A nomadic musician embarks on a road trip up the pacific coast to spread his mother’s ashes. Daniel Freeman directs “Teddy, Out of Tune,” a docu-fictional portrait—part road movie, part meditation on grief—brought to life with vivid detours and musical bursts. Teddy doesn’t have (or need) much as...

A man’s talent for playing a 1990’s video game makes him famous in the Los Angeles arcade community. Zac Weathers and Brooke Palmieri direct “Time Crisis,” a vivid documentary capsule of the physical arcade space following one of its most devout patrons. Recognized in the leaderboards as “E.E.,” ...

An unnamed narrator uses found footage from his childhood to construct a portrait of his father and their relationship. “Lespri,” directed by Jard Lerebours, is a poetic reflection on childhood and frayed family bonds. The narrator shares he’s turning 27 in a month—the same age of his father when...

An acting class and its bold leader rumble and rise within the walls of a New York City building. Solange Sai directs “Acting Class,” a vivid, black-and-white snapshot documenting an ensemble of studying actors and their emotional exhaustion. The filmmaker rides the R train to Midtown. She enters...

A young couple discuss being new parents and their own mortality. In “When I Get Home,” Nuala Sanchez compiles the audio-visual journal entries of her own parents, forming an intimate and expressive reflection on parenthood. Electronic hums hiss at a low frequency. DV footage comes into focus. On...

A young woman struggles with grief following the loss of her mother. Zimam Alem directs “Geza,” an observation of mourning told through reflective narration, an old voice message from her mom, and a day-in-the-life observation. The young woman (played by Zimam Alem) wakes up to start her day in N...

Through his parents’ VHS-recorded journeys following the fall of the Iron Curtain, the son of two Ukrainians embarks on a meditation of roots, memory, and culture. Max Rykov’s “Hindsight” is a poignant piece of personal documentary with historical insights on heritage and the effects of geopoliti...

A busker on Hollywood Boulevard with an affinity for classic horror films reflects on his life and troubles. Jonah Bergman’s “Conversations with a Monster” is a docu-fictional portrait of a nostalgic L.A. persona captured on the textures of Super 8mm film. The middle-aged man touches up his green...

While making a documentary about a heavily polluted town, a filmmaker takes interest in a neighborhood teenager as a compelling subject. Max Drexler’s “Phillips” is a docu-fictional portrait of an American town and the grim anxieties cast over a particular resident. The filmmaker walks us through...

A college student attempts to walk from his dorm room in midtown Manhattan to the end of Long Island in 36 hours. Legyaan Thapa directs “36 Hour Walk,” a personal documentary of a half-hearted journey built with wry, self-deprecating commentary. Vowing not to eat or sleep for a day and a half, th...

A filmmaker documents his grandfather’s reflections on time and the environment. Elijah Guess’s “Wise River, MT” embarks on a brief, but meditative piece of portraiture documentary. As we observe the 86-year-old man’s spry interactions with his remote Montana surroundings, we listen as he reckons...

Through an unexpected phone call, a young man asks his ex-girlfriend if she would be willing to reflect on a road trip three years ago. Elijah Smith presents “The Road Trip,” a lo-fi personal documentary that recollects memories from a relationship and re-lives heartbreak. Elijah calls his ex on ...

On the sprawling grounds of one of France’s largest leisure villages, vacationers spend their days floating in a pool or congregating under the sun. Joanny Causse’s “Cigales” is an observational documentary on the summer season, an artful exploration of relaxation. In a series of photo-like compo...

A comedian's break-up leads her to a surprising journey with a community of LARPers. “Sad LARP,” directed by Marissa Goldman, is a personal documentary where a down-bad individual turns to “live action role play” as a means of overcoming sadness. Reserving some details, Marissa lets us know she’s...

In the suburbs of Miami, a Cuban family’s lives are upended when a father is dealt news of a terminal illness on the first day of his retirement. Adrian Cardenas Rubio directs “In an Orderly Fashion,” a layered hybrid film that combines real-life home videos with fictional elements. As the narrat...

A fictionalized research group explores the mystery behind why many skateboarders chose the streets over the skate park. “Spots,” directed by Daniel Paese, is a warm, curious study of skate subculture, spot-hunting, and the spirit behind it all. We’re introduced to the world of street-skating by ...

An Iranian mother living in Queens sends a letter to her far-away daughter. Armon Mahdavi directs “Untitled, Jackson Heights,” an experimental personal documentary presenting the place and anecdotes of a transplant in America. Through static frames of the city, we overhear a mother’s recorded mes...

Charlie Hill has been living in Cuba as a fugitive since 1971 after being accused of killing a police officer and hijacking a plane (he admits to the hijacking but not the killing). Here we have an intimate profile of the man today as he relives the incident while reading a letter to his nine-yea...

Tired of everyone ignoring her, a filmmaker rides the London Underground from one end to the other. Julia Mervis directs “The Misery Line,” a quaint and comedic satirical documentary on modern commuter-culture and transit. Dressed in her sized-up suit and red tie, Mervis makes it clear that she w...

Two young men based in Minneapolis spend the day foraging at a local park for mushrooms. “Mush Luv,” directed by N’namdi Andersen, is a short documentary offering a low-key glimpse into the world of mushrooming and the intimate experiences with nature that come with it. Tony and Ajani meander thr...

In the Fall of 2020, a financially struggling actor explores early Mormon historical sites as he anxiously awaits national broadcast for his Domino’s Pizza commercial. “Cash Cow,” directed by and starring Matt Barats, is an epic one-man comedy documentary overflowing with deadpan monologues and p...

Two friends start a t-shirt company as a ruse to engage their friends into joining their club. Hannah Marianetti and James Yu direct “Asian Cinema Club,” a docu-fictional reflection on Asian identity and making/appreciating art. Through an alternating GoPro-forehead POV, we casually follow Hannah...

An inter-dimensional fever dream about DMT and the margins of human perception. Ian Clark’s “Animal in Ascension” is a psychedelic documentary that follows a young man as he shares his thoughts and reflections on life while we also observe his day-to-day living in Miami. Julian, our subject, invi...

An archival exploration of a St. Louis housing project, Pruitt–Igoe, that tends to the dark spaces concealed in a collective past. Lorenzo Bradford’s “shadow work” is an experimental archival documentary where awashed materials are recycled and used to examine Black life and dispossession. Broken...