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BREATHE
10:00 AM - GALENA CENTER FOR THE ARTSBREATHE follows the story of David, a Paralympic swimmer who was on the verge of giving up, until his coach Alberto believed in him and changed everything.
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SHORT BLOCK 17
10:15 AM - DESOTO HOUSE PARKER ROOM
Featuring the films...
147, AFTER ISIS, BEYOND THE HERD, DIETER, WHERE WE ONCE ROAMED
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SHORT BLOCK 18
12:00 PM - GALENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Featuring the films...
DAVID, LOST ALONE, REFLECTIONS OF COURAGE
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SAFE SETS: DYING TO WORK IN THE FILM INDUSTRY
1:00 PM - DESOTO HOUSE PARKER ROOMA doctor investigates hazardous working conditions in Hollywood, and discovers untold stories of enormous personal sacrifice and life-threatening risks for those working in an industry that brings us the movies and TV shows we cherish.
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SHORT BLOCK 4
2:30 PM - GALENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Featuring the films...
ANWAR, MARIE'S AMBITION, MARINA, NAP, PULPITUM, TERRA LUNA, THE LETHE
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SHORT BLOCK 13
3:15 PM - DESOTO HOUSE PARKER ROOM
Featuring the films...
AFTER THE NIGHT, GATOR GIRL, STILLS MOVING, WRITTEN BY IB, THE LAST SONATA, TO WRITE THE ENDING
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CALL ME DANCER
5:30 PM - GALENA CENTER FOR THE ARTSManish is a young and talented street dancer from the City of Dreams, Mumbai. He struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path because they depend on their only son's support. When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master, a hunger develops within him. Ambitious and passionate, Manish is now determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 14
6:15 PM - DESOTO HOUSE PARKER ROOM
Featuring the films...
CARMEN AND THE WOODEN SPOON, HEARTS OF STONE, TANGO IN ROOM 1310, THE FIRST SEQUEL, UKRAINIAN DANCE MOVIE, WATCHING WALTER, CLEAN PLATE
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PORCELAIN WAR
8:00 PM - GALENA CENTER FOR THE ARTSUnder roaring fighting jets, Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey stay behind, defiantly finding beauty amid destruction. Armed with art, cameras and for the first time in their lives, guns, they show that while it’s easy to frighten people, it’s harder to destroy their passion for living.
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A ROAD AT NIGHT
10:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOUA ROAD AT NIGHT is a documentary about the cascade of tragic events that can occur when seemingly good people make fatally unwise decisions. Set against the backdrop of college athletics, the documentary examines the powerful bonds of family and friends that endure in the face of unspeakable tragedy. It is also a searing, unblinking examination of the human toll taken by an all-too-common behavior that kills someone in America every 39 minutes. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE PANTONE GUY
10:00 AM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATERAt 96 years old, Larry Herbert, known as “The Pantone Guy,” is a visionary whose revolutionary idea to standardize color remains largely unrecognized. Growing up in Depression-era Brooklyn, Larry entered the print and manufacturing trade during a time when color was a chaotic and subjective experience. He channeled his unique vision into creating the Pantone Matching System—a groundbreaking invention that established a universal language for color, profoundly enhancing artistic expression and commercial production across all industries.
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THE INNER SEA
10:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICTHE INNER SEA is an unconventional love story, a story about music, adoption, the journey of a lifetime, and a bright blue 40 foot school bus. Directed and produced by a first time female filmmaker who is also a birth mother, this film explores the complex issues of identity that result from the decision to place a child for adoption. It is also a film that explores the role that art plays in suffering, and healing. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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DESERT ANGEL
10:30 AM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERA trailblazer of migrant search and rescue missions risks everything to find a mother’s missing son before border wastelands claim the young man forever. A fascinating portrait of a hero in Latino communities—a Mexican immigrant who has devoted 25 years to tirelessly rescuing lost immigrants.
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SHEEPDOG
10:30 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1A decorated combat Veteran is court ordered into treatment when an ex-convict shows up on his doorstep and reveals that he must put himself back together again. SHEEPDOG is the first film that truly explores the physical and psychological repercussions of trauma from war with an uplifting message that focuses on Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). It is a story about recovery, redemption, and healing; themes that mirror our post-pandemic zeitgeist.
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PAPER FLOWERS
10:45 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2Based on a true story, PAPER FLOWERS is a moving journey of love, loss, and hope. Shalin Shah (Kapil Talwalkar), a USC graduate, leaves behind his Indian American family and a Taiwanese American girlfriend (Olivia Liang) to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer. His dreams are shattered when a check-up reveals a rare, aggressive cancer. Returning home for treatment, Shalin faces the ultimate question: what is the meaning of life? In the spirit of THE BIG SICK and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, this poignant love story reminds us to cherish each moment.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 12
12:45 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
BEFORE THE THUNDER, CHASERS, GIVEN, MY ЊУЈОРК [NEW YORK], PERLA, RUIN FALLS, ZARI
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CANOE DIG IT?
1:00 PM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATERA comical look into the world of “Freestyle Canoeing” as a group of canoeists compete for the title of “Top Paddler” on a lake in Maine. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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CODE IS LAW
1:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICCODE IS LAW is a gripping documentary exploring an unprecedented crime spree in the world of cryptocurrency, where hackers routinely steal up to $600 million with the push of a button. Its story is told by cyber vigilantes in pursuit of criminals operating with impunity, including the notorious teenage math prodigy Andean Medjedovic—who stole $64 million while openly trolling his victims and the justice system. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 1
1:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATER
Featuring the films...
