The promo video for CBS’s FBI: International season four episode eight has fans worried about Vo. Season four’s fall finale, “You’ll Never See It Coming,” will air on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
Jesse Lee Soffer stars as Supervisory Special Agent Wesley “Wes” Mitchell, Carter Redwood plays Special Agent Andre Raines, Vinessa Vidotto is Special Agent Cameron Vo, Eva-Jane Willis is Europol Agent Megan “Smitty” Garretson, and Christina Wolfe plays Special Agent Amanda Tate.
“You’ll Never See It Coming” Plot: When the star witness in the case against Greg Csonka, the man responsible for the death of Wes’ former partner, is beaten to death in a Budapest prison before he can testify, the Fly Team attempts to salvage the case to secure Csonka’s conviction. As they dive back into the investigation, Mitchell is forced to confront the pain of losing his partner. Meanwhile, Wes assists Booth with preparing for his promotion interviews.
FBI: International is the third iteration of the successful FBI brand that follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team. Headquartered in Budapest, they travel throughout Europe with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats against American citizens wherever they may be, putting their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people. Newly embedded to the Fly Team is charming and rakish Supervisory Special Agent Wesley “Wes” Mitchell, whose impeccable instincts and unconventional tactics deepen his drive to stop at nothing to achieve justice.
Special Agent Andre Raines shines in the field and makes good use of his accounting background in tracking criminal enterprises’ moving money. Special Agent Cameron Vo, a competitive West Point grad, excels at interrogation and strategy and Megan “Smitty” Garretson, a streetwise Europol agent with an extensive undercover background, uses her expertise to liaise with each host country they inhabit. Special Agent Amanda Tate, a confident and tech-savvy intel analyst, stays quick on her feet and remains calm in the midst of chaos. Always at the scene where American interests are at risk, FBI: International is a globe-trotting depiction of law enforcement overseas.
The team suspects an inside job when customs officers are murdered on CBS’s FBI season seven episode eight, the fall finale. Directed by Jean De Segonzac from a script by Woody Straussner, episode eight – “Riptide” – will air on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT.
Missy Peregrym stars as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki plays Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, Jeremy Sisto is Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, and Alana De La Garza is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille. John Boyd plays Special Agent Stuart Scola and Lisette Olivera plays Syd.
“Riptide” Plot: After three customs officers are shot dead in a cargo heist, the team entrusts OA’s old army buddy Clay to help determine if it was an inside job.
FBI is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This elite unit brings to bear all their talents, intellect, and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep New York and the country safe. Born into a multigenerational law enforcement family, Special Agent Maggie Bell commits deeply to the people she works with as well as those she protects. Her partner is Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, a West Point graduate via Bushwick who spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI.
Overseeing them is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille, who operates under intense pressure and has undeniable command authority. The team also includes Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, the nerve center of the office whose ability to easily relate to and engage with both superiors and subordinates makes him a master motivator. Special Agent Stuart Scola is an Ivy League-educated Wall Streeter-turned-FBI agent. These first-class agents tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime and counterintelligence.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley joins ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ (Photo Credit: Fox)
Fox has set a March 20, 2025 premiere date for season three of the unscripted dating series Farmer Wants a Wife. The upcoming third season will be hosted by actor and New York Times bestselling author Kimberly Williams-Paisley, replacing previous host Jennifer Nettles.
New episodes will air on Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT.
“I enjoyed being myself in this show, which was a new experience for me with my first unscripted series. Because I’m a city girl who embraced the country life when I married my husband twenty-one years ago, I related to the allure of a farmer for these ladies. I really appreciate how dedicated this show and its producers are in helping these hopeful farmers and women find love,” stated Williams-Paisley.
David Tibballs is the showrunner and executive produces. Additional executive producers include Paul Franklin, Chris Culvenor, Ben DeNoble, and Jayne Parker.
“The search for real love continues in Season Three as a new crop of farmers host a group of single women who leave behind the comfort and convenience of city life for the charms and challenges of country living, as they embark on an adventure that could change the course of their lives forever. The third season will dive deeper into the beauty and trials of homegrown love, and new twists will put relationships to the ultimate test,” reads Fox’s synopsis. “Along the way, the farmers and their daters hit the road as they travel to Alabama for a speed dating event, Tennessee for a country ball, and Texas for an overnight camping mixer.
New this season, the final daters will bring their families back to the farms where their loved ones will experience first-hand what it is like living in the countryside. As the ladies immerse themselves in the realities of farm life, some will blossom while some will head out to pasture, and only time will tell if they have the patience, spirit, and adaptability required to be a farmer’s wife.”
A 19-year-old Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet, Dune: Part Two) tramps all the way from Minnesota to New York City to meet his idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy, Speak No Evil), as James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, begins. Mangold’s film chronicles Dylan’s beginnings in folk music and how he helped define the genre and launch it into the mainstream. A Complete Unknown doesn’t shy away from the reaction of fans and fellow musicians when the future Rock and Roll Hall of Famer begins experimenting by adding an electric sound to his songs, a move that will eventually lead to his exit from the folk music scene.
A Complete Unknown picks up Dylan’s journey with his pivotal meeting with Guthrie and his longtime friend Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). The young musician impresses Pete, who is a constant presence at Guthrie’s bedside as he struggles with Huntington’s disease. Bob and Pete strike up an almost instant friendship, and Pete takes the struggling musician under his wing. Peter becomes Dylan’s mentor, introducing him to influential people in the folk music world. He catches the eye of the lovely Sylvia Russo (Elle Fanning), an artist in her own right who becomes his first girlfriend. It’s not long before they are living together.
Another important, talented artist who enters Dylan’s life is folk superstar Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro, Top Gun: Maverick). They have chemistry both on and off the stage, and Joan is drawn to Dylan like a moth to a flame. As she watches him sing a new song, calming an audience on edge about the Cuban missile crisis, she realizes there’s something special about his songwriting that connects with listeners.
