‘HOLD THE FORT’ (Fantasia 2025) Bringing neighbors together for a goofy and gory good time.

Fantasia 2025 posterHOLD THE FORT

HOLD THE FORT

Filmmaker William Bagley brings his horror comedy HOLD THE FORT to Fantasia 2025. The film follows a young couple’s move into the neighborhood, who are acutely unaware of the expectations of their HOA. Upon their invitation to an annual get-together, they learn the fine print involves a particular species of grass and fighting monsters from a hell portal.

HOLD THE FORT is Evil Dead meets Cabin in the Woods, but in the suburbs. Our newbies, Jenny and Lucas, must face their fears and learn to love their HOA as a portal to hell spews out various evil creatures in a few blood-spattered hours. Of course, Bagley gives us a badass militant hero character named McScruffy, who repeatedly gets shot by accident. Cocaine, moonshine, muscle relaxer-laced cheesesticks, a raffled-off shotgun, and an enchanted sword are all vital players in the magnificent chaos.

HOLD THE FORT_1The complete nonchalance of the residents sets the tone for HOLD THE FORT. Nagley delivers over-the-top characters and laugh-out-loud one-liners from beginning to end. Creature builds are super fun, practical FX are decent, mostly throwing buckets of blood on Lucas, and one gnarly gunshot wound. Colored lights delineate each monster in a fashion similar to the 2000s Syfy network, and it is a perfect match for the film’s subgenre. The score reminds me of Ren and Stimpy, and that’s the best way to describe it.

Performances across the board are fantastic. The script leans on Lucas’ arc from wimp to hero, but it is the deadly serious commitment from the rest of the ensemble that takes the cake. Julian Smith as HOA president, Jerry, is a knockout. Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson is outstanding as McScruffy. Tordy Clark as neighborhood druggy, Leslie, nails it. Chris Mayers gives Lucas his best EVIL DEAD Ash impression.

Fantasia 2025 audiences are in for a goofy, gory goodness. It’s a done deal. PS- Stay for the credits for a bit of extra fun.


Screenings at Fantasia International Film Festival

HOLD THE FORT / World Premiere at Fantasia

Date: Wednesday, July 16th

Time: 9:30 PM

Location: Salle J.A. De Sève

1400 de, Maisonneuve Blvd W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8, Canada

 

HOLD THE FORT / 2nd Screening at Fantasia

Date: Saturday, July 26th

Time: 12:00 PM

Location: Salle J.A. De Sève

1400 de, Maisonneuve Blvd W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8, Canada

 


HOLD THE FORT

World Premiering at Fantasia International Film Festival on July 16

Synopsis: HOLD THE FORT follows Lucas and Jenny who think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.

Studio: Blue Finch Films

Director/Writer: William Bagley

Story by: Scott Hawkins

Producers: Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, Tim Reis, Julian Smith

Cast: Chris Mayers, Haley Leary, Julian Smith

Genre: Horror-Comedy

Run Time: 74 Minutes

Fantasia 25 bw logoFor all things Fantasia, click here!

‘DROWNING DRY’ (2025) A delicate balancing act of style and story.

dekanolog logoDROWNING DRY

drowning dry poster

Filmmaker Laurynas Bareiša brings the Lithuanian-Latvian drama DROWNING DRY to US audiences, beginning this Friday. Winning the Leopard for Best Direction at the Locarno International Film Festival, Bareiša serves as writer, director, and cinematographer. The story revolves around two sisters who plan a weekend getaway with their husbands and children. Following a tragic accident, both women navigate the complexities of trauma.

DROWNING DRY image 2The organic meandering of unplanned vacation time reads entirely authentic. The montage of the kids’ initial shenanigans and their mothers’ choreographed childhood dance are stand-out moments. At this point in the runtime (35 minutes), the audience could easily tap out. But the request for a swim and an innocent act of horseplay trigger a tonal shift.

DROWNING DRY image 7The film’s deliberate observational pace builds discomfort, only exacerbated by non-linear storytelling. The moment you realize what’s happening, it is like a punch to the gut. This decision will either tantalize audiences or turn them off. Performances are outstanding from our cast of only six. Bareiša’s camerawork is perfect for his stylistic choices. DROWNING DRY is a meditation on loss, examining the varying emotional reactions between the sexes. It is a film that will have you talking about it long after the screen goes dark.

Drowning Dry Trailer: 

THEATRICAL SCREENINGS

New York @ IFC Center: July 18-24*
*Opening Weekend Q&As with Filmmaker Laurynas Bareiša Following Screenings
on Friday, July 18 at 7:20pm (moderated by IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio)
& Saturday, July 19 at 7:20pm (moderator TBA)


Los Angeles @ Laemmle Theaters: July 30 & August 2-3

Screening in Laemmle Claremont (Claremont, CA), Laemmle Glendale (Glendale, CA), Laemmle Monica (Santa Monica, CA), Laemmle Town Center (Encino, CA) & Laemmle Newhall (Santa Clarita, CA)

Cleveland, OH @ Cleveland Cinematheque: July 31 & August 3

Nantucket, MA @ Nantucket Dreamland: August 6


+ Other Cities & Theaters TBA
[More Info & Updates on Dekanalog Website]

It starts with a kick to the head. Mixed martial arts competitor Lukas has just handily defeated his opponent and celebrates with his wife, child, and friends backstage, setting the scene for a nimble combination of communal bonding and looming horrors. Writer-director Laurynas Bareiša, an ND/NF veteran for his debut feature Pilgrims, takes us on a non-linear journey through the experiences and recollections of those who survived tragedy (and those who didn’t), shot with unceasing patience and formal rigor. DROWNING DRY was the second of Bareiša’s films selected as Lithuania’s entry for the Best International Feature Academy Award. Winner of Locarno’s Best Director and, in recognition of its indispensable ensemble of four, Best Performance awards. A Dekanalog release. –New Directors/New Films 2025

 Main Cast: Gelminė Glemžaitė | Agnė Kaktaitė | Giedrius Kiela | Paulius Markevičius

Writer, Director & Cinematographer: Laurynas Bareiša

Producer: Klementina Remeikaitė

Co-producer: Matiss Kaza

Production Designer: Sigita Šimkūnaitė

Editor: Silvija Vilkaitė

Sound Designer: Julius Grigelionis

 

*WINNER* DROWNING DRY

Best Director Award – Locarno Film Festival

Best Performance Ensemble Award – Locarno FF

Jury Special Mention – Riga Int’l Film Festival

Best Film, Rampa Award – Seville European Film Festival

Best Baltic Director Award – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

Best Screenplay Award – Festival de Cinema Europeo Lecce

Best Actor Award (for Paulius Markevičius) – Festival de Cinema Europeo Lecce

Grand Prix – Taipei International Film Festival

 

For more drama coverage, click here!

