A young man has second thoughts about the nudity in his film. “I'm Going Full Frontal For My NYU Student Short Film,” directed by and starring Elliot Connors, is a comedy about youthful vulnerability and trying to maintain an uncompromising vision, even if questionable. Ahead of the shoot, Elliot...

Maddy finds herself stranded somewhere off of the highway after being stood up by a guy named Mike. This 16mm short directed by Joseph Barglowski is an ambling, low-key mystery rooted with moments of dry comedy. The locale is right off the interstate (the titular exit 9) where Maddy is set to mee...

An elf and a deadbeat try to raise ten million dollars to pay their rent. Hamilton O’Toole directs “Lucky and Charlie in the Hole With Lots of Money,” a bizarre animated film rendered in the style of early Y2K console graphics that follows a roommate duo in an attempt to confront their landlord. ...

Local racing legend Victor Elaine squares off against his greatest rival, a man whose opposing philosophy on life sets up a battle of outlooks. “Duality Derby,” directed by Mark Richard Miller and Dave Franzese, is a lighthearted rumination on the duality of man: one side focused on kindness and ...

A chronically online, socially inept teenager takes a leap of faith to meet up with her virtual bestie for the first time. “Thru the Wire,” directed by Bocau, is a modern coming-of-age film set in Vietnam with an honest account of where online and IRL conflict. “Fried_fish_ball” (we never get her...

A love letter to corporate synergy in the age of COVID-19. Made entirely from stock footage, “Smiling Worker Coughs in Hand” achieves an unsettling atmosphere from its generic visuals of average Americans engaged in basic daily activities. Director Ben Kitnick taps into the mood of the moment wit...

A young man decides to take control of his life by turning to cigarettes. This experimental film shot in the San Fernando Valley using an old mini-DV camera is an avant-garde curiosity directed by Justin Zuckerman. Christian smokes the titular ‘first cigarette’ but doesn’t stop there. In fact, he...

A Chinese manicurist in Miami attempts to describe feelings she doesn't have the words for. “Agua Viva,” written, directed and animated by Alexa Lim Haas, is a gorgeous, melancholic portrait of a stranger in a strange land. As she quietly goes about her day giving manicures and pedicures in a Flo...

A man played by writer/comedian Randall Otis whispers into a microphone the sort of soothing thoughts white people love to hear: that black people don’t hate them, and don’t consider them racist. A funny and biting expose. Produced by Studio 181. Director: John Connor Hammond. Writer/Starring: Ra...

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 ...

Lovers on the run are forced to take solace in each other when home is not an option. “Lola and Dallas” is a mini-tale of doomed love set in a dingy motel room filled with cigarette smoke and fantasies about a dangerous, glamorous life. Directed by Alessandra Mesa and Daniel Sorochkin, the film w...

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...

After a year of isolation, a young woman reluctantly ventures out from her small studio apartment to host a funeral for her friend's pet. “Recluse,” directed by Alexis Sundman, is a tender look at confronting and reconnecting with the real world. Speaking directly to the audience, Leona informs u...

During the summer semester at a NYC arts school, boundaries begin to blur between an adjunct professor and the students in her filmmaking class. “Personal Documentary,” a long-form feature directed by Jinho Myung, is a real-time exploration of various modes of intimate filmmaking — both a discuss...

While working as a caretaker at an old concert hall, a young woman begins to experience an otherworldly presence. “A Void,” directed by Dominique van Olm, is an eerie mood piece that simmers in the realm of the unknown. Seemingly withdrawing from her normal life, Julia completes her duties around...

Shereen Lani Younes is the director, writer, editor, and narrator of "how can i be present when photographs exist".

A lighthearted take on the Alphabet made in quarantine during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Guy Kozak directs “Alphabet,” which creates an appealing mood and atmosphere from a series of simple compositions, one for each letter, A-Z. There’s a lovely variety of visuals — some words are proper nouns, l...