An elderly woman turns to unconventional methods to create closeness with her caregiver. Spencer Gibson’s “Movie Star” is an intimate drama recognizing intergenerational companionship. Ruth and her younger caregiver, Jo, spend most of their day in the household. Despite their physical closeness, ...

A young woman seeks verification. Pervers3cowgirls presents “LACY_audition.tape_cocktailvilla.mp4,” a sketch-style mockumentary set in England following a multi-talented scenester in her effort to reach new heights. Lacy submits an audition tape for Cocktail Villa—a supposed influencer reality TV...

An Iranian mother living in Queens sends a letter to her far-away daughter. Armon Mahdavi directs “Untitled, Jackson Heights,” an experimental personal documentary presenting the place and anecdotes of a transplant in America. Through static frames of the city, we overhear a mother’s recorded mes...

On the sprawling grounds of one of France’s largest leisure villages, vacationers spend their days floating in a pool or congregating under the sun. Joanny Causse’s “Cigales” is an observational documentary on the summer season, an artful exploration of relaxation. In a series of photo-like compo...

A chronically online, socially inept teenager takes a leap of faith to meet up with her virtual bestie for the first time. “Thru the Wire,” directed by Bocau, is a modern coming-of-age film set in Vietnam with an honest account of where online and IRL conflict. “Fried_fish_ball” (we never get her...

Two buddies flip through TV shows in the future. Written and performed by the Chicago comedy group, c.r.u.d., “CRUD COUNTRY” is an experimental comedy brimming with bizzaro non-sequiturs and elaborate DIY sets and props. As they kick it in the hangout room, Judd Crudd and Buddy Crudd telecommute ...

A walk through a 16-yr-old’s uncomfortable shoes: gym class, an awkward encounter with a crush, and a meeting with her mom’s new boyfriend. Vanessa Meyer directs “Foot Trouble,” a coming-of-age set in 1999 that captures some darkly funny corners of a teenage girl’s day-to-day life. Sitting in her...

After a young woman seriously injures a child, she fixates on getting pregnant with her friends’ unwitting boyfriends. Gabriel Rodriguez-Fuller directs “The Gene Pool,” a peculiar micro-budget feature film starring Veronika Slowikowska and featuring an ensemble of familiar faces like Caroline Yos...

A young man achieves success on the internet. Alex Sovoda of Enzo the Magazine directs “Compounding Negativity,” a character comedy where a young man, played by Will Duncan, drops a drill freestyle that opens some new doors. After walking his date home, Will is approached by two young men who are...

A lonely chatterbox, fed up with the anti-social nature of the world, seeks to find himself a friend at all costs. Set in sunny Los Angeles, “People Person,” directed by Taylor Thompson, is an upbeat character study looking at social connections and interpersonal expectations. Immensely desperate...

On an afternoon at a skatepark, a 17-year-old girl makes an effort to fit in with her edgier friends while also tending to her shaky relationship with her younger sister. Emma Hall-Martin directs “Daughter of Wands,” a coming-of-age story set in the suburbs about teen pressures and the complexiti...

A new father tries to find time to skateboard. Zach Weintraub directs and stars in “Rad Dad,” a portrait of early parenthood, skating, and balancing it all. Zach drives over to meet his friend Taylor at his backyard half-pipe. His toddler sits buckled up in the back as a children’s song plays. De...

An actress’s discreet plans for her Thursday take an unexpected turn. “Thursday,” directed by Bren Cukier, is a drama set in Poland where a young woman proceeds with an at-home abortion. Maria tries to take her mind off the heavy decision, rehearsing lines in the bathtub for an upcoming audition,...

An accidental suitcase swap at the airport baggage claim puts a corporate underling's career—and life—in jeopardy. Home Planet, the comedy duo of Joe Gleason and Alex Forrest, present “Junior Associate,” which satirically amalgamates a medley of thriller tropes into a sketch-style film. Alex Sher...

Unable to stop quarreling, a young couple turns to a strange alternative therapy practice. Zach Galsky directs “Physical Therapy,” an energetic comedy that pokes fun at a relationship dilemma between a young Czech couple. We meet Alex and Elizabeth as they individually discuss a recent argument ...

Struggling with a debilitating migraine, a mother sends her son to retrieve her prescription pills before she vanishes into nothing. “Goose Egg,” directed by Madeline Leshner and Zach Stone, is a darkly funny hybrid of B-movie thriller and lo-fi horror. After eating a hard boiled egg, a woman beg...

A young woman mourns a tragic loss while her sister relentlessly tries to lighten her spirits. Brenna Power directs “Cold & Sara,” a dramatic character study on grief and sisterhood that pinpoints a period of raw emotion. In a state of shock after the death of a close friend, Emmy doesn’t feel mu...

An anxious woman navigates an archipelago of isolation. Matthew Ericson directs “Pink Elephant,” a disconcerting slow-burn drama that toils in the domestic household with issues of mental illness and caretaking. Within the walls of a quaint suburban home lives Mandy, her husband Bruce, and Bruce’...