A Complete Unknown vividly recreates 1960s New York and its West Village folk scene, focusing on Dylan’s early career. Timothée Chalamet delivers a dynamic, jaw-dropping performance in this entertaining film, which features meticulously recreated musical scenes. Chalamet captures the style, essence, and mystery that is Bob Dylan, along with the man’s self-centeredness and indignation. His mannerisms, voice, guitar playing, and singing style all echoed the voice of a generation. It’s a true accomplishment, and make no mistake, this is not an impression but an authentic performance by Chalamet that ranks as the best of his career.
Edward Norton steals nearly every scene he’s in as Pete Seeger, Dylan’s friend and mentor who helps the young singer-songwriter launch his career and then grudgingly accepts Dylan moving on to leave his folk music roots behind. Norton deserves an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his outstanding performance.
Elle Fanning plays Sylvia, Dylan’s first girlfriend, who is destined to have her heart broken, as both sweet and vulnerable. Fanning and Chalamet have solid chemistry that grows stronger in the latter part of the film. Monica Barbaro impresses in the role of Joan Baez, doing the Queen of Folk proud as she mimics Baez’s unique soprano voice. Barbaro also portrays the fascination and frustration Baez felt while engaged in an on-and-off-again professional and personal relationship with Bob Dylan.
A Complete Unknown‘s sole shortcoming is its failure to offer any fresh insights into Dylan. Any fan of Bob Dylan will already know everything in the film. Still, A Complete Unknown boasts superb singing, concert scenes, and Timothée Chalamet’s captivating performance; it’s a must-see.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: R for language
Running Time: 2 hours 21 minutes
Release Date: December 25, 2024
Studio: Searchlight Pictures
Max’s January 9, 2025 premiere date for The Pitt was announced along with the release of the first official trailer. ER‘s Noah Wyle returns to the world of medical dramas, starring as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in the new series created by R. Scott Gemmill.
The series will debut with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes of the 15 episode season will stream on Thursdays, with the finale set for April 10th.
The cast includes Tracey Ifeachor as Dr. Collins, Patrick Ball as Dr. Langdon, Supriya Ganesh as Dr. Mohan, and Fiona Dourif as Dr. McKay. Taylor Dearden stars as Dr. King, Isa Briones is Dr. Santos, Gerran Howell is Whitaker, Shabana Azeez is Javadi, and Katherine LaNasa is Dana Evans.
“The Pitt is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,” reads Max’s synopsis. “Each episode follows an hour of Dr. Robby’s (Wyle) 15-hour shift as the chief attendant in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital’s emergency room.”
Gemmill writes and executive produces. Additional executive producers include Noah Wyle, Emmy winner John Wells, Erin Jontow, Simran Baidwan, and Michael Hissrich. The series is produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Wicked and Conclave lead the list of the 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards, earning 11 nominations each, followed by Dune: Part Two and Emilia Pérez with 10. The top four nominated films will go head-to-head in the Best Picture and Best Director categories.
The Brutalist picked up nine nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Adrien Brody), and Best Supporting Actor (Guy Pearce). Anora and The Substance received seven nominations, with Sing Sing and Nickel Boys scoring five nominations. Nosferatu, Challengers, and Gladiator II earned four nominations, and A Complete Unknown and A Real Pain collected three nominations each.
Winners will be announced during the Critics Choice Awards gala airing live on E! on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at 7pm ET/PT. UPDATE: The Critics Choice Awards have been postponed due to the devastating fires throughout Los Angeles. The new date is January 26th. UPDATE #2: The CCAs have moved again, settling on Friday, Friday 7th.
BEST PICTURE
A Complete Unknown
Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Nickel Boys
Sing Sing
The Substance
Wicked
BEST ACTOR
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig – Queer
Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
Hugh Grant – Heretic
BEST ACTRESS
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths
Angelina Jolie – Maria
Mikey Madison – Anora
Demi Moore – The Substance
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Yura Borisov – Anora
Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing
Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
Denzel Washington – Gladiator II
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Danielle Deadwyler – The Piano Lesson
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Nickel Boys
Ariana Grande – Wicked
Margaret Qualley – The Substance
Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
BEST YOUNG ACTOR / ACTRESS
Alyla Browne – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Elliott Heffernan – Blitz
Maisy Stella – My Old Ass
Izaac Wang – Didi
Alisha Weir – Abigail
Zoe Ziegler – Janet Planet
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Anora
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Saturday Night
Sing Sing
Wicked
BEST DIRECTOR
Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker – Anora
Edward Berger – Conclave
Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
Jon M. Chu – Wicked
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys
Denis Villeneuve – Dune: Part Two
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Sean Baker – Anora
Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David – September 5
Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold – The Brutalist
Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Justin Kuritzkes – Challengers
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox – Wicked
Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley – Sing Sing
RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes – Nickel Boys
Peter Straughan – Conclave
Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts – Dune: Part Two
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jarin Blaschke – Nosferatu
Alice Brooks – Wicked
Lol Crawley – The Brutalist
Stéphane Fontaine – Conclave
Greig Fraser – Dune: Part Two
Jomo Fray – Nickel Boys
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Judy Becker, Patricia Cuccia – The Brutalist
Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked
Suzie Davies – Conclave
Craig Lathrop – Nosferatu
Arthur Max, Jille Azis, Elli Griff – Gladiator II
Patrice Vermette, Shane Vieau – Dune: Part Two
BEST EDITING
Sean Baker – Anora
Marco Costa – Challengers
Nick Emerson – Conclave
David Jancso – The Brutalist
Joe Walker – Dune: Part Two
Hansjörg Weißbrich – September 5
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Lisy Christl – Conclave
Linda Muir – Nosferatu
Massimo Cantini Parrini – Maria
Paul Tazewell – Wicked
Jacqueline West – Dune: Part Two
Janty Yates, Dave Crossman – Gladiator II
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Christine Blundell, Lesa Warrener, Neal Scanlan – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Hair and Makeup Team – Dune: Part Two
Hair and Makeup Team – The Substance
Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Laura Blount – Wicked
Traci Loader, Suzanne Stokes-Munton, David White – Nosferatu
Mike Marino, Sarah Graalman, Aaron Saucier – A Different Man
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Mark Bakowski, Pietro Ponti, Nikki Penny, Neil Corbould – Gladiator II
Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould, David Shirk – Wicked
Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer – Dune: Part Two
Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, Peter Stubbs – Better Man
Visual Effects Team – The Substance
Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, Rodney Burke – Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
BEST COMEDY
A Real Pain
Deadpool & Wolverine
Hit Man
My Old Ass
Saturday Night
Thelma
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
All We Imagine as Light
Emilia Pérez
Flow
I’m Still Here
Kneecap
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
BEST SONG
“Beautiful That Way” – The Last Showgirl – Miley Cyrus
“Compress / Repress” – Challengers – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
“El Mal” – Emilia Pérez – Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Camille
“Harper and Will Go West” – Will & Harper – Kristen Wiig
“Kiss the Sky” – The Wild Robot – Maren Morris
“Mi Camino” – Emilia Pérez – Selena Gomez
BEST SCORE
Volker Bertelmann – Conclave
Daniel Blumberg – The Brutalist
Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot
Clément Ducol & Camille – Emilia Pérez
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Challengers
Hans Zimmer – Dune: Part Two
The Dillon Panthers in the original ‘Friday Night Lights’ (Photo by: Van Redin / NBCU Photo Bank)
The team behind Friday Night Lights returns for a new adaptation of the popular drama. Set up at Peacock, original FNL showrunner and executive producer Jason Katims will guide the new take in the same capacity. Peter Berg, director of the 2004 film based on H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream, developed the original series and will executive produce.
