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Dances With Films NY Announces 2026 Filmmaker Awards

Dev Shapiro
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Dances With Films NY Announces 2026 Filmmaker Awards

Dances With Films – the Indie Film Festival that eschews ‘Marquee Names’ for Indie Talent announced its Audience and Industry Choice Award winners during yesterday’s breakfast awards event at The Stand (116 E 16th Street) following a weekend of sold-out screenings and events during its 4th New York edition of the indie-focused film festival.

Films and pilot projects that had the plight of the country’s immigrants on their mind, and documentaries featuring heartfelt New York stories led both the Industry Choice Awards and the Audience Choice Award winners with Nadir Saribacak’s Gazelle, about a Turkish music teacher struggling to get a foothold in the U.S. for his family, winning the Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes, Brandon Widener’s Immigreat wining the Audience Choice Award for Best Television and Web Series Pilot, with his series telling the stories of inspirational immigrants. Sabbuur Ikhlas’ Untouchables: The Story of St. Benedict’s Fencing won the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary with a film about a legendary New York-based fencing coach who led diverse teams described by producer Matthew Brewster during their acceptances speeches, as the “Bad News Bears” of fencing. The Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short went to Brad Bailey’s Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner. Carr’s appearance at the film festival was one of several emotional highlights this past week. The Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Peter Odiorne’s The Cereal Aisle Effect.

In the pre-awards presentations remarks during the ceremony, Dances With Films’ Co-Founder Leslee Scallon spoke of the significance of the awards presentations taking place during Martin Luther King, Jr., with DWF’s penchant putting filmmakers on a pedestal who give voice to the underserved. Co-Founder Michael Trent added that DWF’s philosophy of fostering the support between the festival’s ever-growing family of filmmakers has continued for close to 30 years now.

The Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes went to Vasilisa Kuzmina’s Song of Silence, and she along with co-writer Daisy Anderson inspired appreciative applause from their fellow filmmakers when they said the film was made with an all-female crew. Additional emotional highs during the awards occurred Jesse Cowell delivered an impassioned speech about the struggle he and other indie filmmakers endure to build a career and gain their own personal level of success after he won he repeated his win from last year, gaining the  Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Short with Where’s My Package?.

Dances With Film’s Midnight category, which has gained critical praise from Dread Central for its programming delivered Audience Choice Awards to Cameron A Tubb’s Acolyte (Best Midnight Feature), and Jamie Manelis’ My Dead Dad’s Funeral (Best Midnight Short).

The awards ceremony also included a presentation of Dances With Films LA’s Grand Jury Prize for Narrative Short to Hans Augustave for his film NWA (Black). Augustave had been filming and was unable to attend the film festival in June, so the impressive “man reaching for his dreams” statue, designed/created by John Barry was brought to New York so it could be presented in person. In addition, Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent received an award in recognition of the film festival’s support of Adam Zaslow’s documentary Zzaslow K-427, about an amazing mine detection dog who had a profound effect through his deployments and then later on the director himself. The film, which also screened at DWF LA, had its first screening in New York courtesy of the festival filled with first responders.

Recently selected by MovieMaker Magazine as one of its “25 Coolest Film Festivals”, DWF NY packed a lot of crowds into the theaters at Regal Union Square during the film festival’s four days of screenings. The film festival featured 30 feature-length and pilot world premieres among its lineup of 157 films. Dominik Sedlar’s Vindicta is the Opening Night feature selection, and Salvatore Sciortino’s Roof will make its world premiere as the Closing Night selection. The film festival also featured six Orange Carpets over the four days with filmmakers from 150 films enjoying their “rock star” moment in front of the cameras, and joined by celebrities and noted stars like Paul Shaffer, Shane West, Wendell Pierce, and Bradley Whitford.

Dances With Films will next return for its 29th outing in Los Angeles and the Historic Chinese Theatre in June. For more information about Dances With Films, please go to: https://danceswithfilms.com/.