BELIEF, BEYOND THE FOG, OBIT, PHOENIX, THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM, UNSAID
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LOOKING UP
1:30 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1LOOKING UP is the inspiring story of Eitan Armon, a young man facing encroaching blindness who takes on the challenge of climbing the world’s most epic granite wall. At age 20, while serving in the military, Eitan is diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare and incurable genetic disease that causes blindness. With time running out and only 5% of his central vision remaining, Eitan decides to challenge himself and ascend Yosemite’s daunting El Capitan. LOOKING UP documents Eitan’s journey and resilience, demonstrating the endless possibilities for those who approach life with positivity. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE EVERYTHING POT
2:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2Fifty-something Rachel finds herself at a turning point; her only child is off to college, her marriage is listless, and she’s afraid the best years of her life are behind her. So, when she receives a wedding invitation from a former, much younger colleague, she jumps at the opportunity, sending back her RSVP and a gift as quickly as possible—a little too quickly. Rachel’s haste inadvertently sets off a chain reaction that has both couples reexamining their relationships and the expectations of marriage in this relatable comedy of errors.
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SHORT BLOCK 2
2:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Featuring the films...
ARTIST UNCREDITED, HAPPY ENDINGS FUNERAL PARLOR, REWARD IF FOUND, SICK DAY, TACOCUNR, THE SETUP, THE UNDERSTUDY
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MAGNETOSPHERE
3:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICIt's 1997. The Hale-Bopp comet is passing Earth, and 13-year-old Maggie has a secret. She can see sounds and hear colors, and her senses do other unusual things too. Shy and cautious, Maggie has always kept this to herself. But when her family moves and her dad directs a production of "The Pirates of Penzance," Maggie’s world changes. She meets several important people: a first love, a best friend, an insightful teacher, and the family’s loony exterminator, Gil, who nurses a formidable hidden talent. Together, they will lead Maggie to realize her differences have a name— synesthesia. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MOTHERLAND
4:00 PM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATERIn an alternate-present society where the state frees parents from the burden of raising children, a rule enforcer learns a shocking truth that sparks her rebellion. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 16
4:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
OUTRO, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE LAST RHINO, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL, THIS IS LOVE?!, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE OKAY, BROOKLYN
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ANXIETY CLUB
4:30 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1ANXIETY CLUB provides an intimate and humorous look at anxiety through the eyes and minds of some of the most brilliant comedians working today. Tiffany Jenkins, Joe List, Marc Maron, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Baron Vaughn and Eva Victor offer candid reflections on their relationship with anxiety through exclusive interviews, standup performances, sketch videos, therapy and everyday life. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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LOVE HIDES IN THE OPEN
5:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERA young man begins to follow a woman he just had a first date with. His voyeurism backfires however when he witnesses the woman commit a petty crime, for which he becomes the main suspect. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 8
5:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Featuring the films...
BURNED, GRAVE ERROR, HELP!, JUMP CUT, TEDDY, THE OPEN DOOR
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THE LAST HOUNDS
5:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2Greyhound racetrack workers in Dubuque, Iowa cling to survival as the 100-year-old sport of dog racing faces extinction amidst mounting pressure from animal rights groups. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE CIGARETTE SURFBOARD
6:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICAn impassioned surfer, Taylor Lane, creates a functional surfboard with 10,000 littered cigarette butts collected from California beaches. The Cigarette Surfboard becomes a platform to learn from professional surfers who are working to protect and restore the health of the ocean, and the symbol of a grassroots campaign to hold Big Tobacco accountable for their toxic, plastic waste. Surfing is the medium, but the message is universal.
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BRING THEM HOME
7:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOUBRING THEM HOME (AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA) chronicles a decades-long initiative by members of the Blackfoot Confederacy to bring wild buffalo (Blackfeet: iinnii) back to the Blackfeet Reservation. A thriving wild buffalo population would not only reconnect Blackfeet with a central part of their heritage, spirituality and identity, but would provide economic opportunities and healing for the community. Along the way, however, the initiative faces obstacles from ranchers who see the buffalo as a threat to the cattle ranches that dominate the land and are a legacy of colonization.
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SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO
7:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERCelebrate Canada Special Screening:
In a time of environmental degradation and uncertainty, the buffalo can lead us to a better future. After a dark history, North America’s buffalo herds await their return, aided by Indigenous activists, including Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard (nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up) and Blackfoot Elder Leroy Little Bear. Hubbard weaves an intimate story of humanity’s connection to buffalo, revealing how their return can bring sustainability and balance. Richly visualized and uplifting, SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO envisions a future where buffalo consciousness guides us toward renewal.
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RECOLLECTION
7:45 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2In a society where people rely on technology to remove painful memories, a glitch returns Kate's memories, uncovering a dark truth about her past and those responsible. It’s 2033, and memory cleansing has taken society by storm. Thanks to Vitality’s technology, yesterday’s troubles are forever forgotten . . . or so sullen Kate (Rosslyn Luke) believes until a glitch floods her with memories of a life erased. Now, Vitality wants to make Kate forget again. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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ROBOT T-0
8:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1In the near future, robots are in every household, at the service of humans, replacing them in their daily chores. 40 years old Max, unemployed, and her daughter Paula struggle to earn their living by selling stolen robots on the black market. Unfortunately, their latest ‘acquisition’, T-0, is too old to be recycled at their usual fence . . . A godsend for Paula, aged 10, who dreams of owning her own robot! Her mother, yet vehemently opposed to machines, agrees to keep him until another buyer can be found. . . .
