Cinemafile

Traveling magician Mr. K (Crispin Glover) is down on his luck. Business is slow, and the few gigs he’s picked up along the road have left him adrift. After spending the night in a remote hotel, he is alarmed when he discovers that he is unable to find the exit. As he explores the maze-like corridors, he hears strange noises and encounters a series of curious inhabitants who have formed their own factions within the walls of the hotel. Alone and afraid, he starts mapping out the corridors, desperately hoping to get to the bottom of the building’s layout before it is too late. About to give up, he makes a bizarre discovery that will change everything. Starring the ever-eccentric Crispin Glover, this Kafkaesque mystery offers a bold new take on falling down the rabbit hole.  Writer Director Tallulah H. Schwab joins us for a l conversation on her clever, engaging and funny film.

Mr. K opens in New York at the IFC Center on October 8 and the American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3 in Los Angeles October 21 and at the Music Box Theater in Chicago on October 24, followed by a nationwide rollout. 

Director / writer Fawzia Mirza's THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS' is a vibrant, heartfelt dramedy about a queer Muslim grad student, Azra, who returns to Pakistan after her father's sudden death, confronting her estranged relationship with her conservative mother. As she navigates grief and exclusion from funeral rites, Azra revisits key moments from her family's past—from her mother’s rebellious youth in 1969 Karachi to their immigrant struggles in 1989 Nova Scotia. Infused with humor, emotion, and the colorful spirit of classic Bollywood, Fawzia Mirza’s semi-autobiographical debut is a rich exploration of identity, family, and belonging, anchored by Amrit Kaur’s award-winning dual performance. Director / writer Fawzia Mirza (I KNOW HER, NOOR & LAYLA) joins us to talk about personal connection to the story, casting Amrit Kaur ("The Sex Lives of College Girls”) in two different roles, the “influence” of Shar’Mila Tagore and answering the question, “How do we become who we are?”

Director Miguel Llansó’s INFINITE SUMMER finds Mia and her friends, Grete and Sarah, on a summer break. They all end up trying a meditation app that delivers a mind-bending experience. There, they discover a mysterious young man and his exciting new approach to dating. Through an interactive dating app, a new reality unfolds before their eyes. When one of the girls ends up in a hospital and the other one escapes, Mia is grappling with the choice of whether to save them or join them. In this intriguingly playful feature film Infinite Summer, our guest director and writer Miguel Llansó (Where’s My Dog?, Chigger Ale) reflects on a possible future for humanity that is increasingly connected to new technologies and devoid of its own nature, referring to trans-humanization, the aspiration to improve brain capacities through biotechnology and nanotechnology. 

Director Zoë Eisenberg, debut feature film, CHAPERONE focuses on a 29-year-old Misha Miyamoto who lives alone in the house her grandmother left her, has held the same job since high school, and likes her life as is: simple. Unfortunately, her satisfaction disappoints everyone around her. Her boss can't fathom why she won't take a promotion, her lack of ambition dissuades potential love interests, and with no interest in starting a family, her parents push her to sell the house. Feeling alienated by the pressures around her, Misha begins to seek comfort in Jake - an earnest 18-year-old who accidentally mistakes her for a high school student. Finding solace in Jake's lack of expectation and teenage antics, their relationship grows... along with Misha's reckless behavior. CHAPERONE is a magnetic and stirring debut feature from our guest writer/director Zoë Eisenberg. Eisenberg cleverly juxtaposes the allure of carefree living with the inherent risks, while weaving a tale that delves into the consequences of seeking refuge in unconventional connections.

An expansive and revelatory inside look at the 18 months John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent living in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s, Oscar®-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald and Co-director / Editor Sam Rice-Edwards’ ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO delivers an immersive cinematic experience that brings to life electrifying, never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of Lennon's only full-length, post-Beatles concert. With mind-blowing remastered audio overseen by their son, Sean Ono Lennon, the film is a seismic revelation that will challenge pre-existing notions of the iconic couple. TV. Filmed in a meticulously faithful reproduction of the NYC apartment the duo shared, ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO offers a bold new take on a seminal time in the lives of two of history’s most influential artists. Co-director / Editor Sam Rice-Edwards joins us for a conversation on how he and co-director Kevin Macdonald, with the help of Music Producer Sean Lennon, were able to pull together this multi-faceted story that jumps of the screen by providing in-depth context to the complicated lives of John and Yoko during a tumultuous time in New York City and beyond.

