Category Archives: Movies

“Junkie” from AFI Alum William Means to World Premiere at AFI Fest 2025

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JunkieAFI alum William Means will debut his feature film Junkie at the 2025 AFI Fest on October 26, followed by a conversation with Means, executive producer Patty Jenkins, and members of the cast and crew.

Produced by Rachel Weise, Thayer Juergens, and Abra Salazarte, the gritty yet darkly funny Southern drama stars newcomer Rocky Shay in a breakout performance alongside Rett Keeter, Jessica Lea Risco, Kian Morr, and Christina Reynolds. Means, known for his short films Blue Square Heart and King of the Forest, wrote and directed the project.

Junkie follows Stevie, a meth-addicted mother who escapes rehab and embarks on a chaotic odyssey through the Southern underbelly, desperate to reconcile with her estranged son before fleeing town for good. Inspired by Shay’s real-life experiences and Means’ own family struggles, the film blends physical comedy with raw honesty in exploring addiction, identity, and redemption.

Shot by cinematographer Jay Swuen and edited by Noam Klement, Junkie marks Means’ feature debut and continues AFI’s tradition of spotlighting bold new voices in American independent cinema.

Watch the AFI Fest premiere listing here.

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Vertical Acquires Sundance Winner “Atropia” Starring Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner for December Release

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Atropia

Alia Shawkat | Courtesy: Vertical

Vertical has acquired North American rights to Hailey Gates’ feature directorial debut “Atropia,” winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Feature at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film, starring Alia Shawkat (Severance) and Callum Turner (Masters of the Air), will open in theaters this December.

The ensemble cast includes Chloë Sevigny, Jane Levy, Tim Heidecker, Lola Kirke, Zahra Alzubaidi, and Jamie McShane. Produced by Luca Guadagnino, Naima Abed, Emilie Georges, Lana Kim, and Jett Steiger, the film marks Gates’ transition from documentary to narrative storytelling.

In Atropia, an aspiring actress (Shawkat) working at a simulated military training facility falls for a soldier (Turner) cast as an insurgent, blurring the line between reality and performance. Inspired by real-life desert role-play camps, Gates conceived the idea after visiting similar installations in California.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled that it’s found a home with Vertical, a company that takes bold creative swings,” said Gates. Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey added, “Hailey has created an impressive debut led by an outstanding cast and set in a world rarely seen on screen.”

The deal was negotiated by Jarowey and Tony Piantedosi for Vertical, with UTA Independent Film Group and WME Independent representing the filmmakers.

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Horror Comedy ‘Dead Giveaway’ to World Premiere at Philadelphia Film Festival 2025

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Dead-GiveawayWriter-director Ian Kimble’s horror comedy Dead Giveaway will make its world premiere at the Philadelphia Film Festival 2025 on Friday, October 17, with an encore screening on Sunday, October 26.

Starring Ruby Modine (Shameless), Mikaela Hoover (Superman [2025]), and Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween), the film follows Jill (Modine), who wakes up hungover beside a murdered stranger and quickly finds herself juggling a tied-up man, an unconscious roommate, and a bloody mess, all before brunch.

A sharp, chaotic blend of humor and horror, Dead Giveaway features what festival programmers describe as “endlessly creative and uproarious” writing from Kimble, with standout chemistry between Modine and Hoover that keeps the laughs and screams coming.

Produced by Suzann Toni Petrongolo, Andrew Vogel, and Kimble, with Hallee Adelman as executive producer and Amanda Frederick as co-producer, the 87-minute feature marks Kimble’s debut as writer, director, and producer. The film expands on one of his original short works.

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Supernatural Thriller ‘Damned If You Do’ to Premiere at Screamfest 2025

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Damned-If-You-DoThe supernatural thriller Damned If You Do will make its world premiere at Screamfest 2025 on Wednesday, October 15, at 9:45 p.m. at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood.

Directed by Jake Rubin and Evan Metzold, the film follows a group of high school friends who once sold their souls to the devil in exchange for fame and success. Decades later, as their 25th reunion approaches, they must confront the consequences of their pact and rely on an old classmate to escape Hell’s grasp before time runs out.

The ensemble cast includes Kate Siegel (The Fall of the House of Usher), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), Molly Bernard (Younger), Ginger Gonzaga (She-Hulk), Paulo Costanzo (Upload), Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Ed Weeks (Drop), and Michael Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House).

Produced by Lior Haas, Matthew R. Cooper, and Uwakokunre (Kokie) Imasogie, the film was written by Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde.

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Brandon Routh Comedy “Out of Order” to Open Chelsea Film Festival; Poster Revealed

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Out-of-OrderOut of Order, a new legal comedy starring Superman Returns actor Brandon Routh, will open the 2025 Chelsea Film Festival on October 15 at New York’s Regal 14th Street Cinema. The red carpet begins at 6 p.m., followed by the screening at 7 p.m.

Directed by Guy Jacobson and co-written with Megan Freels Johnston, the film follows John Slater (Routh), a lawyer who tries to win back his ex by joining a top firm, only to end up representing both sides of the same lawsuit in disguise.

The ensemble cast includes Brooke Shields, Sam Huntington, Luis Guzmán, Michael Potts, Sandra Bernhard, Tao Okamoto, Krysta Rodriguez, and Asher Grodman. Routh also serves as a producer.

Jacobson described the project as “a return to physical, character-driven comedy,” citing My Cousin Vinny and Mrs. Doubtfire as influences.

