2023

2023

Of the 154 films we programmed in 2023, we’d like to designate 12 as our NoBudge Films of the Year. This is not a Best Of list, but rather a collection of films that were particularly emblematic of the NoBudge aesthetic or ethos, or introduced or solidified an exciting new voice. Thanks to everyone who watched our films or came to a live screening this year. Much more in store for 2024!

2023 Films of the Year:

Gwendoline
Love Machine
The Event
Bowling 4 Eva
Never Fuggedaboutit
How to Cry on Command
Close the Gap
Superfan
I’m At Home
The Familiar
Filling Holes
Dad & Step-Dad

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2023
  • Gwendoline

    Roaming through rural France on their tandem bike, young post-punk musicians look for an audience and a name for their band. “Gwendoline,” directed by Joaquim Bayle, is a beautifully shot musical odyssey in 16mm black-and-white film that’s both bleak and lighthearted. On the road desperately seek...

  • Love Machine

    An anniversary gift leads two young lovers into a black hole of misunderstanding. “Love Machine,” directed by Michael Rees, is a squirm-inducing dark comedy about the delusions and insensitivities of a dysfunctional couple. What at first appears to be a straightforward relationship study soon dev...

  • The Event

    It's 2 AM and Vince just wants to know why his best friend hasn’t watched his short film yet. Hugo De Sousa and Frank Mosley direct “The Event,” a painfully awkward dark comedy about the deep speculation and confusion of not feeling supported in an artistic pursuit. Incisively written and perfect...

  • Bowling 4 Eva

    A troubled teen girl spends her time trolling men online and bowling with her grandfather while becoming increasingly medicated. “Bowling 4 Eva,” directed by Aelfie Oudghiri, is a bracingly original portrait of depression and pharmaceuticals rendered with satirical bite and punctuated by animated...

  • Never Fuggedaboutit

    Amid the high anxiety of post-9/11 NYC, a struggling post-production house is hired to make edits to a hit TV show: removing a shot of the twin towers during “The Sopranos” opening credits. Dustin Waldman directs “Never Fuggedaboutit,” a period piece that uniquely captures post 9/11 tension throu...

  • How to Cry on Command

    At a dystopian grade school, a determined 11-year-old girl struggles during her final exams. Wylie Anderson directs “How to Cry on Command,” a hilarious satire looking at the requirements and consequences of pursuing stardom. At “Celebrity Preparatory for Girls,” there are classes on how to speak...

  • Close the Gap

    During the 2020 BLM protests, a white protester loses his head trying to corral a group of fellow demonstrators. Alex Bliss directs “Close the Gap,” a satirical character study that boldly examines the loose ends of a young man’s mind amidst a high-tense moment. As he marches, he broadcasts live ...

  • Superfan

    During a sleepover, a tween celebrity obsession tests the boundaries of friendship, privacy, and a young girl's heart. Directing duo Karina Lomelin Ripper and Marc Ripper present “Superfan,” a sharply-crafted modern coming-of-age film. Sleepover gear in hand, Selena arrives to a Pacific Northwest...

  • I'm At Home

    The host of a children's television show starts experiencing burnout after needing to force creativity every day. “I’m At Home,” directed by and starring Philip Thompson, is a lo-fi vision of artistic fatigue that starts off all smiles before beginning to disintegrate. An artist and performer nam...

  • The Familiar

    After crash landing on an inhospitable planet, an alien searches for a connection. “The Familiar,” directed by Julian Quentin, is a visually stunning sci-fi mood board on identity and otherness. Finding itself in a foreign land with unforgiving terrain, the otherworldly being observes strange sig...

  • Filling Holes

    After their plans are disrupted, two best friends move in together as roommates. Sophia de Baun and Miriam Gabriel direct and star in “Filling Holes,” a scene-to-scene ensemble that embraces both drama and comedy as it observes the dynamics and quirks of a group of friends in Brooklyn. Mimi and h...

  • Dad & Step-Dad

    Jim and Dave, a dad and a step-dad, have trouble bonding with their son during a 3-day weekend upstate. Tynan DeLong directs “Dad & Step-Dad,” a rolling deadpan comedy feature that’s lighthearted and strangely moving about the odd relationship between two dads and one son. Arriving at a peaceful ...