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 vulnerable artist. While her boyfriend, Jan, calls it a “vanity project,” Yulia insists her photos are a vital exercise in developing her work. How can she move past herself if she doesn’t have a full grasp on her own mundanity? As she burrows further down, she begins to experience panic attacks, not helped by her partner’s doubts and accusations. Waddell’s film is a minimalist but potent portrait capturing differing modes of expression within an artistic practice and within a young relationship. -KA. Director: Ewan Waddell. Cast: Eef Andriessen, Stanislav Trusov. Director of Photography / Marco Puerto. Editor: Ewan Waddell. Screenplay: Ewan Waddell. AD: Jennifer Stokka. Score & Sound Design: Skyler Hill. Sound Design: Mirko Porta. Poster: Luke Owen.
A date to see the fireworks on the Fourth of July turns into a weird night of discovery for a shy teenage girl. “Lightstreet,” directed by Billie Michael, is an understated coming-of-age drama that captures the awkwardness and uncertainties of youth in a quiet small town. The young couple wanders...
A harrowing account of a leadership seminar gone rogue in 1970’s California. In “You've Never Been Completely Honest,” a hybrid-documentary directed by Joey Izzo, a mixture of animation and reenactment footage brings to life a brutal audio interview. In 1972, a man named Gene recounts his experie...
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 ...