Exclusive: Cobie smulers (How i Met Your Mother) Has Come ABOARD TO STAR OPPOSITE THOMAS SADUSKI (The Newsroom) in Jill takes a breakA New Comedic Drama Directed by Independent Spirit Award Winner Liz Cardenas.
Written by Scott Rodgers, The Film Follows Jill (Smulders), a bartender in Long Beach who impulsively buys the bar she’s workhed at years – Only to dyscover that Owning the Chaos isn’t the Same as surviving it.
Attacked to the project SINCE Its Early Development, Sadoski Will Jill’s Longime Partner, Vaughn, and Also Serve in A Producorial Capacity. The film Will Be Produced by Talon Entertainment, Driveno Equation and Ten to the Six Pictures, With Steven Demmler (Oh, Canada, Bookworm) and Sundance Fellow Helena Sardinha (Satisfaction) ALSO ATTACHED AS PRODUCERS. Wme Independent Reps Worldwide Rights.
IN 2024, Jill takes a break Won a Development Award from the Austin Film Society, Founded by Richard Linklater, and Cardenas Was Invited to Participate in Its Invitation-Only Intensive Artist, Where Her Creative Advisor Was Fargo ‘S Noah Hawley. Select for the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program, the Film Will Be the Rare One Shooting in Los Angeles This Summer.
Best Known for Starring In How i Met Your Motherand for Her Role As Shield Agent Maria Hill in Numerous Marvel Films, Smulders Has Most Recently Been Seen on Shows Like Shrinking and Accused. Upcoming, she has Easy’s Waltz Frome True detective‘S NIC Pizzolatto, Where She Stars Alongside Vince Vaughn, Al Pacino, and Simon Rex.
Sadoski han seen starring in series like The Newsroom, Life in pieces, The Crowded Room and American Sports StoryAlong With Multiple John Wick Films and More. Most recently, he signed on to the dramedy Adult children From Director Rich Newey.
CARDENAS IS BEST KNOWN AS The Producer or Co-Producer of Titles Like 7 days, Never Goin ‘Backand A GHOST Story. Previously, she’s Also Directed the Award-Winning Shorts Imago and Treading water.
Smulders is represeted by uta and gang, them, ramler; Sadoski by Verve, Amplified, and Johnson Shapiro, Slewett & Cole; and Demmler by wme, 3 arts, and Ramo Law.
EXCLUSIVE: Dances With Films, the long-running independent film festival in Los Angeles, announced its 2025 lineup today, a program featuring an impressive 254 films.
The festival, which take place June 19-29 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, will kick off with the world premiere of the drama Do No Harm, directed by Chris Hartwell and starring Harry Shum Jr. and Ronny Chieng. The film, based on the award-winning short The Way That I Take which screened at DWF: LA in 2020, centers on a burned-out home health nurse who makes a mistake leading to the death of one of his patients. “He tries to bury the truth under a facade of perfection, but the ever-intensifying pressures of working in American healthcare makes it increasingly likely the truth will reveal itself and bring him down.”
‘Captain Tsunami’
Dances With Films
The closing night slot goes to Captain Tsunami, directed by Aaron Sherry and starring P.J. Marino, Madeleine McGraw, Tessa Munroe, and Jeremy Sisto. Description: “A quiet comic bookstore owner’s life is thrown into disarray when precocious twelve-year-old Emma appears one night, hundreds of miles from her home, at his doorstep. Her mother, once the love of Glenn’s life, has mysteriously disappeared, leaving only a bag full of artwork about her childhood hero, Captain Tsunami, and cryptic instructions to bring it all to Glenn if anything should ever happen.” (Scroll for the full festival lineup)
This year’s Dances With Films unfolds under the theme “Find Your Truth.”
“This year’s theme… couldn’t be more relevant in today’s world,” Dances With Films founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent said in a statement, “and we challenge our Los Angeles audience to find their truth throughout the 28th edition of our film festival. Unique and clearly diverse voices, as well as that ever-present spark of imagination that DWF is known for, all culminate into an extraordinary festival experience for both filmmakers and festival goers alike.”
Scallon and Trent added, “As always, we couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce them all in the best way – at the TCL Chinese Theatres known for being the best in sound and image on the screen, introducing these artists to audiences and industry in the heart of Hollywood.”
Among the 254 film in the program are 42 narrative features, 18 documentary features, 24 television and streaming pilots, and 170 short films (102 narrative and 19 documentaries, 30 Kidz section, 19 Downbeat/Music), “with an impressive number of films making world, North American, or U.S. premieres.”
‘American Comic’
Dances With Films
Along with Do No Harm, additional narrative features making their world premieres include: Daniel Hayden’s A Bloody Mess; Cameron A. Tubbs’ Acolyte; Daniel J. Clark’s American Comic; Jared Cohn and Bahar Bella Danesh’s Still Smiling; Vera VanGuard’s Apocalypse Love; Mark Wilson’s The Calling; Luca Perito’s Ciao, Mama; John Giacobbe’s Crusty Fouler; Vinnie Hogan’sThe Distant Jump; Lanre’ Obisesan’s Dokita Musa; Daniel Bogran’s The Killing Moon; Jake Myers’ Kombucha, Dylan King Welter’s The Militia; Nate Hilgartner’s No Choice; Béla Baptiste’s The Obelisk; Josh Munds and Chris Alan Evans’ Peeping Todd; Julian Berger’s Real Couples; Avan Hardwell’s Silent Prey; Brandon Buczek’s Something Casual; Rio Contrada’s Splinter; Adam Finberg’s Star People; Benjamin Gonyo’s Strait Undercover; Lane Michael Stanley’s T; Noam Kroll’s Teacher’s Pet; Hariharasudhen Nagarajan’s Tether; Cate Caplin’s The Unicorn Diaries, and Stephen Portland’s Universal.
‘I Need You: 53 Years of the Band America’
Dances With Films
These are the feature-length documentaries making their world premieres at DWF: Guilford Adams and Casey Pinkston’s American Clown; Liat Ron’s Fear and Now; Peter Jones’ Fortunate Sons; Allison Norlian and Kody Leibowitz’s Meandering Scars; David Anthony Ngo and Stephen Mccallum’s Never Get Busted!; Janna GIacoppo’s One But Many; Barret Hacia and Josiah Bultema’s Squatchers: The People Who Believe in Bigfoot; Andrew Davies Gans’ Voices: The Danny Gans Story; Ryan Flynn’s You’re No Indian, and Robert Ham’s Zzaslow K-427.
The 2025 Dances With Films: LA official selections:
OPENING NIGHT SELECTION
Do No Harm World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 91 Min.
Director: Chris Hartwell
Consumed by his job as a home health nurse, Sam Yeong is burned out and frayed. When a simple mistake turns into a fatal error for one of his patients, Sam tries to bury the truth under a facade of perfection, knowing that a lifetime of deceit is about to be exposed. Drawing on the ever-intensifying pressures in American healthcare as well as the many aided and victimized by that system, Do No Harm offers a devastating look at our dangerous expectations and the corrosive lies we tell to survive.
CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION
Captain Tsunami World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 93 Min.
