Films
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FEATURE
Dean Darling
World Premiere - United States - 84 min
After his parents die in a car accident, a twenty-year-old moves into his aunt and
Produced by Calogero Carucci, Elizabeth Groth, and Sarah Sampino. Edited by Dov Yellin. Director of Photography: Noah Fowler.
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SHORT
Unnatural East Coast Premiere - United States - 26 min
A reclusive teenager with a secret moves into a new town and befriends the rebellious girl who lives next door. |
FEATURE
Octav
U.S. Premiere - Romania - 100 min
When an elderly man returns to his family home after decades of absence, the apparition of his childhood sweetheart triggers a rewind to the life-changing events from his youth. As long-forgotten memories resurface, he begins to find answers to the questions that have cast a shadow over his life and gains clarity on decisions before him. A life-affirming story that celebrates the purity of childhood, love, friendship, and the happy sorrow of nostalgia.
In Romanian with subtitles
Produced by Adela Vrînceanu Celebidachi. Edited by Mircea Olteanu. Director of Photography: Blasco Giurato. A Celi Films and Oblique Media Film production. From The Little Film Company.
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SHORT
Hunter Gatherer East Coast Premiere - United States - 14 min
A woman attempts to reconcile with her drug-addicted brother, only to discover that she has a nephew she never knew existed.
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FEATURE
The Etruscan Smile
U.S. Premiere - United States - 107 min
Acclaimed actor Brian Cox returns to the Stony Brook Film Festival in this gem of a movie. A rugged, old Scotsman reluctantly leaves his beloved isolated Hebridean island and travels to San Francisco to seek medical treatment. Moving in with his estranged son and workaholic daughter-in-law, he finds his life being transformed by a new-found bond with his baby grandson. Shot in San Francisco and the breath-taking coast of Scotland.
In English and Scottish Gaelic with subtitles
Produced by Arthur Cohn. Edited by Roberto Silvi. Director of Photography: Javier Aguirresarobe. From Po Valley Productions.
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SHORT
The Lightkeeper
New York Premiere -
United States - 16 min
A film by Zach Bandler
Set on a remote stretch of stormy coastline, a hardened young woman agrees to dinner at the home of an aging recluse.
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FEATURE
My Brother Simple
East Coast Premiere - Germany - 113 min
Ben and his brother have been best buddies for as long as he can remember. Although his brother ‘Simple’ is now 22, he is at the mental age of a three-year-old. When their mother unexpectedly dies, the local officials decide that Simple should be sent to a group home. But the brothers have other ideas, and go on an odyssey to find the father they haven’t seen for 15 years. A heart-warming treasure with a stand-out performance by David Kross as Simple.
In German with subtitles
Produced by Michael Lehmann, Günther Russ. Edited by Tina Freitag, Markus Goller. Director of Photography: Ueli Steiger. A Letterbox Filmproduktion. From Global Screen.
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SHORT
Internet Gangsters New York Premiere -
SBFF alumnus Eddie Alfano returns to star in this short where two New York hitmen in L.A. discover technology is the real enemy.
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FEATURE
Thrasher Road
East Coast Premiere - United States - 86 min
When pregnant Chloe and her elderly dog, Thrasher, drive off the road while leaving behind her broken dreams in L.A., an unwelcome rescue comes in the form of Mac, Chloe’s father. Stuck together in a car with thousands of miles ahead of them and thirteen years’ estrangement behind them, father and daughter start to reconnect when Mac makes a disastrous detour in an attempt to redeem himself by finding Chloe’s Ex. Shot on location from California to Mississippi to Vermont, this very indie road trip features a cast from across the country, and a heart as big as a huge, rusted-out, pickup truck.
Produced by Maria Rosenblum, Jonathan Wysock. Edited by Karen Smalley. Director of Photography:
Eric Leach. A BetwixtNbetween
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SHORT
In the Field New York
An ambitious local reporter is tasked with interviewing the family of the young black woman he witnessed being killed.
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FEATURE
The Unseen (Los últimos) East Coast Premiere - Argentina, Chile - 96 min
In a post-apocalyptic future, a young couple live in a war-torn refugee camp located in the desert highlands of Latin America. Upon learning of the young woman's pregnancy, they decide to escape to the sea in search of a better future for their unborn child. When they are set up to be used as casualties for propaganda purposes, a world-weary war correspondent decides to intervene. A visually stunning look at impersonal wars run by the media and military contractors.
