Year In Review: Our Best Blog Posts of 2025
An eventful 2025 is now firmly in the rearview. With the (slight!) window between the holidays and the heart of Awards Season, now is as good a time as any to look back at some of our favorite interviews, lists and writing from the past year. It’s also a great chance to see what you might have missed on the blog. So let’s get hyperlinking!
January
Disc Jockeys: How Beyond Video Opened a New Video Store in the Age of Streaming
The year started on a somber note as we lost our President and friend, Josh Welsh on New Years, then days later wildfires ravaged Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
Considering all that, we still wanted to highlight a positive from January, and that was the inaugural Disc Jockeys column. We spoke with Eric Allen Hatch and Kevin Coelho from Beyond Video in Baltimore about pioneering using the non-profit model to start a video store and film center in the age of digital media.
February
Everything You Missed at the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards
February is of course Spirit Award month here, and we took in the beach and sunshine of Santa Monica one more time, as we celebrated the best in indie film and TV including some Film Independent Fellows and LA Film Festival Alums like Sean Baker and Jomo Fray.
March
How to Make a Film for Under $100K
It seems like the era of the Ultra Micro Budget film is here to stay. We spoke with Felix Werner, co-founder of Modern Media Company and HieronyVision about how to make the most out of a budget in the tens of thousands, and how to make the final product get the attention it deserves.
May
MAKING IT FEEL REAL: Scientific Consultants Panel at Sloan Summit
There was plenty of fun to be had at our 2025 Sloan Science and Film Summit, (Take a look at everything that happened here). But one highlight was the Scientific Consultants Panel, where we learned about how to decide how much jargon to put in shows like The Pitt, and what happened when the stars of The Big Bang Theory shared their Stephen Hawkings impressions with the man himself.
June
Festival Visions: Film Fests – What Are They Good For?
We traveled north to the San Francisco DocFest for a panel that asked the question many starting filmmakers have surely asked at some point in their journey- what good is submitting my film to all these festivals anyways??? Well, it turns out to be more than you’d think. Read on to find out what programmers from SFFilm, Mill Valley and other fests had to say.
July
Project Involve Deep Dives-
Project Involve is a unique program, because it brings filmmakers together to actually make a film. If you miss out on the First Look Screenings (this year’s is on Jan. 15 and open to everyone), there aren’t that many chances to see all the hard work our PI Fellows have done. We showed three past Project Involve films here on the blog and spoke with the filmmakers about the process here.
August
Member Lens: Casting Director & Spirit Award Winner Nicole Arbusto
It’s not often you get to talk to a Spirit Award winner. Casting Director and Altman Award winner for His Three Daughters Nicole Arbusto shared her journey and why she loves working with the next generation of filmmakers at Film Independent so much.
September
It’s rare that you can look at a set and know instantly what show it’s from. But that’s definitely the case with Severance. We spoke with production designer Jeremy Hindle about how he made the shows hallways and cubicles so iconic.
October
Money Matters: Talking Financing at This Year’s Forum, Part I
In an ever-changing industry, a reoccurring theme at this year’s forum was how tricky it is to get a film financed these days. Producers, execs, creators and other people in the film world broke down what’s working right now in this year’s panels, and we dissected it right here.
November
Six Thanksgiving Films to Get Your Taste Buds Tingling and Your Heart Pumping
While there’s no question we all can’t live without film, bodily sustenance is also important. We took a look at some food-focused films that hopefully can bring us all together.
December
Case Study: How ‘Deepfaking Sam Altman’ Takes on the Legality of A.I.
Telemarketers’ Adam Bhala Lough brought his new film Deepfaking Sam Altman to us as a case study in the brave new world of moviemaking using A.I. He spoke with lawyer Lisa Califf about the ins and outs of the legal side of it’s use.
For over 40 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. The nonprofit organization’s core mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling in all its forms, and to foster a culture of inclusion. We support a global community of artists and audiences who embody diversity, innovation, curiosity and uniqueness of vision. To support our mission with a donation, click here.
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Don’t Miss Indies: What to Watch in January
Happy New Year! Kicking off 2026 with a visual tour of the world, this month’s Don’t-Miss list includes films set in the US as well as Australia, Canada, Spain, Portugal, The Philippines, Belgium, Thailand, and Iceland. Some are English-language, but you’ll also hear Korean in The Mother and the Bear, Thai in A Useful Ghost, and the prize goes to Magellan for its globe-encompassing Spanish, Portuguese and Vasayan.
Please enjoy the journey.
WE BURY THE DEAD
When You Can Watch: January 2
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Zak Hilditch
Cast: Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith
Why We’re Excited: It’s an Australian horror movie with a spin on zombies that forces Ava (Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) to not only avoid zombification but to face her own unfinished business. After a military disaster in Tasmania leaves casualties who don’t stay dead, Ava searches for her missing husband among civilian homes populated with wily corpses whose base instincts are still intact. Writer/Director Zak Hilditch (1992) wrote an initial draft that didn’t even involve zombies, but once they became a factor he challenged himself to make them as organic to the story as possible. Between the movie’s practical effects, detailed sets filmed on location in real homes (complete with family photos on the walls), the unorthodox take puts us in a position to see human life from a new angle.
THE MOTHER AND THE BEAR
When You Can Watch: January 9
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Johnny Ma
Cast: Kim Ho-jung, Lee Won-jae, Jonathan Kim
Why We’re Excited: Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Johnny Ma (Old Stone) has devised a whimsical Korean-Canadian comedy involving a comatose young woman (Sumi, played by Leere Park) who fell after coming upon a wild bear in the streets of Winnipeg. Flying to her aid from Seoul, her mother Sara (Kim Ho-jung, Revivre) gets into dutiful motherly mischief – starting with searching out a suitable husband for her daughter. Playing with Korean tropes, Ma draws heavily on stylistic sensibilities in K-Drama – a value that required training for the Chilean post-production unit who had to be exposed to the genre for its specific expression. “I thought The Mother and the Bear was a very fresh take on something Korean,” said Ho-jung in Asian Movie Pulse. Mother explores courage, cultural identity and finding stability in a world knocked sideways.
MAGELLAN
When You Can Watch: January 9
Where You Can Watch: Select Theaters
Writer/Director: Lav Diaz
Cast: Gael García Bernal, Ângela Azevedo, Amado Arjay Babon
Why We’re Excited: Spirit Award Nominee Lav Diaz (Norte, the End of History) is known for his lengthy films, and his meticulously researched reflection on the final 15 years of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan takes 3 hours to unfold. Following Magellan (Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle) from Europe to Southeast Asia, we watch an ambitious young man harden with cruelty and lust for power. The Filipino champion of slow cinema puts his seven years of research on rich display with shocking scenes of oppression and a raw revisitation of the explorer narrative. “It’s a film about how power intoxicates and the myth of discovery”, says Diaz, quoted by Festival de Cannes. “Here, Magellan is no hero, he is a man facing his own oblivion.”
YOUNG MOTHERS
When You Can Watch: January 9
Where You Can Watch: Select Theaters
Writer/Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Cast: Babette Verbeek, Elsa Houben, Janaina Halloy
Why We’re Excited: The Spirit nominated Dardenne brothers (The Kid with a Bike) are no strangers to the indie screen, with twelve features behind them and a tendency to highlight stories of personal transformation through human connection. Inspired by a real-life institution for teen mothers in Liege, Belgium, the Dardennes wrote a docurealistic script highlighting the stories of five new mothers who are also minors. Among the inherent challenges of new motherhood, each of the young women must also contend with drug addiction, mental illness, and family dysfunction. Facing their futures with support from the care workers teaching them to look after their babies, they make difficult choices under pressure. The Guardian calls it a “poignant, compassionate work of unforced social realism.”
DEAD MAN’S WIRE
When You Can Watch: January 16
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Dacre Montgomery, Bill Skarsgård, Al Pacino
Why We’re Excited: Spirit Award nominee Gus Van Sant (Elephant) was inspired by the breakneck pace of Austin Kolodney’s scripted retelling of a true crime story from 1977. One February morning, an Indianapolis man named Tony (Bill Skarsgård, It) set out to kidnap the president of Meridian Mortgage Company – M.L. Hall, played by Spirit Award nominee Al Pacino (Looking for Richard). Finding him out on vacation, Tony kidnaps Hall’s son instead (Dacre Montgomery, Stranger Things). Keeping his hostage submissive through a sawn-off shotgun on a wire rigged to shoot, Tony claims the company deliberately sabotaged his investment; he demands $5 million and a personal apology. “When I read the script,” said Van Sant in a Variety interview, “there were links embedded in it — you could click them and hear the real 911 calls. Tony talked so fast, like Scorsese on a cocaine bender, cracking jokes and losing his temper. I thought, ‘This is an amazing character.’”
Five Film Independent members hold Executive Producer roles: Tiffany Boyle, Oleg Dubson, Max Loeb, Katharina Otto-Bernstein, and Elsa Ramo.
CHARLIE THE WONDERDOG
When You Can Watch: January 16
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Shea Wageman
Cast: Owen Wilson, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez, Tabitha St. Germain
Why We’re Excited: This animated adventure is about a dog with superpowers, but it’s also about restoring a friendship that’s suffered a rift. Voiced by Owen Wilson (Spirit Winner Inherent Vice), Charlie is an ordinary dog with a boy best friend named Danny (Dawson Littman). Danny imagines heroic adventures for the pair of them, but when Charlie is abducted by aliens and given real superpowers, the wonderdog is suddenly catapulted into world renown all on his own. But the supervillain that must ultimately be confronted is a cat plotting the downfall of all humankind. It will take a human/canine duo to win the final showdown.
ISLANDS
When You Can Watch: January 30
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Jan-Ole Gerster
Cast: Sam Riley, Stacy Martin, Jack Farthing
Why We’re Excited: A reserved missing-person mystery from German filmmaker Jan-Ole Gerster (A Coffee in Berlin), inspired by a Fuerteventura escape from another Berlin winter years ago. As Gerster considered the tennis coach hitting ball after ball on a dilapidated court, the story began to emerge: a retired tennis pro named Tom (Sam Riley, Control) trading on his opportunities of a decade ago while slowly going to seed among vacationers and a steady stream of admirers. Giving tennis lessons by day, he befriends a 7-year-old boy – the son of Anne (Stacy Martin, The Brutalist) and Dave, played by Jack Farthing (Spirit Award nominated Rain Dogs). When Dave goes missing and Tom is the primary suspect, it slowly becomes the wakeup call he would never have sought.