Director: Aaron Sherry
Quiet comic book store owner Glenn’s past, present, and future are thrown into disarray when precocious twelve-year-old Emma appears one night, hundreds of miles from her home, at his doorstep. Her brilliant, but neurodivergent mother, once the love of Glenn’s life, has mysteriously disappeared, leaving only a bag full of artwork about her childhood hero, Captain Tsunami, and cryptic instructions to bring it all to Glenn if anything should ever happen. Emma is certain that her mother’s beautiful and haunting pages hold not only a message to Glenn, but a secret about her family’s magical origins. However, as the story comes alive, everyone involved begins to question what they really know…and the truth is not what they expected to discover.
ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES
A Bloody Mess World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 83 Min.
Director: Daniel Hayden
A true-crime documentarian and her trusty crew investigate a small-town tragedy that’s faded into memory as a national joke. As her determination to uncover the truth becomes more and more intense, her methods become less and less ethical—until they become dangerous.
After Us, The Flood
Country: Finland; Running Time: 90 Min.
Director: Arto Halonen
How would you live your life if you got a second chance? Brilliant physicist Henrik creates a fusion reactor offering endless clean energy, but its commercial use leads to environmental collapse. By 2064, climate change has devastated Earth. The UN sends Henrik’s consciousness back to his birth to prevent disaster, but something goes wrong. Starting from an unexpected point, he must race against time—and himself—to save the future
American Comic World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 85 Min.
Director: Daniel J. Clark
American Comic is a verité-style mockumentary that follows two up-and-coming stand-up comedians, who, despite their superficial “cultural” differences, share remarkable similarities when it comes to egotism, self-destruction, and social ineptitude. As the film satirically pulls back the curtain on the unique subculture of stand-up comedy, self-absorbed competitiveness intensifies, leading to some shocking and unexpected revelations.
And Still Smiling World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 97 Min.
Director: Jared Cohn, Bahar Bella Danesh
A love story turns lethal when a mother flees her violent ex—only to face his hired killer in a final showdown.
The Calling World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 97 Min.
Director: Mark Wilson
The Calling Witch is author and illustrator Meredith Laye’s most infamous creation, an evil woman whose siren call beckons children into the woods at night to become her supper. When the witch seems to have appeared outside their isolated country home – a month after their mother’s suicide and a week into their father Warren’s contract drilling for oil in another state – Virginia (20s) and Edward Laye (11) must band together to protect themselves and their family’s property. But the more they spar with the witch, the more they begin to understand she’s not what she appears, and that her very human history is more intricately entwined with their own than they could possibly have imagined.
Ciao, Mama World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 77 Min.
Director: Luca Perito
Ciao, Mama follows Tony Esposito as he returns to his hometown in Long Island, New York, for his beloved mother’s funeral. After years spent in Los Angeles chasing his dreams, Tony is weighed down by the guilt for not being there during her illness- a secret she kept, believing that goodbyes are pointless and don’t ease the pain of moving on. Instead, she held fast to the belief that carrying on the dream is what truly matters.
Conceiving Clara
Country: Canada; Running Time: 89 Min.
Director: Tarique Qayumi
Clara, a midwife, helps many women give birth but cannot bear a child. Under pressure from her mother-in-law, she undergoes IVF treatment. The complications lead her to choose between her life and the baby’s. Finally, she cannot connect with the baby and must find love in her daughter.
Crusty Fouler World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 72 Min.
Director: John Giacobbe
A couple in mourning set off on an impromptu sail around a mysterious bay, each with a dark secret in tow.
Designed By Preeti
Country: USA; Running Time: 93 Min.
Director: Gayatri Bajpai
Preeti, a graceful woman in her 50s, leaves her abusive, unfaithful husband, Ajay, and steps into an uncertain future. Battling ageism and sexism, she courageously starts her own dress-design business while working to heal the strained bond with her daughter. She forms a genuine friendship with Jackson, the kind-hearted owner of a restaurant and bar. Preeti faces ridicule and exclusion from her Indian community for defying her husband’s abuse and for her connection with Jackson. As she navigates her new life, Preeti discovers that freedom has its consequences.
Dokita Musa World Premiere
Country: Nigeria; Running Time: 91 Min.
Director: Lanre’ Obisesan
A world cinema coming-of-age drama rooted in social realism. Set in a rural Yoruba village in Nigeria, the film follows 11-year-old Musa, a boy with palilalia who dreams of becoming a cardiologist. As he navigates a world marked by poverty, grief, and spiritual inheritance, Musa clings to education as his lifeline. When tragedy strikes, his dream collides with the harsh realities of his environment, forcing him to confront the limits of hope.
Good Sport
Country: USA; Running Time: 72 Min.
Director: Andrew Jack Zuckerman
Pat is having a bad, bad day. His ex-wife’s about to get remarried, he’s hung over, and now he’s got to coach his 12-year-old son’s basketball team. There, he must face off against helicopter parents, an insane opposing coach, and his own sense of failure.
Homewrecker
Country: USA; Running Time: 75 Min.
Director: Dante Marino
Megan is devastated when her mom can no longer afford to buy her a house, due to her stepdad’s financial troubles. Megan decides that she has to split them up. With the help of her boyfriend, Liam, she hatches a plan to use artificial intelligence to make a deepfake sex tape of her stepdad in order to frame him for cheating. Things get messy as Megan commits to the increasingly elaborate scheme and grapples with the morality of her actions.
The Killing Moon World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 81 Min.
Director: Daniel Bogran
A wealthy couple’s lake vacation takes a sinister, seductive turn when an attractive, working-class stranger shows up wounded at their door.
Lady Parts
Country: USA; Running Time: 100 Min.
Director: Nancy Boyd
Based on writer and executive producer Bonnie Gross’s true story, Lady Parts is a dramedy feature film where a young woman’s sex life becomes a family affair when she has to undergo a vulvar vestibulectomy. Her loving, but overbearing parents help her through recovery (despite her cringing) and learn that saying “vagina” loud and proud is the first step to advocating for herself in all aspects of her life.
The Militia World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 118 Min.
Director: Dylan King Welter
Daniel Pierce dreams of joining the local militia alongside his father when he turns eighteen. But when his father becomes the target of the local sheriff, Daniel and his friends band together to form their own militia in a troubled effort to save him.
No Choice World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 95 Min.
Director: Nate Hilgartner
A young woman becomes unexpectedly pregnant and starts having harrowing, prophetic dreams that she will die if she can’t get an abortion.
The Obelisk World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 118 Min.
Director: Béla Baptiste
Traveling alone through the ruins of America, DAVID searches for relief from his worsening condition. Deep in the wilds, he unites with PLINY, a veteran fixated on exposing the nation’s downfall. Allied, they embark on a mission to the town of Lodeve, where a revolution brews against the government program that contaminated the water. Meanwhile, LIZ, a marketing exec for a lab, uncovers a corporate cover-up. With the obelisk in Lodeve serving as their signal-fire, they navigate towards the truth.
Our Happy Place
Country: USA; Running Time: 89 Min.
