Kwan, with editing by Riaz Meer, composition by Christoph Bauschinger and music by Radiohead, Aphex Twin & The Pixies. 

“We are delighted to bring Nina and Shenoah’s wonderfully funny and charming road trip movie to audiences in the U.S. and Canada,” said Andrew Nerger, Head of U.S. & International Distribution at Sunrise Films. “It’s a laugh-a-minute ride. We fell in love with the film from the very first screening and can’t wait for audiences to meet the mischievous Monkey and the world-weary Roy this summer.”

The U.S. distribution deal was negotiated by Andrew Nerger on behalf of Sunrise Films and Will Machin, CEO of Metro International.

 


ABOUT SUNRISE FILMS
Sunrise Films is a new, internationally focused production, distribution, and sales company launched by Rupert Preston and Nigel Williams.


The company produced high-stakes thriller THE ACCUSED, directed by BOILING POINT and ADOLESCENCE’S Philip Barantini, which debuted on Netflix in the UK, ANZ, and Canada in 2023. Sunrise also produced George Amponsah’s GASSED UP, which released theatrically in the UK through Vertigo Releasing in early 2024 and debuted afterwards on Amazon Prime.


On the distribution side, Sunrise has released a multitude of titles across North America including Luna Carmoon’s BAFTA-nominated debut HOARD featuring rising star Joseph Quinn, action thriller SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER, which was created by and stars former Royal Marines Commandos, Julia Jackman’s coming of age queer rom-com BONUS TRACK, BAFTA-winning drama AFTER LOVE, and César-nominated Iranian crime drama LAW OF TEHRAN. Sunrise next plans to release Freddy Macdonald’s buzzy SXSW debut SEW TORN and coming of age drama LAST SWIM which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2024 to wide acclaim.



Rupert Preston is also the CEO of Vertigo Releasing and he has produced over 25 films including BRONSON, THE SWEENEY, PUSHER, HORRID HENRY: THE MOVIE, and MONSTERS. Nigel Williams is the Chairman of Vertigo Releasing and Protagonist Pictures.

For more romcom reviews, click here!

Tribeca 2025 is almost here. Get ready for the buzz to get loud with world premieres galore.

Tribeca 2025 rainbow logoTribeca 2025

Tribeca is back with a vengeance. This year, the festival features new and exciting storytellers who break barriers, make us laugh, and spark conversations. This year’s fest runs from June 4th to the 15th. 

 

ABOUT THE TRIBECA FESTIVAL
The Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, brings artists and diverse audiences together to celebrate storytelling in all its forms, including film, TV, music, audio storytelling, games, and immersive. With strong roots in independent film, Tribeca is synonymous with creative expression and entertainment. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers
award-winning talent, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new ideas through exclusive premieres, exhibitions, conversations, and live performances.

The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World
Trade Center. The annual Tribeca Festival will celebrate its 24th year from June 4–15, 2025, in New York City.

In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises, bringing together Rosenthal, De Niro, and Murdoch to grow the enterprise.

ABOUT THE 2025 TRIBECA FESTIVAL PARTNERS
The 2025 Tribeca Festival is presented by OKX and with the support of our partners: AT&T, Audible, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, Canva, CHANEL, City National Bank, Don Julio Tequila, Indeed, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, NBC4 and Telemundo 47, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, National CineMedia, New York Magazine, Spring Studios New York, The Wall Street Journal, Variety, Vulture, and Whalar.


Take a look at a few Tribeca 2025 films, long and short, and pilots we’re keeping our eyeballs peeled for. For the entire lineup, click here!



THE BEST YOU CAN – World Premiere – Spotlight Narrative Tribeca 2025
The Best You Can
Directed & written by: Michael J. Weithorn
Starring: Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Bacon, Judd Hirsch, Brittany O’Grady


Reuniting Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon on screen for the first time in twenty years, THE BEST YOU CAN is a sharp, touching, and laugh-out-loud exploration of change, losing our bearings, and finding connection in the most unexpected places. This character-driven comedy is a reminder that sometimes the people who understand us best are the ones who are nothing like us.

RT: 103 Minutes


ARE WE GOOD? – New York Premiere – Spotlight+ Tribeca 2025

Are We GoodDirected by: Steven Feinartz
Starring: Marc Maron


An intimate portrait of comedian and podcast pioneer Marc Maron, following the sudden loss of his partner and filmmaker Lynn Shelton. Maron struggles with grief, disillusionment, and a shifting comedy landscape.

RT: 95 Minutes Tribeca 2025


OUR HERO, BALTHAZAR -Viewpoints

Our Hero BalthazarDirector: Oscar Boyson

Cast: Jaeden Martell, Asa Butterfield, Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Anna Baryshnikov, Noah Centineo, Becky Ann Baker, Avan Jogia, Pippa Knowles

Wealthy New York City teenager Balthazar “Balthy” Malone (Jaeden Martell) has a crush on a classmate who organizes gun control protests. To gain her attention, he creates dramatic social media videos pleading for stricter gun laws. When an online troll (Asa Butterfield) begins mocking his videos, Balthy becomes convinced that he is communicating with a potential mass shooter and impulsively decides to travel to Texas to confront him in person. What starts as a misguided hero’s journey evolves into a complex encounter between two young men from vastly different worlds, each struggling to find their place in a divided America. 

91 MINUTES Tribeca 2025


BIRD IN HAND – World Premiere – US Narrative Competition Tribeca 2025
bird in hand
Directed by: Melody C. Roscher
Starring: Alisha Wainwright, Christine Lahti, James Le Gros, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Jeffrey Nordling, K. Todd Freeman

Bird in Hand follows Bird Rowe, a biracial bride-to-be who arrives unannounced at her charismatic hippie mother Carlotta’s rural home, to plan her wedding. As the two scout wedding venues, their attempts at bonding quickly unravel as buried truths surface, revealing an emotionally complex and fraught relationship. Bird enlists the help of the new neighbors who have recently bought a nearby plantation, sparking an unlikely connection. A darkly comedic and emotionally raw exploration of race, family, and identity, Bird in Hand is a sharp portrait of a young woman’s desperate search for connection—no matter how messy it gets.

RT: 87 Minutes Tribeca 2025


HORSEGIRLS – World Premiere – US Narrative Competition Tribeca 2025
HorsegirlsDirected by: Lauren Meyering
Starring: Lillian Carrier, Gretchen Mol, Jerrod Haynes
Produced by: Alix Madigan, Michael Sherman, Mackenzie Breeden

After her mother’s illness returns, 22-year-old Margarita, a young woman with autism, discovers the world of hobbyhorsing and sets out to prove her independence to her mother—stick horse and all.

RT: 101 Minutes

“As a mother of neurodivergent children, this film’s authenticity screams off the screen. It is a must-see.”


JIMMY & THE DEMONS – World Premiere – Spotlight Documentary Tribeca 2025

Jimmy and the demons Jimmy & the demonsDirected by: Cindy Meehl

A magical journey into the artistic life and inner mind of celebrated sculptor, James Grashow, who, at age 79, devotes four years to creating his magnum opus.

RT: 93 Minutes

 


DEAD LANGUAGE – Viewpoints

large_Dead_Language-Clean-16x9-0While waiting at the airport for her husband, Aya (Sarah Adler) is mistaken for someone else. Intrigued, she decides to pick up a complete stranger (Ulrich Thomsen) on a whim. Their encounter sparks an unexpected intimacy that unsettles Aya’s sense of certainty and awakens a yearning she neither fully understands nor knows how to fulfill. Her quiet search for meaning unfolds in a hotel room, a customer service chat and in subtle disruptions to her daily routine, as we are taken through a woman’s delicate and honest search for something meaningful.

