#the-dark-horse-film

[ follow ]
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 hours ago

"Personal Storytelling, Experimentation, and a DIY Spirit": A Look Inside LAFM 2026

This year's festival showcases debut features emphasizing personal storytelling and experimentation from both international and local filmmakers.
fromwww.nytimes.com
1 month ago

The Next Stop for a Sundance Director: Leading New York's Film Forum

Under her leadership, Jackson said, 'The most important thing is to make sure that Film Forum continues its mission.' This reflects her commitment to the organization and its role in independent cinema.
Film
Media industry
from24/7 Wall St.
1 hour ago

Long-Form vs. Short-Form: The AI Debate That Misses Netflix's Real Strength

Netflix's strong fundamentals and growth prospects make it a compelling investment despite misconceptions about AI competition.
Arts
fromwww.npr.org
2 hours ago

The most memorable moon movies aren't even about space

Filmmakers have long been inspired by the moon, creating numerous acclaimed films that resonate with themes of romance and emotion.
Humor
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

The Assembly review TV has rarely seen anything like this delightful gem

The Assembly features celebrities interviewed by young adults with neurodivergence, allowing for direct and profound questions that challenge conventional interview norms.
London food
fromTime Out London
1 day ago

Catch a buzzy new Japanese horror movie at a London cinema next week - totally free

Free tickets available for the J-horror film 'Exit 8' as part of BFI's Escapes initiative on April 13-14.
Relationships
fromInsideHook
3 days ago

What Men Can Learn From 17 Unforgettable On-Screen Proposals

Real-life proposals differ from romantic comedies, but lessons from memorable on-screen moments can guide men in crafting meaningful proposals.
Medicine
fromVulture
2 days ago

Ogilvie Originally Had a Much-Different Ending on The Pitt

Season two introduces James Ogilvie, a medical student who evolves from a self-centered persona to a more empathetic character through experiences in the ER.
Television
fromwww.businessinsider.com
2 days ago

A 'Star Wars' and 'Top Gun' producer is joining the micro drama craze. Read his pitch deck.

Micro dramas are evolving with VeYou, an app aiming to elevate the format with high-quality storytelling and AI-driven effects.
fromGothamist
2 days ago

This film festival takes you from Hoyt-Schermerhorn to Hollywood

April O'Neil comes down out of City Hall as the ace reporter and then walks into the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station. That secret, that the Downtown Brooklyn station is subbing in for City Hall, is at the heart of an upcoming film series at BAM.
Berlin
Miami food
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 days ago

"I Wanted to Turn Splash on Its Head": Tyler Cornack on Mermaid

Florida Man myth is explored through a darkly comedic lens in Tyler Cornack's film featuring a drug addict and an unconventional mermaid.
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
4 days ago

A Portland Panorama of indie films * Oregon ArtsWatch

On May 2, 2025, arts and cultural organizations across the country received notifications that grants and funding promised by the National Endowment for the Arts were being rescinded. This was part of a larger initiative by the Trump Administration to dismantle not just the NEA, but also other arts advocacy programs including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Portland
#sundance-film-festival
Independent films
fromIndieWire
5 hours ago

Sundance Heads South: Festival Announces Lineup for Third CDMX Edition in Mexico

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival CDMX will showcase 15 feature films and six shorts in Mexico City from April 30 to May 3.
fromIndieWire
2 months ago
Film

Bob Berney on Five Wild Decades at Sundance, and Chasing Movies No One Else Wanted Like 'Memento' and 'Donnie Darko'

Independent films
fromIndieWire
5 hours ago

Sundance Heads South: Festival Announces Lineup for Third CDMX Edition in Mexico

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival CDMX will showcase 15 feature films and six shorts in Mexico City from April 30 to May 3.
fromIndieWire
2 months ago
Film

Bob Berney on Five Wild Decades at Sundance, and Chasing Movies No One Else Wanted Like 'Memento' and 'Donnie Darko'

Arts
fromwww.npr.org
12 hours ago

Hilariously caustic 'Big Mistakes' drags Dan Levy into organized crime

Big Mistakes features a dysfunctional family navigating personal struggles and unexpected circumstances in a comedic setting.
London food
fromTime Out London
4 days ago

South London has a new art and short film festival - and it's free

A free artist-led festival in Peckham from May 8-10 features exhibitions, panel talks, and complimentary food and drinks.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
8 hours ago

Cannes looks beyond Hollywood as US film-makers mostly fail to make the grade

Cannes 2023 selection favors world cinema over Hollywood, showcasing prominent international directors and reflecting geopolitical tensions.
Film
fromInverse
1 day ago

