My Friend from the Park Sundance Film Festival Director: Ana Katz Directed by Ana Katz, My Friend from the Park shows Liz caring for her infant son, Nicanor, in Argentina. Her husband, Gustavo, is working abroad in Chile on a documentary about a volcano. Nicanor’s pediatrician encourages Liz to take him to the park so
The annual Federal Duck Stamp Contest brings contestants from across the US to prove their artistic talent. But is the competition enough to count as a functioning conservation program? … read more
As we follow 14 year-old Hannah on the Lacquesset Island in Maine, Neptune serves you a three course meal of optical, auditory and mysterious delicacies that explore the mysteries of religion and our planet. … read more
I would equate Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s The Lure to Twin Peaks + The Forbidden Zone + Grease + Ministry + Rose McDowell. … read more
Toni (Royalty Hightower) trains in the boxing gym with the boys in The Fits. She executes more sit-ups than I could dream of doing at this stage in my life—the same with pull-ups. Her jabs look mean. … read more
Plaza de la Soledad examines the lives of sex workers in Mexico City. The women that director Maya Goded features in this documentary provide enduring sisterhood for each other amid a lifestyle in which they maintain volition over their own destinies. Each woman speaks for herself about her experience in this insightful film. … read more
Nicholas hires a taxi driver to follow his fiance, whom he expects to be cheating. We follow him through his mishaps and mistakes as he tries to get to the true story. … read more
Shine the evangelists, the organized religion, the righteous cry for morality: Listen to Bonnie “Prince” Billy and be renewed. The American singer-songwriter resurrects the infamous John Peel Sessions with Pond Scum, a 12-track curation of archived Peel demos that renders a concordanced and thought-provoking listen. … read more
Steven Anderson fixates on details—it’s a big part of what makes his zine, Dithering Doodles, so fascinating. He pauses mid-story to make sure he hasn’t missed something. Sometimes it’s a detail so seemingly inconsequential that it’s hard to see how the anecdote would be different if it took place in early October instead of late September, but those are the things that matter to Anderson. … read more
The DIY punk scene in East LA is thriving, thanks to a community of dedicated Latinos who are determined to keep it alive and bad ass. … read more
With releases from Sundance veterans such as Ira Sachs, Kelly Reichdart and Kenneth Longeran as well as other notable filmmakers such as Anna Rose Holmer and Kerem Senga, Sundance 2016 promises to provide a hefty lineup of high-quality indie films. … read more
What could be a coming-of-age story for Fin, a troubled teen, instead shows his mutilation by a disenchanted teacher who uses torture in order to get his message across. … read more
