A retired magician turned aquatic fish salesman is visited by an obsessed fan. Ben Gordon’s “Stigmata” is a bizarre, fever-dream drama witnessing a man’s persistent effort to learn a forbidden spell. Brad Christian closes up his fish and supplies store for the night, but there’s a knock at the do...

Three soon-to-be college graduates become entangled in an absurd plot involving their professor’s run for mayor, an Elvis impersonator, and a group of radical artists. Adrian Anderson and Patrick Gray direct “Pomp & Circumstance,” a comedic, college-set feature shot on 16mm, set amongst the quain...

When her father doesn’t show up for a weekend visit in a beach town, a young woman has a fling with an older surfer. “San Clemente Syndrome,” directed by Claire Offenberger, is a portrait of disappointment and longing carried by tender performances and a reflective mood. She’s a college student e...

A young woman impulsively travels to New York City alone, ignoring her mother's calls throughout the trip. Directed by Anahita Amirshahi. Cast: Ellena Eshraghi, Denton True, Gina Nicole Brown.

Somewhere in America, right this instant, a roomful of young women are waiting to audition for the role of a lifetime. In her headspacey short film, Anu Valia plucks her heroine Clara out of this room and momentarily holds her up to the light, before gently nudging her back into the anonymous str...

A faithfully recreated 1970s cigarettes advertisement unspools into a surreal satire on melodramatic marketing. “Ralph Styles Ultra,” by director Nic fforde, is an exquisitely-realized mockup complete with period-perfect performances, music, art design, costuming, and hair and make up. A debonair...

On Rockaway Beach, a young woman named Teresa borrows money from a teenage skateboarder in return a provocative kiss. She pulls a similar routine with another man working at a deli promising a sexual favor in exchange for keys to the register. These aren’t isolated incidents but a destructive pat...

A very dramatic, broken-hearted woman wanders the wilderness searching for her lost love. Mitra Jouhari’s “Wayfaring Stranger” is a poetic comedy with reflective anecdotes of a post-break-up self. Frame to frame, we see the wilderness while listening to Jouhari’s spoken word. Her ex’s “touch” and...

Rachel celebrates the 4th of July with a few friends. She finds her voice.

An awkward guest shows up to a party and makes things weird for everyone. Written by Kate Berlant, Andrew DeYoung and John Early, “Rachel” is a hilariously creepy portrait of a strange evening in the lives of a group of L.A. creatives. Early stars as the man throwing a party for his boyfriend, Go...

Trapped in a pyramid scheme of beauty products, a Korean entrepreneur finds her relentless pursuit of the American Dream in jeopardy. Stevie Szerlip’s “Young Forever” offers a flashy, compelling look at this sales woman’s endeavors and the drama that follows. As a sales rep, Young Lee makes her r...

A young Moroccan woman faces deportation from the UK while coming to terms with her her sexual orientation. A richly-drawn drama, “Métèque,” directed by Lauren Blackwell, follows Samia through an emotional period of turmoil. It’s a beautifully rendered exploration of identity, displacement, and d...

A young man, on-edge, tries cycling as a way to make friends. Noah Kentis directs “Pedestrian,” an expressionistic character study of a highly volatile call center employee. Working at United Auto Loan Trust, Kehlani gets aggressive on phone calls with people short on cash. A coworker tells Kehla...

A man with an unknown past takes up room and board in the remote Scottish Highlands on the property of a woman named Bronte and her husband William. It’s not clear what he’s left behind, but what he’s found is a place to sleep and there's work to be done. For awhile, his presence is tolerated as ...

A gang of 30-something punks still act like they’re 15, calling each other pussies and setting off fireworks all day. Characterized by an allegiance to movies before hyper-naturalism, it’s fitting that much of the film is in silhouette, as the characters are presented as broad shapes, movie arche...

A no-name indie rock band schlepps their gear from a cramped practice space in Bushwick to a show in Manhattan. The comedy “Tired Eyes,” directed by Ryan Martin Brown, nails the plight of the broke musician, desperate to find any way forward in a city overflowing with bands with no future. The tr...

A male stripper has an unusual experience on the job in Mary Dauterman’s “Unfinished Business.” From a script co-written by Jenny Donheiser, the film is an awkward comedy that uses 1980’s costuming and choreography to highlight its dingy tableaus and expressionless ladies. When he arrives to a mo...

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

A queer musician returns to her hometown to encounter the strange masculinity of the music scene. “Opener,” directed by Véra Haddad, is an observant comedy on the clichès of an indie rock venue and the awkwardness of social reunion. After spending time in Chicago, Sam is back where she started. A...