This year’s Matinee One program is another section within the festival that offers a close examination of our most intimate connections, ranging from parent-child relationships and lost loves to new flings and close friendships. These short films invite us to reflect on the various relationships in our own lives as we kick off the morning’s screenings.

Q&A moderated by Caryn Coleman, The Future of Film is Female

SECOND BEDROOM
Beatrix Chu, 12 min., NYC premiere
Over the course of a day, 12-year-old Agnes goes apartment hunting in Brooklyn with her dad Peter, and struggles to come to terms with her parents’ separation.

Let’s Fly Away
Griffin Boucher, 13 min.
Two inseparable friends wrestle with fear, excitement, and uncertainty as they face the possibility of leaving their small town behind for something larger.

Subject of Desire
Benett Holgerson, 10 min.
Moses, a seasonal worker on Fire Island, navigates the tempestuous waters of pleasure and connection in a journey to become an artist seen on their own terms.

A Grieving Heart
Wendy Cong Zhao, 12 min., NYC premiere
An immigrant woman examines her past in the wake of her American ex-boyfriend’s death.

IS GANG STALKING REAL
Theodore Collatos, 16 min., NYC premiere
A raw, unflinching look at a friendship haunted by meth-fueled paranoia, and fragile moments of clarity behind bars.

CUB
Sofia Rubin, 9 min.
A tween MMA fighter grapples with her suffocating sports bra and her domineering dad, pushing her changing body to surreal limits during her toughest match yet.

In The Flesh
Emily Frances Kaplan, 15 min.
The perfect housewife has a secret: She’s obsessed with expensive meat, and the local butcher who knows how to handle it.

Awit Natin (Our Song)
Pacqui Pascual, 10 min.
When their father dies during their mother’s hospitalization, a Filipino family goes to extreme and absurd lengths to hide the truth.

The 2026 edition of the Matinee Two program presents very distinctly human stories told in a variety of ways. People searching for connections, survival, advancement and closure amongst other deeply felt things. Many different worlds and environments are explored and it’s fascinating to watch this group of individuals navigate and move through the real and imagined worlds they dwell in.

Q&A moderated by Shay Filmore, Film Programmer

ALPHABET BACKWARDS
Taryn Ward, 12 min., NYC premiere
A wandering porn addict attempts to write the next great American novel. After many lonely miles traveled, inspiration is found in an unlikely friendship.

I Love You So Much But You Are So Difficult
Berenicé Brino, 13 min.
Through a collaborative art performance and open dialogue, a daughter-mother duo explore their tense and nuanced relationship.

Kasey Cartoon
Veronica Kedar, 10 min.
Since diversity is dead in media, Veronica the animator decides to kill off Kasey, one of her diverse cartoons. But Kasey is not going anywhere without a fight.

Dear Shop Girl
Nira Burstein, 14 min.
A quirky vintage shop owner, who’s behind on her rent, contends with a new customer searching for the outfit he’ll wear when he kills himself.

Bent
Sam B. Jones, 17 min., world premiere
A boy from a family of demolition derby drivers tries to prove himself by competing in his first derby, but finds the validation he’s seeking is elusive.

Good Neighbors Care
Kate E. Hinshaw, 3 min., NYC premiere
A chemical company in North Carolina promises environmental stewardship, while neighbors suffer due to the ecological disaster they caused.

Nuke
Kelsea Bauman-Murphy, 13 min.
A struggling comedian forces herself onto the lineup of New York’s most coveted comedy showcase, using the fallout of a nuclear missile alert to her advantage.

Wholesome
Kimmy Campbell, 12 min., world premiere
After accidentally breaking into their favorite deli when it closes without notice, two friends attempt to recreate the home they once found.

Once again the Music Driven program for the 2026 edition delivers on all levels. A remarkably varied and explosive selection of music videos which let us know the new golden age only grows stronger and ups the ante with each passing year. From beat based tracks to meditative songs which thrive on subtle tonality it’s an impressive and sincere selection of music book-ended with two of the most well thought out and produced documentaries you’ll be taken on quite a journey this year.

Q&A moderated by John Woods, Nitehawk Cinema

“Joy, Joy!” / Valerie June
Taylor Washington, 3 min.
Tennessee roots rock fave Valerie June’s music video for her uplifting new single.

Tessitura
Lydia Cornett, Brit Fryer, 18 min.
Blending character portraits with historical context, Tessitura explores how voice and gender are continuously reformulated in opera.

“Sandrail Silhouette” / Avalon Emerson & the Charm
Felix Geen, Hayden Martin, 4 min.
From Avalon Emerson’s debut album “& the Charm”, Sandrail Silhoutte represents scales of time through it’s collage-like nature.

