A: Friday, Mar 1 / 7:15 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 3:30 pm / The Globe
Dir. Shoghakat Vardanyan // 2023 // Armenia // 76 min
When the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict broke out, 21 year old Soghomon’s mandatory military service was nearing its end, but he was still called up to the frontline. When a week into the war he goes missing in action, his sister Shoghakat’s first instinct is to pick up her phone and start filming. The resulting film, 1489, traces Shoghakat and her parents’ agonizing journey over the next two years to make sense of what has happened to their beloved Soghomon. Refusing to look away and unflinching in the face of intense grief, Shoghakat crafts a raw and rare piece of first-person cinema, laying bare the human cost of geopolitics. 1489 is a powerful and vulnerable film that speaks to the depths of the camera’s ability to not only capture trauma but also to process it. (GH). This film contains discussions of death and war.
Q&A with director Shoghakat Vardanyan
23 Mile
Dir. Mitch McCabe // 2024 // USA // 78 min
One Michigan filmmaker’s quest to give a real political voice to the people of their state during a year of upheaval.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 4:15 pm / Big Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 3:00 pm / Big Ragtag C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 10:00 am / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Mitch McCabe // 2024 // USA // 78 min
2020 was the year that the unprecedented became precedented. While many may prefer to forget the outbreak of COVID-19 and the most polarizing presidential election in American history, Michigan filmmaker Mitch McCabe reminds us there’s good reason to take a closer look. McCabe crisscrosses the state, talking to people at political rallies and events, and gathering testimonials from folks who may actually have more in common than the media or politicians would lead us to believe. From militiamen to Black Lives Matter activists to working mothers, interview subjects confront the contradictions inherent in our political and economic situation in real-time, and often emerge with opinions that might make you rethink who is on whose side. There’s still a country here, 23 Mile argues, but one that exists without the consensus of its people. (JB) TRAILER
Q&A with director Mitch McCabe
A Band of Dreamers and a Judge
Dir. Hesam Eslami // 2023 // Iran, France // 80 min
Under a starry sky in Iran, a group of men search for treasure in the hopes of becoming rich and finding happiness along the way.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 10:00 pm / Big Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 2:30 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Hesam Eslami // 2023 // Iran, France; 80 min
Legend has it that the mountains of Northern Iran hold numerous treasures that can make a man rich in an instant. A tight-knit group of friends, undeterred by the risks, sets out to uncover these hidden gems, defying the watchful eyes of the police. While law enforcement are on the lookout for illegal excavations, filmmaker Hesam Eslami captures this daring pursuit through a keen observational eye. Many have tried their luck and failed. Will these men succeed? What starts off as an “innocent” adventure into the mountains, goes south when Eslami is implicated and accused of being a “digger” himself. As the line between reality and fiction blurs, A Band of Dreamers and a Judgeunfolds into an unforgettable exploration of the extraordinary lengths one will go for a chance at striking it big. (KM) TRAILER
Q&A with director Hesam Eslami
A Photographic Memory
Dir. Rachel Elizabeth Seed // 2024 // USA //87 min
A filmmaker ventures into the archives of her photographer mother to construct a personal story of love, loss, and finding someone in the work they leave behind.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 6:45 pm / The Blue Note B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 5:45 pm / Jesse Auditorium C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 7:30 pm / Missouri Theatre
Dir. Rachel Elizabeth Seed // 2024 // USA // 87 min
Filmmaker Rachel Elizabeth Seed was only 18 months old when her mother, renowned journalist Sheila Turner Seed, unexpectedly passed away. Driven by a desire to uncover what she left behind, Seed embarks on a journey to meet with people whose lives were touched by her mother. Using audio and photographic archives from her mother’s career, A Photographic Memory is an investigation into the archive in search of remnants of a loved one, reconstructing their image in an attempt to get to know them. Sheila’s intimate interviews with famous photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks, and Bruce Davidson among others are brought to life via Seed’s reimaginings, further immersing us into Sheila’s world. (KM) TRAILER
Amber and Gunaraj, Happiness Agents for Bhutan’s Centre for Happiness, journey through the country conducting surveys to measure people’s happiness levels. Using a series of over 100 questions, the agents attempt to mathematically calculate the contentment of the nation. Amber, a hopeless romantic yearning for both love and citizenship, documents the satisfaction of others while grappling with his own personal struggles. Through encounters with everyday people, from rural farmers to urban dwellers, the film questions how we quantify happiness and challenges the social constructs surrounding it. With a deeply empathetic lens and an eye for humor, co-directors Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó (The Next Guardian, T/F 2018) offer an insightful exploration of human aspirations, societal norms, and the pursuit of fulfillment amidst personal and national challenges. (EP)
This film contains discussion of suicidal ideation.
Q&A with co-directors Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó
Alien Island
Dir. Cristóbal Valenzuela Berrios // 2023 // Chile, Italy // 87 min
A Twilight Zone-esque investigation into rumors of an island of friendly aliens during the 1980s military dictatorship in Chile.
