The Hunting Ground
When: Now Playing
Where: Theaters
Directors: Kirby Dick
Why We’re Excited: Spirit Award Winning filmmaker Kirby Dick, who delivered the powerful documentary, The Invisible War, tackles another controversial and gritty subject for his latest expose. This startling examination of rape crimes on college campuses features a heart-wrenching look inside the homes of the victims and their families, revealing the destructive effects these heinous acts have. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will surely be an eye-opening viewer experience that ignites a fight for change.

Futuro Beach
When: Now Playing
Where: Theaters
Director:  Karim Ainouz
Starring: Wagner Moura, Clemens Schick
Why We’re Excited: After a failed attempt to save a drowning man, Donato meets Konrad, a friend of the victim, and attempts to lay down new roots in Berlin. Despite being in a land of man candy, with prospects of new romantic and sexual relationships, he will soon find his past may be catching up with him. Not just an LGBT film with pretty faces, the drama premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and also played Hong Kong and Paris’ Gay and Lesbian fests.

The Mind of Mark DeFriest
When: March 6
Where: Theaters
Director: Gabriel London
Why We’re Excited: This mind-boggling documentary definitely left audiences with a lot to talk about at last year’s Los Angeles Film Festival. It’s a fascinating  look at the life of Mark DeFriest, an infamous con-artist who was also known as “Houdini” for his multiple prison outbreaks. After 30 years in prison, where he was sentenced for faking a mental illness, DeFriest is presented a chance for freedom; his past, present and future are all deconstructed by Film Independent Fellow Gabriel London.

It Follows
When: March 13
Where: Theaters
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist
Why We’re Excited: After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival last year, this under-the-radar horror flick (co-produced by Film Independent Fellows Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith) continued to scare up buzz on a lengthy festival run, Mitchell’s second feature film follows a 19-year-old girl who is convinced someone, or something, is following her ever since a seemingly innocent sexual encounter. It’s one of those movies you’ll probably want to know as little about as possible before sitting down to watch, so it’s all the more frightening!

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
When: March 18
Where: Theaters
Director: David Zellner
Starring: Rinko Kikuchi
Why We’re Excited: This Sundance darling finally hits theaters this month, after playing just about every major, awesome festival you can think of. Rinko Kikuchi (Spirit Award Nominee for Best Female Lead) plays a lonely woman who is convinced the 1996 Coen Brothers’ film Fargo is real, and goes on mission to find a buried stash of money. The quirky film earned David Zellner a Spirit Award Nomination for Best Director.

She’s Lost Control
When: March 18
Where: Theaters
Director:  Anja Marquardt
Starring: Brooke Bloom, Marc Menchaca
Why We’re Excited: In Anja Marquardt’s feature debut, the personal and professional life of a sex surrogate unravels when she starts working with a new client. It’s a psychologically driven character study from the fresh female perspective of Marquardt, featuring a breakthrough performance by Brooke Bloom. The film was nominated for Spirit Awards for Best First Feature and Best Screenplay, and is co-produced by Film Independent Fellow Mollye Asher.

Backcountry
When: March 20
Where: Theaters
Director:  Adam MacDonald
Starring: Missy Peregrym, Eric Balfour
Why We’re Excited: Adam MacDonald’s suspenseful first feature pins up man against man, and against nature. When an urban couple decides to go camping in the Canadian wilderness, they get more than they bargained for. Not your typical “couple gets stalked in the woods” horror flick, audiences at the film’s Toronto Film Festival premiere were on the edges of their seats.

While We’re Young
When: March 27
Where: Theaters
Director: Noah Baumbach
Starring:  Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried
Why We’re Excited: The latest from the sharp and observant Spirit Award nominated writer/filmmaker Noah Baumbach was a hit at the past year’s Toronto Film Festival and features a delightful ensemble. Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play a middle-aged married couple that is stuck in a rut, but have some old sparks re-ignited when they meet a younger couple, played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried.

White God
When: March 27
Where: Theaters
Director: Kornél Mundruczó
Starring:  Zsófia Psotta
Why We’re Excited: One of the most buzzed about films from the Cannes Film Festival is the bittersweet tale of  a 13 year old girl and the love she has for her dog, Hagen. When her father sets Hagen loose, the teenager braves the big world on her own, embarking on a mission to find and save her beloved pet. The film took home two prizes at Cannes, including the Un Certain Regard Award for director Mundruczó.

12 Years a Slave
When: March 31
Where: Netflix
Director: Steve McQueen
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’o
Why We’re Excited: Whether you want to revisit, or if you somehow missed Steve McQueen’s masterful epic 12 Years a Slave, now is your chance to make the most of your Netflix subscription. This powerful drama took home three Oscars, including Best Picture, and was a big winner at the 2014 Spirit Awards, where it picked up Best Feature, Best Director and more.

Chris Lombardi / Film Independent Blogger

Key
Film Independent Fellow or Member 
Los Angeles Film Festival Alum  
Spirit Award Winner  
First-time Filmmaker 
Microbudget 
Female Filmmaker 
Filmmaker of Color 
LGBT Filmmaker