Additional executive producers include Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer (producer of the original film) and Kristen Zolner. The series is in the development stage and has Universal Television attached to produce.
“Following a devastating hurricane, a rag-tag high school football team and their damaged interim coach make an unlikely bid for a Texas High School State Championship, becoming a beacon of light for their town,” reads Peacock’s synopsis.
The original Friday Night Lights series premiered in October 2006 and ran for five seasons. The series starred Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Aimee Teegarden, Taylor Kitsch, and Brad Leland, and earned three Primetime Emmys.
Remember back when Madam Web came out and we all hoped Sony would do better with its Marvel properties with Kraven the Hunter? Yeah, we need to keep hoping. It seems as if Sony just doesn’t even care about these Marvel movies anymore.
Kraven the Hunter is about a Russian man named Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson from Nosferatu) who survived a lion attack as a boy when a girl named Calypso (Ariana DeBose from I.S.S.) gave him a special elixir. The potion not only saved his life, but gave him incredible strength, speed, and agility. As a grown man, he decides to use these new skills to become Kraven the Hunter, a vigilante who goes after the worst of the worst criminals.
Unfortunately for Kraven, his father, Nikolai (Russell Crowe from The Exorcist), is himself one of these worst of the worst, and soon enough, The Hunter, with help from Calypso, finds himself embroiled in a plot to save his brother, Dmitri (Thelma’s Fred Hechinger), from going down the same path as their father. This puts Kraven at odds with supervillains like Rhino (The Brutalist’s Alessandro Nivola) and The Foreigner (Christopher Abbott from Poor Things).
Directed by J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Margin Call), Kraven the Hunter was written by Richard Wenk (the Equalizer movies) along with Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (who both also worked on the screenplays for Iron Man and Punisher: War Zone). The character is based on the Spider-Man nemesis of the same name, but Kraven the Hunter hardly feels like a Spider-Man movie. The webslinger does not make an appearance, although some of his other adversaries do, and Calypso is seen at one point reading the Daily Bugle’s website. So, we’re in the same universe. But it’s not the same kind of movie.
Kraven is one of the cooler and more formidable Spider-Man villains, so Kraven the Hunter feels a bit like a wasted opportunity. The story itself is silly, but the film’s treatment of that silliness is deadpan serious, so there’s an odd tonal competition. Rather than completely giving itself over to the cornball comic book-ness of the plot, the movie tries to be a hard-boiled thriller. It doesn’t understand its own assignment.
Except for Russell Crowe. As Nikolai Kravinoff, Crowe gets it. His stoic expressions and Boris Badenov accent are totally in on the joke that the rest of the movie doesn’t know that it’s telling. While his castmates, even the guys playing shapeshifters and human rhinoceroses, are trying to find their thespian motivations, Crowe is chewing every stick of the scenery he steals.
The script itself doesn’t do the actors any favors. Just as was the case with Madam Web, much of the dialogue feels emotionless and generic, almost as if it was written by AI. Which, honestly, in this cinematic climate, wouldn’t be too much of a surprise. But it also could just be that not even the writers care too much about these characters anymore aside from making a movie to hold onto the rights.
The filmmaking is inconsistent as well. Some of the stunt work is exciting, just as one would expect from a movie like this, but even the fight scenes are drowned in computer-generated effects. And the CG is bad. Really bad. The CG animals that Kraven protects and befriends are particularly unconvincing. It would be a struggle to find a movie with worse CG lions and bison than Kraven the Hunter.
Kraven the Hunter doesn’t quite know what kind of movie it’s trying to be. It functions as an origin story for Kraven, but never really digs into the nuts and bolts of the character, it just shows a bit of his backstory before it sends him off on a side quest. Certain aspects, such as his relationships with Calypso and Dimitri, are underdeveloped, so by the time the audience needs to care about these characters, they don’t. Hand-to-hand combat only goes so far. Audiences need to care about a story, and in the case of Kraven the Hunter, they don’t. It’s a mess.
Kraven is a great character, and even this Aaron Taylor-Johnson incarnation has potential. There are all sorts of directions Sony can go with this antihero. They can pit him against Spider-Man, team him up with Spider-Man, toss him into a Sinister Six movie, or even explore his children who picked up his hunting habits in the comics. But whatever they wind up doing with Kraven the Hunter, let’s just hope it turns out better than Kraven the Hunter.
GRADE: D
MPAA Rating: R for strong bloody violence and language
Top L–R: The Legend of Ochi, Rabbit Trap, East of Wall, Seeds Center Row L–R: Rebuilding, Together, Love, Brooklyn, Jimpa Bottom L–R: Hal & Harper, Selena y Los Dinos, The Dating Game, Brides screen at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival‘s lineup will include 87 feature films and six episodic projects. Sundance received 15,775 submissions from 156 countries, including 4,138 feature-length film submissions. The 87 films selected represent 33 countries and territories, with 36 of the chosen films coming from first-time feature filmmakers.
