The Leone men head out for a little R&R which, of course, doesn’t go as planned on CBS’s Fire Country season three episode 10. Directed by Rubin Garcia from a script by Sara Casey and Manuel Herrera, episode 10 will air on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Max Thieriot stars as Bode, Billy Burke plays Vince, Kevin Alejandro is Manny, and Diane Farr is Sharon. Stephanie Arcila plays Gabriela, Jordan Calloway is Jake, Jules Latimer is Eve, and Rafael de la Fuente is Diego.
“The Leone Way” Plot: The Leone men attempt a daring rescue while on a family fishing trip and Sharon faces a tough decision when a baby is safely surrendered at station 42.
Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as Bode Leone, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began.
Years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.
Succession‘s Alan Ruck guest stars as twins on CBS’s Elsbeth season two episode 10, “Finance Bros.” Directed by Nick Gomez from a script by Anju Andre-Bergmann and Eric Randall, episode 10 will air on Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 10pm ET/PT.
And speaking of guest stars, CBS announced episode 12 will mark the first time Matthew Broderick and his son James Wilkie Broderick work together on screen. Episode 12, “Foiled Again,” airs on February 20th.
Carrie Preston stars as Elsbeth Tascioni, Wendell Pierce stars as Captain C.W. Wagner, and Carra Patterson is back as Officer Kaya Blanke. Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, and Jonathan Tolins serve as executive producers.
“Finance Bros” Plot: When a Wall Street titan (Alan Ruck) is murdered after giving away his fortune, Elsbeth suspects the victim’s twin brother and business partner (also Alan Ruck) in a deadly case of sibling rivalry. Meanwhile, the Van Ness case continues to cause trouble for Elsbeth. Christian Borle reprises his guest starring role as Carter Schmidt.
Emmy Award winner Carrie Preston is back as Elsbeth Tascioni, the astute but unconventional consent decree attorney working with the NYPD to catch New York’s most well-heeled murderers utilizing her unique point of view. Season two of the critically acclaimed series brings new cases and challenges when mistakes of the past come back to haunt Elsbeth, her boss Captain Wagner (Pierce), and detective in training Officer Kaya Blanke (Patterson).
Terry Crews, Richard Goodall, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara on the ‘America’s Got Talent’ season 19 finale (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
When NBC’s America’s Got Talent kicks off its 20th season, there will be a familiar face returning to the judging panel. Singer/songwriter Mel B is confirmed to return, joining season 20 judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara. Mel B previously judged seasons eight through 13, as well as AGT: Fantasy League. Terry Crews is back handling hosting duties.
Season 20 will premiere on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 8pm ET/PT.
“It is absolutely brilliant to be able to announce this year as our 20th season,” stated Simon Cowell. “Over the years, we have seen some amazing acts and met some truly incredible people. It’s true that two or three minutes can change your life. I want to thank every contestant, all the fans who have supported the show every year and to NBC for believing in this show. And of course, the amazing team, past and present, who make the show so special. Now as always, I am really excited to meet the contestants this year.”
Season 20 auditions are underway. Those interested in auditioning can visit AGTAuditions.com for more information. Howie Mandel is hosting an audition Comedy Showcase on Thursday, February 6 at the Ice House in Pasadena. And fan favorite finalist Sofie Dossi is hosting virtual auditions on Tuesday, February 25. In-person open call auditions are scheduled for Monday, March 10 at the Pasadena Civic Center.
Simon Cowell created America’s Got Talent and serves as an executive producer along with Sam Donnelly. The reality competition series is co-produced by Fremantle and Syco Entertainment.
The trailer for Netflix’s Cobra Kai season six, part three teases what’s in store for Daniel Russo and Johnny Lawrence as the incredibly popular karate saga comes to an end. “After a shocking result in the Sekai Taikai, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.”
Season six part one premiered on July 18, 2024, followed by part two on November 28. Part three, the final chapter, premieres on February 13, 2025.