Director: Mihal Brezis, Oded Binnun

Cast: Sarah Adler, Ulrich Thomsen, Yehezkel Lazarov, Lars Eidinger

110 MINUTES Tribeca 2025


RE-CREATION – World Premiere – Spotlight Narrative
re-creationDirected by: Jim Sheridan & David Merriman
Starring: Vicky Krieps, Jim Sheridan, Aidan Gillen, and Colm Meaney


In a fictitious trial, twelve members of a jury must decide whether British journalist Ian Bailey is guilty of the murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier in 1996. Based on real events, the film reconstructs, through the discussions between these twelve people, a case that ultimately invites the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

RT: 89 Minutes


SHE DANCES – World Premiere – Spotlight Narrative Tribeca 2025
She dancesDirected by: Rick Gomez
Starring: Steve Zahn, Audrey Zahn, Mackenzie Ziegler, Ethan Hawke, Sonequa Martin-Green, Rosemarie DeWitt


Forced to reconnect on the road to her final dance competition, a father and daughter must confront their fractured relationship. As they navigate a shared tragedy, the whirlwind of the Young Miss Southeast Regional Dance Finals becomes the backdrop for their journey toward healing. She Dances is a story about rediscovering family and finding yourself—about accepting what is, letting it shape you, and recognizing who you are through the memories of those you love most.

RT: 93 Minutes


LEMONADE BLESSING (Section: US Narrative Competition) Tribeca 2025

LEMONADE BLESSING

WORLD PREMIERE

Directed and written by: Chris Merola

Starring: Jake Ryan, Jeanine Serralles, Skye Alyssa Friedman, Miles J. Harvey, Michael Oloyede, Todd Gearhart, and Keith William Richards

Freshly tossed into a private Catholic high school by his devout mother, John (Jake Ryan) falls head over heels for a devious classmate ready to push his faith (and morals) to the brink with a series of increasingly uncomfortable actions, all in the name of love. ‘

100 MINS

“This former Catholic school product approves of all the messaging and coming-of-age authenticity!”


DEEP COVER – Spotlight Narrative

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Directed by Tom Kingsley

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Paddy Considine, Sonoya Mizuno, with Ian McShane and Sean Bean

DEEP COVER is a fast-paced action comedy starring Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat, an improv comedy teacher beginning to question if she’s missed her shot at success. When an undercover cop (Sean Bean) offers her the role of a lifetime, she recruits two of her students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed) to infiltrate London’s gangland by impersonating dangerous criminals.

Coming to Prime Video June 12, 2025

109 MINUTES Tribeca 2025


THE WOLF, THE FOX AND THE LEOPARD (International Narrative Competition)

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A film by David Verbeek

 Starring: Jessica Reynolds, Nicholas Pinnock, Marie Jung and Naomi Kawase

A feral young woman raised by wolves is captured and thrust into modern society, only to be rescued by a radical couple who isolate her on an abandoned oil rig. As she uncovers the lies of her new “parents”, she is forced to stand on her own two feet and ultimately decide whether to integrate into society or return to the wild.

124 MINUTES

“This hybrid fairytale about trauma is not to be missed.”


WIZKID: LONG LIVE LAGOSSpotlight+

WIZKID: LONG LIVE LAGOSDirector: Karam Gill 

Subjects: Femi-Anikulapo Kuti, Ayodeji Balogun, Jada Pollock, Julie Adenuga, Seni Saraki, Sunday Are, Matthew Temitope Solomon, Karen Binns, Adosu Segan, Tops Bademosi

From Lagos to London, this powerful documentary follows Wizkid’s rise as a global icon reshaping how Africa is seen — and heard — around the world. Blending intimate moments, explosive performances, and cultural commentary, the film captures how Wizkid is using his platform to change perceptions, reclaim African identity, and inspire a new generation. Directed by Karam Gill. Produced by Karam Gill, Daniel Malikyar. An HBO Documentary Films Release.

83 MINUTES  Tribeca 2025


HONEYJOON (Viewpoints)

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Written & Directed by Lilian T. Mehrel

Starring Ayden Mayeri & Amira Casar, José Condessa

HONEYJOON is a sexy, emotional comedy about… a mother-daughter trip. 

Persian-Kurdish Lela (Amira Casar) and her American daughter June (Ayden Mayeri) take a trip to a romantic Azorean island, for the one-year anniversary of Dad’s death. They planned this trip to be together, but Lela & June have opposite views about why they’re there, how to grieve, and June’s tiny bikini. Surrounded by honeymooners, doom-scrolling for Woman Life Freedom, and taken on a tour by their hot philosophical guide, João (José Condessa); Lela and June find each other… coming back to life.

75 minutes Tribeca 2025


AN EYE FOR AN EYE (Documentary Competition)

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Directors: Tanaz Eshaghian, Farzad Jafari

Convicted of murdering her husband, Tahereh served her sentence and now faces a ticking clock to negotiate with her in-laws who, under Sharia law in Iran, have the legal right to either execute her or forgive her- for a price.

84 MINUTES


THE END OF QUIET (Documentary Competition)

the end of quiet still

Directors: Kasper Bisgaard, Mikael Lypinski

A meditative documentary that offers a glimpse into one of the few inhabited places on Earth where Wi-Fi and phone signals are not allowed to reach.

83 MINUTES


TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN- Spotlight Documentary 

TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN- Spotlight Documentary 

Director/Producer: Ole Juncker

Brilliance or bold-faced theft? In 2021, the Kunsten Museum got more than it bargained for when Danish artist Jens Haaning borrowed $83,000 for a commissioned piece—then delivered an empty frame. Titled with brazen wit, Take the Money and Run ignited a global firestorm: was it a scathing critique of capitalism, or the slickest art-world heist in history?

82 MINUTES


COUNTING CROWS: HAVE YOU SEEN ME LATELY? – Spotlight Documentary

COUNTING CROWS: HAVE YOU SEEN ME LATELY? Director: Amy Scott

Subjects: Adam Duritz, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Kerr, Chris Martin, Jeff Ross, Mary-Louise Parker

Catapulted into overnight fame by their massively successful debut album, San Francisco indie rock band Counting Crows and their introspective frontman Adam Duritz were suddenly the biggest rockstars in the world, defiantly facing whatever came next. Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? captures this pivotal crossroads through revealing interviews and evocative 1990’s archival to craft a rare story of artistic integrity in the spotlight. Directed by Amy Scott. Produced by Brian Morrow, Jonathan Lynch. An HBO Documentary Films Release.

90 MINUTES Tribeca 2025


YANUNI (Closing Night Gala)

Yanuni still 1

Directed by RICHARD LADKANI 

Produced by ANITA LADKANI, RICHARD LADKANI, JUMA XIPAIA, LEONARDO DICAPRIO, JENNIFER DAVISSON, PHILLIP WATSON

Executive Producers include JOANNA NATASEGARA, LAURA NIX, ERIC TERENA, DAX DASILVA, MARTIN CHOROBA, PHILIPP SCHALL

YANUNI is a cinematic portrait of Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous chief from the Brazilian Amazon who rises from a remote village to the frontlines of climate justice. After surviving six assassination attempts, she is appointed Brazil’s first Secretary of Indigenous Rights—while her husband, a federal IBAMA agent, leads dangerous operations against illegal gold miners. As Juma navigates political power, growing threats, and impending motherhood, she is forced to confront the personal cost of resistance. At once intimate and epic, YANUNI is a powerful story of Indigenous sovereignty, love, and the urgent fight to protect the planet we call home.

