Category Archives: Indie

Arthouse Thriller Sweet Relief Opens June 27 in Theaters and on VOD

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sweet-reliefThe indie thriller Sweet Relief, written and directed by emerging filmmaker Nick Verdi, will open for a one-week theatrical run at Laemmle Encino Town Center on June 27. The film will also be available the same day on premium VOD through Eventive.

Set in a small New England town, Sweet Relief follows two intertwining storylines: one involving teens playing an online “murder challenge” game as a joke, and another focused on a disaffected millennial couple whose boredom leads them down a dangerous path. As events spiral, the film builds toward a disturbing and unexpected climax.

The ensemble cast includes Alisa Leigh, B.R. Yeager, Adam Michael Kozack, Lucie Rosenfeld, Jocelyn Lopez, and Paul Lazar in a notable turn as Mr. McDaniel. The film was executive produced by Tribeca Award-winner Elliot Gipson (Charliebird), who launched Art Brut Films in 2023. Sweet Relief marks the label’s first feature release.

The 87-minute arthouse thriller has screened at several festivals, including the Chattanooga Film Festival, Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival, and Another Hole in the Head.

A wider VOD rollout is planned later in the year.

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Psychological Horror “Bury Me When I’m Dead” Hits VOD

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bury-me-when-im-deadBury Me When I’m Dead, a psychological supernatural thriller from writer-director Seabold Krebs, is now available on digital and VOD. The film stars Devon Terrell, Charlotte Hope, and Makenzie Leigh.

The story follows Henry, a man unraveling after breaking a deathbed promise to his wife, Catherine. Diagnosed with brain cancer, Catherine had asked to be buried in a remote forest near her childhood home. But under pressure from her powerful father—and haunted by guilt over an affair with her friend Rebecca—Henry returns her body to the city instead.

What follows is a descent into paranoia, as strange events lead Henry to believe Catherine’s ghost is back for revenge. As grief and fear blur the line between reality and delusion, Henry becomes trapped in a spiral of supernatural reckoning.

Produced by Nicholas Payne Santos and Amanda Freeman, and executive produced by Rob Coterill, the film is a Plenty Good and Slow Peach production in association with 88/90 Productions. Bury Me When I’m Dead runs 90 minutes, is not yet rated, and is distributed by Vertical Entertainment.

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Disability Rights Doc “Life After” Opens July 18 at Film Forum

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life-after-docLife After, the Sundance-winning documentary by disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport, will open theatrically in the U.S. on July 18 at Film Forum.

The film investigates the case of Elizabeth Bouvia, a disabled woman whose 1983 legal battle to die sparked national debate. Through archival footage and contemporary stories, Life After challenges prevailing narratives around assisted dying, reframing the issue through a disability rights lens.

Winner of the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Life After is produced by Multitude Films and will feature post-screening Q&As with Davenport and producer Colleen Cassingham on opening weekend.

ASL interpretation will be provided.

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Luis Ortega’s “Kill The Jockey”, Wild, Surreal Tragicomedy at Film Forum

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kill-the-jockeyKill the Jockey, the latest film from Argentine director Luis Ortega, will make its U.S. theatrical premiere at Film Forum on Wednesday, July 2. The 2024 tragicomedy blends pathos, surrealism, and retro flair in a story of identity, reinvention, and personal collapse.

Set in the world of horse racing and underworld crime, the film follows Remo, a troubled jockey played by Nahuel Pérez Biscayart (BPM), who transforms—mysteriously and strikingly—into Dolores, a mink-draped woman with a new lease on life.

With a vibrant Latin pop and disco soundtrack and stylized visuals by cinematographer Timo Salminen, Kill the Jockey received critical acclaim at the Venice, Toronto, and San Sebastián film festivals. It was also Argentina’s submission for Best International Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.

A Music Box Films release, the film runs 96 minutes and will screen in Spanish with English subtitles.

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The Salmon’s Call to Premiere on Knowledge Network

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the-salmons-callThe Salmon’s Call, a new documentary by Dakelh filmmaker Joy Haskell, will premiere on Knowledge Network this June during Indigenous People’s History Month. It will stream online starting June 17 and air nationally on June 24 at 9:00 p.m. PT.

The film explores the deep connection between wild salmon and Indigenous communities in British Columbia. It follows a journey from the coast to Stuart Lake, sharing stories from elders, youth, and artists.

Themes include cultural traditions, environmental threats from fish farming, and the future of salmon conservation. The documentary highlights salmon as a symbol of resilience and renewal. It also underscores the role of Indigenous knowledge in shaping sustainable ecological practices.

Produced by Firediva Productions and Cedar Island Films, the film was supported by Knowledge Network, Canada Media Fund, Creative BC, and the Indigenous Screen Office.

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Sci-Fi Thriller “Star People” to Premiere at Dances With Films: LA 2025

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star-peopleStar People, a new science fiction thriller inspired by the 1997 Phoenix Lights UFO incident, will hold its world premiere at the Dances With Films: LA 2025 festival.

