Film Festival 2026 by The Inquirer And Mirror

JUNE 17–22, 2026

T R A DE PA RT N ER S

GRANT S U P P O RT

PROGRAM PA RTN E R S

C O N T RI B U TI NG

P RO D UC I NG

M A J OR

SI G NAT URE

PRE SE NT ING

NFF 2026 SPONSORS

American Seasons Bartlett’s Farm Cann Cara Norman Cisco Brewers

Counter Effie’s Homemade Gail’s Tours Hy-Line Cruises Island Kitchen

La Marca Prosecco Nantucket About Town Nantucket Crisps The Nantucket Inn Owl’s Brew

Paris Baguette Rosaluna Mezcal Simple DCP Townpool

True Island Digital Truly Beauty Very Very Good Tea Young’s Bicycle Shop

FESTIVAL INFORMATION PURCHASE TICKETS

HOURS

P O L I C I E S & FAQ

IN PERSON

REGISTRATION OFFICE HOURS

PURCHASE TICKETS + WILL CALL

Main Box Office 21 Broad Hotel - TOWN

June 15 - 20.................................10 AM - 6 PM June 21........................................ 10 AM - 3 PM June 22 ..........................................CLOSED

BY PHONE

BOX OFFICE HOURS

(646) 480 - 1900

June 10 - 14 ................................ 12 PM - 6 PM June 15 - 20 ............................... 10 AM - 6 PM June 21 ................................. 10 AM - 3 PM June 22 .......................................... CLOSED

ONLINE

nantucketfilmfestival.org

PRICES GENERAL FILMS

$20 (ACK/NEXTWAVE Discount: $10)*

SPOTLIGHT FILMS

$30 (ACK/NEXTWAVE Discount: $20)*

IN THEIR SHOES®

DEEP DIVES (Film + Talk)

$75 (ACK Discount: $50)*

$38 (ACK Discount: $28)*

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

(Opening, Closing, Centerpiece) $38 (ACK Discount: $28)*

LATE NIGHT STORYTELLING (Includes drinks + nosh) $150 (ACK Discount: $100)*

AFTERNOON TEA + MORNING COFFEE WITH...® (Includes refreshments)

SCREENWRITERS TRIBUTE

(Includes cocktails + hors d’oeuvres) $250 (ACK Discount: $150)*

DISCOVERY: $750

ALUMNI: $120

ISLANDER: $180

NEXTWAVE: $120

A curated package for Nantucket residents.

ADMISSION POLICY

All attendees must be present at the venue 15 minutes prior to the program’s scheduled start time. We reserve the right to sell any empty seats after that time. Preferred entry for ticketless access pass-holders expires 15 minutes prior to scheduled start time; at that time patrons will join the general entry ticket holder line. All passes and tickets are single entry only. All passes are non-transferable and must be presented at entry.

RUSH LINES

For screenings/events with no more advance tickets available, you may be able to purchase RUSH TICKETS at the venue based on availability. A rush line will form approximately 45 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Admission is first come, first served. All sales are final, with a limit of 1 ticket per person. No discounts are applicable.

REGISTRATION

Passes will be available for pickup at Registration starting June 15.

RAIN POLICY

Attendees will be notified in advance in the unlikely event of cancellation or venue change due to severe weather conditions.

HELP DESK SUPPORT

T I C K E T PAC K AG E S The perfect package to experience NFF.

Starting June 10, tickets purchased online or by phone are available for pickup at the Box Office at 21 Broad Hotel. You may also pick up your tickets the day of; venue box offices will open ~30 minutes before the first scheduled program.

A special package for NFF Alumni filmmakers. A package designed for NFF's under 35 audiences.

Please visit nantucketfilmfestival.org/attend for answers to all your questions about attending this year’s Festival. If you need more assistance, please email helpdesk@ nantucketfilmfestival.org or call (646) 480-1900. We will answer all your questions as soon as possible. Please expect up to a 4-hour delay in response outside of our business hours.

PA S S E S FOUNDER:

$6,000 (70% Tax Deductible)

LEGACY:

$3,500 (65% Tax Deductible)

PATRON: $1,850 (40% Tax Deductible)

*Applied Ticket Discounts - ACK Resident Discount (Only applied to 1 ticket per ID). Discount is up to 50% off for Nantucket residents on individual tickets. Each resident must provide a valid Nantucket-issued driver's license at the time of purchase. NEXTWAVE Discount is applied only to individuals 18-35 years of age with proof of ID and is only applicable for films in the NEXTWAVE program (Only applied to 1 ticket per ID). NOTE: Discounted admissions are not available for online, phone, or rush ticket purchases. Discounts are offered exclusively in person at box office locations. Refunds will not be applied retroactively.

VENUES & MAP 1.

2 3

FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS + REGISTRATION 10 Easy Street - TOWN

2. NFF MAIN BOX OFFICE

JUNE 17–22, 6 2026

JUNE 17–22, 2026

21 Broad Hotel, 19 Broad Street TOWN

JUNE 17–22, 2026

3. DREAMLAND FILM & CULTURAL CENTER (DL)

(Main, Studio, Bank of America® Lounge) 17 Main Street - TOWN

4. NANTUCKET PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (NPAC) 5 N Water Street - TOWN

CMY

5. ‘SCONSET CASINO

(Screenwriters Tribute, Late Night Storytelling) 10 New Street - SIASCONSET

6. THE GASLIGHT

(Morning Coffee With...®) 3 N Union Street - TOWN

@nantucketfilmfestival

@nantucketfilmfest

2026 FILM PROGRAM

We’ve carefully curated more than 60 films for this year’s Festival — work which celebrates bold and independent voices and demonstrates the power of storytelling. With documentaries featuring Girl Scouts, polar bears, supercentenarians, and deadheads, and narratives exploring Iran’s underground theater scene, a mother-son road trip, late in life celebrity, and the birth of Impressionism in 1890s Paris, this year’s lineup has something for everyone.

S P E C I A L P R E S E N TAT I O N S (SEE PAGES 5-8)

We’re thrilled to open NFF with the smart comedy/drama THE INVITE, directed by Olivia Wilde, who stars alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton; showcase tennis legend Billie Jean King in our Centerpiece documentary, GIVE ME THE BALL!; and close with the first episode of the Nantucket-set THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND, adapted from Elin Hilderbrand’s novel.

NANTUCKET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (NUMC)

2 Centre Street - TOWN

FOR THE FEATURE FILM PROGRAM, SEE PAGE 13-18 D O C U M E N TA R Y F E AT U R E F I L M S PRESENTED BY

D E E P D I V E F I L M S + TA L K S (SEE PAGES 7, 9-11)

NFF’s Deep Dives illuminate the central themes of select films through extended conversations with filmmakers, subjects, or experts. PRESENTED BY

PRESENTED BY

S P O T L I G H T F I L M S (SEE PAGE 12)

Our Spotlight Films include some of this year’s highest profile titles — skillfully told stories that are sure to resonate with viewers — and feature Iliza Shlesinger, Jon Hamm, Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Cooper Raiff, Hope Davis, David Duchovny, and Salman Rushdie, among others. PRESENTED BY

GREEN CARPET CINEMA

S H O R T F I L M S (SEE PAGES 19-21)

From intense narratives where love and turmoil test personal bonds to documentaries spotlighting the real-life heroes in our communities, these short film programs prove there is truly a story for everyone. PRESENTED BY

N E X T WAV E

NFF’s Green Carpet Cinema program, sponsored by ReMain, puts the focus on films examining environmental issues.

NFF’s NEXTWAVE program showcases fresh, forward-thinking independent films geared towards audiences 35 years old and under.”