The 2026 Dances With Films NY Filmmaker Award Winners:

 

INDUSTRY AND PROGRAMMERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

 

Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes

Gazelle

Director: Nadir Saribacak

 

Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes

Song of Silence

Director: Vasilisa Kuzmina

 

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

 

Best Narrative Feature

The Cereal Aisle Effect

Director: Peter Odiorne

 

Best Documentary Feature

Untouchables: The Story of St. Benedict’s Fencing

Director: Sabbuur Ikhlas

 

Best Midnight Feature

Acolyte

Director: Cameron A. Tubbs

 

Best Television and Web Series Pilot

Immigreat

Director: Brandon Widener

 

Best Narrative Short Film – TIE

Where’s My Package

Director: Jesse Cowell

 

Best Documentary Short Film

Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner

Director: Brad Bailey

 

Best Midnight Short Film

My Dead Dad’s Funeral

Director: Jamie Manelis

 

ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM – A Review by John Strange

The early science fiction films of the 50s and early 60s had a distinct look.  The stories were often bad aliens vs humans on Earth or, occasionally, humans out in space.  The special effects used were adequate for their time but are not up to today’s standards.  The special effects used in Star Trek (the original series) and Battlestar Galactica were done on a shoestring.  They were leaps and bounds above the quality of these early films.

Alan Ray, the writer/director of Adventures in Zeroworld: Shadow of Doom, has made a film that harkens back to the early days with cheap special effects and costuming that worked for films like the early Buck Rogers serials.  But his script is intentionally campy, and his characters, while reminiscent of Star Trek, would have been rejected by Gene Roddenberry.  And yet, his script works!

This film is campy and full of tropes borrowed from early space creature serials—characters, like Capt. J. Evermore Cake (played hilariously over the top by Matthew Tompkins, who is finally getting to display his comedic chops on the big screen) and my other favorite trope, the “damsel-in-distress” Dr. Varna (Gwendolynn Murphy), find themselves in more than one type of hot water.

The characters in the film range from lifelike mannequins to a wide assortment of odd creatures including a giant.

Adventures in Zeroworld: Shadow of Doom is a film that keeps you giggling at the story.  It could easily be made into an entire series of films starring the intrepid crew of the Space Command ship Alpha Dog.

This film is coming to a film festival near you this year.  Keep an eye out for it in your city!

 

Director: Alan Ray

Cast: Heath Allyn, Rick Appleton, Al Bianchi, Brant Bumpers, James Cable, Tom Chamberlain, Kerry Coward, Tom Davidson, Mary Farrar, Samuel French, Bobbie Grace, Matthew Hurley, Skeeta Jenkins, David Kroll, Kevin Kurz, Valerie Layne, Kelsey Mazak, Stewart McGregor, Valerie Michelson, Chad Mundo, Gwendolynn Murphy, Ray L. Perez, Angela Powers, Alan Ray, Brianna Ray, Emmy Robbin, Eric Robbins, Kaden Robbins, Eduardo Rodriguez Terry, Gene Ryan, Kacey Samiee, Kerry Tartack, Matthew Tompkins, Brian Villalobos, Katrina Waters, Christopher Winbush

MPA Rating: NR

Selig Rating: 4.5 Stars

Runtime: 73 Min.

Release Information:  ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM will play U.S. film festivals in the Spring and Summer of 2026. For announcements and information, follow @studiofifteam and @adventures_in_zeroworld on Instagram. The film will hit streaming platforms later this year.

Language: English

Genre(s): Adventure, Sci-Fi

Movie Site: ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD Official Site

Trailer: ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM Official Trailer

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

Freestyle Acquires LGBTQ+ Doc “The Big Johnson”

Dev Shapiro
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Freestyle Acquires LGBTQ+ Doc “The Big Johnson”

Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, proudly announces the acquisition of VOD rights to THE BIG JOHNSON, a documentary detailing the amazing life and tragic death of LGBTQ+ pioneer Dean Johnson. THE BIG JOHNSON played in over 20 festivals and won “Special Jury Prize” at Doc’n Roll Film Festival in London, “Best Feature” at LES Film Festival, “Best first time doc director” at Berlin Indie Film Festival, “Best doc” at LGBTQ Unbordered International Film Festival and “Best LGBTQ filmmaker” at IndieFEST Film Awards. THE BIG JOHNSON will be available to rent/own on North American digital HD internet, cable, DVD and satellite platforms on February 27, 2026.

An advance limited New York City theatrical release of THE BIG JOHNSON launches at Greenwich Village’s Quad Cinema on Friday January 23, 2026.  There will be a special Q&A session with filmmaker Lola Rocknrolla moderated by Murray Hill (HBO’s SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE) on opening night (Friday January 23, 2026).