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CODE IS LAW
10:00 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2CODE IS LAW is a gripping documentary exploring an unprecedented crime spree in the world of cryptocurrency, where hackers routinely steal up to $600 million with the push of a button. Its story is told by cyber vigilantes in pursuit of criminals operating with impunity, including the notorious teenage math prodigy Andean Medjedovic—who stole $64 million while openly trolling his victims and the justice system. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 10
10:00 AM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATER
Featuring the films...
A GUEST IN MY COUNTRY, JUST KIM, KIKI, STORAGE FEES, THE INVITE, JEAN & I, NEITHER DONKEY NOR HORSE
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THE THERAPY
10:30 AM - FIVE FLAGS THEATEREccentric psychologist Elisaveta Petrova has a hidden love of painting, but her childhood trauma inhibits her from pursuing a career in the arts. Resentful to turning her back on her dream she tries to cure her own fears by devising experimental therapy sessions with other blocked artists, but her life takes an unexpected turn when former child-prodigy painter Oliver joins her therapy group. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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LOVE, DANIELLE
10:30 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1When Danielle, a happily married thirty-something, tests positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, she learns that this puts her at a very high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Thanks a lot, DNA! She now struggles with daily life, working at her bakery with her hubby Pat and hanging out with her clueless best buds on game night. Her older, smart-alecky sister Amy is already undergoing chemotherapy for a breast cancer diagnosis. Danielle now contemplates preemptively removing her "ticking time bomb" breasts and reproductive organs before cancer gets her, too. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SEEDS OF SOVEREIGNTY
11:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOUSEEDS OF SOVERIGNTY is a thought-provoking documentary that explores Mexico’s struggle to protect its biodiversity and food sovereignty amid U.S. pressure to adopt GMO corn and industrial farming. As these threats endanger traditional agriculture and the environment, the Mexican government and advocacy groups fight back, sparking a powerful resistance movement. Through striking visuals and compelling narratives, the film reveals the harmful effects of industrial farming in both nations. It challenges viewers to consider a country’s right to provide safe, nutritious food while preserving its environment and cultural heritage, urging action to defend sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SONNY BOY
11:00 AM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEAfter a failed writing career, Sonny Caso struggles to find his way after returning home to reconcile with his dying father. He tries to make peace with a broken dream before finding a second calling as a teacher. Still, his teaching talent falls short of his father's expectations. Sonny tries to make amends before it’s too late but still can’t find the approval he’s always wanted. When it seems Sonny has finally forged his path, he makes an inexcusable mistake with a troubled student. Returning home is Sonny’s undoing and the chance to discover who he can still become.
The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 9
11:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
A LIFE WITH NO FUTURE, ADVENT, LITTLE RED BRACELETS, NOT HERE, RIGHT TO PRIVACY, EBB & FLOW
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THE FARAWAY NEARBY
12:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUMTHE FARAWAY NEARBY follows the tragic life of pioneer physicist Joseph Weber, whose pursuit of gravitational waves takes him on a dizzying journey from the height of acclaim to the depths of despair and disdain when he breaks the cardinal rule of science and clings to his ideas though his results can't be duplicated. Physicists, artists, and other creatives explore the emotional side of discovery and question whether the risk is worth the journey.
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LONE WOLVES
1:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2When a single, pragmatic forty-something recruits the eclectic guy she didn’t go to prom with back in high school to be her D-I-Y sperm donor, but learns that he’s Autistic and navigating some significant mental health issues, her carefully planned hopes are turned upside down in one crazy weekend in Toledo, Ohio. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 6
1:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
29th OF FEBRUARY, AN OLD FRIEND, AREN'T WE HAVIN' A GOOD TIME, BUT I'M A SHOE, DÉRIVE, GOODNIGHT DARLING
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MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR
1:30 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR reveals the impediments one underprivileged intellectual must overcome to realize his dreams of the future. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE RAMBA EFFECT
1:30 PM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATERGuided by compassionate experts and a devoted team of volunteers, Ramba, an Asian elephant who endured 50 years of isolation in a Chilean circus, embarks on an extraordinary 2,550-mile journey to her new home at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE SHORT GAME
2:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEJeremy Avery is vying for a college golf scholarship awarded to the winner of the State Championship, but his preparation and game are affected by family pressures and having to take care of his younger autistic brother Ethan. These challenges, along with the burden of carrying his team against an opponent who will do anything to win, leads Jeremy on a journey of discovery both internal and of his brother’s savant-like gifts. On the brink of his greatest victory, Jeremy is forced to make a life-altering decision, finally achieving his own personal dreams or standing by his brother. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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PIGGY DUSTER
2:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERVivian (Julia Ma) and her stepfather Keith (Brian Landis Folkins) set up camp in a Rocky Mountain valley, on a trip that he hopes will recapture the magic of the ones they took when she was little, much to her chagrin. In the heat of an argument, she dampens his spirit by revealing her intentions to go to college in China, near her real dad. That night, both too tense to sleep, they hear a grizzly bear prowling around the campsite. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 11
2:15 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
CROSSROADS, DEAR DAUGHTER, FERARRI, FLOCKY, LION SPIRIT, MY OVER THERE, SILVERSIZZLE
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BRING THEM HOME
2:15 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUMBRING THEM HOME (AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA) chronicles a decades-long initiative by members of the Blackfoot Confederacy to bring wild buffalo (Blackfeet: iinnii) back to the Blackfeet Reservation. A thriving wild buffalo population would not only reconnect Blackfeet with a central part of their heritage, spirituality and identity, but would provide economic opportunities and healing for the community. Along the way, however, the initiative faces obstacles from ranchers who see the buffalo as a threat to the cattle ranches that dominate the land and are a legacy of colonization.