In Spanish with subtitles
Produced by Lucero Garzon, Lucía Puenzo, Luis Puenzo, and Nicolás Puenzo. Edited by
Misael Bustos, Hugo Primero. Director of
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SHORT
Open Your Eyes New York Premiere - Israel - 14 min
An Israeli woman's regular eye doctor is away, and his absence is filled by an |
FEATURE
The Guilty
Denmark - 85 min
In this suspenseful thriller, an alarm dispatcher and former policeman answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman, when the call is suddenly disconnected. With the phone as his only tool, the dispatcher enters a race against time to save the endangered woman and find her kidnapper, but he soon realizes that he is dealing with a much more complicated crime than he first thought. A tense and restrained knockout performance by Jakob Cedergren keeps you riveted to the screen throughout.
In Danish and English with subtitles
Produced by Lina Flint. Edited by Carla Luffe Heintzelmann. Director of Photography: Jasper Spanning. A Nordisk F ilm/SPRING production. From Magnolia Pictures.
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SHORT
Deserted East Coast Premiere - U.S.-Colombia - 13 min
A man grieving the loss of his girlfriend must find a way to overcome language
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FEATURE
Outdoors (Bayit Bagalil)
U.S. Premiere - Israel - 80 min
Gili and Yaara decide to leave their small-apartment-hustle-and-bustle city life for a fresh start, by building a house in the countryside of Galilee where Yaara grew up. But while their pre-fab dream house is being built, they realize that their marriage is in danger of collapsing. Filmed over the course of a year during the actual onsite construction of the house—and all the while following the progress of the real-life pregnancy of lead actress Noa Koler—Outdoors captivates as it captures the nuances of adults learning how to become adults.
In Hebrew with subtitles
Produced by Asaf Saban. Edited by Neta Brown. Director of Photography: David Rudoy. An Abra Filmhouse production. From Go2Films.
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SHORT
Intercept New York Premiere - United States - 17 min
After spiraling into a deep depression, a young woman's desperate plans are
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FEATURE
Trauma
Festival World Premiere - United States, Afghanistan - 88 min
A US Black Hawk medevac unit rescues wounded soldiers and civilians in war-torn Afghanistan. But when their tours are complete, the members of the team leave the adrenalin-fueled chaos of the battlefield to return to families that no longer know them and a world too quiet to handle. Journalist Harry Sanna was embedded with the C Company Dustoff, Mountain Division and filmed the time he spent living with the unit, heading out on missions and befriending the medics and pilots in the process. Later, Sanna reconnected with members of the unit in their hometowns to learn how the mission affected them as they returned to civilian life. An intense and harrowing documentary about war heroes at home, trying to find the new normal. For mature audiences.
Produced by David Gaddie, Ryan Cunningham. Filmed and Edited by Harry Sanna. A Colony Media and The LightBeaMedia production.
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SHORT
Lost in the Middle East Coast Premiere - Belgium - 17 min
Two men leave for Syria: one as a journalist, one as a fighter.
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FEATURE
A Dysfunctional Cat (Die defekte Katze)
U.S. Premiere - Germany - 93 min
Kian, a German-Iranian surgeon, gives up on trying to find love on his own and caves to his mother’s desire to set him up in an arranged marriage with a traditional Iranian woman. Meanwhile, Mina bows to the pressure from her family to get married, but chooses a less-than-traditional husband who lives far away from home. But as Kian, who speaks very little Persian, tries to become a more traditional Iranian, Mina begins learning German and discovers a newfound freedom she has never known. Add to this the truly defective cat that Mina adopts, and you get a very unique and quirky dysfunctional love story.
In German and Persian with subtitles
Produced by Caroline Fischer and Ralf Zimmermann. Edited by Frank J. Müller. Director of Photography: Julian Krubasik. A Glory Film production. From Media Luna New Films.
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SHORT
Every Other Weekend U.S. Premiere - United States - 18 minutes
A strong-willed 10-year-old girl challenges her misguided, alcoholic mother.
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FEATURE
Funny Story
New York Premiere - United States - 85 min
After years of being a neglectful father, a womanizing TV star tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter, only to inadvertently wreak havoc on what is meant to be the most important day of her life. Matthew Glave gives the performance of his career as a charming, well-meaning narcissist with a talent for doing the wrong thing perfectly. Funny Story is a tragicomedy filled to the brim with memorable characters, unconditional love, and tequila.
