Festival of Cinema NYC returns to the Regal UA Midway in Forest Hills for the 9th edition of the popular Queens-based film festival, running from August 1-10. The festival opens with Oliver Kolker and Hernan Findling’s uplifting Argentinian music-filled drama I Had the Heart (Tuve el Corazon) and closes with the East Coast premiere of Scout and Doug Purdy’s festival hit Pilgrim.
North American premieres include Josh Mond’s It Doesn’t Matter, and Gregory Pellerito’s Moments of Youth. Chris De Pretis’ East Bay Confidential will make its world premiere at FOC NYC. The short films lineup adds an additional 11 world premieres and 3 North American premieres, as well.
Special Presentations include the 10th Anniversary of John Stuart Wildman’s critically-acclaimed thriller The Ladies of the House (2015), and a special “Conversation on Film” with writer/director Chris Kentis following a screening of his classic shark thriller Open Water. Members of the Los Angeles based organization, Kids in the Spotlight, featuring films from youth in foster care, will be in attendance for a special 2-day presentation and red carpet screening. The 2025 Festival of Cinema NYC will also feature a special presentation by renowned indie filmmaker Tzvi and his organization Film Underground, where 10 randomly selected unscreened films will be shown to an unsuspecting audience.
Festival of Cinema NYC will once again celebrate the film festival’s attending filmmakers with a pre-launch party inside Resorts World NYC’s famous 360º Bar and Lounge (110-0 Rockaway Blvd) on Thursday, July 31. Along with its presentation of more than 100 screenings, and FOC NYC’s multiple popular Red Carpet entrances at the Regal UA lobby flush with seemingly countless filmmakers, actors, documentary subjects, and below-the-line talent, the film festival will once again feature filmmaker-instructional presentations and script readings that will be free and open to the public at the Queens Library at Forest Hills. The jam-packed week and a half of screenings and events will conclude with FOC NYC’s famous Awards Ceremony on Sunday, August 10th at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Jamaica Queens.
Festival of Cinema NYC Founder and Executive Director Jayson Simba, said, “This year’s edition of the film festival combines great world cinema, hit festival films making their way to NYC for the first time; panels for aspiring filmmakers and those looking to raise their game; youth in film presentations to put the next generation in the spotlight; and a look at a couple of critically-acclaimed thrillers that epitomize what can be achieved with true indie filmmaking. It all goes to the heart of what FOC NYC is all about: highlighting why we love to come to the movie theater and celebrating the artistic accomplishments of our filmmakers who foster that connection between us.”
Oliver Kolker and Hernan Findling’s comedy-drama I Had the Heart (Tuve el Corazon) opens the film festival on Friday, August 1. The uplifting music-themed Argentinian film centers on a once-famous rock producer who is unexpectedly approached by his former record label and asked to find a tango singer for an upcoming city festival. The screening will be preceded by Kay Qiao’s short film, Elm.
Saturday, August 9 will feature the Closing Night presentation of Scout and Doug Purdy’s Pilgrim. The father and teenage daughter filmmaking team co-wrote, co-directed, co-produced, and co-star in the film which just played to two full houses at Dances With Films: LA. After a series of revelations, 15-year-old Joe devises a plan to cure her teen angst: a month-long pilgrimage filled with communication issues, terrible survival skills, and zero Wi-Fi—AKA a summer hiking trip with her father. Pilgrim is a funny, heartwarming story of connection and discovery. The screening will be preceded by Forest Hill local Lisa Milonaro’s short film, Incoming Call.
FOC NYC’s Special Presentations are led by a screening of Chris Kentis’ Open Water, followed by a “Conversation on Film” with Kentis. The 2004 Sundance hit is the quintessential indie survival horror thriller film and success story. The story concerns an American couple who go scuba diving while on vacation, only to find themselves stranded miles from shore in shark-filled waters when the crew of their boat accidentally leaves them behind. Another true indie, John Stuart Wildman’s The Ladies of the House was a critically-acclaimed horror thriller shot in a Dallas studio on a set that slavishly recreated the filmmaker’s house’s floorplan. The film follows the fate of three young men out on a birthday night at a burlesque club who follow one of the dancers home and get invited in for “dinner”, by the dancers who also happen to be cannibals with a fierce sense of home and family – and a taste for men. The film was described by Dread Central as “a confetti explosion of candy apple color, spinning vinyl records, rockabilly busty babes, blood spatter, and a whole lotta retro love.” Wildman and various cast members will be in attendance.