MOSES THE BLACK
When You Can Watch: January 30
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Yelena Popovic
Cast: Omar Epps, Chukwudi Iwuji, Wiz Khalifa
Why We’re Excited: 50 Cent is on the list of Executive Producers for this movie about a fourth-century Egyptian saint set in modern-day Chicago. Omar Epps (Love & Basketball) stars as Malik, a gang leader emerging from prison and immediately hitting a power struggle with his old crew. He is visited by Saint Moses the Black (Chukwudi Iwuji, Designated Survivor), a former gang leader himself who had a sudden change of heart and became a priest. “He killed a lot of people and did a lot of bad things,” Serbian filmmaker Yelena Popovic (Man of God) told The Soulful Side of Life with Ally Portee, “now people were coming to get advice from him.” Punctuated by performances from multi-platinum selling, Grammy-nominated artists Wiz Khalifa (Spinning Gold) and Quavo (High Rollers) as rival gang leaders, this promises to be a memorable retelling of a true story.
THE LOVE THAT REMAINS
When You Can Watch: January 30
Where You Can Watch: Select Theaters
Writer/Director: Hlynur Pálmason
Cast: Panda, Saga Garðarsdóttir, Sverrir Gudnason
Why We’re Excited: The changing seasons of an Icelandic hilltop sets the stage for this year in the life of a dissolving marriage. Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason (Spirit Award nominee Godland) cast his three children as the energetic progeny of Anna (Saga Garðarsdóttir, The New Year’s Lampoon), an artist struggling to land a gallery show while managing her newly single motherhood. Her not-quite-ex-husband Magnús (Sverrir Gudnason, Borg vs. McEnroe) is a fisherman whose infrequent visits to the house seems to effect even more isolation from the family. The journey of the film centers on vignettes of their previous life together and bits of magical realism, for an intimate exploration of familial complexity and the deep devotion that never ends.
PROGRAMMER’S PICK: A USEFUL GHOST
When You Can Watch: January 16
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
Cast: Davika Hoorne, Wisarut Himmarat, Apasiri Nitibhon
Why We’re Excited: From Film Independent Lead Programmer Jenn Wilson
A first feature from Thai writer/director, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, A Useful Ghost, premiered at Cannes in 2025 where it won the Cannes Critics Week prize. One of the most bizarre, hilarious, and inventive movies of the year, the film tells the parallel stories of a young gay student called the Academic Ladyboy whose vacuum cleaner is possessed by a ghost, and appliance factory owner, March, whose wife has just died and been reincarnated as a vacuum cleaner. March’s controlling mother, however, is not amused that his wife is back in his life and a human vs ghost drama unfolds enveloping more than just the family. This movie is an enchanting and much-needed addition to a year of film that felt lacking in so many ways.
Film Independent member Karim Aitouna serves as Co-Producer.
KEY
Film Independent Fellow or Member
Film Independent Presents Screening, Q&A
Microbudget
Filmmaker or Lead Characters of Color
Film Independent Spirit Award Winner or Nominee
Female Filmmaker
LGBT Filmmaker or Lead LGBT Characters
First-time Filmmaker
LA Film Festival Winner or Nominee
Film Independent Artist Development promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.
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FiSpo Spotlight: Three Films That Have Nothing to Do with Christmas
Welcome to Fiscal Spotlight, a special monthly round up of projects—at all stages of production—working their way through Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship pipeline. Enjoy!
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‘Tis the time of year with plenty of cheer. But some may get wary of all that is merry. For all those Grinches, we have three unique pitches. Films that would like donations– tax-deductible too, that deserves an ovation!
And have no fear, there’s nary a reindeer. No holly, no tinsel, no menorahs, no mangers. But tales of missing fathers, street photos and queer strangers. So even if the holiday drives you mad, having a giving spirit isn’t so bad. Take a look below and read even more, about films that deserve cash that’s saved in your drawer.
’99 SNAPSHOTS
Project type: Nonfiction Episodic
Project status: Post-Production
Writer/Director: Michael Berman
About the Project: Twenty years after snapping pictures of over 300 strangers in New York City, photographer Michael Berman is on a mission to find the people from those photos and learn how their lives have evolved, ask what inspires them, and hear their thoughts on how to live one’s best life in our complex and challenging world.
Meet the Filmmaker: Michael Berman was born in Washington, DC, in 1967, and has been taking pictures since the late ’80s, when he began to document life in New York City while attending NYU. In the late ‘90s, Michael began to find work as a photographer, first for community papers in Brooklyn and next for the New York Daily News. Since 2006, he has worked as a freelance photographer, including for numerous newspapers and magazines, restaurants, brands, schools, and non-profits.
JIA
Project type: Fiction Feature
Project status: Development
Writer/Director: Elaine Wong
Producer: Yuky Shen, Lareina Wong, Xiaojia Zhu
About the Project: When Sophia’s non-English-speaking father-in-law Ping vanishes in the U.S., she and her husband Daniel embark on a cross-country road trip with their newborn son. As they search for Ping, they must confront a labor trafficking scheme, the cracks in their marriage, and an uncertain future.
Meet the Filmmaker: Elaine Wong is a Hong Kong-born American writer, director, and producer. Her film, Where Dreams Rest, and her web series, Three Chen Sisters, have been officially selected at over 30 film festivals worldwide, including the Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong. These projects have earned her a sound fellowship with Dolby Atmos and have been showcased on platforms such as Kanopy, Omeleto, Viddsee, and Roku TV. Her latest narrative short, 52Hz, is currently on AMC+. Her debut feature screenplay, Jia, has been partially financed and is currently in pre-production. She earned her MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California.
UNTIL DEATH
Project type: Fiction Short
Project status: Post-Production
Writer/Director: Zachary Thorpe
Producers: Sofia Snyder, Jasmijn van Bruggen
About the Project: In the aftermath of an apocalyptic event, Oliver takes refuge in an abandoned house and seeks a quick end to his life. When Lonnie, a friendly stranger, breaks in, Oliver must reckon with his own mistrust and desire as he’s offered a chance for genuine connection with another human being. Until Death is a queer post-apocalyptic story about what it means – and how painful it is – to be alive.
Meet the Filmmaker: Zachary Thorpe is a filmmaker and writer from North Carolina, now based in Los Angeles. A two-time AFF Screenplay Competition 2nd Rounder, his work has also been recognized by the Hollywood Verge Film Awards and the HollyShorts Screenplay Contest. Until Death will be his solo directorial debut.
Learn more about Fiscal Sponsorship, including its benefits and eligibility requirements by visiting our website. See which projects are currently being supported via our Sponsored Projects page.
Film Independent Artist Development promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To support our work with a donation, please click here. Become a Member of Film Independent here.
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Case Study: How ‘Deepfaking Sam Altman’ Takes on the Legality of A.I.
A.I. continues to be a hot-button issue in filmmaking circles. Despite plenty of valid ethical concerns, it’s use is only growing. A huge part of those concerns has to do with copyrightable material. What is protected as both an input, the human created material an AI model was trained on, and output, the newly generated AI content, is at the heart of this.
As part of this year’s Forum, we looked at all the legal implications of both inputs and outputs with a case study, Deepfaking Sam Altman. Legal expert Lisa Califf spoke with director Adam Bhala Lough about the film, a gonzo documentary that explores what it means to use AI technology.
The film follows Bhala Lough as he attempts to interview Altman, fails, and then goes to India to build a digital version of Altman he calls “Sam-bot” with AI expert Divyendra Jadoun, know online as “the Indian Deepfaker.”
To train the Large Language Model (LLM), they input as much publicly available information on Altman as they could find. Califf, who also acted as a lawyer for the film, noted that for Fair Use consideration, the legal team needed to know exactly what information the LLM was trained on. “What the Copyright Office wants you to do, which tricky, is identify what’s AI and what’s human created so that there’s an accurate record of what this work is and what’s protected and what’s not,” she said.
Bhala Lough then went a step further and decided to let Sam-bot direct the rest of his film, which created more legal questions. Califf said that after some discussion the copyright issue was easier here because instead of the AI generating the content, something which is not copyrightable, the bot was telling what the humans what to do, and because the content was created by humans, it was legally protected. Don’t worry about AI directors just yet, because the Sam-bot’s direction was terrible, and most of the time, unshootable.
Another issue was featuring a public figure like Sam Altman without his consent. Califf explained that in the U.S., the First Amendment offers an exception for artistic expression as long as it’s clear that there is no deception involved.
“I do think in the future, if someone wanted to do reenactments or if someone wanted to do a documentary on Frank Sinatra or someone else who had passed away, what’s prohibiting them from using AI rather than using archival and reenactments? Honestly, I don’t think anything is. I think you could do that as long as the audience understood that this was a digital replica,” Califf said.
Looking at scripted content, Califf talked about the copyright issues with AI generated scripts. “People have this overarching fear of studios are going to use machines to write scripts. If the studio doesn’t have copyright over a script, they’re not going to put millions and millions of dollars in creating a movie that someone else can just create a version of. They wouldn’t do that.”
When it comes to copyright for AI-generated material that is in the style of a creator, courts are coming to the decision that the output has to be substantially different than the input. “One of the cases in particular, I think even had parameters on it, like you can’t use more than 50 words from one of these books at any one time,” Califf said. This is because it would harm the marketability of the original creator.
Finally, when it comes minor enhancements like up-rezing SD footage or cleaning up audio using AI tools, Califf said that as long as it’s clear that the material is original to the film, there isn’t a copyright issue.
Copyright is an important issue when it comes to AI use in films, and having a clear legal plan can make obtaining both Fair Use clearances and Errors & Omissions insurance much easier when it comes time to distribute. Something that both Califf and Bhala Lough emphasized throughout was how important transparency about AI use is throughout the process. AI is a new frontier, but with forethought, careful tracking of material, and a good legal plan, it can be a powerful tool that can be used in a way that is transparent and additive to a project.
Film Independent Artist Development promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To support our work with a donation, please click here. Become a Member of Film Independent here.
