The brilliantly loony “Observatory Blues” tells the life story of Fernando Music, a writer born with no hands that becomes famous for a series of books about space and sex. Beautifully shot on 16mm and featuring a genius cast moving in all kinds of glorious directions (including a narration by Hu...

A peculiar miracle binds together a pregnant nun in 1960s Ireland and a West Texas gas station attendant 25 years later. Eli Powers writes and directs “Holy Moses,” a stark fable told in two parts about a pair of individuals forced to reckon with what they have witnessed, and what it all means. I...

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 ...

A very dramatic, broken-hearted woman wanders the wilderness searching for her lost love. Mitra Jouhari’s “Wayfaring Stranger” is a poetic comedy with reflective anecdotes of a post-break-up self. Frame to frame, we see the wilderness while listening to Jouhari’s spoken word. Her ex’s “touch” and...

On Valentine's Day in Toronto, a young couple's relationship is fragmented by performance. “V-DAY,” directed by Zachary Lacosse, is a slow-burn drama that’s highly observant of a long-distance couple and their awaited encounter to see each other on the February holiday. We meet a young man, in hi...

Across a freezing night, confused dropout Cooper Townsend tries to make it home. “Townsend’s Last Night,” directed by Rhys Scarabosio, is a chaotic, lo-fi fever dream about a young man who has lost his way. Left desperately clinging to his only refuge — scribbling lyrics in an old notebook — the ...

After witnessing a violent beating on the boardwalk, a 12-year-old boy starts to feel his sleepy coastal town closing in around him. “Sparrow,” directed by Boris Krichevsky and Nikita Zarkh, is a quietly arresting character study rendered with striking images of desolate seaside locales. The boy,...

Georgia spends each winter living in a commune in the woods, but when her daughter and granddaughter return home to Vermont, her role in the family unit comes into question. Jo Dery directs “Georgia’s Line,” a quiet character study on family, built with vivid specificity and sense of place. Georg...

A young woman mourns a tragic loss while her sister relentlessly tries to lighten her spirits. Brenna Power directs “Cold & Sara,” a dramatic character study on grief and sisterhood that pinpoints a period of raw emotion. In a state of shock after the death of a close friend, Emmy doesn’t feel mu...

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...

Two old friends reunite in the wilderness, over which an angry warehouse holds court. Ryan McGlade directs “Buddymovie,” an absurd comedy that embraces friendship in an uncanny form. After being picked on by a talking warehouse, Big Dump, played by Jeremy Levick, runs off into the wilderness only...

A troubled teen ventures into an unfamiliar city seeking a bond with his estranged father. With “K.I.N.G.,” director Rashad Frett delivers a energetic drama shouldered by powerfully raw & real performances, including from the quietly expressive Jadiah Bailey as King. The film is set in Hartford, ...

Amidst strange encounters in her life and work, a Brazilian filmmaker living in Chicago is struck by a compelling question. João Rubio Rubinato and Lua Borges direct “Where’s South?” a 16mm film that ruminates on being far from home despite having footing somewhere else. When Helena arrives late ...

On a winter afternoon in New York City, two strangers meet and decide to keep each other company for the night. Directed by and starring Jane Stiles, “One Eye Small,” is an endearing portrait of relationship blues, and a love letter to Big Apple spontaneity. We find two young women starring out a...

A lonely woman with boundary issues steals a dog. India Donaldson directs “If Found,” a minimalist drama set at an off-season beach town that’s built with striking wintry visuals and a tone swaying between lightly comedic and disturbing. She lives on a boat with a friend who seems alarmed by her ...