NoBudge is happy to present new work from a group of emerging indie filmmakers mostly based in New York. These eight short films tackle a variety of themes related to the worlds of online sex, art dealing, LARPing, and activism. They tend towards the dramatic but offer moments of off-kilter humor and social commentary. Some are provocative while others are unexpectedly moving. Four of the films are NYC or Brooklyn premieres and each director will be in attendance for a post-film Q&A and Afterparty.

NoBudge is an online platform spotlighting the best in low-budget indie filmmaking. “One of the best places to sample what’s happening in low-budget cinema worldwide,” says Glenn Kenny of The New York Times. Its mission is to provide a supportive home for emerging indie filmmakers working with limited resources and without major industry connections, and to be a trusted discovery platform.

Waifu
Director Alexis Gil present.
A young woman becomes enamored with a waifu sex doll online and aims to transform herself into a sentient copy.
(10 min)

Areyouwinningson?
Director Dana Greenleaf present.
The chat-room of an online porn-forum transforms into a techno-feudal court.
(10 min)

Hangtime
New York Premiere
Director Chester Vincent Toye present.
An eager young artist receives a disturbing introduction to the art world during the delivery of a controversial sculpture.
(11 min)

AmeriGirl
Director Samina Saifee present.
Struggling to fit in at a sleepaway camp with a group of white girls, 11-year-old Aaliyah Khan tries to befriend a new arrival.
(10 min)

Never Fuggedaboutit
Brooklyn premiere
Director Dustin Waldman present.
Amid the high anxiety of post-9/11 NYC, a struggling post-production house is hired to remove a shot of the Twin Towers from the intro to a hit TV show.
(12 min)

Close the Gap
Director Alex Bliss present.
During the BLM protests of 2020, a white protester loses his head while trying to corral a group of fellow demonstrators.
(9 min)

Sad LARP
New York Premiere
Director Marissa Goldman present.
In this experimental documentary, a comedian’s break-up leads her to a surprising journey with a community of LARPers.
(19 min)

A Folded Ocean
Brooklyn premiere
Director Ben Brewer present.
A couple gets lost in each other.
(12 min)