PRESENTED BY

SPECIAL PRESENTATION | OPENING

THE INVITE

SPECIAL P R E S E N TAT I O N S PRESENTED BY

USA / 107 MIN / NARR

Angela and Joe (Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen) are stuck. They live in a gorgeous San Francisco apartment they didn’t earn, in a marriage that’s lost its spark, trading passive-aggressive volleys like a couple who’ve forgotten why they liked each other in the first place. Then the neighbors upstairs — Hawk and Piña (Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz), effortlessly glamorous, sexually liberated, alarmingly at ease with themselves — come down for dinner. What starts as an awkward evening of wine and loaded small talk slowly, deliciously unravels into something far more combustible. Wilde’s third directorial feature — a sharp, witty, and deeply felt chamber piece written by 2026 NFF Special Achievement in Screenwriting honorees Rashida Jones and Will McCormack — is the kind of accomplished adult comedy Hollywood rarely makes anymore. Rogen delivers the finest dramatic work of his career while Wilde matches him beat for beat, imbuing Angela with frazzled desire and quietly devastating regret. Norton and Cruz round out the ensemble with infectious, disarming energy. THE INVITE is funny, sad, provocative, and unexpectedly wise about what keeps couples together — and what might end up tearing them apart.

WRITERS

Rashida Jones Will McCormack

DIRECTOR Olivia Wilde

PRODUCERS David Permut Ben Browning Megan Ellison

CAST

Seth Rogen Olivia Wilde Penélope Cruz Edward Norton

6 / 1 7, 7 P M , D L M A I N 6 / 2 0, 4 P M , D L M A I N

F O L LO W E D BY A Q & A W I T H R A S H I DA J O N E S A N D W I L L M C C O R M AC K

CHLOË SEVIGNY

COMPASS ROSE AWARD FOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT We are honored to present the Compass Rose Award for Career Achievement to Chloë Sevigny, an artist who has navigated the landscape of contemporary cinema with a fierce and uncompromising independence. For over three decades, Sevigny has served as a defining cultural touchstone, tracing a singular path that prioritizes artistic integrity over convention, from her breakthrough debut in KIDS to her devastating, Academy Award-nominated performance in BOYS DON’T CRY, which remains one of the most poignant in modern film. Sevigny’s filmography is a masterclass in range, moving effortlessly from the chilling, meticulous atmosphere of ZODIAC and AMERICAN PSYCHO to her pivotal role in BONES AND ALL. Whether she is commanding the screen in prestige television dramas like BIG LOVE and FEUD: CAPOTE VS. THE SWANS or anchoring avant-garde indie features, her work is consistently grounded in rare emotional precision and an instinct for the unexpected. In her latest turn as Tatum McKenzie in NFF’s Closing Presentation, THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND (page 6), she brings that trademark depth and complexity to a story of friendship, memory, and reinvention set against the shifting landscape of Nantucket. Across an enduring and storied career, Sevigny has maintained her true course, welcoming new avenues of direction while staying true to her journey. The award will be presented at the Closing Night Presentation of THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND.

Chloë also serves as a producer on the NFF2026 deadhead documentary SUMMER TOUR (see page 17).

SPECIAL PRESENTATION | CLOSING

THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND

USA / 45 MIN / NARR

Peacock’s new series, THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND, based on the Elin Hilderbrand novel, centers on Hollis Shaw, a celebrated cook and bestselling author whose carefully curated life begins to unravel after a devastating loss. As grief exposes the fractures in her marriage, her fraught relationship with her daughter, and her growing pursuit of public admiration, Hollis seeks a path forward by hosting a weekend gathering at her Nantucket home. Friends from different chapters of her life arrive, from childhood, her twenties, and her thirties — along with one surprise guest — setting the stage for revelations, shifting loyalties, and long-buried tensions to surface. Against the island’s luxurious backdrop, the weekend becomes a reckoning, as Hollis and her friends are changed in ways they could never imagine. Starring Jennifer Garner, Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, D’Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan, Harlow Jane, and Timothy Olyphant, this eagerly anticipated adaptation brings Hilderbrand’s beloved novel to life for an unforgettable summer.

DEEP DIVE TALK

Following a sneak peek of the Peacock series premiere, join actor Chloë Sevigny, showrunner and writer of episode one Bekah Brunstetter, and the novel’s author and executive producer Elin Hilderbrand for a candid conversation about bringing THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND to life. Two back-to-back screenings will each feature a live conversation: the first moderated by Patrick Gomez of Entertainment Weekly and the second by Tim Ehrenberg, co-host of Books, Beach, & Beyond. Building on last summer’s Garden Conversation, which traced the project from book to series, this moment brings the process full circle. Nantucket islanders watched, and in many cases took part in, the filming last September. Now, see it come to life on the big screen, with insights from set and reflections on what it meant to film a story so rooted in a place.

6/21, 3:15PM, DL MAIN

D E E P D I V E TA L K M O D E R AT E D BY PAT R I C K G O M E Z

6/21, 5:30PM, DL MAIN

D E E P D I V E TA L K M O D E R AT E D BY T I M E H R E N B E R G

SPECIAL P R E S E N TAT I O N S PRESENTED BY

WRITER/SHOWRUNNER Bekah Brunstetter

DIRECTOR

Minkie Spiro

PRODUCERS Beth Schacter Minkie Spiro

CAST

Jennifer Garner Regina Hall Chloë Sevigny D’Arcy Carden Gemma Chan Harlow Jane Timothy Olyphant

PRESENTED BY

SPECIAL PRESENTATION | CENTERPIECE

GIVE ME THE BALL!

USA / 101 MIN / DOC

Billie Jean King was a preteen growing up in 1950s Southern California who simply wanted to play any sport with a ball. She would become the woman who stunned the world by defeating Bobby Riggs in the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” and helped transform women’s athletics forever. Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff’s irresistible documentary tells the definitive story of the tennis legend. Drawing on rare archival footage, vivid contemporary interviews, and King’s own outspoken spirit, GIVE ME THE BALL! charts the making of a trailblazer whose impact extended far beyond the court. The film traces King’s rise to international fame while also revealing the personal and political battles that shaped her life, from private struggles to public confrontation, and shows how one determined athlete changed not only the game, but the culture around it. Exhilarating, illuminating, and deeply human, GIVE ME THE BALL! celebrates a singular figure whose legacy continues to inspire generations.

6/19, 3PM, DL MAIN

F O L LO W E D BY A Q & A W I T H P R O D U C E R C H R I S J A M E S

6/21, 10AM, DL MAIN

F O L LO W E D BY A Q & A W I T H P R O D U C E R C H R I S J A M E S

SPECIAL P R E S E N TAT I O N S PRESENTED BY

DIRECTORS

Liz Garbus Elizabeth Wolff

PRODUCERS

Liz Garbus Elizabeth Wolff Dominic Crossley-Holland Dan Cogan Chris James Gentry Kirby

DEEP DIVES

BRING ME THE BEAUTIES: A MODEL CULT

USA / 54 MIN / DOC

This new HBO documentary series uncovers the startling double life of Hoyt Richards, who at 16 — and on the brink of becoming one of the world’s biggest male supermodels — met an enigmatic Manhattan socialite on Nantucket and was drawn into Eternal Values, a spiritual group that would alter the course of his life. As his career soared, fronting campaigns for Versace, Valentino, and Ralph Lauren; working with legendary photographers like Bruce Weber and Richard Avedon; and socializing with icons such as Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, Richards carried a devastating secret: he was being controlled by a secretive cult through a toxic mix of affection, manipulation, praise, and punishment. Using archival footage and intimate interviews, director Chris Smith lays bare the vulnerability beneath fame through Richards' extraordinary story.

DIRECTOR Chris Smith

PRODUCERS Ryann Fraser Chris Smith

DEEP DIVE TALK

Following the screening of the first episode of HBO's BRING ME THE BEAUTIES: A MODEL CULT, join director Chris Smith, producer Ryann Fraser, and subject Hoyt Richards for a conversation about Richards' experience and the process of translating his story for the screen. The discussion, moderated by Deadline’s Dade Hayes, will explore the complicated realities of fame, control, and survival, offering a rare opportunity to hear directly from the team who shaped this revealing portrait.

