THE ACCOMPANIST – World Premiere – Spotlight Narrative Category
When 9 year old Emily accidentally lets slip to the school nurse that her dementia-addled grandpa almost got them killed, a rookie child-welfare agent is sent to their house to investigate. A botched extraction ensues in which Emily is haphazardly removed from her grandpa’s home and dropped off with Sylvia, a new foster parent.
Sylvia is mysterious, witchy, funny, and unpredictable. Her natural warmth and playfulness are complicated by the fact that she is haunted by visitations from her past. As Emily and Sylvia grow closer, their worlds, dreams, and visions begin to overlap. As their friendship deepens, they must decide how much they are willing to risk-whether their burgeoning love is worth the ghosts that it seems to summon.
Directed by: Zach Woods
Written by: Zach Woods & Brandon Gardner
Starring: Susan Sarandon, Everly Carganilla, Kevyn Morrow, and Aubrey Plaza
Produced by: Lauren Bratman, Allison Hironaka, Michael Sagol, Carlos Zozaya, Zach Woods, Aubrey Plaza
Executive Produced by: Bert Hamelinck, Hannah Reyer, Vance Howard, Vincent Newman, Corentin De Saedeleer, Avtar Khalsa, Dan Sbrega, Daniel “Dickey” Abedon, Philipp Englehorn, Brandon Gardner, Susan Sarandon, Zach Woods
Public Screenings:
Thursday, June 4 at 8:00PM ET at SVA Theatre 1 - Silas
Friday, June 5 at 5:15PM ET at Village East by Angelika - 02
Sunday, June 7 at 11:00AM ET at Village East by Angelika - 07
BANG MY BOX: THE ROBIN BYRD STORY (HBO Documentary Films) – World Premiere – Documentary Competition
Directed by: Jyllian Gunther and Stephanie Schwam
Featuring: Robin Byrd
Produced by: Sarah Jessica Parker, Alison Benson, Caroline Waterlow, Stephanie Schwam, Jyllian Gunther
Executive Produced by: Greg Scarnici, Claire Demere
What began as a cult sex-positive NYC cable access show turned into a national voice for AIDS awareness and free speech. Robin Byrd’s unapologetic show championed sexual freedom, queer visibility, and safe sex from the late 1970-90s, serving as both a community lifeline and a target of a national censorship battle that took her to the Supreme Court and cemented her as a First Amendment fighter. Now approaching 70––and still the longest-running host on cable TV–– Robin confronts her place in the history she created, while caring for the husband her viewers never knew existed.
RT: 79 Minutes
Public Screenings:
Tuesday, June 9th at 8:00PM at SVA Theatre 1 - Silas
Friday, June 12th at 8:15PM at Village East by Angelika - 02
Saturday, June 13th at 9:00PM at Village East by Angelika - 04
CAITY – World Premiere – U.S. Narrative Competition
Directed and Written by: Lindsay Calleran
Starring: Chiara Aurelia, Morgan Spector, Zach Cherry, Michelle Mao, Jordan Hull, Andrea Bianchi, Emily Shaffer, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees, Olivia Rouyre
Produced by: Mary Elizabeth Monda, Malcolm Thorndike Nicholson, Alexandra Leinweber
Executive produced by: Scott Aharoni
16 year-old Caity and her newly sober father, Paul, co-operate their family business: a locally-beloved haunted house. When Paul relapses, Caity tries to cover for him but struggles to manage as she tests the limits of her own relationship to substances and falls for a new employee, Hannah.
RT: 95 Minutes
Public Screenings:
Sunday, June 7th at 8:30PM at Village East by Angelika - 01
Monday, June 8th at 5:15PM at Village East by Angelika - 02
Thursday, June 11th at 3:15PM at Village East by Angelika - 06
GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS (Sony Pictures Classics) – NY Premiere
Directed by: David Wain
Written by: Ken Marino, David Wain
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang
Produced by: Anthony Bregman, Peter Cron, Ken Marino, David Wain, Crystine Zhang, Charles Zhong
Executive produced by: Robert Herjavec, Chechen Dong, Tom Griffin, Amanda Chang, Adrian Politowski, Jamie Canniffe, Franny Baldwin, Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery
Midwestern bride-to-be Gail Daughtry has a “free celebrity pass” agreement with her fiancé — who uses it. With her relationship in crisis, Gail sets out on an epic journey through Hollywood to even the scales.
RT: 93 Minutes
Public Screenings:
Wednesday, June 10th at 8:00pm at OKX Theater at BMCC TPAC
Friday, June 12th at 2:30pm at Village East by Angelika - 01
Sunday, June 14th at 8:30pm at Village East by Angelika - 01
HAPPY HOURS – World Premiere
Directed and Written by: Katie Holmes
Starring: Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes, John McGinty, Joe Tippett, Jack Martin, Johnna Dias-Watson, Donald Webber Jr., Chloë Kerwin, Constance Wu, Mary-Louise Parker
Produced by: Paula P. Manzanedo, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler
Former sweethearts cross paths years later and rekindle their connection, balancing careers, family duties, and personal dreams while rediscovering what they once had - and what they could become.
RT: 80 Minutes
Public Screenings:
Saturday, June 6th at 5:00 PM at OKX Theater at BMCC TPAC
Tuesday, June 9th at 5:30 PM at AMC 19th St. East 6 - 02
Saturday, June 13th at 11:30 AM at Village East by Angelika - 01
Saturday, June 13th at 8:30 PM at Village East by Angelika - 01
