In a city where the sun never shines, a young skeptic helps his scientist uncle conduct an experiment that could give his people hope. Made in Kazakhstan by Batyrkhan Jussipov, “Helios” is deadpan dystopian sci-fi with an inventive DIY spirit. Nurseit is a disaffected young man living in a remote...

A lonely neurotic orders a gimmicky calendar from TikTok hoping it'll inspire him to change his life but it completely backfires. “Terry’s Calendar,” directed by Chris Connor, is a jumpy comedy about the existential meltdown of a mustached man in his thirties who thinks he’s dying. After ordering...

An overwhelmed woman caring for her schizophrenic mother tries to take a moment for herself while picking up her mother's backordered medication. Daniel Aguilar directs “Uneasy Moments,” an expressionistic snapshot of a Latino family’s struggle with mental illness. Diana is exhausted from taking ...

In a seaside town in Maine, a group of young skateboarders go about their normal lives—skating, smoking weed, and shooting the shit. A slice-of-life snapshot directed by Gideon Baeza, “Hope is Hip” tracks the lifestyle and personalities of an outsider subculture just beyond a quaint tourist distr...

An American living in Rome takes a trip to Umbria after a spontaneous invite from a childhood friend. Daniela Garza directs “A Place Between us,” a stylish summer excursion that portrays a couple of days of warm weather pleasures mixed with nostalgia and ennui. When Fiore decides to leave a work ...

Faced with infinite possibilities, a profoundly indecisive woman attempts to buy a new couch. Lily Citrin directs “Phoebe Getting a Couch,” a comedy about the burden of choice and the battle to define oneself with home decor. Phoebe can’t even decide what she wants at the drive-through fast food ...

In need of a place to stay, a young man poses as the son of a woman with Alzheimer’s. Sam Severin directs “Niko & Eleanor,” an understated drama about an unlikely relationship that fleetingly forms between two people with different struggles. Niko enters the home of Eleanor wearing a safety vest ...

A filmmaker making a documentary about fossil fuel extraction is consistently subverted by an AI agent that wants to tell a generic love story. Sarah Lasley directs “Climate Control,” an absurd comedy realizing the futile feeling of trying to call attention to a crisis. We’re dropped into a diora...

As an online roleplaying game approaches its final days, two teens embark on a cross-country trip to meet each other in real life. “Love192,” directed by Haydon Mayer, is a tender romance and sign-of-times saga that captures and transcends the digital realm. Jude goes by the username “M4yJud3July...

A young woman arranges viewings for her one-bedroom house, which she may not be genuine about actually renting. Ryan Leedu directs “No Bedroom,” a character study that builds intrigue with an ordinarily mundane task that raises questions of intent. At first it seems like a typical situation: a wo...

On the day of a cataclysmic event, a young woman begins to act in an increasingly erratic manner. David Fu directs “Eschaton,” a dreamy, 16mm account of a young woman’s drift to another realm. Emily sits on a wooden bench in the middle of a lush, botanical garden. Her boyfriend finds her. They ha...

A self-sabotaging scammer attempts to sell fake acting classes in Times Square. Ben Scott directs and stars in “You’ve Been Chosen,” a chaotic look at an aggravated young man steamrolling through a new business venture. Before hitting 42nd street, Frank throws on a bedazzled blazer, grabs a micro...

A family invents a series of rituals to describe the trouble they're in: first a burial, then an alien invasion. “Katelin Describes a Crisis,” directed by Stephen Wardell, is an avant-garde exploration featuring an intriguing cast of kids making a pre-apocalypse movie with an older family member....

An emotionally exhausted nurse revisits the comforts of childhood when she hires a babysitter to take care of her for the evening. Isabel Pask directs “Goodnight,” a weighty drama about a hospice worker looking for relief. After an intense day on the job, Daria returns to her New York City apartm...

After smoking weed one time, a woman believes that remaining stoned will be the answer to all of her problems. “Schwag,” directed by Danny Hurwitz, stars a hilarious Sara Hennessey in a meandering tale of indecisiveness and pot smoking. At first she declines to hit a joint with a friend, played b...

An unnamed narrator uses found footage from his childhood to construct a portrait of his father and their relationship. “Lespri,” directed by Jard Lerebours, is a poetic reflection on childhood and frayed family bonds. The narrator shares he’s turning 27 in a month—the same age of his father when...

Two mysterious drifters wander through the desert on a journey of self-discovery. The third film in the “Reveries” trilogy written and performed by Matt Barats and Anthony Oberbeck, “Reveries: The Mind Prison” is a psychedelic comedy full of absurd musings and visual abstractions. Graham Mason di...

A rising star battles an established legend at the 2025 North American Scrabble championships. Jeff Braun’s “Greatest Scrabble Game of All Time” is a comedy where a tense meeting of the minds leads to the ultimate play of a single word. Two-time champion Doug Edley faces newcomer Kenneth Appell. ...