Produced by Intrinsic Value Films, Island View Productions, Smokestack Films, and Business Lunch Productions, Out of Order will debut with Routh and cast in attendance.

Tickets are available at https://chelseafilm.org/out-of-order/

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BayView Entertainment to Release French New Wave-Inspired Film “Everyone Asked About You”

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everyone-asked-about-youBayView Entertainment, Inc. has acquired global distribution rights to Everyone Asked About You, the new independent feature from writer-director John Lacy (Rosebud Lane), inspired by the spirit of the French New Wave. The film will debut across TVOD and digital platforms throughout North America on October 28, 2025, with a global rollout to follow.

Starring Rachel Bailit (Festival in Cannes), John Lacy, Michael Wiles, Khrystyne Haje, Brea Bee, Patrick Gallagher, Werner Daehn, Kelly Mullis, and indie icon Henry Jaglom, the film examines fame, power dynamics, and identity in Hollywood through the story of a former child star confronting the industry’s exploitative systems.

Shot by Denis Maloney, ASC, and edited by Giovanni Mocibob, the feature combines vivid color cinematography with black-and-white flashbacks. The project is produced by Bailit, Lacy, and Ursula Rudorfer, with executive producer Hana Wagner.

The film screens at the Chelsea Film Festival on October 19 ahead of its digital release. BayView President Peter Castro praised the film’s message, saying its “courageous approach to shining a light on this crucial matter deeply moved us.”

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‘Bouchra’ Directors Orian Barki & Meriem Bennani Spotlighted at NYFF and on New York Magazine Cover

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By Armando

bouchraFilmmakers Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani are having a standout festival moment with their feature Bouchra, which continues to draw acclaim at the New York Film Festival (NYFF) following its U.S. premiere in the Currents section.

The film’s warm reception comes alongside the duo’s appearance on the print cover of New York Magazine’s Look Book, released October 1. The feature highlights their creative partnership behind Bouchra, an 85-minute narrative exploring memory, artistic paralysis, and identity through the story of a Moroccan filmmaker in New York.

Produced by 2 Lizards, the film was financed by Fondazione Prada and executive produced by Hi Production. It marks a new chapter for Barki and Bennani, whose acclaimed animated series 2 Lizards premiered on Instagram in 2020 and was later added to the MoMA and Whitney Museum collections.

Bouchra follows its titular character as a phone call with her mother in Casablanca stirs buried memories and creative renewal. Told across Moroccan Arabic, French, and English, the film examines the intersections of family, migration, and the creative process.

The production team includes Cécile Winckler, Octavia Peissel, Ella Bishop, Pau Suris, with John Michael Boling and Jason Coombs serving as creative producers.

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James Badge Dale, Ben Foster, and Melissa Leo Star in John Swab’s Crime Epic “King Ivory”

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King-IvoryThe official trailer and poster have debuted for King Ivory, the latest feature from filmmaker John Swab (Candy Land, Body Brokers), which opens in theaters nationwide on November 14.

The crime thriller, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and later screened as a Centerpiece selection at the 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival, stars James Badge Dale, Ben Foster, Michael Mando, Rory Cochrane, Ritchie Coster, George Carroll, Graham Greene, Melissa Leo, and Sam Quartin.

Set amid the fentanyl epidemic, King Ivory follows Tulsa drug cop Layne West (Dale), whose personal and professional worlds collide after his son becomes addicted to the deadly opioid. Determined to dismantle the local network responsible, West targets a chain of criminals that includes a cartel enforcer (Mando), a prison-based Native gang leader (Greene), and an Irish Mob family led by Foster and Leo.

Written and directed by Swab and produced by Jeremy M. Rosen, the film explores the human cost and complexity of America’s opioid crisis through intersecting lives across law enforcement, organized crime, and addiction.

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Allen Danziger Returns to Horror in Satirical Slasher “The Weedhacker Massacre”

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The-Weedhacker-MassacreBuffalo 8 will release The Weedhacker Massacre on digital platforms October 17. The meta-horror comedy, directed by Jody Stelzig, follows a film crew shooting a remake of a notorious slasher movie at the site of the original murders, only to find the masked killer has returned.

The film stars David Treviño (Rent Free), Molly Sakonchick (Storage Locker), Bobbie Grace (Fear the Walking Dead), Sean Reyna, Parrish Randall (Circus of the Dead), and Allen Danziger of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame, who also co-created and executive produced the project. The script was written and produced by Ray Spivey.

Following its world premiere at the Golden State Film Festival, The Weedhacker Massacre earned multiple awards at international festivals, including Best Comedy at the New York International Film Awards. The 95-minute feature is unrated.

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Albert Birney’s Retro Sci-Fi Thriller Obex Set for Theatrical Release in January

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ObexFilmmaker Albert Birney’s new feature Obex will open in theaters on January 9, 2026, following its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Written by Birney and Pete Ohs (Erupcja), the black-and-white fantasy is set in 1987, where a reclusive man and his dog become ensnared in a mysterious computer game that turns their analog world into a surreal digital nightmare. The film stars Birney alongside Callie Hernandez, Paisley Isaacs, Frank Mosley, and Tyler Davis, with music by Josh Dibb (Deakin of Animal Collective).

Described as a lo-fi vision of early computing and isolation, Obex blends nostalgic visuals with psychological tension to explore the blurring line between technology and reality. The film is produced by Emma Hannaway, Birney, James Belfer, and Ohs, with cinematography by Ohs.

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