Chile, 1984: A military dictatorship is in full power after the traumatic instability of the 1970s, and UFO sightings over Santiago both disturb and excite the populace. Against this backdrop, a group of radio enthusiasts receive a message from a sailor stationed at a lighthouse. His account of a fireball plunging into the ocean and other odd sightings become the linchpin of a narrative that transports us to an enigmatic island off the coast of Chile, rumored to be inhabited by human-like aliens. Through the interplay of black-and-white dramatizations and archival footage, Cristóbal Valenzuela Berrios’ arresting feature animates and then peels back the layers of a complex conspiracy. With shades of Lynch and The Twilight Zone, this equally sinister and playful cinematic plunge into the unknown invites viewers to navigate through a labyrinth of secrets and revelations. (LA) TRAILER
Q&A with director Cristóbal Valenzuela Berrios
Allo la France
Dir. Floriane Devigne // 2023 // France, Switzerland // 78 min
A mischievous and playful road movie through “peripheral” France in search of the country’s remaining phone booths.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 10:30 am / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Sunday, Mar 3 / 2:30 pm / The Globe
Dir. Floriane Devigne // 2023 // France, Switzerland // 78 min
Floriane Devigne is obsessed with phone booths. She has collected nearly 2000 photographs of them over eight years and the more this public service disappears, the more her fascination grows. Fuelled by playful curiosity, she takes us along for the ride in this mischievous road movie to visit the last remaining booths scattered throughout the countryside, in France’s so-called “dead zones”. Along the way, strangers call in to talk to Devigne, seizing the opportunity to reminisce, confess, or wax lyrical. These conversations, interwoven with chance encounters and archive, build into a polyphonic portrait of the evolution of modern society. Reflecting on the role of communication and the disappearance of public utilities, Allo La France is a charming and thought-provoking investigation into the inevitability of progress and the complexities of globalization. (CT)
Q&A with assistant director Benjamin Mercui
As the Tide Comes In
Dir. Juan Palacios & Co-Dir. Sofie Husum Johannesen // 2023 // Denmark // 89 min
A Danish island’s community of 27 residents face climate change’s fury, holding tight to their normal lives despite harsh weather and rising tides.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 10:15 pm / Missouri Theatre B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 8:45 pm / The Globe C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 3:30 pm / Jesse Auditorium
Dir. Juan Palacios & Co-Dir. Sofie Husum Johannesen // 2023 // Denmark // 89 min
As the Tide ComesIn offers a glimpse into the lives of the 27 residents of Mandø, an island off Denmark, as they confront the existential threat posed by climate change and rising seas. Immersing us directly into this isolated community, the film tracks Gregers, the island’s last farmer, as he clings to his ancestral land with his loyal dog; Mie, the eldest resident, as she gathers friends to celebrate her 100th birthday; and Niels, as he monitors the island’s declining bird population. Despite the looming threat, the film interweaves moments of dark humor throughout, from Gregers’ unconventional quest for companionship, auditioning for a reality dating show, to a storm interrupting a bingo game over the radio waves. Through intimate portrayal and candid moments, the film not only emphasizes the urgency of Mandø’s predicament but also highlights the enduring strength of its community bonds. (EP)
Q&A with director Juan Palacios & co-director Sofie Husum Johannesen
Background
Dir. Khaled Abdulwahed // 2023 // Germany // 64 min
A refugee in Germany attempts to bridge the divide with his father in Syria through reconstructing his journey.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 7:30 pm / The Globe B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 10:00 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Khaled Abdulwahed // 2023 // Germany // 64 min
Khaled Abdulwahed is a Syrian refugee living in Germany, while his father, Sadallah, remains in Syria and is unable to join him. The distance between them cannot be physically breached but in this beautiful and aching exploration of the cruelty of borders, Abdulwahed attempts to bridge their divide through cinema. Through their fuzzy phone calls, we learn of Sadallah’s past in East Germany sixty years prior, as an exchange student studying at university. Abdulwahed searches for Sadallah’s image in the archive and literally retraces his father’s footsteps from Dresden to Merseburg, meticulously manipulating the photographs. He intricately cuts out his father’s figure, and composites him into the images from his own contemporary reality, erasing the physical distance between them. A film filled with love and yearning, Background attempts to reach across the impossibilities of geography and history, seeking closeness despite the distance. (CT)
Preceded by short “The Medallion”
Q&A with director Khaled Abdulwahed
Behind Closed Doors
Dir. João Pedro Bim // 2023 // Brazil // 66 min
Unearthing a secret recording of a government meeting, archival images and audio interplay in this exploration of politics and propaganda in 1960s Brazil.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 10:00 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 5:45 pm / Big Ragtag
Dir. João Pedro Bim // 2023 // Brazil // 66 min
A chilling glimpse into the fragility of democracy, this archival documentary presents a recording of the Presidential cabinet of Brazil deliberating over the suspension of the country’s new constitution, a document they themselves enacted in the early 1960s, in response to criticism of the regime. Though their discussions were recorded, they remained concealed for decades, a testament to the regime’s grip on power. The words of the ministers are contrasted with government propaganda touting “Order and Progress” in support of nationalism and obedience, reminiscent of American TV ads from the same era. The banality of evil is on full display as the film remixes history, dissecting propaganda in order to indict a criminal dictatorship with its own rhetoric. In an era witnessing the resurgence of authoritarianism, it offers a cautionary tale beyond Brazil’s local politics in 1968. (CB) TRAILER
Preceded by short “On the Battlefield”
Q&A with director João Pedro Bim
Boyz
Dir. Sylvain Cruiziat // 2023 // Germany // 73 min
An intimate portrait of three 20-year-olds as they navigate the often complex and confusing passage between teenhood and young adulthood.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 9:30 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 6:00 pm / The Blue Note C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 3:30 pm / Big Ragtag
Dir. Sylvain Cruiziat // 2023 // Germany // 73 min
Gen Z college students Maxime, Julian, and Vilas spend their days partying, listening to music, and hanging out. Maxime is preparing to move across the world to spend an exchange semester at school in Singapore, and the friends look to make every minute together count. The crisp, cold evenings the trio enjoy in Munich are infused with the warmth of group gatherings, the bright revolving colors of discotheques, and quiet moments of self-reflection. Lyrical and intimate, director Sylvain Cruiziat follows his younger brother Maxime and his friends as they navigate the often complex and confusing passage between teenagehood and young adulthood–trying to understand who they are, what they want, and what their future holds. Boyz is a nuanced and rousing observational portrait of coming of age and how these young people view their place in the world. (MS)
Q&A with director Sylvain Cruiziat
Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano
Dir. Cyril Aris // 2023 // Lebanon, Germany // 87 min
After the 2020 explosion in Beirut, a film crew confronts a crucial decision: pursue the production of their film or yield to the devastation surrounding them.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 1:00 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 8:15 pm / Big Ragtag
Dir. Cyril Aris // 2023 // Lebanon, Germany // 87 min
In the wake of the catastrophic explosion that ravaged Beirut’s port on August 4th, 2020, the city grapples with immense tragedy. Among the many caught in the chaos, filmmaker Mounia Akl and her crew face a pivotal decision – forge ahead with production of their film, Costa Brava, Lebanon, or succumb to the desolation around them. Cyril Aris’ Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano unfolds as a poignant tale of the crew’s resilience amid ruin. Aris captures their compelling struggle, revealing the crew’s unyielding spirit as they seek purpose and healing through their craft, navigating not only the disaster but also the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, power outages, and torrential downpours. As he guides us through this journey, he paints a vivid portrait of a shattered Beirut, the capital of a nation beset with economic crisis and political instability. (EP) TRAILER
This film contains images of blood.