“The Sundance Film Festival remains steadfast in its commitment to elevating unique and urgent voices in independent storytelling. Audiences can expect a 2025 program that showcases varied and vibrant filmmaking globally,” stated Robert Redford, Sundance Institute Founder and President.
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival will run January 23rd through February 2nd. For ticket information, visit festival.sundance.org.
“The Festival is our most significant public program as an Institute and builds on the artist support work we do year-round as a nonprofit that seeks to make meaningful storytelling accessible and sustainable,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO. “Our curation speaks to the breadth and depth of filmmaking today, and the work of the artists selected showcases the potential for storytelling to drive change through open dialogue while engaging audiences.”
2025 Sundance Film Festival Feature Films
U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
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. Available online for Public.
Bubble & Squeak / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Evan Twohy, Producers: Christina Oh, Steven Yeun) — Accused of smuggling cabbages into a nation where cabbages are banned, Declan and Delores must confront the fragility of their new marriage while on the run for their lives. Cast: Himesh Patel, Sarah Goldberg, Steven Yeun, Dave Franco, Matt Berry. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Bunnylovr / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Katarina Zhu, Producers: Tristan Scott-Behrends, Ani Schroeter, Rhianon Jones, Roger Mancusi, Rachel Sennott) — A drifting Chinese American cam girl struggles to navigate an increasingly toxic relationship with one of her clients while rekindling her relationship with her dying estranged father. Cast: Katarina Zhu, Rachel Sennott, Austin Amelio, Perry Yung, Jack Kilmer. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Love, Brooklyn / U.S.A. (Director: Rachael Abigail Holder, Screenwriter: Paul Zimmerman, Producers: André Holland, Kate Sharp, Patrick Wengler, Maurice Anderson, Liza Zusman) — Three longtime Brooklynites navigate careers, love, loss, and friendship against the rapidly changing landscape of their beloved city. Cast: André Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, Roy Wood Jr., Cassandra Freeman, Cadence Reese. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Omaha / U.S.A. (Director: Cole Webley, Screenwriter: Robert Machoian, Producer: Preston Lee) — After a family tragedy, siblings Ella and Charlie are unexpectedly woken up by their dad and taken on a journey across the country, experiencing a world they’ve never seen before. As their adventure unfolds, Ella begins to understand that things might not be what they seem. Cast: John Magaro, Molly Belle Wright, Wyatt Solis, Talia Balsam. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
Ricky / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Rashad Frett, Screenwriter: Lin Que Ayoung, Producers: Pierre M. Coleman, Simon TaufiQue, Sterling Brim, Josh Peters, DC Wade, Cary Fukunaga) — 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, Andrene Ward-Hammond. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Sierra Falconer, Producer: Grant Ellison) — Lives intertwine around Green Lake as a girl learns to sail, a boy fights for first chair, two sisters operate a bed-and-breakfast, and a fisherman is after the catch of his life. Cast: Maren Heary, Jim Kaplan, Karsen Liotta, Dominic Bogart, Tenley Kellogg, Emily Hall. World Premiere. Available online for Public
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. Available online for Public.
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
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. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Shoshannah Stern, Producers: Robyn Kopp, Justine Nagan, Bonni Cohen) — In 1987, Marlee Matlin became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award and was thrust into the spotlight at 21 years old. Reflecting on her life in her primary language of American Sign Language, Marlee explores the complexities of what it means to be a trailblazer. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
Predators / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: David Osit, Producers: Jamie Gonçalves, Kellen Quinn) — To Catch a Predator was a popular television show designed to hunt down child predators and lure them to a film set, where they would be interviewed and eventually arrested. An exploration of the scintillating rise and staggering fall of the show and the world it helped create. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Seeds / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Brittany Shyne, Producer: Danielle Varga) — An exploration of Black generational farmers in the American South reveals the fragility of legacy and the significance of owning land. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
Speak. / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Jennifer Tiexiera, Guy Mossman, Producer: Pamela Griner) — Five top-ranked high school oratory students spend a year crafting spellbinding spoken word performances with the dream of winning one of the world’s largest and most intense public speaking competitions. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Sugar Babies / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Rachel Fleit, Producers: Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Mehrdod Heydari) — Autumn is an enterprising college scholarship recipient and burgeoning TikTok influencer. Part of a close circle of friends growing up poor in rural Louisiana, she is determined to overcome the struggles and barriers defining them. Faced with limited minimum wage job options, Autumn devises an online sugar baby operation. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Third Act / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Tadashi Nakamura, Producer: Eurie Chung) — Generations of artists call Robert A. Nakamura “the godfather of Asian American media,” but filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura calls him Dad. Robert’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease leads to an exploration of art, activism, grief, and fatherhood. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Brides / U.K. (Director: Nadia Fall, Screenwriter: Suhayla El-Bushra, Producers: Nicky Bentham, Marica Stocchi) — Two teenage girls in search of freedom, friendship, and belonging run away from their troubled lives with a misguided plan of traveling to Syria. Cast: Ebada Hassan, Safiyya Ingar, Yusra Warsama, Cemre Ebuzziya, Aziz Capkurt. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
LUZ / Hong Kong, China (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Flora Lau, Producers: Yvette Tang, Joseph Sinn Gi Chan, Stephen Lam) — In the neon-lit streets of Chongqing, Wei desperately searches for his estranged daughter Fa, while Hong Kong gallerist Ren grapples with her ailing stepmother Sabine in Paris. Their lives collide in a virtual reality world, where a mystical deer reveals hidden truths, sparking a journey of discovery and connection. Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Sandrine Pinna, Xiao Dong Guo, Lu Huang, David Chiang, En Xi Deng. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
