IIFC 2025 SPOTLIGHTED FILMS
13 Steps
(US) RT: 25:39
DIR: David Lawrence
A woman performs a grueling ritual to banish a malevolent presence from her home, only to discover that the monster may be a manifestation of her own personal demons.
Help Is... on the Way?
A cynical patient finds himself at a crossroads with his therapist. The advice she gives may save him, but could have far reaching consequences.
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 6:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 7:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 5:00 PM
PROOF SHEET
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 12:00 PM
(US) RT: 2:05:19
DIR: Richard Kilroy
Angel Lopez closes his uncle’s photo lab one night and discovers a roll of film marked “RUSH” in the night drop box. As he processes the prints, he finds twenty-four black and white photos of a beautiful young woman being attacked in her apartment. For Angel, this proof sheet becomes a visual map that sends him on an obsessive journey into LA's dark underbelly.
Moon
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 4:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 7:00 PM
(US) RT: 10:20
DIR: Toy Lei
Wracked by guilt, a woman contemplates her future after she mysteriously awakens on the moon.
Daffodils
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 2:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 10:00 AM
(US) RT: 12:37
DIR: Smahi Anand
This story shows how two people, who are struggling in their own way, find comfort and love in each other. But most importantly, it shows how grateful we should be for everything we have because we tend to realize the importance of something or someone only when it starts to slip away from our hands.
Valediction
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 10:00 AM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 7:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 2:00 PM
(US) RT: 15:00
DIR: William Connor Jones
A horror-noir about a reporter's descent into a dark conspiracy.
The Pencil
The Rustic • Tues • 5 March • 4:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 2:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 7:30 PM
(KAZ) RT: 10:24
DIR: Thomas Schultz
Sara is a struggling artist who discovers a unique pencil that can solve all her problems. However, her dreams turn into a nightmare when a malevolent demonic creature from Kazakh’s legend gets unleashed.
Discharge
The Rustic • Wed • 6 March • 6:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 7:30 PM
(US) RT: 14:17
DIR: Ryan Metcalf
As his world begins to crumble around him, a troubled police detective, who has tried to ignore the effects of the trauma he suffered, must finally confront his past in order to begin healing and reclaim his present.
Texas Music Revolution
The Rustic • Wed • 6 March • 12:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 10:00 AM
(US) RT: 1:43:00
DIR: Troy Paff
The covid pandemic of 2020-21 was perhaps the greatest disruption to American society and pop culture in this country's history. This documentary follows Joshua Jones, general manager of Dallas-based indie Americana radio station KHYI-FM, as he struggles to produce the silver anniversary of a beloved roots music festival in the wake of that pandemic.
The Nanny
The Rustic • Wed • 6 March • 4:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 7:00 PM
(US) RT: 1:50:00
DIR: Brian Reynolds
A wealthy couple hires a young girl from Finland to take care of their newborn. These new parents should be in a state of bliss, so why does it seem like they are trying to kill each other?
Nocturne
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 10:00 AM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 2:00 PM
(US) RT: 17:56
DIR: Alysha Haran
A classical composer's muse returns for a brief visit in the final days before World War II. Adding torture to pain, they clash over differing memories of the time spent together during their youth. Playing his unfinished composition together is the last moment they share before a broken heart leads to bitter regret.
The Uncanny
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 8:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 5:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 5:00 PM
(US) RT: 1:46:49
DIR: Clara Gabrielle
The Uncanny, a psychological horror movie created by a mother/daughter team of filmmakers, is an exploration of trauma, alienation, loss, and its aftermath. With its narrative borrowing from fairytales, it also becomes an allegory for the unrealistic beauty standards imposed upon women.
Only Human
The Rustic • Wed • 6 March • 10:00 AM
(UAE) RT: 1:57:00
DIR: Yana Klimova-Yusupova
30-year-old Sasha (orphaned as a child) and his girlfriend Laura are preparing to move from Russia to Spain. But there is a hidden problem: Sasha merely pretends to be a happy person. When he ultimately finds his mother, who gave him away as a newborn over 30 years ago, he comes to realize that he cannot carry on pretending as if everything is ok.
Tranq
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 4:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 2:00 PM
(US) RT: 45:00
DIR: Wheeler M
Tranq provides a gripping window into the chilling realities of opioid addiction, homelessness, and societal disdain from the people who are living within the typical working-class neighborhood of Kensington. It intertwines hard-hitting facts with first-person narratives of individuals caught in the vortex of addiction, challenging viewers to dig deep and confront their own biases. All names have been changed to preserve confidentiality.
Victoria
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 4:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 7:00 PM
(US) RT: 14:07
DIR: Javier Molina
A young girl, with the dream of being a champion athlete, struggles to survive her mother's ruthless training in the middle of nowhere Mexico. When faced with a life-or-death challenge, will young Victoria's training keep her alive?
Enemy No More
The Rustic • Tues • 5 March • 2:00 PM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 2:00 PM
The Rustic • Sat • 9 March • 2:00 PM
(US) RT: 28:51
DIR: Christopher Schultz
WWII, a wounded American soldier has escaped a prison camp only to be recaptured by a Japanese soldier who has abandoned the war. Becoming friends, they realize they can help each other get back home.
Erin: Beyond the Bruises
The Rustic • Tues • 5 March • 10:30 AM
The Rustic • Fri • 8 March • 12:00 PM
(UK) RT: 1:01:00
DIR: Hannah Gal
Erin Pizzey is a hero. Every refuge today owes its existence to her courage. Five decades after she made history by opening the first women's refuge in the world, icon Pizzey is joined by Dame Joanna Lumley to discuss why so many lives are still devastated by domestic abuse.
The Stairs
The Rustic • Thur • 7 March • 6:00 PM
(US) RT: 14:59
DIR: Jessica Aquila Cymerman
Rose, a child of Irish and Italian immigrants in 1968 Brooklyn, attempts to fit in with the boys by joining the game her brother plays with his friend. Their tenement building Super and local Deacon start preying on Rose, until Mrs. Teruli, an old-world Italian healer breaks his hold.
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