“EURO-COUNTRY” / CMAT
Eilis Doherty, 5 min.
Set in the Omni shopping centre in North Dublin, CMAT sings about her experiences of the economic crash in Ireland.

“Say She She” / Cut&Rewind
Alyssa Boni, 3 min.
Cut&Rewind is both a playful celebration of feminine grit and a graphic exploration of the New York City grind.

I QUIT.
Gordy De St. Jeor, 2 min., World premiere
A janitor is forced to clean up after a clown.

LÜCY – X
Haoyan of America, 9 min., World premiere
Techno-mysticism, the occult, and reincarnation converge when a beekeeper believes her deceased lover has returned to her in the form of a bee.

“Well Henry” / The Screaming Multitudes
Ellen Callaghan, 5 min.
Set under the blazing sun of a desert wasteland, “Well Henry” finds desperate cowboys in search of water and a place to let their tired hobby horsies rest.

Lethe Music Video
Mike Enright, 4 min., World premiere
An animated journey through Hades’s river of oblivion. Rebirth awaits at the end of tunnel’s light.

“Not Broken” / Tōth
Daniel Fox, 4 min.
Not Broken off Tōth’s third solo album “And The Voice Said” offers a sonic hug to his inner child.

“Slowly” / Tru Pierone
Brian Herrera Gladstone 4 min. Slowly is about the space between desire and expectation, a meditation on light, composition, and the vulnerability in unguarded performance.

“Kimberly” / MZZTR
Mr. Man, 4 min., World premiere
“Kimberly” is the debut single from NYC based band MZZTR, a masked horde emerging from the sexy bowels of NYC, who channel rage, seduction, and absurdity.

OH YEAH!
Nick Canfield, 17 min.
The story of the iconic electronic music duo Yello and the phenomenon of their 80s hit song

Where can you find a creepy baby, jocks in soft-core, and a persistent spot of mold that just won’t quit? Look no further than this year’s Midnite program. We are thrilled that the Midnite program is returning with a new selection of scary, surreal, silly, and sexy shorts, all screening at a reasonably late hour. This year’s lineup is packed with premieres that are guaranteed to leave you on the edge of your seat. We invite you to join us for this wild ride—if you dare.

Q&A moderated by Desmond Thorne, Nitehawk Cinema

Benny’s Second Birthday
R.J. Glass, 12 min.
When strangers arrive at her toddler’s birthday party, an expectant mother confronts her son’s unexpected popularity.

I Beg Your Pardon
John W. Lustig, 4 min., NYC premiere
A man commits a terrible crime and the consequences are not what you’d expect.

Birth of the Hive Queen
Tempest Creation, 8 min.
Amina, a trans escort, gives birth from her anus.

Collectors
Susan C OBrien, 14 min., NYC premiere
When an unexpected visitor arrives at a blind man’s doorstep posing as a saleswoman, the night takes a fatal turn as he soon discovers her true intentions.

JOCK
Max Wren, 5 min., world premiere
College football player Harry battles his desires as he tries to comfort his friend. Shot on VHS and inspired by soft-core gay porn.

Water Sports
Whammy Alcazaren, 19 min.
Sad boys Jelson and Ipe harness the power of their love in an attempt to survive a world devastated by climate change.

ROT.
Wes Andre Goodrich, 6 min., world premiere
Over the course of a sleepless night, a father is consumed by the fear that the mold in his apartment is not only sentient, but has dark designs on his family.

Bad Dad
Chisa Hutchinson, 11 min., NYC premiere
When a stranger shows up at Warren’s door to escape the heat, it soon becomes clear he is definitely not waiting for a tow.

Cathexis
Libe Barer, 5 min., world premiere
A young woman who has found herself under investigation for murder begins liking being thought about by the female detective tasked with catching the killer.

Birth Controlled
Isa Fraga-Abaza, 5 min.
A visceral response to a lifetime of medical neglect, patriarchal control, and the systemic failure to treat vaginas as vital organs essential to well-being.

A comeback story with grit and groove. New York’s 1980’s Dance pioneers Rockers Revenge reunite decades later to finally record their debut album, transforming nostalgia into a powerful journey of friendship, resilience, and unfinished dreams. From the frontlines of New York’s COVID crisis to the pulse of Black Lives Matter, their music channels loss, hope, and defiance.

Directed by legendary DJ and music producer Arthur Baker – whose collaborations with New Order, Afrika Bambaataa, Bruce Springsteen and Al Green defined an era – this film spans 30 years yet feels urgently of the moment – a testament to survival, second chances, and the unstoppable spirit of Rockers Revenge.

When society fractured, electronic music took over.