Director: Paul Bickel
Raya jolts awake on the forest floor—shivering, disoriented, and alone. She has no memory of how she got there. The next morning, it happens again—and then again the morning after. By the third morning, she claws her way out of a shallow grave. Each time, the graves deepen, as if an unseen force is trying to bury her alive. Back at her cabin, she’s haunted by visions of tortured women whose screams echo in her mind. Night after night, the supernatural torment intensifies, blurring the line between dream and reality—until Raya unearths a horrifying secret buried deep in the woods… and within herself.
Pilgrim
Country: USA; Running Time: 111 Min.
Directors: Scout Purdy & Doug Purdy
After a series of revelations, 15-year-old Joe devises a plan to cure her teen angst: a month-long pilgrimage filled with communication issues, terrible survival skills, and zero Wi-Fi—AKA a summer hiking trip with her father. Pilgrim is a funny, heartwarming story of connection and discovery.
Real Couples World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 78 Min.
Director: Julian Berger
Oliver and Blue can’t stop arguing. Colton starts seeing Amber, but his roommate Tobias is always in the way. Avery moves in with Spencer, even though they’ve been together for less than a year. Russell and Julia run into someone from Julia’s past. Joe is nervous he’s terrible at sex, and Hannah doesn’t mind telling him the truth. Lucy and Tatum are in love. These are Real Couples.
Shattered Ice
Country: USA; Running Time: 100 Min.
Director: Alex Ranarivelo
Nehoiden High School hockey stars Will Mankus and Danny Campbell dream of college scholarships as they approach their critical senior year. Suddenly, their bright future is cast into darkness when Danny dies by suicide. Feeling his dreams slipping away amidst the loss of his best friend, Will struggles to find purpose and connection in his life, drawing the concern of his family, teammates, and childhood crush. As he confronts his grief and forms a bond with the team’s reluctant new coach, Will and the Nehoiden Black Bears become a symbol of resilience and a rallying cry for their town, finding hope in unexpected places.
Silent Prey World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 113 Min.
Director: Avan Hardwell
When an embattled Los Angeles attorney learns that the police have attributed her brother’s untimely death to an accidental overdose, she joins forces with a hesitant detective to uncover the truth. Soon their investigation unearths a string of murders that point to a serial killer hellbent on cleansing America of the evil he believes to be destroying it.
Something Casual World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 105 Min.
Director: Brandon Buczek
Alex, a first-generation Latino artist, and Frankie, a professional dancer, navigate the soulless casual hookup culture of Los Angeles. Dating apps and casual sex reign, as they both deny their feelings and continue seeing other people while they fall in love. A series of misunderstandings leaves these two star-crossed lovers oscillating between confusion (ghosting and ignoring) and obsession (sex and pasta). But what happens when they finally meet someone different? Do they even know how to love anymore?
Sonny Boy
Country: USA; Running Time: 90 Min.
Director: Kristen Hansen
After a failed writing career, a writer struggles to find his way after returning home to reconcile with his dying father. Sonny tries to make peace with a broken dream before finding a second calling as a high school teacher. Still, his gift for shaping young lives falls short of the expectations of an ambitious father. Sonny tries to make amends before it’s too late, but can’t find the approval he’s always wanted. When it seems Sonny has finally forged his path, he makes an inexcusable mistake with a troubled student.
Splinter World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 85 Min.
Director: Rio Contrada
Grad student ROSY LOOPER is in the last semester of her practicum before becoming a certified school psychologist. In her professional life, she’s composed and responsible — a perfect role model for a child. Outside of school, she’s a motorcycle-riding, pill-popping thrill seeker. On her first day, Rosy volunteers to take the case of ELLA BETTANCOURT, a second-grader displaying mysterious behaviors. Rosy fears that Ella may be suffering abuse at home. To solve the case, she must confront her own history of trauma and convince Ella to do what she has never been able to do herself — open up.
Star People World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 103 Min.
Director: Adam Finberg
A photographer receives a tip that could finally shed light on her childhood UFO sighting, but a deadly heatwave and unexpected guests threaten to derail her obsessive search for answers.
Strait Undercover World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 93 Min.
Director: Benjamin Gonyo
Strait Undercover is a hilarious action-comedy about a lowly rural USDA agent who goes undercover to stop a corrupt agro-tech company from polluting his hometown.
T World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 87 Min.
Director: Lane Michael Stanley
Shot over the lead actor’s first year on Testosterone, T follows Em through their journey of gender discovery, and the challenges and joys they face in their romantic relationships, friendships, and family.
Taste The Revolution
Country: USA; Running Time: 86 Min.
Director: Daniel Klein
In August of 2001, a group of disillusioned college students calls for a World Summit to counter apathy of their privileged generation and unite a splintered activist front. Drawn together by a charismatic self-styled revolutionary and lured by the promise of free food and booze, hundreds of young people descend upon a borrowed country estate to drink, take drugs, have sex, and swap politics. Anticipating an event of historical significance, two aspiring filmmakers solicit a loan from an obscure regional soft drink company to document the event as it unfolds.
Teacher’s Pet World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 90 Min.
Director: Noam Kroll
When brilliant but isolated high school senior Clara’s English teacher dies mysteriously, a charismatic replacement arrives who takes a disturbing interest in her academic potential. As Mr. Heller’s mentorship turns to dangerous obsession, Clara uncovers his horrifying secret identity and murderous past. Now trapped in a psychological game with a predator who’s eliminated anyone standing in his way, Clara must use her understanding of Heller’s twisted psychology against him before she becomes his next victim. Some lessons are worth dying for – others are worth killing for.
Tether World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 85 Min.
Director: Hariharasudhen Nagarajan
Racked with grief after losing his daughter Paula in a high school shooting, Leonard struggles to hold together the remnants of his old life. He clings to a fading hope of reuniting with his estranged wife, Amanda — a hope his therapist insists requires confronting his grief. Publicly vilified for freezing during the massacre, Gerald, an ex-school resource officer, lives under a shroud of shame, questioning his will to survive. When Leonard and Gerald’s paths collide, and their downward spirals converge, what darkness will their encounter unleash?
The Tributaries
Country: USA; Running Time: 101 Min.
Director: Kat Gueli
Robbie, a college student struggling to process her mother’s cancer diagnosis, meets Drew, a magnetic classmate whose charm hides deeper struggles of his own. Together, they form an unexpected bond that challenges them to face what they’ve been running from.
Trash Baby
Country: USA; Running Time: 100 Min.
Director: Jacy Mairs
Trash Baby is an indie drama that celebrates the kids who grew up amidst white trash culture in the early 2000’s. The film follows a young girl, Stevie (12), during yet another sweltering summer spent in Pine Park. After a run-in with the resident cool girl next door, Stevie strikes an unlikely friendship with wild not-so-child, Edie (20). Soon Stevie finds herself grappling with the natural desire to grow up and the reality of what we lose when we do.
The Unicorn Diaries World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 100 Min.
Director: Cate Caplin
When Lili, an innocent curious Iraqi-American DJ girl with a traditional family and a long-term partner, is inspired by a liberated polyamorous couple to sample the Ethical Non-Monogamous lifestyle and explore a new world of sexual encounters, multiples partners, and fetish dating apps, she takes on the challenge from her boyfriend to prove she can keep her explorations from impacting their relationship.
Universal World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 90 Min.