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Rob Reiner: A Master of All Genres
The film world has lost a great talent in Rob Reiner.
That talent was so multifaceted, that you could ask ten people what the Spirit Award nominee was known for and you would likely get ten different answers. The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, Rob starred in All in the Family, the biggest sitcom of the 70s, and became a voice of a young generation pushing back against the conservative status quo. In real life, he was an outspoken liberal advocate and a power player in California Democratic politics. Then, there were the films he made…
The immensely influential This Is Spinal Tap rivals some of Monty Python’s best work in terms of pure comedy, quotability and staying power. Stand By Me, considered one of the best coming-of-age films ever made, helped launch the careers of some of the biggest actors of the 80s, including River Phoenix and Corey Feldman, and member of the so-called “Brat Pack,” Kiefer Sutherland and John Cusack. It also was a Spirit Award nominee for Best Picture and Best Director in 1987. During our career-spanning conversation with Reiner in 2018, he beamed while sharing anecdotes from the making of 1985’s The Sure Thing, led by Cusack in his first starring role.
When it comes to standard bearers of a genre, When Harry Met Sally might top them all – the film is all but synonymous with the term rom-com. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal shine in the adversaries-to-lovers tale, one that follows them through the years, as they develop a bond as friends, and then navigate the fear of a blossoming love threatening that friendship. The honesty and lived-in charm of the film and its characters create a potent mix that keeps audiences on their toes as they root for the pair. To this day, autumn in New York still feels like the best place to fall in love.
Another all-timer: The Princess Bride. While sending up the fantasy/romance genre, it’s smart enough to know what makes swashbuckling dramas so powerful and popular, and is earnest in all the right moments.
Within the monumental classics that populate Reiner’s catalog are indelible moments and performances, like Kathy Bates’ Oscar-winning, ankle-smashing turn in Misery, and the unforgettable Tom Cruise-Jack Nicholson face off in A Few Good Men, which remains just as enthralling with each viewing as it was the first time we watched it.
The consummate collaborator, Reiner encouraged his actors to take big swings, elevating character and story, and letting the dialogue shine. His partners in creating said dialogue feature a murderer’s row of talent, including Christopher Guest, Stephen King, Nora Ephron, William Goldman and Aaron Sorkin.
So, you may know Rob Reiner for “I’ll have what she’s having,” “My name is Inigo Montoya,” or “These go to 11,” but what made him truly special was that he brought us all those moments while being true to himself: a filmmaker and entertainer who loved sharing stories with humor and heart.
More Film Independent…
A Mountain of Film Independent Fellows at This Year’s Sundance Program
Fall is a stressful time for indie filmmakers. There are plenty of sleepless nights getting your cut in shape for the first-quarter festivals, including a certain Park City based affair. Recently, they finally found out if all those nights on the edit-bay couch were worth it– Sundance announced its 2026 lineup. And for these Film Independent Fellows, the answer was a resounding ‘Yes’. Twenty-one projects across seven categories had Fellows on key positions on the teams.
Three projects that will premiere at the festival were also directly supported through Film Independent Artist Development programs. Joybubbles, which went through the 2021 Fast Track finance market and Soul Patrol, supported in this year’s Amplifier Fellowship, will both premiere in the US Documentary Competition. Union County, which went through the 2023 Screenwriting Lab and 2023 Fast Track finance market, will premiere in the US Dramatic Competition.
Let’s take a look at all the films that our Fellows will be bringing to Sundance in January.
U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Josephine
After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her.
Post produced by Kate Sharp (Producing Lab 2016, Fast Track 2018, Grant Recipient 2018)
The Friend’s House Is Here
In Tehran’s underground art scene, two young women build a blissful world of freedom and sisterhood. But when their creative circle is exposed, they must fight to save each other.
Written, directed and produced by Hossein Keshavarz (Grant Recipient 2013)
Union County
Assigned to a county-mandated drug court program, Cody Parsons embarks on the tenuous journey toward recovery amid the opioid epidemic in rural Ohio.
Written, directed and edited by Adam Meeks (Screenwriting Lab 2023, Fast Track 2023) and produced by Faye Tsakas (Fast Track 2023) and Brad Becker-Parton (Fast Track 2023). Union County went through the 2023 Screenwriting Lab with writer/director Adam Meeks, as well as the 2023 Fast Track finance market with writer/director Adam Meeks and producers Brad Becker-Parton and Faye Tsakas.
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
American Doctor
When three American doctors — Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian — enter Gaza to save lives, they find themselves caught between medicine and politics, risking everything to expose the truth.
Produced by Kirstine Barfod (Documentary Lab 2023)
American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story.
Edited by Daniel Chavez-Ontiveros (CNN Docuseries Intensive 2021)
Joybubbles
Joybubbles discovers he can manipulate the telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind and yearning for connection, his early obsession unwittingly lays the groundwork for a subculture that shapes the future of hacking and technology.
Directed by Rachael J. Morrison (Fast Track 2021), produced by Sarah Winshall (Fast Track 2021, 2025 Producers Award winner) and co-produced by Annie Marr (Documentary Producing Lab 2024). Joybubbles went through the 2021 Fast Track finance market with director Rachael J. Morrison and producer Sarah Winshall.
Soul Patrol
From deep behind enemy lines, a hidden chapter of American military history is uncovered, prompting the question of whether reckoning with the past can bring peace to those who lived it. The Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team reunites to tell their story.
Directed and produced by J.M. Harper (Amplifier Fellowship 2025). Soul Patrol was directly supported in the 2025 Amplifier Fellowship.
The Lake
An environmental nuclear bomb looms in Utah. Two intrepid scientists and a political insider race the clock to save their home from unprecedented catastrophe.
Executive produced by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (2016 Truer Than Fiction Award winner)
Who Killed Alex Odeh?
The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today.
Directed and produced by Jason Osder (2014 Stella Artois Truer Than Fiction Award winner)
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
The Huntress (La Cazadora)
In the border city of Juárez, Mexico, where violence against women is perpetrated with impunity, an unlikely defender emerges with a desperate call for change. Inspired by true events.
Produced by Mynette Louie (Fast Track 2009, Fast Track 2010, Grant Recipient 2013)
PREMIERES
Chasing Summer
After losing both her job and boyfriend, Jamie retreats to her small Texas hometown, where friends and flings from a fateful high school summer turn her life upside down.
Produced by Houston King (Grant Recipient 2014)
See You When I See You
With the help of his family, a comedy writer battles PTSD after the tragic death of his sister.
Executive produced by Mel Eslyn (2016 Piaget Producers Award winner)
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist
A father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with the AI insanity, exploring the existential dangers and stunning promise of this technology that humanity has created.
Produced by Shane Boris (Documentary Lab 2018)
The Moment
A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.
Executive produced by Mikey Schwartz-Wright (Fast Track 2025)
The Oldest Person in the World
A decade-long global journey chronicles the ever-changing record holders of the title of oldest person alive. What begins as a portrait of longevity becomes a meditation on the passage of time, the randomness of fate, and the joy and profound human experience of being alive.
Produced by Josh Penn (Grant Recipient 2014)
Time and Water
Facing the death of his country’s glaciers and the loss of his beloved grandparents, Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason turns his archives into a time capsule to hold what is slipping away: family, memory, time and water.
Directed by Sara Dosa (Documentary Lab 2018) and produced by Shane Boris (Documentary Lab 2018) and Jameka Autry (Fast Track 2022, Amplifier Fellowship 2025)
Wicker
A fisherwoman asks a basketmaker to weave her a husband.
Executive produced by Jennifer Westin (Producing Lab 2007)
MIDNIGHT
The Best Summer
Immersive POV camera footage reveals electric performances, candid interviews, and intimate backstage life with the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Pavement, Rancid, Beck, The Amps, and Bikini Kill — an all-access view inside an era-defining moment in music.
Edited by Jessica Hernández (Project Involve 2001)
Leviticus
Two star-crossed teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other.
Produced by Samantha Jennings (Fast Track 2019)
Rock Springs
After the death of her father, a grieving young girl moves to an isolated house in a new town with her mother and grandmother, only to discover there is something monstrous hidden in the town’s history and the woods behind their new home.
Written, directed and produced by Vera Miao (Screenwriting Lab 2014) and produced by Jason Michael Berman (Fast Track 2009)
EPISODIC
FreeLance
A young filmmaker documents his journey toward his first movie as he moves in with a friend group of ambitious creatives, all trying to support one another’s dreams in an oversaturated market. This inexperienced crew of 20-somethings takes on unorthodox jobs to build their brand and pay rent.
Executive produced by Stephen Love Jr. (Project Involve 2015, Grant Recipient 2015)
FAMILY MATINEE
Cookie Queens
It’s Girl Scout Cookie season, and four tenacious girls strive to be a top-selling “Cookie Queen,” navigating an $800 million business in which childhood and ambition collide.
Directed and produced by Alysha Nahmias (2012 Jameson FIND Your Audience Award winner, Fast Track 2013, Documentary Lab 2020) and shot by Antonio Cisneros (Project Involve 2013)
U.S. FICTION SHORT FILMS
Don’t Tell Mama
A Montenegrin father takes his teenage daughter on an unforgettable dinner date.
Produced by Shaka King (Grant Recipient 2014)
Seniors
A high school senior goes on his first college campus tour the day his parents’ marriage begins to fracture.
Produced by Steven Snyder (Fast Track 2024)
Taga
Vivi, a third-culture Filipina American, travels to the Philippines to reconnect with her roots but falls in with a group of Western eco-volunteers. When they scorn the customs of a remote mountain village, an ancient evil comes knocking.
Produced by Joyce Liu-Countryman ( Project Involve 2023, Grant Recipient 2023)
ANIMATION SHORT FILMS
Living with a Visionary
After 50 years of marriage, John must care for his wife while learning to live alongside her vivid hallucinations.
Produced by Mireia Vilanova (Project Involve 2021)
Once in a Body
A woman seeks to reconcile with her sister over an incident from their adolescence by exploring their shared experiences through their bodies.
Produced by Mireia Vilanova (Project Involve 2021)
Congratulations to all the Fellows! Learn more and apply to the Labs and Programs produced by Film Independent Artist Development.