‘SAINT CLARE’ (2025) Good vs Evil vs Structure.

Quiver LogoSAINT CLARE

SaintClare_Key Art

Mitzi Peirone gives audiences a mashup of ideas in SAINT CLARE. The film follows a college student who has a penchant for taking out bad guys in her sphere. A story of the morally gray, good vs evil, it’s something entirely different.

Girls keep going missing in her new town, and Clare wonders why no one seems to be focusing on the clues. Dealing with heavy childhood trauma, she discovers some seedy photos featuring her friends and one of the missing girls. This Nancy Drew on mushrooms narrative will have your head spinning.

Saint Clare (2024) - [www.imdb.com]Visually and technically stunning, if not a touch confusing storytelling-wise. The script has a Freighteners and Civil Dead meets The Sixth Sense vibe. The camerawork suggests potential mental illness in Clare. The audience constantly questions what is real.

SAINT CLARE_7Ryan Phillipe makes the best of a weird situation. Rebecca De Mornay is a fantastic addition. Frank Whaley made my heart skip a beat. He deserved way more screentime!

More Dexter than Joan of Arc, Bella Thorne‘s spitfire attitude makes SAINT CLARE compelling through the confusion. I could easily see her captivating in a role similar to Jennifer Garner in ALIAS. Honesty, Thorne could easily slot into a new season of Marvel’s Jessica Jones alongside Krysten Ritter. They would kick major ass together.

SAINT CLARE_2The film doesn’t know what genre it wants to be. There is comedy akin to Idol Hands (which is some of the strongest), drama like Pretty Little Liars, and mystery that is as whirlwind as Memento. It feels like a YA graphic novel with panels missing. If anything, SAINT CLARE does make me want to read Don Roff‘s source material, “Clare At Sixteen,” if only for some potential clarification.

OFFICIAL SAINT CLARE TRAILER

SAINT CLARE will be in theaters and on demand and on digital on July 18, 2025.

 

For more thrillers, click here!

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!

‘ALL ALONE TOGETHER’ (2025) Zero budget and immense talent. A fresh filmmaking team comes to life.

Ethos logoALL TOGETHER NOW

All-Alone-Together Poster

Maximus Jenkins delivers a twisted tale in the indie horror ALL TOGETHER NOW. A clever bait-and-switch, the film opens in a very meta way, with aspiring filmmaker Lincoln hitting it big following a festival screening. Real-world success gets complicated when the lines between his creation and trauma quickly blur.

All Alone Together 4This is the epitome of great indie filmmaking. Every aspect is genuinely impressive. Kaleb Manske‘s editing is jarring as hell, earning honest-to-goodness jump scares. The dynamic focus is incredibly effective. The soundtrack is fantastic. I’m obsessed with the repeated use of the “Always Forever ” track.

All Alone Together 2Alex Nimrod has a presence that reminds me of a cross between a young Matthew Broderick and bonafide Scream King, Justin Long. The camera loves him. He gives Lincoln charming discomfort at first. Nimrod has the chance to show his acting chops through through the subtle building of creepiness throughout the film. Lincoln’s perception of reality is thoroughly warped, sending the audience into a tailspin alongside him. Nimrod, who also pens the screenplay, goes there and never hesitates. A particular bathroom scene, one that would give any script supervisor a heart attack, is award-worthy.

all alone together 5ALL ALONE TOGETHER is a physical manifestation of unresolved trauma and suicidal ideation. The film is an undeniably slick piece of psychological horror. While it’s a deliberately dark journey down the rabbit hole and straight into hell, it’s also a sharp commentary about art as therapy.

All Alone Together Teaser Trailer:

ALL ALONE TOGETHER is now on VOD from Ethos Releasing

 

ALL ALONE TOGETHER is the debut feature film from 4085 Productions, a student-run production company that began during the COVID-19 pandemic when four Los Angeles college students decided to combat their isolation through the art of filmmaking. 

Their first film made waves at Panic Fest, Popcorn Frights, and the Chicago Horror Film Festival, with Morbidly Beautiful raving, “Creative, engrossing, smartly scripted, and masterfully executed on a shoestring budget, ALL ALONE TOGETHER is meta-movie magic at its best.”

As a tormented filmmaker reaches new levels of success, the horrors of his film start to creep into his life. This shocking creepfest is at once a harrowing psychodrama of a broken man spiraling into paranoia, trauma, and guilt – all of which manifests as a monstrous entity – while also presenting a fascinating reflection on the cathartic power of filmmaking itself.

 

For more horror coverage, click here!

 

 

‘MR. BLAKE AT YOUR SERVICE!’ (2025) John Malkovich stars in this exquisite French dramedy about human connection.

MR. BLAKE AT YOUR SERVICE!

Gilles Legardinier brings audiences a sweet meditation on grief and love in MR. BLAKE AT YOUR SERVICE! The film follows a widowed businessman who accidentally takes a position as a butler in the manor where he first met his late wife. 

Mr. Blake at Your Service John MalkovichMadame Beauvillier heads the estate after her husband’s death. Financially overwhelmed, her goal to open guest rooms seems far-fetched. With a house filled with nuanced staff, Mr. Blake heals his grieving heart by coaxing out the best in each of them. 

Mr. Blake at Your ServiceFanny Ardant is elegant as Madame. Her gentle tone brings a lulling calm that perfectly counters the personalities in the house. Eugénie Anselin’s unhoused and pregnant laundress is a joy. She brings a girlish spark to the complicated crew. 

Philippe Bas is lovely as the groundkeeper, Magnier. Bas navigates a socially anxious man, sharing a darling chemistry with fellow cast members. Émilie Dequenne plays Odile with a staunch sense of responsibility for Madame and the estate. Her dry wit is fantastic, and she skillfully carries her backstory.

Mr. Blake at Your Service 3John Malkovich is a delight in the titular role. Ceaselessly charming and unbelievably funny, Mr. Blake is akin to the more whimsical side of Mary Poppins. Malkovich is a bit of magic here. It’s like watching a master magician pull off a mind-blowing trick. 