-
SHORT BLOCK 8
3:45 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
BURNED, GRAVE ERROR, HELP!, JUMP CUT, TEDDY, THE OPEN DOOR
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REBEL WITH A CLAUSE
4:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2One fall day in 2018, Ellen Jovin set up a folding table on a Manhattan sidewalk with a homemade sign that said “Grammar Table.” Right away, passersby began excitedly asking questions, telling stories, and filing complaints. What happened next is the stuff of grammar legend. Ellen and her filmmaker husband, Brandt Johnson, took the table on the road, visiting all 50 states as Brandt shot the grammar action. But this story transcends grammar. It's the story of an epic quest in a divided time to bring us all closer together.
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THE SNARE
4:15 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1Dani is a straight-A student from the wrong side of town who’s worked hard for an academic scholarship. Busted with a small amount of drugs, the police pressure her to become an informant—forcing her to choose between the people she loves and the future she's worked so hard to create.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 7
4:30 PM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATER
Featuring the films...
ADIDAS OWNS THE REALITY, LOCKER ROOM TALK, SAVING SUPERMAN, THE WILHELM SCREAM, WITH FIRE & BREATH: A DYING ART, EXISTENTIAL ACTION THRILLER
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A ROAD AT NIGHT
5:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEA ROAD AT NIGHT is a documentary about the cascade of tragic events that can occur when seemingly good people make fatally unwise decisions. Set against the backdrop of college athletics, the documentary examines the powerful bonds of family and friends that endure in the face of unspeakable tragedy. It is also a searing, unblinking examination of the human toll taken by an all-too-common behavior that kills someone in America every 39 minutes. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE INVISIBLE DOCTRINE: THE SECRET HISTORY OF NEOLIBERALISM
5:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUM“Neoliberalism: do you know what it is?” George Monbiot deconstructs the roots, secretive propagation and deep impact of a doctrine that has played a profound role in transforming our economics, politics, environment, and even how we’ve come to view ourselves—converting us from citizens to consumers in the process. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 3
5:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
HAZE OVER, HONEYWELL, KIND MOTHER, OLIVE, PREDATOR, TEARFUL TIGERS, NEBUCHADNEZZAR
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FOUR RIVERS SIX RANGES
6:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERAfter the invasion of Tibet in 1949, the nation suffered immensely under the brutal Chinese regime under a ruthless General Tan which led The Dalai Lama to escape his homeland into India and seek refuge in 1959. A group of ordinary Tibetan men led by Gonpo Tashi Andrugtsang (Jindah) secretly formed the resistance group called "Chushi Gangdruk" which translates to Four Rivers Six Ranges. FOUR RIVERS SIX RANGES is about these warriors who escorted and protected The Dalai Lama till the Indian border, inspired by the book "Flight at the Cuckoo's Behest." The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SATURN
7:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2When a mysterious planet appears in the sky, a young father must choose between the life he loves and an ancient call to save the world. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE SPEAKEASY SHOW on 16mm
7:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUMHosted by film curator/creator GARRETT SCHRODER - Q&A afterwards w/special guests. Projecting material nearly 100 years old, we'll whisk you back to a smokey cocktail lounge, where the waiters, entertainers and even your food wear roller skates. You'll be wooed by crooners, wowed by jazz, and awed by death-defying daredevils! So hop in your steamer and come on down to a time of ecstasy and excess, of sorrow and blues. It's the beginning of life as we know it. Featuring animation, sing alongs and stories from the archive of the late film archivist, Dennis Nyback. All Presented in GLORIOUS 16MM FILM! The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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ANXIETY CLUB
7:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOUANXIETY CLUB provides an intimate and humorous look at anxiety through the eyes and minds of some of the most brilliant comedians working today. Tiffany Jenkins, Joe List, Marc Maron, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Baron Vaughn and Eva Victor offer candid reflections on their relationship with anxiety through exclusive interviews, standup performances, sketch videos, therapy and everyday life. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM!
7:45 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM! explores the vanishing world of private film collecting—an obsessive, secretive, often illicit world of basement film vaults, piled-high with forgotten reels, inhabited by passionate cinephiles devoted to the rescue and preservation of photochemical film. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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LOOKING UP
7:45 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSELOOKING UP is the inspiring story of Eitan Armon, a young man facing encroaching blindness who takes on the challenge of climbing the world’s most epic granite wall. At age 20, while serving in the military, Eitan is diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare and incurable genetic disease that causes blindness. With time running out and only 5% of his central vision remaining, Eitan decides to challenge himself and ascend Yosemite’s daunting El Capitan. LOOKING UP documents Eitan’s journey and resilience, demonstrating the endless possibilities for those who approach life with positivity. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SAFFRON KINGDOM
10:00 AM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEInspired by actual events, Saffron Kingdom delves into the Kashmir conflict through the lens of a family's journey from Srinagar in the 1990s to Atlanta in 2019. The narrative starts with young Masrat, who witnesses the violence of insurgency during her childhood. By 2014, as an adult, Masrat faces a devastating turn when her husband is abducted, forcing her to flee to America with her young son, Rizwan. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 11
10:00 AM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATER
Featuring the films...
CROSSROADS, DEAR DAUGHTER, FERARRI, FLOCKY, LION SPIRIT, MY OVER THERE, SILVERSIZZLE
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FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM!
