Thriller

Kevin Deeley (Max Deacon) has an intense passion for art and wants nothing more than to be a painter—though he unfortunately lacks the necessary talent. Broke, he is forced to steal, grift and lie to get by. He meets and forms a relationship with Olympia (Jacqueline Emerson), a gifted painter, over their shared love of art; but after his crimes catch up with him, he is thrown into the company of a convict (Chris Lazzaro) and an underworld figure (Lenny Clarke), who involve him in what will become the biggest art theft in modern history— and threatening his relationship with Olympia, his freedom, and even his life. Inspired by the true events surrounding the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Art Thief delves into the art world in entertaining, thrilling fashion.

In Attendance: Arthur Egeli

Ethan Berger’s feature narrative debut is an engrossing contemplation of blind adherence to tradition through the lens of a fictional college fraternity. Tom (Alex Wolff), a passionate “brother” of this fraternity, is charmed by the promises of high social status and alumni connections that open doors. But as a classmate outside of his social circle named Annabelle (Halle Bailey) enters his life, his devotion begins to falter. Once the scheduled hazing of new fraternity members, a group most notably including the manipulative Gettys O’Brien (Sarasota’s Austin Abrams) comes to a disturbing head, Tom is faced with the decision of a lifetime. In this unique dive into traditions ingrained in American culture, Berger opens up a conversation that can be applied to any example of absolute loyalty to an institution. Wolff offers a gut-wrenching performance of a young man questioning every belief that had once comprised his being. He is joined by John Malkovich and Denise Richards as the corrupt, wealthy parents of his power-hungry roommate — an earlier generation perpetuating these same traditions.––Kylie Jost-Price, Tribeca Festival

Fashion model Kelly-Anne (played to chillingly icy perfection by Juliette Gariépy)  wakes up every morning by the courthouse to secure a seat at the high-profile trial of Ludovic Chevalier, a serial killer commanding her attention. As days go by, the young woman bonds with another groupie (Laurie Babin), which momentarily breaks her out of her loneliness. But as the

proceedings drag on and she spends more time in the courtroom with the victims’ families, Kelly-Anne finds it increasingly difficult to maintain her psychological balance and assume her morbid fixation with the killer. She will then do whatever it takes to get her hands on the final piece of the puzzle: the missing video of a murdered girl, to whom Kelly-Anne bears a disturbing resemblance. Director Pascal Plante updates the psychological horror thriller to today’s tech world and weaves a nuanced, wonderfully creepy tale of the dark web, obsession, the seamy side of social media.

East Coast Premiere. Inspired by a true story, The Man in the White Van delves into the eerie underbelly of a seemingly idyllic 1974 Florida town and follows the harrowing experience of young Annie Williams (Madison Wolfe), a spirited girl whose carefree existence is turned upside down as she becomes stalked by an ominous man in a white van. The tranquility of Annie’s world, from her love of horseback riding to her leisurely strolls home from school in the nearby woods, begins to crumble as the menacing van inches closer and closer. As her parents’ skepticism increasingly grows, Annie finds herself psychologically isolated, and on Halloween night her worst fears materialize. Headed by a stellar cast, the feature debut of director Warren Skeels is a gripping exploration of terror, paranoia, and the fragility of security in a place where darkness lurks beneath the surface. Based on actual events of the serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr., the film captures a bone-chilling story of a young girl’s unimaginable horrors and every parent’s worst nightmare.

When a phone scammer makes one last late night call, the woman on the other end gives her much more than she bargained for.

Two former best friends reunite in a changed world, finally confronting the demons that ripped them apart.

A daughter comes home for the weekend to look after her father, ailing with Dementia. The appearance of a mysterious woman shines a light on their changing parent-child power dynamic, threatening to throw their world out of orbit.

Lavender follows Willi, a young queer man living in central Florida. Willi’s world is shattered by the mysterious disappearance of his love, Hector.

Eduardo (Tavinho Teixeira) has a mysterious disease in his body. The appearance of crabs everywhere in the tropical city of Recife may have something to do with it.

