Two best friends put their friendship to the test when they audition for the same role. Emily May Jampel directs “Clean Slate,” a dark comedy about competitiveness and resentment among two New York City actors. Joyce and Josephine shoot their self-tapes for a “Untitled LGBTQIA + GEN Z Series.” Th...

A fragmented road trip becomes a portrait of love, loss, and memory. Antoine Pret and Elena Bonhomme direct “Cinq étapes,” a black-and-white, 16mm snapshot that connects a French road map with five steps of grieving. Monica pulls off to the side of the road. She pays her respects to a small memor...

A security guard walks his old beat in an abandoned strip mall, contemplating his purpose in guarding the vacant property. “Portrait 001: Security Guard,” directed by Tanner D. Masseth, is an existential portrait rendering a 3D-animated subject in a dismal suburban landscape. With a distinctive a...

Ira prepares to confront an unrequited crush by practicing with miniature figurines. Mika Lungulov-Klotz and Alanna Murray direct “I Would Never Fuck You,” a poignant account of tricky romantic pursuits, which stars an ensemble of older gentleman cast as young women. Ira tinkers with handmade fig...

The morning after a kidnapping, a detective's investigation tests the bonds of a marriage. Daniel Collins and Matt McDonald direct “Trauma Bonds,” a comedic crime case where the foundation of a relationship is called into question. Vanessa was recently kidnapped. She gives the police her statemen...

Alone at home, a young woman is forced to deal with an unwelcome intrusion. An experimental horror film directed by Isabela Tanashian, “Immortal She” constructs a fever dream in black and white tapping into a deep sense of unease. Smoking cigarettes and reading a book called “Unmasking the Face,”...

An acting class and its bold leader rumble and rise within the walls of a New York City building. Solange Sai directs “Acting Class,” a vivid, black-and-white snapshot documenting an ensemble of studying actors and their emotional exhaustion. The filmmaker rides the R train to Midtown. She enters...

An extremely antisocial young man reluctantly accompanies his mourning friend to the beach. “Jeffrey, Bad Day,” directed by Theo Matza, is a dark comedy shot on 16mm film featuring a tottering trio of offbeat men. Jeffrey starts his day on edge. His mother asks about his plans, already pressing t...

A tour through a labyrinth of mysteriously linked Los Angeles mansions provides a dreamlike glimpse into the lives of five women. “My Imaginary Life for Someone,” directed by Molly Wurwand and Ryan McGlade, is a docu-fictional feature film featuring an ensemble of former it-girls now in the later...

A filmmaker returns to the formative places of his Kentucky upbringing to preserve the memories they still hold. “London, KY,” directed by Cody Duncum, is a quiet portrait of home and its evolving role in one’s memory over time. We observe landmarks through wide frames, observing them in their en...

When two best friends attempt an astrophysical internet trend, one of them must face the consequences of her new reality alone. “A Sweetness of Lapse,” directed by Bashir Aden, is an understated sci-fi drama, detouring into a ‘what if’ universe. Mina and Ava chill at the park. They listen to hous...

A two-man band called Maurice makes a pilgrimage to Queens to discover a street that shares their name. Travis Wood directs “Another Miracle,” a hybrid music video combining on-the-street performance and lighthearted interviews with local residents. Between lyrics, New Yorkers share anecdotes on ...

Two women meet in a strange room that defies space and time. Jonas Bishop Hayes directs “The Waiting Room,” a surreal melodrama that’s shrouded in mystery and crafted with unsettling dream logic. Emma sits straight in a plaid, yellow blazer. She’s been waiting for a while, but then there’s a sudd...

A girl, her big sister, and God go to extreme measures to win a beauty pageant. Max Tullio directs “All Beauty Queens Have Broken Bones,” a coming-of-age drama set in the Midwest where a pair of siblings try to decipher signs from God. Marlo has a vision of competing in the Miss Teen Indiana Page...

When a young French woman decides to leave New York City and return to France, her best friend, an American, confronts the reality of life without her. Gino Fortebuono directs “Loleh,” a slice-of-life ruminating on friendship, co-dependence, and evaded pasts. Loleh visits her family in France and...

A young man living a downtrodden life in Los Angeles attempts to have a pleasant, productive day. “Blue Skies,” directed by Jack Krupp, is a mumblecore comedy tracking a man’s mundane but also paralyzing current situation. Sewage water backs up in Jack’s shower drain. His landlord has Covid and c...

A dejected man living in Los Angeles limps through a prolonged break-up and the distractions in the aftermath. Brian Follmer directs “Dys-Sympathetic,” a satirical featurette poking at casual sex, casual romance, and the emotional deterioration of it all. Tyler waits for his ex-girlfriend, Zoe, a...

A young superintendent in Bensonhurst struggles to keep his job while supporting his dying grandfather. Evan Dominguez directs “The Superintendent,” a Brooklyn story filmed in black-and-white featuring a compelling ensemble and feeling of timelessness. Felix and Al are live-in superintendents. Th...

When a man suffers from severe stomach problems during a disastrous date night, he makes an unexpected connection with a stranger. “Irritable Bowel,” directed by Joseph Agredano, is a dramatic comedy set in Los Angeles where spontaneity, in various forms, tests a man’s relationship. Glen reads wo...

After an agoraphobic scientist accidentally creates a baby-like plant creature, their connection threatens to upend his reclusive way of life. In “Sprout,” Leah Dubuc explores fear and friendship through illustrative animation. From retrieving his mail to shooing away girl scouts, the reclusive m...

A rapper goes missing after a music video shoot and the director tries to track him down. “The Trick,” directed by Neal Wynne, is a comedic, lo-fi quest where a young man must wade through his dissociative state in order to find his missing friend. Steve, played by Jake Squire, tries his best to ...