Q&A with producer Myriam Sassine
Daughters
Dirs. Angela Patton & Natalie Rae // 2023 // USA // 111 min
Four young girls prepare for a Daddy-Daughter Dance in a DC jail, a rare opportunity for physical connection with their incarcerated fathers.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 3:45 pm / Jesse Auditorium B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 10:00 pm / Missouri Theatre C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 3:20 pm / Missouri Theatre
Dirs. Angela Patton & Natalie Rae // 2023 // USA // 111 min
In the last decade, hundreds of US prisons have stopped allowing in-person visits, which has further eroded the familial bonds that the system already impacts. Children may go years without hugging an incarcerated parent. Daughters chronicles an eight-year journey of four young girls, intimately showcasing the impact of mass incarceration on father-daughter relationships through the lens of the 12-week Date with Dad program. Reuniting fathers and daughters for a single afternoon at a dance inside prison walls, the program aims to strengthen family ties and promote life skills for potential reintegration. While their fathers participate in a vulnerable therapy group to prepare, Aubrey, Ja’Ana, Raziah, and Santana candidly share their hopes and disappointments in poignant vignettes. In this deeply affecting reflection on the dehumanization of mass incarceration, Daughters reveals the emotional cost of separation from a loved one and the increasingly urgent need for criminal justice reform. (LK)
Q&A with directors Angela Patton & Natalie Rae
Flying Lessons
Dir. Elizabeth Nichols // 2024 // USA // 84 min
A tender portrait of an outsider artist fighting for tenant’s rights on the Lower East Side in New York City.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 6:45 pm / Big Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 12:30 pm / The Blue Note C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 3:15 pm / The Blue Note
Dir. Elizabeth Nichols // 2024 // USA // 84 min
When Elizabeth Nichols receives an eviction notice from her fraudster landlord in the Lower East Side, she is introduced to her neighbor, Philly Abe, a prolific artist and muse who has lived in the building since the 80s. Inviting her into her apartment, Philly now becomes Nichols’ muse in this beautifully observed exploration of the human cost of gentrification. Nichols’ camera is clearly fascinated by her fiery-haired subject, and intimacy grows between the two as we hear the back and forth between Philly and the filmmaker. Moving between modern day and the art videos of Philly’s past, Flying Lessons captures a disappearing generation of artists and outsiders who called New York City home, reflecting on the diminishing space for radicals under modern capitalism. Nichols’ debut feature is a vulnerable and tender portrait of an intergenerational friendship and what it really means to be a neighbor. (CT)
Q&A with director Elizabeth Nichols
Girls State
Dirs. Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss // 2023 // USA // 96 min
Missouri teen girls spend a week building a government from the ground up, but as they start to notice differences with their male counterparts, discontent emerges.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 4:15 pm / Jesse Auditorium B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 2:30 pm / Jesse Auditorium C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 12:30 pm / Missouri Theatre
Dirs. Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss // 2024 // USA // 96 min
Every summer, teenage girls from across Missouri spend a week building a government from the ground up. Coming from different ends of the political and socioeconomic spectrum, they all share a passion for reimagining the future of America. The filmmakers behindBoys State (T/F 2020) return to the world of teen politics to capture the 2022 program – the first time in history that Girls State and Boys State take place simultaneously on the same campus. With rumors of Roe v. Wade being overturned in the real world, the stakes feel higher than ever for these ambitious and dedicated young women. As the days unfold and rumblings from the Boys program make their way across campus, discontent begins to emerge over the disparities between the two. An exhilarating portrait of our political landscape and the pivotal issue of gender equality. (CT) Presented by Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy
Q&A with directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss
Gwetto
Dir. Michaël Andrianaly // 2023 // France // 52 min
A group of undocumented men working at a car wash pass the time as they wait for their luck to change.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 9:30 pm / Big Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 3:15 pm / The Blue Note
Dir. Michaël Andrianaly // 2023 // France // 52 min
In Tamatave, Madagascar, a group of young undocumented men work at a car wash. Jelco, Justin, Rabetsy and Mamy have come from across the country seeking employment in the city, hoping for a brighter future. Instead, they are faced with discrimination and a boss who exploits them with low wages and long hours. While waiting for their ID cards, they pass the time by playfully teasing each other, sharing meals, and reflecting on the violence that is never far from their neighborhood. Michaël Andrianaly (Nofinofy, T/F 2020) observes the rhythms of their daily lives with an intimate and lingering lens. Circumventing traditional narrative, Andrianaly immerses us in the world of these men, painting a cinematically rich portrait. A beautifully rendered hangout doc, Gwetto gives voice to the often ignored “economically displaced” population of Madagascar. (CT) TRAILER
Preceded by short “Todisoa and the Black Stones”
Q&A with Michaël Andrianaly
I Like It Here
Dir. Ralph Arlyck // 2022 // USA // 88 min
At age 78, filmmaker Ralph Arlyck weaves a rumination on mortality, community and the passing of time in this personal essay film.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 4:45 pm / The Globe B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 9:45 am / Big Ragtag C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 12:30 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Ralph Arlyck // 2022 // USA // 88 min
Ralph Arlyck has never denied his urge to pick up a camera and document his life on film. Now, as he approaches his 80s, he delicately stitches this archive together to craft a compelling reflection on mortality, community, and the passage of time. Like having a conversation with an excellent interlocutor, I Like It Here meanders through a life well-lived; guiding us through portraits of Arlyck’s loved ones as he ponders on the undeniability of aging and death. Layers of time and connection unfold as footage shot across multiple decades interplay with each other; blurring the firm boundary between past and present. From an influential figure in American independent documentary, this gentle and personal essay embraces the beauty of everyday life, reminding us of the simple pleasure of being alive. (CT) TRAILER
This film contains discussions of suicide.
