On the anniversary of his father’s death, Tariq dedicates a dance to him, triggering childhood memories. “Muscle Memory,” directed by Saladin White II, is a poignant tone poem about fatherhood presented in vignettes of the present day and flashbacks. We follow Tariq, himself a father to a young b...

Two meandering friends ponder their life choices when they meet a corporate buddy for lunch. “Jeanette is the Dog” is an Australian short directed by Pat Mooney — a casual vignette about home ownership and wealth imbalance (and a dog named Jeanette). Standing on a high-rise rooftop making up name...

Local teens of Denver, Colorado lead viewers through a guide to all things Denver, Colorado. Written by and starring the comedy troupe, Phantasmagoria LLC, “Denver Tourism Tapes” is a hilariously far-out grab bag of tropes, parodies, existential comedy, lo-fi psychedelia, kids playtime, and light...

An aspiring musician tries to handle his relationships with co-workers and family obligations while preparing for an upcoming show. A deadpan drama-comedy by Eric Peterson, “Big Things” authentically portrays the world of an upstart musician in a small city. Working at a sports apparel company as...

A young man is haunted by the music of someone he once knew. “Matilda CD,” directed by Joe Dye, a student project made at Sarah Lawrence College, is a heart-on-its-sleeve drama about a mystical romantic connection. Cal is a college student reeling from the upsetting news about a former student, M...

A romantic evening between colleagues takes a bizarre twist after the discovery of a secret hobby. “Johnny,” directed by Danny Scharar, is a WTF comedy that begins as a parody of boring date conversations and then becomes something very different. After we learn she considers herself shy (“I’m sh...

A struggling actor abandons all logic when she finds a stranger unconscious in her laundry room. Sophie Jarvis directs “Medical Drama,” a character study at turns surreal and darkly funny about a young woman going through a rough couple of days. Doing whatever she can for work, she finds herself ...

Alone on a boat at sea, a woman experiences shifting degrees of pain and pleasure. Visceral and raw, "Wave" explores the dark and perverse aspects of womanhood involving birth and eroticism. Creator & Animator: Evie Metz. Creator & Sound: Nick Daly.

A young woman drifts through a series of wintry adventures after leaving her backyard and heading into the woods. A lovely stop-motion animation by Evie Metz and Nick Daly, “Snow Angel” envisions a magical place where you can ride a reindeer, or ice skate on a pond encircled by giant sunflowers. ...

A group of Alaskan fishermen do everything it takes to stay awake and not crash their boat. “Cold Bull,” directed by Ben Gordon, is a deranged commercial for Red Bull (not really), or a loopy experimental documentary about “living the sweet life” (also not really). It’s the summer and the fishing...

During a routine smog check, an eastern European mechanic discusses racism in a very uncomfortable way with a black man. A dry comedy set in L.A., “Smog,” directed by Derek Milton, tackles an awkward exchange about skin color and the term African American in wry, understated fashion. The chatty m...

On a visit to her family in America, a grandmother is left to find companionship with a pet fish as she slowly comes to terms with losing her independence. Annie Ning directs “Fishbowl,” a tender and observant portrait of aging and isolation, shouldered by a poignant performance from Xiangrun Jia...

Two stoner BFFs engage in an unusual routine to accrue the capital needed to sustain their lifestyle. “Salesmanship,” directed by and starring Brooke Bundy and Helen Rogers, is a stylized snapshot of being broke and aimless. Minimally plotted but energetic, it’s built with flashy musical sequence...

A wannabe Zumba instructor has an encounter with an alien while driving through the desert. “Planet Fitness,” directed by Paul Emerson, is a lo-fi, lighthearted comedy carried by the awkward charm of Katy Fullan, who writes and stars as Jessie, a hopelessly unemployed woman. As she drives, she st...