FOC NYC’s Special Presentations are led by a screening of Chris Kentis’ Open Water
, followed by a “Conversation on Film” with Kentis. The 2004 Sundance hit is the quintessential indie survival horror thriller film and success story. The story concerns an American couple who go scuba diving while on vacation, only to find themselves stranded miles from shore in shark-filled waters when the crew of their boat accidentally leaves them behind. Another true indie, John Stuart Wildman’s The Ladies of the House
was a critically-acclaimed horror thriller shot in a Dallas studio on a set that slavishly recreated the filmmaker’s house’s floorplan. The film follows the fate of three young men out on a birthday night at a burlesque club who follow one of the dancers home and get invited in for “dinner”, by the dancers who also happen to be cannibals with a fierce sense of home and family – and a taste for men. The film was described by Dread Central as “a confetti explosion of candy apple color, spinning vinyl records, rockabilly busty babes, blood spatter, and a whole lotta retro love.” Wildman and various cast members will be in attendance.
FOC NYC’s Special Presentations are led by a screening of Chris Kentis’ Open Water
, followed by a “Conversation on Film” with Kentis. The 2004 Sundance hit is the quintessential indie survival horror thriller film and success story. The story concerns an American couple who go scuba diving while on vacation, only to find themselves stranded miles from shore in shark-filled waters when the crew of their boat accidentally leaves them behind. Another true indie, John Stuart Wildman’s The Ladies of the House
was a critically-acclaimed horror thriller shot in a Dallas studio on a set that slavishly recreated the filmmaker’s house’s floorplan. The film follows the fate of three young men out on a birthday night at a burlesque club who follow one of the dancers home and get invited in for “dinner”, by the dancers who also happen to be cannibals with a fierce sense of home and family – and a taste for men. The film was described by Dread Central as “a confetti explosion of candy apple color, spinning vinyl records, rockabilly busty babes, blood spatter, and a whole lotta retro love.” Wildman and various cast members will be in attendance.
2025 FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION
I Had The Heart (Tuve el Corazon)
Directors: Oliver Kolker, Hernan Findling
Country: Argentina; Running Time: 107 minutes
Moti Cohen a one time hit rock producer discovered Bartolo, a stutterer mechanic who sings Tango like nobody. Moti will make him a star.
Preceded by
Elm
Director: Kay Qiao
Country: USA; Running Time: 16 minutes
An abandoned doll and a scarecrow scared of crows form an unlikely bond when they work together to overcome their fears and heal their mutual pain.
CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION
Pilgrim
Country: USA; Running Time: 111 Min.
Directors: Scout Purdy & Doug Purdy
After a series of revelations, 15-year-old Joe devises a plan to cure her teen angst: a month-long pilgrimage filled with communication issues, terrible survival skills, and zero Wi-Fi—AKA a summer hiking trip with her father. Pilgrim is a funny, heartwarming story of connection and discovery.
Preceded by
Incoming Call
Director: Lisa Molinaro
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
Ellie, a project manager, is stuck in a generic hotel on what feels like an endless work trip. As the construction project she’s overseeing faces delays, Ellie struggles to meet the demands of her job and her family from home. Incoming Call showcases how the challenges faced by the middle class might be pushing some people to their breaking point.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
The Ladies of the House (2015)
Director: John Stuart Wildman
Country: USA, Running Time: 93 minutes
The Ladies of the House follows the fate of two brothers, Jacob and Kai, who, along with their friend Derek, go to a dance club to celebrate Kai’s birthday. After Derek convinces the other two to follow one of the dancers home, things take a tragic turn. However, that is simply the beginning of the nightmare for the young men, because her roommates (Getty, Lin and Crystal) aren’t just fellow dancers, they are also cannibals with a fierce sense of home and family – and a taste for men.
Open Water (2003)
Director: Chris Kentis
Country: USA, Running Time: 79 minutes
Based on the true story of two scuba divers accidentally stranded in shark infested waters after their tour boat has left.
FILM UNDERGROUND
The “Film Underground” is a NYC-based screening series and collective run by filmmaker Tzvi, focusing on showcasing lesser-known films from around the world. For the first time ever Festival of Cinema NYC will be partnering with Film Underground and founder Tzvi to present 10 short films all under 10 minutes that have been randomly picked to screen raffle style.
KIDS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Tamesha Scott’s Kids in the Spotlight is an organization based in L.A. that helps foster care-impacted and underrepresented youth heal and grow from trauma through the power of storytelling, filmmaking, and workforce development. KITS is erasing the limits of the foster system with every film released. And with Hollywood-level production and opportunities, KITS filmmakers are bringing their talent to the creative community.
ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS
BitterSweet
Director: Steven Martini
Country: USA; Running Time: 85 minutes
This romantic comedy tells the story of a new father on the verge of losing his family to an overprotective government system that sees him as the root of the problem.