10:00 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM! explores the vanishing world of private film collecting—an obsessive, secretive, often illicit world of basement film vaults, piled-high with forgotten reels, inhabited by passionate cinephiles devoted to the rescue and preservation of photochemical film. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MAGNETOSPHERE
10:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERIt's 1997. The Hale-Bopp comet is passing Earth, and 13-year-old Maggie has a secret. She can see sounds and hear colors, and her senses do other unusual things too. Shy and cautious, Maggie has always kept this to herself. But when her family moves and her dad directs a production of "The Pirates of Penzance," Maggie’s world changes. She meets several important people: a first love, a best friend, an insightful teacher, and the family’s loony exterminator, Gil, who nurses a formidable hidden talent. Together, they will lead Maggie to realize her differences have a name— synesthesia. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE FARAWAY NEARBY
10:00 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1THE FARAWAY NEARBY follows the tragic life of pioneer physicist Joseph Weber, whose pursuit of gravitational waves takes him on a dizzying journey from the height of acclaim to the depths of despair and disdain when he breaks the cardinal rule of science and clings to his ideas though his results can't be duplicated. Physicists, artists, and other creatives explore the emotional side of discovery and question whether the risk is worth the journey.
-
SEEDS OF SOVEREIGNTY
10:15 AM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMSEEDS OF SOVERIGNTY is a thought-provoking documentary that explores Mexico’s struggle to protect its biodiversity and food sovereignty amid U.S. pressure to adopt GMO corn and industrial farming. As these threats endanger traditional agriculture and the environment, the Mexican government and advocacy groups fight back, sparking a powerful resistance movement. Through striking visuals and compelling narratives, the film reveals the harmful effects of industrial farming in both nations. It challenges viewers to consider a country’s right to provide safe, nutritious food while preserving its environment and cultural heritage, urging action to defend sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 1
10:15 AM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
BELIEF, BEYOND THE FOG, OBIT, PHOENIX, THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM, UNSAID
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SHORT BLOCK 5
10:30 AM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
A WOMAN IS MANY THINGS (JUST FINE ISN'T ONE OF THEM), DARCINE'S DAY, DEVELOPMENT, HIS MOTHER, MAGGIE'S NOT OKAY, MOTHER (MATKA)
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LOVE HIDES IN THE OPEN
12:45 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEA young man begins to follow a woman he just had a first date with. His voyeurism backfires however when he witnesses the woman commit a petty crime, for which he becomes the main suspect. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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DESERT ANGEL
12:45 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMA trailblazer of migrant search and rescue missions risks everything to find a mother’s missing son before border wastelands claim the young man forever. A fascinating portrait of a hero in Latino communities—a Mexican immigrant who has devoted 25 years to tirelessly rescuing lost immigrants.
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SÉANCE
1:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERIn 1892 California, a Victorian woman (Scottie Thompson) contemplating adultery is forced to take refuge from a storm at the home of her first husband (Jilon VanOver) and his unstable wife (Vivian Kerr), who claims to be haunted by their dead child. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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STANDOUT: THE BEN KJAR STORY
1:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1Born with a severe facial difference, a young man confronts overwhelming obstacles preventing him from living an ordinary life. Refusing to be limited by his appearance, he defies medical advice and societal prejudices as he attempts to become a world-champion wrestler. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MARTYR OF GOWANUS
1:15 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2Brooklyn, 2001. Gavin Macklin, a 30 year old housepainter, gets into a feud with a teenage boy (Angel) from the neighborhood over a stolen fishing rod and suffers a beating from Angel's cousin. After meeting Angel's sister (Mercedes), Gavin decides to befriend the boy and teach him how to fish. When Mercedes rejects Gavin's advances, he retreats into isolation and alcohol. Then, on the morning of 9/11, Gavin watches as NYC is attacked by terrorists. Gavin is angry and wants to respond with violence. Ultimately he must choose between an act of love or hate.
Actor Sawyer Spielberg and Director Brian Meere will be present at Friday, April 25, 2025 screening.
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SHORT BLOCK 17
1:30 PM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATER
Featuring the films...
147, AFTER ISIS, BEYOND THE HERD, DIETER, WHERE WE ONCE ROAMED
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SHORT BLOCK 15
1:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
BRETT WAS A F*CK, FORTUNE, PRINCETON'S IN THE MIX, STEPS, THE MISSING PEACE
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SHORT BLOCK 13
1:45 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
AFTER THE NIGHT, GATOR GIRL, STILLS MOVING, WRITTEN BY IB, THE LAST SONATA, TO WRITE THE ENDING
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THE INNER SEA
3:15 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSETHE INNER SEA is an unconventional love story, a story about music, adoption, the journey of a lifetime, and a bright blue 40 foot school bus. Directed and produced by a first time female filmmaker who is also a birth mother, this film explores the complex issues of identity that result from the decision to place a child for adoption. It is also a film that explores the role that art plays in suffering, and healing. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 18
3:45 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOM
Featuring the films...
DAVID, LOST ALONE, REFLECTIONS OF COURAGE
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NOTHING WRONG
4:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERBased on true events: After a shocking revelation turns Andrea’s life upside down and tests the bond with her younger sister Claire, they embark together on a strange scavenger hunt—searching for hidden truths, and a way back to each other.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SONNY BOY
4:15 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 2After a failed writing career, Sonny Caso struggles to find his way after returning home to reconcile with his dying father. He tries to make peace with a broken dream before finding a second calling as a teacher. Still, his teaching talent falls short of his father's expectations. Sonny tries to make amends before it’s too late but still can’t find the approval he’s always wanted. When it seems Sonny has finally forged his path, he makes an inexcusable mistake with a troubled student. Returning home is Sonny’s undoing and the chance to discover who he can still become.