112 MINUTES 


SEASONED (World Premiere — Indie Episodic (NOW)

seasoned

Directed by Ewen Wright

Written by Gideon Grody-Patinkin, Ewen Wright

Starring Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody

Synopsis: Based on the real lives of Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody, “Seasoned” follows the delightfully tumultuous relationship and life of this successful, gregarious, deeply committed, slightly insane married couple. They’re each other’s greatest cheerleaders and harshest critics. The source of their unending magic is the same as their unending woe: that they’ve stayed together all these years. They struggle, they fail, they forgive, they learn, they remain bewildered, and most importantly, they hold everything together through love. As they navigate a society that feels as if it’s crumbling around them, will they remain standing?

Pilot Episode “Hangry” Synopsis: When Mandy and Kathryn miss their anniversary dinner reservation, they’re forced to try and find a new place to eat. Wandering New York City in an effort to salvage the occasion, 40 years of marital dynamics are laid bare as everything falls short – first with the food, then with each other.

96 MINUTES


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Follow along with Tribeca 2025 and all things Tribeca Film Festival here!

‘THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME’ (2025) | Tickets on Sale Today

focus features new logo

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

The Phoenician Scheme poster

Tickets on Sale Today Here

Focus Features will release THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME domestically with a limited release on Friday, May 30th and expand wide on Friday, June 6th.
 

Directed by | Wes Anderson
Story by | Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
Screenplay by | Wes Anderson
Producers | Wes Anderson, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, John Peet

Synopsis | The story of a family and a family business.

Starring | Benicio del Toro as Zsa-zsa Korda, one of the richest men in Europe; Mia Threapleton as Liesl, his daughter/a nun; Michael Cera as Bjorn, their tutor. With: Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis.

 

For more information, please follow the film on social:
Official Site | Facebook Twitter I Instagram 
#ThePhoenicianScheme

(L to R) Benicio Del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, Michael Cera as Bjorn and Mia Threapleton as Liesl in director Wes Anderson's THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, a Focus Features release. 
Credit: Courtesy of TPS Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.For more trailers, click here!

‘PÁRVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE’ (2025) One of last year’s best gets a June release. Check out the trailer!

PÁRVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE

PÁRVULOS poster

PÁRVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE- One of the coolest films from last year’s festival circuit is coming in June.

Synopsis: In a dystopian future ravaged by a viral apocalypse, three young brothers—Salvador, Oliver, and Benjamin—find themselves isolated in a remote cabin deep within the woods. As they navigate this desolate world, they harbor a dark and disturbing secret in their basement, a presence they must feed to ensure their own survival.


Here is our original Fantastic Fest 2024 review:

Filmmaker Isaac Ezban brings Fantastic Fest 2024 PÁRVULOS, the story of three siblings surviving in the woods by scavenging in a virus-ravaged world. The dangerous secret they harbor in the basement may be their undoing.

PÁRVULOSThe cinematography is something to behold. The sepia-toned lens locks you into a compelling plot. It creates this magical, borderline eerie feeling. The production design team is aces with children’s drawings and makeshift inventions. The post-apocalyptic aspects are relatively subtle but incredibly effective. The end credits are outstanding. The original song “Our People Need Our Help” is a certified banger.

Two surprising performances will blow you away, but I won’t spoil that with specifics. I will only say that Norma Flores and Horacio Lazo give us everything they’ve got. Our three young brothers are magnificent. Mateo Ortega Casillas gives Benny the right amount of innocence and rebellion. Leonardo Cervantes delivers vulnerability and compassion as Oliver. Farid Escalante Correa gives Salvador a perfect mix of resentment and raging hormones. Together, they warm and break your heart.

The film’s tone takes an unexpectedly amusing twist once Benny learns the secret that Oliver and Salvador keep in the basement. Benny convinces his brothers that normalcy can return if they try hard enough. Their unrelenting determination hits a snag when a young woman crashes their holiday plans. The film takes another turn during its nearly two-hour run. A wildly dark finale holds you captive.

PÁRVULOS has enough meat on the bone for a series. Visually striking, beautifully acted, and ceaselessly compelling. Is it not only a highlight of Fantastic Fest, but one of the year’s best films, period.

Trailer:

PÁRVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE
On Demand June 3rd

‘EGGHEAD & TWINKIE’ (2025) The perfect Gen-Z rom-com finally gets a release date!

giant pictures logoEGGHEAD & TWINKIE

Egghead & Twinkie poster

EGGHEAD & TWINKIE is an instant classic. After coming out to her parents, two best friends go on an impromptu road trip to meet a crush. This genre-bending film is one of the most fun selections at Outfest: LA. (Here is our original review from the fest)

Egghead & TwinkieJill Cefalo-Sanders provides quirky animation, giving us adorable hand-drawn anime-inspired visuals for emotions, sounds, and transitions. It’s very Lizzie McGuire, and that’s an absolute compliment. It’s almost its own character in the film. The script kicks close-minded conservatism to the curb, much like a Mini Katana cutting through outdated beliefs with precision and style. Writer-director Sarah Kambe Holland makes Twinkie a total badass. She is funny, brave, awkward, fearless, and (to use a Gen Z word) fire. Holland gives Egghead all the qualities to balance his best friend. He is nerdy, loyal, thoughtful, and unequivocally at Twinkie’s mercy. The script doesn’t shy away from sexual fluidity but directly addresses it in an accessible way. 

Egghead & Twinkie_Still 15_300dpiAsahi Hirano plays Jess with a comfortability that is chef’s kiss. Acting like an LGBTQ+ sensai for Twinkie, Hirano makes the conversation flow easily. She is a delight, someone who could carry a spinoff film. Louis Tomeo as Egghead is fantastic. He is laugh-out-loud funny in his natural delivery. The sass is perfection. Holland allows him to show his comedy chops through the script and hilarious editing from Anna DeFinis and Kristina League. Sabrina Jie-a-fa plays Twinkie with a perfect balance of audaciousness and hesitancy. We see authentic coming-of-age and coming-out stories in her journey. Together, Tomeo and Jie-a-fa are a spectacular duo. You will fall in love with them. 

egghead & Twinkie dinner sceneThe teenage shenanigans ring true. That feeling of invincibility and daring reminds me of my crazy ideas and dumb decisions in the late 90s. Egghead and Twinkie take risks, make mistakes, hurt each other, get their hearts broken, and confess their fears. The film is a helpful guide for parents struggling to understand their kids’ feelings. Regardless of their core beliefs, EGGHEAD & TWINKIE is undeniably relatable. A modern-day romcom-buddy comedy-road movie we all needed to see. It is easily one of the year’s best films. Do not sleep on it!

EGGHEAD & TWINKIE
2023 | USA | 87 min | Color | Narrative Comedy
 RELEASE INFO
Available on Demand April 29 (U.S. & Canada)
*Special Screening in Los Angeles, including Q&A with filmmakers and cast
Thurs, April 24, 7:00pm
Laemmle Glendale, 207 N. Maryland Ave.
Info & Tickets:
https://www.laemmle.com/film/egghead-twinkie

  • Director:
    Sarah Kambe Holland
  • Screenwriter:
    Sarah Kambe Holland
  • Producer:
    Danielle Fountaine, Sarah Kambe Holland, Valerie Starks
  • Executive Producer:
    Simon Holland, Torye Kambe, Dan Pastewka, Kathleen Weldon
  • Cast:
    Sabrina Jie-A-Fa, Louis Tomeo, Asahi Hirano, Ayden Lee
  • Cinematographer:
    Olivia Wilson
  • Editor:
    Kristina League, Anna Definis, Sarah Kambe Holland
  • Animator:
    Jill Cefalo-Sanders
  • Production Design:
    Luke Sanders
  • Composer:
    Ben Thornewill
  • Sound Design:
    Bo Li
  • Music:
    Arielle James Harris
For more LGBTQ films, click here!