Sauna / Denmark (Director and Screenwriter: Mathias Broe, Screenwriter: William Lippert, Producer: Mads-August Hertz) — Johan thrives as a gay man in Copenhagen, enjoying endless bars, parties, and casual flings. Everything changes when he meets William, a transgender man, and falls into a deep love that defies societal norms around gender, identity, and relationships. Cast: Magnus Juhl Andersen, Nina Rask, Dilan Amin, Klaus Tange. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Sukkwan Island / France (Director and Screenwriter: Vladimir de Fontenay, Producers: Carole Scotta, Eliott Khayat, Caroline Benjo) — On the remote Sukkwan Island, 13-year-old Roy agrees to spend a formative year of adventure with his father deep in the Norwegian fjords. What starts as a chance to reconnect descends into a test of survival as they face the harsh realities of their environment and confront their unresolved turmoil. Cast: Swann Arlaud, Woody Norman, Alma Pöysti, Ruaridh Mollica, Tuppence Middleton. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
The Virgin of Quarry Lake / Argentina, Spain, Mexico (Director: Laura Casabé, Screenwriter: Benjamin Naishtat, Producers: Tomas Eloy Muñoz, Valeria Bistagnino, Alejandro Israel, David Matamoros, Angeles Hernandez, Diego Martinez Ulanosky) — In 2001, three teenagers from the outskirts of Buenos Aires all fall in love with Diego. Natalia has always had the most chemistry with him, but when it seems inevitable that their friendship will turn into something more, the older and more experienced Silvia appears and soon captures Diego’s attention. Cast: Dolores Oliverio, Luisa Merelas, Fernanda Echevarría, Dady Brieva, Agustín Sosa. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Where the Wind Comes From / Tunisia, France, Qatar (Director and Screenwriter: Amel Guellaty, Producers: Asma Chihoub, Karim Aitouna) — Alyssa, a rebellious 19-year-old girl, and her friend Mehdi, an introverted 23-year-old man, use their imagination to escape their unpromising reality. When they discover a contest in the south of Tunisia that may allow them to flee, they undertake a road trip regardless of the obstacles in their way. Cast: Eya Bellagha, Slim Baccar. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
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. Available online for Public.
Coexistence, My Ass! / U.S.A., France (Director and Producer: Amber Fares, Screenwriters: Rachel Leah Jones, Rabab Haj Yahya, Producer: Rachel Leah Jones, 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. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
The Dating Game / U.S.A., U.K., Norway (Director and Producer: Violet Du Feng, Producers: Joanna Natasegara, James Costa, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas) — In a country where eligible men greatly outnumber women, three perpetual bachelors join an intensive seven-day dating camp led by one of China’s most sought-after dating coaches in what may be their last-ditch effort to find love. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Endless Cookie / Canada (Directors and Screenwriters: Seth Scriver, Peter Scriver, Producers: Daniel Bekerman, Chris Yurkovich, Alex Ordanis, Jason Ryle, Seth Scriver) — Exploring the complex bond between two half brothers — one Indigenous, one white — traveling from the present in isolated Shamattawa to bustling 1980s Toronto. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
GEN_ / France, Italy, Switzerland (Director and Screenwriter: Gianluca Matarrese, Screenwriter: Donatella Della Ratta, Producers: Dominique Barneaud, Donatella Palermo, Alexandre Iordachescu) — At Milan’s Niguarda public hospital, the unconventional Dr. Bini leads a bold mission overseeing aspiring parents undergoing in vitro fertilization and the journeys of individuals reconciling their bodies with their gender identities. He navigates the constraints set by a conservative government and an aggressive market eager to commodify bodies. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
How to Build a Library / Kenya (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Maia Lekow, Christopher King, Screenwriter: Ricardo Acosta) — Two intrepid Nairobi women decide to transform what used to be a whites-only library until 1958 into a vibrant cultural hub. Along the way, they must navigate local politics, raise millions for the rebuild, and confront the lingering ghosts of Kenya’s colonial past. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
Khartoum / Sudan, U.K., Germany, Qatar (Directors: Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy Ahmad, Timeea Mohamed Ahmed, Phil Cox, Screenwriter: Phil Cox, Producers: Giovanna Stopponi, Talal Afifi) — Forced to leave Sudan for East Africa following the outbreak of war, five citizens of Khartoum — a civil servant, a tea lady, a resistance committee volunteer, and two young bottle collectors — reenact their stories of survival and freedom through dreams, revolution, and civil war. World Premiere. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
NEXT
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Kahlil Joseph, Screenwriters: Saidiya Hartman, Irvin Hunt, Producers: Onye Anyanwu, Amy Greenleaf, Nic Gonda) — Preeminent West African curator and scholar Funmilayo Akechukwu’s magnum opus, The Resonance Field, leads her to the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, drawing a journalist into a journey that shatters her understanding of consciousness and time. Cast: Shaunette Renée Wilson, Kaneza Schaal, Hope Giselle, Peter Hernandez, Penny Johnson Jerald, Zora Casebere. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
By Design / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Amanda Kramer, Producers: Miranda Bailey, Sarah Winshall, Natalie Whalen, Jacob Agger) — A woman swaps bodies with a chair, and everyone likes her better as a chair. Cast: Juliette Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Melanie Griffith, Samantha Mathis, Robin Tunney, Udo Kier. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
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. Fiction. Available online for Public.
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. Available online for Public.
OBEX / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Albert Birney, Screenwriter and Producer: Pete Ohs, Producers: Emma Hannaway, James Belfer) — Conor Marsh lives a secluded life with his dog, Sandy, until one day he begins playing OBEX, a new, state-of-the-art computer game. When Sandy goes missing, the line between reality and game blurs and Conor must venture into the strange world of OBEX to bring her home. Cast: Albert Birney, Callie Hernandez, Frank Mosley. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
Rains Over Babel / Colombia, U.S.A., Spain (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Gala del Sol, Producers: H.A Hermida, Ana Cristina Gutiérrez, Andrés Hermida, Natalia Rendón Rodríguez) — A group of misfits converges at Babel, a legendary dive bar that doubles as purgatory, where La Flaca — the city’s Grim Reaper — presides. Here, souls gamble years of their lives with her, daring to outwit Death herself. Cast: Saray Rebolledo, Felipe Aguilar Rodríguez, John Alex Castillo, William Hurtado, Santiago Pineda, Celina Biurrun. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
Serious People / U.S.A. (Directors and Screenwriters: Pasqual Gutierrez, Ben Mullinkosson, Producers: Ryan Hahn, Teddy Lee, Laurel Thomson) — A successful music video director and expectant father pushes his work-life balance to the extreme as he hires a doppelgänger to work in his stead. Cast: Pasqual Gutierrez, Christine Yuan, Miguel Huerta, Raul Sanchez. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
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. Documentary. Available online for Public.