10 Years Ago, A Controversial Action Thriller Tried - And Failed - To Reinvent Cinema As We Know It

Hardcore Henry innovates first-person cinema by combining action with video game mechanics, creating a unique viewing experience.
#queer-cinema
Film
fromAnOther
2 days ago

Night Stage: Anatomy of a Modern Erotic Thriller

Night Stage explores hidden desires and the challenges queer individuals face in a heteronormative society through its narrative and character dynamics.
Film
fromAnOther
2 days ago

Night Stage: Anatomy of a Modern Erotic Thriller

Night Stage explores hidden desires and the challenges queer individuals face in a heteronormative society through its narrative and character dynamics.
fromArtnet News
1 day ago

The Art of 'The Christophers': How the Film Created an Artist's Fabled Oeuvre

Julian Sklar, an artist past his prime, no longer paints and instead creates Cameos for his diehard fans, while his children seek to profit from his unfinished works.
Arts
#independent-film
Independent films
fromIndieWire
2 days ago

Brands Won't Save Indie Film: They're Changing It

Independent filmmakers face financing challenges while brands are shifting towards storytelling, but brands won't fill the financing gap for traditional filmmaking.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
2 days ago

Brands Won't Save Indie Film: They're Changing It

Independent filmmakers face financing challenges while brands are shifting towards storytelling, but brands won't fill the financing gap for traditional filmmaking.
#romantic-comedy
fromInsideHook
2 days ago
Film

"The Drama" Has No Idea How to Handle Its Controversial Twist

The Drama presents a romantic comedy that takes a dark turn with a shocking revelation about a character's past involvement in a school shooting plot.
fromVulture
6 days ago
Film

The Drama Is Too Cowardly to Commit to Its Provocative Premise

The film presents a dark romantic comedy featuring complex characters and a central premise that challenges audience expectations.
Film
fromInsideHook
2 days ago

"The Drama" Has No Idea How to Handle Its Controversial Twist

The Drama presents a romantic comedy that takes a dark turn with a shocking revelation about a character's past involvement in a school shooting plot.
Film
fromVulture
6 days ago

The Drama Is Too Cowardly to Commit to Its Provocative Premise

The film presents a dark romantic comedy featuring complex characters and a central premise that challenges audience expectations.
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
23 hours ago

FilmWatch Weekly: 'The Blue Trail,' 'Hamlet,' 'Exit 8,' and more * Oregon ArtsWatch

The Blue Trail is set in a recognizable, vaguely dystopian future, where the government ships elderly people off to a distant location known only as The Colony when they reach the age of 80. This is justified by the need to preserve jobs and resources for the younger population, but it doesn't sit well with 77-year-old Tereza, especially when she learns that the cutoff has been lowered to 75.
Film
fromInverse
1 day ago

15 Years Ago, a Forgotten Fantasy Satire Tried To Change Hollywood

Your Highness is described as a 'self-indulgent dream project for the 11-year-old in me' by director David Gordon Green, showcasing a unique blend of stoner comedy and high fantasy.
Independent films
#a24
Film
fromVulture
3 days ago

Plot Twist: The Drama Actually Did Great at the Box Office

A24's 'The Drama' opened strong despite negative buzz, earning $14.4 million in North America and $28 million worldwide, indicating potential profitability.
Film
fromJezebel
2 days ago

A24 Sends Out 'The Invite' for Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde's Tense Dinner Party

A24's new film features a couple's dinner party that reveals underlying tensions and relationships, starring Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen.
Film
fromConsequence
6 days ago

Here's the Wild Twist of The Drama, and Why It Doesn't Work

The Drama reveals dark secrets before a wedding, leading to emotional turmoil and questioning of relationships.
Film
fromVulture
3 days ago

Plot Twist: The Drama Actually Did Great at the Box Office

A24's 'The Drama' opened strong despite negative buzz, earning $14.4 million in North America and $28 million worldwide, indicating potential profitability.
Film
fromJezebel
2 days ago

A24 Sends Out 'The Invite' for Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde's Tense Dinner Party

A24's new film features a couple's dinner party that reveals underlying tensions and relationships, starring Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen.
Film
fromConsequence
6 days ago

Here's the Wild Twist of The Drama, and Why It Doesn't Work

The Drama reveals dark secrets before a wedding, leading to emotional turmoil and questioning of relationships.
Independent films
fromThe Independent
2 days ago

Everything Cary Elwes owned fit in a paper bag. Then he made a film with his brother