6 / 2 0 , 1 : 3 0 P M , D L M A I N

D E E P D I V E TA L K M O D E R AT E D BY DA D E H AY E S

DEEP DIVE

MIGHTY MARY

USA / 98 MIN / DOC

DIRECTOR

Director Mary Mazzio captures the seismic moment when the first all-female crew entered the fiercely competitive world of the America’s Cup, the legendary sailing competition long considered the exclusive domain of men. Aboard the Mighty Mary, a team of pioneers, world-class sailors, and Olympians set out to do more than compete: they challenged 144 years of tradition and forced the sailing establishment to reckon with its assumptions about who belonged on the water. Dismissed by some as a publicity stunt, the crew proved the naysayers wrong, becoming a formidable presence and a powerful emblem of change. MIGHTY MARY is a rousing story of courage, teamwork, and persistence, revealing how one bold act can ripple outward to shift culture, expand possibility, and open doors for generations to come.

DEEP DIVE TALK

Following the screening of MIGHTY MARY, this Deep Dive moves beyond the race itself and into what it takes to enter spaces never built to include you. Nathaniel Philbrick, author of eight best selling works and former All-American sailor, leads the conversation with filmmaker Mary Mazzio and sailors from the Mighty Mary crew – Amy Baltzell, Linda Lindquist, and Suzy Leech. We’ll explore not just the resistance they faced, but how, against all odds, they broke through and proved they belonged. It’s a true underdog story, one that challenged assumptions and reshaped what felt possible in a sport that had long shut them out.

6/18, 7:30PM, DL MAIN

D E E P D I V E TA L K M O D E R AT E D BY N AT H A N I E L P H I L-

PRESENTED BY

Mary Mazzio

PRODUCERS Allison Abner Grant Hill Mary Mazzio

DEEP DIVES PRESENTED BY

GREEN CARPET

SWEET STÖRY

UK / 72 MIN / DOC

DIRECTORS

Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude’s charming film follows celebrated baker Meg Ray as she travels from the San Francisco Bay Area to the remote Swedish island of Rödlöga to save Café Truten, a beloved summer spot. Operating without consistent running water or power, Meg and a dedicated team of islanders race against time to open for the season. Heartwarming and hopeful, SWEET STÖRY captures their journey to perform culinary miracles, demonstrating how a community’s passion can transform a tiny corner of the world into something special.

PRODUCERS

Sarah Justine Kerruish Matt Maude Sarah Justine Kerruish Matt Maude Mike Stern

DEEP DIVE TALK

Following the screening of SWEET STÖRY, join us for a conversation about food, sustainability, and island life. Filmmaker Sarah Kerruish is joined by Maria Aulén Thomsson, a subject in the film and protégé of Meg Ray. Now running Café Truten on Rödlöga, Maria brings a lived, daily connection to the questions at the heart of the film: seasonal baking, small businesses as community anchors, and the delicate balance of sustaining both place and people on an island. Rooted in the film and shaped by those living it, this conversation explores the ways food, craft, and care quietly hold a community together. The program will include a shared fika moment — a Swedish cultural tradition emphasizing connection with others through a deliberate, recharging communal break — with pastries from Meg Ray’s Miette Patisserie served during the conversation.

6/18, 4:30PM, DL MAIN

SUPPORTED BY

SPOTLIGHT FILMS

CHASING SUMMER

S P OT L I G H T FILMS PRESENTED BY

USA / 91 MIN / NARR

Out of both a relationship and her job as a crisis aid worker, Jamie returns to her Texas hometown, where old friends and unresolved feelings from a long-ago summer force her to confront the person she was and the life she still might build. Comedian Iliza Shlesinger does double duty as screenwriter and star, bringing razor-sharp wit and vulnerability in this charming coming-of-middle-age comedy deftly directed by Josephine Decker.

Writer: Iliza Shlesinger • Director: Josephine Decker • Producers: Iliza Shlesinger, Rob Guillermo, Ray Maiello, Nihaar Sinha, Houston King, Sam Pressman • Cast: Iliza Shlesinger, Garrett Wareing, Lola Tung, Cassidy Freeman, Tom Welling, Megan Mullally

6/20, 7PM, DL MAIN

GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS USA / 93 MIN / NARR When small-town Kansas hairdresser Gail discovers her fiancé has actually cashed in his celebrity free pass, she and her best friend Otto hit Hollywood on a mission to even the score — by finding her own celebrity crush, Jon Hamm. WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER’s David Wain reunites with longtime collaborator Ken Marino for a gleefully anarchic, slapstick-laced romp, packed with cameos and committed to pure, unapologetic silliness from start to finish. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with writer/director David Wain. Writers: David Wain, Ken Marino • Director: David Wain • Producers: Anthony Bregman, Peter Cron, Crystine Zhang, David Wain, Ken Marino, Charles Zhong • Cast: Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang

6/19, 5:30PM, DL MAIN

NEXTWAVE

KNIFE: THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE

USA / 107 MIN / DOC

In August 2022, Salman Rushdie was stabbed fifteen times on a public stage. Days later, his wife and fellow writer Rachel Eliza Griffiths picked up a camera. Acclaimed documentarian Alex Gibney shapes her intimate footage into a stirringly defiant portrait: part recovery journal, part sweeping biography of the fatwa that shadowed Rushdie for decades. Narrated by Rushdie himself with dark wit and calm, KNIFE profoundly captures his resilience and refusal to be silenced. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Alex Gibney. Director: Alex Gibney • Producers: Alex Gibney, Erin Edeiken, Sruthi Pinnamaneni

6/19, 3:30PM, NPAC

6/20, 5PM, DL STUDIO

SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU

USA / 101 MIN / NARR

Aaron, a young comedy writer, is unraveling — undone by grief, avoidance, and the ghost of his late sister and best friend Leah. Anchored by a fearless Cooper Raiff and an exceptional ensemble including David Duchovny, Hope Davis, and Kaitlyn Dever, Jay Duplass’ adaptation of Adam Cayton-Holland’s memoir Tragedy Plus Time is an achingly funny and emotionally complex tragicomedy about the many ways a family can fall apart — and struggle to hold on. The screening on 6/18 will be followed by a Q&A with writer Adam CaytonHolland. Writer: Adam Cayton-Holland • Director: Jay Duplass • Producers: Fred Bernstein, Jay Duplass, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily Gordon, Adam Cayton-Holland Cast: Cooper Raiff, Kaitlyn Dever, David Duchovny, Hope Davis, Lucy Boynton, Ariela Barer

6/18, 10:30AM, DL MAIN

6/21, 1:15PM, DL STUDIO

FEATURE FILMS

ASK E. JEAN

USA / 91 MIN / DOC

Director Ivy Meeropol traces the audacious life of E. Jean Carroll, from Miss Cheerleader USA and trailblazing gonzo journalist, to the irrepressible advice columnist who became the only woman to defeat Donald Trump in court — twice. Gobsmacking archival footage and candid interviews reveal not a symbol or survivor, but a sharp-witted force of nature whose resilience demonstrates how reclaiming one’s voice can challenge the powerful and rewrite a legacy. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Annabelle Dunne.

COLORS OF TIME

FRANCE / 126 MIN / NARR

In the heart of Normandy, a group of strangers gathers to settle a long-forgotten inheritance from their common and eccentric ancestor. The “cousins” are left to sort out the derelict estate, which unearths more than property deeds. After discovering a treasure of sketches, the newfound family must decide whether to fund their futures or preserve their heritage. This is a comedic and endearing trip through history for lovers of art everywhere.

Director: Ivy Meeropol • Producers: Laura Bickford, Annabelle Dunne, Ivy Meeropol

Writers: Cédric Klapisch, Santiago Amigorena • Director: Cédric Klapisch Producer: Bruno Levy • Cast: Suzanne Lindon, Abraham Wapler, Julia Piaton, Vincent Macaigne, Cécile de France

6/19, 10AM, DL MAIN

6/19, 10AM, NPAC

COOKIE QUEENS

USA / 91 MIN / DOC

THE CYCLE OF LOVE

6/20, 8PM, NPAC

UK/SWEDEN / 98 MIN / DOC

Meet Ara, Shannon Elizabeth, Nikki, and Olive — four fiercely determined Girl Scouts chasing cookie glory inside an $800 million business. Director Alysa Nahmias crafts a rich, intimate portrait of these unforgettable girls, using America’s beloved cookie season as a lens on girlhood itself. Bursting with ambition, humor, and entrepreneurial spirit, COOKIE QUEENS is an utterly enchanting celebration of what girls can imagine — and sell — when given the chance. Winner: Audience Award, 2026 SXSW Film Festival.