Mr. Blake at Your Service 2The location is a dream, a maze of mahogany passageways, lush tapestries, and gorgeous lawns. It is otherworldly. The dialogue has effortless poetry to it. Blake and Madame Beauvillier casually speak to each other as if out of a Jane Austen novel, and somehow it’s entirely enchanting. The script overflows with beautifully complex human connections. MR. BLAKE highlights the immense impact of a moment of kindness and the surprise of second chances.

MR. BLAKE AT YOUR SERVICE! trailer:

Following previews in NYC and LA, the film is expanding its theatrical run with upcoming releases in:

July 4: Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston, and Philadelphia

July 11: Phoenix, Atlanta, Boise, Santa Barbara, and Portland, OR

July 18: Salem, OR; Twin Falls, ID; Lewes, DE; Tulsa, Sedona, and Cincinnati
Additional markets are being added for August, with a digital release set for August 5.

 

Directed by bestselling author Gilles Legardinier and based on his 2012 novel Complètement cramé! from a screenplay written by Legardinier and Cristel Henon.

 

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 dramedy coverage, click here!

‘ZENITHAL’ (2025) Martial arts, mayhem, and a mechanical penis? And it all works brilliantly.

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Zenithal Theatrical Poster

With my mouth agape at the absurdist plot, I guffawed 2 minutes into ZENITHAL, a bizarre love triangle that turns to murder, maniacal mayhem, and one mad surgeon. Director Jean-Baptiste Saurel has a hit on his hands that is unforgettable. 

Ti-Kong is an action star who suffered from a freak mutation resulting in a giant penis. Dry cleaner Francis and martial arts teacher Sonia’s relationship has become strained as they agreed to be celibate for a year. Oh, and all three are also former co-stars. Following a humiliating breakup between Sonia and Francis, someone kills Ti-Kong most violently and unusually. He is “dickapitated,” and the tiny brain in the head of his giant penis is stolen.

ZENITHAL #1 © Jean-Baptiste Saurel _ 2024 - KAZAK PRODUCTIONS (2)Francis believes Sonia has told the police he is responsible, causing him to flee from the authorities. In his desperation, he finds solace in a laundry client who always seems to be wooing Francis away from his station. Turns out this man is no eye-fucking mechanic but a supervillain, woman-hating, mad surgeon named Doctor Sweeper, who wants to upgrade Francis with a massive robotic, brain-implanted penis and blow up the moon to disrupt menstrual cycles. (Still with me?)

ZENITHAL #5 ©Louis Lepron (2)Now, Sonia, Francis’ business partner Marcus, and a few ladies from Sonia’s Sexkido class (a method of martial arts that takes advantage of men’s depravity and returns power to women. While meant to be silly, I think it’s brilliant), must find Doctor Sweeper, save Francis, and clear his name.

Did you get all that? That’s only the first 38 minutes. ZENITHAL is like reading a graphic novel while on a mushroom trip but in the best way. The dialogue is a delicious, hypersexual double entendre. The comedy comes not only in the words but perfectly timed slapstick comedy pushed to the nth degree.

ZENITHAL #4 ©Louis Lepron (2)Performances from the entire cast are phenomenal. They land somewhere in between Austin Powers and Zoolander, with incredible one-liners and a 1000% commitment to the gag.

The cinematography is rom-com sharp. The fight choreography is hilarious. The use of “Behind Blue Eyes” is genius. Beyond all the chaos, ZENITHAL is a love story wrapped in incel culture. It’s a wildly funny, sex-positive crowdpleaser.

Watch the ZENITHAL Trailer:

Dark Star Pictures will release ZENITHAL, the upcoming French eccentric comedy from Jean-Baptiste Saurel (Paramount+’s Zorro), which made a splash at Fantastic Fest, on VOD July 1st. The film stars Franc Bruneau, Sonia, Vanessa Guide, Marcus Cyril Guei (Hitman), and Bruno Gouery (Emily in Paris).

Dark Star Pictures is a new-age North American distribution company, focused on bringing unique and targeted content to audiences across the country. We are committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital and home video space. Our goal is to create original marketing campaigns directly catered to audiences who will embrace our brand of thought-provoking cinema. Dark Star also services distribution companies and producers in the theatrical, digital, and festival space.

 
For more absurdist comedy, click here!

‘STAR PEOPLE’ (DWFLA 2025) There is destiny in the stars in Adam Finberg’s compelling debut.

Dances-With-Films-logo 2025STAR PEOPLE


Poster- STAR PEOPLE (Blue Harbor Entertainment)Adam Finberg‘s narrative feature debut, STAR PEOPLE, arrives to engross Dances With Films LA 2025 audiences. The film follows a photographer who receives a tip about the same strange lights she witnessed in childhood. But, a heatwave and tensions between unexpected guests threaten everything.

Star PeopleThe archival news footage sets a brilliant tone for STAR PEOPLE. Combining alien hunting with an immigration story is incredibly clever and entirely seamless. Finberg brilliantly tackles racism and the sick practices of border coyotes and anti-immigration militants. Everything is high stakes as temperatures rise to deadly levels, and the chance to solve Claire and Taylor’s biggest childhood mystery seems less and less likely.

Connor Paolo plays influencer Justin with a precise amount of self-absorption. Similar to his performance in 13 Reasons Why, Paolo elevates his scene partners with his presence. You will love to hate him in this role. Eddie Martinez is the perfect foil for Paolo, playing the dedicated father, Ricardo. He is passionate and kind, leaving the audience in the shoes of a desperate parent.

Star People Eddie Martinez and Adriana Aluna Martinez in STAR PEOPLE (Blue Harbor Entertainment)McCabe Slye is Claire’s junkie brother Taylor. Slye is outstanding, tapping into Taylor’s manic PTSD like a pro. He steals every frame he’s in. Kat Cunning‘s Claire is desperately chasing answers from childhood. Her comfort in front of the camera is unmatched. She and Slye’s chemistry is movie magic.

Aiden Chapparone‘s cinematography is beautiful. Paired with a perfect synth-inspired score from Reza Safinia, each element complements the next. Claire’s visions are a mix of memories and nightmares. To piggyback on her condition, a theory 3/4 of the way through from the rather loathsome Justin is like a gut punch. You’re so emotionally invested in Claire’s arc that you hope he’s wrong.

STAR PEOPLE truly grabs you from the very first frame. It is a film for dreamers, cynics, and stargazers alike. Mulder was right. The truth is out there. STAR PEOPLE embraces humanity at its best and worst.