An expansive and revelatory inside look at the 18 months John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent living in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s, Oscar®-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald and Co-director / Editor Sam Rice-Edwards’ ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO delivers an immersive cinematic experience that brings to life electrifying, never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of Lennon's only full-length, post-Beatles concert. With mind-blowing remastered audio overseen by their son, Sean Ono Lennon, the film is a seismic revelation that will challenge pre-existing notions of the iconic couple. On August 30, 1972, in New York City, John Lennon played his only full-length show after leaving The Beatles, the One to One Benefit Concert, a rollicking, dazzling performance from him and Yoko Ono.  Editor Sam Rice-Edwards joins us for a conversation on how he and co-director Kevin Macdonald, with the help of Music Producer Sean Lennon, were able to pull together this multi-faceted story that jumps of the screen by providing in-depth context to the complicated lives of John and Yoko during a tumultuous time in New York City and beyond.

In 2003, eight young Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment in a hidden space inside the Providence Place Mall and lived in it for four years, filming everything along the way. Led by local artist Michael Townsend they snuck in furniture, tapped into the mall’s electricity, and even secretly constructed a brick wall with a locking door, smuggling in over 2 tons of cinderblock. Far more than just a wild prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all its inhabitants – a personal expression of defiance against local gentrification, a boundary-pushing work of public/private art, and finally, a 750 square foot space that sticks it to the man! Director Jeremy Workman (Lily Topples the World, The World Before Your Feet) joins us to talk about Secret Mall Apartment and working with Executive Producer Jessie Eisenberg.

Director and writer Pat Collins’ latest feature film, THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN, is set in the late 1970s in rural Ireland, just before the communications revolution vastly changed the dynamics of these small, close knit communities. Joe and Kate Ruttledge, having returned from London five years earlier to set up home near where Joe grew up, are now deeply embedded in their small, lakeside community. THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN is a portrait of a community and a way of life in rural Ireland that remained largely unchanged for many decades until the coming of radio, television and phones. Award-winning Irish director Pat Collins (Silence, Song of Granite) joins us to talk about his an adaptation of John McGahern’s acclaimed final novel, as well as assembling a stellar cast of actors in service to his authentic, memorable and moving portrait of a community dealing with a changing society while staying connected to each other.

Are We Good? follows the life of comic and podcast pioneer Marc Maron. Loss and growth take center stage as he struggles to evolve in the wake of deep tragedy. The passing of his partner and filmmaker Lynn Shelton weighs on Marc, as the film picks up a year later. We follow him on a self-reflective journey as he builds an hour of comedy, while processing grief both on-stage and off. It chronicles his career from the80’s with Sam Kinison through many career obstacles that eventually led him to the legacy-defining podcast; WTF with Marc Maron. Looking back over his life at 60, Marc reconciles with a declining father, a changing comedy landscape and the prospect of retirement. Joining us is director Steven Feinartz, a director and producer behind more than 20 acclaimed specials and series for Netflix, Comedy Central, Showtime, and HBO; including the series Bill Burr Presents: The Ringers. He co-createdand directed Please Understand Me, a scripted comedy series with Sarah Silverman for Facebook Watch. He made his directorial debut with The Bitter Buddha, a cult-hit documentary on comic Eddie Pepitone that received a theatrical release. Feinartz most recently directed the HBO stand-up specials Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark (2023) and Marc Maron: Panicked (2025).

THE DEVIL IS BUSY takes viewers on a daylong journey with Tracii, the determined head of security at a women’s healthcare clinic in Atlanta, Georgia as she works to ensure the safety of women seeking abortions in the face of new restrictions and persistent protests. The film follows the routines of the staff who continue to provide a range of medical services, including preventive screenings, checkups, and reproductive healthcare, in an environment where clinics often face daily threats of danger. Grounded in humanity and empathy, THE DEVIL IS BUSY captures a unique snapshot of reproductive healthcare in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a shift that has led to abortion bans and significant restrictions in many states. THE DEVIL IS BUSY, directed by Emmy®-winning filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir (HBO’s “Eyes on the Prize,” “Black and Missing”) and Christalyn Hampton, and executive produced by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien (HBO’s “Black and Missing”), debuts TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.