Q&A with director Ralph Arlyck
Ibelin
Dir. Benjamin Ree // 2024 // Norway //104 min
A young man with a degenerative disease finds community and companionship in the online realm of World of Warcraft.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 9:45 pm / Missouri Theatre B: Friday, Mar 1 / 7:00 pm / Jesse Auditorium C: Saturday, Mar 2 / 9:30 am / Missouri Theatre
Dir. Benjamin Ree // 2024 // Norway //104 min
Mats Steen was born with a degenerative muscular disease, and playing video games from his wheelchair was one of his only forms of solace. In the eyes of his family, his life was one of isolation and loneliness. However after his death at age 25, messages started pouring in from his online friends, reflecting on the huge impact he had on their lives. Through these messages, they learned about Ibelin, Mats’ charismatic alter-ego inside World of Warcraft, and his complex identity as agony uncle, trusted confidante, and complicated playboy. Weaving together narrated entries from Mats’ blog, interviews with his digital companions, and reconstructed scenes inside the animated game world, Ibelin is a touching and innovative portrait of a young man who found an enriching community and human connection in the virtual realm. (CT)
K-Family Affairs
Dir. Arum Nam // 2023 // South Korea // 86 min
A filmmaker turns the lens on her family to interrogate the history of democratization in South Korea and their place in it.
A: Saturday, Mar 2 / 6:00 pm / The Globe B: Sunday, Mar 3 / 1:00 pm / Big Ragtag
Dir. Arum Nam // 2023 // South Korea // 86 min
K-Family Affairs is a heartfelt exploration of South Korea’s rich political history and the intricate dynamics of family life. Debut filmmaker Arum Nam, sheds light on her parents’ journey as part of the esteemed 386 Generation, celebrated for their contributions to South Korea’s democratization movement. However, Arum’s unwavering faith in her parents and the democracy they championed is shaken after the traumatic Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 implicates her father, a prominent government official. As Arum focuses the camera on her parents and navigates through the aftermath of this tragedy and subsequent political turmoil, she embarks on a soul-searching journey to understand her generation’s role in shaping justice and democracy. Through an intimate and affectionate lens, Arum captures the essence of her parents’ lives and her own reflections, painting a complex picture of familial bonds and societal responsibilities. (EP)
Q&A with director Arum Nam
Look Into My Eyes
Dir. Lana Wilson // 2023 // USA // 107 min
A group of psychics in New York City conduct sessions with their clients while revealing their own personal struggles, setbacks, and desires.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 10:00 pm / Jesse Auditorium B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 7:00 pm / Missouri Theatre C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 7:15 pm / The Globe
Dir. Lana Wilson // 2023 // USA // 107 min
Against the backdrop of New York City, a group of psychics conduct readings for their clients, attempting to reach into the beyond to provide answers to their questions. Coming from different walks of life and with varying approaches to their vocation, what they all share is the gift of creating space for their clients to feel deeply, free from judgment. From the aspiring actor, attuned to departed loved ones, to the pet psychic who avidly watches Jeopardy!, we are invited into the personal lives of these mediums, revealing that isolation, dread, and personal struggles extend beyond their clientele. Lana Wilson (After Tiller, T/F 2013) navigates humor, tenderness, and turmoil with a skillful eye for human emotion. Whether you are a believer or not, Look Into My Eyes is a deeply poetic, empathic exploration of the therapeutic effect of being truly seen by another. (KM)
This film contains discussions of death, suicide and miscarriage.
The Abastumani palace, aged and crumbling, houses patients with the most severe cases of tuberculosis. Mariam Chachia, a Georgian filmmaker, discovers the sanatorium after her own diagnosis with tuberculosis. Despite a home-based recovery, the haunting allure of the sanatorium lingered, inspiring her to craft this patient, observational film. Over the course of five years, with co-director Nic Voigt, they explore the sanatorium, uncovering the resilience of its long-term residents, who attempt to defy illness and despair through medication, games, cigarettes, and camaraderie. Chachia immerses us in this secluded world, listening to the experiences of the sanatorium’s inhabitants, and sharing her personal journey through poetic voiceover. Daily life remains unaltered until news arrives of the palace’s sale and impending demolition, ultimately unveiling the building’s ties to Georgian history. (EP) TRAILER
Q&A with directors Mariam Chachia & Nik Voigt
Nofinofy
Dir. Michaël Andrianaly // 2019 // France // 73 min
After he loses his barber shop, Romeo sets up shop with varying success in different pockets of Toamasina, Madagascar.
Dir. Michaël Andrianaly // 2019 // France // 83 min
Barbershops are places where care and conversation are exchanged. At Romeo’s barbershop in Toamasina, Madagascar, men and women alike congregate to discuss what’s happening in their lives and in the life of the country. “My hair is removed and I become handsome,” one customer proclaims, while another cries asking his mother when it’ll be over. After Romeo’s barbershop is torn down due to bureaucratic meddling, he’s forced to set up shop in different and obscure parts of the city. Thankfully, his clients and community always know where to find him. Director Michaël Andrianaly thoughtfully captures the peaks and valleys of Romeo’s quest to find a permanent set-up in turbulent times. Nofinofy is a documentary about the intimacy of touch and the dignity and honor in working with one’s hands. (KM) TRAILER
Q&A with Michaël Andrianaly
Obsolete
Dir. Sumira Roy // 2023 // India // 64 min
Passing time behind their Mumbai tenement balcony, an elderly couple waits for a response on their appeal for euthanasia.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 7:00 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Friday, Mar 1 / 11:00 am / Big Ragtag C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 8:15 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Sumira Roy // 2023 // India // 64 min
For Narayan and Iravati Lavate, an octogenarian couple living in Mumbai, the longing for a peaceful death under their own control seems eminently reasonable. But obstacles abound, namely, the illegality of euthanasia and its taboo within Hindu culture. As their request to be euthanized, a first in the subcontinent, gets caught up in Modi’s bureaucracy, the neighborhood around them churns with the noisy hustle and bustle of life, a life they feel increasingly detached from. They’re forced to question: why must the desire for death come with the same suffering as that which accompanied life? With an acute observational eye and beautiful mise en scene, Obsolete refuses the impulse to turn away, and looks firmly at two elders entwined in their desire for a dignified passing. (DR) TRAILER
Preceded by “The Lady with Lipstick”
Q&A with director Sumira Roy
Seeking Mavis Beacon
Dir. Jazmin Jones // 2024 // USA // 102 min
Two DIY investigators examine the disappearance and legacy of one of the most influential Black women in technology, Mavis Beacon.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 10:00 pm / Jesse Auditorium B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 3:00 pm / Missouri Theatre C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 9:30 am / Missouri Theatre
Dir. Jazmin Jones // 2024 // USA // 102 min
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, a best-selling educational software that helped define the digital age, made its titular character a household name. However, Renee L’Espérance – the Haitian-born woman modeling as Mavis Beacon, has never been heard from on the record. Determined to recenter L’Espérance’s voice, director Jazmin Jones and co-investigator Olivia McKayla Ross embark on a personal odyssey in search of the missing historical figure. The e-girl detectives – buoyed by their vibrant friendship, curiosity, and transformative justice frameworks – painstakingly search online and across the country for resolution, interrogating their own methodologies in the process. Through the blending of myth and memory, Seeking Mavis Beacon disrupts traditional documentary form while posing critical questions regarding exploitation, Black representation, and the right to be forgotten in the digital realm. (AT) Presented by Show Me Quality Consulting.