Header Image: Union County
Want to vote for the winners of the 2026 Spirit Awards? Become a Member by December 16. Only Members get to vote to decide the winners. You’ll receive screeners, not to mention year-round access to a plethora of virtual and in-person screenings, special events, education, workshops and more, so we invite everyone to Join. Watch. Vote. To support us with a donation, click here.
More Film Independent…
Tsiddahn! Ego Nwodim to Host the 41st Film Independent Spirit Awards
We’re thrilled to announce that Ego Nwodim will host the 41st annual Film Independent Spirit Awards at the Hollywood Palladium next February, with humor and wit sharper than the kind of knife you’d need to cut through an extra, extra well-done steak.
The Saturday Night Live alum and NAACP Image Award Nominee will join a long line of unique and hilarious voices to host the show, such as Aidy Bryant, Hasan Minhaj, Melissa Villaseñor and Aubrey Plaza.
After seven seasons on SNL, Nwodim is showing no signs of slowing down. She hosts the award-winning podcast Thanks Dad, and she’ll soon be seen in Mindy Kaling’s upcoming Hulu comedy Not Suitable for Work, as well as Disney and Pixar’s Hoppers.
“No stage celebrates the incredible work of these visionary artists and independent creators everywhere quite like the Spirit Awards,” said Nwodim. “I can’t wait to join Film Independent for an afternoon of fun, laughs and a few surprises.”
“Miss Eggy” will take the reigns Sunday, February 15, 2026, and you can watch along on the Film Independent and IMDb YouTube channels, and across other social platforms, beginning at 2:00 pm PT.
“We are thrilled to have the brilliantly talented Ego Nwodim joining us to host the 41st annual Spirit Awards,” said Brenda Robinson, Acting President of Film Independent. “Ego has entertained audiences with her sharp wit and genius comedic timing for many years and we’re excited to make her a part of Film Independent history.”
Want to vote for the winners of the 2026 Spirit Awards? Become a Member by December 16. Only Members get to vote to decide the winners. You’ll receive screeners, not to mention year-round access to a plethora of virtual and in-person screenings, special events, education, workshops and more, so we invite everyone to Join. Watch. Vote.
Then, on Sunday, February 15, T-S-I-D-D-A-H-N, tune in and watch the hilarity unfold.
Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.
More Film Independent…
Here Are Your 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees!
Hurray for Hollywood! The 41st annual Film Independent Spirit Awards are just around the corner and headed to the Hollywood Palladium. Today, we’re excited to announce the nominees for the 2026 Spirit Awards.
Spirit Awards winners are voted on exclusively by Film Independent Members. Be sure to join by December 16 to receive access to nominee screeners and full Spirit Awards Member benefits.
The show will stream live from the heart of Tinseltown, celebrating the best of independent film and television. Tune in Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT on the Film Independent and IMDb YouTube channels, and across Film Independent’s social platforms.
The nominations were announced earlier today on our YouTube channel – watch the announcement below and, of course, like and subscribe!
And for the logophiles out there, here are this year’s nominees, all typed out just for you:
Film Categories
BEST FEATURE (Award given to the producer)
Peter Hujar’s Day
Producers: Jonah Disend, Jordan Drake
The Plague
Producers: Derek Dauchy, Joel Edgerton, Roy Lee, Lucy McKendrick, Steven Schneider, Lizzie Shapiro
Sorry, Baby
Producers: Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski
Train Dreams
Producers: Michael Heimler, Will Janowitz, Marissa McMahon, Ashley Schlaifer, Teddy Schwarzman
Twinless
Producers: David Permut, James Sweeney
BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to director and producer)
Blue Sun Palace
Director: Constance Tsang
Producers: Sally Sujin Oh, Eli Raskin, Tony Yang
Dust Bunny
Director/Producer: Bryan Fuller
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee
East of Wall
Director/Producer: Kate Beecroft
Producers: Shannon Moss, Melanie Ramsayer, Lila Yacoub
Lurker
Director: Alex Russell
Producers: Galen Core, Archie Madekwe, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Olmo Schnabel, Jack Selby
One of Them Days
Director: Lawrence Lamont
Producers: Deniese Davis, Poppy Hanks, James Lopez, Issa Rae, Sara Rastogi
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000 (Award given to the writer, director and producer)
The Baltimorons
Director/Writer/Producer: Jay Duplass
Writer/Producer: Michael Strassner
Producers: David Bonnett Jr., Drew Langer
Boys Go to Jupiter
Director/Writer: Julian Glander
Eephus
Director/Writer/Producer: Carson Lund
Writer/Producer: Michael Basta
Writer: Nate Fisher
Producers: David Entin, Tyler Taormina
Esta Isla (This Island)
Directors/Writers/Producers: Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina
Writer: Kisha Tikina Burgos
Familiar Touch
Director/Writer/Producer: Sarah Friedland
Producers: Alexandra Byer, Matthew Thurm
BEST DIRECTOR
Clint Bentley
Train Dreams
Mary Bronstein
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Lloyd Lee Choi
Lucky Lu
Ira Sachs
Peter Hujar’s Day
Eva Victor
Sorry, Baby
BEST SCREENPLAY
Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin
Splitsville
Angus MacLachlan
A Little Prayer
James Sweeney
Twinless
Christian Swegal
Sovereign
Eva Victor
Sorry, Baby
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Andrew DeYoung
Friendship
Elena Oxman
Outerlands
Alex Russell
Lurker
Syreeta Singleton
One of Them Days
Constance Tsang
Blue Sun Palace
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE
Everett Blunck
The Plague
Rose Byrne
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kathleen Chalfant
Familiar Touch
Chang Chen
Lucky Lu
Joel Edgerton
Train Dreams
Dylan O’Brien
Twinless
Keke Palmer
One of Them Days
Théodore Pellerin
Lurker
Tessa Thompson
Hedda
Ben Whishaw
Peter Hujar’s Day
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Naomi Ackie
Sorry, Baby
Zoey Deutch
Nouvelle Vague
Kirsten Dunst
Roofman
Rebecca Hall
Peter Hujar’s Day
Nina Hoss
Hedda
Jane Levy
A Little Prayer
Archie Madekwe
Lurker
Kali Reis
Rebuilding
Jacob Tremblay
Sovereign
Haipeng Xu
Blue Sun Palace
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Liz Larsen
The Baltimorons
Misha Osherovich
She’s the He
Kayo Martin
The Plague
SZA
One of Them Days
Tabatha Zimiga
East of Wall
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alex Ashe
Peter Hujar’s Day
Norm Li
Blue Sun Palace
David J. Thompson
Warfare
Adolpho Veloso
Train Dreams
Nicole Hirsch Whitaker
Dust Bunny
BEST EDITING
Ben Leonberg
Good Boy
Carson Lund
Eephus
Fin Oates
Warfare
Sara Shaw
Splitsville
Sofía Subercaseaux
The Testament of Ann Lee
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast
The Long Walk
Director: Francis Lawrence
Casting Director: Rich Delia
Ensemble Cast: Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing
BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
Come See Me in the Good Light
Director/Producer: Ryan White
Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen
Endless Cookie
Director: Peter Scriver
Director/Producer: Seth Scriver
Producers: Dan Bekerman, Alex Ordanis, Jason Ryle, Chris Yurkovich
My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
Director/Producer: Julia Loktev
The Perfect Neighbor
Director/Producer: Geeta Gandbhir
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne
The Tale of Silyan
Director/Producer: Tamara Kotevska
Producers: Jean Dakar, Anna Hashmi, Jordanco Petkovski
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
All That’s Left of You
Palestine, Jordan, Germany, Cyprus
Director: Cherien Dabis
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Zambia, UK, Ireland
Director: Rungano Nyoni
A Poet
Colombia
Director: Simón Mesa Soto
The Secret Agent
Brazil
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Sirāt
Spain
Director: Oliver Laxe
Emerging Filmmaker Awards
PRODUCERS AWARD – The Producers Award, now in its 29th year, honors an emerging producer who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrates the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films. This award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Emma Hannaway
Luca Intili
Tony Yang
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 32nd year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. This award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Tatti Ribeiro
Director of Valentina
Neo Sora
Director of Happyend
Annapurna Sriram
Director of Fucktoys
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 31st year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. This award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Tony Benna
Director of André is an Idiot
Rajee Samarasinghe
Director of Your Touch Makes Others Invisible
Brittany Shyne
Director of Seeds
Television Categories
BEST NEW NON-SCRIPTED OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)
Citizen Nation
Creator: Bret Sigler
Executive Producers: Christopher Buck, Kyra Darnton
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time
Executive Producers: Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Ryan Coogler, Myles Estey, Ted Skillman, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Peter Nicks, Kalia King, Carolyn Payne, Sean David Johnson
Co-Executive Producer: Kelli Buchanan
Pee-wee as Himself
Executive Producers: Matt Wolf, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Paul Reubens, Candace Tomarken, Kyle Martin, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez
Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television
Executive Producers: Issa Rae, Montrel McKay, John Maggio, Rachel Dretzin, John Ealer, Jonathan Berry, Dave Becky, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez
Co-Executive Producers: Esther Dere, Zachary Herrmann
Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae
Executive Producers: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Amy Kaufman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riva Marker
Producer: Yvonne Russo
Co-Executive Producer: Mark Becker
BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)
Adolescence
Creators/Executive Producers: Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham
Executive Producers: Philip Barantini, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Nina Wolarsky, Hannah Walters, Mark Herbert, Emily Feller
Co-Executive Producers: Carina Sposato, Niall Shamma, Peter Balm
Common Side Effects
Creators/Executive Producers: Joe Bennett, Steve Hely
Executive Producers: Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, Dustin Davis, James Merrill, Sean Buckelew, Benjy Brooke, Kelly Crews, Suzanna Makkos
Co-Executive Producer: Dave King
Forever
Creator/Executive Producer: Mara Brock Akil
Executive Producers: Regina King, Susie Fitzgerald, Shana C. Waterman, Reina King, Anthony Hemingway, Judy Blume, Erika Harrison, Sara E. White
Co-Executive Producer: Jerron Horton
Mr Loverman
Executive Producers: Lennie James, Hong Khaou, Jo McClellan, Faye Ward, Hannah Farrell, Hannah Price
North of North
Creators/Executive Producers: Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril
Executive Producers: Garry Campbell, Anya Adams, Susan Coyne, Miranda de Pencier
Co-Executive Producers: Teresa M. Ho, Michael Goldbach, Kathryn Borel Jr., JP Larocque
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Sydney Chandler
Alien: Earth
Stephen Graham
Adolescence
Ethan Hawke
The Lowdown
Lennie James
Mr Loverman
Anna Lambe
North of North
Lola Petticrew
Say Nothing
Seth Rogen
The Studio
Lovie Simone
Forever
Michelle Williams
Dying for Sex
Noah Wyle
The Pitt
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Ariyon Bakare
Mr Loverman
Babou Ceesay
Alien: Earth
Sharon D Clarke
Mr Loverman
Taylor Dearden
The Pitt
Erin Doherty
Adolescence
Stephen McKinley Henderson
A Man on the Inside
Poorna Jagannathan
Deli Boys
Xosha Roquemore
Forever
Jenny Slate
Dying for Sex
Ben Whishaw
Black Doves
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Asif Ali
Deli Boys
Wally Baram
Overcompensating
Owen Cooper
Adolescence
Michael Cooper Jr.