Star People Trailer:
 
 

WORLD PREMIERE 

Directed and written by: Adam Finberg

Producers: Adam Finberg and Josh Shader 

Starring: Actor and recording artist Kat Cunning (The Deuce, On Swift Horses), McCabe Slye (Destroyer, Fear Street Trilogy), Connor Paolo (The Last Stop in Yuma County, Revenge, Gossip Girl), Eddie Martinez (The Sinner, Night Swim), Bradley Fisher (Westworld), and Adriana Aluna Martinez (Duster).

Inspired by The Phoenix Lights, the largest mass UFO sighting in U.S. history, STAR PEOPLE is a sci-fi thriller that tells the story of a photographer (Kat Cunning) who receives a tip that could finally shed light on her childhood UFO sighting, but a deadly heatwave and unexpected guests threaten to derail her obsessive search for answers. 

Adam Finberg (Writer/Director/Producer)

Adam Finberg grew up in Phoenix, Arizona,, and moved to Southern California to attend the American Film Institute’s directing program. He’s worked the past 20 years as a writer, director, and editor. Star People is his first feature-length narrative film.

Adam began his career directing music videos (Armin van Buuren, Malbec, Otis) before moving on to commercial work (Napoleon Perdis, GoDaddy). His first documentary, After Katrina: Rebuilding St. Bernard Parish, shined a light on the perils and pains of post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. 

His first feature documentary, The Business of Recovery, dove into the secret lucrative world of the American addiction treatment industry. The film was featured on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver as it sparked conversations about the rehab industry and was even showcased at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Washington, DC to help guide policy decisions.

Through the years, Adam has been a lead editor on numerous unscripted television shows on a variety of networks, including Discovery, WETV, The History Channel, Lifetime, MSNBC, History, TruTV, Oxygen, ABC, CMT, Showtime, VH1, and MTV. 

Running Time: 103 Minutes
Language: English 
Feature Film (USA, 2025)


ABOUT DANCES WITH FILMS

Now in its 28th year, Dances With Films champions the unflinching spirit at the very core of the independent film scene. With most film festivals relying heavily on celebrity, DWF have relied on innovation, talent, creativity, and sweat equity that revolutionized the entertainment industry. And that reliance continues to prove successful with alumni moving on to write, direct, and produce celebrity-studded vehicles, star in blockbuster movies, and television series, produce multi-million-dollar film and create hot TV shows.

Website: https://danceswithfilms.com/about/

@DancesWithFilms #DancesWithFilms

DWF-HEADER-LA-2025For more coverage from Dances With Films, click here!

‘WOULD YOU CALL HIM A BAD MAN?’ (DWF LA 2025) Destined to be your latest obsession.

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WOULD YOU CALL HIM A BAD MAN

Would You Call Him a Bad Man? 1

Filmmaker, artist, and musician Ian Hinden brings a kickass music video to Dances With Films LA 2025 like no other. In “WOULD YOU CALL HIM A BAD MAN?”  we follow the tale of a young heroine down on her luck and a villain trying to work out his daddy issues, all through the lens of a recorded video game.

The original song, also by Hinden, is an instant hit. In just under five minutes, a thought-provoking narrative blows you away with a finale that is perfection.

Would You Call Him A Bad Man?” is a visual bonanza of seedy splendor. Blink, and you’ll miss some sick detail. I would watch an entire album, aww hell, a feature, in this style. It is grown-up gamer manga mayhem. I am here for it.

Would You Call Him A Bad Man? bar scene


WOULD YOU CALL HIM A BAD MAN?

WRITER/DIR/PROD: Ian Hinden

After being unfairly fired for trying to protect the tips of her fellow Pittie Party Girls, the heroic and exploited waitress Ava is forced into the cruel dark underbelly of the retro-futuristic neon city known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Richman Richmond, Jr., a billionaire play-pig, recalls his harrowing and abusive youth as he self medicates with OnlyFans subscriptions. To overcome her trauma and truly feel a sense of ownership over her reality, Ava must defeat Richman Richmond, Jr.

STROBE WARNING: This film contains content which may trigger some viewers with photosensitive epilepsy, migraines, or other conditions that can be triggered by visual stimuli like flashing lights. WOULD YOU CALL HIM A BAD MAN?

Would You Call Him a Bad Man? 2

“Would You Call Him a Bad Man?” will screen as part of the Downbeat Shorts on Friday, June 27th  at 5:00 pm at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. Tickets may be purchased by clicking on the TICKET button on the website at https://danceswithfilms.ticketspice.com/dwf28-downbeat-a-celebration-of-music–dance

 ABOUT DANCES WITH FILMS

Since 1998 DANCES WITH FILMS has grown from presenting a handful of films to more than 200 each year…from narrative features and shorts to include the top documentaries, music videos, tv and web programs on the circuit today. In 2007, DWF brought new commitment to the indie world with the advent of the 2 Minute, 2 Step Short Film Challenge where we actually shoot 10 films during the festival and present them to enthusiastic audiences. In 2012 the festival moved to its current location – the famed TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood. From there it has expanded to 11 days with ever increasing sold out screenings. WOULD YOU CALL HIM A BAD MAN?

DWF-HEADER-LA-2025For all things Dances With Films, click here!

‘PINS AND NEEDLES’ (2025) Science and psychopaths make great bedfellows

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PINS_AND_NEEDLES_Key_ArtFilmmaker James Villeneuve brings audiences a creative thriller ripped straight from global science and technology headlines. In PINS AND NEEDLES, a diabetic biology grad student’s ride back to campus turns deadly when a flat tire finds her trapped with two diabolical biohackers. With her insulin running dangerously low, Max must figure out a way to escape and take down a couple of psychopaths in the process.

PINS_AND_NEEDLES_03Max’s diabetic hallucinations are an incredibly creative way to use Daniel Gravelle and work out potential escape routes. Short and sweet fantasy sequences also keep your heart racing. I would have loved more of both. I do have a gripe about there being no food in the house. Emily and Frank very clearly live in the house, and there is not a single snack lying around.

PINS_AND_NEEDLES_04While Kate Corbett and Ryan MacDonald are sufficiently eccentric and evil as our whackjob “scientists,” PINS AND NEEDLES is 100% the Chelsea Clark show. She easily carries every scene with grace and ferocity while never going overboard. She is one to watch.

PINS_AND_NEEDLES_02I loved the use of car keys, and women will cheer that shit on. Did I yell at the screen during the finale? Damn right. PINS AND NEEDLES makes direct fun of billionaire Bryan Johnson. You know, the guy injecting himself with his son’s blood to stay young forever. And, just for your information, he’s moved on from that practice and opted for a “total plasma exchange” instead. Biohackers love to claim science when we all know damn well any fountain of youth is only for sale to the highest bidders. PINS AND NEEDLES leans into real-life monsters in a wildly clever way.