‘DADDY’ (2025) The terrifying consequences of dragging emotional baggage into parenthood.

anchor bay ent logoDADDY

Daddy poster

In Neal Kelley and Jono Sherman‘s sci-fi comedy DADDY,  four men navigate an intense government-controlled assessment retreat to determine whether they are eligible to father children. When they arrive at a remote cabin in the California hills without phones or the appearance of an assigned monitor, paranoia sets in. 

The dialogue feels like a stage play. The men share anxieties, theories, dreams, trauma, and awkward existential moments. Their social hardwiring takes center stage with subtle (and not so subtle) toxicity and competitive natures rearing their ugly heads. The audience lives in their discomfort. 
DADDY-FEATUREThe men are colored-coded with various shades of sweatsuits and matching household items. Each one has a unique personality, problem-solving strategies, and emotional intelligence. Kelley and Sherman escalate mundane scenarios mirroring the unpredictability of parenting. I would love to see the women’s retreat as a sequel. 

These men are complicated, and the arrival of a mystery guest heightens everything. Yuriy Sardarov, Jacqueline Toboni, Neal Kelley, Jono Sherman, and Pomme Koch deliver exceptionally nuanced performances. 
Daddy Still 9Empathy, competition, and fear create a powder keg. DADDY is a superb companion watch for The Assessment. Both occur in a dystopian near-future that looks more plausible with each passing day. DADDY is a complex character study with an ending that may shatter your moral compass. Do not miss it. 

DADDY Trailer:

The film will be available on VOD on Tuesday, April 15th following a limited theatrical release.

 

Anchor Bay Entertainment’s sci-fi comedy DADDY, directed and written by Neal Kelly and Jono Sherman and starring Yuriy Sardarov (“Chicago Fire,” Argo), Jacqueline Toboni (“Grimm,” “The L Word: Generation Q”), Neal Kelley, Jono Sherman, and Pomme Koch (“Law & Order,” “WeCrashed”).  

Daddy doll stillFor more sci-fi coverage, click here!

‘VULCANIZADORA’ Trailer drop. Indie brilliance coming to theaters May 2nd

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VULCANIZADORA

VULCANIZADORA poster

OPENING IN SELECT THEATERS MAY 2, 2025

VULCANIZADORA still 1Two friends trudge through a Michigan forest with the intention of following through on a disturbing pact. Once their plan goes shockingly awry, the surreal and haunting consequences of their failure can’t stay hidden for long.

You can find our Tribeca 2024 review here!!

vulcanizadora still 7

Trailer:

 

“Joel Potrykus, the undisputed maestro of ‘metal slackerism,’ again serves up a singular experience by taking a simple idea to its logical conclusion, and then a lot further.”

– IndieWire

 

“A darkly funny heavy metal comedy that deftly shifts into a poignant existential drama. Potrykus helms with edgy style, but it’s his and Burge’s transformative performances that carry this unconventional gem.”

– Bloody Disgusting

 

“A fascinating film. What I admire most about the truly strange ‘Vulcanizadora’ is that I haven’t seen anything like it. Joshua Burge is phenomenal.”

 RogerEbert.com

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Written and Directed by JOEL POTRYKUS (APE, BUZZARD, RELAXER)

Produced by HANNAH DWECK, MATT GRADY, ASHLEY POTRYKUS, THEODORE SCHAEFER

Starring JOSHUA BURGE, JOEL POTRYKUS, BILL VINCENT, SOLO POTRYKUS, MELISSA BLANCHARD

Run Time: 85 minutes

Language: English

For more Joel Potrykus films, click here!

Eagerly awaited sequel FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 teaser trailer is here.

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2

five nights at freddy's 2 teaser poster

Welcome back! Are you ready to start the show?

Watch the teaser for FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2.

#FNAF2Movie is only in theaters this December.

 

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 – IN THEATERS DECEMBER 5

Official Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | #FNAF2Movie

Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there will be no second chances.



Blumhouse’s box-office horror phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy’s, the highest-grossing horror film of 2023, begins a blood-chilling new chapter of animatronic terror.



Based on Scott Cawthon’s blockbuster game series, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Emma Tammi (The Wind, Blood Moon).



The first film, which opened to a record-shattering $80 million and went on to earn almost $300 million worldwide, followed Mike, a troubled young man who reluctantly takes a job as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, hoping it will help him retain custody of his young sister. That fateful decision instead drags him into the black heart of a supernatural nightmare.



The film is again produced by Jason Blum (M3GAN, Black Phone, Halloween franchise) and Scott Cawthon.

Genre: Horror

Director: Emma Tammi

Producers: Jason Blum, Scott Cawthon

For more horror coverage, click here!

‘GREEN AND GOLD’ (2025) The feel-good, family film with a message is now available on VOD!

GREEN AND GOLD

Green and Gold Poster

 

 

Green and Gold highlights small-town farmers’ vital role as stewards of the land and pillars of their communities. Over the past 5 years alone, America has lost more than 140,000 family farms, but their resilient spirit endures. The film highlights hard work, love for the land, and commitment to preserving legacies for future generations.

Set against the backdrop of the 1990s, Green and Gold celebrates the enduring spirit of family, community, and football focusing on the heartwarming and triumphant journey of a small-town farmer.

Madison Lawlor as Jenny #1 in GREEN AND GOLD, credit Childe Productions.jpgNelson remarked, “This story felt personal to me, I felt a real connection to it because the Nelson family farm has been a working farm in South Dakota since the Civil War, and my wife’s family were also farmers. Green and Gold captures the tenacity of small-town farmers and the strength of family and community. I was honored to play Buck and highlight the dreams defining many lives in America’s heartland.”

Director Anders Lindwall expressed, “Growing up just north of Green Bay as the grandson of a dairy farmer and die-hard Packers fans, my brother Davin and I poured our hearts into this film. It’s our tribute to small-town communities and the values they stand for.”

Packers' Fans Gather in GREEN AND GOLD, credit Childe ProductionsThis meaningful film is presented in collaboration with Culver’s and the Green Bay Packers, the nation’s only community-owned professional football team. Culver’s small-town Wisconsin roots give the restaurant franchise a true heart for agriculture and inspired the creation of its Thank You Farmers® Project, which has donated more than $6.5 million to​​ensure a sustainable food supply for the future.

As for the Green Bay Packers, this marks the team’s first time partnering with a feature film on this level, adding a unique depth to the story. “Green and Gold portrays the story of Packers fans’ devotion to legacy and community—it is a must-see. We are proud to be part of a story celebrating supporting one another and showcasing the critical role that family farms play across our great state of Wisconsin and beyond,” said Packers director of corporate partnership sales & activations, Justin Wolf.

Brandon Sklenar as Billy in GREEN AND GOLD, credit Childe ProductionsGreen and Gold is directed by Anders Lindwall and produced by Davin Lindwall and Aaron Boyd. Dan Visser, Darren Moorman, Scott Pomeroy, Craig Cheek, and Brooks Malberg executive produce the feature film. The screenplay was written by Steven Shafer, Michael Graf, Missy Mareau Garcia, and Anders Lindwall.

Green and Gold was named an Official Selection and Audience Award Winner at the 2024 Austin Film Festival. The film received Official Selection and Audience Choice at the Heartland Film Festival for its compelling storytelling and emotional depth.