Forever
Ernest Kingsley Junior
Washington Black
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Chief of War
Ensemble Cast: Charlie Brumbly, Luciane Buchanan, Cliff Curtis, Brandon Finn, Moses Goods, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Benjamin Hoetjes, Siua Ikale’o, Keala Kahuanui-Paleka, Mainei Kinimaka, Kaina Makua, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Te Kohe Tuhaka, James Udom
Congratulations to all of the nominees, and remember to tune in to the 41st Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT. The show will be streamed live on the Film Independent and IMDb YouTube channels, and across our social platforms.
Want to vote for the winners of the 2026 Spirit Awards? Become a Member by December 16th, and you’ll be able to watch screeners of the nominees and vote for the winners, plus you’ll get year-round access to a plethora of virtual and in-person screenings, special events, education, workshops and more.
Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To support us with a donation, click here.
Keep up with Film Independent…
Don’t Miss Indies: What to Watch in December
‘Tis the season for generosity, humankindness, and curling up with a good flick – the last of which, according to Film Independent’s mission, ideally will serve all the rest. A good flick offers more than an entertaining pause in December activity, but actually enlightens and expands the potential to inhabit it. To simply be here for it.
Human stories that make you feel more human. Let’s dig in.
PREDATORS
When You Can Watch: December 4
Where You Can Watch: Film Independent Presents
Director: David Osit
Cast: Bryce, Chris Hansen, Dani Jayden
Why We’re Excited: Seventeen years after the popular TV series To Catch A Predator, Emmy- and Peabody-award winning David Osit (Thank You For Playing) asked himself, “Why don’t I make a film about how much true crime bothers me?” – quoted in an interview with Documentary Magazine. The result explores the phenomenon of the show’s success, and how it handled people’s stories, using young-looking decoys to lure child predators to a house full of cameras. There Chris Hansen would confront them, then release them to a waiting police team. Featuring interviews with some of the series decoys as well as imitators of the show, the documentary raises more questions than it answers, leaving us to do business with what we’ve seen and draw our own conclusions about ethical documentation.
100 NIGHTS OF HERO
When You Can Watch: December 5
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Julia Jackman
Cast: Emma Corrin, Richard E. Grant, Nicholas Galitzine
Why We’re Excited: Isabel Greenberg’s 2016bgraphic novel haunted the imagination of Julia Jackman long before she considered herself a filmmaker. In Jackman’s first foray into features, Spirit Award nominee Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World) plays the title role, a charismatic servant in the castle of a fantasy kingdom defined by its god, BirdMan (Spirit Award winner Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?). In the center of the castle predicament, a queen’s responsibility to produce an heir is complicated by a love triangle involving Hero herself and a charming visitor whom the king has enticed to seduce his wife. The light-hearted tone and endearing characters make this epic seem intimate, political, and human.
THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER
When You Can Watch: December 5
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Kristen Stewart
Cast: Imogen Poots, Thora Birch, Jim Belushi
Why We’re Excited: This pain-becomes-art memoir is the directorial debut for Academy Award nominee Kristen Stewart (Spencer), who spent eight years getting it made. The screenplay is adapted from the 2011 bestseller by Lidia Yuknavitch. “Not every book can become a movie,” Stewart told Numéro, “but this one swept me away. I immediately wanted to turn it into a collective experience.” Lidia (Imogen Poots, Hedda) and Claudia (Thora Birch, The Midway Point) are sisters who share an abusive past at the hands of their father. As Lidia channels her trauma into competitive swimming, drugs and then writing, she embarks on a poetic exploratory mission to mine her own memories and find her story. The crew includes Film Independent members Rebecca Feuer (Producer) and Olivia Neergaard-Holm (Editor).
MAN FINDS TAPE
When You Can Watch: December 5
Where You Can Watch: Theaters and Streaming
Directors: Paul Gandersman, Peter S. Hall
Cast: John Gholson, Kelsey Pribilski, William Magnusen
Why We’re Excited: Co-creators Paul Gandersman and Peter S. Hall wanted their first feature to have the emotional truth and compelling mystery of Sarah Polley’s 2012 documentary, Stories We Tell. “[Stories is] not a horror film,” said Hall in an interview with Creepy Kingdom, “but it was a huge influence on us because it’s a movie that makes you question the reliability of the person telling the story.” The resulting found footage horror mockumentary premiered at Tribeca, following a documentary filmmaker (Kelsey Pribilski, Landman) who returns to Larkin, Texas to help her brother (William Magnusen, House of Abraham) investigate the tape he found. Between the elusive memories of locals, disturbing supernatural phenomena, and the arrival of a menacing stranger, the siblings’ loyalties are put to the test.
ROSEMEAD
When You Can Watch: December 5
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Eric Lin
Cast: Lucy Liu, Lawrence Shou, Orion Lee
Why We’re Excited: Cinematographer Eric Lin takes his first turn in the director’s chair to bring to life this true story of a widowed mother and her son, who is plagued with violent impulses after the death of his father. Action star Lucy Liu (Kill Bill, Vol. 1) worked on this as a producer for 7 years, embracing the role of Irene and the visceral experience of acting in her first language of Mandarin. Irene is a first generation Chinese-American woman struggling to cope with cultural obligations while caring for her son and facing cancer. The topic of mental health in Asian communities is important to Liu. “It’s about how things can distort when people are living in shame and isolation,” she said in an interview with Parade, commenting on the unique secrecy of family life in Chinese culture and the desperate need for connection. Film Independent members on the production team are Andrew Corkin (Producer), Mynette Louie (Producer), and Tony Yang (Co-Producer).
THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO
When You Can Watch: December 12
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Diego Céspedes
Cast: Tamara Cortes, Matías Catalán, Paula Dinamarca
Why We’re Excited: As the son of a hairdresser that employed gay men, this story of a queer Chilean community at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic sprang from the heart of Diego Céspedes – even though its 1982 setting is well before his time. Céspedes was 30 when Flamingo won the “Un Certain Regard” at Cannes, capturing hearts with 12-year-old Lidia (Tamara Cortes) and her family of mothers made up of transvestites like Flamenco (Matías Catalán, Bitter Gold) and trans women like Mama Boa (Paula Dinamarca, Naomi Campbel). We experience all this from Lidia’s perspective, as local miners impose blindfolds on her chosen family in an attempt to block the transmission of a mysterious disease through their gaze. Through Lidia, the film explores prejudice and love with fresh eyes.
RESURRECTION
When You Can Watch: December 12
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Bi Gan
Cast: Jackson Yee, Shu Qi, Mark Chao
Why We’re Excited: Resurrection poses a riddle – “What can one person do that two people can’t?” Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan (Long Day’s Journey Into Night) explores the importance of dreams in this surreal odyssey in six parts, unfolding a century of cinematic storytelling through individual senses. Jackson Yee (Better Days) is the social outcast who dares embark on this journey through time and perception. The sense of sight is represented in silent film, followed by sound, taste, smell, touch and mind. Gan observed how the storytelling style evolved significantly in the 7 years since he released his previous film. He told THR, “My creative process hasn’t changed much, but the world has. And that made me feel like I had to finally make this film now. I hoped it could bring some comfort to the audience.”
FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER
When You Can Watch: December 24
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Writer/Director: Jim Jarmusch
Cast: Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik
Why We’re Excited: Spirit Award nominee Jim Jarmusch (Only Lovers Left Alive) wasn’t trying to say anything with this poignant observation of three different families of adult children. In fact, he was deliberately trying to say nothing – hoping to simply let the stories unfold. Inspired largely by the actors he works with, and almost not at all from his own life, Jarmusch started the script by imagining Tom Waits (The Dead Don’t Die) as the father of Spirit Award winner Adam Driver (Marriage Story). When Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory) surfaced as his favorite Jeopardy host, Jarmusch filled out the ensemble of distant parent-child relationships. The other two families feature a British mother and her wildly different daughters, then a recently bereaved pair of Parisian twins. The minimal, humorous and cinematic result is a fitting reflection on life and relationships that will leave you to your own reflections.
SILENT FRIEND
When You Can Watch: December 25
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Ildikó Enyedi
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Luna Wedler, Enzo Brumm
Why We’re Excited: A conceptual journey through time, as the titular friend – a gingko tree in the center of a German university garden – observes human activity during the 2020 pandemic, where a neuroscientist played by Spirit Award nominee Tony Leung Chiu-wai (Lust, Caution) takes an interest in the tree. In the 70’s and early 1900’s other stories of discovery unfold, a student conducting experiments on plant sensation and a female scientist meeting resistance in a male-dominated field. Director Ildikó Enyedi (On Body and Soul) is intentional about how each time period is portrayed, reflecting distinct attitudes and perceptions through her stylistic choices. The cumulative effect is enchanting, lending to an overarching journey for humanity and nature to connect, as each person lets the natural world inform and then transform them.