The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE SHORT GAME
4:30 PM - MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM JOURNEY THEATERJeremy Avery is vying for a college golf scholarship awarded to the winner of the State Championship, but his preparation and game are affected by family pressures and having to take care of his younger autistic brother Ethan. These challenges, along with the burden of carrying his team against an opponent who will do anything to win, leads Jeremy on a journey of discovery both internal and of his brother’s savant-like gifts. On the brink of his greatest victory, Jeremy is forced to make a life-altering decision, finally achieving his own personal dreams or standing by his brother. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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CANOE DIG IT?
4:30 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1A comical look into the world of “Freestyle Canoeing” as a group of canoeists compete for the title of “Top Paddler” on a lake in Maine. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE LAST HOUNDS
5:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOUGreyhound racetrack workers in Dubuque, Iowa cling to survival as the 100-year-old sport of dog racing faces extinction amidst mounting pressure from animal rights groups. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE STRANGE DARK
5:30 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEEdgar believes he can see the future, but his wife thinks he's mad, his daughter thinks he's strange, and the agents from double star accounting will stop at nothing to get their data back.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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PSYCHOTRONIC AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL on 16mm
7:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUMHosted by film curator/creator GREG HAMILTON - Q&A afterwards w/special guests. Ready for a dose of weird nostalgia? Dive into this vintage media mash-up featuring strange educational films, oddball advertisements, subversion and diversion - all tied together with an after-school special. Special appearances by Interplanet Janet, Betty Boop, David the Doodler and The Wizard of No! All Presented in GLORIOUS 16MM FILM! The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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PAPER FLOWERS
7:30 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1Based on a true story, PAPER FLOWERS is a moving journey of love, loss, and hope. Shalin Shah (Kapil Talwalkar), a USC graduate, leaves behind his Indian American family and a Taiwanese American girlfriend (Olivia Liang) to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer. His dreams are shattered when a check-up reveals a rare, aggressive cancer. Returning home for treatment, Shalin faces the ultimate question: what is the meaning of life? In the spirit of THE BIG SICK and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, this poignant love story reminds us to cherish each moment.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MISOPHONIA
7:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERWhen Martin is fired and subsequently forced to move in with his sister following a misophonia outburst at work, he sets out on a comically disgruntled mission to identify the various ways he might manage his misophonia and get his life back on track. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 19 (MADE IN IOWA)
7:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
HOME NO RETURN, REND, TALLULAH PARK, TINKER, TOOTHACHE
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SHORT BLOCK 2
8:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Featuring the films...
ARTIST UNCREDITED, HAPPY ENDINGS FUNERAL PARLOR, REWARD IF FOUND, SICK DAY, TACOCUNR, THE SETUP, THE UNDERSTUDY
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THE SPEAKEASY SHOW on 16mm
9:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUMHosted by film curator/creator GARRETT SCHRODER - Q&A afterwards w/special guests. Projecting material nearly 100 years old, we'll whisk you back to a smokey cocktail lounge, where the waiters, entertainers and even your food wear roller skates. You'll be wooed by crooners, wowed by jazz, and awed by death-defying daredevils! So hop in your steamer and come on down to a time of ecstasy and excess, of sorrow and blues. It's the beginning of life as we know it. Featuring animation, sing alongs and stories from the archive of the late film archivist, Dennis Nyback. All Presented in GLORIOUS 16MM FILM! The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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FOR THE LIVING
10:00 AM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMWhen 250 cyclists mount their bikes outside the universal symbol of absolute evil (Auschwitz-Birkenau) and pedal a WWII liberation path across the Polish countryside, every mile reveals that our entire species too has spent centuries on its own liberation path from Dehumanization towards Empathy and —in 2024— we may be traveling down the most dangerous stretch of all.The Film Maker will be in attendance. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 20
10:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
SCAVENGERS, LIVE A LITTLE, PLENTY OF TIME, SHATTER, WHAT HAPPENED TO BRUNCH
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CALL ME DANCER
10:00 AM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEManish is a young and talented street dancer from the City of Dreams, Mumbai. He struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path because they depend on their only son's support. When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master, a hunger develops within him. Ambitious and passionate, Manish is now determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 10
10:15 AM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
A GUEST IN MY COUNTRY, JUST KIM, KIKI, STORAGE FEES, THE INVITE, JEAN & I, NEITHER DONKEY NOR HORSE
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SATURN
10:30 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1When a mysterious planet appears in the sky, a young father must choose between the life he loves and an ancient call to save the world. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 3
10:30 AM - FIVE FLAGS THEATER
Featuring the films...
HAZE OVER, HONEYWELL, KIND MOTHER, OLIVE, PREDATOR, TEARFUL TIGERS, NEBUCHADNEZZAR
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SHORT BLOCK 16
12:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
OUTRO, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE LAST RHINO, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL, THIS IS LOVE?!, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE OKAY, BROOKLYN
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STANDOUT: THE BEN KJAR STORY
12:45 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEBorn with a severe facial difference, a young man confronts overwhelming obstacles preventing him from living an ordinary life. Refusing to be limited by his appearance, he defies medical advice and societal prejudices as he attempts to become a world-champion wrestler. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE RAMBA EFFECT
1:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICGuided by compassionate experts and a devoted team of volunteers, Ramba, an Asian elephant who endured 50 years of isolation in a Chilean circus, embarks on an extraordinary 2,550-mile journey to her new home at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE STRANGE DARK
1:30 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMEdgar believes he can see the future, but his wife thinks he's mad, his daughter thinks he's strange, and the agents from double star accounting will stop at nothing to get their data back.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MOTHERLAND
1:45 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1In an alternate-present society where the state frees parents from the burden of raising children, a rule enforcer learns a shocking truth that sparks her rebellion. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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PSYCHOTRONIC AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL on 16mm
2:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS ORPHEUMHosted by film curator/creator GREG HAMILTON - Q&A afterwards w/special guests. Ready for a dose of weird nostalgia? Dive into this vintage media mash-up featuring strange educational films, oddball advertisements, subversion and diversion - all tied together with an after-school special. Special appearances by Interplanet Janet, Betty Boop, David the Doodler and The Wizard of No! All Presented in GLORIOUS 16MM FILM! The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 4
3:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
ANWAR, MARIE'S AMBITION, MARINA, NAP, PULPITUM, TERRA LUNA, THE LETHE
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SHORT BLOCK 15
3:45 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Featuring the films...
