YVES & VARIATION
Concierge Yves Deshommes practices his violin behind the front desk of a Manhattan office building.
NYC
THE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST
WORLD PREMIERE The rise in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric in the US since the 2016 election has generated a new wave of activists. One of them is actor/writer/producer/comedian Aasif Mandvi, “the first brown guy” on The Daily Show. This short film, featuring a performance by Mandvi, Lewis Black and Roy Wood, Jr., reveals what led […]
BARBARA RUBIN & THE EXPLODING NY UNDERGROUND
2018 METROPOLIS COMPETITION WINNER US PREMIERE Offering a recontextualization of the 1960s New York art and experimental film scene through the story of a remarkably influential, yet unheralded, figure, Chuck Smith’s film introduces viewers to Barbara Rubin. This extraordinary young filmmaker, who defied sexist conventions when she picked up a film camera and shot an […]
BRESLIN AND HAMILL: DEADLINE ARTISTS
WORLD PREMIERE Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill defined an era of New York journalism in the late 20th century. They were swashbuckling liberal newspaper columnists who spoke for ordinary people and brought passion, wit and literary merit to their brilliant reporting about their city and the larger nation. Breslin’s column was a longtime fixture of the […]
THE CANDIDATES
WORLD PREMIERE Since 1996, the wonderfully diverse students of a Queens public high school have staged an elaborate mock presidential election for an entire semester, simulating the American electoral process against the backdrop of the real one. In 2016, Ukranian-American Daniel hams it up as a cocky Donald Trump, while Pakistani-American Misbah, an observant Muslim, […]
THE CAT RESCUERS
NYC PREMIERE More than half a million feral cats prowl the streets of New York City, struggling to survive each day. With no official policies in place to aid the abandoned animals or curb their growing population, animal welfare activists enter the breach. The Cat Rescuers follows four dedicated, street-smart volunteers working tirelessly in Brooklyn […]
CRACKED UP
WORLD PREMIERE With courage and, of course, humor, master impressionist, comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Darrell Hammond reveals his dark history of child abuse. Brilliant in the spotlight, Darrell was misdiagnosed and wrongly medicated for decades, struggling with drugs, alcohol and nightmarish flashbacks. Michelle Esrick’s poignant film illuminates the devastating effects of childhood trauma and […]
CRAFTING AN ECHO
WORLD PREMIERE The Martha Graham Dance Company commissions famed choreographer Andonis Foniadakis to create a new piece. But when Andonis’s fluid, improvisational style collides with Graham’s traditional structure, drama ensues. An impossibly tight production schedule, injuries and artistic temperaments only add to the tension. Will the dance be ready in time for the world premiere? […]
CREATING A CHARACTER: THE MONI YAKIM LEGACY
WORLD PREMIERE What do Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Patti LuPone and Alex Sharp have in common? They are but a few of the extraordinary actors who have studied under Moni Yakim at Juilliard, America’s greatest performing arts school. With interviews with Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie and Kevin Kline, this compelling portrait of the master teacher—the sole […]
CRIME + PUNISHMENT
In this Sundance Special Jury Award-winning film, Stephen Maing provides unparalleled access to the NYPD 12—a group of whistle-blowing cops—and one unforgettable former cop turned tenacious private investigator. Together they expose the ongoing, illegal practice of quota-driven policing targeting young minorities. Putting their careers and their safety at risk, these officers reveal how coercion and […]