A simple, restrained story of an afternoon with a babysitter, well-acted and carefully crafted. Actress Joslyn Jensen is eminently watchable as Elizabeth, the sitter, as she was in the excellent 2011 film, "Without." Director Christopher Bell presents an uncommon combination of the hyper-real and...

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...

On a duck hunting trip, two friends head to the lake. Auden Lincoln-Vogel directs “Bill and Joe Go Duck Hunting,” a quietly assured, gently funny, portrait of man and nature. An old, faded friendship centers the character study: Joe is the chatty one to Bill’s stoic reserve; Joe shows up in stree...

An eco-warrior gets out of jail and an old friend tries to pull him back into the fray. A mystifying film, a cheap production & awkward, unnatural interactions make it seem like maybe it's a ruse. Either way, it's intriguing & I recommend you watch at least twice. The film is basically one conver...

A bodybuilding fever dream fueled by childhood trauma, food porn and acid techno music. Raymond Knudsen directs “Prep,” a highly-stimulating portrait of a man who goes to extremes with his mind and body. Surrounded by rubber floor mats and stainless steel, we meet an unnamed bodybuilder with head...

A strange and hostile girl is visited by universal love in its personified form. Ava Hase directs “A Person Named Universal Love,” a dark comedy that looks at a young woman’s relationship with a persistent, unconditionally loving being. Universal Love, played by Oscar Falcon, comes knocking at Av...

A young woman mourning the loss of her cat receives an unexpected visitor. “Catlady” directed by Max Roux is an atmospheric elegy, a portrait of grief that spins into the surreal, carried by a spellbinding performance from Jade Louise. With tears streaming down her face, she buries her beloved ca...

During a rocky but enlightened childhood, a group of kids disappear and find themselves on a fantastical journey to break the curses of black boyhood. Justice Jamal Jones directs “How To Raise a Black Boy,” an imaginative, free-spirited fairytale about love, secrets, and breaking away. After the ...

Rachel feels lost in a new city. She takes on the role of both interviewer and interviewee to hopefully
discover authentic friendships.

On their first day living together, a young couple experiences ghosts from their past. “Houseplants,” from director Prashanth Kamalakanthan, is an elliptical drama that glimpses into the private life of Alma and Ron, a struggling couple on a vulnerable day. Over time, your partner changes and you...

In an attempt to be liked, a woman invites a stripper to her friend’s bachelorette party. “Isaac,” directed by Samantha Carroll, is a comedic look at an anxious woman’s awkward attempts to socialize at an intimate gathering. In each of their own color-coordinated wigs, the ladies celebrate Meredi...

Set in a near future which may or may not be experiencing the end of the world, a group of young people gather around a trendy Swedish coffee shop. “Five Minutes Before the End of the World,” is a roaming portrait, directed by Kevin Luna, unsettling in its depiction of the laissez faire attitude ...

Grace is visited by her mother's ghost and abandons everything to piece together what it wants, even as her reality and identity unravel. “The Undiscovered Country” is a gripping mystery and portrait of grief. Writer & Director: Tim O'Connor. Starring Rachel McKeon, Suzanne Savoy, Francesca Root-...

Simple story about two Belarus teenagers in love. It doesn't scream for your attention but it doesn't have to - it's got sincerity on its side. Mumblecore must have reached eastern Europe, or they've invented their own version, because that's a good starting point here. A low-key, naturalistic sc...

A first date in L.A. becomes a battle of hidden identities. “Getting to Know You,” directed by Alex Cantorious, is a charmingly lo-fi look at the afternoon meet-up of a woman claiming to be American and a man claiming to be British. Waiting for Adam to arrive, Greta rehearses in her head how she’...

An amateur electronic-drum enthusiast travels to a housewares trade show looking to strike up the perfect business partnership. “Hardware” is an out-there drama/comedy about a desperate man in search of opportunity, bolstered by cheesy drumbeats and awkwardly earnest performances. Directed by and...