Director: Stephen Portland
Two academics enjoying a romantic weekend in a remote log cabin are interrupted by the arrival of a woman claiming to have made a huge discovery and saying she needs their help. They give her five minutes to explain what she has found, which turns in to a half-hour, which in turn becomes the rest of the day, followed by a lively dinner and a raucous night. The next day, the gravity of the discovery begins to dawn on the three new friends, leading to a dramatic showdown over what to do with this explosive information.
Where Were You
Country: USA Running Time: 96 Min.
Director: Phillip Abraham
When two small-town artists cross paths in a cemetery, their mutual hunger for meaning inspires them to leave their broken hearts behind and move to Los Angeles, unbeknownst to each other.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini
Country: USA; Running Time: 81 Min.
Director: Davide Fiore
A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini is a feature documentary on A.P. Giannini, a visionary Italian-American banker who championed the working class and transformed California’s economy. From rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake to backing Hollywood and the Golden Gate Bridge during the Great Depression, Giannini’s investments helped shape modern America. He offered loans on a handshake, defied Wall Street, and built the Bank of Italy into Bank of America. Through expert interviews and rare artifacts, the film explores his enduring legacy as a fearless innovator who made banking accessible to “the little fellow”.
American Clown World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 90 Min.
Directors: Guilford Adams, Casey Pinkston
As the American narrative towards “bozos” sours, a working clown goes on a journey of discovery to find hope for an ever-changing profession.
Among Neighbors
Country: USA; Running Time: 100 Min.
Director: Yoav Potash
Using beautiful hand-drawn animation to bring the past to life, Among Neighbors investigates the story of a small, rural town where the longstanding peace between Jewish and Polish neighbors was shattered by World War II. Now, in an era where difficult truths about the past are being silenced for political gain, the film focuses on the only living Holocaust survivor from the town, and an aging eyewitness who saw Jews murdered there — six months after the Nazis were defeated.
Anxiety Club
Country: USA; Running Time: 86 Min.
Director: Wendy Lobel
Anxiety Club offers a heartfelt and humorous exploration of anxiety through the lens of some of today’s most brilliant (and anxious) comedians: Tiffany Jenkins, Joe List, Marc Maron, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Baron Vaughn, and Eva Victor. With a mix of stand-up performances, sketch videos, exclusive interviews, and relatable everyday life scenarios, they candidly share their personal struggles with anxiety, the world’s most prevalent mental health condition, affecting more than 300 million people globally.
Fear And Now World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 94 Min.
Director: Liat Ron
After an unacknowledged yet all-too-common traumatic first birth, Director Liat Ron discovers the hidden power of HypnoBirthing. Through her own transformation and encounters with parents, medical professionals, and birth workers, she uncovers the profound impact of releasing fear and trauma and embracing a new approach to birth. This groundbreaking documentary challenges the fear-based birth culture and proves that safe, comfortable, and truly enjoyable births are possible- even within the current healthcare system.
Flamingo Camp
Country: USA; Running Time: 80 Min.
Director: Chris Coats
In the near-lawless squatter town of Slab City, a group of young queer and trans anarchists create a thriving safe space for themselves known as Flamingo Camp. In the harsh Sonoran Desert, the camp flourishes through the mild winter months under the leadership of its founder, Nova. But when Nova departs for the summer and the brutal heat sets in, the unthinkable happens–fracturing this once close-knit chosen family.
Fortunate Sons World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 85 Min.
Director: Peter Jones
A feature-length documentary about the 1974 graduating class of the Harvard School for Boys, then a private, military school for the sons of the Los Angeles elite. Born into privilege and groomed to lead, they entered 7th grade of this all-male, military school in the cultural watershed year of 1968. An American journey about friendship, life, loss, and redemption – culminating with the class’ 50th reunion in 2024 – it resonates powerfully with the developing national conversation about the mental health of boys and men, the evolution of masculinity, and the power of connection and vulnerability.
I Need You: 53 Years of The Band America
Country: USA; Running Time: 94 Min.
Directors: Dustin Elm, David Breschel
Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, the founding members of the band America, have spent over five decades touring together, playing nearly 100 shows annually since their iconic hit “A Horse With No Name” skyrocketed them to fame fresh out of high school. During their 53rd straight year on the road, the duo decides to step back from touring together.
The Kids Are Not Alright West Coast Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 88 Min.
Director: Mikaela Shwer
What does it mean to be a survivor? Generations of children have been left with this question in the wake of abuse suffered at the hands of the Troubled Teen Industry, an unregulated network of for-profit institutions claiming to fix wayward teenagers. Decades later, they are fighting back. Filmed over the course of nine years, The Kids Are Not Alright is an intimate portrait of trauma following three families’ journeys as they work to shed light on the devastating impacts of institutional abuse, pursue healing in the absence of justice, and fight to hold abusers accountable.
The Last Place On Earth
Countries: USA/Indonesia; Running Time: 110 Min.
Director: David Booth Gardner
A thrilling, eight-year journey into the heart of Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem—a 2.6-million-hectare rainforest where tigers, elephants, rhinos, and orangutans still roam free. Filmed by a dedicated mostly Indonesian crew, this investigative documentary follows a group of extraordinary wildlife activists as they risk everything to save one of Earth’s last untouched wildernesses from the devastation of the illegal palm oil industry.
Meandering Scars World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 102 Min.
Directors: Allison Norlian, Kody Leibowitz
Two decades after being paralyzed in a domestic violence incident, Erika Bogan uses her wheelchair to climb the largest free-standing mountain in the world – Mt. Kilimanjaro – to help raise awareness about the mental health struggles plaguing both her and the disability community at large.
Never Get Busted! World Premiere
Country: Australia; Running Time: 110 Min.
Directors: David Anthony Ngo, Stephen Mccallum
Barry Cooper is an expert at hiding drugs, evading police, and raising hell! But once upon a time he was a highly decorated Texas Narcotics Officer. After a raid goes wrong, destroying a family not unlike his own, Barry’s conscience gets the better of him and he quits the force. Using stolen police tapes, he creates a DVD series teaching drug users how to hide their stash and becomes an instant media sensation. This is the story of one man’s fight to turn the tide on the War on Drugs, if he doesn’t get busted in the process!
One But Many World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 67 Min.
Director: Janna Giacoppo
An unflinching documentary that reveals how the escalating global crisis of Human-Wildlife Conflict is being weaponized—used against the people and animals who suffer the most. The film exposes deep ties between the trophy hunting industry and policy decisions driven by both the U.S. and African governments, leaving communities and wildlife in deadly peril. But in parts of Kenya, where trophy hunting has been banned for decades, extraordinary models of coexistence are not only emerging—they’re thriving.
The Opener
Country: USA; Running Time: 72 Min.
Director: Jeff Toye
The Opener is a feel-good music doc about Philip Labes, a young street-performer/singer-songwriter who decided to write 30 songs in 30 days to process his grief and isolation during the pandemic. After posting his music to TikTok, Philip found that his music spoke to millions. When it reached the ears of one of his heroes, Grammy-winner Jason Mraz, Philip found himself faced with the opportunity of a lifetime: to open for Jason Mraz on his latest tour.
Squatchers: The People Who Believe In Bigfoot World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 83 Min.