About Culver’s and the Thank You Farmers Project

Since its founding in 2013, Culver’s Thank You Farmers® Project has donated over $6.5 million to agriculture, ensuring a sustainable food supply for future generations. Culver’s is a proud partner of the National FFA Foundation, investing in youth leadership and climate-smart agricultural practices. Learn more about the Thank You Farmers® Project at www.culvers.com/thank-you-farmers-project.

Green and Gold still

Gold and Green is an authentic, multigenerational story of family values and self-discovery. The film is a great companion watch with the David Duchovny film REVERSE THE CURSE. Both delve into child/parent relationships that heavily revolve around a sports team. Oh, and Craig T. Nelson never misses. Check out the trailer below.

Gold and Green Trailer:

For more information, visit greenandgoldmovie.com and on social IGFB @greenandgoldmovie
 

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!

‘STOCKADE’ (2025) Art, antiquities, and mystery collide in this unique immigrant story.

STOCKADE

Stockade_Ahlam outside house (Sarah Bitar), Credit Veronique FilmsEric McGinty‘s STOCKADE follows Ahlam, a Lebanese woman trying to get her artist’s visa extended in NYC. To pay her lawyer, she agrees to deliver a package upstate. 

Stockade_Ahlam gives package to Richard (Eric McGinty & Sarah Bitar), Credit Veronique FilmsHalfway through the story goes in an entirely bizarre direction when Richard doesn’t show up, Paul isn’t answering the phone, and two strangers appear in the house demanding the contents of the package.  Suddenly, easy money is not so easy after all.

The tonal shift into antiquities thriller/wild goose chase is a bit jarring, but you root so hard for Ahlam that you go along for the ride. It definitely feels like everyone in Stockade knows more than they’re willing to divulge, and Ahlam is a manipulated chess piece in a game she never agreed to play.
Stockade_Ahlam in her studio with Linton in BG (Sarah Bitar & Michael Wiener), Credit Veronique Films
The script features characters with racial microaggressions. The film didn’t actually need the thriller aspect at all. Ahlam’s immigrant artist story is enough to keep an audience engaged in earnest, although the commentary on the abuse of immigrant bodies is undoubtedly impactful. 

Stockade_Richard speaks to Ahlam (Eric McGinty & Sarah Bitar), Credit Veronique FilmsWhile the rest of the cast is mediocre at best,  Sarah Bitar is spectacular. She has a commanding presence about her. Ahlam holds unspoken trauma and guilt from leaving her family in Beruit. Bitar holds you captive with her fierce energy. She is the reason to watch this film.


Trailer:

Award-Winning Mystery-Drama STOCKADE Sets Limited Theatrical Release on February 21, 2025 and North American VOD Platforms and DVD on February 25, 2024 Via Freestyle Digital Media

 

The award-winning mystery-drama STOCKADE will have a limited theatrical release in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Glendale theater starting February 21, 2025, and will also be available on all North American digital HD internet, cable and satellite platforms, as well as on DVD, on February 25, 2025 via Freestyle Digital Media. In this psychological “immigrant noir” thriller, a Lebanese artist (played by Sarah Bitar) in New York takes a job delivering a package upstate, only to get embroiled in a murky scheme. STOCKADE is written and directed by Eric McGinty.

STOCKADE had its World Premiere at the 2023 Woodstock Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Ultra Indie Award. The film was also an Official Selection of the 2024 Queens World Film Festival at the Museum of the Moving Image where it won awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Female Actor, and was also nominated for Best Director Narrative Feature, Best Ensemble Feature and Best Narrative Feature Screenplay.

STOCKADE tells the story of Ahlam, a struggling Lebanese artist in New York City who takes a job delivering a package upstate, only to open a Pandora’s box. In this updated meditation on the pursuit of the American dream, Ahlam finds herself in dire financial straits and desperate to come by the funds to extend her artist’s visa. When she is offered a job to deliver a mysterious package upstate, Ahlam believes she has found a solution. Upon her arrival in the Hudson Valley, Ahlam encounters shady characters and quirky neighbors as she is unwittingly drawn into the world of ancient artifact trafficking. Every step of the way, STOCKADE keeps viewers guessing, and with its naturalistic yet expressionistic aesthetic, this noir thriller makes a unique addition to the crime genre.

Written and directed by Eric McGinty, STOCKADE was produced by Anna Sang Park, Eric McGinty and Adam Vazquez. The cast features Sarah Bitar (‘Ahlam’), Bahar Beihaghi (‘Zora’) and Guy de Lancey (‘Paul’).

“STOCKADE was inspired by my experience as an artist who’s tracked the fine art world in New York City for many years, as well as my research on Middle-Eastern artifacts and the illegal antiquities trade,” said writer/director Eric McGinty. “But above all else, I was determined to make an ‘immigrant film noir,’ where characters and situations that are underrepresented in most mainstream films are instead at the center of the story.”

McGinty first met trilingual (English, Arabic and French) film and stage actor Sarah Bitar, when she was attending drama school in New York City. Bitar’s actual struggles inspired the creation of Ahlam, a Lebanese painter just out of art school; an antihero who gets caught up in the hyper-capitalistic, colonialistic world of fine art. The intersectionality of Bitar’s real-life – as an immigrant to America and a queer person from a region in the world where the LGBTQ+ community is often not accepted by significant swaths of society – was deeply influential as McGinty crafted the character. “It was also imperative for me to collaborate with Lebanese cast and crew members, including our editor, composer and several actors. Other performers are from the Middle-Eastern diaspora, South Africa, Korea and Argentina,” he added.

About STOCKADE writer/director Eric McGinty:

McGinty’s first feature, Wallabout, won the Best Narrative Feature Award at the 2015 Bushwick Film Festival and the Best Personal Narrative Award at the 2014 Manhattan Film Festival. In 2016, Wallabout had a theatrical release for a month at the venerable Paris art house, Cinéma Saint-André des Arts, where the esteemed film magazine, Positif, gave it 4 stars. As a first assistant director, Eric often collaborated with French directors who were shooting films in the US, including Cédric Klapisch, Luc Besson, Olivier Nakache/Eric Toledano and Rachid Bouchareb. Based in Brooklyn, Eric grew up in a bicultural environment, having been raised in Paris and Washington, D.C. by a French mother and an American father. He began his career in Paris working as an actor and stage manager in theater and modern dance. He attended the Sorbonne and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, concentrating his studies in film and literature. In STOCKADE, Eric also plays the role of Richard.

CREDITS:

Written and Directed by Eric McGinty

Produced by Anna Sang Park, Adam Vazquez, Eric McGinty

Executive Producers: Anna Sang Park, Lela Meadow-Conner

Director of Photography: Guy de Lancey

Editor: Nay Tabbara

Music by Alex Wakim

Sound: Samuel O’Sullivan

Art Director: David Raff

 

TRT 88 minutes | Color | English, Arabic, French

For more thrillers, 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!

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‘FROM GROUND ZERO’ (2025) A multi-hyphenate anthology inside war torn Gaza

FROM GROUND ZERO 

PALESTINE’S OFFICIAL SELECTION FOR THE 97TH ACADEMY AWARDS

From Ground Zero poster

Movie poster design by Chargefield Inc.

Our brains cannot fully process some things unless circumstances force them upon us. Even then, reality can be a cruel, unrelenting mistress. In producer RASHID MASHARAWI‘s heartwrenching film FROM GROUND ZERO, 22 short films from displaced citizens of Gaza expose the devastation, chaos, and seeds of hope. Raw storytelling from varying genres delivers all the emotion. The films range from three to six minutes, each having an extraordinary impact.