BRETT WAS A F*CK, FORTUNE, PRINCETON'S IN THE MIX, STEPS, THE MISSING PEACE
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THE THERAPY
4:30 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMEccentric psychologist Elisaveta Petrova has a hidden love of painting, but her childhood trauma inhibits her from pursuing a career in the arts. Resentful to turning her back on her dream she tries to cure her own fears by devising experimental therapy sessions with other blocked artists, but her life takes an unexpected turn when former child-prodigy painter Oliver joins her therapy group. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 12
4:45 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
BEFORE THE THUNDER, CHASERS, GIVEN, MY ЊУЈОРК [NEW YORK], PERLA, RUIN FALLS, ZARI
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SHEEPDOG
5:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1A decorated combat Veteran is court ordered into treatment when an ex-convict shows up on his doorstep and reveals that he must put himself back together again. SHEEPDOG is the first film that truly explores the physical and psychological repercussions of trauma from war with an uplifting message that focuses on Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). It is a story about recovery, redemption, and healing; themes that mirror our post-pandemic zeitgeist.
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5683
6:45 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEAfter an impromptu intervention about Vanessa's “single” status, she and three friends are faced with a billboard that promises the name of her true love. Her friends take on the challenge and now she has to decide to join the search or just play along to appease her friends.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 21 (YOUNG FILMMAKERS)
6:45 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
BROKEN REFLECTION, HOLIDAY SEASONING, THE HAWTHORNE HORROR, THE AUDITION, THE MISTLETOE DART
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SHORT BLOCK 19 (MADE IN IOWA)
6:45 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Featuring the films...
HOME NO RETURN, REND, TALLULAH PARK, TINKER, TOOTHACHE
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UNDER THE VOLCANO
8:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1A blended Ukrainian family spends the last day of their vacation in Tenerife, Spain. When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine strands them on the island, they must contend with isolation, duty, fear… and each other.
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REBEL WITH A CLAUSE
10:00 AM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICOne fall day in 2018, Ellen Jovin set up a folding table on a Manhattan sidewalk with a homemade sign that said “Grammar Table.” Right away, passersby began excitedly asking questions, telling stories, and filing complaints. What happened next is the stuff of grammar legend. Ellen and her filmmaker husband, Brandt Johnson, took the table on the road, visiting all 50 states as Brandt shot the grammar action. But this story transcends grammar. It's the story of an epic quest in a divided time to bring us all closer together.
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SHORT BLOCK 9
10:30 AM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
A LIFE WITH NO FUTURE, ADVENT, LITTLE RED BRACELETS, NOT HERE, RIGHT TO PRIVACY, EBB & FLOW
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THE EVERYTHING POT
10:30 AM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERFifty-something Rachel finds herself at a turning point; her only child is off to college, her marriage is listless, and she’s afraid the best years of her life are behind her. So, when she receives a wedding invitation from a former, much younger colleague, she jumps at the opportunity, sending back her RSVP and a gift as quickly as possible—a little too quickly. Rachel’s haste inadvertently sets off a chain reaction that has both couples reexamining their relationships and the expectations of marriage in this relatable comedy of errors.
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NOTHING WRONG
10:30 AM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMBased on true events: After a shocking revelation turns Andrea’s life upside down and tests the bond with her younger sister Claire, they embark together on a strange scavenger hunt—searching for hidden truths, and a way back to each other.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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THE SNARE
10:45 AM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEDani is a straight-A student from the wrong side of town who’s worked hard for an academic scholarship. Busted with a small amount of drugs, the police pressure her to become an informant—forcing her to choose between the people she loves and the future she's worked so hard to create.The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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LONE WOLVES
11:00 AM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1When a single, pragmatic forty-something recruits the eclectic guy she didn’t go to prom with back in high school to be her D-I-Y sperm donor, but learns that he’s Autistic and navigating some significant mental health issues, her carefully planned hopes are turned upside down in one crazy weekend in Toledo, Ohio. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 20
12:45 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
SCAVENGERS, LIVE A LITTLE, PLENTY OF TIME, SHATTER, WHAT HAPPENED TO BRUNCH
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SHORT BLOCK 14
1:15 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATER
Featuring the films...
CARMEN AND THE WOODEN SPOON, HEARTS OF STONE, TANGO IN ROOM 1310, THE FIRST SEQUEL, UKRAINIAN DANCE MOVIE, WATCHING WALTER, CLEAN PLATE
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PIGGY DUSTER
1:45 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMVivian (Julia Ma) and her stepfather Keith (Brian Landis Folkins) set up camp in a Rocky Mountain valley, on a trip that he hopes will recapture the magic of the ones they took when she was little, much to her chagrin. In the heat of an argument, she dampens his spirit by revealing her intentions to go to college in China, near her real dad. That night, both too tense to sleep, they hear a grizzly bear prowling around the campsite. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MARTYR OF GOWANUS
2:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEBrooklyn, 2001. Gavin Macklin, a 30 year old housepainter, gets into a feud with a teenage boy (Angel) from the neighborhood over a stolen fishing rod and suffers a beating from Angel's cousin. After meeting Angel's sister (Mercedes), Gavin decides to befriend the boy and teach him how to fish. When Mercedes rejects Gavin's advances, he retreats into isolation and alcohol. Then, on the morning of 9/11, Gavin watches as NYC is attacked by terrorists. Gavin is angry and wants to respond with violence. Ultimately he must choose between an act of love or hate.