In 1977, a 23-year-old Delhi street artist from a poor family picked up a handful of paintbrushes and a second-hand bicycle and set off on a 6000-mile crosscontinent mission – to find Lotta, the Swedish woman who had captured his heart. A love story like no other, this is an inspiring, heart-warming, epic true-life adventure about the search for self-belief and risking everything for what your heart tells you.

Director: Alysa Nahmias • Producers: Gregory Kershaw, Michael Dweck, Alysa Nahmias, Jennifer Sims

Director: Orlando von Einsiedel • Producers: Harri Grace, Chloe Leland, Karl Mahanandia von Schedvin, Emelie Mahanandia von Schedvin

6/17, 4:30PM, DL MAIN

6/19, 10:30AM, DL STUDIO

6/19, 6:30PM, NPAC

6/21, 1PM, NPAC

FEATURE FILMS

NEXTWAVE

EDIE ARNOLD IS A LOSER

USA / 73 MIN / NARR

EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET

UK / 98 MIN / DOC

In this coming-of-age story about finding your voice, Edie is the quintessential Catholic school wallflower — a timid, rule-following dork whose life is measured in rosary beads and repressed sighs. After attending a basement punk show, everything changes and she begins leading a double life. While balancing school, attention from altar boys, and her new secret, Edie learns that the only way to find yourself is to get a little loud. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Kade Atwood and Megan Rico.

Glasgow, May 2021: when word spreads that two neighbors have been seized in a government immigration raid, hundreds of ordinary residents drop everything and flood the street in an act of collective resistance. Director Felipe Bustos Sierra’s thrillingly immediate documentary, featuring verbatim reconstructions and crowd-sourced footage, is an electrifying, inspiring testament to the unstoppable power of community showing up. Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance, 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

Writer: Megan Rico • Directors: Megan Rico, Kade Atwood • Producers: Bryson Alejandro, Kade Atwood • Cast: Adi Madden Cabrera, McKenna Tuckett, Cherish Rodriguez

Director: Felipe Bustos Sierra • Producers: Ciara Barry, Felipe Bustos Sierra

6/19, 7PM, DL STUDIO

6/17, 6:30PM, DL STUDIO

6/21, 12:45PM, DL MAIN

6/20, 5:30PM, NPAC

NEXTWAVE

THE FRIEND’S HOUSE IS HERE

IRAN/USA / 95 MIN / NARR

Shot entirely in secret in Tehran and smuggled out under risk of persecution, this radiant drama follows best friends and roommates Pari and Hanna – bold, funny, and hip artists building a luminous world of sisterhood inside Iran’s underground theater scene. Brimming with joy and energy despite an atmosphere of repression and fear, their resistance is an everyday act of defiance. Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast, 2026 Sundance Film Festival The screening will be followed by a Q&A with writers/directors Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei.

HOT WATER

USA / 97 MIN / NARR

When tightly-wound Lebanese-American professor Layal (Lubna Azabal) runs out of options for her perpetually delinquent teenage son Daniel (Daniel Zolghadri), she sets out on a cross-country drive to hand him off to his father. Featuring exceptional performances, sardonic humor, and stunning landscapes, Ramzi Bashour’s lyrical debut is a road-trip dramedy about letting go and rediscovery, bickering and bittersweet in equal measure as it unravels cultural clashes, parental anxieties, and buried bonds. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Ramzi Bashour.

Writers/Directors: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei Producers: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei • Cast: Hana Mana, Mahshad Bahraminejad, Farzad Namavari, Zorheh Piran

Writer/Director: Ramzi Bashour • Producers: Jesse Hope, Max Walker-Silverman, Josh Peters • Cast: Lubna Azabal, Daniel Zolghadri, Dale Dickey

6/18, 6PM, NPAC

6/20, 2:45PM, NPAC

6/21, 7:45PM, DL MAIN

D O C U M E N TA R Y F E AT U R E F I L M S PRESENTED BY

JANE ELLIOTT AGAINST THE WORLD

USA / 99 MIN / DOC

In 1968, Iowa schoolteacher Jane Elliott introduced her nowlegendary “Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes” experiment on prejudice to her all-white third-grade class — the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The backlash was swift and lasting. Now nearly 90, Elliott remains a fearless, unapologetic force of nature, determined to wield her voice against racism with the same conviction she’s carried for over 50 years — at a time when her message has never been more urgent. The screening on 6/17 will be followed by a Q&A with director Judd Ehrlich.

JOYBUBBLES

USA / 79 MIN / DOC

Born blind and yearning for connection, Joe Engressia discovered he could manipulate the entire telephone network by whistling, unwittingly becoming one of the founding fathers of hacking. Defying naysayers to live an independent life, he took the name Joybubbles, declared himself a perpetual 5-year-old, and reclaimed a traumatic childhood on his own joyful terms. Rachael J. Morrison’s playful, inventive debut is as irresistible as its protagonist. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Rachael J. Morrison.

Director: Judd Ehrlich • Producers: Judd Ehrlich, Max Powers, Elena Gaby

Director: Rachael J. Morrison • Producers: Sarah Winshall, Will Butler, Annie Marr

6/17, 1PM, DL STUDIO

6/18, 12:30PM, NPAC

6/19, 1:30PM, DL STUDIO

THE LAST FIRST: WINTER K2

USA / 98 MIN / DOC

K2 — the world’s second-highest peak — had never been summited in the extremes of winter. In 2021, a collision of elite mountaineers, thrill-seeking tourists, and social media ambition converged on its lethal slopes to claim that final prize. Director Amir Bar-Lev’s breathtaking documentary follows Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Pakistani father-son team Ali and Sajid Sadpara into a life-and-death story far more layered and surprising than any triumph could contain. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Amir Bar-Lev.

Director: Amir Bar-Lev • Producers: Sean Richard, Sarah Thomson, Howard T. Owens, Ben Silverman

6/18, 1:30PM, DL MAIN

LATE FAME

USA / 96 MIN / NARR

Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) wrote one slim book of poetry decades ago, then disappeared into quiet New York anonymity. When a cabal of young, ardently literary artists rediscovers his work — including the luminous, enigmatic Gloria (Greta Lee) — Ed begins to question if he’s found a new tribe or just a group of people in love with a ghost. Kent Jones’ tender, wryly observed film is a sharp and wistful tribute to legacy. The screening on 6/19 will be followed by a Q&A with director Kent Jones.

Writer: Samy Burch • Director: Kent Jones • Producers: Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon, Mason Plotts, Danny Roberts • Cast: Willem Dafoe, Greta Lee, Edmund Donovan, Jake Lacy

6/18, 10AM, DL STUDIO

6/19, 8:15PM, DL MAIN

FEATURE FILMS

GREEN CARPET

A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR

USA/INDIA/ITALY / 90 MIN / NARR

Ready to begin a new chapter in their lives, an American couple travels to India to meet Sarvari, their newly adopted four-year-old daughter. When Sarvari resists leaving behind the only home she has ever known, Andrew and Daniela must confront their preconceived notions of parenthood. This intimate drama is elevated by the nuanced performances of Jake Lacy and Nazanin Boniadi, who paint a tender portrait of the fragility of family. The screening on 6/21 will be followed by a Q&A with producer Frank Hall Green. Writers: Nicola Rinciari, Emily Dillard • Director: Nicola Rinciari Producers: Emily Dillard, Darren Dean, Ali K. Rizvi, Frank Hall Green, Stephen Stanley, Jomon Thomas • Cast: Jake Lacy, Nazanin Boniadi, Ruhi Pal

6/17, 10:30AM, DL MAIN

6/21, 4PM, DL STUDIO

THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD

USA / 87 MIN / DOC

Over 10 years, documentary filmmaker Sam Green crisscrossed the globe to meet each successive holder of the world’s most fleeting title — every one of them a woman, every one of them over 116. What begins as a wry, wistful meditation on supercentenarian life gradually turns inward, weaving Green’s own experiences of birth, loss, and illness into a quietly profound contemplation of mortality, fate, and the astonishing randomness of simply being alive. The screening on 6/20 will be followed by a Q&A with director Sam Green.