Directors: Barret Hacia, Josiah Bultema
An outsider’s view into the endearing subculture of those who believe in Bigfoot, from scientists to the supernatural and everything in between.
Voices: The Danny Gans Story World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 102 Min.
Director: Andrew Davies Gans
Voices: The Danny Gans Story is a captivating exploration of a son’s journey to uncover the truth behind his father’s extraordinary life. Andrew Gans delves deep into the inspiring and improbable journey of his father, Danny Gans, and the circumstances surrounding his untimely passing. As Andrew navigates a path of self-discovery, growth, and acceptance, his story unfolds against the compelling backdrop of his father’s underdog triumphs. It’s a story about the echoes of a voice that continues to inspire, reverberating through the life of the son he left behind.
You’re No Indian World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 80 Min.
Director: Ryan Flynn
“Disenrollment – The Elimination of an Indigenous Person’s Citizenship in their Tribe.” Over the past thirty years, thousands of Native Americans have been unceremoniously banished from their tribes. These include elders, teachers, native language speakers, tribal politicians, and even children. But why? “You’re No Indian” explores the complex political issues surrounding disenrollment and how casino revenue may be fueling a quiet civil war in Indian country.
Zzaslow K-427 World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 78 Min.
Director: Robert Ham
Zzaslow K-427 honors the remarkable service of the longest tenured bomb-sniffing dog to ever serve in the U.S. Army, and how this unassuming black Labrador retriever saved lives, both on and off the battlefield, healing humans in extraordinary ways that are completely unexpected.
MIDNIGHT FEATURES
Acolyte World Premiere
Country: USA; Running Time: 96 Min.
Director: Cameron A. Tubbs
After a mysterious incident, Kai fled his home in rural Appalachia thinking he would never look back. But when his mom dies, he returns seven years later hoping to repair his relationship with his estranged and troubled brother, Russ. As they try to put the past behind them, strange and disturbing things begin to happen around their home in the mountains: locals going missing, break-ins, and strange sounds coming from the basement. Soon Kai is forced to confront the dark legacy of their family – and how you can never really escape your past.
Kombucha
World Premiere I Usa Running Time: 95 Min.
Director: Jake Myers
Luke Merritt lands a job at the cult-like Symbio Corporation, where a mind-altering kombucha turns employees into productive corporate cogs. As the drink begins to erase his identity, his ex-girlfriend Elyse uncovers Symbio’s grotesque secret: a monstrous Mother at the heart of the company, churning out obedient clones. With Luke slipping beyond reach, Elyse must race to save him and destroy the source before the company consumes him completely.
Peeping Todd
World Premiere I Usa Running Time: 88 Min.
Director: Josh Munds
When his peeping passions become compromised, Todd decides he’ll do whatever it takes to continue stalking his beloved Claire. An obsessive HOA fleet and a dense boyfriend are obstacles Todd must dance around if he wants to sing his way into Claire’s heart. As Claire gets wrapped up in the lies of her fiancé and the web of her stalker, she must escape the two most toxic relationships she’s ever faced.
Séance
Country: USA; Running Time: 85 min.
Director: Vivian Kerr
In 1892 California, a Victorian woman contemplating adultery is forced to take refuge from a storm at the home of her first husband and his unstable wife, who claims to be haunted by their dead child.
NARRATIVE SHORTS
All We Can Do
Country: USA; Running Time: 20 Min.
Director: Ryan Noufer
Apricot
Country: USA; Running Time: 29 Min.
Director: Frank Frascella
Asher Baby
Country: USA; Running Time: 13.5 Min.
Director: Paulina Lagudi Ulrich
Aura
Country: USA; Running Time: 16 Min.
Director: Tarun Kanakamedala
B!Tch I’m Early (B.I.E.)
Country: USA; Running Time: 6.5 Seconds.
Writers/Director/Prod: Jesse Cowell
Backstage
Country: USA; Running Time: 11.5 Seconds.
Writers/Director: Gabe Zack
Blood And Milk
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 Min.
Writers/Director: Eve Crusto
Blood Boys
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 Seconds.
Writers/Director: Jordan M. Hahn
Blue Plaque
Country: UK; Running Time: 15.5 Seconds.
Writers/Director: Fraser Clubb
Break Room
Country: USA; Running Time: 46 Seconds.
Writers/Director: Emily Goss
Canchas
Country: USA/Spain; Running Time: 17.5 Min.
Director: Paula Blanco Pérez
Canvassing
Country: USA; Running Time: 11 Min.
Director: Matty Chang
Capture
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 Min.
Director: Jamie Effros
Cataratas
Country: Argentina Running Time: 5.5 Min.
Director: Francisco Bendomir
Charon
Country: USA; Running Time: 11 Min.
Director: Daniel Casey
Chooch
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 Min.
Director: Peter Horgan
Coconut + Pistol
Country: USA; Running Time: 17 Min.
Director: Gregory Caruso
Composure
Country: USA; Running Time: 11.5 Min.
Director: Windy Raun
Dandelion
Country: USA; Running Time: 20 Min.
Director: Fiona Obertinca
Darkness Falling
Country: USA/Poland; Running Time: 4 Min.
Director: Marcin Nowrotek
Dead Weight
Country: USA; Running Time: 15 Min.
Director: Virginia Root
Dependent
Country: Australia; Running Time: 14.5 Min.
Director: Joseph Chebatte
Dog People
Country: USA; Running Time: 20 Min.
Director: Bradley Stryker
Doggone
Country: USA; Running Time: 30 Min.
Director: Emelie Claxton
Dunwich
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 Min.
Writers/Directors: Chris Marrone & Chris S. Gabriel
Escape Artist
Country: Canada; Running Time: 8 Min.
Director: Sergine Dumais
Everybody’s Sad
Country: USA; Running Time: 10 Min.
Director: Steve Sanders
Experts In A Dying Field
Country: USA; Running Time: 17.5 Min.
Director: Mitchell Camarda
Fast
Country: USA; Running Time: 14.5 Min.
Director: Clayton Henderson
Fireflies In The Dusk
Country: USA; Running Time: 18 Min.
Director: Jonathan Hammond
Good Boy
Country: USA; Running Time: 18 Min.
Director: Colin Russell
The Greatest Joy
Country: USA; Running Time: 13 Min.
Director: Lea Pascal
Grind
Country: USA; Running Time: 16 Min.
Director: Mark Apicella
Happy Place
Country: USA; Running Time: 11.5 Min.
Director: Sara Monge
Happy Shameversary
Country: USA; Running Time: 8 Min.
Director: Megan L.C. Mcnally
Healer
Country: USA; Running Time: 12 Min.
Director: Grant Lafferty
Heaven And Nature
Country: USA; Running Time: 8 Min.
Director: Steven Fierberg
I Do Without You
Country: USA; Running Time: 19.5 Min.
Director: Vivian Miranda
Illusion Of Abundance
Country: USA; Running Time: 19 Min.
Directors: Amy Macdonald, Sofia Gorder Of Brolly Arts, Christopher Lee, Alex Lee Of Twig Media Lab
Exclusive: Warner Bros. Discovery Communications Executive Jori Arancio Has Left to Join Tiktok. She will Lead Global Consumer & B2B Communications for the Company Behind the Popular Short Video App.