Cary Elwes faced personal loss due to wildfires but found support and purpose while filming 'Dead Man's Wire' with his brother.
Television
fromEsquire
3 weeks ago

Netflix Swears That Its Shows Don't Repeat the Plot Over and Over Again

Netflix executives direct creators to repeat plot points for distracted viewers, though the company denies this practice despite evidence in their own shows.
#film
fromIndieWire
1 week ago
Independent films

Sundance Rejected It, the MPA Censored It, but 'Our Hero, Balthazar' Still Stands Among the Year's Most Provocative Movies

The film 'Our Hero, Balthazar' explores dark themes of social media addiction and school shootings through its troubled characters.
fromSFGATE
2 months ago
Film

Heartbreaking SF film premieres at Sundance to multiple standing ovations

Josephine is a harrowing, emotionally wrenching drama about a child's witnessed rape and her parents' struggle to help her heal amid legal and emotional fallout.
Film
fromThe Independent
1 day ago

The Drama has a Zendaya problem

The film 'The Drama' centers on a bride's dark secret about a past school shooting, impacting her relationship and the narrative's comedic tone.
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
6 days ago

Trailer Premiere: Francesco Sossai's The Last One for the Road

The Last One for the Road explores the friendship between two alcoholic criminals and a student against the backdrop of Italy's changing landscape.
Film
fromVulture
2 days ago

Alana Haim's Rachel Might Be the Secret Villain of The Drama

A wedding is jeopardized when the bride reveals a past school shooting incident, leading to tension and judgment among friends.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

Sundance Rejected It, the MPA Censored It, but 'Our Hero, Balthazar' Still Stands Among the Year's Most Provocative Movies

The film 'Our Hero, Balthazar' explores dark themes of social media addiction and school shootings through its troubled characters.
fromThe New Yorker
3 days ago

In Film, Sometimes the Greatest Drama Is Offscreen

"Cinematic Immunity" offers a workers'-eye view of Hollywood on the Hudson, revealing the intricate dynamics of filmmaking in New York City from 1954 to 9/11.
Independent films
#new-directorsnew-films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
1 day ago
Film

Eight Feature Recommendations from ND/NF 2026, From an IFFR Winner to Charli XCX's Indie Debut

New Directors/New Films showcases emerging filmmakers and features 24 films, including notable works like Pete Ohs' 'Erupcja' with Charli XCX.
fromThe New Yorker
6 days ago
Independent films

New Directors, New Films

The New Directors/New Films series showcases diverse films with innovative narratives, including 'Variations on a Theme' and 'Next Life'.
Film
fromFilmmaker Magazine
1 day ago

Eight Feature Recommendations from ND/NF 2026, From an IFFR Winner to Charli XCX's Indie Debut

New Directors/New Films showcases emerging filmmakers and features 24 films, including notable works like Pete Ohs' 'Erupcja' with Charli XCX.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

This is my world': Cornish director Mark Jenkin brings new film to home town

Mark Jenkin's film Rose of Nevada received strong support from a local audience, highlighting the importance of authenticity in his work.
Media industry
fromIndieWire
4 weeks ago

If You've Been Waiting for Normal in Hollywood, Here It Is

YouTube surpassed Disney as the world's largest media company while accomplished independent producers like Ted Hope struggle to find industry support, signaling a fundamental shift in entertainment's structure and sustainability.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Charli xcx's Brat movie marks the moment the mockumentary died | Zach Schonfeld

The mockumentary genre has become stale, lacking the innovative spirit that characterized earlier works by directors like Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner.
fromNo Film School
6 days ago

How a $30K Animated Indie Scored a Theatrical Run - Then Landed on HBO

Glander and producer Payson made Boys Go to Jupiter with a tiny team and a $30,000 budget, showcasing the potential of indie filmmaking in animation.
Independent films
fromVulture
2 days ago

Ring Olivia Wilde's Bell

The film looks like a claustrophobic examination of a two-couple night, suggesting some kind of polyamory, which is very San Fran.
Film
Independent films
fromThe Independent
6 days ago

Christopher Nolan called this his 'most underrated' film - it's now on BBC iPlayer

Christopher Nolan's film Insomnia is considered his most underrated work, featuring a psychological thriller plot with strong performances from Al Pacino and Robin Williams.
Arts
fromwww.npr.org
4 weeks ago

'American Classic' is a hidden gem that gets even better as it goes

American Classic is a charming streaming series on MGM+ about a Shakespearean actor who returns to his small Pennsylvania hometown to escape scandal and reconnect with local theater.
from48 hills
2 days ago