Spermworld
Dir. Lance Oppenheim // 2024 // USA // 84 min
The desire to procreate, and the complications that arise, inform this incisive look into the online world of private sperm donation.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 7:15 pm / Jesse Auditorium B: Friday, Mar 1 / 2:00 pm / Missouri Theatre C: Saturday, Mar 2 / 12:00 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Lance Oppenheim // 2024 // USA // 84 min
The world of private sperm donation takes center stage in Lance Oppenheim’s second feature about the online portals facilitating off-the-record baby-making. With the rules of the game undefined and few, if any, legal protections in place for those who partake, Spermworld takes us across America, to encounter donors and recipients as they exchange the “goods” but also the emotional baggage that comes with procreation. We meet Ari, who has fathered over 120 children yet continues to yearn for his mother’s approval; Atasha, who reluctantly accepts her partner’s line of work while hoping for her own positive pregnancy test; and Steve, whose altruism is challenged when he develops feelings for a recipient. An incisive and assured portrait of the human desire to connect in an increasingly alienating world. (KM)
This film contains discussions of miscarriage.
Q&A with director Lance Oppenheim
sr
Dir. Lea Hartlaub // 2024 // Germany // 103 min
Using the giraffe as a starting point, this essay film weaves a tale that goes beyond the anthropomorphic to address the nature of humanity.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 1:30 pm / Big Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 9:15 am / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 5:30 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Lea Hartlaub // 2024 // Germany // 103 min
One of the first recorded images of a giraffe appeared in the drawings of the ancient Egyptians, who named it ‘sr’. In the 1990s, veterinarian Motke Levinson purchased four giraffes on behalf of two zoos. Upon their arrival in the same container to a port in the Red Sea, they were divided. Two were sent to an Israeli zoo while the others were sent to a Palestinian zoo. Living outside their natural habitat, their survival became an uphill battle at the zoos, and within years, they perished. This is just one of many stories that director Lea Harlaub ponders on. From the wall paintings of ancient Egyptians to exotic animal exports and modern-day safari tourism, this essay film takes us on a hypnotic journey to weave together the history of this majestic animal with the history of humanity. (KM)
Q&A with director Lea Hartlaub
Shorts: Absent Presence
Various Directors; 86 min
Expanding the possibilities of visual representation, these shorts explore new methods of image-making to unearth the personal and the political.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 1:45 pm / The Globe B: Sunday, Mar 3 / 8:45 pm / Big Ragtag
Various Directors // 86 min
Expanding the possibilities of visual representation, various forms of filmmaking converge and coalesce to articulate our relationship with architecture, nature, images, current events, and our subconscious. The program harkens back to early memories of a meaningful triumph, revisits the burning of a historical building in a new way, and sparks an excitement to discover the healing that can be found in the natural world. Elsewhere, individuals recall their nightmares after the onset of a recent war, while another revisits their relationship to their craft. Finally, the story of an ex-CEO serves as a reminder of the fickle nature of capitalism. (KM)
Roberto Baggio | Dir. Henrique Cartaxo // 2023 // Brazil // 7 min
A filmmaker investigates his childhood memory of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup win, reflecting on capitalism and pop culture through a moody 90s aesthetic.
Ardent Other | Dir. Alice Brygo // 2022 // France // 16 min
As a medieval cathedral burns, throngs of people gather to bear witness. As their gazes take center-stage, this 3D animated short highlights the human desire for meaning.
Friends on the Outside | Dir. Annabel Moodie // 2023 // Scotland, UK // 10 min
Through phone calls and footage of nature, this short weaves the story of a man who discovers a love of foraging while incarcerated.
Dreams About Putin | Dir. Nastia Korkia // 2023 // Belgium, Hungary, Portugal // 30 min
After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, thousands of people began dreaming about Putin. In this visually thrilling film, those dreams come to life through 3D animation.
Headshot | Dir. Dominic Yarabe // 2023 // USA // 8 min
A meditative essay film ruminating on image-making and the historically fraught relationship that Black Americans have with the camera and the land.
Nortel | Dir. Evan Gareth Hoffman // 2023 // Canada // 15 min
A high-energy, eye-popping, and toe-tapping trip through modern capitalism–featuring inept CEOs, driven social media influencers, the benefits of skin care, and Canadian phones.
This program contains nudity.
Shorts: Impossible Solution
Various Directors; 67 min
These short films contemplate identity, community, and the innate human longing for connection, each employing unique storytelling to illuminate these universal themes.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 10:30 am / The Blue Note B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 7:45 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Various Directors; 67 min
Embedded within this program are an array of storytelling approaches and diverse techniques, each offering a distinct lens through which to explore the themes of identity, community, and human connection. As this program unfolds, the films interweave these themes into a rich tapestry of narratives, inviting us to delve into the intricacies of the human experience. From the movements of experimental choreography to the vibrant art strokes that animate the frame, and the immersive worlds of fictional reenactments, these films showcase a spectrum of creative expressions, each contributing to the multifaceted exploration of our shared humanity. (EP)
This program contains nudity
Amma ki Katha | Dir. Nehal Vyas // 2023 // India, USA // 21 min
A creative and incisive look at how history is written and rewritten as a filmmaker unpacks the myth-making of her homeland, India.
L’Esquisse | Dir. Tomas Cali // 2023 // France // 9 min
Animated strokes blend with live-action, when an immigrant artist encounters a new muse who helps them make meaning in a new country.
Four Holes | Dir. Daniela Muñoz Barroso // 2023 // Cuba, France // 20 min
Filmmaker and subject find common ground in this humorous portrait of Pepe, the mastermind behind a DIY golf course on the outskirts of Madrid.
Two Sun | Dir. Blair Barnes // 2024 // USA // 5 min
A mood piece with its own rhythm, this evocative film explores the relationship to the self and our ever-evolving understanding of identity.
