A rural Bulgarian family fights to keep a millenia-old demon chasing festival alive. “Kukeri,” directed by Daniel Ali and Jake Schühle Lewis, is a mesmerizing portrait of an ancient tradition where elaborately costumed individuals make their way through local villages aiming to bring happiness and prosperity. The captivating images of the large, dancing figures in their swinging fur costumes with attached bells provide a sense of surreal joy, but the profile also benefits from getting to know the people in the suits. The family of four describe their inspiration and excitement for the ritual, a life-affirming depiction tapping into the spiritual and performative pleasures that connect past with present. Especially touching are the reflections of the family’s teenage daughter who delights in surprising onlookers they’re witnessing a woman under the costume, in a traditionally men-only ritual.
A Michigan man prepares for an annual ice fishing trip with a group of old friends. Pete Johnston directs and narrates “Ice Fishing In a Climate Crisis That Precedes a Global Pandemic,” a lighthearted personal documentary that details a tradition going back to 2013 where a group of men gather in ...
An intimate portrait and concert experience profiling Juan Wauters, the NYC mainstay underground musician from Uruguay. “Introducing… Juan Wauters,” directed by Sean Patrick O’Brien, matches the scrappy, lo-fi spirit of its subject as he expresses his thoughts on life and music, and prepares for ...
A widowed mother tries to make it on her own in Eugene, Oregon. “Vonnie,” the highly personal story of Tynan DeLong and his mother and their family history, is utterly devastating, and a drastic pivot from DeLong’s previous work - goofy comedy vids which we’ve featured with great regularity start...