Grab a free pass to see new doc 'Lorne' - 48 hills

LORNE, an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built an inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations.
Film
Independent films
fromVulture
6 days ago

Ryan Gosling Can't Star in the Daniels' Upcoming Project

Ryan Gosling will not star in the upcoming film by Everything Everywhere All at Once directors due to scheduling conflicts.
#dark-comedy
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago
Film

The Drama: sex, secrets and that gobsmacking twist discuss with spoilers

The Drama is a dark romantic comedy exploring premarital jitters and psychological unraveling, featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
fromFilmmaker Magazine
2 weeks ago
Independent films

More Heart Than a Midnight Movie: Oscar Boyson and Ricky Camilleri on Our Hero, Balthazar

The film Our Hero, Balthazar explores identity and ego through a dark comedy about a teen trying to prevent a school shooting.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago

The Drama: sex, secrets and that gobsmacking twist discuss with spoilers

The Drama is a dark romantic comedy exploring premarital jitters and psychological unraveling, featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
2 weeks ago

More Heart Than a Midnight Movie: Oscar Boyson and Ricky Camilleri on Our Hero, Balthazar

The film Our Hero, Balthazar explores identity and ego through a dark comedy about a teen trying to prevent a school shooting.
fromThe New Yorker
6 days ago

An Artists' Duel Proves Restorative in "The Christophers"

Soderbergh has become such a prolific, tirelessly resourceful, and altogether uncategorizable filmmaker that you have to wonder why the mechanics of the break-in still inspire him.
Independent films
Film
fromVulture
1 week ago

Should A24 Be Worried About The Drama's Plot-Twist Drama?

The Drama features a controversial plot twist involving a character's admission of a near mass shooting, sparking significant backlash.
fromGameSpot
6 days ago

It's A Shame Rockstar Won't Make A Red Dead Movie, Jack Black Says

Jack Black stated, "It would be, like, too easy to make them into great movies," expressing his belief that the cinematic nature of the games lends itself well to film adaptations.
Independent films
#zendaya
fromThe Independent
4 days ago
Film

The Drama ruins Zendaya's box office hot streak

Zendaya's latest film, The Drama, debuted at third place, ending her eight-year streak of number one openings.
fromVulture
6 days ago
Film

The 13 Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Weekend

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's film explores wedding anxieties and dark secrets, while reality shows continue to stir drama and relationships.
Film
fromThe Independent
4 days ago

The Drama ruins Zendaya's box office hot streak

Zendaya's latest film, The Drama, debuted at third place, ending her eight-year streak of number one openings.
Film
fromVulture
6 days ago

The 13 Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Weekend

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's film explores wedding anxieties and dark secrets, while reality shows continue to stir drama and relationships.
#film-controversy
Film
fromVulture
6 days ago

The Twist in The Drama Is Not the Problem

The film features a controversial plot twist involving a character's past plan for a school shooting, sparking significant online speculation and backlash.
Film
fromFast Company
6 days ago

Why people are suddenly hesitant to watch Zendaya's new movie, "The Drama"

The film 'The Drama' faces backlash for its sensitive plot involving a character's confession about planning a school shooting.
Independent films
fromNo Film School
2 weeks ago

How Some Clever Marketing Got My $75K Microbudget Film on HBO

Indie filmmakers can thrive despite traditional distribution collapse by leveraging digital marketing and audience engagement strategies.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
3 weeks ago

Why This Director Is Raising $3 Million for a Rom-Com Ecosystem

Jonah Feingold is building Romantical, a media company infrastructure around romantic comedy, applying startup methodology to independent film production and distribution.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
3 weeks ago

Indie Film Has an Architecture Problem

The indie film model is structurally designed to fail, with misaligned incentives between investors, filmmakers, distributors, and audiences, resulting in only 0.025% of screenplays achieving profitable theatrical outcomes.
Film
fromIndieWire
3 weeks ago

Indie Star Joe Swanberg Never Really Left - but He's Definitely Back Now

Joe Swanberg returns to feature filmmaking after nearly a decade with 'The Sun Never Sets,' a romantic triangle shot in Alaska starring Jake Johnson and Dakota Fanning.
Film
fromEsquire
3 weeks ago

Do Original Movies Have Any Hope Left? I Went on a Journey to Find Out.