Featuring interviews with LGBTQ+ community celebrities Lady Bunny, Jackie Beat, Sherry Vine and Taylor Mac, THE BIG JOHNSON tells the story of Dean Johnson — drag queen, rock star, sex-positive LGBTQ+ activist, junkie, escort, and eventually John Doe. How does someone so famous in New York end up unidentified for a week in a D.C. morgue? Dean Johnson was a force of nature, standing seven-feet-tall in high heels. Bald, with hoop earrings, alien sunglasses, and a tiny black dress, he screamed for equality with his groundbreaking bands, Dean and the Weenies and The Velvet Mafia, refusing to be in the closet in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS crisis. Dean and the Weenies’ hit song “F-ck You” became an anthem for queer liberation. Dean’s Rock ’n’ Roll Fag Bar parties and Homocorps, the only queer party ever held at the legendary rock club CBGB, mixed punk rock, sex, and activism. Through drugs, HIV, massive personal loss, and poverty, Dean always lifted up the community around him. We may never solve the mystery of his untimely death, but what we do know is that Dean and “the Big Johnson” changed New York City and everyone who knew him forever.

Written and directed by Lola Rocknrolla, THE BIG JOHNSON was produced by Rocknrolla, Patty Lovemore, Beth Johnson and Mitch del Monico. Featured interview subjects include: Alice O’Malley, Basil Rodericks, Beth Johnson, Cara Buckley, Ceyenne Doroshow, Chi Chi Valenti, Chris Hook, Dale Corvino, Daniel Nardicio, David Ilku, Dee Finley, Dirty Martini, Dixie the Orlando Crack Whore, DJ Tennessee, Eunice Holland, Greg “G-Spot” Siebel, Heather Litteer, Jack Curious, Jackie Beat, Joan Jett Blakk, Jim Hubbard, Josh Atkins, Kathena Bryant, Kevin Aviance, Lady Bunny, Lloyd Goldberg, Mario Diaz, Mary Feaster, Melissa Tiers, Michael Musto, Mike Albo, Miss Guy, Nora Burns, Pamela Page, Penny Arcade, Perry Masco, Scott Ewalt, Sherry Vine, Stephanie Madden, Stuart Klinger, Stuart Shapiro, Susanne Hassenstein, Taylor Mac, Thomas Celan, Viva Ruiz, World Famous Bob, and Legs Malone (‘Narrator’).

“THE BIG JOHNSON explores what it was like to be unabashedly gay in New York City’s East Village during the late 1980s in the middle of the AIDS crisis,” said filmmaker Lola Rocknrolla. “Dean Johnson flew naked–literally, into the face of homophobia, drug addiction and that fickle mistress fame–throwing parties that celebrated queerness, community, and gay sexuality. This is a very personal story from someone who knew and loved him.”

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated a deal to acquire THE BIG JOHNSON directly with the filmmakers and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films.

L.A. TIMES SHORT DOCS ACQUIRES STREAMING RIGHTS TO OSCAR® SHORTLISTED SHORT DOCUMENTARY ”ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH” 

Dev Shapiro
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L.A. TIMES SHORT DOCS ACQUIRES STREAMING RIGHTS TO OSCAR® SHORTLISTED SHORT DOCUMENTARY ”ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH” 

L.A. Times Short Docs has acquired distribution rights to the OSCAR® Shortlisted award-winning documentary short film ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH by first-time director Naja Phạm Lockwood and produced by Julian Cautherley . In July 2025, the film had its international premiere at the Doc Edge New Zealand Film Festival where it won the Best International Documentary Award and  played at more than 20 plus festivals and special screenings, garnering numerous jury prizes, audience awards and critical acclaim.

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH is a powerful testament to how the scars of war impact lives even decades after the war ends. Now fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War, one image still symbolizes how this war is remembered: the Associated Press Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of General Nguyễn Ngọc Loan executing a Viet Cong prisoner during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Reproduced and debated for decades, this photo has become an icon of America’s most divisive war. But that single, frozen frame cannot hold the full story.
While the film centers on the Vietnam War, it serves as a poignant reminder that while conflicts change, the human experience of war and the difficult path to healing remain tragically similar, making its themes incredibly pertinent today with the ongoing struggles and humanitarian crises in places such as Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, and Venezuela. This documentary provides an important and vital perspective on war’s lasting impact and the universal quest for peace and understanding.