Pins and Needles Trailer:

 Canadian cat-and-mouse thriller PINS AND NEEDLES opens in the U.S. on June 24th from Filmhub

 

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‘NO CHOICE’ (DWF LA 2025) Reproductive rights genre bender is a stylish and hellish debut

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no choice posterNate Hilgartner brings a stylistically strong debut to Dances With Films LA 2025 in NO CHOICE. Amy struggles to keep her head above water in her small-town life. Working at a convenience store and riding her bike, she longs to make someone more of herself. An unexpected pregnancy is the result of a broken condom on a first date. Being financially responsible for her addict mother and impending college tuition, an abortion, and the lack of access have potentially deadly consequences for Amy.

Hilgartner uses increasingly dark dream sequences to delve into fear and anxiety. The score is pure horror. The lighting elicits a dizzying terror.

The film tackles medical care droughts in America and bible belt fear-mongering. Watching Amy shell out hundreds of dollars in emergency room visits is painful. Hilgartner cleverly uses social media chaos and misinformation. The most disgusting part is the shaming by Amy’s male doctor and her addict mother.

Hannah Deale (shout out to my fellow AMDA Panda) gives Amy her all. You can see the wheels turning as she battles negative energy and thoughts at every turn. You want so badly to rescue her from this cycle of poverty and sadness. Deale braves this complex emotional roller-coaster like a pro.

NO CHOICE is a creative deep dive into the psyche of desperation. It is the manifestation of intrusive thoughts. With women literally being used as human incubators (I’m talking to you, Georgia), and reproductive rights being stripped away by the minute, NO CHOICE is essential art.


Official Selection: Dances With Films 2025.

Follow the conversation on Instagram & X: @NoChoiceMovie

Hashtag: #NoChoiceMovie

Website: www.NoChoiceMovie.com

After its World Premiere in Los Angeles, NO CHOICE will travel to the GASP! Horror Festival for its International Premiere on June 29th, 5:45pm at Cultplex in Manchester, UK.

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‘DON’T TELL LARRY’ (2025) The dark and hilarious workplace comedy is in theatres and On Demand today!

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After lying to her new eccentric coworker Larry about a company party, an ambitious corporate flunky must deal with the deadly consequences.

Dot-Marie Jones and Ed Begley Jr. serve up pro performances that most certainly elevate DON’T TELL LARRY. Kiel Kennedy has a genuine Will Ferrell energy. His portrayal of Larry is cringe, uncomfortable, and entirely unhinged. It’s wild and wonderful. I won’t say more because seeing is believing. Kennedy gives Larry a larger-than-life persona, mastering the comedy and terror.

Kenneth Mosley is Patrick, Susan’s work bestie and equally fabulous sidekick. Do yourself a favor. Watch Mosley’s reel on IMDB. You will wonder why he isn’t on every screen in your home. His performance as Patrick immediately catches you off guard in the best way. He’s magnetic. Patty Guggenheim is unforgettable as the hyper-ambitious Susan. Guggenheim is a star. She has a similar energy to Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Her comic timing and charisma pull you in. Her chemistry with Mosely makes me want a sequel/spin-off/whatever!

Filmmakers Greg Porper and John Schimke give us a classic, over-the-top workplace comedy that stands alongside titles like OFFICE SPACE. It’s wacky and worth your eyeballs.

Watch the Don’t Tell Larry Trailer:


93 MIN | DARK COMEDY | THRILLER | ROMANCE | INDEPENDENT | NR TV-14

Don’t Tell Larry is

IN THEATRES AND ON DEMAND 6.20.25



Emagine Portage 16 | Portage, IN

Emagine Palladium 15 | Birmingham, MI

Emagine Rogers 18 | Rogers, MN

Galaxy Monroe 12, Monroe | WA

Laemmle Royal | Los Angeles, CA

Sunrise Theatre | Southern Pines, NC

Laemmle Town Center | Los Angeles, CA



Directed by

Greg Porper & John Schimke



Written by

Greg Porper & John Schimke



Produced by

Greg Porper, p.g.a.

John Schimke, p.g.a.

Brad Keller



Executive Produced by

Ed Begley Jr., Barry Goodman, Robert Porper



Starring

Ed Begley Jr., Dot-Marie Jones, Patty Guggenheim, Kiel Kennedy, Kenneth Mosley, Tina Parker, Heath Allyn, Molly Franco, Ronda Dale Kirk, Joe Rojas Jr., Terrence Dearman, Billy Blair, Bruce Davis



DON’T TELL LARRY – SYNOPSIS

After Susan tells a harmless white lie about an office party to her truth-obsessed co-worker Larry to secure a promotion, she finds herself in over her head when tragedy strikes, and all signs point to Larry as responsible. Terrified her secret will be exposed, Susan ropes in her well-meaning but clueless co-worker Patrick to help cover up her tracks—but every move they make unleashes a whirlwind of chaos. From random drug tests and car explosions to a suspicious detective and a rising body count, Susan’s workweek spirals into a full-blown clusterf*ck.



About Level 33 Entertainment

Los Angeles based Level 33 Entertainment is a global content sales and distribution company dedicated to promoting diverse voices in independent film. Level 33 provides innovative sales, marketing and distribution services for feature films and entertainment content, delivering a flexible and transparent distribution solution for all platforms including Theatrical, Home Entertainment, On Demand, Broadcast and OTT.

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‘animal.’ (2025) Eat, meat, repeat. Can a carnivore diet cure all?

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animal.posterAuthor and personal trainer Zane Griggs guides us through an hour-and-a-half argument for a carnivore diet. Often called “The Caveman Diet,” a meat-led way of eating has been all the rage in certain circles for years now. ‘animal.’ features doctors and a select few nutritionists presenting the benefits of consuming a diet contradictory to generations of teaching. Griggs uses testimonials from those who tout the life-changing effects of red meat. 

animal. meatThe film feels like one lengthy infomercial with cherry-picked science for effect. There is no mention of pollution and the links to socioeconomics. I’m not arguing the diet is faulty. I would have loved to have seen unbiased medical charts. I’m suggesting that the food chain accessibility should be half of the film. The fact that the only two black individuals interviewed are UK residents, a former bodybuilder, and his health coach daughter, Eddie and Selina Abbew (dad has 4m Instagram followers) is glaring. 