Contractions | Dir. Lynne Sachs // 2024 // USA // 12 min
Intimate confessions, paired with experimental choreography outside a woman’s clinic in Memphis, offer a glimpse into post Roe v. Wade America.
Shorts: Random Order
Various Directors; 80 min
The short films in this collection delve into the interplay of time, threading its influence on love, loss, and memories/recollections
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 3:45 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Sunday, Mar 3 / 6:00 pm / The Blue Note
Various Directors; 80 min
A mixture of mediums spanning archive footage, VHS tapes, cell phone interfaces, and abstract visuals amalgamate in this collection, touching on memory, reflection, and mourning. As time progresses, relationships emerge, flourish, transform, and fade, ultimately becoming fragments of both history and memory. One grandma builds on her weightlifting career, while another filmmaker employs experimental techniques to reconstruct family memories. A 1993 soccer match and WhatsApp exchanges serve as platforms for initiating intimate conversations with family. Mass exodus in Russia leaves the rooms of a building abandoned, while the existence of an art piece outside a NYC building is questioned. (EP)
Strong Grandma | Dir. Cecilia Brown, Winslow Crane-Murdoch // 2023 // USA // 15 min
A 95 yr old weightlifter reflects on love and loss as she prepares for her final competition in this delightful short.
Tilted Arc | Dir. Baxter Stein // 2023 // USA // 14 min
An archival excavation of the meaning of public art told through the controversy surrounding Richard Serra’s commissioned sculpture for the New York Federal Plaza.
Familia | Dirs. Picho Garcia & Gabriela Pena // 2024 // Chile // 20 min
An innovative, funny, and heartfelt exploration of the weight of expectations told through family Whatsapp messages and instagram stories.
Empty Rooms | Dir. Zhenia Kazankina // 2023 // Russia // 6 min
Following a mass emigration from Russia, a poignant love letter emerges in the abandoned home spaces of friends and family.
I Would’ve Been Happy | Dir. Jordan Wong // 2023 // USA // 9 min
A filmmaker uses glazed ceramic tiles and architectural inspiration to reconstruct his childhood home as a means of processing his parents’ divorce.
Junior Tu Papá | Dir. Daniel Díaz // 2024 // Colombia, UK, USA // 16 min
Phone calls, fútbol heroes, and Colombian history meld together in this rumination on family ties, cultural memory, and diasporic connection.
Shorts: Static Flow
Various Directors; 83 min
From artists exploring their identities to tracking the steps of a military man, this shorts program brings together the full spectrum of the human experience.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 4:30 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag B: Sunday, Mar 3 / 9:45 am / The Blue Note
Various Directors; 83 min
From artists exploring their identities to tracking the steps of a military man, the full breadth of human experience and emotion comes together in this program. Folklore and crocheting become avenues to unpack the past and make sense of identities, while the heaviness that persists in a town forces residents to reckon with their history. Night shift hotel workers let it all out under the protection of anonymity, and an army man is implicated through an archive of evidence spanning 16mm to CCTV. Using different modes of artistic expression, these films unpack our deepest desires to be seen and heard. (KM)
This program contains nudity.
Personal Mythologies | Dir. Susan O’Brien // 2024 // USA // 4 min
Painter Dominique Castelano reflects on her trans identity through folklore from her native Philippines in this visually rich portrait.
Night Audit | Dir. Ryan Ross // 2024 // USA // 15 min
Empty hallways, check-in desks and liminal spaces are the background for hotel employees to reflect on the ups and downs of working the night shift.
Queen’s Crochet | Dir. Hanna CHO // 2023 // South Korea // 36 min
A filmmaker takes on the biggest crocheting challenge of her life and reaffirms her queer identity in the process.
I Am The Immaculate Conception | Dir. Frank Eli Martin // 2023 // UK // 17 min
In a Rural Irish village, residents grapple with faith and an underlying darkness in the aftermath of a divine event four decades ago.
POV Memory | Dir. Igor Smola // 2023 // Azerbaijan, Singapore // 13 min
Shadowing a soldier through a patchwork of archive and surveillance material, this evocative film examines the evolving existentialism around self-imaging and memory.
The Other Profile
Dir. Armel Hostiou // 2023 // France // 82 min
After a French filmmaker discovers a duplicate Facebook profile of someone masquerading as him online, he ends up on a thrilling journey across DR Congo to search for the culprit.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 5:00 pm / Big Ragtag B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 5:15 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 8:30 pm / The Blue Note
Dir. Armel Hostiou // 2023 // France // 82 min
Armel Hostiou is a French filmmaker whose work is rooted in capturing images, but when his own image is duplicated and used to create a fake Facebook account in his name, he needs answers. He traces the profile to Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo and enlists the support of local artists to help him track down the person masquerading as him. What starts off as a straightforward journey to discover the truth, morphs into a rabbit hole of dead-ends and mistaken identities. The Other Profile is an entertaining and suspenseful mystery that goes beyond the average docu-thriller and invites the audience to reflect on our relationship to social media, post-colonialism, and authorship of creative work. (KM) TRAILER
Q&A with director Armel Hostiou
There Was, There Was Not
Dir. Emily Mkrtichian // 2024 // USA, Armenia // 90 min
A richly textured tapestry telling the story of Artsakh through the daily lives of four women fighting to save their homeland.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 7:30 pm / Big Ragtag B: Friday, Mar 1 / 10:45 am / The Globe C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 3:00 pm / Willy Wilson @ Ragtag
Dir. Emily Mkrtichian // 2024 // USA, Armenia // 90 min
Artsakh declared independence in 1991 but has long been the subject of a territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In this richly textured tapestry, filmmaker Emily Mkritchian weaves the story of Artsakh through the daily lives of four women. Beginning in 2018, when the region had held a tentative peace for three decades, Mkritchian introduces us to her four subjects; Sveta, a minesweeper, Siranush, an aspiring local politician, Gayane, the owner of a women’s center, and Sose, a judo champion. In 2020, when conflict breaks out again, their lives are irrevocably changed. A rare document of a war unfolding in real time, Mkritchian’s camera refuses to look away as reality transforms in front of our eyes. Chronicling the nation’s history through collective memory, There Was, There Was Notresists Artsakh’s erasure; a beautiful tribute to a place that no longer exists. (CT)
This film contains images of war, explosions and bombing.