“I am proud that our film has been selected to be part of L.A. Times Short Docs” states director Phạm Lockwood. “This is the obvious platform and a great partner to provide public access and debut the film. Southern California, especially Orange County, has the largest Vietnamese American community outside of Vietnam. It is a key location for understanding the war’s aftermath and rebuilding lives, which resonates with the film’s themes of intergenerational trauma, memory, healing and reconciliation after fifty years. The film continues to act as a catalyst for difficult conversations between different generations about inherited trauma that was previously left unspoken on all sides of the Vietnam War. The documentary tells the remarkable stories behind that infamous photo, while acting as a portal into the ‘varied carols’ (to borrow from Walt Whitman) of trauma and the American journey.”

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH is the first documentary from a Vietnamese/born director that explores the continuing aftershocks of the Vietnam War from the perspectives of both sides of the war: North Vietnamese who live in Vietnam today and South Vietnamese who are the Vietnamese diaspora including Vietnamese Americans alive today. By presenting voices from all sides of the conflict, it illustrates that “no one wins in war” and highlights the common human experience of loss and the capacity for renewal. The film confronts the enduring scars of war, the resilience of refugees rebuilding their lives in America, and the urgent parallels with today’s global refugee crises—at a time when the politics of immigration are more fraught than ever.

“ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH offers a rare and deeply human reexamination of a photograph that has long shaped how the world remembers the Vietnam War,” said L.A. Times Executive Editor Terry Tang. “This film carries particular resonance here in Southern California, home to the largest Vietnamese community outside Vietnam. It’s a privilege to showcase this powerful story of war, trauma and survival in the 4th season of L.A. Times Short Docs.”

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH will debut on February 2 for free on  Los Angeles Times ’ YouTube channel and latimes.com/shortdocs , as part of the L.A. Times Short Docs series.

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH is presented by LA Times Studios; directed by Naja Phạm Lockwood, produced by Julian Cautherley, shot by Carmen Delaney, edited by Wesley Lipman with music by Dylan Trần and executive produced by Geralyn Dreyfous, Don Young, Judy Korin, Lan Cao, Scott Anderson, Jim and Susan Swartz, and Larry H Miller and Gail Miller Family Foundation . Executive producers for LA Times Studios include Terry Tang, Anna Magzanyan and Jason Spingarn-Koff.

All the President’s Men reading: Ruffalo, Hawke, Cheadle, Morrow, Fishburne, Brenneman, Cuoco and more

Dev Shapiro
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All the President’s Men reading: Ruffalo, Hawke, Cheadle, Morrow, Fishburne, Brenneman, Cuoco and more

The Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre presented a sold-out, one-night staged benefit reading of All the President’s Men last night, benefiting the Academy’s foundation.
Held at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles, the iconic screenplay by William Goldman, based on the book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, was directed by Ethan Silverman, and produced by Julianne Hoffenberg. Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke led the extraordinary cast in the roles of Woodward and Bernstein, Amy Brenneman (The Bookkeeper), Don Cheadle (Ben Bradlee), Kaley Cuoco (Debbie Sloan, Kay Eddy), Laurence Fishburne (Deep Throat), Spencer Garrett (Harvey Rosenfeld), Rob Morrow (Howard Simons), Tom Pelphrey (Hugh Sloan, Barker, National Editor), Missy Yager (Martha Mitchell), Susan Traylor (Katharine Graham), and more (full cast list is here).

The post-performance talk back was moderated by Elsa Walsh, Moderator, Pulitzer Prize nominee, wife of Bob Woodward, Kevin Merida, panelist, former Executive Editor of the LA Times (four Pulitzer Prizes for the media organization during his tenure) Christian Williams, former Washington Post editor during Watergate, Tessa B Wick, Committee for the First Amendment, the Cast, and Director Ethan Silverman.

Speaking to how the film inspired a new generation of journalists and people who wanted to do investigative reporting and hold power accountable, Ruffalo said, “This script and film are about the hunt for the truth and the importance of journalism. In this script, we tell the story of journalism: how journalists find the story and the story finds them. It’s not lost on us how journalism is under attack, and tonight was a night to celebrate where journalism and our business meet.”

“Tonight, we honored journalists and the iconic Stella Adler by bringing an important script to life, bringing curiosity and importance to the story,” said director Silverman. “We wanted to present this script with the scenes that had been cut from the film and share the message of the tenacity of journalism and uncovering the truth.”