Director: Sam Green • Producers: Alison Byrne Fields, Josh Penn

6/20, 7:30PM, DL STUDIO

6/21, 6:30PM, DL STUDIO

NUISANCE BEAR

CANADA/USA/UK / 87 MIN / DOC

Churchill, Manitoba calls itself the Polar Bear Capital of the World, but as climate change reroutes the ancient migration paths that predate the town itself, the question of who belongs there grows urgent. Guided by the late Inuit elder Mike Tunalaaq Gibbons, this beautifully observed, quietly devastating documentary uses the polar bear’s precarious existence as a lens onto colonialism, coexistence, and the true meaning of nuisance. Winner: Grand Jury Prize, US Documentary, 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Directors: Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden • Producers: Michael Code, Will N. Miller, Teddy Leifer

6/18, 10AM, NPAC

ONE IN A MILLION

6/22, 10AM, DL STUDIO

USA/UK / 104 MIN / DOC

In 2015, filmmakers Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes met eleven-year-old Isra’a selling cigarettes on a street corner in Turkey, her family newly fled from wartorn Aleppo. They kept filming for a decade. The result is a luminous, intimate BOYHOOD-like portrait that follows Isra’a and her family as freedom in Germany brings its own unexpected fractures — of identity, tradition, and belonging — alongside hard-won joy. Winner: Audience Award & Directing Award, World Cinema Documentary, 2026 Sundance Film Festival. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Raney Aronson-Rath. Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes • Producers: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer, Raney Aronson-Rath

6/18, 3PM, NPAC

D O C U M E N TA R Y F E AT U R E F I L M S PRESENTED BY

SUMMER TOUR

USA / 82 MIN / DOC

TAKE ME HOME

USA / 91 MIN / NARR

A young couple, Jerry and Annie, are determined to follow Dead & Company on their final tour, immersing themselves in a pilgrimage through the fading embers of a movement. While they experience the evolution of the songbook and communal catharsis, they realize they are not just witnessing the end of an era, but the passing of a torch. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Mischa Richter and producer Chloë Sevigny.

Anna, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability, has a reciprocal caregiving relationship with her aging parents. When their fragile household is upended, Anna’s future hangs in the balance. Liz Sargent’s luminous debut — quietly devastating, stubbornly hopeful, and starring her own sister — lays bare the failures of America’s caregiving systems while imagining, with grace, something better. Winner: Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, 2026 Sundance Film Festival. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with writer/director Liz Sargent.

Director: Mischa Richter • Producers: Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Mischa Richter, Evelina Kirgan, Chloë Sevigny, Lizzie Nastro

Writer/Director: Liz Sargent • Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas Cast: Anna Sargent, Victor Slezak, Ali Ahn, Marceline Hugot, Shane Harper

6/20, 2:30PM, DL STUDIO

6/17, 4PM, DL STUDIO

NEXTWAVE

GREEN CARPET

TIME AND WATER

ICELAND/USA / 92 MIN / DOC

How do you say goodbye to what you never thought you could lose? In her follow-up to the acclaimed FIRE OF LOVE, director Sara Dosa follows writer Andri Snær Magnason as he composes a eulogy for Okjökull, the first glacier declared dead from climate change. Weaving together family memories, myths, songs, and archival imagery, TIME AND WATER is a lyrical cinematic meditation on preserving stories before they are lost to future generations.

6/18, 1PM, DL STUDIO

UNION COUNTY

USA / 97 MIN / NARR

In rural Ohio, Cody (Will Poulter) begins a court-mandated opioid recovery program, sleeping in his car, carrying a mountain of shame — and discovers his foster brother Jack (Noah Centineo) is in the same program. Writer-director Adam Meeks returns to his home state to make his feature debut, incorporating real recovering addicts from the actual drug court in a film that bristles with authenticity, deep compassion, and quiet humanity. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with producer Brad Becker-Parton.

Director: Sara Dosa • Producers: Shane Boris, Elijah Stevens, Jameka Autry, Sara Dosa

Writer/Director: Adam Meeks • Producers: Brad Becker-Parton, Martha Gregory, Stephanie Roush, Faye Tsakas, Sean Weiner, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Ellyn Daniels, Will O'Connor, Will Poulter • Cast: Will Poulter, Noah Centineo, Elise Kibler, Emily Meade, Annette Deao, Danny Wolohan

6/20, 10AM, NPAC

6/18, 7PM, DL STUDIO

6/21, 10:30AM, DL STUDIO

D O C U M E N TA R Y F E AT U R E F I L M S PRESENTED BY

FEATURE FILMS

YESTERDAY ISLAND

AUSTRALIA / 91 MIN / NARR

Failed novelist Amos seeks solitude at a remote research station, only to discover he’s trapped in a deliberate time loop. In a botched escape attempt, he strands his ex-wife alongside him. To break the cycle, the bickering pair must lure their most insufferable friends into the trap. This quirky dark comedy explores second chances and petty revenge, proving that escaping the past requires more than just a clever scheme. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with writer/director Sam Voutas.

YO (LOVE IS A REBELLIOUS BIRD)

After losing her friend Yo, Anna spends a decade building a 1/3-scale replica of Yo’s home, inhabited by a puppet of her mentor. This poetic film blends intimate footage of Yo’s final year with Anna’s imaginative recreations of Yo’s defiant life in 1924 Switzerland. Blurring memory and invention, the film reveals how artistic creation can channel grief, preserving a radical bond that transcends age and death. Winner: Silver Bear, 2026 Berlin International Film Festival. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with directors Anna Fitch and Banker White.

Writer/Director: Sam Voutas • Producer: Melanie Ansley • Cast: Ivan Aristeguieta, Florence Noble, Francis Greenslade, Genevieve Neve, David Fane, Luke Saliba

Directors: Anna Fitch, Banker White • Producers: Anna Fitch, Banker White, Sara Dosa, Hannah Roodman

6/17, 1:30PM, DL MAIN

6/21, 10AM, NPAC

6/19, 4:30PM, DL STUDIO

VOTE FOR THE 2026 AUDIENCE AWARDS! PRESENTED BY

W H AT I S A N A U D I E N C E AWA R D ? Audience members cast their vote for their favorite feature & short films. HOW DOES IT WORK? After the film and/or Q&A ends, a QR code will appear on the theater screen. QR codes will also be available in the lobby of the venue. S T E P 1 : Scan the QR code in the theater. S T E P 2 : Select a score between 1 and 5, and click "Vote Now.” For short film programs, you can vote for each individual short. S T E P 3 : Once your vote has been cast, a "Thank You" banner will appear. S T E P 4 : Enjoy the Festival and keep an eye out for our Audience Awards announcement on Monday, 6/22! 18

USA / 78 MIN / DOC

SHORT FILM PROGRAMS COMMUNITY UP CLOSE | 76 MIN

6/17, 11AM, DL STUDIO

These documentary shorts capture the essence of community and spotlight the unsung heroes within them. The screening will be followed by a Q&A. GREEN CARPET

A Short Documentary About a Pencil

Some Kind of Refuge

He’s Out There

One Last Order

A sculpture made from the trunk of a fallen tree brings a Minneapolis community together.

An isolated community on the edge of the Mississippi River persists through its two oldest residents.

Devin, an autistic Bigfoot hunter, meets his heroes.

Sighle Williams’ final shift after 37 years at a drive-through sparks a spirited farewell from her Florida town.