PROGRAMMER’S PICK: THE PLAGUE
When You Can Watch: October 25
Where You Can Watch: Film Independent Presents
Writer/Director: Charlie Polinger
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Everett Blunck, Kenny Rasmussen
Why We’re Excited: From Film Independent Lead Programmer Jenn Wilson:
“Charlie Polinger’s debut feature is set at a water polo camp for 12 and 13 year old boys, and it’s the perfect environment to help him invoke the terrors of adolescence. A young newcomer named Ben (Everett Blunck) seems to be making friends with the popular gang of boys, that is, until he starts to show empathy for Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), another boy at the camp. The cool kids bully Eli about his skin condition. They call it the plague, and theorize that anyone who gets touched by him will catch his condition. Ben quickly learns that remaining popular will come at a high cost as even he begins to be terrified that he’s caught ‘the plague.’ Polinger does an amazing job at directing this terrific cast of kids and Joel Edgerton as their coach, and the cinematography by Steven Breckon is absolutely stunning.”
Produced by Film Independent members Lizzie Shapiro (Producer) and Lexi Tannenholtz (Executive Producer).
KEY
Film Independent Fellow or Member
Film Independent Presents Screening, Q&A
Microbudget
Filmmaker or Lead Characters of Color
Film Independent Spirit Award Winner or Nominee
Female Filmmaker
LGBT Filmmaker or Lead LGBT Characters
First-time Filmmaker
LA Film Festival Winner or Nominee
Want to vote for the winners in the 2026 Spirit Awards? Join Film Independent today! Before you know it, you’ll be knee-deep in screeners and attending in-person screenings, special events, workshops, and more. The 2026 Spirit Award nominations will be announced on December 3.
Keep up with Film Independent…
Six Thanksgiving Films to Get Your Taste Buds Tingling and Your Heart Pumping
In this life everyone experiences their share of losses, challenges, and setbacks. It’s often said that it’s easier to focus on the bad than the good, and even if that’s true that doesn’t necessarily make it right. When tomorrow isn’t promised, how much more appealing is the memory of joy over sorrow? If life is a cycle, inevitably repeating itself, how much more appealing is a life of pleasure over pain? One might confuse this expressed idealism with naivety, but it’s more like spotlighting light itself. As visual storytellers and enthusiasts, we collectively understand that hardships and blues are as certain as the gripping cold that befalls the Film Independent headquarters this time of year. It’s a matter of choice, and here we choose to make the most out of life. To confront it as well as to celebrate it, because there is much to celebrate and be thankful for. Hopefully, that even includes this carefully curated list of six on-theme films!
Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that people can get really anxious about. Whether it be the pressure of cooking, seeing family, or even figuring out if you want to sit this one out. In a way, it acts as a prelude to Christmas. A let’s see how this goes kind of energy. The reality is that life pulls us in all different directions, and holidays are an opportunity to gather. Still, if you need to take a break from the conversation, or if you’re looking for something to keep the festivities going, the following are some Thanksgiving films to keep on your radar. From delicious spreads of food you wish you could just reach in and grab to complicated relationships untangling before you (for better or worse), at least one of these picks is sure to be worthy of home entertainment.
Babette’s Feast (1987)
Director: Gabriel Axel
Original Writer: Karen Blixen
Screenwriters: Gabriel Axel, Annemarie Aaes
Cast: Stéphane Audren, Bodil Kijr, Birgitte Federspiel, Jarl Kulle
Why We Love It: Prepare to experience the finest French seven-course meal you’ve ever seen portrayed on-screen in Babette’s Feast. It’s a singular dinner scene that takes its time, allowing you to feel like you’re there seated at the table alongside the characters, and in the kitchen with the woman behind it all. Babette (Stéphane Audren) is a Frenchwoman who unexpectedly—or rather miraculously—finds herself traveling to a quaint, seaside village in Denmark to work as a maid for two elderly sisters. The sisters, Filippa (Bodil Kijr) and Martine (Birgitte Federspiel), and most of the village residents are of a puritanical faith, which will later cause some anxiety among them about the approaching feast that seems much too foreign. Themes of abstinence and indulgence collide, and shown in different ways throughout the film. Is there a world where these two opposing forces can coexist? Axel’s masterpiece seems to think so, and perhaps it can politely persuade suspicious minds.
Where to Watch: HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Prime Video
Avalon (1990)
Writer/Director: Barry Levinson
Cast: Armin Mueller-Stahl, Aidan Quinn, Elizabeth Perkins, Joan Plowright, Elijah Wood
Why We Love It: An Independence Day film just as much as a Thanksgiving film, with more than one Thanksgiving scene that is. Avalon is a generational drama that strikes a wonderful balance of cinematic and candid dramatization. As heartbreaking as the plot can get, Levinson and co. bring that “movie magic” to the screen, drawing attention to the impressive sets, costumes, and cinematography. It’s a decade-spanning story that at times feels like an epic, capturing the life of a Polish-American family in Baltimore. The perspective bounces between Sam Krichinsky (Armin Mueller-Stahl), Jules Kaye (Aidan Quinn), and Michael Kaye (Elijah Wood)—three generations journeying through their own experiences together. Avalon is an immigrant story, an entrepreneurial story, and a coming-of-age story all at the same time. This careful blend of perspectives makes the Krichinsky family feel whole, even when times get rough. Did I mention a promising performance by a 9-year-old Elijah Wood? Ah, the pre-Frodo days.
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Ang Lee, James Schamus, Wang Huiling
Cast: Lung Sihung, Yang Kuei-mei, Wu Chien-Lien, Wang Yu-wen
Why We Love It: According to Master Chef Chu (Lung Sihung): eating, drinking, men, and women are “basic human desires,” an idea that is explored tenderly in Ang Lee’s Eat Drink Man Woman. Set in Taipei, the film follows Chu and his three adulting daughters Jia-Jen (Yang Kuei-mei), Jia-Chien (Wu Chien-Lien), and Jia-Ning (Wang Yu-wen) as they navigate change between their personal lives and home life. Although not directly a Thanksgiving film, they gather for dinner weekly over a full spread of Chinese haute cuisine. Food and family, arguably the top two ingredients that make Thanksgiving, are front and center in this film. It distinctly meditates on growing pains, how and what young adults do in an effort to grow out of the dependency on their parents. Life is frightening, but it changes no matter what, so when you know you know. Perhaps what makes it easier is achieving a level of transparency with loved ones that wasn’t there before, because then you have less in life to worry about. If you’re looking for a sweet, heartfelt story with cooking montages for the senses, this might be your pick.
Where to Watch: Tubi, Kanopy, Prime Video
The House of Yes (1997)
Director: Mark Waters
Original Writer: Wendy MacLeod
Screenwriter: Mark Waters
Cast: Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Tori Spelling, Freddie Prinze Jr.
Why We Love It: The House of Yes is probably the least family-friendly pick on this list, and that’s precisely part of its charm. The right amount and quality of food, family, and communion are the main factors that allow for a successful Thanksgiving. However, sometimes the right amount and quality of these pillars don’t exactly come together, and you’re left with unpleasantry and dysfunctionality. That happens to be the case with the Pascale family, specifically when Marty (Josh Hamilton) brings his new girlfriend Lesly (Tori Spelling) to meet his family on Thanksgiving. His sister is obsessed with the assassination of John F. Kennedy, so much so that she goes by Jackie-O (Parker Posey). Twisted, right? Well, yes, and Posey gives one of the best performances of her career. So, if you happen to be in the mood for a little schadenfreude, or if you just want something fun to keep the party going, take a chance on this overlooked dark comedy.
Where to Watch: YouTube Movies & TV, Prime Video
Soul Food (1997)
Writer/Director: George Tillman Jr.
Cast: Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Brandon Hammond
Why We Love It: Sunday family dinners at Mama Joe’s is an upheld tradition for the Joseph family, but when she falls ill her daughters Teri (Vanessa Williams), Maxine (Vivica A. Fox), and Robin (Nia Long) struggle to maintain the tradition. Fortunately for them, the youngest in the family—the next generation—Ahmad (Brandon Hammond) cares deeply for this family tradition, and is moved to do what he can to keep it alive. Soul Food celebrates family in all its beauty and chaos. Big families are tough to navigate sometimes, and the film shows that unabashedly. The weekly meals symbolize the importance of consistent connectivity, something that may not always be possible, but worth pursuing. Hence, the meaningful impact traditions can have. The food becomes its own character that just calls for your attention. Classic soul food dishes like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese never looked so good. Its all-star cast brings top-tier charisma and emotional weight to the table, and leaves you believing in a message of forgiveness, unity, and mindfulness just a little bit more.
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Prime Video
The New World (2005)
Writer/Director: Terrence Malick
Cast: Colin Farrell, Q’orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale
Why We Love It: The New World may not depict the first Thanksgiving, but it depicts the appropriate faces, settings, and moods to help you imagine it. Much like Malick’s other works, it’s an undeniably breathtaking film that transports you to a less bulldozed and polluted North America. Every shot is composed with a poetic eye, immortalizing the unmatched beauty of the natural world. Another thing it immortalizes is the story of Amonute, better known as Pocahontas (Q’orianka Kilcher), and her relationships with John Smith (Colin Farrell) and John Rolfe (Christian Bale); an early piece of history that lacks credible documentation from all sides, often leading myth to precede truth. So, it’s no great surprise that creative liberty is taken, but the film still treats the story less as myth and more as something intensely human. An illuminating debut performance by Q’orianka Kilcher, paired with Malick’s direction brings nuance to a story that could have otherwise been wildly misinterpreted. The New World meditates on nature, cultural differences, great change, etc., all profound topics worthy of conversation throughout a day meant for giving thanks.
Where to Watch: Prime Video
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Bifurcating Character with Incisive and Witty Inner Monologue: a Masterclass with ‘Murderbot’ Co-Showrunners Paul Weitz and Spirit Awards Winner Chris Weitz
One of the most delightful series to premiere this summer, Murderbot is a witty, quirky sci-fi dramedy that explores thought-provoking themes under the guise of a breezy and surprisingly charming narrative about what it means to be human. The most unexpected element: it is told entirely through the lens (quite literally) of a security android — or “SecUnit” — that calls itself Murderbot. Adapted from Martha Wells’ science fiction books, The Murderbot Diaries, the Apple TV series is written and directed by brothers and Oscar nominees for About a Boy, Chris and Paul Weitz. Chris is also a Spirit Awards winner for the Lulu Wang-directed Chinese family drama, The Farewell.