Produced by Michael Gallagher, Jana Winternitz, and Michael Wormser. Edited by Brian Ufberg. Director of Photography: Greg Cotten. A Cinemand production.
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SHORT
A Foreman East Coast Premiere - United States - 17 min
A foreman at a machine shop must keep business running while
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FEATURE
Symphony for Ana
East Coast Premiere - Argentina - 119 min
During the bloodiest coup d’etat in Argentina, the military dictatorship ‘disappeared’ 108 students from The National High School of Buenos Aires. Ana is one of these students: a teenager who just wants to fall in love, have lots of friends, and fight for a better world. Instead, she must choose her friends carefully as she navigates the power struggles and ever-changing allegiances in her 15-year-old world. An intense and superbly acted film that features current students from The National High School of Buenos Aires.
In Spanish with subtitles
Produced by Ernesto Ardito, Virna Molina. Edited by Ernesto Ardito, Virna Molina.
Director of Photography: Fernando Molina. An Ernesto
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SHORT
Love & Spirit U.S. Premiere - United Kingdom - 10 min
Shakespeare's characters interact with each other at a modern day house |
FEATURE
A Boy, A Girl, A Dream
United States - 89 min
A strikingly original slice of life, filmed in one single take as it travels through different locations in Los Angeles. A club promoter finds himself falling for a woman who challenges him to revisit his broken dreams while he pushes her to discover hers, all against the backdrop of the eve of the 2016 Presidential election as Donald Trump surges ahead of Hillary Clinton in the race to win the White House. The very charismatic Hardwick and Good take you on a fascinating emotional journey from wariness to vulnerability, all played out in real-time.
Produced by Datari Turner. Director of Photography: Steven Holleran. A Datari Turner Productions production. From Samuel Goldwyn Films.
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SHORT
Miscreant East Coast Premiere - United States - 11 min
A law-school graduate explains to detectives just how he came to be found
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FEATURE
The Tale
United States, Germany - 114 min
Writer and director Jennifer Fox recounts her own story of sexual abuse at a very young age in this intense, unnerving and ultimately cathartic work. Laura Dern brilliantly plays the adult Jennifer, remembering and re-examining the memories of her younger self, expertly played by Isabelle Nélisse. As the adult Jennifer keeps questioning herself—and her memories of the past —about what actually happened to her, she finds her memories begin questioning her back, implicitly asking just what she has been telling herself in order to survive. With a brilliant cast and an unflinching eye of a documentary director, this movie takes the audience to the edge of the abyss without ever losing its way or its sense of purpose. For mature audiences.
Produced by Jennifer Fox, Oren Moverman, Laura Rister, Mynette Louie, Simone Pero, Lawrence Inglee, Sol Bondy, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman and Reka Posta. Edited by Anne Fabini, Alex Hall and Gary Levy. Director of Photography: Denis Lenoir and Ivan Strasburg. A Gamechanger Films, A Luminous Mind Production, Blackbird Films, ONE TWO Films, and WeatherVane Productions production. From HBO Films.
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FEATURE
Man Divided (Qeda)
East Coast Premiere - Sweden, Finland, Denmark - 87 min
In the year 2095 the world has been ravaged by ecological disaster. Oceans have risen and all natural freshwater is gone. Fang Rung creates a molecular copy of himself to send back to the year 2017 with the mission of retrieving ground-breaking research that could save the world. But when he loses contact with his other half, he sees no alternative but to travel back in time as well before more damage is possibly done. A mind-bending story with impressive special effects and a top-notch cast.
In Danish, Swedish and English with subtitles
Produced by Birgitte Skov. Edited by Åsa Mossberg. Director of Photography: Rasmus Videbæk. An SF Studios Production. From DFI International.
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CLOSING NIGHT FEATURE
Aurora Borealis: Északi fény
East Coast Premiere - Hungary - 104 min
After being called back to Hungary when her mother is found unconscious,
In Hungarian with subtitles
Produced by István Major. Edited by Annamaria Szanto. Director of Photography: Piotr Sobocinski Jr.. A FilmTeam and Nordic Productions production. From The Hungarian National Film Fund.
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