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka lead the cast as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. Martin Kove plays John Kreese, Xolo Maridueña stars as Miguel Diaz, Jacob Bertrand is Hawk, Mary Mouser is Samantha LaRusso, and Tanner Buchanan plays Robby Keene. Peyton List stars as Tory, Gianni Decenzo is Demetri, Courtney Henggeler is Amanda LaRusso, Vanessa Rubio is Carmen, and Dallas Dupree Young plays Kenny.
The ensemble also includes Yuji Okumoto as Chozen, Alicia Hannah-Kim as Sensei Kim Dae-Un, Griffin Santopietro as Anthony, Oona O’Brien as Devon, Rayna Vallandingham as Zara Malik, Patrick Luwis as Axel Kovacevic, and Lewis Tan as Sensei Wolf.
Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are the writers and showrunners, and executive produce via Counterbalance Entertainment. Additional executive producers include Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Susan Ekins, and Westbrook Studios’ Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett.
Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley in ‘Come See Me in the Good Light, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Brandon Somerhalder)
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival wrapped up with the announcement of the Festival Favorite Award. The documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White, was voted by audiences as the best of the feature films screened at the 2025 festival.
“Throughout the Festival we saw audiences moved by Andrea Gibson’s and Megan Falley’s journeys in Come See Me in the Good Light. Festival goers embraced the humor and heartbreak of this intimate documentary directed by Ryan White, as it speaks to art and love and reminds us what it means to be alive as we face mortality,” stated Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming.
As the 2025 festival comes to a close, the Sundance Institute announced the 2026 Sundance Film Festival will take place January 22nd through February 1st in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.
“The past 11 days of the Festival have been a meaningful opportunity to connect as a community in support of independent storytelling,” said Amanda Kelso, Acting CEO, Sundance Institute. “We look forward to being reunited with audiences, artists, industry, and press next January for another edition of the Festival.”
2025 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL FAVORITE AWARD WINNER AND TOP 5 RUNNERS-UP
WINNER: Come See Me in the Good Light / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Ryan White, Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen) –– Two poets, one incurable cancer diagnosis. Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley go on an unexpectedly funny and poignant journey through love, life, and mortality.
Deaf President Now! / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim, Producers: Jonathan King, Amanda Rohlke, Michael Harte) –– During eight tumultuous days in 1988 at the world’s only Deaf university, four students must find a way to lead an angry mob — and change the course of history.
The Alabama Solution / U.S.A. (Directors, Producers: Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman) — Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up in one of America’s deadliest prison systems.
The Ballad of Wallis Island / U.K. (Director: James Griffiths, Screenwriters: Tom Basden, Tim Key, Producer: Rupert Majendie) –– Eccentric lottery winner, Charles, dreams of getting his favorite musicians, Mortimer-McGwyer, back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates and former lovers accept his invitation to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig. Cast: Tom Basden, Tim Key, Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen, and Carey Mulligan.
Andre is an Idiot / U.S.A. (Director: Anthony Benna, Producers: Andre Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner) — Andre, a brilliant idiot, is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity, send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor.
Prime Minister / U.S.A. (Directors: Michelle Walshe, Lindsay Utz, Producers: Cass Avery, Leon Kirkbeck, Gigi Pritzker, Rachel Shane, Katie Peck) — A view inside the life of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, capturing her through five tumultuous years in power and beyond as she redefined leadership on the world stage.
CBS’s Matlock episode 10 finds Matty going undercover at a senior living facility. So, what’s up with the episode’s title, “Crash Helmets On?” The promo and synopsis don’t provide any clues, so fans will just have to wait until Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT to find out.
The one-hour drama stars Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock, Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy, and Leah Lewis as Sarah. Bates, Jennie Snyder Urman, Kat Coiro, Joanna Klein, and Eric Christian Olsen executive produce.
“Crash Helmets On” Plot: Matty and Sarah pose as grandmother and granddaughter in order to gather information at a senior living facility facing a wrongful death suit. Jennifer Lynch directs from a script by Lizzie Perrin and Nicki Renna.
Matlock stars Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.
As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates – the charismatic Billy (Del Rio) and the uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis).