The nature footage and scientific recreation transitions are undeniably beautiful. Overall, the editing wavers between sharp and choppy. To make a more concise argument, speakers sometimes appear glitchy rather than inserting a scientific slide to smooth the transition. It’s incredibly distracting. The skulls in the background of each sit-down come off as hokey. 

Cells_1 animal.My husband went on a Keto diet in preparation for his half-Ironman competition in 2015. I joined him a few weeks in. On the fourth day, once my body entered ketosis, my body looked entirely different in all the best ways. I was shocked. But remaining on the diet in the real world was incredibly challenging. After a single cheat day, my body fell out of ketosis. I had to restart the process. I became angry, and I was always hungry. It wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle for me. 

Field_1 animal.While it is easy to agree with the profit-driven motivation of the pharmaceutical and processed food industries, it’s challenging to accept that my organically grown vegetables are trying to poison me. It comes down to money and US standards. We allow chemicals, pesticides, dyes, and unregulated factory farming that other countries do not. You can taste the difference. The final 20 minutes encourage regenerative farming and environmental care. It’s a great message, even if the film never delves into food-drought areas. 

Dr Anthony Chaffee_2 animal.A Keto diet worked wonders for my husband, but that was in an intense training setting. I was able to see immediate physical results, even though it did not end up feeling ideal for me. I’m worried that omitting information curves the film into pseudoscience territory. ‘animal’ has good intentions, but withholding information on the healthiest countries and their varied diets feels skewed. Viewers will have to come to their own conclusions based on the information presented, personal health journey, and availability of resources. If nothing else, ‘animal.’ triggers a broader conversation about nutrition and sustainability.

animal. Trailer:

Now Playing in the Following Theaters  

 

NYC at the Village East Cinema

Los Angeles, CA at the Laemmle Santa Monica

Las Vegas, NV at the Downtown Cinemas

Austin, TX at the Violet Crown Cinema

Dallas, TX at the Galaxy Grandscape 15

Houston, TX at the Xscape Theaters Katy Fulshear

 

Written & Directed by JOSH FELDMAN

Executive Producer VINNY LINGHAM

Produced by VINNY LINGHAM, KEVIN CARTER, and JOSH FELDMAN

 Featuring

DR. ANTHONY CHAFFEEDR. KEN BERRYDR. SHAWN BAKER, EDDIE ABBEW, STEAK AND BUTTER GAL, DR. ERIC BERGJUDY CHO, DR. ROBERT CYWES, DR. ROBERT KILTZSALLY NORTONDR. LISA WIEDEMAN, DR. CATE SHANAHAN and ZANE GRIGGS

 SYNOPSIS

animal. unmasks a century-long conspiracy of political, economic, and religious forces that have twisted our natural bond with meat—enslaving us to ill health and Big Pharma dependency. Through bold interviews, historical revelations, and groundbreaking science, it shatters nutritional myths and dares us to reclaim the ancestral diet that fueled our evolution.

 

Documentary | 89 minutes | Not Rated | 2025 | English | USA animal.

 

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‘FIRE AT WILL’ (Tribeca 2025) Authentic familial chaos

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Fire at Will (2025) - [www.imdb.com]

Morgan Gruer‘s Tribeca 2025 short FIRE AT WILL is one of the most relatable films to come out of this year’s program. In nine minutes, we witness a mother and father attempting to prepare their four children to sign their will with a notary who will soon be arriving at the house. Blindsided at every turn, the conversation does not go as anticipated. 

fire at will kidsFIRE AT WILL looks fantastic. Jared Levy‘s camerawork is most immersed and intimate. Kyle Moriarty‘s quick-take editing is perfect. The fast-paced dialogue filled with self-absorbed personalities is every kitchen table conversation featuring adult children and their parents. As the firstborn of four loud children in an Irish Italian household, I can attest to the authenticity in the chaos of Gruer’s script, right down to the mother storming out in emotionally exhausted dramatics and the unspoken connection between father and artistic daughter. The cast nails each ping-pong match beat. FIRE AT WILL is a spectacular treatment for a feature. I need to know what happens next.

 

Director: Morgan Gruer
Producer: Sandra Tan
Screenwriter: Morgan Gruer
Cinematographer: Jared Levy
Editor: Kyle Moriarity
Executive Producer: Kerri Mandelbaum, Rob Neft, Morgan Gruer
Associate Producer: Wendy Neft-Sanda, Sarah Zaccardo, Donald Milsten, Teddy Gruer, Hannah Gruer
Co-Producer: Justin Lacob, Nicola Smith, Sam Gruer, Naomi Milsten Gruer
Production Manager: Beatriz Barbieri
Production Company: Prom Creative
Sound Design & Mix: Calvin Pia, Felt Sound

1st Assistant Director: Darcy Thompson
Color Grade: Jared Rosenthal
Cast: Scott Cohen, Amy Stiller, Ellie Sachs, Lucas Zelnick, Rebecca Gever, Julia DiCesare

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‘JIMMY & THE DEMONS’ (Tribeca 2025) A dazzling career of creation.

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Jimmy and the demons Jimmy & the demons

Cindy Meehl brings the life of larger-than-life artists to Tribeca 2025 audiences in JIMMY & THE DEMONS. James Grashow‘s work has been seen by millions, even if his name is unknown. From album art to 30 years of weekly drawings in The New York Times, his massive installations of cardboard sculptures appear around the world. Jimmy’s work can best be described as if Tim Burton’s stop-motion creations were life-sized and brimming with color. 

In Meehl’s documentary, one of Jimmy’s prominent collectors commissions a piece based on his deep connection to religion. Having never worked with wood in this way, Jimmy is winging it. You’d never know. The intricacy of the work is astounding. The piece evolved over the years into a one-of-a-kind sculptor of demons, tortured souls, and Christ carrying a Cathedral on his very back. Each piece is mocked up in cardboard and then hand-carved. 

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All the while, Meehl features intimate sitdowns with Jimmy and his wife, Guzzy, as they talk about his work. During Jimmy’s in-school cardboard workshops over the years, he says you can pinpoint the moment an artist is born and how the entire class lights up at the realization of talent.

Jimmy’s art is immersive and brimming with joy. Scott Ruderman does a beautiful job capturing the minute details and the wonder of Jimmy’s creations. The film culminates in a grand retrospective of his pieces, and the result is like being transported to a living storybook. Grashow’s ability to manifest pure wonder is breathtaking. JIMMY & THE DEMONS simultaneously feels like a nostalgic hug and a whimsical journey.