PREMIERES
All That’s Left of You (اللي باقي منك) / Germany, Cyprus (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Cherien Dabis, Producers: Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Karim Amer) — After a Palestinian teen confronts Israeli soldiers at a West Bank protest, his mother recounts the series of events that led him to that fateful moment, starting with his grandfather’s forced displacement. Cast: Cherien Dabis, Saleh Bakri, Adam Bakri, Mohammad Bakri, Maria Zreik, Muhammad Abed Elrahman. World Premiere. Fiction.
April & Amanda / U.S.A. (Director: Zackary Drucker, Producers: Madison Passarelli, Douglas Banker, Alex Garinger, Noah Levy, Donovan Lovell, Stephen B. Strout) — Two legends contested their identities as women in the court of public opinion: April Ashley, who was immortalized as a trailblazer by embracing her transgender history; and Amanda Lear, who has consciously denied and obfuscated her history for decades. Their divergent paths reveal disparate but intertwined legacies. World Premiere. Documentary.
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, Carey Mulligan. World Premiere. Fiction.
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. World Premiere. Documentary.
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. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for Public.
FOLKTALES / U.S.A., Norway (Directors and Producers: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady) — On the precipice of adulthood, teenagers converge at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway. Dropped at the edge of the world, they must rely on only themselves, one another, and a loyal pack of sled dogs as they all grow in unexpected directions. World Premiere. Documentary.
Free Leonard Peltier / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Short Bull, Director and Producer: David France, Producers: Jhane Myers, Paul McGuire) — Leonard Peltier, one of the surviving leaders of the American Indian Movement, has been in prison for 50 years following a contentious conviction. A new generation of Native activists is committed to winning his freedom before he dies. World Premiere. Documentary.
Heightened Scrutiny / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Sam Feder, Producers: Amy Scholder, Paola Mendoza) — Amid the surge in anti-trans legislation that Chase Strangio battles in the courtroom, he must also fight against media bias, exposing how the narratives in the press influence public perception and the fight for transgender rights. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for Public.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Mary Bronstein, Producers: Sara Murphy, Ryan Zacarias, Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Eli Bush, Richie Doyle) — With her life crashing down around her, Linda attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. Cast: Rose Byrne, A$AP Rocky, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Ivy Wolk, Daniel Zolghadri. World Premiere. Fiction.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Amy Berg, Producers: Ryan Heller, Christine Connor, Mandy Chang, Jennie Bedusa, Matthew Roozen) — Rising musician Jeff Buckley had only released one album when he died suddenly in 1997. Now, never-before-seen footage, exclusive voice messages, and accounts from those closest to him offer a portrait of the captivating singer. World Premiere. Documentary.
Jimpa / Australia, Netherlands, Finland (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Sophie Hyde, Screenwriter: Matthew Cormack, Producers: Liam Heyen, Bryan Mason, Marleen Slot) — Hannah takes her nonbinary teenager, Frances, to Amsterdam to visit their gay grandfather, Jim — lovingly known as Jimpa. But Frances’ desire to stay abroad with Jimpa for a year means Hannah is forced to reconsider her beliefs about parenting and finally confront old stories about the past. Cast: Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, Aud Mason-Hyde. World Premiere. Fiction.
Kiss of the Spider Woman / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Bill Condon, Producers: Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy, Greg Yolen) — Valentín, a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina, a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna. Cast: Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Bichir, Josefina Scaglione, Aline Mayagoitia. World Premiere. Fiction.
Last Days / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Justin Lin, Screenwriter: Ben Ripley, Producers: Clayton Townsend, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson, Salvador Gatdula, Andrew Schneider) — Determined to fulfill his life’s mission, 26-year-old John Allen Chau embarks on a dangerous adventure across the globe to convert the uncontacted tribe of North Sentinel Island to Christianity, while a detective from the Andaman Islands races to stop him before he does harm to himself or the tribe. Cast: Sky Yang, Radhika Apte, Naveen Andrews, Ken Leung, Toby Wallace, Ciara Bravo. World Premiere. Fiction.
The Librarians / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Kim A. Snyder, Producers: Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum) — As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy. World Premiere. Documentary.
Lurker / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Alex Russell, Producers: Alex Orlovsky, Duncan Montgomery, Galen Core, Charlie McDowell, Archie Madekwe) — A retail employee infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom. As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death. Cast: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, Zack Fox, Daniel Zolghadri. World Premiere. Fiction.
Magic Farm / Argentina, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Amalia Ulman, Producers: Alex Hughes, Eugene Kotlyarenko, Riccardo Maddalosso) — A film crew working for an edgy media company travels to Argentina to profile a local musician, but their ineptitude leads them into the wrong country. As the crew collaborates with locals to fabricate a trend, unexpected connections blossom while a pervasive health crisis looms unacknowledged in the background. Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Alex Wolff, Joe Apollonio, Camila del Campo, Simon Rex. World Premiere. Fiction.
Middletown / U.S.A. (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Jesse Moss, Amanda McBaine, Producers: Teddy Leifer, Florrie Priest, Danny Breen) — Inspired by an unconventional teacher, a group of teenagers in upstate New York in the early 1990s made a student film that uncovered a vast conspiracy involving toxic waste that was poisoning their community. Thirty years later, they revisit their film and confront the legacy of this transformative experience. World Premiere. Documentary.
Move Ya Body: The Birth of House / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Elegance Bratton, Producer: Chester Algernal Gordon) — Out of the underground dance clubs on the South Side of Chicago, a group of friends turn a new sound into a global movement. World Premiere. Documentary.
Oh, Hi! / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Sophie Brooks, Producers: David Brooks, Dan Clifton, Julie Waters, Molly Gordon) — Iris and Isaac’s first romantic weekend getaway goes awry. Cast: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds. World Premiere. Fiction.