She will Report to Karen Hobson, Head of Global Media Relations and Product Publicity. The two previously workhed together at Disney for Nearly 20 Years Alongside Their Boss, Tiktok’s Chief Brand and Communications Office Zenia Mucha.
ARANCO JOINED THEN-WARNERMEDIA IN 2020 TO LAUNCH HBO MAX AND OVERSEEE TNT, TBS AND TRUTV. She Most Recently was an svp at wBD’s US Cable Network Group Where She Oversaw Communications for Multiple Cable Channels Including Discovery, TNT, TRUTV, TCM and Adult Swim.
Prior to that ARANCO WORKED FOR THE WALT DISNEY CO. For 21 Years, Most Recently As SVP of Communications for ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios.
The Latest Deadline for China-Based bydance to Divest the US Asssets of Tiktok is June 19 But President Donald Trump has Indicated that he was extend it is deal has not been reashed.
Nor the who prepares to embark on their north American Farewell Tour, the 60-Eyar Old Rock Group’s Saga with Drummer Zak Starkey Continuing.
Following Starkey’s Announched Departure Last Month, and Founding Member Pete Townshend’s Issued Correction, The Drummer Said on Sunday and he’s been from the band once Again.
“I was fired two weeks after reinattement and asked to make a stakes Saying i had quit the WHO to my Other Musical (yet yet Instagram. “This was Wold be a lie. I love the who and would never had quit. SO I didn’t make the statements…. out an in an out an out like a bleedin squeezebox x ”
Starkey Announched in April he was exity the band after “sufferered a serial medical empergency with BLOOD CLOTS IN MY RIGHT BASS DRUM CALF,” WHICH IS “NOW Completely Healed and does Affect My Drumming or Running.”
Following Reports that Lead Singer Roger Dalrey Had Friction with Starkey During a recentrine performance in which he couldn’t hear over the drums, starkey said he was “Surprised and saddened anyonies have an will with my performance that Night, but what can you do?”
“I plan to take some much Needed Time off with my family, and focus on the release of ‘domino bones’ by mantra of the cosmos with no Noel Gallagher in May and Finishing My Autobiography Written solely by me,” Added Starkey. “29 Years at any job is a good Old Run, and i wish say the best.”
Townshend late took to social media to explain that the Group has worked Through their Issues. “News Flash! WHO BACK ZAK! ZAK IS NOT BEING ASKED TO STEP DOWN FROM THE WHO,” he wrote on Instagram. “There have been ben someone communification will, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have haen happy aired.”
Earlier this month, the who announced the stops for the song is over – North American Farewell Tour, kicking off on Aug. 16 in Sunrise, Florida.
A Chicago Woman is accused of Stabbing Her 7-YEAR-OLD Son in Rogers Park on Saturday, Leaving Him in Fair Condition at A Hospital.
Llovana Torres, 26, was arrested in Evanston and Charged with Aggravated Battery to A Child, Chicago Police Said.
The child was insidE a residence in the 1700 bloc of the west of avenue about 8 am Saturday when torres allegedly stabbed in the abdomen as he tried to hide in a cabinet, police and sources Said.
He was taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Fair Condition, Officials Said.
We Break Down Complex Business News to Help You Understand How Money Moves in Chicago and How It Affects You.
The Number of Visitors to Chicago Last Year Rose 6.5% to 55.3 Million, Compared to 2023, The City’s Tourism Agency, Choose Chicago, Announced Thursday. In 2024, International Visitors to Chicago Topped 2 Million for the First Time Since 2019.
Kristen Reynolds, Choose Chicago’s New Ceo and President, Acknowledged International and Economic Headwinds But Said the City of Strong 2024 Visitor Numbers “Sets the Stage to Uncetain Times with Great Momentum. We Hope We Can Stay Stead Steady and Continue to Grow.”
Reynolds Said The 6.5% Rise in Visitors is “Significant” Compared to Industry Standards of 2.5% to 3% Annual Growth.
“It ‘s the very difficult to know in the global economy what the Future Holds, but we’re in a Strong Place,” she Said.
But in the first quarter of 2025, Chicago’s International Visitors Fell 3.6% Year Over Year, Choose Chicago Said. In March, Total International Arrivals to the City’s Airports Were Down 7.4%, Compared to Last Year.
Nationwide, International Travel was down 3.3% in the first quarter year over year, according to the National Tourism and Travel Office.
Travel to Chicago from Canada in the first Quarter was down 7.4%, compared to last year, choose chicago said. Nationwide, Air Travel From Canada to the US Fell 14% in the First Quarter, Accounting to the US Travel Association.
The Number of Visitors to Chicago has increasing steadily in recent years, but the city has not matched the 61 million visitors in 2019.
Choose Chicago’s Announcement Came As the City Gears up for Big Summer Events, Including Music Festival Sueños, The James Beard Foundation Awards, The Nascar Chicago Street, Lolapalooza and the US Trade Association Show Show in June.
Chicago is Also in the Spotlight Because Robert Prevost, the first American pope, who took the name leo XIV, hails from the City’s South Suburb of Dolton.
A Chicago-Born Pope is “A Pretty awesome Opportunity for us,” Reynolds Said. It is too to see that the population sparks a tourism bump for the city, but his selection creates “a tremenndous amount of media and social media chatter,” she said. “Everyone is talking about it.”
Choose Chicago Also Announched That Last Year’s Total Economic Impact of Visitors to Chicago was $ 20.6 Billion. In 2024, The Agency Bookeed 1,891 Meetings and Conventions for Future Years With An Economic Impact of Over $ 3 Billion.
But this year, Economic Uncertainty has dampened National Travel Projections AFTER Donald Trump Ordered Sweeping Tariffs, Aggresses Immigration Police and Other Measures.
Travel forecasting Company Tourism Economics Originally Pro -Strong 8.8% International Visitors to the US in 2025, but in April Its Annual Outlook to a 9.4% Decline.
In March International Travel to the US Fell 14%, Said Geoff Freeman, CEO of the US Travel Association, On Thursday. In april, that decreese reverse, except for the Visitors from Canada. “The Sky is not Falling on the Industry,” Freeman Said at Choose Chicago’s Annual Meeting, Held at the Nederlander Theater.
But he noted that domestic travel in the US LOOKS UNCERTAIN AS People Look for More Affordable Options. Major Hotel Companies and Airlines have Also Lowered Their Expectations for the Year.
Luxury Travel’s Outlook Remains Solid But For Mid-Level Travel, “Uncertainy is Beginning to Rear Its Ugly Head,” Freeman Said. “There’s a great deal of uncetainty as we look to the rest of the year.”
In Illinois, The Hotel Industry is Showing World Signs. Economic Uncetainty and Government Funding Cuts Are Hurting The State of the Hotels, with 70% Reporting Canceliations from International Travelers, Acciting to A Member Survey Conducted Last Month by the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association. In Addition, 60% of Survey Respondents Reported Canceliations of Hotel Reservations Tied to Government Travel Cuts.
El mejor Lugar Before Cobertura de Noticias Y Cultura Latina en Chicago.
A lo Dep la ale 26 en.
Before Algunos Residency, Es El Problem.