Evelyn lives isolated in a cabin in the woods haunted every night by monsters of unknown origin. One day she finds a dying man in the forest and decides to help him. Unable to trust him to stay or exile him into a certain death, she ties the stranger up inside the house and becomes entranced by him, struggling between her safety and her sexual desires.

Alice has been blacking out and craving things she dare not name. When her girlfriend’s dog goes missing, Alice wonders if it could be inside her.

Majeed Khawar is the painted picture of the American dream – he moved, alone to a foreign land at 17 and through resourcefulness and determination he made a good life for himself. On the outside, at 43, he has done well, is respected at work and after the early death of his wife, has been a single father to a confident, rebellious seventeen year old daughter DUA. But within himself, Majeed struggles to connect both with his Islamic community and the community of police officers he has dutifully served with, for decades. Dua , a lead performer for Devon’s dance team in Chicago’s bustling South Asian bubble, lives for dancing. It has become a salve to heal the wounds of her deceased mother. Majeed and Dua plod through their lives, waiting until Dua is headed to college, when Majeed’s orthodox and ailing father, BABA arrives from Pakistan, without notice and for treatment. Perhaps the source of Majeed’s inability to connect with his community, Baba introduces his conservative morality to Dua, a move that rubs salt on old wounds for Majeed. Majeed, Dua and Baba dance uneasily around old feelings, new worries and the conflicts that arise through generational differences. With the arrival of Baba, Majeed and Dua’s internal discord is heightened. Majeed is further tested when he is asked to work undercover at the local mosque that now, his father frequents. Initially offended at the discriminatory undertones of this investigation, Majeed decides it is best to be the man on the ground to protect the interests of the Muslim community. While undercover, Majeed re-discovers his connection to his faith and a secret about his father that cracks the ground beneath his feet. Both Majeed and Dua have to face the crossroads of being true to themselves and their individual identities against the expectation of tradition and the influence of Baba.

Can a priest reconcile the requirements of confessional privilege with the demands of his conscious?

Lycanthropy is a dark investigative thriller short film, which follows detectives Mark Kessler and John Mills, as they search for a missing girl.

The story starts in the middle of a crime investigation. We meet the detectives as they wait to search the residence of a key suspect, Mr. Johnson. However, Johnson does not cooperate and as the police don’t find any hard evidence, the case is at a standstill.

Kessler is troubled, both in his private and his public life. His vocation has taken a toll and over the years, he lost his family. Yet, he struggles, helpless in the never-ending, unrelenting battle against daily evil. He needs this case, a purpose, and ends up making a decision that changes everything.

Chasing through London’s rough underbelly, Kessler has his macabre worldview confirmed and chooses between law and justice, between his partner and his ethos.

In the end, it becomes difficult to tell who the real villain is…

This moody and atmospheric thriller examines the proclivity some have to lay claim to power and the autonomy others surrender in letting them have it. When a tenement building boards up due to Soviet threats, will anarchy take hold? Fear-mongering maintain order? Or can unity bring the tenants together…?

Despite hard fought battles, will Sergio lose the war for his stability to Lucifer himself?

This probing profile reveals how “Vietnam Veterans Against the War” were targeted/infiltrated by their government.

A teenage runaway and a widowed father each fight to take matters into their own hands to redeem their dark past.

After seeing her neighbor’s curious invention, a woman’s existence is jeopardized when criminals break in.

His parents away, Mario invites a stranger over for a hookup in this subversive cultural commentary.

A man’s nightmares and waking hours begin to blur in this tense and terrifying thriller.

In this exercise in tension, a barefoot woman breaks into a pregnant Sarasota couple’s home.

A foreboding paranoia progressively overcomes and affable latchkey kid after he solely witnesses and attack.

With only Detective Byrnes support, Genevieve (a clairvoyant PI) assists in a skeptical police forces investigation.

Despite evidence she’s become a contract killer, Miles searches for his sister at his own peril.