Director: Daniel Straub

Director: Alexandra Kern

Directors: Kurt Andrew Schneider, Sam Davis

Directors: Lauren DeFilippo, Sam Soko

USA / 2026 / 16 MIN

USA / 2026 / 22 MIN

CROSSROADS | 80 MIN

USA / 2026 / 18 MIN

USA / 2026 / 20 MIN

NEXTWAVE

These poignant narrative shorts reveal the challenges and triumphs of the human experience when conflict takes center stage. The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

6/18, 4PM, DL STUDIO

Seppuku in the Park

Going Dark

An obsessive actor must shed his ego or risk being suffocated by his deepest aspirations.

A Catholic school girl competes with her drama teacher for her friend’s affection.

Writer/Director: Nikko Wisner

Writer/Director: Kate diRienzi

Daddy’s Little Meatball

Proof of Death

On a work trip to New York, an Australian salesman and his teenage daughter navigate the city and their strained relationship.

Con-artists expecting their first child take on an assassination job, but find their relationship tested when the gig goes awry.

USA / 2026 / 14 MIN

USA /AUSTRALIA / 2026 / 15 MIN

USA / 2026 / 10 MIN

USA / 2026 / 8 MIN

Writer/Director: Yael Grunseit

Writer/Director: Michael Yuchen Lei

Grown

Meeting Your Maker

Three teenage girls embark on their first semi-legal night out in New York City.

Otis, a beloved puppet on a long-running children’s show, faces an existential crisis.

USA / 2026 / 15 MIN

Writer/Director: Audrey Cicerello

USA / 2026 / 18 MIN

Writer/Director: Gregory JM Kasunich N E X T WAV E P R O G R A M M I N G PRESENTED BY

SHORT FILM PROGRAMS MISFITS | 84 MIN

From boy bands to earthworms, these compelling narrative shorts explore the growing pains we all face when searching for our place in the world. The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

Invisible Dragons

Jane

A young woman tries to reconnect with her estranged father.

An aspiring writer gets a gig babysitting her favorite author’s child.

AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND) / 2025 / 12 MIN

Writer/Director: Victoria Boult

Katti

USA/INDIA / 2026 / 14 MIN

A young girl grapples with gender bias and sibling rivalry amidst her family’s celebration of a baby boy. Writer/Director: Kanishka Aggarwal Writer: Akshita Namjoshi

USA / 2026 / 16 MIN

Writer/Director: Eva Ravenal

Poster Boy

CANADA/USA / 2025 / 16 MIN

A desperate 16-year-old dancer attempts to secure his spot in the limelight. Writer/Director: India Opzoomer Writer: Daniel Young Kim

Peace Corps

The Worm

After abruptly leaving the Peace Corps, Ava reluctantly readjusts to life in her hometown.

Kieran’s family stages an intervention, concerned by his obsession with a telepathic earthworm. Writer: Will Goodfellow Director: Tom Noakes

USA / 2026 / 13 MIN

Writer/Director: Jessica Li

UPROOTED | 76 MIN

AUSTRALIA / 2026 / 13 MIN

Safe in My Skin

Bonds are tested and tensions rise in these narrative shorts about love, turmoil, and the lines we cross to find answers. The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

USA / 2026 / 18 MIN

Upon returning home for a funeral, a young man is haunted by buried feelings.

Writer/Director: Dylan Rizzo

6/20, 11:45AM, DL STUDIO

Possum

Albatross

An insecure father pulls a prank on his son during a camping trip.

Maria, burdened with caregiving for her sick husband, gets invited to a party.

USA / 2026 / 13 MIN

USA / 2026 / 14 MIN

Writer/Director: Aidan Macaluso Writer: Patrick Koehle

Writer/Director: Amandine Thomas Writer: Gerardo Coello Escalante

But I’m Your Brother

Callback

Simon struggles with working in his family’s grocery store under the management of his younger brother. Writer/Director: Noah Morse

All hell breaks loose when Max arrives home to find that his boyfriend has booked a callback. Writer/Director: Matthew Puccini

USA / 2026 / 15 MIN

6/19, 1PM, NPAC

USA / 2026 / 16 MIN

SHORT FILM PROGRAMS PRESENTED BY

KIDS SHORTS: WHAT A WORLD! | 69 MIN

6/20, 9:30AM, DL STUDIO

Imagination runs wild in these stories of curious explorers and unlikely friendships, suitable for children ages 5 to 10.

The Big Bad Wolf UK / 2025 / 5 MIN

A wolf and pig form an unlikely friendship in a re-telling of the famous parable.

Le Petit et le Géant FRANCE/BRAZIL / 2025 / 8 MIN

A small rodent, wandering in search of life in an abandoned world, has an unusual encounter.

Writer/Director: Leo Wright

Writer/Director: Isabela Costa

Feathers and Leaves

Cardboard

USA / 2025 / 6 MIN

UK / 2025 / 8 MIN

An acorn raised by a blue jay dreams of flying — but as he grows, he must confront his true identity.

A pig moves his piglets into a trailer park, where they discover adventure in the scrappiest of places.

Writer/Director: Linjie Yang

Writer/Director: J.P. Vine

We’re Kinda Different

Dreaming of Flight

CANADA / 2025 / 3 MIN

GERMANY/CROATIA / 2025 / 5 MIN

A peculiar fellow sings his way through a mundane office building to profound results.

A determined hen wishes to fly.

Writer/Director: Ben Meinhardt

Director: Elena Walf

Something Greater Than You

The Motherless Egg

USA / 2026 / 9 MIN

GERMANY/CROATIA / 2025 / 5 MIN

Two feuding raccoons, having found shelter from a winter storm, receive an unexpected guest.

A curious dog finds an egg in his bowl and sets off on a search for its mother.

Writer/Director: Gordon LePage

Director: Elena Walf

Spooky

Ahoy!

IRELAND / 2025 / 6 MIN

USA / 2025 / 14 MIN

A surprising visitor shakes up the routine of a disconnected family.

A boy raised at sea embarks on a voyage to a mythical place.

Writer/Director: Adeola Lawal

Writer/Director: Julian Alvarez

PRESENTED BY

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17

9AM

DREAMLAND MAIN

DREAMLAND STUDIO

DREAMLAND MAIN

NPAC

EVENTS

DREAMLAND MAIN

DREAMLAND STUDIO

NPAC

A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR 90 MIN

10:30AM 11:00AM Shorts

COMMUNITY UP CLOSE 76 MIN

10:00AM

LATE FAME

NUISANCE BEAR

ASK E. JEAN

10:30AM

87 MIN

91 MIN

COOKIE QUEENS

Spotlight Film

SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU

96 MIN

10:00AM

91 MIN

101 MIN

COLORS OF TIME

126 MIN 12:00PM

AFTERNOON TEA WITH...

12:30PM

1PM

1:00PM 1:30PM

2PM

3PM

YESTERDAY ISLAND 91 MIN

4PM 4:30PM

5PM

6PM

7PM

COOKIE QUEENS

1:00PM 1:30PM

THE LAST FIRST: WINTER K2

TAKE ME HOME

4:00PM

TAKE ME HOME

4:30PM

Shorts CROSSROADS

91 MIN

SWEET STÖRY

THE INVITE

AFTERNOON TEA WITH... 3:00PM

3:00PM

ONE IN A MILLION

Centerpiece

104 MIN

UNION COUNTY

MIGHTY MARY 98 MIN

DEEP DIVE

97 MIN

THE FRIEND'S HOUSE IS HERE

MISFITS 84 MIN

99 MIN

101 MIN

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE

5:30PM Spotlight Film GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS 93 MIN

KNIFE: 4:30PM

8:15PM

LATE FAME

107 MIN

91 MIN

6:30PM 7:00PM

THE CYCLE OF LOVE

73 MIN

98 MIN

EDIE ARNOLD IS A LOSER

95 MIN

96 MIN

JANE ELLIOT AGAINST THE WORLD

Shorts

3:30PM Spotlight Film

30 MIN

10PM

1:30PM

YESTERDAY ISLAND

6:00PM

7:00PM

1:00PM

GIVE ME THE BALL!

