Our festival kicks off with an array of films that examine body maintenance, struggles in caring for family members, and characters who seek to fill a void, be it with sex or fame. Some evoke a creeping sense of dread while others use humor to bring light to dark moments. All are invigoratingly original in their voices.

Q&A moderated by Cristina Cacioppo, Nitehawk Cinema

Mahogany Drive
Jerah Milligan / U.S. / 2023 / 13 min. / English
Three Black men on vacay realize the house that they’re staying in is killing white women.

At Little Wheelie Three Days Ago
Andrew Stephen Lee / U.S. / 2022 / 18 min. / English
A viral video rattles an out-of-work father.

Terminally Ill
Christopher J. Cole / U.S. / 2023 / 8 min. / English
When a rapper is summoned to his grandmother’s deathbed, he engages in a madcap freestyle in a desperate attempt to prevent her from dying.

Thirstygirl
Alexandra Qin / U.S. / 2023 / 10 min. / English
On a road trip with her younger sister, Charlie struggles to hide a secret addiction.

Dilating For Maximum Results
Nyala Moon / U.S. / 2023 / 14 min. / English
A whack, irreverent comedy about a black trans woman who tries to dilate, after four years of not dilating, to hook-up IRL with her online boyfriend.

Sucker
Deni Cheng / U.S. / 2023 / 18 min. / English
Andy loses his job at a local parking garage and is confronted with the realities of being the caretaker of his little brother, Tom Tom.

Beyond Failure
Marissa Losoya / U.S. / 2023 / 9 min. / English
After falling down a youtube hole, a woman thinks she can hip thrust her way out of dealing with her potentially harmful internal monologue.