Theaters must create unique event experiences to compete with home entertainment, driving elaborate marketing stunts and premium screen innovations.
Film
fromIndieWire
4 weeks ago

How to Craft a Film Festival That Appeals to All Ages (No, Really, All Ages)

The New York International Children's Film Festival demonstrates how specialized festivals can serve diverse audiences through rigorous curation, year-round engagement, and inclusive programming strategies applicable to festivals of all sizes.
Film
fromEntrepreneur
1 month ago

This Cult Filmmaker Learned Something About Audiences Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know'Make Them Feel Something'

Kevin Smith built a personal brand by connecting directly with fans, which created lasting career opportunities beyond individual film projects in an unpredictable industry.
Film
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

Nonprofessional Actors Are the Heart of the Movies

This year's Oscar contenders feature nonprofessional actors alongside established performers, creating authentic performances that distinguish these films in the new casting achievement category.
fromThe Independent
1 month ago

17 great movies ruined by terrible endings

10 Cloverfield Lane Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr are locked in an underground bunker for the majority of this left-field sequel to Cloverfield, with thrilling results. In the film's final throes, Winstead's character exits the bunker, and finds that her captor was telling the truth about an alien invasion above - a twist that completely and ruinously dissipates the hard-earned tension that came before.
Film
Film
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

The Real Secret to a Filmmaker's Success

Coppola, Lucas, and Spielberg in the 1970s combined artistic daring with commercial ambition, reshaping Hollywood through auteurism and blockbuster filmmaking.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

The Guide #229: How an indie movie distributed by a lone gamer broke the US box office

Two unusual releases contrasted a costly, widely distributed first-lady documentary with a self-financed YouTuber-made indie horror that achieved notable box-office success.
Film
fromIndieWire
2 months ago

Critics, Filmmakers, and Why the Future of Movies Belongs to the People Who Give a Sh*t About Them

At the New York Film Critics Circle awards dinner, a lengthy speech about critics' relationship with filmmakers prompted playful roasts from presenters.
Film
fromTechCrunch
1 month ago

AI's promise to indie filmmakers: faster, cheaper, lonelier | TechCrunch

An AI-created short film recreates tactile, dreamlike cinematic style to tell a Filipino-American, Ilocano-language, surreal family encounter in rural Hawai'i.
Film
fromVulture
2 months ago

This Year's Sundance Was Full of Failed Adults

Run Amok shows adults deeply traumatized by a school shooting while students treat the event matter-of-factly, revealing intergenerational differences in grief and coping.
fromVariety
2 months ago

'KPop Demon Hunters' Screenwriter Hannah McMechan Credits TikTok Fan Edits For Film's Success: 'There Really Was No Other Marketing Other Than a Trailer'

We believed that the fans would just eat this alive if we did it justice,
Film
Film
fromFilmmaker Magazine
2 months ago

Reflections on Independent Film and 33 Years of Filmmaker

An editor assembled a personal, serendipitous Reflections feature blending memoir, advocacy, film history, and design for a final issue.
Film
fromSFGATE
2 months ago

Sundance opening film 'Tuner' is a stunning thriller from an Oscar winner

Tuner is a sound-design-driven thriller about a hyperacusis-afflicted piano tuner who uses precise hearing to crack safes and joins criminals to pay medical debt.
Film
fromwww.mercurynews.com
1 month ago

Pillion' stars, director enjoyed their walk on the wild side

Pillion centers a gay dom–sub love story that celebrates leather community visibility, sparking enthusiastic, costumed screenings and earning strong critical acclaim.
Film
fromIndieWire
2 months ago

The 17 Best Films of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival closed a Park City era before moving to Boulder in 2027, ending longtime traditions while showcasing standout films like Casper Kelly's feature Buddy.
Film
from48 hills
2 months ago

Screen Grabs: All eyes on IndieFest and Mostly British's big cinematic ideas - 48 hills

Two long-running Bay Area festivals, SF IndieFest and Mostly British Film Festival, reopen with locally focused, daring films including documentaries on Santacon and Dennis Peron.
Film
fromQueerty
2 months ago

WATCH: Hope emerges through love (& in-the-buff modeling) in intimate indie drama Surfacing - Queerty

Surfacing follows a depressed, pill-addicted man whose recovery deepens as blurred therapeutic boundaries and new relationships compel him to open his heart.
Film
fromFilmmaker Magazine
2 months ago

Sundance Quick Takes

Once Upon a Time in Harlem compiles 1972 William Greaves footage of a Harlem Renaissance reunion, co-directed by his son, offering vital modern American cultural history.
Film
fromRoger Ebert
2 months ago

Sundance 2026: Bedford Park, Ha-Chan Shake Your Booty, Take Me Home | Festivals & Awards | Roger Ebert

Bedford Park portrays a realistic, unhurried Korean-American romance intertwined with family, assimilation, foster background, and working-class struggles.
[ Load more ]