FUCKTOYS

When part-time sex worker AP (Annapurna Sriram) is told by her tarot reader (Big Freedia) that she is cursed, she must find a way to procure a thousand dollars for a sacrificial ceremony. Her quest sends her on a wild ride full of debauchery and strange encounters through the gorgeously filthy and mystical Trash World, Louisiana. Can she lift the curse with the help of her confidante, Danni (Sadie Scott)? Sriram establishes herself as a bold and fascinating filmmaker/star with this feature directorial debut. (Garrett Stralnic)

POWWOW PEOPLE

“Put that in the documentary, Sky” exclaims the MC near the beginning of the powwow central to this immersive verité film. Indigenous peoples from all over the US and Canada gather for a powwow that is both an authentic look at these cultural traditions AND an event entirely produced for the benefit of the camera. The camera meanders around the powwow, giving weight to both their performances and the tiny moments that exist on the fringes when communities come together. (Samantha Mitchell)

IDIOTKA

Taught to sew at a young age, Margarita (Anna Baryshnikov) has always valued the transformative power of fashion. Margarita provides for her grandmother (Galina Jovovich), dad (Mark Ivanir), and brother (Nerses Stamos) by selling counterfeit clothing online until one day when she receives a call that could change her life forever. She has been selected as a participant by producers of a Project Runway-style fashion competition show. Could this be her chance to help her family and realize her dreams? This charming and hilarious exploration of the American dream is Nastasya Popov’s feature debut. (Garrett Stralnic)

I WAS BORN THIS WAY

Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Carl Bean rose to fame with his 1977 disco anthem and its empowering chorus: I’m happy, I’m carefree, and I’m GAY, I was Born this Way. After the infamous “Disco Demolition” riot publicly declared a culture war on everything Black and queer, Bean left the mainstream music industry but continued to instill hope in his community by establishing both the Minority AIDS Project and the world’s first LGBTQ+ church. (James Burkhalter)

BUTTHOLE SURFERS: THE HOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUTT

Much like the eponymous band, this documentary is anything but conventional. With its creative usage of ‘80s MTV-style animation and unhinged re-enactments featuring puppets, the film is an authentic and entertaining exploration of the Butthole Surfers’ origins and continued relevance in the modern punk landscape. Still young at heart, the band members gleefully recount their wildest, acid-fueled anecdotes about crossing paths with several pre-fame misfit performers, including Kurt Cobain, The Foo Fighters, and even RuPaul Charles. (James Burkhalter)

SUN RA: DO THE IMPOSSIBLE

Sun Ra–Poet, Jazz Composer, Filmmaker, Philosopher and leader of The Sun Ra Arkestra. One of the pioneers of Afrofuturism, Sun Ra’s work was influenced by his ideas of African culture and liberation, the universe, the mythical and everything “otherwise”. Combining music and poetry, interviews, archival footage and excerpts from Sun-Ra’s self-produced film, this documentary takes us on a reflective journey through the life and art of Sun Ra.

NEXT LIFE

A Tibetan family seeks moments of “temporary happiness” while living in exile in suburban America. As their father suffers from a mysterious inner pain rooted in childhood trauma, they turn to Buddhist teachings on death and rebirth, finding solace in the belief that in his next life he will be reborn as a bird in Tibet. (longer version: A Tibetan family seeks moments of 'temporary happiness' amid feelings of loss as their father succumbs to a mysterious illness that Western medicine cannot cure. A Tibetan doctor intervenes, listens carefully to his pulse, delivering an irrevocable diagnosis. Next Life portrays the family navigating liminal spaces between the psychological and spiritual realms with depth and nuance, encompassing spectral landscapes of inner and virtual worlds against an American backdrop. Frozen moments of memory, and the quiet suspension between reality and the afterlife, the film carries us through the Bardo. Following the father's death, the family cares for the deceased and prepares both him and themselves for the next life—embracing the Tibetan concept of "Tse Chema" (reincarnation).)

JUNKIE

After Stevie (Rocky Shay) escapes rehab for her meth-addiction, she makes a deal with her drug dealer (Kian Morr) to make enough to leave town. Her assignment to collect money from a customer turns into a wild journey through the American south with her estranged friend, Sherry (Jessica Lea Risco). Along the way she must avoid arrest while also trying to reconcile with her gay son (Rett Keeter). Junkie is a thrilling, fun, and heartfelt feature debut from Maryland film festival alumni William Means. (Garrett Stralnic)

LISTEN TO ME

In this powerful doc, three Baltimore area women are given the wonderful gift of motherhood, only to be challenged by institutional racism in the American healthcare system. We follow their journey as the experience joy and grief, and share how they banned together and became advocates for other Black mothers. (Jasmine Patrick)

ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU

Spanning three generations of one family, from being expelled from their home in Jaffa to protests in a refugee camp in the West Bank, this film approaches the history of occupation in Palestine through a lens both intimate and epic. Through moments of banal humiliation and remarkable resilience, this family shows us the power and the heartbreak of the human spirit when roots are severed and memories are displaced. (Samantha Mitchell)

JUST KIDS

As conservative politicians pass legislation that ban gender affirming care in red states across the country, the families of trans kids have the rug pulled out from under them. Though they happen to be trans, Ray, Alazaiah and Tristan are just kids. But when their communities become increasingly hostile, their families must decide whether to uproot their lives and move in order to continue to receive life-saving care. (Samantha Mitchell)

RICKY

Newly released after being locked up in his teens, 30-year-old Ricky navigates the challenging realities of life post-incarceration, and the complexity of gaining independence for the first time as an adult.

OUTERLANDS

Cass lives a frugal life in San Francisco, juggling jobs as nanny and restaurant server. After a passionate night with their co-worker Kalli, Cass reluctantly agrees to look after her daughter, Ari while she’s out of town–for a while. A while takes longer than promised and with Kalli being MIA, Cass has to balance their financial struggles with taking care of an 11 year old. Cass and Ari soon find that they have a lot more in common than their love for video games and they form a bond that pushes Cass to confront their own childhood and the pain they’ve been hiding from.

RIDE OR DIE

After a chance encounter, former high school acquaintances Paula and Sloane, bolstered by their intense chemistry, decide to leave their hometown in search of a better life in California. In this modern twist on a road movie, Paula and Sloane soon discover that the America outside their city is particularly inhospitable to Black and female travelers. In her debut feature, Josalynn Smith emerges as an of the moment storyteller to watch. (Samantha Mitchell)