Cinema Village – Day Two – Block Two

Bowery Film Festival is proud to screen the following selections:

• Mommy’s Last Night

  Directed by Julia Shiplett
  

  Fresh off a long shift, Maya gets the news she needs to get her embryo implanted tomorrow morning — unless she wants to drop an extra $17K. Feeling the sudden pressure of this life-changing moment, she and her best friend Julia, a struggling writer still chasing success, decide to have one last epic night out. It’s off to a bumpy start when they can’t cancel their reservations at a bougie restaurant with their free-spirited mom friend Karolena in town from the burbs. Begrudgingly, their waiter tells them about a party in Bed-Stuy so the three head there afterwards — except only Karolena gets in. Things reach a boiling point between Maya and Julia as all their fears, frustrations and insecurities spill out on the sidewalk. Julia admits she’s scared of losing Maya because she’ll be too busy with the baby; Maya shares she’s worried she won’t be exciting enough for Julia anymore. But both promise they will never let that happen and will always make time for each other. They reunite with Karolena who’s had a legendary night, proving that moms can still be free and fun. A group of cool queers walk by and compliment Maya’s makeup, which gives her an extra boost of confidence for tomorrow’s appointment. Sure, they talk shit once they walk away, but she doesn't need to know that. <3

• 360 cc

  Directed by Maria Dryby
  

  Moving between quiet routines, fleeting encounters, and the glow of her phone, Sophie prepares for cosmetic surgery – convinced it will make her happier, as she slowly drifts away from herself and the people around her.

• Spiral

  Directed by Kim Rideout
  

  A young woman dogged by intrusive thoughts finally confronts her callous inner voice and is surprised at what she finds.

• Lady Chief

  Directed by Broms
  

  Lady Chief introduces Nana Afoakwa Kyerewa I, the only female clan chief in Kukurantumi, Ghana. Nana revisits her journey to chieftancy — moving to the US with an unlikely Ohioan husband, a head chief's attempt to block her succession, and an unshakable devotion to her people.

• MRI

  Directed by Mark Palgy
  

  During a routine MRI prompted by a health scare, a father’s fear spirals into a claustrophobic nightmare - blurring the line between a medical exam and something far more sinister.

• Loon

  Directed by Brad E Kins
  

  A patient with treatment-resistant-depression undergoes a controversial procedure known as “transcranial magnetic stimulation” and experiences an unexpected transformation when he unearths a seemingly innocuous childhood memory.

• (Zero, Infinity)

  Directed by Mar Sudac
  

  Gus and Clark — married, late 30s — would like to apply for a mortgage. Their small but sincere hope leads them to take a newly-mandated medical procedure that claims to “verify” sexuality for legal use. The procedure’s brief but brutal trial yields surprising results, prompting Gus and Clark to question the nature of attraction in their rapidly binarizing world.

• The Shave

  Directed by Francisco Solorzano
  

  A former caregiver returns to a residential home to deliver heartbreaking news to a nonverbal autistic man he once cared for. What begins as an awkward reunion transforms into a deeply human moment of connection through a simple act of care, a shave. In the quiet between gestures, both men rediscover trust, tenderness, and the enduring bond that transcends language. The Shave is an intimate exploration of love, loss, and the beauty of communication beyond words.

• Stop to Stop

  Directed by Samantha Massell, Asher Grodman
  

  Carolyn is flooded with political text messages. When a chance encounter reveals the identity of one of her tormentors, she seeks revenge, but finds a spark.