The 2018 NY Indie Theatre Film Festival runs Jan. 30 - Feb. 3. Now in its second year, the NYITFF supports indie theatre artists defying labels and branching out into recorded media. We bring them together over five nights so you can see what they're up to. This year's lineup includes over 30 short films, documentaries and web series episodes.
Tickets to most screenings are $5, with the exception of a few special events. Tickets can be purchased here.
The NYITFF is produced by New Ohio Theatre, a two-time Obie Award winning theatre that serves the vast independent theatre community of New York and the adventurous audiences who love them. All screenings are at the New Ohio, 154 Christopher Street, between Greenwich and Washington Streets.
Screening schedule ▾▾
Tuesday, January 30 OPENING NIGHT
7 PM:ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. 2007. Dir: Julie Taymor
Wr. Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais; Story Julie Taymor, Dick Clement, Ian La Frenai
The songs of the Beatles provide the sonic framework for this musical tale of romance, war and peace. When young British worker Jude (Jim Sturgess) sets sail for the United States in search of his father, he ends up meeting carefree college student Max (Joe Anderson) and his lovely sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a cast of eccentric characters. As Jude and Lucy fall for each other, their relationship is threatened by the social upheaval that accompanies the Vietnam War.
New Ohio Theatre is excited to open the 2018 NYITFF with a 10th anniversary screening of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, created by acclaimed theatre and film artist Julie Taymor.
Ms. Taymor will join afterward for a talkback. A ticket to the screening is necessary to attend the talkback.
Wednesday, January 31
7 PM:Shorts Program #1
English, wr. + dir. Amanda Quaid; Prod. Amanda Quaid, Adam Bradley (Drama. 6:00) A woman immigrates to America to give her son a better life, but will his rapid assimilation leave her behind?
Alpha Fish, wr. + dir. Roger An; Prod. Roger An, Karen Wang, Rachel Whelan (World Premiere. Comedy. 8:50) Man and goldfish struggle for dominance of their apartment, when a beautiful marine biologist enters and changes everything.
Working It Out, wr. Jose Rodriguez, Timothy Noble, & Lillian Isabella; prod. + dir. Lillian Isabella (Comedy. 8:00) A wannabe detective zeroes in on a suspect by pretending to go on a date with him.
Basic Witch, Created by Kim Blanck, Janna Emig, Jessica Frey, Claire Rothrock, Annie Tippe & Ryann Weir (Web Series. Comedy. 2 Episodes) Basic Witch explores the expectations placed on "witches," and the moxie it takes to break down barriers.
Living The Dream, wr. + dir. Craig Donnelly & Daniel Switzer (NY Premiere. Musical/Comedy. 1 Episode) A new parody series that showcases what it's really like trying to be "on Broadway."
Dispatched, wr. Susan Soon He Stanton, dir. Kyle Wilamowski; Prod. Chris Doi & Megan Byrne (Festival Premiere. Drama. 15:03) A paramedic responding to an emergency becomes infatuated with his patient.
In the near future a woman recalls the years 2015-2017 when she was making her first feature film, in which she played a young woman who was making a documentary about female artists. Shot largely in the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens, NY, “Us, Forever Ago” is a slice of life, a film inside a film, and a hug around questions of intimacy, belonging, and being a creator.
Thursday, February 1
7 PM:Shorts Program #2
Resolutions, wr. Erica Saleh; dir. Tamara Fisch; prod. Kara Janeczko (Drama. 15:00) As the clock counts down to midnight this New Year's Eve, Frankie learns something that changes everything.
The Future Is Female, wr. + dir. Elena Grosso; Prod. Lightoffilm NY (Documentary. 2:55) Four young girls are interviewed about being a woman in these specific historical and social times of uncertainty and difficulty for women.
Adopt A Highway , wr. + dir. Bennett Clarkson; Prod. Nicholas Nazmi (Comedy. 8:38) A young married couple adopts a highway and raises it as their child.
Now Or Later, wr. + dir. Mara Kassin, story by Mara Kassin + Dan Pearson; Prod. Mara Kassin + Dan Pearson (Drama. 9:48)
Elise, a Hasidic woman and Mike, a black man start an unlikely relationship on Shabbat.
The Interruption, wr. + dir. Chris Myers; Prod. Chris Myers (World Premiere. Drama. 6:18)
While enjoying a moment of downtime in a park, a girl finds herself aware of an argument between two fathers and decides to step in.
Brokers, wr. Aaron Ballard and Dano Madden, dir. Talya Klein (NY Premiere. Web Series. Comedy. 1 Episode) A comedy about the underbelly of the underbelly of NYC real estate.
9 PM: F*It Club Benefit: Film Race + Webseries: The Webseries World Premiere!
Start the new year off right by kicking your creative juices into high gear with F*It Club at the NY Indie Theatre Film Festival!
Ever wanted content to enter a film festival? Want to create a Facebook video that "goes viral"? Just want to have a reason to make something? The New Ohio and F*It Club are challenging YOU to make the best short film you can - in 72 hours. Register a team for $20 and receive a theme and required script elements on Friday, Jan. 26. Finished films are due by Monday, Jan. 30, at 10 am.
Tonight is when we gather at the NYITFF to watch the entries and crown a winner! You'll also get to see the world premiere of episodes 4 and 5 of Webseries: The Webseries, the hilarious web series produced by F*It Club.
Proceeds from tonight benefit F*It Club's programming for 2017. More details here!
Friday, February 2
7 PM:Shorts Program #3
And Still We Love, wr. Jessica Afton, dirs. Erika Santosuosso & Jessica Afton; Prod. Christin Eve Cato (Drama. 8:17) Amidst a tumultuous political climate, a couple fights to find beauty in the face of an indefinite separation.