Jimmy & The Demons: World Premiere – 2025 Tribeca Festival – Spotlight Documentary

SYNOPSIS
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.


DIRECTED BY
Cindy Meehl (“Buck”, “The Dog Doc”)

PRODUCED BY
Elizabeth Westrate

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Jennifer Wastrom

CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
Scott Ruderman

FEATURING
James Grashow, Guzzy Grashow

RUN TIME: 93 Minutes


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‘YANUNI’ (Tribeca 2025) A woman’s climate work is never done.

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From producer Leonardo DiCaprio and director Richard Ladkani, YANUNI closes out Tribeca 2025 with a call to action and the story of a feminist hero who should be a household name. Juma Xipaia has survived six assassination attempts as the first female Indigenous chief of her people in the Middle Xingu. She and her husband are fierce environmental warriors in a raging battle for ownership of the Amazon.

Ladkani’s camerawork and sound design are immersive. You can feel each unnerving protest moment in your bones. Footage in Juma’s home is viscerally spiritual and powerfully juxtaposed with the devastating destruction of the surrounding forests. Illegal mining pits are poisoning the water, and the criminals invading the lands are raping and murdering the villagers.

Juma and her people are emotionally, physically, and spiritually drained. Juma’s safety keeps her separated from her children, and her relentless speaking schedule wears her down. It is no surprise that it is a woman, a mother, who stands to protect others. The most successful governing bodies have female leadership. “With great power comes great responsibility,” and Yuma accepts all that entails.

The film follows the 2022 Brazilian elections. The volatility in the streets is palpable. Speaking to eligible voters is life-threatening. While the outcome of the election is positive for the progression of the country, new roles for both Yuma and her husband, Hugo Loss, put them in even more danger than before.

Ladkani takes us inside the infiltration of an illegal mining operation and its subsequent controlled burn destruction. Their missions are high-risk and heavily armed on both sides.

Juma’s action mirrors every indigenous population’s fight against deeper colonization and capitalism. The film premieres at Tribeca during a particularly auspicious time in America, on the same day nearly 11 million people took to the streets for the No Kings protests. But Juma has had to fight for many more generations to protect her people, territory, and culture. The fight continues.

YANUNI is the type of educational feature that deserves to loop on IMAX screens in every museum. It is an inspiring war cry for climate justice. Juma Xipaia is a role model for every young person. She is the personification of Mother Earth. Her bravery and passion serve as an example. She is all of us.


YANUNI –

Director: Richard Ladkani
Producer: Juma Xipaia, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anita Ladkani, Richard Ladkani, Jennifer Davisson, Phillip Watson
Screenwriter: Richard Ladkani
Cinematographer: Richard Ladkani
Composer: H. Scott Salinas
Editor: Georg Michael Fischer
Executive Producer: Dax Dasilva, Joanna Natasegara, Laura Nix, Eric Terena, Martin Choroba, Philipp Schall
Second Camera: Fábio Nascimento
Original Title Song: Katú Mirim
Vocals: Djuena Tikuna
Cast: Juma Xipaia, Hugo Loss YANUNI 

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‘HOW DARK MY LOVE’ (Tribeca 2025) Marriage and the Macabre

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how dark my love poster

In HOW DARK MY LOVE, Scott Gracheff offers Tribeca 2025 audiences a one-of-a-kind love story between an artist and his photographer/dominatrix wife. Joe Coleman and Whitney Ward are a match made in some weirdly curated heaven of their making. Joe specializes in painting serial killers. The morbid nature of Joe’s larger-than-life paintings is akin to a MAD magazine cartoon from the pits of hell. Joe’s attention to detail is mind-blowing. He uses jeweler’s magnifying lenses to create minute details, from individual hairs and veins on the human figures to the tiny writing that accompanies each personal vignette surrounding the central subject. The paintings are unlike anything I’ve seen before. You would need hours of focus to do each one cognitive justice.

In the film, Joe is working on his penultimate creation: a painting of Whitney. Gracheff tells us a tale of twenty-five years of marriage and the two artists who thrive on each other’s presence. Eccentrics to the bone, they were married by a ventriloquist dummy with guests dressed in elaborate costumes. They have accumulated so many unique and macabre items that they maintain two apartments.

Tyler Hubby‘s editing is a marvel. Joe’s storytelling serves as narration over his creations and home videos. He talks about his heroin addiction, his volatile relationship with his first wife, and his childhood. In conversation with musician Dave Navarro, Joe divulges to the audience his traumatic upbringing. Art is his outlet and rebellion. Whitney was ambushed by a profile in The New Yorker as her professional alter ego, dominatrix Nurse Wolf, in 1998. Her motivation was therapy and not sex. The death of Whitney’s mother, directly followed by an abusive relationship, shaped her art forms. Friend Iggy Pop poses questions to Joe about the motivation and their storied connections. Asia Argento sought him out in her 20s. All these peculiar individuals make one hugely connected chosen family.

During filming, Joe turns 60. Mortality smacks both him and Whitney in the face. After four years, the unveiling of Whitney’s portrait occurs at an exclusive exhibition in Miami. The emotion tied to this one special creation hits differently. A move upstate, a shift in mindset, and the continued worship of one another’s talents deliver exquisite peace. HOW DARK MY LOVE honors the catharsis in art. Joe discusses the struggle in humanity, and it perfectly captures the essence of the film, their lives, and the work. The culmination of a life and love most dream of, HOW DARK MY LOVE celebrates the good, the bad, and the ugly and makes it a masterpiece.

HOW DARK MY LOVE

World Premiere – Viewpoints

| United States | 109 MINUTES | English |

Directed by Scott Gracheff

Produced by Jim Muscarella, Josh Diamond, Jason Diamond, Scott Gracheff, Gregg de Domenico


ABOUT HOW DARK MY LOVE
A tale of painter and muse, at the core of which smolders a timeless love story between artist Joe Coleman and Whitney Ward, husband and wife of 25 years. Known for painting serial killers and outlaws, Joe chooses Whitney to be the subject of his next portrait, and, at nearly 7 feet tall by 4 feet wide, it will be his largest work to date. Teeming with candid biographical details, every aspect of Whitney’s life is vulnerable to exposure, and Joe is taking a leap of faith that Whitney will be able to accept his uncompromising perspective when she is the focus of his gaze. Plunging into darkness in search of the truth, the film intimately explores the relationship between life, love, death, and art.

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‘HORSEGIRLS’ (Tribeca 2025) Heartfelt dramedy.