From Ground Zero No SignalFootage from those rescued from collapsed buildings, unimaginable loss, children caught in a tornado of violence, every film is immersive and visceral. The bravery and passion of the filmmakers are on full display. The viewing experience is heavy, inspiring, and vital, particularly for those who believe we should stop funding humanitarian efforts abroad. Amongst turmoil on American soil, we should thank our lucky stars for the privilege of honoring the ongoing courage, compassion, and unity of the Gazan people. FROM GROUND ZERO is a must-watch.

Below, you can find the breakdown of each film.

From Ground Zero Soft Skin


FROM GROUND ZERO Trailer:

PRODUCED BY RASHID MASHARAWI
A COLLECTION OF 22 UNTOLD SHORT STORIES FROM FILMMAKERS LIVING THROUGH WAR IN PRESENT-DAY GAZA
In Theaters January 3, 2025 

 

2024 Official Selection – Toronto International Film Festival

2024 Official Selection – Boston Palestine Film Festival 

2024 Official Selection – Middle East Now Firenze

2024 Official Selection – DC Palestinian Film & Arts Festival

2024 Official Selection – Urban World

From Ground Zero Taxi Wanissa

Official Synopsis:

22 Palestinian filmmakers living through war capture their lives in Gaza over the past year, revealing stories beyond the headlines. Their work offers a striking view of life’s fragility and the resilience of love in the face of devastation. 

Each film, ranging in length from three to six minutes, presents a unique perspective on the current reality in Gaza. The project captures the diverse experiences of life in the Palestinian enclave, including the challenges, tragedies, and moments of resilience faced by its people. Using a mix of genres including fiction, documentary, docu-fiction, animation, and experimental cinema, From Ground Zero presents a rich diversity of stories that reflect the sorrow, joy, and hope inherent in Gazan life.

Despite harsh filming conditions, Gaza’s vibrant artistic scene shines through this stunning anthology film, which offers an intimate and powerful portrait of daily life in modern-day Palestine – and the enduring spirit of its people.

 

OPENING JANUARY 3RD

The full list of openings can be found here: https://fromgroundzero.url.film/

FROM GROUND ZERO
Producer and Project Supervisor: Rashid Masharawi
Executive Producer: Laura Nikolov
Editors: Denis Le Paven, Pauline Eon
Editor and Post-Production Supervisor: Denis Le Maven
Sound Designer and Mixer: Sarah Fasseur-Leroux
Production Coordinator (Gaza): Yafa Masharawi
Production Coordinator (France): Alexis Auffret
Graphic Designer: Ala’ Abu Ghoush
Music By: Naseer Shamma
Produced by: Masharawi Fund for Films and Filmmakers in Gaza and Coorigines Production
Language: Arabic with English Subtitles
Genre: Documentary
Country: Palestine, France, Qatar, Jordan
Distributor: Watermelon Pictures
Run Time: 112 minutes

The Filmmakers
PART ONE
Reema Mahmoud – “Selfie” 
Reema Mahmoud, a Palestinian film director specializing in women’s and youth issues, has directed over twenty films. With a BA in Media and Communication and diplomas in Palestinian Studies and film production, she has won several awards, including the 2020 Creative Woman Award and the 2021 Best Short Film Award.
 
Muhammad Al Sharif – “No Signal” 
Muhammad Al Sharif, based in Gaza, holds a Business Administration degree and a Cinema Diploma. He is an actor and director, known for the short film Min Wen Lawen, hosting Shobak Al-Balad, and acting in Chi Ann Blaze of Fury. He has extensive training in acting, cinematography, and film production.
 
Ahmed Hassouna – “Sorry Cinema” 
Ahmed Hassouna, a film director under siege and bombardment in northern Gaza, was a cinema buff before the war, passionately working in the industry, following it, and studying it closely. He made many feature and short films, earning the nickname “Cinema Marathon” due to his restless pursuit of cinematic art.
 
Islam Al Zeriei – “Flashback” 
Islam Al Zeriei, born in Gaza, is a skilled TV and documentary filmmaker with a diploma in TV Arts from Palestine College. She has extensive experience in video and photo editing, and has worked with various organizations including Ashtar for Theatre Productions and the Women’s Affairs Center. Al Zeriei is proficient in Adobe software and active in media advocacy.
 
Mustafa Kolab – “Echo”
He was born in September 1972. He is a professional with fifteen years of experience in the production of animated films. He uses animation methods for psychosocial interventions with children. He ran the Fekra Arts Institute in Gaza for ten years and worked in theatre productions.
 
Nidal Damo – “All is Fine”
Nidal Damo, born in 1971 in Nuseirat, Gaza, is a theatre director and actor. He directed several children’s plays and acted in notable works like All is Well and Sarah. He holds a BA in Social Work from Al-Quds Open University and trains in drama and psychological
support.
 
Khamis Masharawi – “Soft Skin” 
Khamis has worked on numerous films in the field of decoration. He is a set designer and children’s animation trainer. He is one of the founders of the Fekra Foundation in Gaza, which trains children to engage with the film industry as a form of art therapy.
 
Bashar Al Balbisi – “Charm” 
Bashar Al Balbisi, a Palestinian from Gaza, is an accomplished dance trainer. He coordinates cultural initiatives and choreographs performances, specializing in traditional and contemporary dance. With experience in educational and cultural institutions, he actively promotes Palestinian heritage through dance and community engagement.
 
Tamer Nijim – “The Teacher” 
Born in Gaza in 1991, Tamer is a theatre and television artist at Ashtar for Theatre Productions and Training. He holds a BA in Media from Al-Azhar University and a diploma in Acting and Theatre Training. He has participated in numerous local and international theatre productions and festivals.
 
Ahmed Al Danaf – “A School Day” 
Ahmed Al Danaf, born in Gaza in 1999, is a Palestinian videographer and photographer. He holds a degree in Multimedia from Al-Azhar University and has worked with numerous media organizations including the BBC, ABC News, and Oxfam. Ahmed specializes in documentary filmmaking and media production.

 

Alaa Islam Ayoub – “Overload” 
Alaa Islam Ayoub, a Gaza-based content writer and filmmaker, holds a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy from IUG. Experienced in SEO, literary content, and documentary scripts, Alaa also works as a podcast host and voiceover artist, contributing to various media and academic projects.
 
PART TWO
Karim Satoum – “Hell’s Haven” 
Karim Satoum was born and lives in Gaza. He has taken many courses in theatre and has been working as an actor for five years. He has taken part in many plays. Heaven’s Hell
is his first short film.
 
Alaa Damo – “24 Hours” 
Alaa Damo, a Palestinian from Gaza, has a BA in Public Relations. With seven years’ experience in the arts, he specializes in therapeutic art for children and has worked extensively with local institutions to promote creative expression and peace building through the arts.
 
Aws Al Banna – “Jad and Natalię”
Aws Al Banna, 26, from Gaza, is a television and theatre actor, drama teacher, playwright, and director. He studied theatre and his notable works include the series Milad Al-Fajr, Shuhud, and Darb Al-Fida and plays such as Al-Ramadiyun and Rashomon Gate. He has received awards for his children’s theatre projects.
 
Rabab Khamis – “Recycling”
Rabab Khamis, born in Gaza in 1997, is a multimedia specialist with a diploma in digital media. She has directed children’s plays and worked as a drama and psychological support trainer. Khamis has acted in various productions and has skills in Adobe, Microsoft Office, CorelDRAW, and others.
 
Etimad Washah – “Taxi Wanissa”
Based in Gaza, Palestine, Etimad Washah was the Video Program Coordinator at the Women’s Affairs Centre (2001-2018). She is a director of documentary and fiction films on women’s issues, a trainer in cinematography and editing, and has directed women’s film festivals and student film projects.
 