No hay carros allegóricos, no hay fiestas, no hay festjos Celebrando el cinco de mayo, la traditional festividad Mexicana del 5 de Mayo.
“Es TRIST, SIMPLEGENS TRIST”, Dijo Adriana Varona, Quien instaló unquesto en la party trasera de camioneta before location huevos y myel a los transeúntes en lo kue that suponía sería una gran Celebración.
La Villita, Que that Autopromotia Como La “Capital Mexicana del Medio Oeste”, IBA a Celebar sufile anual del cinco de mayo el lunes, pero fue Cancelado but Temor A Deportation.
“La Calle 26 es la calle más feliz, la más hermosa de todo chicago”, Dijo Varona. “Pero está muerta. No hay nada. Es cinco de mayo, un día suele ser Muy festivo en vecindario que ee mexicano. Pero está transquilo”.
El Cinco de Mayo –Frecuentete confundido con el día de la independencia de méxico, Que es EL 16 de septtiembre – conmemora la Victoria de méxico sobre los frances en La Batalla de puebla El 5 de Mayo de 1862.
LA Festividad that eats converto en una prosperidad comercial before Bares y restaurant, Que con Frecuencia ofrecece Promotions de Bebidas before conmemorar la ocasión, Muy al Estilo del día de san patricio.
Pero con las redadas de inmigración en curso, los organizational del desfile deciderous no realizer una grani Celebración este año.
Desde Que Las Redadas de inmigración comzaron después de quald trump asumió el cargo en enero, el tráfico peatonal en vecindarios predominanthetete Ha dysminuido, y la Calle 26 than ha visto muy AFECTADA.
“An el tiempo que he estado aquí, nunca he visto algo así. Toda esta área es my commercial”, dijo julián Andrés Marín, Quien Esta Babidas de fro de la Calle 26.
Marín Esperaba Que multitudes lo riBieran. En Cambio, sólo unos poacos clients de cuando en cuando. Dijo que todo wind un poco desarentador.
“Es tan triste y un poco atherrador”, aggregó.
En Este día, toodavía había Quienes native ropa feminine, camsetas, cobijas y todo tipo de artículos before promoter la cultura mexicana.
José rivera y su esposa tienen una taienda de fashion en la calle 26.
“¿Quién no tendría Miedo? Sí, Todos Todos Miedo”, Aggregó Rivera. “Pero La Gente Tiene Que Vivir. As Conses tus derechos, no deberías Tener Miedo.”
La cámara de comercio de la villita sigue planeando realt sufile anual del día de la independencia de méxico El Domingo, 14 de septic.
Michael Puente Es Reportero Y Presentador de fin semana en Wbez. Contáctalo en [email protected]
Traducido but La Voz Chicago con artificial integencia (he)
The states first confirmed Measles Case of the year was detected in Southern Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health Reported Wednesday.
The Department Said an Adult Tested Positive for Measles at A Clinic in “Far Southern Illinois,” but did not share a more specific location. It is the Only Case in Illinois the State is aware of and the risk of community transmission for the General Public Remains Low. The department did not say if the person is vaccinated.
The Clinic Where the Sangui Sangui is Working on Identifying if anyone was exposed or also infected. Measles is a highly contagious dessease – one person can infect up to 18 individuals. In Contrast, The Flu’s Inflection Rate is About One to Two People.
On Thursday, The Health Department Identified Seven Locations, All in Marion, Where People May Have Potentially Been Exposed to Measles from April 7-15:
Don Sol Restaurant
Legacy Fitness
Walmart
Chogger
Wonder Wash Laundry
Easy Coin laundry
Small Star Laundry
“This First Reported Case of Measles in Illinois in 2025 is a reminder to our ilinois Residents that that is Disease can be with up-to-date vaccination,” The Agency’s Director, Dr. Sameer Vohra, Said in a Statement. “With noisters of caesses being reporting, we have been working closerly with our localth and health partners to prepare for any potential Measles caes in Illinois.”
Anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated against measles – Including infants – are of Most Concern, Officials Said.
“Anyone exposed and not immune to measles should stay alert for any signs and symptoms of measles such as Rash, High FEVER, Counc, Runny Nose, Watery Eyes, and Notify They Local Health Department If They Become Symptomatic,“ The Department in A News.
The Last Time Illinois Had a Measles Outbreak was Early 2024 in Chicago. At Least 67 CASES WERE CONFIRMED DURING THAT OUTBREAK, WHICH WAS MAINLY TID TO THE CITY’S MIGRANT SHELETERS.
But ongoing Measles outbreaks elsewhere in the country have State Health Office on Alert. More than 680 CASES AND THREE DEATHS HAVE BEEN TED TO AN OUTBREAK IN TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO. The Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention Reports At Least 800 Cases Total Nationwide, Including in Indiana. The vast majority of infected individuals are unvaccinated, according to the CDC.
Medical Professionals and Health Officials Stress That the best way to protest against measles is the two-dose mmr Vaccine, which covers Measles, Mumps and Rubella. The first dose is gioven a child is between 12 and 15 months old. The Second Dose is Givene Between The Ages of 4 and 7. That First Dose Alone Gives 93% Immunity and Two Doses Supplies 97%. Anyone at any Age can get vaccinated.
Symptoms Can Take from One to Three Weeks to Appear After Exposives to Someone With Measles, Accounting to Health Officials.
The Health Department Recently Unveiled a New Data Dashboard To Help ASSESS The Potential Severitity of Any School Outbreaks of Measles, If One Were to Happen in Illinois.
For More Information About Measles, Contact Your Health Care Provider, or Visit The Illinois Department of Public Health Webpage on Measles or the cdc’s Measles Site.
The Majority of High School Basketball Fans Will Check Out Following the Ihsa State Finals in March and Patiently Wait for the Next to Tip in November.
The diahards, those who can’t get enough and pore over player ranks and recruit, immediately rev I Back up in the Spring Months for the Club Basketball Circuit.
Here is a look at the top chicago area programs and how theyrair 17u teams, made up of the Mostly Players in the Current Junior Class, Stack Up.
Meanstreets
Meanstreets, Started by Current Thornton Coach Tai Streets in 2001, has churned out its Share of High-Profile Talent, Including Anthony Davis, Derrick Rose Ulis to Name A Few.
They are a part of the nike elite youth basketball league (Eybl), consider to be the top youth circuitball in the Country.
Headliners: Andre Tyler and Marquis Clark
Sensational Sophomores Davion Thompson of Bolingbrook and Jaxson Davis of Warren Fuel The Team. They form a dynamic duo in leading the Younger Meanstreets Team.
But the 17U Team is Powered by Two Public League Stars-Tyler, The Athletic 6-5 Wing From Simeon, and Clark, Young’s Power-Packed Guard. Both are trying to elevate their reCruiting stock nationally this springs and summer.
Tyler and Clark Are Aided by Mount Carmel’s Noah Mystery and Rich’s Jayden Williams, Two Talent Players Fresh off Breakthrough SEASONS WITH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS.
Illinois wolves
The Respectted, High-Level program has now been around for over a Quarter Century. The Wolves, Always Consisttently Strong With Division of Talent, Have Been A Staple and One of the Leading Programs for Under Armour. They won an under Armour Association Championship in the Summer of 2021.