East Bay Confidential World Premiere
Director: Chris De Pretis
Country: United States; Running Time: 92 minutes
A disillusioned Iraq War veteran is framed for a murder by a beautiful social media influencer. He must track down the only person who can testify on his behalf: a former sex worker on the run from a murderous gangster.
I Never Said Goodbye
Director: Yev K’banchik
Country: United States; Running Time: 70 minutes
An Eastern European immigrant’s journey through grief and self-discovery intertwines with the lives of others in Baltimore, exploring themes of loss, connection, and the shared humanity that bridges cultural and socio-economic divides.
Moments of Youth North American Premiere
Director: Gregory Pellerito
Country: United States of America; Running Time: 125 minutes
On the night before graduation, the Senior Class at Winthrop Creek High partakes in a fun-filled scavenger hunt which features a massive grand prize. With their dreams on the horizon, they share one epic night of laughs and secrets before their futures begin. Unbeknownst to them, the night serves as a way to overcome a tragedy that’s been hindering their growth.
Perdido
Director: Muhammad Bilal
Country: USA; Running Time: 49 minutes
After a tragic run-in with police, Amir Rashad tries to avoid watching the news and anything that reminds him of the encounter. But as he becomes inundated with countless news reports about police brutality, repressed memories from his past begin to resurface. Unable to escape disturbing memories that now haunt him, Amir reluctantly chooses to seek help from a therapist to face his greatest fear.
Roughhead
Director: Aurelio Galfetti
Country: Switzerland; Running Time: 68 minutes
Ela and Anao are united by their hard work on the farm. In the solitude of the foothills of the Alps, their partnership of convenience develops into love. A love that doesn’t stand a chance. When Ela discovers Anao’s secret, it is too late and the sinister surrounding become increasingly threatening. A threat that Ela confronts until …
Rowdy Friends
Director: Jacob Hatley
Country: USA; Running Time: 91 minutes
Residents of a North Carolina halfway house take matters into their own hands when a roommate suspiciously disappears. Led by a cast of first-time actors, recovering addicts and ex-cons, this blend of fact, fiction and genre offers an unhinged look at life on the American margins.
The Premiere
Director: Jon Silver
Country: USA; Running Time: 81 minutes
A young filmmaker manages countless challenges at his first movie premiere – including high expectations, celebrity appearances, and paranoid delusions projected onto the screen.
Water Lilies
Director: Chanho Lee
Country: Republic of Korea; Running Time: 119 minutes
The water lilies bloom, even in the filthiest waters. Amid the mire of selfish desires and the indifference to others’ suffering, Hope begins to bloom anew in the fleeting moment when we recognize the humanity within one another.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS
40 Days
Director: Peter Takla
Country: United States; Running Time: 98 minutes
Naguib and his wife Mariam decide to take over a dangerous Journey to the United States starting from central America all the way to the US – Mexico Border facing many tough life threatening obstacles.
Game On: Hoops and Dreams in Rural China
Director: David Hamlin
Country: USA; Running Time: 80 minutes
This is the untold and surprising story of how American basketball came to rural China and is now deeply rooted in this rural culture. And every year, there is a remarkable basketball tournament attended by 20,000 local people. It’s the Super Bowl of Rural China – and a cultural and athletic spectacle unlike anything you’ve seen before. We follow three teams of men and women as they pursue their dreams to become basketball champions and bring glory to their villages.
It Doesn’t Matter North American Premiere
Director: Josh Mond
Country: USA; Running Time: 86 minutes
It Doesn’t Matter follows the cross-country wanderings of Alvaro, a homeless man from Staten Island, and his fortuitous relationship with a young filmmaker. Alvaro comes to confront the issues that have left him homeless and how he begins to heal.
Free Fernando!
Director: Marc Wishengrad
Country: USA; Running Time: 98 minutes
Filmed over 25 years, Free Fernando! chronicles the incarceration and eventual release of an innocent man who spent 18 years in maximum security prisons after being convicted of murder in 1990‚ New York City. Initially begun as an attempt to free Fernando from prison, Director Marc Wishengrad continued to follow Fernando and his family post-exoneration. Free Fernando! offers an intimate look at the far-reaching reverberations of wrongful incarceration.
Moses
Director: Fran Guijarro
Countries: USA/Spain; Running Time: 127 minutes
In San Francisco, a man enduring homelessness for two decades connects with passersby to be seen among the invisible‚ a skill he learned from a promising music career cut short in the 70s, and one that will ultimately transform his life.