Since SecUnits issued by the Corporation Rim (a group of mega-corporations ruling the galaxy in the distant future) are sentient, complete obedience to human orders is guaranteed by the “governor module” in each unit. However, Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård, who nabbed an Emmy for his intricate and chilling performance in the HBO series, Big Little Lies), figures out how to disable its module to gain autonomy. “Murderbot is sentient from the get-go — it’s basically a slavery narrative. It’s important to Martha that Murderbot was always sentient,” Chris says of the close collaboration with consulting producer, Wells. “All the SecUnits are under human control. They can think for themselves but can’t act for themselves. So, they experience this torture of being at the disposal of others.” In addition to exploring themes of humanity and free will, the series also calls into question the issue of personhood, as Paul notes: “To what degree are we going to grant personhood to non-human intelligence?”
A very timely exploration of what a future permeated by AI might look like, Murderbot wisely subverts the tropes by discarding the robot killing machine stereotype. “The world that Martha lays out is dismal in terms of the extraction of labor and the abuse of sentient constructs. The dystopian angle has been done really well, there’s no point in trying to do that. So, we wanted to take a different approach,” Chris explains, adding that “One thing we liked about Martha’s books was that it wasn’t a story about an AI that wants to be like human or to dominate humans. It’s about a different kind of person and what that person wants to do and how they figure it out.” Paul concurs: “On the one end, we have Pinocchio, a non-human thing that wants to be human, and we have the Terminator, which wants to kill everybody. But Murderbot is a third variation.” In fact, it does not yearn to be human at all, let alone control or destroy humanity. “We tend to underestimate how half-assed everything is in reality. Some of the interactions with chatbots now displays utter incompetence and weirdness, so I think AI is going to have neuroses, just like humans,” adds Paul.
Murderbot’s next assignment is to protect a group of hippie scientists from an egalitarian society on an expedition to a hostile planet plagued by flesh-eating centipede creatures and other threats. Led by terraforming expert Dr. Mensah (Noma Dumezweni), the crew includes wormhole scientist Ratthi (Akshay Khanna) and augmented human, Gurathin (David Dastmalchian), who is immediately suspicious of their SecUnit. Since Murderbot’s newfound autonomy has to remain a secret — or it risks being melted down for spare parts — it pretends to be unresponsive when people bully or torture it in myriad ways. It’s no wonder that it has developed a disdain for humans, which we learn through its inner monologue. “I think everybody has an internal curmudgeon that we let out in different degrees. Being skeptical about humans is something that we all share,” Paul says.
Skarsgård’s deadpan delivery of Murderbot’s snarky inner monologue through frequent voiceover narration brilliantly bifurcates the character: the stoic and expressionless SecUnit on-screen is juxtaposed against its honest and amusing opinions about how stupid, inefficient, and downright annoying humans can be. “A lot of that was already in Martha’s novella and we added some ad lib. When you adapt a novel in first-person narrative, you’re effectively listening to voiceover the entire time, but it’s a problem when you get to the screen. We tried to use it to explain things as little as possible, but more as a contrast. There’s comic possibility when a character shows no emotion or reaction whatsoever, but is actually feeling things deeply inside,” Chris explains. “I think we were a little less terrified of voiceover after About a Boy, which has dual voiceovers [for each of the male leads],” Paul adds.
Although much of the inner monologue was in the script, refinements were needed in post when Skarsgård — who pulls double duty as an EP — recorded additional lines over a few months. “We recorded with him in Stockholm, New York, and Los Angeles, and he would try 100 to 200 versions of a line. It’s tricky when voiceover is timed with what’s being revealed [on-screen]. You can’t just have somebody reading it off while the other actors pause until they can say their line. Sometimes we were just guessing how long something would take,” Paul shares. “That kind of led to some of our signature complaints of short episodes,” Chris reveals, referring to the 22-25-minute episodes. “The inner monologue takes up a lot of space on the page. Sometimes we were actually worried that episodes could be too long.”
While Murderbot’s utter lack of sense of humor provides much of the visual comedy, its inner monologue creates serendipitous moments of humor, empathy, wit, and compassion when paired with its caustic views and exasperated dismay at human behavior. “By that point, we had the advantage of looking back on the whole series. Sometimes we got another shot at the tone with the vocal cadence. Recording dialog is a fiddly thing — the way someone sounds one day can be entirely different from another,” Chris points out.
In some ways, the Swedish actor with supermodel good looks may not be the most straightforward choice for the asexual, androgenous Murderbot. But in portraying the hilariously grumpy and battle-weary SecUnit, Skarsgård telegraphs every sinew of emotion with the slightest of micro-expressions, delivering a nuanced and stirring — in several instances, even heartbreaking — performance. “The story has such fragility and tenderness to it,” the actor recalls recently during a post-screening Q&A. As Chris reveals, they “didn’t have lengthy conversations about how he would play it ahead of time,” adding that: “We really trusted what Alexander would to bring to it. But the world that Murderbot was reacting to had to be right in order to evoke the appropriate responses from him. So, we assembled the best cast around him.”
“There are two performances going on simultaneously: what Murderbot is showing to the world versus the internal monologue. After we started shooting, we realized the internal monologue could be very expressive because Alex was playing the on-screen stuff so close to the vest,” Paul says of Skarsgård’s restrained on-screen performance as a contrast against the android’s more emphatic, sardonic private thoughts. Murderbot is normally treated as a piece of equipment or otherwise like garbage. So, when Mensah’s touchy-feely team treats it with warmth and kindness, it is appalled and confused at first, but eventually, it learns to care for them as well. “That was the big decision, both in terms of Alex’s performance and Murderbot’s affection for the crew. Alex was very keen to hold off on giving away that Murderbot really cares about them. And he was right — it helped create tension through the series,” Paul reveals of one of the few changes in an adaptation that hews closely to the books. “We didn’t take anything out of the book, but added a few, including the character Leebeebee (Anne Konkle), to reboot some tension and let Murderbot do something that horrified people in the middle of the season and made them suspicious of it again.”
Constructed from lab-grown organic parts with enhanced inorganic materials, Murderbot was built without socially-curated behavioral norms or a morality framework. However, as Mensah and Raathi insist on treating it as part of the team, it soon exhibits behaviors arguably more human than what we’ve seen from some people — even sacrificing itself more than once to save them — propelling the notion that sentient beings are inherently good. “AI systems or large language models (“LLM”) feed on vast troves of information produced by humanity and are trained by humans. So, they act according to what they think humans might do — they’re made from us. People are basically good, it’s those who are unwell who commit acts that we consider evil,” Chris shares. Later in the series, Gurathin — who sees Murderbot as a threat — reveals that it might have massacred dozens of people on a recent mission. Once exposed, Murderbot is mortified and ashamed. “It’s privacy has been violated, its sense of dignity and inviolability has been trespassed on. That’s true for all kinds of people and creatures,” Chris notes. “There’s shame on a cellular level that comes with being human. And while Murderbot is not human, it does have organic flesh,” Paul adds.
At one point, Murderbot is captured by another security unit from a rival team of explorers, which forcibly inserts a “combat override module” to force it to kill Mensah’s team. To save them, Murderbot tries to kill itself instead. “We didn’t want it to be too sentimental or self-sacrificial. Murderbot was killing itself out of spite — it’s not going to let someone else impose their will and frame it as a rogue SecUnit that killed its clients because it’s evil. It refuses to be defined by others,” Chris reveals, suggesting that androids inherently know right from wrong. “In that moment, it says ‘Well, f*ck that.’ in the voiceover,” Paul adds. “It’s also about the dignity of work. Murderbot is pretty good at protecting people, that’s one of the things that define it as a person.”
Paul thinks that “it’s also a bit about the value of laziness,” which is consistent with what Skarsgård has jokingly said on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert: “There’s very little murder on the show, it’s mostly procrastinating bot.” Paul recalls in the pilot, where Murderbot fantasizes about killing the whole crew. “But it’s like, ‘Then what do I do?’ It would just be stuck here. What’s the point of killing all these people?” He explains Murderbot’s glum persistence in continuing to execute its duties thusly: “It’s like that Samuel Beckett line, ‘I can’t go on, I’ll go on.’ It takes a certain amount of sicko energy to really want to hurt people.” Fortunately for Mensah & Co, Murderbot finds it much easier to simply binge-watch television instead!
One of Murderbot’s most endearing and relatable qualities is its addiction to soap operas: as soon as it gained autonomy, it downloaded and obsessively watches 7,000-plus hours of trash TV and is often annoyed when duty calls. Its favorite is a hysterical Star Trek parody called The Rise & Fall of Santuary Moon. Do what you will to Murderbot, but never criticize the show in its presence! One of the most amusing lines comes from Ratthi, who tries to be buddies with Murderbot (whom he affectionately calls “Sec-y”). Skeptical that an android could be so drawn to any show, he quizzes it about a deep cut of the show, asking if it has watched the episode “where the colony’s solicitor killed the terraforming supervisor who was the secondary donor for her implanted baby?” As Chris recalls, “that line was longer than in the book, but super funny. And Alex added in a reference to a friend of his for bookkeeper Wittenmark.” Since it is perplexed by human emotions and finds eye contact and any kind of physical intimacy revolting, it watches soap operas to learn how to navigate human emotions: “All the emotions are on the surface, that’s partly what draws Murderbot to Sanctuary Moon,” says Paul.
[Warning: spoilers ahead] After Murderbot almost dies trying to save Mensah, it risks being melted down and its memories erased. Fortunately, Gurathin comes through with a Hail Mary stunt before the team purchases its freedom from the Corporation Rim. But when it decides to venture out on its own to figure out what it wants to be, Gurathin understands why it needs to leave the nest to chart a new course. “In the book, Murderbot doesn’t have a final moment with anybody, let alone the person who’s been a thorn in its side. So that seemed like a fun, dramatic opportunity, while still delivering a beautiful ending for Murderbot to ride off into the sunset,” Chris says of the bittersweet and touching ending. “We asked Martha if it was okay to add some details to Gurathin’s history about his addiction, and she was up for it. Some of it was informed by David’s own history. He and Murderbot have another thing in common: it’s hard for them to express themselves emotionally and to trust people,” Paul reveals.
