Two best friends put their friendship to the test when they audition for the same role. Emily May Jampel directs “Clean Slate,” a dark comedy about competitiveness and resentment among two New York City actors. Joyce and Josephine shoot their self-tapes for a “Untitled LGBTQIA + GEN Z Series.” Th...

A fragmented road trip becomes a portrait of love, loss, and memory. Antoine Pret and Elena Bonhomme direct “Cinq étapes,” a black-and-white, 16mm snapshot that connects a French road map with five steps of grieving. Monica pulls off to the side of the road. She pays her respects to a small memor...

A rapper goes missing after a music video shoot and the director tries to track him down. “The Trick,” directed by Neal Wynne, is a comedic, lo-fi quest where a young man must wade through his dissociative state in order to find his missing friend. Steve, played by Jake Squire, tries his best to ...

When a college student comes home for break, they find a ghost in their childhood bedroom. Skye Schoenhoef directs “The Curtains Glow at Night,” a moody observation of one’s reflection on their youth and past self. Wren returns home for the break, catches up with an old friend, and spends time wi...

A tour through a labyrinth of mysteriously linked Los Angeles mansions provides a dreamlike glimpse into the lives of five women. “My Imaginary Life for Someone,” directed by Molly Wurwand and Ryan McGlade, is a docu-fictional feature film featuring an ensemble of former it-girls now in the later...

A mother surprises her adult children with a trip to the cemetery where she wants to be buried. Lizi Latimer and Myriam Schroeter direct “Dead Serious,” a dramatic comedy reckoning with mortality and family ethnicity. The bickering millennial siblings Liv and Matt wait for their mom in the car. W...

A new retiree’s world is upended when she is tasked with chaperoning her daughter’s abortion. Lucy Sandler directs “the weight of a dog,” a dramatic look at a mother and daughter relationship through the lens of generational disconnect. Mariah, in a complicated break period with her partner, need...

A filmmaker builds a self-portrait of her two relationships with men and the objects they left behind. Abigail Holland’s “kid with a pearl earring” offers a snapshot of young love and grief told through forthright narration over vivid images of New York City. She retraces the arc of a relationshi...

When a wealthy white man’s young black escort stops seeing him, he tries to find a replacement. “The Rentals,” directed by Nicholas Andre, is a darkly comedic snapshot of an aging man’s demand for desire and intimacy. The picture begins slightly unclear. Fred seems to be dozing off as James, his ...

A girl tells her crush that she loves him and then second guesses herself. “Sweet,” directed by Isabela de la Grana, warmly embraces the excitement and angst of young romance in the aftermath of such a confession. Judy sits across from Danny in her bedroom. He wears a cowboy hat and plays a tende...

A man discovers the suicide note of an acquaintance, only to find the drafts that were left behind. Eli Speigel’s “Gone Fishin” is a dark and unsettled portrait of disassociation. A man stands inside a flower shop. As he tells the florist, he’s there to purchase a bouquet of flowers to conceal a ...

A literary translator from Sao Paulo moves to New York to work on the novel of a dying author, but, adrift in an unfamiliar city, she struggles to stay grounded. Lucas Manuel-Scheibe directs “Terra Natal,” a dramatic observation of homesickness told through low-key magical realism. Upon her arriv...

A man desperately fights for his place in the world by defeating a child in a game of basketball. “Public Park,” directed by Alosha Robinson, features Brian Fiddyment as a meandering man caught in a series of peculiar exchanges. Dan begins his day purchasing unlabeled shampoos and creams from an ...

A young woman kills the vibe when she confronts her ex-boyfriend at a party. Michael Calciano directs “But He’s Gay,” a biting comedy about an unraveling social kerfuffle. Maeve arrives to a party eager to make the rounds but everyone is uncomfortable with her presence; eyebrows raise, heads turn...

A man's compulsion to know his partner's secrets leads into underworld contact with the non-human. Judd Myers directs "Destroyer,” a psychological horror piece where consequence lurks behind insecurity and skepticism. Joan has evening plans with a friend, but her boyfriend, Cary suspects otherwis...

After a food delivery worker is killed in a biking accident, three friends attempt to raise the funds to repatriate his body back to Mexico. Moises Bazbaz directs “Repatriados,” an on-the-ground look at a group of immigrants in New York City as they deal with the aftermath of a recent tragedy. On...

Things get turned upside down when a man wakes up believing he’s Joe Louis, the boxing legend. Theodore Collatos directs “Palookaville,” a New York dramedy that follows an unsettled man through a bizarre condition. JoJo begins his day at the deli and heads back to his sister’s Brooklyn apartment ...

On Thanksgiving morning, a foster family of agoraphobic shut-ins sends their most courageous teen to hunt for a Thanksgiving turkey. Theo Matza’s “Tate’s Parade” delivers on autumnal sentiments in a city where eccentric characters hide behind every corner. It’s the morning of Turkey Day, and the ...

A box-office clerk is forced to deal with a hot-tempered patron. David Cardoza’s “Life in the Cage” is a comedic vignette capturing a confrontation outside of a movie theater. Behind the glass, a box-office attendant reads a comic as a frantic movie-goer rushes to the window. The man, increasingl...