SHORT FILMS
47
Director: J. Warren Fletcher
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 minutes
Almost Home
Director: Menhaj Huda
Country: USA; Running Time: 20 minutes
An Old Friend
Director: Nuk Suwanchote
Country: USA; Running Time: 14 minutes
ana 0091
Director: Robert Brody
Country: USA; Running Time: 7 minutes
The Anatomy of Jane Doesn’t Exist
Director: Kai Brown
Country: USA; Running Time: 3 minutes
Awake
Director: Elliot Kealoha Blanchard
Country: USA; Running Time: 4 minutes
The Babysitter Murders: Timing’s Off
Director: Orin Black
Country: USA; Running Time: 8 minutes
Backseat Girls
Directors: Alize Abdelhak, Kelsey Zhen
Country: USA; Running Time: 16 minutes
Bare (Sverlasi In Italien)
Director: Marc-Antoine Kelertas
Countries: Canada/Italy; Running Time: 9 minutes
Betty
Director: Leticia Buchanan
Country: USA; Running Time: 9 minutes
Between the Two World Premiere
Director: Omar Yñigo
Country: Mexico; Running Time: 12 minutes
Bloodercream
Director: Elise Valderrama
Country: USA; Running Time: 9 minutes
Boundary Line
Director: Tomoki Ota
Country: Japan; Running Time: 34 minutes
Break A Leg
Director: Thomas J. Cooksey
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 minutes
Cast & Brew World Premiere
Director: Priscilla Zanni
Country: Spain; Running Time: 10 minutes
Cheat World Premiere
Director: Jackie Mahoney
Country: USA; Running Time: 9 minutes
Come Out, Wherever You Are
Director: Caitlin Presberg
Country: USA; Running Time: 30 minutes
Crōman
Director: Henry Butler
Country: USA; Running Time: 8 minutes
Cromaescope
Director: Alvaro Beltran
Country: USA; Running Time: 35 minutes
Dance The Pain Away North American Premiere
Director: Fabio Rincones
Countries: Venezuela/Switzerland; Running Time: 5 minutes
Darcine’s Day
Director: Aaron Goffman
Country: USA; Running Time: 17 minutes
Dark Aces
Director: Alex Gavin
Country: USA; Running Time: 10 minutes
Deli World Premiere
Director: Max Garcia
Country: USA; Running Time: 14 minutes
Dharm
Directors: Harsh Gupta, Dalit Merenfeld
Country: USA; Running Time: 23 minutes
Dieter
Director: Rolf Broennimann
Country: Switzerland; Running Time: 11 minutes
Filther
Director: Simen Nyland
Country: Norway; Running Time: 20 minutes
Finding Daddy
Director: Emily Wilson
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 minutes
Flocky
Director: Esther Casas Roura
Countries: USA/Spain; Running Time: 11 minutes
The Forgotten Song World Premiere
Director: Maria Braun
Country: USA; Running Time: 7 minutes
From Earth To Earth: The Lost Art of Dying in America
Director: Spirit + Soil Productions
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 minutes
Galaxies
Director: Robert Brody
Country: USA; Running Time: 24 minutes
Grave Expectations
Director: Larry Ziegelman
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 minutes
Half a Century
Director: Jackie Mahoney
Country: USA; Running Time: 16 minutes
Have You Ever Seen A Man Die ?
Directors: Karriem Carter, Jake Tallon
Country: USA; Running Time: 3 minutes
Knawbone Creek
Director: Scott Vandiver
Country: USA; Running Time: 24 minutes
Lab Rats
Director: Stimson Snead
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 minutes
The Language Of Light: Ashley Gilbertson
Director: Fiona Cochrane
Country: Australia; Running Time: 25 minutes
Life Support
Director: Jamon Tolbert
Country: USA; Running Time: 11 minutes
Loose Change
Director: Richie Ellis
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 minutes
Lux World Premiere
Directors: Jazzie Young, Tatum Bront
Country: USA; Running Time: 3 minutes
Mama
Director: Albert Rudnitsky
Country: USA; Running Time: 22 minutes
Maneater
Directors: Jasmine Hurt, Aphrodite Armstrong
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 minutes
Marks of Majesty
Directors: Julia Comita, Stephanie Francis
Country: USA; Running Time: 9 minutes
Matthew Ericson
Directors: Matthew Ericson, Samson Jeter
Country: USA; Running Time: 10 minutes
Me, Myself, You World Premiere
Director: Soorin Kim
Country: South Korea; Running Time: 19 minutes
Mind of Thoughts
Director: Charlotte Verminck
Country: Belgium; Running Time: 23 minutes
Miss Tobacco’s Manuscript World Premiere
Director: Yu Yang
Country: Italy; Running Time: 15 minutes
The Missing Peace
Director: Michael Raymond-James
Country: USA; Running Time: 24 minutes