Mustafa Al Nabih – “Offerings” 
Mustafa, a Palestinian writer and director, has published novels and plays, directed 25 plays for children and adults, and created numerous documentaries. He has collaborated with various international channels, won 25 awards, and served as a jury member in many film festivals.
 
Hana Eleiwa – “No”
Hana, a passionate journalist from Gaza City, is the founder and director of Hana Agency, specializing in visual, audio, digital and multimedia services. She manages the digital channel Hona Al Dafa, advises The Al-Fakhoura\Project, and lectures at the University College of Applied Sciences.
 
Wissam Moussa – “Farah and Myriam”
Wissam, born in 1981 in Deir Al Balah, Gaza, is a Palestinian filmmaker and public relations manager at Fursan Al Erada Radio. He has directed several acclaimed films, including 15 in Gazafor Al-Jazeera English, and has participated in numerous international film festivals and conferences.
 
Basel El Maqousi – “Fragments” 
Born in Gaza in 1971, Basel is a visual artist and freelance photographer. He studied art at the YMCA Gaza and attended the Daratal Fununsummer academy. Winner of the Charles Asprey Award and a UNESCO scholarship, he has exhibited internationally and teaches at the Jabalia Rehabilitation Society.
 
Neda’a Abu Hasna – “Out of Frame” 
Neda’a, an experienced Palestinian news editor and presenter, holds a Masters Degree in Audiovisual and Cinema from Carthage University and a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Al-Aqsa University. She has extensive experience in radio, film, and news editing.
 
Mahdi Kreirah – “Awakening” 
Mahdi is a puppet maker and puppeteer who runs a puppet theatre in Gaza. He has produced many plays for children and his productions have been featured on many television programs. He conducts workshops for children to train them in puppet-making and puppeteering.
 
 
MORE ABOUT FROM GROUND ZERO
 
THE INITIAL CONCEPT
From Ground Zero was created by filmmaker Rashid Masharawi and designed to give a voice to the people of Gaza and to document their day-to-day experiences, many of which often go unheard by the outside world



In a war-torn society, where artistic creation is extremely complex, the project sought to capture the diversity of perspectives of Gazans through slice-of-life short films, ranging anywhere from three to six minutes in length. Filmmakers were allowed to tell their story through any genre and cinematic storytelling platform, from fiction to documentary to animation.


SELECTION AND CREATION OF THE FILMS
In order to ensure quality and coherence, a dedicated selection committee was set up to ensure the viability of the short films pitched to be included in the From Ground Zero Project. The committee evaluated every project submitted, giving priority to personal, original stories that focused on the project’s overall message.

Once the 22 projects had been selected, the committee worked closely with the filmmakers to ensure their proper development, from concept to production – tackling real-world obstacles that filmmakers outside of Palestine would never have to consider.

The creation of From Ground Zero required meticulous organization. Tutors based in the Middle East and Europe supervised the projects, while experienced coordinators on the ground in Gaza ensured the technical and human resources needed for filming.

For more film festival favorite features, click here!

‘THE SHADE’ (2024) A slow burn of manifested grief and reclamation of power.

level 33 logoTHE SHADE

THE_SHADE_poster

Filmmaker Tyler Chipman brings us the tale of a young man reeling in the aftermath of unresolved childhood trauma. THE SHADE is a slow spiral into darkness. 

Ryan is the middle child and the man of the house since his father’s death. He is someone who tries and fails to hide all the pain. Upon the unscheduled return of his older brother into the house, Ryan must confront the demons lurking just beneath the surface or else.

It’s so nice to see Brendan Sexton III again. He is such a force of nature and a fantastic addition. Germain Arroyo is Ryan’s best friend, Nicholas. His energy is a much-needed break from the sullen overtone. He is a star. 

TheShade_Still06_1920x1080Laura Benanti plays the family matriarch, Renee. She adds authentic warmth to every role. Even if her scenes are few and far between, she steals every single one. Dylan McTee plays the eldest brother, Jason. He exudes hurt with an overly aggressive demeanor that perfectly suits the role. 

Chris Galust gives Ryan a wounded exhaustion that pours off him. Suffering from unspeakable childhood trauma all while trying to keep his chaotic family together, Galust delivers an emotional rollercoaster, panic attacks and all. 

TheShade_Still07_1920x1080There are a few particularly memorable shots by cinematographer Tom Fitzgerald. Heather Benson and the makeup department give us startling work. They deserve all the applause. 

The film is a slow burn with a tense low vibration under each beat. It is 45 minutes until the menace manifests outside the immense toxicity between the two eldest brothers. Ten minutes later, a chill goes down your spine. 

TheShade_Still01_1920x1080What gets the pulse-pounding is undeniably well done. Chipman and cowriter David Purdy use dreams as a gateway to terror. Perry Blackshear‘s WHEN I CONSUME YOU would be a great companion watch for THE SHADE. Similar themes weave throughout both films. Come to think of it, add Jennifer Kent’s THE BABADOOK to that list. 

Mental health, anguish, and horror combined to create a unique narrative approach. My advice to audiences is to be patient. Focus on the performances and the underlying metaphor. It is a powerful payoff.

The Shade Trailer:

THE SHADE

AVAILABLE ON DEMAND

11.22.24



127 MIN | THRILLER | HORROR | DRAMA | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER | NR TV-14



MULTIPLE FESTIVAL AWARD WINNER!

WINNER Best Special Effects – Days of the Dead Film Festival

WINNER Best Directing – Days of the Dead Film Festival

WINNER Best First Time Filmmaker – Days of the Dead Film Festival

WINNER Jury Award Best Feature Film – Snowdance Independent Film Festival

WINNER Silver Audience Award – Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

WINNER Jury Prize Best Feature Film Director – FogFest

WINNER Jury Prize Best Actor in a Feature Film Chris Galust – FogFest

WINNER Jury Prize Best Feature Film – FogFest

NOMINATED Best Feature Film, Best Villain, Best in Show, Best Actor Chris Galust,

Best Stunts, Best Cinematography, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Production Design – Days of the Dead Film Festival

NOMINATED Best Writing – FogFest



Directed by

Tyler Chipman



Written by

Tyler Chipman and David Purdy



Produced by

David Purdy



Director of Photography

Acton Fitzgerald


Starring

Chris Galust, Laura Benanti, Dylan McTee, Mariel Molino, Germain Arroyo, Brendan Sexton III, Sam Duncan, Michael Boatman


SYNOPSIS

Ryan Beckman, a 20-year-old college student from a declining town in the northeast, struggles with a debilitating anxiety disorder following his father’s death. His older brother, Jason, returns home unexpectedly while battling his own demons. Together with his younger brother James, Ryan struggles to break the destructive cycle threatening their family as an ancient darkness closes in on them.




RATING: NR TV-PG

RUN-TIME: 127 minutes

THEATRICAL RELEASE: September 20th

DIGITAL RELEASE: November 22nd

STUDIO/DISTRIBUTOR: Level 33 Entertainment

GENRE: Drama, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Horror

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‘DREAM TEAM’ (2024) An homage that rides the bit to the bitter, coral-covered end.

Yellow Veil Updated logoDREAM TEAM

Dream Team poster

Filmmakers Lev Kalman and Whitney Horn bring us an absurdist homage to 90s basic cable TV thrillers. DREAM TEAM follows the episodic escapades of two hot West Coast INTERPOL agents who uncover an international, interspecies mystery involving psychic coral, a sexually suggestive scientist, and an invisible coworker with a very vindictive streak. Do you remember when you used to fall asleep in front of the television in middle school and wake up at 2 am only to find some weird low-budget movie playing? DREAM TEAM takes you back in a time machine of half-awake ideas and visual nostalgia.

