In a rapidly gentrifying dive bar, two men pick a fight. “Last Nite at Sam’s,” directed by Devon Manney, is an intense animated film that depicts a violent night spiraling out of control with vivid soundscapes and compositions. What starts as an ordinary evening — one patron picks a song from the...

When a wealthy white man’s young black escort stops seeing him, he tries to find a replacement. “The Rentals,” directed by Nicholas Andre, is a darkly comedic snapshot of an aging man’s demand for desire and intimacy. The picture begins slightly unclear. Fred seems to be dozing off as James, his ...

A young couple discuss being new parents and their own mortality. In “When I Get Home,” Nuala Sanchez compiles the audio-visual journal entries of her own parents, forming an intimate and expressive reflection on parenthood. Electronic hums hiss at a low frequency. DV footage comes into focus. On...

An actress’s discreet plans for her Thursday take an unexpected turn. “Thursday,” directed by Bren Cukier, is a drama set in Poland where a young woman proceeds with an at-home abortion. Maria tries to take her mind off the heavy decision, rehearsing lines in the bathtub for an upcoming audition,...

Will Gillman attempts to woo a first date by taking her to a chicken photography competition at a local bar. A new knee-slapper from director Brandon Daley — his previous short, Savasana, won Best Comedy in last year’s NoBudge Awards — whose vision is carried out with full-fledged commitment to t...

Who’s that knocking at the door? Universal Love makes his way into the apartment of "The Girl" and refuses to leave.

Wrestling with the responsibilities of being a mother and also the wife to an incarcerated husband, a young woman tries to find herself. Ricardo J. Varona directs “Hector’s Woman,” a drama set in Puerto Rico a year after Hurricane María. Paola, with her daughter in her arms, goes to visit her hus...

A man's life spirals out of control when he embarrasses himself on a hidden camera reality TV show. “Pussybaby,” directed by Derek Milton, is a satirical comedy about a poor soul who becomes a meme and the chaotic media landscape that makes it possible. Shaliek is an aspiring creator in the proce...

A weary French professor and a young drug dealer share an evening together in Philadelphia. A two-hander character study, “May,” directed by Julian Turner, examines an unlikely relationship forged during a drug deal. Randolph and Genevieve find themselves in each other’s company searching for a d...

Working as a babysitter for a melodramatic family, a woman looks for alone time as she prepares a Venus ritual. Directed by Jane Stiles and Meryl Jones, “The Love Spell” is a character study shot on 16mm that places its lovelorn subject in a last-minute scheduling predicament. Tucker is forced to...

A once promising opera singer finds herself years later as a stay-at-home mom with two young boys. She’s overwhelmed and overworked and there’s a distant look in her eyes. Life (or one day) rolls on, hurtling down the track faster than she can keep up. Her kids are perpetually crying or demanding...

An army of Catholic high school girls prepare for their upcoming play while dealing with the ugliness of adolescence and the intrusion of a boy into their drama troupe. Chloe Xtina directs “The First Taste,” an expressive coming-of-age character study about the passions and fascinations of a grou...

Recalling a story from her youth, a grandmother reckons with a life-changing decision and tries to reconnect with a mystical source. Tatiana Tift directs “Penny for your Thoughts,” a magical realist hybrid fiction about memory and identity. What at first appears to be a straightforward portrait o...

An exploration of the "man on the street" interview industry through the POV of an editor. Andrew Bourne directs “Man on the Street,” a satire putting short form content, and its creators, into bleak perspective. We open to a series of short-form spoofs scrolling one after the other. Names includ...

June celebrates her 25th birthday with an existential crisis. A fragmentary, heart-on-its-sleeve depiction of a young woman beginning to question everything about her life and choices. Directed by Tij D’oye. Written by and starring Emily DeForest.

Over the course of a muggy summer day in New England, two friends meander from place to place, getting high and avoiding the aftermath of a recent family tragedy. “Out of Body,” directed by Miles Dixon, is a moment-to-moment observation of both the joy and aloofness of a youthful bond. Cam and Ry...

Four twenty-something friends relive the days of high school in this drug-soaked micro-budget drama. A bleak film about aimlessness, about empty conversations and empty drug use.The foundation is that awkward period after high school when old friends try to remain intact but are inevitably drifti...

Dawn has troublesome sex with her lover and childhood friend. Charlie Stuip directs “Sweethart,” an experimental narrative piece following a couple in their 20s as they encounter disconnects in the bedroom. When Dawn’s boyfriend, Mike, struggles to satisfy her desires for a rougher kind of sex, D...

Jaelyn is a recent graduate of Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts and is currently based in London. Her only goal is to direct and produce movies for and about Black girls. Literally. That’s it. She particularly enjoys the coming of age and horror genres for their often sha...

An absurdist melodrama in three acts following the evolution of a family's dynamic through altercations, deaths, and the increasing influence of a singing realtor. “Dinnertime,” directed by Gerardo Coello Escalante, is a comedic portrait of dysfunction, richly layered and remarkably paced. John i...