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of All the President’s Men. Mark Ruffalo brought this cast together after hosting a reading last summer in East Hampton, with Bob

Woodward and Carl Bernstein in attendance, and realizing how powerfully the story still resonates. While planning a benefit for the Stella Adler Academy, Mark proposed this special reading — assembling this extraordinary cast in just three weeks. The script combined Goldman’s original screenplay, the final shooting script, and the released film version.  The performance included scenes that had been cut from the film, including original material with Katharine Graham and Martha Mitchell that was never filmed. The first time this screenplay was staged this way was in 2006, produced by Julianne Hoffenberg, with Carl Bernstein performing as his own editor, Howard Simons.

Founded in 1985 by Stella Adler, Joanne Linville, and Irene Gilbert, the Stella Adler Academy is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to developing artists as both performers and engaged citizens. Nearly half of all students attending receive scholarships, with proceeds from this event directly funding the Academy’s scholarship program, ensuring world-class training remains accessible to artists from all backgrounds.

Ruffalo, a longtime supporter and Board Member of the Academy, personally assembled the cast in support of the Stella Adler Academy Foundation, which raises vital funds for student scholarships, professional training, community workshops, and arts education initiatives.

JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA – Interview with Filmmakers Julia Aks and Steve Pinder

Gadi Elkon
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JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA – Interview with Filmmakers Julia Aks and Steve Pinder

Filmmakers Julia Aks and Steve Pinder spoke with our Gadi Elkon about their Oscar shortlisted short film, JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA.

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TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA – Interview with Filmmakers Natalie Musteata & Alexandre Singh

Gadi Elkon
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TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA – Interview with Filmmakers Natalie Musteata & Alexandre Singh

Writers and Directors Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh spoke with our Gadi Elkon about their Oscar shortlisted Best Live Action Short film, TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA.

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DANCES WITH FILMS: NEW YORK OFFERS UP UNIQUE SLATE OF JEWISH-THEMED FIILMS

Dev Shapiro
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DANCES WITH FILMS: NEW YORK OFFERS UP UNIQUE SLATE OF JEWISH-THEMED FIILMS

The Fourth Annual Dances With Films: New York will feature six very diverse Jewish-themed films in the categories of feature length narrative and documentaries, as well as short films.

VINDICTA, a feature film written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Dominik Sedlar, will have its US Premiere as the Opening Night film at the festival, January 15 7:30PM, at the Regal Union Square theater in New York City. In VINDICTA, Hannah/Anna, a young woman with a haunted past, methodically pursues Nazi officers to extract her revenge for her family’s murder with great success until she meets Klaus, an officer from a special unit. He becomes enamored of her and the stage is set for a deadly denouement.

VINDICTA stars Devon Ross (Irma Vep, Depravity, My First Film) as Hannah/Anna, Jack Bandeira (The Gold, The Duke, My Policeman) as Klaus, and Sam Hazeldine, known for his villainous turn in The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power appears as the film’s main antagonist, with an outstanding supporting cast including Pip Torrens (The Crown, Poldark, Versailles, Savage House), Anna Madeley (All Creatures Great and Small, A Gentleman in Moscow, In Bruges, The Crucible ), Juliet Aubrey (Professor T, Middlemarch, The White Queen), and Suzanne Bertish (Inspector Morse, Mercy Street, Dead Ringers).
The historical documentary HOLY GHETTO will make its World Premiere at Dances With Films New York on Friday, January 16 at Regal Union Square.

Holy Ghetto peels back a side of Israel few people see: Tel-Aviv’s desperate red-light district. Holy Ghetto follows Olga, abducted by sex traffickers at the age of 17; Dave an American who founded a shelter for women in prostitution; Yana, a recovering addict and struggling mother of five; and Ohad, a former trafficker chasing redemption across. Over a decade, Dave, Yana, and Ohad reveal their memories, dreams, hopes, and fears, set against Tel Aviv’s grittiest neighborhood, in a city of contrasts where despair, extravagance and resilience collide. More than portraits of hardship, their stories reveal the human capacity to endure and transform in the most difficult circumstances.

HOLY GHETTO is the feature directorial debut from iLan Azoulai, who’s served as cinematographer, editor and technical consultant on several films.