Headliners: Rashaun Porter and Rykan Woo
There are a surplus of family Local Names, Including Barrington’s Oliver Gray, Joliet West’s Ethan Hillsman and Others, but the depaul prepy of Porter and woo the backbone. FRESH off winning a State Championship in March, Their Provening Mentality Not Only Translates But Reverberats Through This Team.
Mac irvin fire
The History of Mac Irvin Fire Speaks for Itself. The irvin name has been been synonymous with basketball in the city for decades, and the nike-sponsored program has been a showcase for top talent during that time, Featuring Jabari Parker, Jahlil Okaph, Jalen Brunson, Ayo dosnunmu of oters.
Headliners: Lincoln Williams, Tyjuan Hunter and Justin Oliver
This is a team and a group of playyers with a little Extra to test durying this club season.
Williams, The Kankakee Star Who Sticks A Stat Sheet About As Anyone and Is the Top-Ranked Senior Prospect in the State, Looks to Make His Mark Nationally.
The City Backcourt of Curie’s Justin Oliver and Hope Tyjuan Hunter, Who Put Together Monster Finishes to Their Junior Seasons, Remain Relative to College Coaches. They Both look to Change that on the aau scene.
Elevate
An off-branch of the already established fundamental u program, elevate shined in it debut weeks in the under Armour Association and Are Currently 4-0 in AI Play.
Headliners: Christopher Kirkpatrick and Jordan Williams
Kirkpatrick has produced in a Big Way over the Last Two Seasons for New Trier. He’s Now Putting Up Significant Numbers in Leading His Club Basketball Team. And after leading framd to a 27 wins and a sectional title game appearans, the 6-5 Williams is one of the spring’s hot in the class of 2026 in illinois.
Breakaway
After recently making a name for itelf playing in the rise division of the under Armour circuit, breakaway is now playing on the adidas circuit. This is one of the relatively new go-to club programs for players and one that has rated the stakes in recent years.
Headliner: Cole Kelly
There are some rock solid seniors breakaway will Lean on, Including Glenbard East’s Michael Nee, Loyola’s Trey Williams, Riverside-Brokfield’s Cameron Mercer and Libertyville’s Bryce Wengrzyn, But ITE’S Top-Ranked Sophomore.
Event while playing two age grUps up, neued dancey’s coole is the centerpiece of this team. An Injury Has Set Back the Start of His Club Season, but he’s expert back well Soon.
Young and Reckless
When it is comes to non-affiliated, Independent Programs, This Has Truly Been One of the Best in the Country. There are no shoe sponsors with y & r, yet Justin Brim’s Program Battles for Players – They Have Two of the Top Six Prospects in the Senior Class – and Compete on the Best.
Headliners: Stephen Brown and Mason Lockett
The Spring and Summer for Young and Reckless Rests on the Shoulders of this 1-2 Punch: The Versatile 6-5 Lockets of Oswego East and the Athletic 6-7 Brown, who stars in all football and basketball at Marist. Both are looking to estabish themselves as high-major prospects.
Horps of Horror Films Line Up for Halloween, and a sleigh full of Christmas Movies achieved annually in december, but there is slightly less Competition Around the Paper-Pushing Rite of Tax Day.
Yet on the heels of tax season, here is “The Accountant 2,” Gavin O’Connor’s sequel to the 2016 movie that did not, exactly, leave audiences clamoring for another. But in a Movie World Where AnyThing Successful immediately Gets a Second One, “The Accountant 2” has the benefit of not having to live up to. JUST BALANCING THE BOOKS A LITTLE WAUDED COUNT AS A WIN FOR “The Accountant 2.”
And by the Low Standards of the Original, O’Connor’s Film, An Untidy Thriller About A Fastidious CPA (Ben Affleck) Who Powers of Deduction Are ENHANCED BY HIS AUTISM, JUST SUCCEEDS AT PUNCHING FOR “THE ACCOUNTANT” IN THISTED FOLLOW.
It’s a roles that was always an odd fit for affleck. In a Way, that the intensation. Affleck’s Christian Wolff is a monotone bean counter who used to help Criminal organizations launder Money and Clean Their Books. Now, he’s a combination of stickler and vigilante whose insight into tax filings and other paper trails huim hunt down any clue. The best scene in “The Accountant 2” Might be and exposos a human trafficking scheme at a pizza company by rapidly calculating a dubious gap of underreported pizza Box expresses. (There, if Ever, is a reason to keep your receiPts.)
Affleck, of Course, Has Always Been a More Garrulous, Charismatic Screen Presence. The Role of Savant Wasn’t For Him; It was for his “good hunting” Co-Star, Matt Damon. Here, though, he’s an emotionless android who speaks in clipped sentenctions and avoids eye Contact. And while the “Rain Man” Shtick of “The Accountant” Always Feels Forced, You Can Tell Affleck Is Enjoying Himself.
In “The Accountant 2,” that Most TRUE we can and paired up with Jon Bernhal. He plays wolff’s more outgoing and freewheeling Brother, Braxton, who has a knack for Bloody mayhem but HARBORS HURT FROM HIS Brother’s distance in recent years. The two make a fine duo of opposites. The problem? It taks a long time in bill dubuque Unhurred and disorded script to get to say.
The Movie Begins With A Set Piece of Misdirection That Adds to the Muddled Nature of the First Act. Retired FBI Financial Crimes Boss Raymond King (JK Simmons) is Meeting Someone at A Restaurant Who Might Help in His Search for Family of Central American Refugees. It ‘ss a hit jab, though, with snipers in position, and a separate, myterious assassin (Daniella pineda) Lurking About. The scnene ends with King’s Body Taken Out with a message he’s workten on his forearm: “Find the Accountant.”
Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), King’s Proting Form and Financial Crimes Deputy, Takes Up The Case. She knows Enough About Wolff to Know How to Summon Him – Not With A Bat Signal, Exactly, But by Phoning A Neurological Research Center in New England and Leaving a Message with a receptionist.
Wolff is Living Contently Out of an Airsstream RV, with an Office Back at the Research Center Full of Young Autistic Computer Hackers. The scens here are clunky and don’t always Move the story along – there’s an aimless but moderately funny one of wolff speed dating. But Once Braxton Shows Up – Another Awkward and Labored Character Introduction, by Way of a “Wizard of Oz” Surrounded by Dead Bodies – “The Accountant 2” clicks Idiosyncratic Place.
That Place “The Accountant 2” Occupies probably Wauldn’t stand up to scruitiny, let Alone an Audit. For a movie about a detail obsessive, it’s Curiously Messy. But-and this might matter more-the film has a reasonably firm sense just how Serious and How Knowingly a Movie About an uber-taleneded Accountant to be.
There is also just a WISP of real-life relevance. By Centering An Accountant Thriller on the Fate of a Migrant Family, “The Accountant 2” myth even said to be timely. The Trump administration is in the midst of Cutting IRS Employeessome of the WHOM, Including Acting Commissioner Melanie Krausehave resigned in part Over a decision to use IRS Data to Help Deport undocumented Immigrants. For Departing IRS WORKERS, “The Accountant 2” Might Just Be the Most Catartic Movie of the Year.