Peter Hujar’s Day / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Ira Sachs, Producers: Jordan Drake, Jonah Disend) —A recently discovered conversation between photographer Peter Hujar and his friend Linda Rosenkrantz in 1974 reveals a glimpse into New York City’s downtown art scene and the personal struggles and epiphanies that define an artist’s life. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Rebecca Hall. World Premiere. Fiction.
Rebuilding / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Max Walker-Silverman, Producers: Jesse Hope, Dan Janvey, Paul Mezey) — After a wildfire takes the family farm, a rancher seeks a way forward. Cast: Josh O’Connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy, Kali Reis, Amy Madigan. World Premiere. Fiction.
SALLY / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Cristina Costantini, Screenwriter: Tom Maroney, Producers: Lauren Cioffi, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin) — Sally Ride became the first American woman to blast off into space, but beneath her unflappable composure was a secret. Sally’s life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, reveals their hidden romance and the sacrifices that accompanied their 27 years together. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for Public. 2025 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize Winner.
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) / U.S.A. (Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Producers: Joseph Patel, Derik Murray) — An examination of the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone — the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone — captures the band’s rise, reign, and subsequent fadeout while shedding light on the unseen burden that comes with success for Black artists in America. World Premiere. Documentary.
The Thing with Feathers / U.K. (Director and Screenwriter: Dylan Southern, Producers: Andrea Cornwell, Leah Clarke, Adam Ackland) — Struggling to process the sudden and unexpected death of his wife, a young father loses his hold on reality as a seemingly malign presence begins to stalk him from the shadowy recesses of the apartment he shares with his two young sons. Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Boxall, Henry Boxall, Eric Lampaert, Vinette Robinson, Sam Spruell. World Premiere. Fiction.
Train Dreams / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Clint Bentley, Screenwriter: Greg Kwedar, Producers: Marissa McMahon, Teddy Schwarzman, Will Janowitz, Ashley Schlaifer, Michael Heimler) — Robert Grainier is a day laborer building America’s railroads at the start of the 20th century as he experiences profound love, shocking defeat, and a world irrevocably transforming before his very eyes. Cast: Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy. World Premiere. Fiction. Salt Lake Celebration Film.
The Wedding Banquet / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Andrew Ahn, Screenwriter and Producer: James Schamus, Producers: Anita Gou, Joe Pirro, Caroline Clark) — Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend, Chris, and out of time, Min makes a proposal: a green card marriage with his friend Angela in exchange for expensive in vitro fertilization treatments for her partner, Lee. Plans change when Min’s grandmother surprises them with an elaborate Korean wedding banquet. Cast: Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-chan, Joan Chen, Youn Yuh-jung. World Premiere. Fiction.
MIDNIGHT
Dead Lover / Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Grace Glowicki, Screenwriter and Producer: Ben Petrie, Producer: Yona Strauss) — A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap scientific experiments, resulting in grave consequences and unlikely love. Cast: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Leah Doz, Lowen Morrow. World Premiere. Fiction.
Didn’t Die / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Meera Menon, Screenwriter and Producer: Paul Gleason, Producers: Erica Fishman, Joe Camerota, Luke Patton) — A podcast host desperately clings to an ever-shrinking audience in the zombie apocalypse. Cast: Kiran Deol, George Basil, Samrat Chakrabarti, Katie McCuen, Vishal Vijayakumar. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
Opus / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Mark Anthony Green, Producers: Collin Creighton, Brad Weston, Poppy Hanks, Jelani Johnson, Josh Bachove) — A young writer is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star who mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult of sycophants and intoxicated journalists, she finds herself in the middle of his twisted plan. Cast: Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, Amber Midthunder. World Premiere. Fiction.
Rabbit Trap / U.K. (Director and Screenwriter: Bryn Chainey, Producers: Daniel Noah, Lawrence Inglee, Elijah Wood, Elisa Lleras, Adrian Politowski, Martin Metz) — When a musician and her husband move to a remote house in Wales, the music they make disturbs local ancient folk magic, bringing a nameless child to their door who is intent on infiltrating their lives. Cast: Dev Patel, Rosy McEwen, Jade Croot. World Premiere. Fiction.
Together / Australia, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Michael Shanks, Producers: Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Mike Cowap, Andrew Mittman, Erik Feig, Max Silva) — With a move to the countryside already testing the limits of a couple’s relationship, a supernatural encounter begins an extreme transformation of their love, their lives, and their flesh. Cast: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Damon Herriman. World Premiere. Fiction.
Touch Me / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Addison Heimann, Producers: John Humber, David Lawson Jr.) — Two codependent best friends become addicted to the heroin-like touch of an alien narcissist who may or may not be trying to take over the world. Cast: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jordan Gavaris, Marlene Forte, Paget Brewster. World Premiere. Fiction.
The Ugly Stepsister / Norway (Director and Screenwriter: Emilie Blichfeldt, Producer: Maria Ekerhovd) — In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira battles to compete with her incredibly beautiful stepsister, and she will go to any length to catch the prince’s eye. Cast: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth, Malte Gårdinger. World Premiere. Fiction.
EPISODIC
Bucks County, USA / U.S.A. (Directors and Executive Producers: Barry Levinson, Robert May, Executive Producer: Jason Sosnoff) — Evi and Vanessa, two 14-year-olds living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, are best friends despite their opposing political beliefs. As nationwide disputes over public education explode into vitriol and division in their hometown, the girls and others in the community fight to discover the humanity in “the other side.” World Premiere. Documentary. Five-part docu-series, screening episodes one and two.
Hal & Harper / U.S.A. (Director and Executive Producer: Cooper Raiff, Executive Producers: Clementine Quittner, Lili Reinhart, Daniel Lewis, Addison Timlin) — Hal and Harper and Dad chart the evolution of their family. Cast: Lili Reinhart, Mark Ruffalo, Betty Gilpin, Havana Rose Liu, Addison Timlin, Alyah Chanelle Scott. World Premiere. Fiction. Available Online for Public. Eight-episode season, screening first four episodes in person and full season online.
