A fashion-forward model questions his self-image when he crosses paths with the "cooler" version of himself on a photoshoot. “Coolguy,” directed by Nicky & Z, is a pop comedy sketch about overthinking one’s appearance. A man struts onto set exuding confidence and swagger, owing to his carefully c...

A sensual advertisement for the lofty high-rise buildings in an ambiguous metropolis. “The High Rise Beckons,” directed by Matt Barats, is a satirical commercial real estate ad where we’re tempted by an oddly erotic narrator and slow punch-in shots of various properties. Building to building, we ...

After an evidently successful first date, Evan and Marceline head back to her place. “Welcome to Bushwick,” by director Henry Jinings, is about the nerves and perceptions of a man and a woman approaching intimacy for the first time. We pick up as the two young Brooklynites enter the apartment of ...

After falling down a YouTube fitness rabbit hole, a woman dives deep into a new obsession. Marissa Losoya’s “Beyond Failure” is a comedic docu-fictional study of a spontaneous foray into sculpting a new ass. What starts as a simple online search for stretches to fix her lower back becomes an all-...

Two sisters fight to save their digital utopia from demise. “Welcome to the Enclave,” directed by Sarah Lasley, is an inventive experimental animation framed as an absurdist crowdfunding video. The Enclave is a virtual street created by a woman named Moni, but at the moment she’s under attack fro...

A high school actor seeks to remove his sister with a mental disability from the audience when she begins shouting his name. A student project, “For The Rabbits,” is notable for its ambitious one-take maneuvering, and for its tackling of tricky subject matter. Directed by and starring Lincoln Rob...

A fascinating glimpse into one man's Ukrainian past and Brooklyn present, crisp HiDef intercuts with fleeting VHS images of what felt like yesterday but was actually 25 years ago. The film is directed by Alexander Kaluzhsky and the subject is his own father, who is photographed with great regard ...

A skater is offered a job by a mysterious businessman. Jon Ryan Sugimoto directs “Full Time,” a social satire on corporate America and modern work culture where a recent high-school graduate is given a lucrative opportunity: to stand in a square all day for the rest of his life. Still in their gr...

Four young friends go on a holiday in the French countryside and fall in love with each other. Andrea Studinger directs “Tomorrow, My God,” a candid observation filled with dry humor and lovely visuals of a friend group and their messy romantic feelings. On a visit to a vacation home, cousins Mat...

A dog walker becomes obsessed with a client's dog after his personal trainer moves away. Tynan DeLong directs “Dog Runner,” a comedic character study about Brian, a keyed up Brooklyn resident who finds himself in a tailspin of anger and doubt. DeLong’s frequent collaborator, Brian Fiddyment, play...

A college student attempts to walk from his dorm room in midtown Manhattan to the end of Long Island in 36 hours. Legyaan Thapa directs “36 Hour Walk,” a personal documentary of a half-hearted journey built with wry, self-deprecating commentary. Vowing not to eat or sleep for a day and a half, th...

Living in a city, an individual with Chinese roots is diagnosed with particular speech impediments. “ApHasiA: Describe the City You Live In,” directed by Shan Jiang, is a future-fiction diasporic tale that artfully tackles metropolis-living and linguistics. As we observe a sequence of geometrical...

A little girl receives a letter from Santa Claus in this short and sweet holiday film from director Eric Paschal Johnson, co-director of “Observatory Blues”. Over a series of richly melancholic 16mm compositions of a young girl lugging a Christmas tree through fields and forests, Santa narrates a...

A woman finds a strange rock on the beach, a landscaper is down on his luck, and a man licks his girlfriend. Ella Sinskey’s multi-format “MANPOWER 4 HIRE” is an experimental portrait fluctuating between the everyday and the unusual. On an American seaside, the young woman searches for a stone. Up...

"Joy Kevin" contains another remarkable performance from Tallie Medel (who burst on the indie scene in 2012 with "The Unspeakable Act"); here she is aided to great effect by the fact she plays a dancer. Her physicality is amazing and she’s given free reign to use it, not only in the numerous danc...

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a mother returns her son’s missed phone call. “It’s Your Mother Calling,” directed by NoBudge favorite Travis Wood, is a touching animated micro-short that uses a real voicemail message over a series of colorful visuals. It’s a portrait of longing and motherly advice...

A coffee shop employee and an art gallery assistant engage in a series of awkward exchanges. Hubert Adjei-Kontoh writes, directs and stars in “At Work,” a low-key comedy and character study on Ronald, a neurotic, socially uncomfortable over-thinker involved in a one-sided infatuation. After meeti...

A strange encounter with a man who loves dogs. Taking the form of a visualization exercise intended to help you relax, it instead opens up a can of existential anxiety. Written, Directed, and Edited by Graham Mason. Starring Anthony Oberbeck and Gibby.