An aspiring film director prepares for a play based on her complicated feelings toward her father. “An Athlete Wrestling a Python” is a Australian film by director Stephanie Jane Day, an incisive, darkly comedic character study on Julien. Her present preoccupations with the artistic process and c...

In Johannesburg, South Africa, we follow two young factory workers through an ordinary day on and off the job. “Casual Workers,” directed by Keagan Afonso, is a free roaming portrait, a day in the life. Periods of work are followed by periods of rest and leisure, smoking cigarettes, staring at th...

Three creatures travel great distances on a lonely pilgrimage. “Remission,” directed by John Charter, is a mixed-media experimental film loaded with stunning visuals and potent abstract imagery. According to the film's logline, the figures are manifestations of an unknown solider’s war trauma — w...

A screenwriter tries to pitch his project but must endure an egotistical producer and his elusive schedule. “Big Money Flicks” is an absurdist satire on the pains of trying to make a movie, the desperation, power plays, et al. It’s delivered with madcap energy and intentionally disorienting editi...

A band of ravers who reside and dance under the L.A River have their lives turned upside down when one of their own is chopped in half with a glow stick. “A Ballet,” directed by Zoe Katz, is a bonkers 5-minute no-fi extravaganza where everyone wears JNCOS (this is a sequel to Katz’ “A Very JNCOS ...

Memories and fiction begin to overlap when a pair of ex-lovers play a couple in a film. Stanley Xu directs “Reprise,” a film that blurs the line between performance and reality. In front of the camera is a complicated relationship between two characters played by actors with a complicated history...

A woman attempts to re-caulk her bathtub. “How to Re-Caulk Your Tub,” directed by Sean Pierce, is a parody of a YouTube tutorial which begins as a straight-forward instructional video and devolves into an existential freak out. The woman, played by Alex Moorman, sets out to refresh her temple of ...

Paulina lives and works in a small hotel in a northern Russian town with her friend Nadia when a mysterious guest arrives. “Rio,” directed by Zhenia Kazankina, is a quiet but vivid portrait of isolation that paints its wintry grey setting underneath pops of style and streaks of playfulness. (A po...

As the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts prepares for their annual parade, unsettling occurrences begin to threaten the event. Harrison Fishman directs “The Big Parade,” a lo-fi comic oddity that goes where it wants to go — it’s a gathering of small-town oddballs, mysterious butterflies, and musica...

A man tries to decide whether or not to take acid while his friend films him. Written by Colin Burgess and Tynan Delong, “six tabs” is brimming with absurd behavior and juvenile silliness, another signature addition in the body of work of DeLong & friends. Looking to expand his mind, the man (pla...

A self-portrait about a young woman in L.A. moving between houses that don’t feel like home. Lauren Rothery directs “Matter,” a stylish autobiography that begins in sadness & confusion, and searches for a change of heart. A posh older gentleman narrates her inner thoughts — a melange of dislikes ...

After the sound guy cancels, Garry, an aspiring filmmaker asks his roommate to fill in last minute. “The Sound and the Fury,” directed by Linas Phillips and Lisa DeLarios, is a lighthearted satire of a no-budget film production being helmed by a man wearing a top-bun and a vest over his t-shirt. ...

[Online Premiere]. Desperate to be desired in her long-expired relationship, Jen becomes embroiled in a sextual encounter with her co-worker. “Nudes,” directed by Evan Daves, is a provocative relationship drama about a young couple experiencing doubts and trust issues, and possibly drifting into ...

*Online Premiere* A reclusive Zamboni driver grapples with his freedom when his work shift is suddenly cancelled. Mei Liu directs “Happy Ending,” an intimate, melancholic picture of a man who moves through the world uncomfortably, preferring the company of ice over people. After finding a discard...

*Online Premiere* After an unspoken line is crossed, three women are forced to confront each other in this surreal and darkly funny piece directed by Iva Gocheva. “Outer Space Love Story” uses an avant-garde theater set-up -- complete with stage rain, prop space capsules, and 4th wall breaks -- t...

An experiment in romanticizing the everyday. “Home Movie,” directed by Simi Abe, is an exploration of framing, context, and mindset, a film that imbues a cinematic quality to a non-cinematic space (or a space that was previously viewed as non-cinematic). It’s a lovely snapshot narrated poetically...

A college student wakes up late and must stand trial as he heads to class. Joshua Gleiser directs “The Trial,” an absurdist snapshot coursing with lo-fi manic energy about a young man accused of being spoiled, undisciplined, egotistical and more. Upon waking up, he is reprimanded by an old-timey ...

A therapy session digs deep as a couple pursue the impossible. Kathleen Winter directs “Jebivetar,” a playful, free-spirited mini-comedy on love, facing fears, and fucking the wind. During a revealing exchange, a young woman comes clean about her unusual desire. Her partner vows to accommodate he...

[Online Premiere]. Hoss checks in on his friends' old house and finds a stranger inside. Ryan McGlade directs “Hoss,” a quietly bizarre glimpse at the comings and goings of a couple residents in a small town in rural Pennsylvania. After the death of two local parishioners - an elderly married cou...

Jack returns home to find his family has sold their house without his knowledge, perhaps because he’s no longer the Jane they all know. Lio Mehiel directs and stars in “Disforia” (Heidi Hartwig co-directs), a psychological horror about coming out as trans, a haunting vision of alienation and dist...

On her 80th birthday, a woman moves through time to meet younger versions of herself. “The Oak Tree,” directed by Yuliya Antonova, is a deep rumination on big, unanswerable questions that transports with dreamy visuals and an ethereal soundscape. A family gathers around a birthday cake to sing th...

Two chefs drive through the desert discussing invasive thoughts. “Fake Jazz,” directed by Kevin Luna, is a darkly funny conversation about uncomfortable (even gruesome) patterns of the mind. Wearing tall chefs’ hats (Luna wanted the hats to be taller even, but they couldn’t fit in the car), two c...

Set in a near future which may or may not be experiencing the end of the world, a group of young people gather around a trendy Swedish coffee shop. “Five Minutes Before the End of the World,” is a roaming portrait, directed by Kevin Luna, unsettling in its depiction of the laissez faire attitude ...