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Horsegirls

Representation Matters. Filmmaker Lauren Meyering brings Tribeca 2025 audiences a unique and yet wholly relatable story with HORSEGIRLS. The film follows Margarita, a 25-year-old woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Margarita lives with her ailing mother at her wits’ end, as her daughter seems entirely unmotivated to find a job. Margarita navigates adulthood, friendship, and stepping out of her comfort zone in a whirlwind of tumultuous circumstances.

Margarita’s energy is infectious. She is lovable, curious, and the perfect amount of sass. Begrudgingly, she gets a job at a Halloween store, but her passion for hobby horses becomes a bit of a distraction when she stumbles upon a competitive troupe of girls in town. Trying her best to juggle her hours at the store, choreography, her mother, and social-emotional dynamics in the group, Margarita must come to terms with this moment in time, for better or worse.

HORSEGIRLS shines in its authentic performances. Iqbal Theba and Matthew Schwab are pure delight as Margarita’s boss and co-worker.  Jerod Haynes plays Coach with genuine passion and kindness. 

Gretchen Mol delivers a heartfelt turn as a cancer-stricken mother, Sandy. She exemplifies the unconditional love, burnout, and relentless fear that special needs parents experience every minute of the day. We worry about how our kids fare when they are out of our sight, how others treat them, and most heavily, who will care for them when we are gone. In truth, our most impossible challenge is letting them go. Mol walks that delicate line of exhaustion and support like a pro. It’s a lived-in performance. 

Lillian Carrier nails the lead role. She steals every second of screen time with her fierce energy, whether through excitement, frustration, or earnest innocence. Margarita is a star-making moment for Carrier. You will not be able to take your eyes off of her. She is pure joy. 

Margarita displays all the same ASD traits as my 9-year-old son: unfiltered honesty, sensitivity to loud sounds, difficulty with figurative language, a fervent work ethic, and empathy that surpasses the average neurotypical individual. Based on the film’s description, HORSEGIRLS might feel like an overwhelming mashup of ideas. In reality, it is an accurate depiction of daily chaos. Cancer has managed to infiltrate every family I know in some way. Grief is universal. The battle over neurodivergence acceptance rages on. I’ll repeat it- Representation Matters.

Natalie Kingston‘s beautifully thoughtful camerawork perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the film. Erin Orr‘s costumes are delightful. “The Fastest Girl In The World” is an uplifting original song you will fall in love with. With stunning moments of magical realism, Meyering creates an undeniable gem. HORSEGIRLS captures the essence of finding your people. If you aren’t crying by the end of this film, check your humanity. Tribeca 2025 audiences are lucky to see it first.


Director
Lauren Meyering
Producer
Michael Sherman, Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Mackenzie Breeden
Screenwriter
Lauren Meyering
Cinematographer
Natalie Kingston
Editor
Stephanie Filo
Composer
Dan Romer
Executive Producer
Rachael Moton, Corie Adjmi, Betsy Sherman
Co-Producer
Blair Skinner
Cast
Gretchen Mol, Jerod Haynes, Lillian Carrier, Tony Hale, Matthew Schwab, Iqbal Theba Horsegirls
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‘RE-CREATION’ (Tribeca 2025) A head spinning deep dive into an unsolved case.

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re-creation

Co-directors Jim Sheridan and David Merriman give Tribeca 2025 audiences a truly extraordinary viewing experience with RE-CREATION. Based on the failed attempt to convict a self-professed murderer in the Irish courts, Sheridan gathers forensics experts, police interviews, evidence, and a fictional jury to see what might have happened if history had played out differently. A spectacular cast assumes the roles of the barristers, the accused, and the lead witness. Sheridan digs into the questions of the case and the delicate nature of one person’s truth.

In 1996, French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier arrived at her holiday home in Toormore, West Cork. A witness described a man in a long, dark coat following Sophie for two days. On the third morning, Sophie was found brutally murdered in the lane outside her home. Irish authorities investigated British journalist Ian Bailey. He never faced trial in Ireland despite being tried and convicted in absentia by the French government. It is considered one of Ireland’s most shocking unsolved crimes, and now I know why.

Re-Creation evidenceThe jury is exceptional as they move through measured recall to furious shouting matches. Their diligence in tracking down evidence and looking at all sides gives me hope that jurors take their duties seriously. Jack Thornton’s editing is a feat. The choice to keep Krieps in the frame for longer than seems normal has a chilling effect. RE-CREATION is akin to live theatre. It is an improvisation session strapped to a ticking time bomb. The audience is the 13th jury member. Sheridan provides newsreel footage, newspaper clippings, video testimony, and audio recordings at the precise times we might feel lost. It is a real-time exploration of possibilities. 

Colm Meaney plays Ian Bailey. He is weary and entirely silent. Meany speaks not a single word, but his presence is vital. Vicky Krieps plays the outlier juror #8. She elicits pure, unfiltered emotions by poking the bear and sewing doubt. Krieps is sometimes intentionally antagonistic to prove a point. This role adds to her long resume of chameleon roles. She is relentlessly compelling.

Re-Creation Colm as BaileyJim Sheridan also plays Juror #1, serving as a guide and sounding board. Sheridan’s attention to detail is award-worthy. Going as far as to take the jury on a tour of the key locations in the investigation. It’s hard to discern where Sheridan lies on the guilty spectrum personally. His extensive knowledge never feels coercive. He and Merriman skillfully make a case for confusion and conflict, mirroring the state of the evidence.

This hybrid fact and fiction roleplay is intoxicating. True crime fans will eat it up. RE-CREATION is a physical manifestation of every podcast, thriller novel, and Dateline episode come to life. People would pay to participate in something this immersive. Gather all your armchair detectives and get ready to hold your breath. RE-CREATION is one of Tribeca 2025’s best films.


Director: Jim Sheridan, David Merriman

Producer: Fabrizio Maltese, Tina O’Reilly

Screenwriter: Jim Sheridan, David Merriman

Cinematographer: Carlo Thiel

Composer: Anna Rice

Editor: Jack Thornton

Executive Producer: Jim Sheridan

Associate Producer: Gráinne Carroll, Mark Ward

Line Producer: Solveig Harper

Production Designer: Christina Schaffer

Costume Design: Magdalena Labuz

Funding Partners: Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, Film Fund Luxembourg, Eurimages, Latido FIlms and Doha Film Institute

Sound Engineer: Carlo Thoss

Cast: Vickey Krieps, Jim Sheridan, Aidan Gillen, Colm MeaneyRe-Creation
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