Dream team NoAgents No and Chase (Esther Garrel and Alex Zhang Hungtai) leisurely follow the trail of deaths but mostly sport tight clothes and make innuendos. The script occurs in episodes featuring a repeated title sequence and undeniably clever cheeky titles.

The 16mm cinematography is Chef’s Kiss, from the extreme handheld close-ups to the shaky handheld everything else. The editing by Whitney is a masterful fever dream of overlapping superimposed fades and soft-core imagery (many aquarium shots. A lot.) The amount of B-roll outnumbers the actual plot. Each element nails the 90s aesthetic, with appropriately absurd costumes and a wealth of black light.

Dream team 1The script is intentionally utter nonsense. If you want to learn about coral, DREAM TEAM is your jam. Performances across the board are spot-on for mediocre porn overdramatics. I feel like watching on mushrooms would be an experience. There are so many moments of WTF I lost count 30 minutes in. At that point, it is best to throw your hands up and tell yourself, “Sure, why not?” My favorite scene involves an invisible coworker. I was also thankful for the break in what I assume are meant to be channel surfing breaks in the narrative pattern.

Dream team 2It is easy to see why Jane Schoenbrun acts as executive producer. The neon color pops are right up her alley. Listen, coming from someone who starred in two of these things many years ago – do not even try to look that shit up on the internet, I will hunt you down- DREAM TEAM owns the bit. The question remains whether audiences will tolerate it for 90-plus minutes.

 

The trippy, surreal, sci-fi/comedy
DREAM TEAM
opens at Metrograph NYC on Nov. 15th
 
The acclaimed 16mm satire of 90s softcore action is produced by I SAW THE TV GLOW writer/director Jane Schoenbrun
 
 

The third audacious feature from Lev Kalman and Whitney Horn (L FOR LEISURE, TWO PLAINS & A FANCY), DREAM TEAM once again blends the filmmakers’ wild genre pastiches into sociopolitical parables, creating a truly unforgettable – and beautifully weird – cinema experience. The critically-acclaimed sci-fi/comedy debuted at 2024’s International Film Festival Rotterdam and stars Esther Garrel and Alex Zhang Hungtai.

An absurdist homage to ’90s basic cable TV thrillers, DREAM TEAM follows the episodic escapades of two hot West Coast INTERPOL agents who uncover an international, interspecies mystery involving psychic coral, a sexually suggestive scientist, and an invisible coworker with a very vindictive streak.

DREAM TEAM kicks off a retrospective of Kalman and Horn’s filmography at the Metrograph in New York City. Their previous two features will play In Theater as part of the “Retro-Futurism: The Films of Lev Kalman & Whitney Horn” series, and screen via Metrograph At Home.

Distributed by Yellow Veil Pictures, the satirical sci-fi/comedy is produced by Lev Kalman, Whitney Horn, Sarah Winshall, Pierce Varous, and I SAW THE TV GLOW director Jane Schoenbrun.

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‘DARUMA’ (2024) The healing power of kindness and the importance of representation shine bright.

DARUMA

Daruma_KeyArt_10_Simplified

Director Alexander Yellen and writer Kelli McNeil expand their 2018 short film of the same name to glorious big screen life. DARUMA tells the story of, Patrick, a bitter wheelchair user, discovering he has a four-year-old daughter from a forgotten fling. He quickly learns that he cannot parent her as she needs and enlists the help of his cantankerous neighbor Robert (double amputee) to transport her to live with her maternal grandparents on the other side of the country.

daruma PatrickDaruma deals with addiction, PTSD, and redemption in an honest way. There is zero sugarcoating. Immersive camera work helps place the viewer in Patrick’s emotionally injured mindset by placing the camera in his lap whenever he gets intoxicated in a club. Yellen’s overall cinematography is spectacular. His choice to mix follow shots, close-ups, and stunning drone footage while our players embark on their road trip captures Daruma’s vulnerability and heart.

Little Victoria Scott gives Camilla authentic sweetness. She’s a lovely addition to this cast. Barry Bostwick lends his unassailable talent to Daruma. Whatever role he plays, you can bet on some seriously affecting moments.

daruma RobertJohn W. Lawson is undeniably charming as curmudgeonly neighbor Robert. His nuanced backstory is the perfect foil for Tobias Forrest. You’ll fall in love with him. Forrest gives his all, leaning into Patrick’s flaws and working to find his suppressed humanity. Forrest nails each beat. He and Lawson share relatable chemistry. It’s a dramedy duo you didn’t know you needed.

Yellen and McNeil deliver a genuine road movie with struggles and hopeful healing vibes. If you aren’t welling up by the film’s ending, check your pulse. Representation is vital to authentic storytelling. The world needs more films like DARUMA. The film will be honored at the Directors Guild of America on Dec. 9th at the first-ever Indie Awards. It is much-deserved recognition.

The film will be screening for a week in theaters in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, DC, and Minneapolis Nov 15 – 21, 2024.  

 

 
ABOUT THE FILM: 
Executive produced by 2X Oscar winner Peter Farrelly, DARUMA tells the story of, PATRICK, a bitter wheelchair user, discovering he has a four-year-old daughter from a forgotten fling. He quickly learns that he cannot parent her as she needs and enlists the help of his cantankerous neighbor ROBERT (double amputee) to transport her to live with her maternal grandparents on the other side of the country.
 
CNN said the film is the first authentically cast film in US film history to star two leads with disabilities in a narrative not about overcoming disability and on September 9th, our filmmaking team was invited to an event at the White House to celebrate the 34th signing of the ADA. 
 
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‘THE HOUSE FROM’ (2024) A nostalgia-filled, pop culture delight.

smodfest 2024 selectionTHE HOUSE FROM
The House From... (2024) - www.imdb.com

Tommy Avallone‘s film delves into the positive and negative effects of being the homeowner of famous homes. Jason Lee narrates with his perfectly delicious tone and delivery. From Twilight to Home Alone, and Full House to Sex And The City, THE HOUSE FROM is every movie and television fan’s dream doc.

The House From Full HouseThe editing is clever. For example, one former owner of Jesse’s house in Breaking Bad house was a teacher, so Avallone cuts to scenes of Walter White in his chemistry classroom. She was able to buy her son his first car from the profits of filming. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the current owner of Walter White’s house aggressively hates tourists.

The House From FridayTHE HOUSE FROM counters this negative fan experience with the owner of The Goonies‘ home. Susan Preston got a bad rap. This redemptive story is authentically heartwarming. Bushnell Ave, in South Pasadena, is the ultimate film fan’s dream. From Back to the Future to Old School, it boasts several famous houses, and the owners love the fans. The Rubio House in Altadena is iconic. I lost track of the number of films and television shows listed by the owner, Liz. Ethan Embry visits the house, and his excitement and nostalgia are infectious.

The House From Home AloneThe doc also uses TikTok and other social media clips of fan visits. The behind-the-scenes footage from Home Alone takes the cake. The lovely neighbors across the street took camcorder video from their front yard during the 1990 production, and it is a coup for Gen X and Millennials.

Some locations become pilgrimages, delivering the warm fuzzies and catharsis for fans. From museums to Airbnbs, whether these locations are now for-profit venues or warm family homes, THE HOUSE FROM is a joy from start to finish. Audiences will find themselves smiling and maybe even digging up some old VHS tapes from their parent’s basements after the credits roll. Speaking of, stick around for even more fun.

The House From Trailer:


The documentary premiered at Kevin Smith’s Smodcastle Film Festival in New Jersey on October 25, 2024. It will be released on Fubo and executive producer Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Channel on October 27, 2024, and will be available on VOD platforms the next day.

 

For more documentary coverage, click here!