Jay’s sister (played by Punam Patel) visits Woodstone to help with Jay’s restaurant on CBS’s Ghosts season four episode 11. Directed by Rebecca Asher from a script by Akilah Green, “Thorapy 2: Abandonment Issues” will air on Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 8:30pm ET/PT.
Rose McIver stars as Sam, Utkarsh Ambudkar is Jay, Brandon Scott Jones is Isaac, and Richie Moriarty plays Pete. Danielle Pinnock is Alberta, Asher Grodman is Trevor, Román Zaragoza stars as Sasappis, Rebecca Wisocky plays Hetty, Devan Chandler Long is Thorfinn, and Sheila Carrasco is Flower. Tristan D. Lalla guest stars as Mark.
“Thorapy 2: Abandonment Issues” Plot: Thor returns to therapy to work through his angst over being abandoned by his Viking shipmates. Also, Jay’s sister, Bela (Patel), attempts to help him with the restaurant.
Ghosts is a single-camera comedy about Samantha and Jay, a cheerful freelance journalist and up-and-coming chef from the city, respectively, who threw both caution and money to the wind when they decided to convert Woodstone Mansion, which Sam inherited, into a bed & breakfast – only to find it was inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents who now call it home.
The departed souls are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era lounge singer (Danielle Pinnock); a pompous 18th-century militiaman (Brandon Scott Jones); a ‘60s hippie fond of hallucinogens (Sheila Carrasco); an overly upbeat ‘80s scout troop leader (Richie Moriarty); a cod-obsessed Viking explorer from 1009 (Devon Chandler Long); a slick ‘90s finance bro (Asher Grodman); a sarcastic and witty native from the 16th-century (Román Zaragoza); and a society woman and wife of a 19th-century robber baron who is Sam’s ancestor (Rebecca Wisocky), to name a few. The opening of the B&B has been a source of intrigue, anxiety, and curiosity among the spirits, but they will gladly put up with the commotion as long as they can continue to interact with a living inhabitant.
Amy faces an ethical dilemma on Fox’s Doc season one episode five, “He Ain’t Heavy.” Episode five will air on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Molly Parker plays Chief of Internal Medicine Dr. Amy Larsen, Omar Metwally is Dr. Michael Hamda, Amirah Vann is Dr. Gina Walker, Jon Ecker is Dr. Jake Heller, and Anya Banerjee is Dr. Sonya Maitra. Season one guest stars include Scott Wolf as Dr. Richard Miller and Patrick Walker as Dr. TJ Coleman.
“He Ain’t Heavy” Plot: Amy and Sonya endeavor to help a teen in need of a bone marrow transplant and his younger brother whose own health issues jeopardize his life to donate. Jake deals with a fainting bride and her worried groom. Michael (Metwally) struggles with a secret he’s been keeping.
After a late-night car crash results in severe head trauma, Amy wakes up from surgery with no recollection of the patients she’s treated, the colleagues she’s crossed and the tragedy that caused her to push almost everyone away. The relief that Amy gets from seeing her family post-accident is fleeting when she learns the incomprehensible – that she and her beloved husband, Dr. Michael Hamda have been divorced for four years. In fact, her entire family is not at all as she remembers them, rocking her foundation to the core.
Amy’s best friend, neuropsychiatrist Dr. Gina Walker, has little guidance to give her for this new reality since matters of the brain are, even to the experts, still a big mystery. While Gina is hopeful, she does not know if Amy will ever recover her memories. In Amy’s fragile state, Gina must choose carefully what information from the past eight years to reveal to her, scared that too much too soon could prove more harmful than good. This includes her secret romance with Dr. Jake Heller, since Amy now has no recollection of ever meeting him before, let alone being in a passionate relationship with him. Certain other memories, those close to her believe, would perhaps be too painful to relive and are best left forgotten.
In a fateful irony, that’s the fervent hope for Amy’s colleague, Dr. Richard Miller, who has now been promoted to take over as Chief of Internal Medicine after Amy’s accident. Richard is desperate for Amy’s memories to never return since she was the only person to uncover his career-ending mistake – another thing she now doesn’t recall.