Recognition, wr. + dir. Michelle Siracusa; Prod. Michelle Siracusa & Scout Tafoya (NY Premiere. Drama. 1:50) Past lives meet in the present.
A Nothern Star, wr. + dir. Francisco Solorzano; Prod. Barefoot Studio Pictures (Drama. 13:14) A lost little boy wanders into a nursing home and finds a long-retired actress.
BLACK?, wr. Damian Thompson, dir. Guy Calaf; Prod. Damian Thompson, Guy Calaf, Gisela Chipe (Comedy. 10:24) Two New York roommates navigate what it means to be black in the world of acting.
Hustlebucks, wr. + dir. Mike Swift; Prod. Kali Swift (Web Series. Drama. 1 Episode) A gang of scam artists beat the system by pulling hustles to afford their stylish lifestyle. Winner: Outstanding Pilot Premiere at Brooklyn Web Fest
Uni-verse, wr. + dir. Luca Nicora; Andrea Vicunia (Drama. 5:03) Right after an argument, a painter tries to reconnect with his astronomer girlfriend.
Again, wr. Bekah Brunstetter, dir. Alexis Jacknow; Prod. Stephanie Marin, Tyler Evans (Drama, Comedy. 11 min.) A man watches Groundhog Day over, and over, and over again. Will the heart recover what the mind has lost?
9 PM: NYITFF After Dark Join us for multiple episodes of two special web series!
Unicornland, created by Lucy Gillespie, dir. Nick Leavens (NY Festival Premiere. Web Series. Drama, Comedy. 5 Episodes.)
Unicornland is a webseries about Annie, who explores her sexuality post-divorce by dating couples. Over drinks, at dinner, and in bed. Each episode features a date with a new couple, from Williamsburg hipsters, to Wall Street power duos, to Bushwick burners, as Annie becomes not just sexually active, but activated. Unicornland contains themes of polyamory and open relationships, and was made with the full support of the New York sex positive community.
The Hunted: Encore, Wr. Ned Donovan, Joe Pietropaolo; Dir. Crystal Arnette; Original Songs by Preston Max Allen, Marcus Thorne Bagala, Megan Bagala; Prod. Charging Moose Media (Musical, Comedy, Action. 4 Episodes)
It's been a year since Season 1 and the vamps wield more power than ever. Vampires John & Adam are viral sensations with their super popular vlog & have called in the rocker mercenaries, The Queens of The Damned, to finish the Encore team once and for all. The Queens, however, don't want just Megan's blood – they want HER. Meanwhile, the Slayers can't seem to get anything done. Fearing they might be in over their heads, Bob from The Hunted LA (the longest running series on the net) comes to NYC to whip the slayers into shape and take on these rockstar assassins.
"There will be fangs, fistfights, and “Bite me” jokes, all set to guitar-driven musical numbers that will sound just like heaven to fans of 1980s straight-to-VHS action films." - New York Times
Saturday, February 3
5 PM:John Fleck Is Who You Want Him To Be
Wr. + Dir. Kevin Duffy (NY Premiere. Documentary. 70 min.)
In 1990, radical gay performance artist and actor, John Fleck, became infamous as one of the "NEA 4" in a US Supreme Court case involving freedom of speech. His moving and often hilarious performance work, with its bold exploration of sexuality, religion and morality, is the subject of filmmaker Kevin Duffy's documentary. The film intercuts raw archival video, current footage--from performances at the New Museum in New York and various California venues--with compelling interviews in a kaleidoscopic portrayal of this often misrepresented and maligned artist.
"This documentary by Kevin Duffy looks at the performance artist who was at the center of the culture wars of the early 1990s as one of the NEA Four....The doc follows Fleck during a pair of performances, flashing back to the early days of his career." -- Carolina Miranda, Los Angeles Times
7 PM: Shorts Program #4
You Made It Worse, wr. + dir. + prod. Alyssa May Gold (Web Series. Comedy. 4 Episodes) A comedy about impatience, friendship, moping and baking.
Elevated Thinking, wr. + dir. Maggie Politi; Prod. NikoFrank Productions (Comedy. 3:22) When Spiro has a sudden burst of inspiration, he's surprised to see the results of his "creativity"
Never Have I Ever, wr. Maggie Politi, dir. Cory Stonebrook; NikoFrank Productions (Comedy. 5:00) Teens sneak off to the basement to play party games; but when one of the girls shows her true colors, things go terribly wrong.
American Daddy, wr. Katie Baldwin Eng, dir. Yaara Sumeruk, original score by Romain Collin; Prods. Five on a Match + The Exploratory Committee (Comedy. 9:16) The day after Trump is elected President, two lifelong friends meet for a drink. One of them is horrified. The other is surprisingly calm...
Nothing, wr. Nicholas Kennedy & Kimberly Sheridan, dir. Nicholas Kennedy; prod. Maddie Goldberg (Drama. 5:00)
Sunset, wr. Gary Jaffe, dirs. Katie Ennis & Gary Jaffe; prod. Skylar Landsee + Katie Ennis (Drama. 15:00) In the days following Pearl Harbor, a duty-bound gay man must decide whether to serve overseas or stay in New York with his bohemian lover. Winner -- Audience Award for Best LGBT Film at Rhode Island International Film Festival
9 PM: Closing Night Party! The Best Movie By A Theater Person: A Crucial Debate
To close the 2nd Annual NYITFF, join us for a highly opinionated, gleefully subjective discussion to determine the best film ever made by a theater person, hosted by theater journalist Martha Steketee.
New Ohio audiences will be able to nominate contenders for the title via social media and in person at film festival events, and those who attend the discussion will vote to determine the ultimate winner.
Because we want debate to be lively, your ticket includes a free drink-ticket at the bar!
