Eric Roberts and Kenzie Ziegler Hit the Right Notes in Redemption Drama Shakey Grounds

Posted on September 12, 2025 by admin

Gravitas Ventures will release Shakey Grounds on digital platforms September 16, 2025.

The 82-minute feature follows a troubled musician and his band as they navigate personal demons and a chance at redemption with a disgraced record executive. Together, they confront obstacles that ultimately draw them closer through music and camaraderie.

The film stars Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts (Runaway Train, The Dark Knight), Emmy and Tony Award winner Eric Nelsen (1883), Ella Cannon (Trees of Peace), Emmy Award winner Kelly Thiebaud (General Hospital), and singer/actor Kenzie Ziegler (Dance Moms). Johnny Danks, who also stars, produced alongside Gary Dankner and Jack Sattin.

Written by Trace Slobotkin and directed by Michael Garcia, Shakey Grounds had its world premiere at WorldFest Houston International Festival, where it won a Remi Award.

“Monsters Within” Explores a Veteran’s Return Home and a Sibling Bond, Sets October 3 Digital Release

Posted on September 9, 2025 by admin

Monsters Within, the debut feature from filmmaker Devin Montgomery, will be released on digital platforms October 3 via Buffalo 8, with a streaming premiere on Cineverse’s Screambox November 7.

Written, directed, produced by, and starring Montgomery, the film follows Luke Wolf, a war veteran who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his sister Elle, who has Down Syndrome. As Luke struggles with his past and his sense of identity, the bond with his sister becomes central to his journey of facing personal demons. Daniella Montgomery, the director’s real-life sister, plays Elle, anchoring the film with authenticity.

The film also features Kendall Cavener, Skeeta Jenkins, Brandon Stewart, and the late Samuel French (Killers of the Flower Moon, Fear the Walking Dead) in his final role. French’s performance has already been recognized with multiple festival awards, and the film is dedicated to his memory.

Monsters Within has screened at festivals worldwide, earning accolades including Best Feature Film at the Red Dirt International Film Festival, Audience Choice at Bare Bones International Film Festival, and acting honors for both Montgomery and French.

TIFF Unveils Trailer for Karla Badillo’s Debut Feature Oca

Posted on September 8, 2025 by admin

Mexican filmmaker Karla Badillo’s debut feature Oca will have its world premiere in the Discovery section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 4–14, 2025).

Described as a lyrical fable of pilgrimage and revelation, the film follows Rafaela (Natalia Solián), a young nun traveling to a remote town where a new archbishop has been appointed. Along the way, she encounters a cross-section of Mexican society, testing her devotion and sense of purpose.

The cast also includes Cecilia Suárez, Leonardo Ortizgris, Gerardo Trejo-Luna, Raúl Briones, and Enrique Arreola, alongside non-professional performers from San Luis Potosí.

Shot by cinematographer Diana Garay, Oca was produced by María José Córdova, Badillo, Federico Eisnerbusyc, and Federico Sande. It is a Mexican-Argentine coproduction between Pina Films, Las Jaras, Pucará Cine, and Año Cero.

“The Art of Adventure” Doc on Robert Bateman to World Premiere at Vancouver International Film Festival

Posted on September 2, 2025 by admin

Alison Reid’s new documentary The Art of Adventure will make its world premiere at the 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival. The feature follows acclaimed Canadian wildlife painter Robert Bateman and biologist Bristol Foster, revisiting their 1957 global expedition and decades of work at the intersection of art and environmental activism.

Screenings are set for October 5 at the Vancouver Playhouse and October 7 at the Granville Island Stage, with Reid, Bateman, and Foster scheduled to attend.

The film traces Bateman and Foster’s early journey in their Land Rover, “The Grizzly Torque,” across Africa and Asia, weaving in Bristol’s original 16mm footage and Bateman’s paintings. It also explores their lasting impact as artists, naturalists, and advocates for conservation.

The Art of Adventure is directed and produced by Reid, whose credits include The Woman Who Loves Giraffes. The film also features appearances by Wade Davis, David Suzuki, Guujaaw, Briony Penn, and others.

Marion Cotillard Leads Hadžihalilović’s Surreal Drama The Ice Tower

Posted on August 30, 2025 by admin

Acclaimed French filmmaker Lucile Hadžihalilović (Innocence, Evolution, Earwig) returns with her fourth feature, The Ice Tower, which is set to open in theaters on October 3, 2025. The film stars Marion Cotillard, Clara Pacini, August Diehl, and Gaspar Noé.

Co-written with Geoff Cox, The Ice Tower premiered earlier this year at the Berlin Film Festival. The project reunites Hadžihalilović with Cotillard, who also starred in her 2004 debut feature Innocence. Known for her surreal and unsettling narratives, the director brings her distinctive style to another collaboration with long-time creative partner Noé, with whom she co-founded the production company Les Cinémas de la Zone in the early 1990s.

Hadžihalilović’s work has previously received recognition at international festivals including San Sebastián, Toronto, and Cannes. The Ice Tower continues her exploration of atmospheric, psychological storytelling, blending elements of fantasy and existential unease.

The film will be released in U.S. theaters on October 3.

Hawai’i Drama Chaperone Sets Theatrical Run and Digital Release Dates

Posted on August 29, 2025 by admin

Chaperone, the debut feature from writer-director Zoë Eisenberg, will screen in Hawai’i theaters from September 11–28, 2025, before arriving on digital and VOD platforms October 3.