And Richard isn’t alone in relishing Amy’s predicament – her previously contentious and unkind behavior left her with more than a few enemies at the hospital, including Dr. Sonya Maitra. While she does remember Dr. TJ Coleman, she does not recall that he became a doctor – nor that it was she who inspired him to do so.
Feeling completely off balance and having to piece together what happened through the prism of other people’s subjective points of view, practicing medicine remains the one constant for Amy, and she is determined to become a doctor again. While she may never get back what she’s lost, Amy knows she’s been given a second chance to do things differently and she will not take that gift for granted.
A scene from ‘Dog Man’ (Photo Credit: DreamWorks Animation)
DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man is about a supercop who’s part dog, part man due to a bizarre life-saving surgery. After Police Officer Knight and his loyal dog Greg were seriously injured chasing super villain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson), medical staff performed a crazy, Frankenstein-style lifesaving procedure, attaching Greg’s head to Knight’s body. And, Voila! Dog Man was born.
Loyal kung-fu fighting Dog Man returns to the streets to take on the bad guys, eager to adjust to his new life with the help of up-and-coming news reporter Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher). Sarah’s ready to cover all of his heroic saves and crime-fighting antics. But life back on the streets will not be easy. Dog Man’s greatest enemy, Petey the Cat, is determined to ruin the heroic officer’s life and complete his evil plan of destroying all do-gooders.
How will the clever feline pull that off? By creating the perfect partner: a clone of himself. It’s up to Dog Man and his squad – the chief of police (Lil Rel Howery) and intrepid reporter Sarah – to combine forces and stop Petey.
The voice talents do a solid job of bringing the characters to life, but they are all one-dimensional and way too simple. Pete Davidson delivers the best voice performance as Petey, the supervillain cat that has the few funny scenes in the film. Lil Rel Howery is over the top (as is much of the film) as the voice of Chief, who likes but envies Dog Man and all his success.
The writing and visuals have a Saturday morning cartoon feel, rather than a feature film. The animation’s unimpressive, and the silly jokes and gags aimed at kids don’t always land. Goofy and juvenile, Dog Man is a loud, chaotic ride that only young children might enjoy while adults will look with longing toward the exit.
GRADE: C
MPAA Rating: PG for some action and rude humor
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes
Directed By: Peter Hastings
A still from Atropia by Hailey Gates, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival (Photo Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Atropia starring Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner earned the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic Competition award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and Seeds was named the U.S. Documentary Competition winner. The 2025 winners were announced today during a ceremony held at The Ray Theatre in Park City.
Additional Grand Jury Prize winners include Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) and Cutting Through Rocks. Audience Awards went to Twinless (U.S. Dramatic Competition), André is an Idiot (U.S. Documentary Competition), DJ Ahmet (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), Prime Minister (World Cinema Documentary Competition), and East of Wall (NEXT).
“We congratulate all of our filmmakers and award winners on a successful 2025 Sundance Film Festival and thank them for the stories they shared with our audiences,” stated Amanda Kelso, Acting CEO, Sundance Institute. “These works spoke to our commitment to fostering empathy, understanding, and a more vibrant, inclusive society through storytelling, and it was an honor to celebrate them together as a community.”
94 feature-length films and episodic works and 57 short films screened during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
2025 Sundance Film Festival Awards
GRAND JURY PRIZES
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Atropia / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Hailey Gates, Producers: Naima Abed, Emilie Georges, Luca Guadagnino, Lana Kim, Jett Steiger) — When an aspiring actress in a military role-playing facility falls in love with a soldier cast as an insurgent, their unsimulated emotions threaten to derail the performance. Cast: Alia Shawkat, Callum Turner, Chloë Sevigny, Tim Heidecker, Jane Levy. World Premiere.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to Seeds / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Brittany Shyne, Producers: Danielle Varga, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon) — An exploration of Black generational farmers in the American South reveals the fragility of legacy and the significance of owning land. World Premiere.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) / India, U.K., Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, Producers: Neeraj Churi, Mohamed Khaki, Kaushik Ray, Hareesh Reddypalli, Naren Chandavarkar, Sidharth Meer) — Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress. Cast: Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman, Jayshri Jagtap. World Premiere.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to Cutting Through Rocks (اوزاک یوللار) / Iran, Germany, U.S.A., Netherlands, Qatar, Chile, Canada (Directors and Producers: Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni) — As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil. World Premiere.