The film marks the narrative feature debut of director Adam Finberg and stars Kat Cunning, McCabe Slye, Connor Paolo, Eddie Martinez, Bradley Fisher, and Adriana Aluna Martinez. The story follows a photographer who receives a tip about a possible explanation for a childhood UFO sighting, set against the backdrop of a deadly heatwave and a series of unexpected events.

Finberg, who has previously directed music videos and documentaries, co-produced the film with Josh Shader. Star People is his first narrative feature.

The film draws from the 1997 Phoenix Lights incident, considered one of the most widely reported UFO sightings in U.S. history.

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Quannah Chasinghorse-Narrated Documentary “The American Southwest” to Open in Theaters September 5

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the-american-southwestThe American Southwest, a new environmental documentary narrated by Indigenous model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse, will open in theaters on September 5, following its debut at MountainFilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado.

Directed by Ben Masters (Unbranded, The River, The Wall, Deep in the Heart) and produced by Len Necefer of NativesOutdoors, the film explores the environmental and cultural challenges facing the American Southwest. It focuses on the region’s ecosystems, climate threats, and Indigenous-led conservation efforts.

The film received a strong reception at its festival premiere, including sold-out screenings and standing ovations. It is scheduled for theatrical release across Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, California, Texas, and Colorado. Distribution is being managed by Michael Tuckman of mTuckman Media, known for his work on independent documentaries including No Other Land and Deep in the Heart.

Additional details on screenings and ticket availability will be announced on the film’s official website: www.theamericansouthwest.film.

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Portuguese Drama Autumn Explores Family Change, Now Available on Digital Platforms

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autumn-movieThe award-winning Portuguese film Autumn (original title A Minha Casinha), directed by António Sequeira, is now available on digital platforms in the UK and released in the US on June 3.

The film follows a family navigating emotional upheaval after the eldest son leaves to study in London. Told across four seasons—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn—it captures shifts in family dynamics, including a daughter’s coming of age, a father’s mid-life crisis, and a mother adjusting to an empty nest.

Autumn stars Beatriz Frazão, Miguel Frazão, Elsa Valentim, and Salvador Gil. The film became the first Portuguese feature to win the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival and was praised for its intimate storytelling and depiction of Portuguese culture and traditions. Director António Sequeira was also named one of the festival’s “25 Screenwriters to Watch” in 2024.

The film is available in the UK via Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Sky Store, with US availability beginning June 3.

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Lucía Garibaldi’s Dystopian Sci-Fi A Bright Future to World Premiere at Tribeca

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bright-futureAward-winning Uruguayan director Lucía Garibaldi returns with her second feature, A Bright Future (Un futuro brillante), set to premiere in the Viewpoints section of the 2025 Tribeca Festival, running June 4–14 in New York City.

Building on the acclaim of her Sundance-winning debut The Sharks, Garibaldi presents a dystopian sci-fi tale centered on Elisa, an 18-year-old girl chosen to journey to the elusive “North”—a supposed promised land no one has ever returned from. As Elisa prepares for her departure, doubts emerge, especially after a mysterious nurse’s arrival disrupts her tightly controlled world. What unfolds is a defiant coming-of-age story about resistance, agency, and the myth of a better future.

Starring newcomer Martina Passeggi in a standout role, alongside Soledad Pelayo, Sofía Gala Castiglione, and Alfonso Tort, A Bright Future paints a stylized yet eerily familiar world where youth is a commodity and escape comes at a cost. The film blends bleak sci-fi vision with ironic clarity and emotional depth, offering a sharp critique of generational sacrifice and institutional control.

Garibaldi’s bold narrative and visually immersive world mark her as a leading voice in Latin American cinema, with A Bright Future positioned as a festival standout.

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Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague Premieres at Cannes, First Trailer Released

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nouvelle-vagueRichard Linklater’s latest film, Nouvelle Vague, premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, marking the director’s first French-language feature. Shot in black and white and entirely in French, the film is a dramatized account of the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s landmark 1960 film Breathless.

Nouvelle Vague reconstructs the early days of the French New Wave through the lens of Godard’s directorial process, using a cast of mostly new French actors to mirror the spirit of the movement. Guillaume Marbeck plays Godard in his feature debut, alongside Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg and Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo. Additional cast members include Paolo Luka Noé, Alix Bénézech, and Jade Phan-Gia.

The film is co-written by Linklater with Vince Palmo, Michèle Halberstadt, Laetitia Masson, and Holly Gent, with cinematography by David Chambille. International sales are being handled by Goodfellas. The project follows Linklater’s other recent 2025 release, Blue Moon, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival.

The teaser trailer, now released, offers a stylized preview of Nouvelle Vague, combining footage with a French voiceover listing key elements of the story: “A pretty boy. A pretty girl. Paris 1959. A gym. A director. A camera…”

The film is expected to be released in theaters on October 8.

Watch the teaser trailer for Nouvelle Vague below:

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