80 MIN

DEEP DIVE

98 MIN

with Paul Feig

2:00PM

72 MIN

7:30PM

IN THEIR SHOES®

Ten Easy Street

4:00PM

EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET

1:00PM

79 MIN

98 MIN

6:30PM 7:00PM

Ten Easy Street

JOYBUBBLES

91 MIN

30 MIN

107 MIN

9PM

99 MIN

91 MIN

Opening

8PM

JANE ELLIOTT AGAINST THE WORLD

EVENTS

9:00AM MORNING COFFEE The Gaslight

10:30AM

12PM

DREAMLAND STUDIO

SPOTLIGHT FILMS

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

THURSDAY, JUNE 18

10AM

11AM

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS + DEEP DIVES

7:30 DOORS 8:00 STORIES LATE NIGHT STORYTELLING 'Sconset Casino

FEATURE FILMS + SHORTS PROGRAMS SATURDAY, JUNE 20 DREAMLAND MAIN

DREAMLAND STUDIO

NPAC

10:30AM

69 MIN

IN THEIR SHOES®

EVENTS

DREAMLAND MAIN

NPAC

EVENTS

DREAMLAND MAIN

DREAMLAND STUDIO

9:00AM MORNING COFFEE The Gaslight

10:00AM

TIME AND WATER

Centerpiece

GIVE ME THE BALL!

92 MIN

with Ken Burns

DREAMLAND STUDIO

NEXTWAVE MONDAY, JUNE 22

SUNDAY, JUNE 21

9:00AM MORNING COFFEE The Gaslight

9:30AM Kids Shorts

WHAT A WORLD!

GREEN CARPET CINEMA

SIGNATURE PROGRAMS

10:00AM

10:00AM 10:30AM

UNION COUNTY

YO (LOVE IS A REBELLIOUS BIRD)

10:30AM

TBA

NUISANCE BEAR

9AM

10AM

11AM

87 MIN

78 MIN

101 MIN 11:45AM

12PM

97 MIN

Shorts

UPROOTED 76 MIN

EDIE ARNOLD IS A LOSER

1:00PM

AFTERNOON TEA WITH...

1:30PM BRING ME THE BEAUTIES:

73 MIN

DEEP DIVE 30 MIN

2:30PM

SUMMER TOUR

4:00PM Opening Encore

107 MIN

2:45PM

HOT WATER

3:15PM Closing

97 MIN

45 MIN

THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND

5:00PM Spotlight Film

KNIFE:

107 MIN

CHASING SUMMER 91 MIN

DEEP DIVE 30 MIN

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE

7:00PM Spotlight Film

1:15PM Spotlight Film

THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD

EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET

45 MIN

DEEP DIVE 7PM DOORS

8:00PM

87 MIN 126 MIN

NUMC

1:30PM

TBA

30 MIN

7:45PM

HOT WATER 'Sconset Casino

97 MIN

THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD 87 MIN

2PM

98 MIN

3PM

4PM

5PM

VENUES

(Main, Studio, Bank of America® Lounge) 17 Main Street - TOWN 6:30PM

1PM

TBA

DREAMLAND FILM & CULTURAL CENTER (DL)

THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND

SCREENWRITERS TRIBUTE COLORS OF TIME

Rashida Jones + Will McCormack

A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR

5:30PM Closing

5:30PM

7:30PM

1:00PM

4:00PM

90 MIN

98 MIN

THE CYCLE OF LOVE

IN THEIR SHOES® with

101 MIN

82 MIN

THE INVITE

1:00PM

SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU

A MODEL CULT

54 MIN

12:30PM

12:45PM

6PM

NANTUCKET PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (NPAC) 5 N Water Street - TOWN

‘SCONSET CASINO

7PM

(Tribute, Late Night Storytelling) 10 New Street - SIASCONSET

THE GASLIGHT

8PM

NANTUCKET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (NUMC)

9PM

(Morning Coffee With...®) 3 N Union Street - TOWN 2 Centre Street - TOWN

TEN EASY STREET

(Thurs/Fri Afternoon Tea With...®) 10 Easy Street - TOWN

10PM

SCREENWRITERS TRIBUTE The Nantucket Film Festival honors the creative voices that bring iconic films to the screen. The Screenwriters Tribute is a distinguished evening which brings together screenwriters, directors and creators who define our cinematic culture.

S AT U R DAY, J U N E 2 0 | C O C K TA I L S 7 P M , P R O G R A M 8 P M | ‘ S C O N S E T C A S I N O

PAUL FEIG

VISIONARY STORYTELLER AWARD

NFF is delighted to present the 2026 Visionary Storyteller Award to generation-defining filmmaker Paul Feig. Feig’s peerless ability to seamlessly weave story, timing, and character allows him to consistently hit the bullseye, whether he is mining the loudest laugh, the biggest reveal, or the most tender human moment. With his influence spanning film and television, audiences have been howling with laughter and shuddering in suspense at his work for decades. Feig’s directorial portfolio is a masterclass in versatility with landmark comedic films like BRIDESMAIDS, THE HEAT, GHOSTBUSTERS, and more recently some of the juiciest thrillers in A SIMPLE FAVOR and THE HOUSEMAID. On the small screen, his status as a visionary was cemented as the showrunner for the definitive cult-classic FREAKS AND GEEKS and as the director responsible for some of the most unforgettable moments in THE OFFICE and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. With time-tested creative partnerships and credits that read like a list of audience favorites, Feig’s genre-defying storytelling ability sets him apart as a singular storyteller for the ages.

SCREENWRITERS TRIBUTE PRESENTED BY

HOSTED BY MICHAEL IAN BLACK NFF is proud to welcome back actor, writer, and comedian Michael Ian Black as host for this year's Screenwriters Tribute. Black is known for his breakout performances on MTV’s sketch comedy show THE STATE and VH1’s I LOVE THE... series, and his starring role in WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER, as well as his many appearances on ED, THE JIM GAFFIGAN SHOW, ANOTHER PERIOD, and RENO 911. As a writer, he’s penned several books, including The New York Times bestselling My Custom Van and the critically acclaimed A Better Man. You can currently catch him on CNN’s satirical news show HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU. And on Nantucket, he’s been known to make appearances at Late Night Storytelling and the Comedy Roundtable.

RASHIDA JONES & WILL MCCORMACK SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENWRITING AWARD

NFF is proud to honor Rashida Jones and Will McCormack with the 2026 Special Achievement in Screenwriting Award. This powerhouse multi-hyphenate duo has spent over a decade delivering poignant, heartfelt meditations on love, community, and the complexities of human connection, beginning with the indie sensation CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER, which established their signature blend of sharp wit and emotional vulnerability. Since then, their joint credits have spanned the cinematic spectrum — from the blockbuster storytelling of TOY STORY 4 and the profound intimacy of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary short A SWIM LESSON to this year’s buzzy relationship dramedy, NFF’s Opening Film THE INVITE (page 5). Across every genre, the pair brings a distinct precision and craft-first mentality to stories that reveal surprising human truths, all rooted in the foundation of their long-standing friendship. While their partnership is a cornerstone of their success, both have left indelible marks on the industry individually. Rashida Jones remains a beloved fixture of modern culture for her iconic roles in PARKS AND RECREATION, THE OFFICE, and ON THE ROCKS. Will McCormack continues to exert his influence as a formidable writer and producer on projects ranging from major studio features to the deeply moving Academy Award-winning animated short IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU. Together and apart, Jones and McCormack embody the spirit of the Special Achievement in Screenwriting Award: a relentless commitment to the art of the story.

LATE NIGHT STORYTELLING: CROSSING THE LINE

When the line is drawn, do you walk along it, or do you take one giant step over it? Join us for a night of true and personal stories about the moments we crossed over, not with hesitation but with a little too much confidence, a lapse in judgment, or a complete disregard for what should have stopped us. This Festival favorite welcomes guests and artists to share their most inappropriate, unfiltered, and wildly miscalculated stories of breaking the rules, ignoring the obvious, and stepping way, way over the line. Come hear true, funny, and chaotic tales of those who crossed it anyway. Hosted by the ever-hilarious Ophira Eisenberg, this raucous, revealing night of unscripted storytelling has become one of NFF’s most beloved traditions.

