An actor living on the edge of one of the most polluted zip codes in the United States prepares for a role. Kevin Steen directs “Daron, Daron Colbert,” an atmospheric portrait of a young man’s day-to-day life while he aspires to a career in acting. We’re introduced to Delray, a heavily polluted n...

A middle-aged woman runs out of things to talk about with her therapist. Ryan Wagner directs “Oh Man Magdelena,” a surreal, VHS look at a woman and her therapist who reach peculiar breakthroughs during an oddly ominous session. Magdalena peers out the blinds of her therapist’s office. The interio...

Although money is tight, a former stadium headliner plans to skip another dive bar show in a small town. “The Rock Star,” directed by Niels Blumel, takes us to the American outskirts where we observe a slacked-out musician in his endeavor to feel desired. The rockstar, Babyface Jones, has no inte...

After abusing prescription medication to induce amnesia, a woman experiences childlike wonder, terror, beauty, and love. Directors Spencer Witmer and Brandi Lynn Divine present “Pair of Dice,” a MiniDV expedition through the ruins and chambers of Orlando and its surrounding area. The young woman,...

Wading through a sea of memories, a young real estate agent attempts to do her job. “Total Transportation,” directed by Boothe Carlson, is an experimental oddity where cryptic anecdotes disrupt a recorded apartment tour. As our tour begins, it becomes apparent that we’ll be seeing more into the a...

Setting out to “make a movie” on the streets of NYC, a man recruits strangers to act alongside him in “movie scenes”. Using a hidden camera prank show format, “Cinema Brut” is notable for capturing the strange ways people respond when asked to perform, and for the highly committed performance by ...

A high-schooler named Larry tries to embrace the harsh reality that he may never be one of the “Great Larrys.” Oszkar Nosek directs “A Reason to be Larry,” a surreal character study of a young man trying to conceptualize his persona. Larry struggles to find confidence toward his own name, especia...

A city construction worker, played by Buddy Anthony Diaz, gets his girlfriend Taco Bell for their anniversary dinner. Ted Marsden directs “Amor to Love,” a Hi-8 character study of a guy who can’t seem to get things under his control. We meet Buddy working traffic management at a hectic constructi...

A supercut compilation of an early 2000’s New York City. Nicolas Umpierrez compiles “Redbirds,” a poignant found-footage piece gathering clips from various YouTube accounts. Although simple in its technical aspect, Umpierrez’s film memorializes the scenes of a short-lived moment in time — the be...

Wandering through the Portuguese countryside, two brothers add a third companion to their travels after coming across a missing-person sign. George Daniell directs “The Windmill of Death,” a playfully ragged DIY adventure film filled with surreal flourishes and lo-fi style points. Dead Eye is a d...

Across a freezing night, confused dropout Cooper Townsend tries to make it home. “Townsend’s Last Night,” directed by Rhys Scarabosio, is a chaotic, lo-fi fever dream about a young man who has lost his way. Left desperately clinging to his only refuge — scribbling lyrics in an old notebook — the ...

After being dumped under the Manhattan bridge in a cardboard box, a lost and bewildered man tries to get home to Long Island. A frenetic extravaganza of anything-goes street cinema, “Little Boy Maniac,” directed by David Cardoza, crams what could have been a feature-length film into thirty minute...

Two film critics discuss their profession in the park. Tynan DeLong directs “Critics,” a lighthearted satire lampooning celebrity worship, hobnobbing with movie stars, and Marvel fanboying. It stars Jeremy Levick and Rajat Suresh, playing movie geeks with podcasts — “The Dork Side” and “Are You T...

A portrait of a roommate named Kayla, a teacher who watches French movies and drinks three cups of tea at a time. Directed by Travis Wood, “Kayla in 1A” is a film about two strangers living together and establishing no connection. “We’ve lived together for six months. I don’t know anything about ...

Quarantining lovers are forced to face a new reality. “Beautiful!”, made by and starring Liv Layhee and Caydon LiRocchi, is an intimate snapshot of a young couple dealing with the possibility of pregnancy. Shot on VHS, the film captures the real-life couple (and filmmaking team) through an emotio...

A conversation between 2 friends, drinking beers, eating Combos, talking about everything, a spirited 5am social + political + religious, etc, etc., discussion. There's a jump cut every 2 or 3 seconds which takes some getting used to, but creates interesting gaps and leaps, and establishes moment...

An ode to teen friendship told through a series of loose vignettes exploring the moods and personalities of a group of friends in Brooklyn, NY. “Salt Mom,” directed by Sam Kahrar, is a hybrid documentary filled with moments of casual intimacy, specificity and humor. We watch as the kids read each...

A distinctive piece of homemade filmmaking that’s awkwardly funny and intriguing. Arriving and departing on its own track, "Making Eyes" is a lo-fi film about locking eyes with a stranger on the NYC subway and falling in love. An office worker who gets by with his Mad Men impressions keeps seeing...

Two brothers steal a car in Lisbon, Portugal and head for a lighthouse. Directed by George Daniell, “The Valley of the Cats,” is an inventive lo-fi comedy adventure, shot on 8mm tape, part road movie, part descent into madness. Dead Eye and Square Hands, as the brothers are known, make their way ...

After distancing herself from a complicated relationship with her father, 22-year-old Kate Young returns home for the Thanksgiving holiday. “Returning, Again,” directed by Jinho Myung, is a family portrait shot on Mini-DV that details a persistent family divide, doing so with an astute sense of p...

Four music videos flow together in this dreamy and entrancing short film directed by Adinah Dancyger and Kaya Wilkins. “There is A River” includes tracks from the indie pop musician Okay Kaya’s second album, “Watch This Liquid Pour Itself,” to create an experimental work of beautifully captured m...