Q&A with director Emily Mkrtichian
This is Going to Be Big
Dir. Thomas Charles Hyland // 2023 // Australia // 100 min
A neurodiverse teen cast navigates the challenges of adolescence while preparing for their first high school, time-traveling musical.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 7:00 pm / The Blue Note B: Friday, Mar 1 / 11:00 am / Missouri Theatre C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 6:15 pm / Jesse Auditorium
Dir. Thomas Charles Hyland // 2023 // Australia // 100 min
This Is Going To Be Big follows a group of neurodiverse high school students in Australia as they audition, rehearse, and stage their biennial production; an original school musical centered around Australian singer John Farnham. Told from the teenagers’ perspective and documenting their experiences with autism, anxiety, and acquired brain injuries, the film traces their journey alongside their families and school staff as they navigate the challenges leading up to opening night. Focused on four teenagers – Chelsea, Elyse, Halle and Josh – the film captures their preparations for roles in the musical, forging friendships, overcoming stage fright, and creating lasting memories along the way with warmth and heart. First-time feature filmmaker Thomas Charles Hyland takes us on an emotional and relatable exploration of following your dreams, unveiling the role creativity plays in building identity. (EP) Presented by Boone Supported Living
Q&A with director Thomas Charles Hyland
Three Promises
Dir. Yousef Srouji // 2023 // Palestine, USA, Lebanon // 61 min
A filmmaker excavates the hidden childhood home movies recorded by his mother during the tumultuous early 2000s in the West Bank.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 4:15 pm / The Blue Note B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 12:30 pm / Missouri Theatre C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 5:00 pm / The Globe
Dir. Yousef Srouji // 2023 // Palestine, USA, Lebanon // 61 min
In the early 2000s, Israel’s military retaliated against the Palestinian uprising in the West Bank, resulting in a years-long siege. Suha, married and a mother of two, coped by picking up her camera to document her family’s day-to-day experience. With her children struggling to sleep, bombings in the near distance, and the reality of the situation seeping closer and closer, the family is faced with a tough decision. Nearly two decades later, her son discovers her hidden archive of home movies. Three Promises tells the intimate story of a Christian family, in lockdown, facing the hardest decision of all: leave your home behind to protect your family, or risk it all to stay in the place you love? This film speaks to a mother’s love, the meaning of home, and survival amidst the worst circumstances. (KM)
This film contains images of bombings and explosions.
Q&A with director Yousef Srouji
Tokyo Story
Dir. Yasujirō Ozu // 1953 // Japan // 136 min
An elderly couple visits their children in Tokyo, only to find themselves neglected, as familial bonds and generational divides unfold in this quietly tragic film.
In Tokyo Story, the elderly couple Tomi and Shukichi journey to Tokyo to reunite with their grown children. As the family navigates the inevitable passage of time and shifting dynamics, Director Yasujirō Ozu delicately explores the intricacies of familial relationships, masterfully capturing the quiet tragedy of aging parents realizing their diminishing place in their family’s life. Through subtle yet profound storytelling, the film becomes an exploration of generational conflict and the universal experience of heartbreak against the backdrop of postwar Tokyo, portraying the enduring bonds of family life in a rapidly changing world. This timeless masterpiece was selected by Michaël Andrianaly, as part of his True Vision award, as a film that had an influence on his own filmmaking practice. The film will be presented in 35mm. (EP) TRAILER
Union
Dirs. Stephen Maing and Brett Story // 2024 // USA // 104 min
A David vs. Goliath story following the formation of the Amazon Labor Union, as Amazon workers unite to fight for their rights.
A: Thursday, Feb 29 / 10:00 pm / The Blue Note B: Friday, Mar 1 / 1:15 pm / The Blue Note C: Saturday, Mar 2 / 8:30 pm / Jesse Auditorium
Dirs. Stephen Maing and Brett Story // 2024 // USA // 104 min
Union delves into the gripping story of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), a collective of former and current Amazon workers in Staten Island engaged in a battle against one of the world’s corporate giants for the right to unionize. With unprecedented access, Directors Brett Story (The Hottest August, T/F 2019) and Stephen Maing (Crime + Punishment, T/F 2018) chronicle their journey, highlighting the ALU’s audacious tactics and unwavering resolve despite immense challenges. With a multitude of strong personalities, led by union leader Chris Smalls, tensions inevitably emerge, revealing the complexities of union organizing. From covertly recorded Amazon-led anti-union meetings to tense encounters with law enforcement, the film exposes the taxing path to worker empowerment amidst unrelenting corporate opposition. (EP)
Q&A with directors Stephen Maing and Brett Story
Yintah
Dirs. Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell & Michael Toledano // 2024 // Canada // 125 min
Wet’suwet’en leaders unite in a battle against the Canadian government, corporations, and militarized law enforcement to safeguard their territory from gas and oil pipelines.
A: Friday, Mar 1 / 7:00 pm / Missouri Theatre B: Saturday, Mar 2 / 9:30 am / The Globe C: Sunday, Mar 3 / 12:00 pm / Jesse Auditorium
Dirs. Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell & Michael Toledano // 2024 // Canada // 125 min
This gripping debut feature from Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham, and Brenda Mitchell, unfolds as Wet’suwet’en activists confront fossil fuel corporations, the Canadian government, and militarized police to stop the construction of gas and oil pipelines on their territory. Taking its title from the Wet’suwet’en word for “land”, the film chronicles the decade-long struggle led by leaders Howilhkat Freda Huson and Sleydo’ Molly Wickham, as they endure assaults from all directions. By constructing homes and establishing a healing center along the proposed pipeline route, they assert their right to defend their territory. Deeply embedded within the communities, the filmmakers chronicle the confrontations with outsiders through frenetic and exhilarating footage, taking us straight to the heart of the resistance. Yintah presents this urgent tale of modern colonization as a global-scale thriller and a rallying cry to keep fighting. (EP)
This film contains images of animal blood.