More Dead Than Living
Director: JT Doran
Country: USA; Running Time: 18 minutes
Morning Glory
Director: Zachary Kibodeaux
Country: USA; Running Time: 5 minutes
Morning Jim
Director: Jay Graham
Country: Scotland; Running Time: 19 minutes
Niko Newark
Director: Tracey Washington-Bagley
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 minutes
Old Haunts
Directors: Ashley Bez, Shane Duckworth
Country: USA; Running Time: 21 minutes
The One Who Got Called In
Director: Louie Cortes
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 minutes
Parallax
Director: Daryl Denner
Country: USA; Running Time: 6 minutes
Paul Tells All: The Regrets Of A Sad Slasher
Director: Nicky Lazos
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 minutes
The Pickup
Director: Karen Wang
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 minutes
Premiere
Director: Omer Ben-David
Country: USA; Running Time: 17 minutes
Pretty Soon But Not Yet
Directors: Michael Buscemi, Marika Hacking
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 minutes
The Professional Parent
Director: Erik Jasaà
Countries: Slovakia/Romania; Running Time: 15 minutes
Punch Out
Director: Austin Herring
Country: USA; Running Time: 4 minutes
Quinn
Directors: Mike “Loco” Hoffman, Jahvon “Jex” John
Country: USA; Running Time: 4 minutes
The Red Diamond Cut
Director: Nickolas Toth
Country: UK; Running Time: 14 minutes
The Red Market
Director: Christopher Matthew Spencer
Country: USA; Running Time: 9 minutes
Runaway: A Dremariand Tale North American Premiere
Directors: Brian Dolan, Justin Marceus,
Alexander Bonet, Victoria Schaubeck
Country: USA; Running Time: 20 minutes
Saverio
Director: Ellen Ancui
Country: USA; Running Time: 14 minutes
SilverSizzle
Director: Brian Russell
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 minutes
Sky
Director: Andrew Lucido
Country: USA; Running Time: 14 minutes
Staircase Stomp by The Clamor
Director: Aaron Louis
Country: USA; Running Time: 3 minutes
Sumarsólstöður
Director: Amélie Ravalec
Countries: UK/France; Running Time: 30 minutes
The Soviet “Roswell” Incident World Premiere
Director: Alex Teplish
Country: USA; Running Time: 14 minutes
Static Cling
Director: Steven Lifshey
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 minutes
Strays
Director: Or Schraiber
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 minutes
The Super
Director: Daniel Merino Villavicencio
Country: USA; Running Time: 4 minutes
Symptoms
Director: Eliza Gibson
Country: USA; Running Time: 14 minutes
The Tent
Director: Jared Bohlken
Country: USA; Running Time: 11 minutes
Thanks For Nothing
Director: Nick Shadix
Country: USA; Running Time: 22 minutes
To Engage
Director: Le Chau
Country: USA; Running Time: 8 minutes
Unraveling
Director: Rich Devaney
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 minutes
Velo Love
Directors: Sam Mendez, Carlos Cruz
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
Verflechtung
Directors: Philip Hofmnner, Simon Pflanzer
Country: Switzerland; Running Time: 19 minutes
Vulnerare World Premiere
Director: Sergio Mario Illuminato
Country: Italy; Running Time: 14 minutes
Waiting on You
Director: Jazzie Young
Country: USA; Running Time: 3 minutes
When Everything Was Blue
Director: Christina Chironna
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 minutes
Wild Animals
Director: David B. Jacobs
Country: USA; Running Time: 9 minutes
The World of James Gagmy
Director: Lon Takiguchi
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 minutes
Would You Rather North American Premiere
Director: Fabrizio Quagliuso
Country: UK; Running Time: 9 minutes
Written in Skin
Director: Damian Wampler
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 minutes
The Xenogender World Premiere
Director: Masataka Ishizaki
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 minutes
Yes
Director: Randi Barros
Country: USA; Running Time: 21 minutes
UNPRODUCED SCRIPT COMPETITION Top 10 Finalists
“21st Century Heretic”
Writer: Alex Isbell
“The Age of the Empath”
Writer: Steve Brown
“Cast Aside Home”
Writer: Joe Paragona
“Diwata”
Writer: Shea Formanes
“Father’s Day”
Writer: Bear Kosik
“Luke & Emma”
Writer: Levi Wilson
“The Place Between our Lives”
Writer: Clay Callender
“Queen”
Writer: Peter Gibbons
“Rabbi Rifkind”
Writer: Alex Barnett
“Winnie & Clyde”
Writer: Matthew Rafferty