Cinephiles and film-goers, unite at the The SoHo International Film Festival at Village East Cinemas June 9–16 for days and nights filled with the art of storytelling via videography. Back for its seventh year, the festival is bringing more than 70 films to the table. Fear not, we’ve rounded up the 10 must-watch independent films.
Fish & Chicks
Fish & Chicks by Elise Mc Leod & Julie Grumbach Trailer from TEN 2 TEN FILMS on Vimeo.
It all started with a scribble. Two strangers begin a written dialogue on a school desk and eventually they both yearn to discover who the other is. The short film written and directed by Julie Grumbach and Elise McLeod is only 20 minutes long.
Life of Significant Soil
Official Trailer (#1) for Life of Significant Soil from Michael D Irish on Vimeo.
Directed and written by Michael Irish, this 1 hour and 12 minute movie is about a young couple forced to re-live the final day of their relationship over and over…and over again.
Confession on Pleasant Street
This 1960s drama shows viewers the reality of isolation, betrayal and pack mentality by telling the story of what happens when a small town family discovers their late grandfather and former town leader may have committed a heinous crime.
Not Right Now
Writer and director Brianne Moncrief brings many women’s reality to life in this 8-minute comedy about a “young-ish woman who struggles to keep up with her friends as every woman she knows becomes pregnant–literally…like every single one.”
The Nightrunner
An insomniac takes to the streets at night to counter his inability to sleep. The runs help him sleep, but it turns out that his city has alternative plans for him. The drama is 22 minutes long.
Silly String Is Forever
Ella Dershowitz and David Meyers star in this short film that proves saying goodbye doesn’t have to be a miserable task. After being together for 28 years, characters Dylan and Shayna say farewell with silly string and Lucky Charms…and OK, some tears.
The Good Boy
Boxer Cal’s trainer Ray makes a bet on Cal in a dive bar. Cal has to decide whether or not to follow through with the challenge to maintain his relationship with Ray. What will he decide?
The Chop
This 16-minute comedy written and directed by Lewis Rose and produced by Daphnee Hocquard is about a friendly Kosher butcher who loses his job and because he struggles to find work as a Kosher butcher elsewhere, he pretends to be Muslim to work at a Halal butcher. This film won best comedy short at the Cleveland International Film Festival in 2016, nominated best short in the Manhattan Film Festival, among many others.
Welcome
Director Serena Dykman’s fourth short film is a drama about Anna, a New York-based Czech doctor who’s held at US immigration after a trip to Uganda…on the day her boyfriend plans to propose to her. Will he still find a way? Why is she there?
It Had to Be You
The feature-length romantic-comedy stars Cristin Miloti of Fargo and Wolf of Wallstreet and comedian Dan Soder of Inside Amy Schumer. Miloti (Sonia) plays the part of a neurotic jingle writer and Soder (Chris), her doofy boyfriend. An impromptu proposal creates twists and turns and a new journey of self-discovery for Sonia.