Programmer Benita Paplauskaitė

Fucktoys (dir. Annapurna Sriram)

MIDNIGHT SCREAMS
If you keep returning to the festival for unashamed and daring cinematic experiences.

I probably won’t even surprise you by once again recommending a film where fortune tellers and Tarot cards play a vital role. This time, I invite you on a Fool’s card journey filled with adventure, absurd, seductive games, and queer love. Actress Annapurna Sriram’s directorial debut shatters not only the boundaries of decency but those of gender as well. It will resonate with all fans of John Waters and those who have a soft spot for B-movies. I guarantee this will be the most campy and crazy film you’ll watch at the festival this year.

JULIAN (dir. CATO KUSTERS)

COMPETITION
If you keep returning to the festival for true stories.

Julian is an adaptation of the autobiographical book by Belgian author Fleur Pierets, sensitively revealing the fragility of queer relationships and the resistance against a world that still refuses to let love be free. This true story of a bond between two women could have become a political manifesto; instead, it emerged as a subtle portrait of devotion, loss, and an endless love without borders. Julien will certainly appeal to those who see the importance of discussing LGBTQI+ themes, but I especially recommend the film to those who find this recommendation of mine annoying. P.S. Prepare to shed more than a few tears.

ALPHA (DIR. JULIA DUCOURNAU)

MASTERS, MIDNIGHT SCREAMS
If you keep returning to the festival to experience films not just emotionally, but physically.

You have likely heard of French director’s Julia Ducournau films such as Titane or Raw. In her third feature, Alpha, the director returns once more to the body horror genre. Serving as a subtle allegory for AIDS, the film also tells a story about generational trauma and the fear of social exclusion and pandemics. Alpha polarized both critics and audiences alike, so I invite you to be brave: come and decide which side you are on. Unless you are afraid of needles – in that case, you might want to skip this one.

LESBIAN SPACE PRINCESS (DIR. EMMA HOUGH HOBBS, LEELA VARGHESE)

MIDNIGHT SCREAMS
If you keep returning to the festival for witty adult animation.

Prepare for your stomach to ache – from laughing. Lesbian Space Princess boldly blasts romantic failures, internal dramas, and echoes of exes into outer space. Yet beneath the vibrant colors and absurd humor lies a very grounded tale of self-worth, heartbreak, and the struggle to remain true to oneself in a world that isn’t always kind to queer people. I invite you to dive into an adventure with the Lesbian Space Princess, during which you will be saving not only the galaxy but also a fragile sense of self-confidence.

REEDLAND (dir. SVEN BRESSER)

COMPETITION
If you keep returning to the festival to lose yourself in the screen and in reflections that last for days.

Reedland is not just another crime drama. It’s a reflection on social exclusion, generational divides, and moral and ecological decay. The lead actor, Gerrit Knobbe, is a reed cutter both in the film and in real life, and this is his first experience in cinema. Despite this, Knobbe’s performance is so convincing that you will spend days wondering: “What really happened in that secluded reedland, and what truths remain forever hidden behind the frames?”

BARRIO TRISTE (DIR. STILLZ)

LOST, LOST, LOST
If you keep returning to the festival for meditative experiences and spellbinding soundtracks.

Shocking and bold in both its themes and form, Stillz’s feature debut masterfully weaves the aesthetics of music videos and experimental cinema, leaving a trace in one’s memory. The found footage technique, accompanied by a hypnotic soundtrack by the artist Arca, will plunge you into a transcendental state that will linger long after the screening. If you are a fan of Harmony Korine’s early work, Barrio Triste is a must-see.

SHORTS FOR FREE

If you keep returning to the festival in search of the most unexpected discoveries.

This program of the funniest, strangest, and shortest shorts is perfectly balanced for those seeking new sensations, lovers of short-form movies, and those who still ask themselves: “Are shorts really for me?”. I invite you to drop into the house between your scheduled screenings with a cup of coffee to discover or rekindle your love for cinema and its unusual forms and spend quality time with like-minded people, not paying a single cent for it. Short for Free is a cinephile’s dream or a lifeline for a beginner lost in the jungle of the festival program.

SHORTS BY JOACHIM TRIER

If you keep returning to the festival seeking answers to existential questions.

Three short films created by Joachim Trier during his student years that will forever change your perception of the everyday world around us. If you are a fan of the director, this program might become your festival favorite. And if you feel you aren’t familiar enough with his work, I recommend starting your retrospective journey with this very screening. Incidentally, upon learning that we would be showing his early shorts at the festival, Joachim Trier confessed to me that he believes Pieta is the best movie he has made to date.