Q&A with directors Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham & Brenda Michell
SHORT FILMS
Amma ki Katha
Dir. Nehal Vyas // 2023 // India, USA // 21 min
A creative and incisive look at how history is written and rewritten as a filmmaker unpacks the myth-making of her homeland, India. (Plays in Shorts: Impossible Solution)
Ardent Other
Dir. Alice Brygo // 2022 // France // 16 min
As a medieval cathedral burns, throngs of people gather to bear witness. As their gazes take center-stage, this 3D animated short highlights the human desire for meaning. (Plays in Shorts: Absent Presence)
Contractions
Dir. Lynne Sachs // 2024 // USA // 12 min
Intimate confessions, paired with experimental choreography outside a woman’s clinic in Memphis, offer a glimpse into post Roe v. Wade America. (Plays in Shorts: Impossible Solution)
Dreams about Putin
Dir. Nastia Korkia // 2023 // Belgium, Hungary, Portugal // 30 min
After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, thousands of people began dreaming about Putin. In this visually thrilling film, those dreams come to life through 3D animation. (Plays in Shorts: Absent Presence)
Empty Rooms
Dir. Zhenia Kazankina // 2023 // Russia // 6 min
Following a mass emigration from Russia, a poignant love letter emerges in the abandoned home spaces of friends and family. (Plays in Shorts: Random Order)
Familia 💖💎
Dirs. Picho García & Gabriela Pena // 2024 // Chile // 19 min
An innovative, funny, and heartfelt exploration of the weight of expectations told through family Whatsapp messages and instagram stories. (Plays in Shorts: Random Order)
Four Holes
Dir. Daniela Muñoz Barroso // 2023 // Cuba, France // 20 min
Filmmaker and subject find common ground in this humorous portrait of Pepe, the mastermind behind a DIY golf course on the outskirts of Madrid. (Plays in Shorts: Impossible Solution)
Friends on the Outside
Dir. Annabel Moodie // 2023 // Scotland, UK // 10 min
Through phone calls and footage of nature, this short weaves the story of a man who discovers a love of foraging while incarcerated. (Plays in Shorts: Absent Presence)
Headshot
Dir. Dominic Yarabe // 2023 // USA // 8 min
A meditative essay film ruminating on image-making and the historically fraught relationship that Black Americans have with the camera and the land. (Plays in Shorts: Absent Presence)
I Am The Immaculate Conception
Dir. Frank Eli Martin // 2023 // UK // 17 min
In a Rural Irish village, residents grapple with faith and an underlying darkness in the aftermath of a divine event four decades ago. (Plays in Shorts: Static Flow)
I Would've Been Happy
Dir. Jordan Wong // 2023 // USA // 9 min
A filmmaker uses glazed ceramic tiles and architectural inspiration to reconstruct his childhood home as a means of processing his parents’ divorce. (Plays in Shorts: Random Order)
Junior Tu Papá
Dir. Daniel Díaz // 2024 // Colombia, UK, USA // 16 min
Phone calls, fútbol heroes, and Colombian history meld together in this rumination on family ties, cultural memory, and diasporic connection. (Plays in Shorts: Random Order)
L'Esquisse
Dir. Tomas Cali // 2023 // France // 9 min
Animated strokes blend with live-action, when an immigrant artist encounters a new muse who helps them make meaning in a new country. (Plays in Shorts: Impossible Solution)
Night Audit
Dir. Ryan Ross // 2023 // USA // 15 min
Empty hallways, check-in desks, and liminal spaces are the background for hotel employees to reflect on the ups and downs of working the night shift. (Plays in Shorts: Static Flow)
Nortel
Dir. Evan Gareth Hoffman // 2023 // Canada // 15 min
A high-energy, eye-popping, and toe-tapping trip through modern capitalism–featuring inept CEOs, driven social media influencers, the benefits of skin care, and Canadian phones. (Plays in Shorts: Absent Presence)
On The Battlefield
Dirs. Theresa Delsoin, Lisa Marie Malloy, J.P. Sniadecki, Ray Whitaker // 2024 // USA // 13 min
While walking through the former site of the housing projects in his hometown of Cairo, Illinois, a sound recordist uncovers an auditory archive. (Plays Before: Behind Closed Doors)
Personal Mythologies
Dir. Susan O'Brien // 2024 // USA // 5 min
Painter Dominique Castelano reflects on her trans identity through folklore from her native Philippines in this visually rich portrait. (Plays in Shorts: Static Flow)
POV Memory
Dir. Igor Smola // 2023 // Azerbaijan, Singapore // 13 min
Shadowing a soldier through a patchwork of archive and surveillance material, this evocative film examines the evolving existentialism around self-imaging and memory. (Plays in Shorts: Static Flow)
Queen's Crochet
Dir. Hanna CHO // 2023 // South Korea // 36 min
A filmmaker takes on the biggest crocheting challenge of her life and reaffirms her queer identity in the process. (Plays in Shorts: Static Flow)
Roberto Baggio
Dir. Henrique Cartaxo // 2023 // Brazil // 7 min
A filmmaker investigates his childhood memory of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup win, reflecting on capitalism and pop culture through a moody ’90s aesthetic. (Plays in Shorts: Absent Presence)
Strong Grandma
Dir. Cecilia Brown & Winslow Crane-Murdoch // 2023 // USA // 15 min
A 95 yr old weightlifter reflects on love and loss as she prepares for her final competition in this delightful short. (Plays in Shorts: Random Order)
The Lady with Lipstick
Dir. Francesca Coppola // 2023 // Italy, Switzerland // 9 min
Archival family footage evolves into a testimony as the director’s grandmother reflects on life, womanhood, and the post-war changes in her town’s landscape fifty years later. (Plays Before: Obsolete)
The Medallion
Dir. Ruth Hunduma // 2023 // UK //19 min
A filmmaker reflects on her family’s history, artfully interweaving archival footage with her mother’s memories of Ethiopia’s Red Terror. (Plays Before: Background)
Tilted Arc
Dir. Baxter Stein // 2023 // USA // 14 min
An archival excavation of the meaning of public art told through the controversy surrounding Richard Serra’s commissioned sculpture for the New York Federal Plaza. (Plays in Shorts: Random Order)
Todisoa and the Black Stones
Dir. Michaël Andrianaly // 2013 // France, Madagascar // 26 min
Michaël Andrianaly’s first short film tells the story of Vohitrambato, a village whose inhabitants have had their land taken by a mining project. (Plays before: Gwetto)
Two Sun
Dir. Blair Barnes // 2023 // USA // 5 min
A mood piece with its own rhythm, this evocative film explores the relationship to the self and our ever-evolving understanding of identity. (Plays in Shorts: Impossible Solution)
