Extremophiles are organisms that exist when nothing else can survive. In this environmental documentary about pollution, director Leah Shore presents a slide show of lethal hot spots in Brooklyn as a duo in matching grey suits strike ominous poses. Beginning with the infamous Gowanus Canal, which...
A young man cycles through a series of personas in a manic attempt to find himself. “Yamashiro LIVE!”, directed by Blake James Reid and Max Frumkin, is a fever dream odyssey carved from pure provocation, a melting-down outsider vision of an ineffectual shape-shifter. The man floods each of his un...
In his first semester at an out-of-state university, Ison navigates new friendships and a romantic interest. Jinho Myung directs “Into Particles,” an unassuming yet captivating small-scale character study, endearing in its naivety and tenderness. After an overview of Ison’s upbringing in Californ...
In this stylized personal essay, a renter says goodbye to their apartment. “What I Had to Leave Behind,” directed by Sean David Christensen, is a lovely ode to moving out, built around a self-deprecating voiceover and jazzy score. Memories spring to mind about every corner of the apartment — the ...
In this surreal odyssey, a young boy walks through a series of doors opening up visions of the past and future. “Mi,” made by Masayoshi Nakamura and Zak Engel, is beautifully animated, vibrating with color, shape and possibility. Emerging from abstract geometric landscapes, we lock in on a boy wi...
A passionate young photographer in Berlin fixates on a series of self-portraits as her boyfriend questions her approach. A mediation on artistic process and ambition, “Spiegel,” directed by Ewan Waddell, is a stylistically assured character study that gets deep into the head of a hip but vulnerab...
A tale of sibling betrayal and revenge as told by a ranch horse. “Horse Brothers,” directed by Milos Mitrovic and Fabian Velasco, is a surreal fantasy tale and family melodrama built with inventive lo-fi visuals and a fever dream tone. After an absence, Frodo arrives back to the family farm in a ...
The lives of a group of thirty-something artists weave together as they grapple with the idea of parenthood. Allegra Oxborough directs “A Blue Morning: Conversations Among Artists on Parenthood,” a slice-of-life documentary following two couples with kids, and a third contemplating a family. Capt...
A twenty-something filmmaker and actor, Zoë, is making a movie based on her attraction to another woman. “Untitled Movie,” directed by Annie Brennen, is a layered meta comedy, an exploration of sexuality and the creative process. Currently in a relationship with a man, Zoë fantasizes about kissin...
An alien comes to Earth landing in an ordinary American backyard. Or so goes the game of imagination that a group of siblings think up and play out. Stephen Wardell directs “Uriah Plays the Alien,” a vastly original piece of avant-garde filmmaking observed in a dream-like haze of childhood creati...
*Note: Click CC for English Captions* While her fish struggles to survive in a jar, a troubled young girl fixates on becoming famous on social media. “Tina,” directed by Antonio Vasaturo, is gritty realism from Italy rendered with sensory detail and richly saturated visuals. Though her dream seem...
While pondering the need to endlessly capture her life in photos and videos, a filmmaker attempts to be present in the moment. Shereen Lani Younes directs “how can i be present when photographs exist,” a self-reflective video essay narrated with stream-of-consciousness musings over a smorgasborg ...
Two film critics discuss their profession in the park. Tynan DeLong directs “Critics,” a lighthearted satire lampooning celebrity worship, hobnobbing with movie stars, and Marvel fanboying. It stars Jeremy Levick and Rajet Suresh, playing movie geeks with podcasts — “The Dork Side” and “Are You T...
PRESENTED BY FACTORY 25 | A bizarre rite of passage at the local deli determines the fate of a generation of teenagers, leading some to escape their suburban town and dooming others to remain. Directed by Tyler Taormina. Writers: Tyler Taormina, Eric Berger.
PRESENTED BY FACTORY 25 | Jobe, a mysterious middle-aged rollerblader, gets blamed for the drug overdose of a super famous A-list actor. Afraid and confused, he spends one bizarre evening skating across the streets of Manhattan, all the while dodging paparazzi, police, and assorted late night wei...
PRESENTED BY FACTORY 25 // At a remote house on the coast of Maine, a young woman has found work as a forest-fire lookout responsible for monitoring the nearby woodland. But when her inquisitive and demanding friend Charlie arrives at the house, Helen finds herself challenged and unsettled by her...
A group of young adults delay entering the real world in lieu of focusing on iffy relationships. Directed by Kentucker Audley.
Starring Caroline White, Jake Rabinbach, Z Behl, Kentucker Audley.
One of the first films deemed mumblecore, this 2007 film was the debut of director/actor Kentucker Audley. Made in Memphis, Tennessee, the film is notable for its front yards and baby pools and casual demeanor. The film was made for $1,500 and it wears its lo-fi proudly on its sleeve.