Set in rural Hawai’i and featuring an entirely AANHPI cast, the drama centers on 29-year-old Misha Miyamoto, who lives alone in her grandmother’s house and resists pressures from family, work, and relationships to change her unambitious lifestyle. When Misha befriends Jake, an 18-year-old athlete who mistakes her for a high school student, their growing relationship draws her into increasingly reckless behavior.

The film, which explores themes of alienation, identity, and unconventional connection, stars a predominantly local cast and features original music by Taimane. It is produced by Alison Week and Devin Murphy, with executive producers Adam Wong, Lauran Bromley, Gill Holland, and Gerard Elmore.

Eisenberg, a Hawai’i-based filmmaker, has described Chaperone as a story about “finding dangerous comfort in places that reflect what we’re running from.”

Fantastic Fest to Host World Premiere of Brooke H. Cellars’ “The Cramps: A Period Piece”

Posted on August 16, 2025 by admin

Fantastic Fest 2025 will present the world premiere of The Cramps: A Period Piece, the debut feature from filmmaker Brooke H. Cellars. Produced under Warped Witch Cinema, the 89-minute film blends comedy, fantastical horror, and surrealist flourishes.

The story follows Agnes Applewhite (Lauren Kitchen), a young woman who takes a job as a shampoo girl at a bustling beauty salon against her family’s wishes. As she pursues independence and self-discovery, Agnes suffers from intense menstrual cramps that distort her perception of reality, creating a nightmarish collision of body and psyche for herself and those around her.

Described as a mix of John Waters’ irreverence, Mario Bava’s horror aesthetics, and the dreamlike style of Federico Fellini, the film stars Kitchen alongside Brooklyn Woods, Harlie Madison, Martini Bear, Wicken Taylor, and Michelle Malentina.

Cellars, who has directed eight short films since 2018, has built a reputation in the horror festival circuit. Her short The Chills won Best Screenplay at Houston Horror Fest in 2020, and her most recent work Violet Butterfield: Makeup Artist for the Dead screened at over 30 festivals worldwide, earning multiple jury and audience awards.

Documentary Highlights Wildlife and Water Challenges in the American Southwest

Posted on August 7, 2025 by admin

The official trailer has been released for The American Southwest, a visually rich documentary from Fin and Fur Films and NativesOutdoors, narrated by climate advocate and model Quannah ChasingHorse. The film takes audiences on a journey along the Colorado River, capturing the landscapes, wildlife, and human connections that define the region, while addressing urgent challenges like water scarcity, habitat loss, and climate change.

Directed by Ben Masters (The River and the Wall, Deep in the Heart), the documentary follows the river from its headwaters to its delta, featuring species such as beavers, elk, and jaguars alongside the stories of those who have lived with and stewarded the river for generations. The project was developed in collaboration with NativesOutdoors and producer Len Necefer, Ph.D., ensuring cultural and ecological perspectives are central to the narrative.

The film opens September 5, 2025, in both commercial and independent theaters across Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, California, Texas, and Colorado. Select screenings will include community events, educational programs, and Q&As with conservationists and Indigenous leaders. A digital release will follow later in the fall.

Psychological Horror “Lilly Lives Alone” to Hit Theaters and VOD

Posted on August 5, 2025 by admin

Dark Sky Films has set an August 22 release date for Lilly Lives Alone, a psychological horror feature from first-time director Martin Melnick. The film will be available both in theaters and via digital platforms, in collaboration with indie distributor Yellow Veil Pictures.

The story follows Lilly (Shannon Beeby), a woman grappling with the trauma of losing her daughter a decade earlier. As the anniversary of her child’s death approaches, Lilly begins to experience hallucinations that blur the line between psychological distress and possible supernatural events. The arrival of a new acquaintance, Jed (Ryan Jonze), coincides with a period of increased instability, forcing her to confront unresolved grief and buried memories.

The film also features Jeffrey Combs, known for his work in genre classics like Re-Animator, and Erin Way (The Handmaid’s Tale). Melnick also co-produced the film alongside Sarah Johnston.

Lilly Lives Alone will be available on major digital rental and purchase platforms starting August 22.

“Preparation for the Next Life” Explores Love, Survival, and Displacement in a Divided City

Posted on August 4, 2025 by admin

Director Bing Liu’s narrative debut Preparation for the Next Life will open in select U.S. theaters on September 5, 2025, with a newly released trailer offering a first look at the drama’s intimate focus on immigration, trauma, and connection.

Based on the novel by Atticus Lish and adapted by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Martyna Majok, the film follows Aishe (Sebiye Behtiyar), a Uyghur woman working in the margins of New York City’s Chinatown. There, she meets Skinner (Fred Hechinger), a recently discharged U.S. soldier struggling to re-adjust after three tours in the Middle East.

The film centers on their evolving relationship—two people shaped by violence, displacement, and invisibility—who begin to imagine the possibility of a life different from the one they expected. Rather than offering a traditional romance, the story focuses on survival and the subtle forms of intimacy forged under pressure.

Produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, and Barry Jenkins, the film blends naturalistic storytelling with a strong sociopolitical undercurrent, reflecting Liu’s documentary roots (Minding the Gap).

Watch the trailer for Preparation for the Next Life below.