Dances With Films

Dances With Films LA announces big lineup of films for next month with 117 world, North American, and U.S. premieres

By John Wildman 2 years ago

Dances With Films: LA announced the film lineup for the return of Los Angeles’ largest indie film-focused film festival (June 20-30) for its 27th edition. Adding a new co-presenting partnership with Outfest for additional LGBTQIA+ programming, a beefed-up Midnight Horror and Genre section, as well as continuing the celebration of music, dance, and family friendly programming in the Downbeat and Kidz sections, all will contribute to the most robust film schedule DWF has produced to date.

Dances With Films – NY 2023 Winners Report

By John Wildman 2 years ago

Dances With Films – the Indie Film Festival that eschews ‘Marquee Names’ for Indie Talent announced its Audience and Industry Choice Award winners during a breakfast celebration at The Stand (116 E 16th Street) following a jubilant high energy weekend of screenings and events during its 2nd New York edition (adding to DWF’s nationwide brand with 26 years in Los Angeles at the Historic Chinese Theatre). The Audience Choice Award winners were led by Justin Chan’s Grounded (Best Narrative Feature) and Hoag Kepner’s Torched – The Story of Austin Torch. Vardan Tozija’s M received DWF’s coveted and rarely awarded Programmers’ Choice Award.

Dances With Films Reviews: Alexander Jeffrey ‘s YOU HAVE NO IDEA captures a mother’s unrelenting drive to create a loving world for her autistic son

By Jonita Davis 3 years ago

The documentary is full of touching moments as it flashes back on Beth’s journey to ensure that her son has care. The film flashes back to present day Evan, living in a group home for adults with developmental disabilities. It isn’t until the end that we realize in building a community for Evan, Beth helped create a lot of resources and steppingstones for other families. There is probably a secondary documentary in how her persistence, insistence, and community building has led to awareness and programs for others.

Dances With Films Reviews: Nick Laurant’s THE GIRL IN THE BACKSEAT gives a real and gritty view of human trafficking with a surprising heroine.

By Jonita Davis 3 years ago

The dating world is difficult enough in the days of Tinder and other apps. Catfishing and attempted fraud are the norm. However, Nick Laurant’s The Girl in the Back Seat adds one more thing for women to worry about when dating–trafficking. The film is written by its stars Kika Magalhães (who plays Sofia) and Chris Marrone (who plays Ryan).

Dances With Films Reviews: Justin Geldzahler’s GLUE TRAP catches a couple in the sticky horror of a struggling relationship

By Jonita Davis 3 years ago

Justin Geldzahler’s Glue Trap is the story of the couple’s stay at the cabin. It’s a slow burn psychodrama that teases the audience along what opens like a predictable drama about two people. A mouse caught in the trap becomes a pivotal moment that almost ends the couple. The tension is thick in the first 30 minutes, building until it seems that someone has to die in order to release the pressure.

Nicola Rose talks about creating an unusual romance hybrid film in GOODBYE, PETRUSHKA

By Luke Y. Thompson 4 years ago

In the Russian ballet Petrushka, a Punch-like figure pines for a ballerina who rejects him, and gets killed in a duel. The combination of longing and presumed-crazy ambition imbues Nicola Rose’s Goodbye Petrushka, in which impulsive, puppet-making film student Claire (Lizzie Kehoe) impulsively quits school to go to France, where she longs to study more serious puppetry…and the handsome, recently retired figure skater Thibaut (Thomas Vieljeux) she ran into in New York before they both left.

As Claire attempts to navigate a new life as an au pair, she tries to coax Thibaut into making a skating puppet ballet with her. But her culture shock and his girlfriend just might stand in the way.

Meital Cohen Navarro’s OVER MY DEAD BODY makes its L.A. debut at Dances With Films

By John Wildman 5 years ago

Meital Cohen Navarro’s short film OVER MY DEAD BODY is mid way through its film festival run that began with a Jury Prize at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival in March, and has included screenings at Iowa’s Julien Dubuque Film Festival, Canada’s Gimli Film Festival, and the Cordillera International Film Festival in Reno, Nevada. However, L.A.’s Dances With Films festival was the first time the cast had joined director/screenwriter/producer Meital Cohen Navarro to see the film on the big screen in front of an audience.