Actor Sawyer Spielberg and Director Brian Meere will be present at Friday, April 25, 2025 screening.
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RECOLLECTION
2:00 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1In a society where people rely on technology to remove painful memories, a glitch returns Kate's memories, uncovering a dark truth about her past and those responsible. It’s 2033, and memory cleansing has taken society by storm. Thanks to Vitality’s technology, yesterday’s troubles are forever forgotten . . . or so sullen Kate (Rosslyn Luke) believes until a glitch floods her with memories of a life erased. Now, Vitality wants to make Kate forget again. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SÉANCE
2:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOUIn 1892 California, a Victorian woman (Scottie Thompson) contemplating adultery is forced to take refuge from a storm at the home of her first husband (Jilon VanOver) and his unstable wife (Vivian Kerr), who claims to be haunted by their dead child. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 5
3:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTIC
Featuring the films...
A WOMAN IS MANY THINGS (JUST FINE ISN'T ONE OF THEM), DARCINE'S DAY, DEVELOPMENT, HIS MOTHER, MAGGIE'S NOT OKAY, MOTHER (MATKA)
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FOR THE LIVING
4:15 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERWhen 250 cyclists mount their bikes outside the universal symbol of absolute evil (Auschwitz-Birkenau) and pedal a WWII liberation path across the Polish countryside, every mile reveals that our entire species too has spent centuries on its own liberation path from Dehumanization towards Empathy and —in 2024— we may be traveling down the most dangerous stretch of all.The Film Maker will be in attendance. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SAFFRON KINGDOM
4:45 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMInspired by actual events, Saffron Kingdom delves into the Kashmir conflict through the lens of a family's journey from Srinagar in the 1990s to Atlanta in 2019. The narrative starts with young Masrat, who witnesses the violence of insurgency during her childhood. By 2014, as an adult, Masrat faces a devastating turn when her husband is abducted, forcing her to flee to America with her young son, Rizwan. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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SHORT BLOCK 6
5:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS BIJOU
Featuring the films...
29th OF FEBRUARY, AN OLD FRIEND, AREN'T WE HAVIN' A GOOD TIME, BUT I'M A SHOE, DÉRIVE, GOODNIGHT DARLING
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MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR
5:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEMISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR reveals the impediments one underprivileged intellectual must overcome to realize his dreams of the future. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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LOVE, DANIELLE
5:30 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1When Danielle, a happily married thirty-something, tests positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, she learns that this puts her at a very high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Thanks a lot, DNA! She now struggles with daily life, working at her bakery with her hubby Pat and hanging out with her clueless best buds on game night. Her older, smart-alecky sister Amy is already undergoing chemotherapy for a breast cancer diagnosis. Danielle now contemplates preemptively removing her "ticking time bomb" breasts and reproductive organs before cancer gets her, too. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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MISOPHONIA
6:00 PM - FIVE FLAGS MAJESTICWhen Martin is fired and subsequently forced to move in with his sister following a misophonia outburst at work, he sets out on a comically disgruntled mission to identify the various ways he might manage his misophonia and get his life back on track. The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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FOUR RIVERS SIX RANGES
7:30 PM - HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE BALLROOMAfter the invasion of Tibet in 1949, the nation suffered immensely under the brutal Chinese regime under a ruthless General Tan which led The Dalai Lama to escape his homeland into India and seek refuge in 1959. A group of ordinary Tibetan men led by Gonpo Tashi Andrugtsang (Jindah) secretly formed the resistance group called "Chushi Gangdruk" which translates to Four Rivers Six Ranges. FOUR RIVERS SIX RANGES is about these warriors who escorted and protected The Dalai Lama till the Indian border, inspired by the book "Flight at the Cuckoo's Behest." The Filmmaker will be in attendance.
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TAINTED LOVE
7:30 PM - FIVE FLAGS THEATERClosing Film - Special Preview Screening: TAINTED LOVE
Join us for a Special Preview Screening of Director Louie Psihoyos' new documentary before its wide release. Louis Psihoyos grew up in Dubuque and has directed and produced RACING EXTINCTION (2015), MISSION: JOY - FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES (2021), and the Oscar-winning documentary THE COVE (2009). Louie will join us for a Q&A after the film.
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THE PANTONE GUY
8:00 PM - GRAND OPERA HOUSEAt 96 years old, Larry Herbert, known as “The Pantone Guy,” is a visionary whose revolutionary idea to standardize color remains largely unrecognized. Growing up in Depression-era Brooklyn, Larry entered the print and manufacturing trade during a time when color was a chaotic and subjective experience. He channeled his unique vision into creating the Pantone Matching System—a groundbreaking invention that established a universal language for color, profoundly enhancing artistic expression and commercial production across all industries.
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ROBOT T-0
8:15 PM - PHOENIX THEATRE 1In the near future, robots are in every household, at the service of humans, replacing them in their daily chores. 40 years old Max, unemployed, and her daughter Paula struggle to earn their living by selling stolen robots on the black market. Unfortunately, their latest ‘acquisition’, T-0, is too old to be recycled at their usual fence . . . A godsend for Paula, aged 10, who dreams of owning her own robot! Her mother, yet vehemently opposed to machines, agrees to keep him until another buyer can be found. . . .
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