OPHIRA EISENBERG

Ophira Eisenberg is a standup comedian, writer, and podcast host (NPR, CNN, CBS, The Moth, HBO, Comedy Central, iHeart) who headlines theaters and comedy venues across the world, tours regularly with the Moth Mainstage, and hosts the weekly parenting-comedy podcast Parenting Is A Joke (Webby Finalist for Best Host). Her new comedy special, I USED TO BE NICER produced by Lewis Black/Stark Raving Black Productions, is streaming now. She also hosted NPR’s trivia comedy show Ask Me Another for nine years. Her breakout memoir Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy (Seal Press) has been optioned for a television series, and her solo show Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars won the Women in the Arts & Media Award for Solo Show Scripts.

F R I DAY, J U N E 1 9 | C O C K TA I L S 7 : 3 0 P M , S T O R I E S 8 : 0 0 P M | ‘ S C O N S E T C A S I N O

PRESENTED BY

IN THEIR SHOES® WITH PAUL FEIG

Join us for a conversation with groundbreaking director, showrunner, writer, producer, and actor Paul Feig, moderated by Ophira Eisenberg. From comedic blockbusters and mysterious, luscious dramas, to beloved television comedies and characters, Feig’s work has been a staple on must-see roundups and personal favorite lists for decades. The recipient of the 2026 NFF Visionary Storyteller Award, Feig will share stories from his career while pulling back the curtain on his creative process, including moments from productions like FREAKS AND GEEKS, BRIDESMAIDS, GHOSTBUSTERS: ANSWER THE CALL, SPY, THE HEAT, A SIMPLE FAVOR, and THE HOUSEMAID.

6 0 M I N | F R I DAY, 6 / 1 9 , 1 : 0 0 P M , D R E A M L A N D M A I N

PRESENTED BY

IN THEIR SHOES® WITH RASHIDA JONES & WILL MCCORMACK This year’s Special Achievement in Screenwriting Award winners, Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, join us for an in-depth conversation on the origins of their longstanding creative partnership and the evolution of their work together. As writers, their credits span the Oscar-nominated TOY STORY 4 and CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER, as well as their newest breakout film, THE INVITE. Moving fluidly between writing, directing, and producing, the two bring a distinctly personal lens to character, tone, and story. In conversation, Jones and McCormack reflect on their process, the rhythms of collaboration, and how their multi-hyphenate careers continue to shape the stories they choose to tell.

RASHIDA JONES

Rashida Jones is an actress, writer, and producer. She is known for her roles in PARKS AND RECREATION, THE OFFICE, and BOSTON PUBLIC.

WILL MCCORMACK

William McCormack is an actor, producer, writer, and director. He is best known for his Oscar® award-winning animated short film IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU.

6 0 M I N | S U N DAY, 6 / 2 1 , 1 2 : 3 0 P M , N A N T U C K E T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

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CMY

IN THEIR SHOES® WITH KEN BURNS AND NATHANIEL PHILBRICK America at 250: Reflections on the Founding

Ken Burns returns to the Nantucket Film Festival with a powerful presentation from his landmark six-part documentary series THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. He will show highlights featuring an extended exploration of the writing of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, and the Battle of Bunker Hill. Following the screening, Burns along with author Nathaniel Philbrick will participate in a conversation moderated by Meghan Hughes (Bank of America®) examining the ideals articulated in 1776 as America approaches its semiquincentennial. More than a recounting of history, this timely conversation is about who we are as Americans, and who we aspire to be.

KEN BURNS

Ken Burns is an Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker, known for documentary films and series such as THE CIVIL WAR, BASEBALL, JAZZ, THE WAR, THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA’S BEST IDEA, PROHIBITION, THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY, THE VIETNAM WAR, COUNTRY MUSIC, THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST, THE AMERICAN BUFFALO, and LEONARDO DA VINCI.

NATHANIEL PHILBRICK

BASEBALL, THE VIETNAM WAR, BASEBALL

9 0 M I N | S AT U R DAY, 6 / 2 0, 1 0 : 3 0 A M , D R E A M L A N D M A I N

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MORNING COFFEE WITH...® Start your festival day with a coffee and conversation with a selection of NFF 2026’s filmmakers — hear directly from the source about the films in this year’s program. Join us at our new venue – the Gaslight – and enjoy these daily, iconic conversation. Complimentary coffee, tea, and breakfast pastries. THURSDAY, 6/18 Panelists: Amir Bar-Lev (THE LAST FIRST: WINTER K2), Sarah Justine Kerruish (SWEET STÖRY), Hossein Keshavarz (THE FRIEND’S HOUSE IS HERE), Rachael J. Morrison (JOYBUBBLES), Liz Sargent (TAKE ME HOME), Moderator: Jonathan Burkhart (NFF Co-founder) FRIDAY, 6/19 Panelists: Adam Cayton-Holland (SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU), Annabelle Dunne (ASK E. JEAN), Judd Ehrlich (JANE ELLIOTT AGAINST THE WORLD), Sam Voutas (YESTERDAY ISLAND), David Wain (GAIL DAUGHTRY & THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS), Moderator TBA. SATURDAY, 6/20 Panelists: Alex Gibney (KNIFE: THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE), Chris James (GIVE ME THE BALL!), Chris Smith (BRING ME THE BEAUTIES: A MODEL CULT), Moderator: Jill Burkhart (NFF Co-founder) SUNDAY, 6/21 Panelists: Ramzi Bashour (HOT WATER), Brad Becker-Parton (UNION COUNTY), Anna Fitch (YO (LOVE IS A REBELLIOUS BIRD)), Megan Rico (EDIE ARNOLD IS A LOSER), Moderator TBA. 45 MIN | THURSDAY–SUNDAY, 9AM, THE GASLIGHT

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AFTERNOON TEA WITH...

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Step out of the Festival rush for a close conversation with industry voices reflecting on the ideas shaping what we watch now. These intimate talks offer a chance to hear directly from the people behind the work in a relaxed setting. Join us for select afternoons and settle in for thoughtful exchanges that go a bit deeper than the screen.

FROM IDEA TO GREENLIGHT: WHAT’S GETTING MADE TODAY

With Jason Michael Berman (Founder and President of A/Vantage Pictures), Jennifer Gwartz (Executive Vice President, UCP), Gina Kwon (Head of Searchlight Television), and Ashley Stern (EVP, Head of Creative Affairs for Legendary-193) in a conversation led by Sarah Vacchiano. A candid look at the evolving power dynamics behind what gets made, screened, and streamed, featuring film and television insiders navigating a rapidly shifting landscape. 45 MIN | THURSDAY, 6/18, 2-2:45PM, TEN EASY STREET

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2: A CASE STUDY

Karen Rosenfelt, producer of both THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and its sequel, is joined s joined in conversation by Erin Siminoff, EVP of Production, Fox 2000, for a behind-the-scenes look at creating a follow-up to a classic film. From development to production, this conversation will focus on what it takes to bring a long-awaited sequel into today’s marketplace. 45 MIN | FRIDAY, 6/19, 12-12:45PM, TEN EASY STREET

STORY X SPORT X BRAND: A NEW KIND OF NARRATIVE

With Chief Revenue and Philanthropic Officer, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team, Trisha Worthington, writer/director Kevin Ulrich (THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, CHALLENGERS), and Olympic skier River Radmus. A closer look into how sports storytelling and branded content are converging, with an examination of recent collaborations between major brands and athletes that are shaping a new kind of cinematic language. Ulrich's short film SKI DAWGS, starring comedian Tim Dillon, highlights the opportunity that arises when brands expand into sports storytelling, blurring the line between sports, cinema, and storytelling. 45 MIN | SATURDAY, 6/20, 1-1:45PM, NPAC

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