Pee-wee as Himself / U.S.A. (Director: Matt Wolf, Producer: Emma Tillinger Koskoff) — A chronicle of the life of artist and performer Paul Reubens and his alter ego Pee-wee Herman. Prior to his recent death, Reubens spoke in-depth about his creative influences, and the personal struggles he faced to persevere as an artist. World Premiere. Documentary. Two-part documentary, screening in its entirety.
Episodic Pilot Showcase:
BULLDOZER / U.S.A. (Writer and Executive Producer: Joanna Leeds, Director and Executive Producer: Andrew Leeds, Executive Producers: Rhett Reese, Caleb Reese) — An undermedicated, chronically impassioned young woman lurches from crisis to crisis of her own making. Cast: Joanna Leeds, Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Harvey Guillen, Allen Leech, Kate Burton. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
Chasers / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Erin Brown Thomas, Screenwriter: Ciarra Krohne, Producers: Elle Shaw, Olivia Haller, Beth Napoli, Hayden Greiwe) — At a Los Angeles house party, an aspiring musician pursues her crush through a crowd of hopeful dreamers chasing empty promises. Cast: Ciarra Krohne, Louie Chapman, Keana Marie, Shannon Gisela, Brooke Maroon, Xan Churchwell. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.
Never Get Busted! / Australia (Showrunners: David Anthony Ngo, Erin Williams-Weir, Executive Producers: John Battsek, Chris Smith) — Barry Cooper was a highly decorated Texas narcotics officer — until he turned on the police force by busting crooked cops and teaching drug users how to hide their stash. World Premiere. Documentary.
SPOTLIGHT
April / Georgia (Director and Screenwriter: Dea Kulumbegashvili, Producers: Luca Guadagnino, David Zerat, Francesco Melzi d’Eril, Archil Gelovani, Gabriele Moratti, Alexandra Rossi) — Nina is an obstetrician at a maternity hospital in Eastern Georgia. After a difficult delivery, an infant dies and the father demands an inquiry into her methods. The scrutiny threatens to expose Nina’s secret side job — visiting village homes of pregnant girls and women to provide unsanctioned abortions. Cast: Ia Sukhitashvili, Kakha Kintsurashvili. Fiction.
One to One: John & Yoko / U.K. (Director and Producer: Kevin Macdonald, Producers: Peter Worsley, Alice Webb) — An exploration of the seminal and transformative 18 months that one of music’s most famous couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — spent living in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the early 1970s. Documentary.
FAMILY MATINEE
The Legend of Ochi / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Isaiah Saxon, Producers: Richard Peete, Traci Carlson, Jonathan Wang) — In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an animal species known as Ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby Ochi has been left behind, she escapes on an adventure to bring him home. Cast: Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, Willem Dafoe. World Premiere. Fiction.
The American Cinema Editors (ACE) announced the nominees for the 75th Annual ACE Eddie Awards, representing the best editing in films, television, and documentaries in 2024. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Civil War will be competing alongside awards season favorites Conclave, Dune: Part Two, and Emilia Perez in the best drama film category. Wicked and The Substance compete in the comedy film category, along with Anora, Challengers, and A Real Pain.
Wicked‘s director, Jon M. Chu, will be recognized with the ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award, an honorary award given to a filmmaker who “exemplifies distinguished achievement in the art and business of film.” Maysie Hoy and Paul Hirsch will receive Career Achievement Awards during the 2025 ACE Eddie Awards ceremony.
Winners will be announced on Saturday, January 18, 2025. (The ceremony was moved to March 14, 2025 due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.)
75th Annual ACE Eddie Awards Nominees:
BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (Drama, Theatrical):
Civil War
Jake Roberts, ACE
Conclave
Nick Emerson
Dune: Part Two
Joe Walker, ACE
Emilia Pérez
Juliette Welfling
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Eliot Knapman
Margaret Sixel, ACE
BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (Comedy, Theatrical):
Anora
Sean Baker
Challengers
Marco Costa
A Real Pain
Robert Nassau
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat
Jérôme Eltabet
Valentin Féron
Wicked
Myron Kerstein, ACE
BEST EDITED ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Flow
Gints Zilbalodis
Inside Out 2
Maurissa Horwitz
Moana 2
Jeremy Milton, ACE
Michael Louis Hill
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Dan Hembery
The Wild Robot
Mary Blee
BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Beatles ’64
Mariah Rehmet, ACE
Jim Henson Idea Man
Sierra Neal
Paul Crowder, ACE
Her Name was Moviola
Howard Berry
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Otto Burnham
Will & Harper
Monique Zavistovski, ACE
BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Chimp Crazy (102 – Gone Ape)
Evan Wise, ACE
Charles Divak, ACE
Adrienne Gits, ACE,
Doug Abel, ACE
The Jinx – Part Two (203 – Saving My Tears Until It’s Official)
Richard Hankin, ACE
Charles Olivier
Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (102 – Hidden in Plain Sight)
Daphne Gómez-Mena
Jane Jo, ACE
STEVE! (Martin) a Documentary in 2 Pieces (101 – Then)
Alan Lowe
STEVE! (Martin) a Documentary in 2 Pieces (102 – Now)
Jeff Malmberg, ACE
Aaron I. Naar
BEST EDITED MULTI-CAMERA COMEDY SERIES:
Frasier (207 – My Brilliant Sister)
Russell Griffin, ACE
Poppa’s House (102 – Sleepover)
Angel Gamboa Bryant, ACE
The Upshaws (506 – Do I)
Angel Gamboa Bryant, ACE
Brian LeCoz
BEST EDITED SINGLE CAMERA COMEDY SERIES:
The Bear (301 – Tomorrow)
Joanna Naugle, ACE
Curb Your Enthusiasm (1206 – The Gettysburg Address)
Steven Rasch, ACE
Nobody Wants This (101 – Pilot)
Maura Corey, ACE
Only Murders in the Building (410 – My Best Friend’s Wedding)
Shelly Westerman, ACE
Payton Koch
What We Do in the Shadows (603 – Sleep Hypnosis)
Liza Cardinale, ACE
Dane McMaster, ACE