Making Awareness, a (Documentary Short) where two Israeli street artists spread awareness to aid inthe release of hostages taken on October 7th, 2023.  Written by Susan Wasserman and Josh Lawhorn, directed and produced by Wasserman, featuring Dede Bandaid and Nitzan Mintz. World Premiere.  Sunday, January 18th at 11:30AM.

Gimme (Midnight Short) On the first night of Hanukkah, a grandfather and his estranged granddaughter are pulled into a sinister game of dreidel. Written by Steven Schloss and Aidan Payne, directed by Schloss, produced by Stuart Valberg and Payne, starring Paul Kandarian and Taylor Pezza. East Coast Premiere. Saturday, January 17th at 9:30PM.

Being Dead Should Be Easy (Narrative Short) A Millennial woman has a breakdown when she learns there is no room left for her in the family mausoleum.  Written by Claire Harris Matson.  Directed by Matson and Drew Brandon Jones. Starring: Olivia Macklin, Maggie Wheeler, Kevin Dorff, Alan Barinholtz, Cassandra Bodzak, Caroline Brauner, Grant Rivers, and Maggie Dewan-Smith. East Coast Premiere. Friday, January 16th at 2:30PM.

Escape: The True Story of Morris Schnitzer (Family Short) In 1941, a teenage Jewish boy, Morris Schnizter, loses his true identity when he flees the Nazis. ESCAPE: THE TRUE STORY OF MORRIS SCHNITZER is the incredible account of how he gets it back.  Written by Pazit Cahlon and Jason Charters, directed by Hector Herrera. Starring Julian Dos Santos, Andrew Dundass, Jason Durkee, Jesse Beam and Daniel Krolik. New York Premiere. Sunday, January 18th at 11:15AM.

For tickets and more information go to: https://danceswithfilms.com/film-listings/

Gadi Elkon’s Favorites for 2025

Gadi Elkon
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Gadi Elkon’s Favorites for 2025

Here are Gadi Elkon’s picks for favorite films, shows, and acting performances.  Also some shows and films He’s most excited for in 2026.

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I WAS A STRANGER – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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I WAS A STRANGER – A Review by John Strange

The civil war in Syria lasted thirteen years.  It was bloody and heavily damaged the country, but of more importance was what it did to its citizens.  I Was a Stranger tells the story of some of the citizens who became refugees during the conflict.

Told in a storytelling style similar to that of Pulp Fiction, the film first follows the Doctor, aka Amira Homsi (Yasmine Al Massri), and her daughter.  Then the filmmaker introduces the story of the Soldier, aka Mustafa (Yahya Mahayni).  The third piece of the story belongs to the Smuggler, aka Marwan (Omar Sy).  Next up was the Father, aka Fathi (Ziad Bakri), and his family.  Finally, the fifth segment gives us the Captain, aka Stavros (Constantine Markoulakis).

Writer/director Brandt Andersen has crafted a story that gives us a glimpse into the lives of each person before weaving them together to bring the refugees out of Syria and the refugee camps across the border and then across the sea to Greece and maybe to peace.

There is death and danger at every step of this story.  The characters are amalgamations inspired by the stories of many refugees who fled their homeland and those who took advantage of their need for a new home.

The talented actors make this movie both believable and heart-wrenching.  This film is the first international film distributed by the good folks at Angel Studios.  Known for their well-made faith-based films, they distribute films such as this one that deserve a larger audience than they might have gotten through smaller or niche companies.

I Was a Stranger is a good film that I am glad I saw.  I had only thought I understood what was happening during this conflict in the Middle East.  Now I have a much better appreciation of the plight of those people involved.

 

Writer/Director: Brandt Andersen

Cast: Yasmine Al Massri, Yahya Mahayni, Omar Sy, Ziad Bakri, Constantine Markoulakis, Ayman Samman, Jay Abdo, Mahmoud Bakri, Saleh Bakri, Jason Beghe, Carlos Chahine, Konstadinos Danikas, Massa Daoud, Sara El Debuch, Rami Farah, Fares Helou

MPA Rating: PG-13 (for strong violent content/bloody images, thematic material, a racial slur, and smoking)

Selig Rating: 4.5 Stars

Runtime: 97 Min.

Release Date: 01/09/2026

Language: English

Genre(s): Drama

Movie Site: I WAS A STRANGER Official Site

Trailer: I WAS A STRANGER Official Trailer

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

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