A young woman on an imaginary journey experiences a brief romantic encounter. “Queens,” a visual poem by Alyssa Trawkina, follows the charming Tara — sometimes she’s joined by others, as when she jumps in a trampoline park, or rides up an escalator in sync with two other women. Other times, she’s...

Pressured into giving away his clothes, an emasculated young man obsessively attempts to reclaim a cherished sweater. Directed by and starring Maziyar Khatam, “The Sweater,” utilizes lo-fi, handi-cam filmmaking for an off-the-cuff search for a lost item. Khatam plays a man living with his frustra...

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...

Rachel gives herself a buzz cut. She tries to quit vaping.

A darkly comedic web series about Monica Lewinsky’s life in 2001, when she was 27 and living in New York City.

Created by Doron Max Hagay and Lily Marotta. Starring Lily Marotta. Featuring Erin Markey. DP Daniel Rampulla.

After distancing herself from a complicated relationship with her father, 22-year-old Kate Young returns home for the Thanksgiving holiday. “Returning, Again,” directed by Jinho Myung, is a family portrait shot on Mini-DV that details a persistent family divide, doing so with an astute sense of p...

A group of Alaskan fishermen do everything it takes to stay awake and not crash their boat. “Cold Bull,” directed by Ben Gordon, is a deranged commercial for Red Bull (not really), or a loopy experimental documentary about “living the sweet life” (also not really). It’s the summer and the fishing...

When fourteen-year-old Maggie and her friends hang out with some older guys they meet on Facebook, a crush unravels into a twisted trance fueled by Four Lokos and naive infatuation. “Monkey Bars,” directed by Jacqueline Xerri, is a coming-of-age drama about a group of teenagers that perfectly cap...

Roaming through rural France on their tandem bike, young post-punk musicians look for an audience and a name for their band. “Gwendoline,” directed by Joaquim Bayle, is a beautifully shot musical odyssey in 16mm black-and-white film that’s both bleak and lighthearted. On the road desperately seek...

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...

Alba arrives to a weekend getaway flustered after her fiancé bails on the trip last minute. Pepi Ginsberg directs “Alba and June,” a relationship drama turned love triangle that finds two cousins spending time with their friend Danny. | Director: Pepi Ginsberg. Writers: Pepi Ginsberg, Claire Luci...

Rachel discovers moments of light during a dark night of the soul. Her personal mental exercise of zooming in and out has a profound implication.

A young mother waits for the family babysitter before leaving for a conference. “The Pianist,” directed by NoBudge hall-of-famer, Doron Max Hagay, is a showcase for the genius of Kate Berlant, playing Chloe, mom of three, eager to attend a “very well-known summit of artists and female creatives,"...

A self-portrait about a young woman in L.A. moving between houses that don’t feel like home. Lauren Rothery directs “Matter,” a stylish autobiography that begins in sadness & confusion, and searches for a change of heart. A posh older gentleman narrates her inner thoughts — a melange of dislikes ...

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. ...

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...

A young woman is left stranded at an abandoned house in apocalyptic rural America to search for a mysterious object. “Abbygail Was Here,” directed by Keaton Smith, is enigmatic horror delivered with minimal plotting but vivid atmosphere and creeping tension. We don’t know the circumstances that b...