Late 80s. In an England suffocated by unemployment and Margaret Thatcher’s policies, a generation found refuge and a voice in music. In abandoned factories and secret fields, underground raves were born – explosions of light and sound where thousands of youth escaped social oppression to the rhythm of a new musical genre: breakbeat. Fusing the raw intensity of Detroit techno, the warmth of Chicago house, and the energy of New York hip hop, breakbeat shattered all the rules. Syncopated rhythms, powerful basslines, and limitless production fueled by samplers and synthesizers gave birth to a sound that was not just danced to – it was an act of rebellion.

An electrifying journey into the heart of the rave revolution, from the first illegal beats in England to its global explosion. Through never-before-seen archival footage, interviews with the most underground pioneers, and a soundtrack that still resonates today, this documentary unveils the story of a movement that transformed music, culture, and the very essence of nightlife.

A story of defiance, creativity, and the search for freedom, and a cinematic portrait of Felix Leu, artist and patriarch of one of the most iconic and respected families on the international tattooing scene: the Leu Family, a bohemian clan that turned freedom and creativity into their way of life. Son of painter Eva Aeppli and assistant to Jean Tinguely, Felix grew up in Paris’s vibrant 1960s art world before embracing the revolutionary counterculture of the Beat Generation. In New York he met his lifelong partner, Loretta, and together they chose a nomadic path, raising four children while rejecting conformity and living with only time as their true wealth.

In the late 1970s, Felix discovered tattooing, first as a way to support their travels, then as a form of expression in which he became a pioneer, founding what would become the legendary Leu Family Iron. Loretta’s voice guides us through their extraordinary journey through hardship, love, and enduring commitment to artistic exploration. More than a film about tattooing, this is a meditation on independence, identity, and daring to remain true to one’s dreams.

This intimate portrait follows underground DJ Lee Burridge, whose lifelong goal has been to bring people together through music. Blending cinematic storytelling, rare archival footage and access to Burridge’s inner world, the film traces a 40-year journey from a small seaside village in Dorset to some of the world’s most iconic stages, from Fabric London to Burning Man and Coachella. Burridge’s story is one of persistence and passion, and also impermanence.

The DJ lifestyle demands sacrifice: communities fade, connections slip away, and the spotlight eventually moves on. As he reflects on these costs, Burridge creates a new sonic language rooted in beauty, longing and emotion. This sound becomes All Day I Dream – a global community, record label, and festival series that defines his legacy. More than just a music film, Sound of a Dream explores the magic of the dance floor and the universal human search for connection.

In the early 1980s, long before Brooklyn was synonymous with indie cool, a small dive bar on Prospect Avenue became the unlikely heart of a musical revolution. Lauterbach’s was no glamorous venue. Its low ceilings and makeshift stage were more grit than glamour, but what emerged inside its walls was extraordinary: a fiercely creative community of musicians inventing “The Brooklyn Beat.”

Before It Was Cool: The Brooklyn Beat from Lauterbach’s retraces this forgotten chapter of New York’s music history through the eyes of Rachel Cleary, host of Radio Free Brooklyn. While interviewing musicians for her show, she uncovers a hidden thread: band after band had roots in Lauterbach’s, a scene held together by passion, experimentation, and an almost family-like bond. Figures like Bob Racioppo of The Shirts and Chemical Wedding helped book shows and nurture the scene, while a constellation of indie, punk, and alternative bands turned competition into collaboration.

When Lauterbach’s abruptly closed for renovations, the scene teetered on collapse — but instead of vanishing, the artists carried their sound and spirit into the wider world. They proved that the bar was not the movement’s end, but its spark.

Through intimate interviews, archival footage, and vibrant animation, the film resurrects a scene that never sought the spotlight but left a lasting imprint on Brooklyn’s identity. This is not the story of overnight fame or commercial success, but a love letter to a borough before its reinvention. Before It Was Cool captures the beat of a time when art was survival, and community was everything.

The story of two accounting students from Trinity University in San Antonio who found solidarity in their shared strangeness, gathered a tribe of like-minded outsiders – queers, weirdos and nonconformists, including the unforgettable naked performance artist/dancer Kathleen Lynch– and launched one of the most radical and unpredictable paths in rock history. Against all odds, and with a proudly unmarketable name, they became a legendary psychedelic punk band: unlikely icons who inspired acts like Nirvana and even landed a number one hit. Butthole Surfers’ live shows were one-of-a-kind events – communal rites of passage for band and audience, and the antithesis of the digital isolation of our modern age.

The film also goes deep on the personal lives behind the chaos, with intimate portraits of lead singer Gibby Haynes, guitar wizard Paul Leary, drummers Teresa Nervosa and King Coffey, and bassist Jeff Pinkus: uncompromising originals whose lives took extraordinary turns.