NEXT INNOVATOR AWARD PRESENTED BY ADOBE
The NEXT Innovator Award Presented by Adobe was awarded to Zodiac Killer Project / U.S.A., U.K. (Director and Producer: Charlie Shackleton, Producers: Catherine Bray, Anthony Ing) –– Against the backdrop of sunbaked parking lots, deserted courthouses, and empty suburban homes — the familiar spaces of true crime, stripped of all action and spectacle — a filmmaker describes his abandoned Zodiac Killer documentary and probes the inner workings of a genre at saturation point. World Premiere.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura was awarded to Twinless / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: James Sweeney, Producer: David Permut) — Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance. Cast: Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti. World Premiere.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to DJ Ahmet / North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia (Director and Screenwriter: Georgi M. Unkovski, Producers: Ivan Unkovski, Ivana Shekutkoska) — Ahmet, a 15-year-old boy from a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations, a conservative community, and his first experience with love — a girl already promised to someone else. Cast: Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim, Atila Klince. World Premiere.
The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura was awarded to André is an Idiot / U.S.A. (Director: Anthony Benna, Producers: André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner) — André, a brilliant idiot, is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity, send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor. World Premiere.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to Prime Minister / U.S.A. (Directors: Michelle Walshe, Lindsay Utz, Producers: Cass Avery, Leon Kirkbeck, Gigi Pritzker, Rachel Shane, Katie Peck) — A view inside the life of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, capturing her through five tumultuous years in power and beyond as she redefined leadership on the world stage. World Premiere.
The Audience Award: NEXT, Presented by Adobe was awarded to East of Wall / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Kate Beecroft, Producers: Lila Yacoub, Melanie Ramsayer, Shannon Moss) –– After the death of her husband, Tabatha — a young, tattooed, rebellious horse trainer — wrestles with financial insecurity and unresolved grief while providing refuge for a group of wayward teenagers on her broken-down ranch in the Badlands. Cast: Tabatha Zimiga, Porshia Zimiga, Scoot McNairy, Jennifer Ehle. World Premiere.
JURY AWARDS FOR DIRECTING, SCREENWRITING, and EDITING
The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Geeta Gandbhir for The Perfect Neighbor / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Geeta Gandbhir, Producers: Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee) — A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida’s “stand your ground” laws. World Premiere.
The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Rashad Frett for Ricky / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Rashad Frett, Screenwriter: Lin Que Ayoung, Producers: Pierre M. Coleman, Simon TaufiQue, Sterling Brim, DC Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Josh Peters, Mark Steele) — Newly released after being locked up in his teens, 30-year-old Ricky navigates the challenging realities of life post-incarceration, and the complexity of gaining independence for the first time as an adult. Cast: Stephan James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Titus Welliver, Maliq Johnson, Imani Lewis, Simbi Kali, Andrene Ward-Hammond. World Premiere.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to Mstyslav Chernov for 2000 Meters to Andriivka / Ukraine (Director and Producer: Mstyslav Chernov, Producers: Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath) — Amid the failing counteroffensive, a journalist follows a Ukrainian platoon on their mission to traverse one mile of heavily fortified forest and liberate a strategic village from Russian occupation. But the farther they advance through their destroyed homeland, the more they realize that this war may never end. World Premiere.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Alireza Khatami for The Things You Kill / Turkey, France, Poland, Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Alireza Khatami, Producers: Elisa Sepulveda Ruddoff, Cyriac Auriol, Mariusz Włodarski, Michael Solomon) — Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, a university professor coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. Cast: Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, Ercan Kesal. World Premiere.
