Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe), a long-forgotten New York poet, leads a quiet life working at the post office until an eager, flattering young admirer (Edmund Donovan) appears on his doorstep. Suddenly beckoned into a circle of twentysomething devotees who anoint him as a rediscovered genius, Saxberger finds himself intoxicated by the attention—and by the alluring presence of Gloria (Greta Lee), the group’s “tragic heroine.” As he navigates this newfound fame, he must gradually reckon with the authenticity of his poetic circle and the reality of his own legacy. LATE FAME is a witty and contemplative look at a lost idea of downtown New York, capturing a poignant portrait of artistic survival and the complicated nature of being seen.“Willem Dafoe is low-key and magnificent” — The Hollywood Reporter
Genre: Drama
Julian
After an unexpected encounter, Fleur and Julian fall madly in love. Soon after Julian proposes, an ambitious yet challenging idea starts to dawn on Fleur. Slowly but surely, she works out a plan to get married in every country where she and her wife are legally allowed to do so. Fueled by their love and a rising sense of urgency, they take a leap of faith. After only four weddings, their journey comes to an inevitable, painful halt. Based on a true story, first-time director Cato Kusters has crafted an intimate and powerful drama about love and activism. In English, French and Dutch with English subtitles“They are kismet. It is magic.” — The Playlist
John Waters Presents: Sick of Myself
The second feature from Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, this wicked comedy is a deliciously dark portrait of a toxic relationship that landed on John Waters’ Top Ten List in 2022. In Artforum, he described SICK OF MYSELF this way: “ A pair of narcissistic lovers can’t stop competing for the public’s attention. He’s a sculptor who uses furniture he steals as material, and she takes recalled poison medication on purpose to make her skin break out in rashes and boils so she can become a model with disabilities. No, it’s not Female Trouble, but it’s just as nuts. Pretty? Pretty? Pretty fucked up!”With a delectable pair of performances at its center, SICK OF MYSELF plumbs the merciless depths of its protagonists’ narcissism for an uproarious modern fable.
Trial of Hein
After 14 years on the mainland, Hein returns to his remote North Sea island village, drawn not only by memory but by a past connection he never resolved. To his shock, no one recognizes him, not even his childhood friend Friedemann, with whom he once shared an intimacy neither ever named. Now distant, Friedemann avoids him. The villagers convene a court to decide if Hein is who he claims. As testimony unfolds, contradictions mount, with Hein’s memories clashing with those of witnesses, and suspicion soon turning to hostility. Near ruin, Hein searches for proof of his past, only to confront a truth he long refused to face. Teddy Award winner at the 2026 Berlin Film FestivalIn German with English subtitles
Test
Eddie Owens, a small-town bodybuilder chasing a pro card, lives under the intense devotion of his religious mother Joanne, who manages his career through faith; unbeknownst to her, he quietly funds his training through late-night online sex work he keeps hidden. Struggling to win on the competitive circuit, Eddie turns to a new coach, Mike, and develops a secret romantic attachment. As these hidden worlds begin to collide, the pressure mounts. Torn between ambition, belief, and identity, Eddie searches for a path forward–one that allows him to live authentically while holding on to the relationships that matter most to him.Director Sam McConnell is scheduled to attend.
Sparks
Urban legend has it that a Nevada reservoir is a time portal—the tease of which is enough to keep life exciting for the Crop, an aimless but spirited group of teen best friends, until Cleo (Elsie Fisher) moves to town hell-bent on reaching 1960s Paris and becoming Jean-Luc Godard’s muse. Cleo convinces the Crop they need to try way harder to get the portal to open, and when it apparently does, the Crop grapples with where they belong and what they mean to each other.“An affecting debut about friendship, time travel, and queer identity.” — The New York TimesDirector Fergus Campbell and Producer Lola Lafia are scheduled to attend.
See You When I See You
Indie stalwart Jay Duplass, at the festival last year with The Baltimorons, returns with this touching and timely dramedy of grief and trauma, in which a comedy writer battles PTSD after the tragic death of his sister. Writer Adam Cayton-Holland translates his own deeply personal memoir Tragedy Plus Time: A Tragi-Comic Memoir for the screen in this terrifically empathetic family drama. Lead Cooper Raiff is surrounded by a terrific all-star supporting cast—David Duchovny, Hope Davis, Kaitlyn Dever, and Lucy Boynton—playing a close-knit family of characters who are each struggling in their own way.
Romería
When Marina, 18, orphaned at a young age, must travel to Spain’s Atlantic coast to obtain a signature for a scholarship application from the paternal grandparents she has never met, she navigates a sea of new aunts, uncles, and cousins, uncertain whether she will be embraced or met with resistance. Stirring long-buried emotions, reviving tenderness, and uncovering unspoken wounds tied to the past, Marina pieces together the fragmented and often contradictory memories of the parents she barely remembers.
In Spanish, Catalan, and French with English subtitles
“… an elegant, visually poetic film…” — The Hollywood Reporter
Power Ballad
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves—even if it means risking everything he cares about. In the lead roles, Rudd and Jonas display a winning odd-couple bromance chemistry, while writer-director John Carney (Sing Street, Once) creates yet another feel-good funny film that immerses us in a musical world while also delivering an authentic examination of the nature of human relationships. “Like the catchiest pop hits, it’s a little bit familiar, a little bit unexpected and utterly, thrillingly satisfying.” — The Hollywood Reporter
On the Sea
Jack has been married to Maggie for over half his life. He works as a hand raker on the mussel beds in North Wales with his younger brother, Dyfan, and Dyfan’s three sons. Jack has always assumed that his own boy, Tom, will join the family business on leaving school, but Tom’s resistance to follow in his footsteps causes familial tension. Tensions are further inflamed by the arrival of an itinerant deckhand, Daniel, who makes known his feelings for Jack. In this remote, rural community where life revolves around church and fishery, Jack is faced with an impossible dilemma. ON THE SEA is a beautiful, sensual, and at times tragic exploration of masculinity, place, and desire.