When it came to the ending, “it was really important for Murderbot to become part of a family. But that doesn’t mean the best ending is for it to stay there. There’s an ambiguous and melancholic tone to it,” Paul says. As far as where Season Two might take us, “Its favorite human is Mensah, so she would most likely be the one to draw Murderbot back into the fold. Its lingering connection to Mensah and the people it left behind will come into play. Eventually, it’s about whether it has learned enough about itself to decide what home would look like and who it wants to be, “Chris predicts of our favorite SecUnit’s nascent journey in self-discovery.
Produced by Paramount Television Studios, all 10 episodes of Murderbot are streaming on Apple TV.
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[Header image: Alexander Skarsgård in “Murderbot,” now streaming on Apple TV.]
Remembering Film Independent President Josh Welsh on His Birthday
Edward Joshua Welsh
November 19, 1962 – December 31, 2024
Edward Joshua Welsh – or “Josh” as he was known to his family and friends – is in many ways impossible to describe, but if one were to attempt the impossible, they might say he was “the most enthusiastic connoisseur of existential doom” they have ever met. They might say he was a passionate champion of independent films, accomplished alt-country musician, self-taught kitchen magician, exuberant ham, or doting dog walker, not to mention loving husband, father, brother, uncle and friend. They would likely say he was an incredibly bright, funny, warm, thoughtful, charismatic, humble man who devoted the entirety of his immense heart and spirit to his love of pondering, people, and the arts.
Josh Welsh passed away peacefully in his Glendale home on New Years Eve, 2024, in the company of his wife, Bonnie Gavel, and daughter, Isla Welsh. He was 62. Over the past five years, Josh battled cancer with the grace and discipline of a dancer. In the face of frightening uncertainty, he remained calm and optimistic. There were always new treatments, one after the next. Some were rougher than others. Welsh refused to be slowed down. His eyes always shone. He baffled his medical staff by the manner in which every finish line they drew was more in sand than concrete. He kept beating the odds, kept reaching the next landmark. Cancer fought Josh, not the other way around. He continued his work as President of Film Independent up until the day he died, never allowing his passion to falter. His humor, playfully bleak long before the cancer, was always present. Even at the end, Josh approached the uncertainty with an almost studious curiosity to the utmost form of personal devastation. He looked ahead towards the terrifying unknown with eyes wide open, adopting a stance of bewilderingly brave vulnerability and authenticity. His primary concern about the afterlife, second only to whether or not it exists, was “will there be music?”
If Josh was at ease in the rambunctious noise of the creative process, it might be because he grew up in a loud Irish Catholic family in the suburbs of Washington D.C. He was welcomed to the world on November 19, 1962 at Columbia Hospital for Women in Washington D.C., the last of nine highly creative children (of varying temperaments and dispositions towards making trouble) born to Philip and Marylin Welsh. Welsh’s mother, Marilyn Kirby Welsh, was fierce and formidable, a combination of joy and rage. His father, Philip Flahavin Welsh – reserved and distant but, quietly, just as definite – worked as an attorney for the Association of American Railroads. Among the brothers and sisters there was much mayhem, fighting and love. As the baby, Josh was offered a less complicated form of love from the family; a rare warmth he was able to stoke by being naturally hilarious, with an insatiable appetite for the limelight. He and his sister Liz staged what was known as “The Eddy and Betty Show,” and he was known to delay his older brothers and their friends from their weekend plans with solo improvisational performances – not that they minded the front row seats. When Steve Martin released his Wild and Crazy Guy comedy album, Josh had it memorized in no time flat. His performance, subjectively speaking, was much funnier than Martin’s. “Josh had me in stitches; I could not stand,” recalled one family friend. “The loss of anyone so insanely creative is a loss to the entire world in such dire need of even a drop of more pure humor.”
Josh took up the guitar when he was a teenager and began an ongoing back and forth with his oldest brother and gifted poet, Philip, Jr., who would send Josh poems with the attached brotherly challenge of “I bet you can’t turn THIS one into a song.” Josh always did, and this ongoing battle of pen and guitar would later evolve into Meatyard, an alt-country musical powerhouse. Meatyard featured a wide variety of band members over the years, but at its core was Josh, Philip (even posthumously), and his nephew Rupert Sandes. Meatyard specialized in meandering melancholic meditations on death, longing and itches that couldn’t be scratched. Josh could make you cry, but he could also growl, howl and slash with genuine punk and rockabilly abandon, laughing all the while at the wonderful, ridiculous audacity of it.
Josh was spared the straitjacket Catholic School education of his siblings. In adult life, he would ultimately veer away from his Catholic upbringing, much to his father’s dismay, but would retain a quasi-eucharistic enthusiasm for donuts, which the Welsh family feasted upon en masse after Sunday mass. Despite his misgivings about Catholicism, Josh was inherently if skeptically spiritual.
In 1980, Josh enrolled at Kenyon College in Ohio, where he met his first wife, Jenny Siegenthaler. He played gigs at a place called Pirate’s Cove. It was, according to one lifelong friend, “musical mayhem” – rough around the edges and full of drive. Despite his punkish inclinations, Josh was much moved by the slithery velvet voice of Al Green, and the syncopated minimalism of his arrangements. For two years, Josh worked as the record buyer for the Kenyon Bookstore. During his regime, Rolling Stone named the bookstore the best college bookstore in the country, an honor largely credited to their record collection.
Josh’s defining characteristic of being an “avid ponderer” carried him through the earning of his PhD in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University in 1994. Despite his love of pondering, Josh had second thoughts about the academic life almost immediately. Once he got his PhD, he liked to joke he’d become a truck driver. Misgivings aside, Josh completed his education with said PhD and received special recognition for the defense of his dissertation. He accepted a temporary teaching position at Swarthmore College and started taking acting classes after finishing his degree. After a year of teaching, Josh moved to Los Angeles, CA, to pursue a career in film. While driving from the East Coast to Los Angeles, he recounted, he never once thought about philosophy.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, Josh signed up for more acting classes. He hit the audition circuit, and landed a few roles in films that, for better or for worse, did not make their mark on the silver screen. In 1996, Josh signed up as a volunteer for IFP West, the precursor to what would later become Film Independent – a nonprofit that aims to make film making accessible to those with passion and talent, regardless of social barriers or nepotistic disadvantage. Josh found a very natural place within the organization. He resonated with its cause and his natural abilities served as a highly effective catalyst for its mission. He would serve as President of Film Independent for 12 years, after holding various leadership positions during the preceding 18 years. As President, Josh functioned as incubator-in-chief for successive waves of eager new storytellers, helping to forge a path forward for so many aspiring filmmakers who might otherwise have been left at a dead end. For Josh, the story was second only to the storyteller, to the extent they were differentiable at all. It was his mission to provide emerging artists with the skills needed in screenwriting, directing, acting and producing, to get their stories out there.
Josh’s singular genius, however, was getting people to believe they had stories to tell, and that they were the ones to tell them. He didn’t give rah-rah speeches; he didn’t bang tables. Instead, he brought to bear a measured critical intelligence. But he also radiated an irrepressible excitement, his improbably bright blue eyes perpetually on the verge of astonishment. Artists and co-workers who worked with him over the years didn’t just feel seen; they were seen. He greeted Film Independent co-workers by first and last name, punctuated always with a hearty exclamation mark. He was hands on with every person at every level of the organization. Even when returning from cancer treatment, Josh would stop to talk to people on his way back to his office, offering an eager line of inquiry regarding their work and most recent projects. He was genuinely curious. Film Independent wasn’t “work” for Josh, although it was objectively hard work – it was his passion.
Just after the mass computer mayhem of Y2K, he would meet Bonnie Gavel, with whom he made a connection. He extended an invitation to a Halloween party where he confessed to a crush on her, and the two eventually exchanged wedding vows on Halloween 2004 in New Orleans. They welcomed a daughter, Isla June Welsh, into the world on July 4, 2006. They purchased their home in Glendale, CA together, where Josh would spend the rest of his life. Josh had always been a wonderful brother, son and uncle – with his wife and daughter that dedication was extended and multiplied. Josh was absolutely over the moon with his daughter, Isla, and over the years photographed many Saturday adventures together. Another valuable quality that he brought to his family life was his rare ability to laugh at himself, as Bonnie Gavel recalls. She fondly remembers her husband as a warm, loving man who didn’t judge people on trivial matters and saw no one as less than himself despite his success. He was far more focused on drawing connections than splitting hairs, Bonnie remembers, citing a quote from Josh who was talking in his sleep at the time: “I don’t care about differences between people.” He truly didn’t. Through good times and bad, with Josh there was always love and humor – these were nonnegotiable.
His efforts to make a career in film a reality for people who might not otherwise have an avenue towards it followed the pattern of his general radiance during his long career at Film Independent. As Bonnie put it, “he loved people and he loved creativity.” In life he immersed himself in both. He was loved by the people who shared his love of creativity and worked alongside him to broaden accessibility to the same. In the aftermath of his passing, he has been honored publicly and privately by those he worked with day-to-day because he was truly seen for who he was, what he was, and what both of those factors offered to aspiring filmmakers, and people and creativity at large. Brenda Robinson, Film Independent’s acting President, who has long worked and walked alongside Josh, summed it up: “Josh is a visionary of the type that comes along once in a lifetime. We want his work and impact to continue on because he is a great leader. He is a person of exceptional character. I speak about him very deliberately in the present tense, because he’s still here. We will feel his spirit in the programs he created and the lives of filmmakers he impacted, always and in all ways. Josh is only absent in the body, but the spirit of who Josh is and what he means to this community – that is forever.” Within his professional role of occupying the spotlight well enough to offer it to others, and behind each door he helped to open for someone without a key of their own, he is indeed very much “still here.”
Josh Welsh is survived by his wife, Bonnie Gavel; his daughter, Isla June Welsh; brothers Nick and Joseph Welsh; his sisters Liz and Monica Welsh; his nieces and nephews including Rupert Sandes of Meatyard, Anna Rose, Isaac, Rachael, Bridgette, Thomas, Liam, Caela, Samuel, Lulu, and Jacob; and in-laws Amy Brodigan, Roger Sandes, Marie Smeriglio, Cindy Welsh and Scott Gavel, and Robert Heckman. He will be forever loved, forever “here” in the lives he changed and stories that accredit their utterance to him – and if whatever halls he has found access to did not have music before, we can be certain they do now.
For over 40 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. The nonprofit organization’s core mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling and support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision.
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