While not quite as cataclysmic as the previous year, 2021 was still an incredibly challenging year the world over. We trudged through, keeping our heads down, hoping for normalcy to return, and it has to some degree. We finally resumed our NoBudge Live screenings in Brooklyn in September and the next one is Jan. 24th…

Brent struggles with the meaning of his girlfriend's suicide, which she acted out with her ex-boyfriend who she seemed to continue loving in secret. “Dearly Departed,” directed by Ester Song Kim, is a painfully dark comedy about being blindsided by someone you thought you knew…

In this lighthearted PSA, a narrator walks us through the process of shaking off daily doses of small-scale trauma. “Wiggle Your Worries Away,” directed by Tamar Levine, takes the format of a dated educational film and injects it with stylish production design and verve…

*Online Premiere* A long-haul trucker builds community and a new life on YouTube as @MsDivaTrucker43. Dana Reilly directs “Ms Diva Trucker,” a documentary portrait about the life of a female truck driver. Understated but expressive, the film captures a woman defined more by her independence than from her unusual life path…

An unexpected visit from her super sends an anxious woman scrambling to hide evidence of her cat. “No Pets,” directed by and starring Billie Michael, takes a simple conceit and finds plenty of tension, awkwardness, and humor…

*Online Premiere* A stylish exploration of movement and attitude that reflects a spirited response to a chaotic world. “TriKE,” directed by Giselle Bonilla and performed by Brianna Mims, is an experimental portrait, wonderfully expressive and attuned to texture, color, and mood…

*Online Premiere* Anxiously convinced his flu-like symptoms could be something much worse, a luckless Brooklynite searches for medical care. Byron Leon directs “Sickly,” a tense ride through New York City that was unbelievably made before the Covid-19 pandemic…

*Online Premiere* Local racing legend Victor Elaine squares-off against his greatest rival, a man whose opposing philosophy on life sets up a battle of outlooks. “Duality Derby,” directed by Mark Richard Miller and Dave Franzese, is a lighthearted rumination on the duality of man…

*Online Premiere* Maggie invites friends, acquaintances and total strangers into her home for what they think is a party, but she has other plans in store. “Maggie So Low,” directed by Michael Borowiec and Sam Marine Borowiec, is an improvised comedy about toxic friendships and harebrained schemes…

*Online Premiere* A couple discovers they don't know as much about each other as they thought while they move into a new apartment. Chidi Amadiume directs “Are We Here Yet?," an astutely observed and performed relationship drama that explores a host of issues related to sexual identity…

*Online Premiere* An American couple worries about the safety of a Parisian girl after a drunken night out. Jerzy Rose directs “Nobody Likes You As Much As I Do,” a relationship drama teeming with incisive exchanges, communication breakdowns, and arguments over youth and sexuality…

In this instructional magic video gone awry, a young magician comes to terms with the difficult reality that doing coin tricks may not be enough. “Do You Want to Learn Magic?” directed by and starring the real-life magician, Chris Fanelli, is a free-roaming mixture of infomercial, personal history, and surreal narrative…

*Online Premiere* A woman who's not an artist attends an artist retreat. Allison Johnston directs “Artist Retreat,” a comedic character study and lighthearted satire written by and starring Sara Hennessey. The Maple Farm’s Mindful Women’s Artist Retreat is now in its second year…