The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Eva Victor, Producers: Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins) — Something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least. Cast: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi, Kelly McCormack. World Premiere.
The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Parker Laramie for André is an Idiot / U.S.A. (Director: Anthony Benna, Producers: André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner) — André, a brilliant idiot, is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity, send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor. World Premiere.
SPECIAL JURY AWARDS
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting was presented to Dylan O’Brien for Twinless / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: James Sweeney, Producer: David Permut) — Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance. Cast: Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti. World Premiere.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast was presented to Plainclothes / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Carmen Emmi, Producers: Colby Cote, Arthur Landon, Eric Podwall, Vanessa Pantley) — A promising undercover officer assigned to lure and arrest gay men defies orders when he falls in love with a target. Cast: Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey, Maria Dizzia, Christian Cooke, Gabe Fazio, Amy Forsyth. World Premiere.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling was presented to Selena y Los Dinos / U.S.A. (Director: Isabel Castro, Producers: Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, J. Daniel Torres, David Blackman, Simran Singh) — Selena Quintanilla — the “Queen of Tejano Music” — and her family band, Selena y Los Dinos, rose from performing at quinceañeras to selling out stadium tours. The celebration of her life and legacy is chronicled through never-before-seen footage from the family’s personal archive. World Premiere.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award was presented to Life After / U.S.A. (Director: Reid Davenport, Producer: Colleen Cassingham) — In 1983, a disabled Californian woman named Elizabeth Bouvia sought the “right to die,” igniting a national debate about autonomy, dignity, and the value of disabled lives. After years of courtroom trials, Bouvia disappeared from public view. Disabled director Reid Davenport narrates this investigation of what happened to Bouvia. World Premiere.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was presented to Georgi M. Unkovski for DJ Ahmet / North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia (Director and Screenwriter: Georgi M. Unkovski, Producers: Ivan Unkovski, Ivana Shekutkoska) — Ahmet, a 15-year-old boy from a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations, a conservative community, and his first experience with love — a girl already promised to someone else. Cast: Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim, Atila Klince. World Premiere.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Writing was presented to Two Women / Canada (Director: Chloé Robichaud, Screenwriter and Producer: Catherine Léger, Producer: Martin Paul-Hus) — Violette is having a difficult maternity leave. Florence is dealing with depression. Despite their careers and families, they feel like failures. Florence’s first infidelity is a revelation. When having fun is far down the list of priorities, sleeping with a delivery guy could be revolutionary. Cast: Karine Gonthier-Hyndman, Laurence Leboeuf, Félix Moati, Mani Soleymanlou, Sophie Nelisse, Juliette Gariépy. World Premiere.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award was presented to Mr. Nobody Against Putin / Denmark, Czech Republic (Director and Screenwriter: David Borenstein, Producer: Helle Faber) — As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, primary schools across Russia’s hinterlands are transformed into recruitment stages for the war. Facing the ethical dilemma of working in a system defined by propaganda and violence, a brave teacher goes undercover to film what’s really happening in his own school. World Premiere.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression was presented to Coexistence, My Ass! / U.S.A., France (Director and Producer: Amber Fares, Screenwriter and Producer: Rachel Leah Jones, Screenwriter: Rabab Haj Yahya, Producer: Valérie Montmartin) –– Comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi creates a personal and political one-woman show about the struggle for equality in Israel/Palestine. When the elusive coexistence she’s spent her life working toward starts sounding like a bad joke, she challenges her audiences with hard truths that are no laughing matter. World Premiere.
A NEXT Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast was presented to Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Joel Alfonso Vargas, Producer: Paolo Maria Pedullà) –– Rico’s summer is a mix of chasing girls and hustling homemade cocktails out of a cooler on Orchard Beach, the Bronx. But when Destiny, his teenage girlfriend, crashes at his place with his family, it’s only a matter of time before his carefree days come spiraling down. Cast: Juan Collado, Destiny Checo, Yohanna Florentino, Nathaly Navarro. World Premiere. Fiction.
