Film Review of Director Madison Young’s Erotic Semi-Autobiographical Tour de Force – Part 1
The overall ratings for this movie by cinematic afficionados range from go see this movie to a must see not to be missed.

Aarresting erotica – one of many – from Director Madison Young’s BY THE ROOTS.

An arresting scene from Director Madison Young’s BY THE ROOTS.

Shibari (縛り), Japanese for “to bind” or “to tie,” is a modern, often artistic form of Japanese rope bondage used for eroticism, intimacy, and trust-building. Rooted in historical hojojutsu (samurai restraining techniques), it is now widely practiced as a consensual, aesthetic, and meditative art form focusing on intricate patterns and connection, frequently called kinbaku.

BDSM is an initialism for sexual practices involving Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, and Sadism & Masochism. It is a broad umbrella term for consensual, often high-intensity sexual activities centered on power dynamics, physical restraint, and sensory stimulation, rather than solely on pain or control.

In her feature directorial debut, Madison Young — a well respected, long-standing icon in the feminist adult film movement and a founder of San Francisco’s Femina Potens — delivers an unflinching, poetic masterpiece based on her 2014 memoir, Daddy.

Synopsis

BY THE ROOTS is an intensely personal indie drama blending memoir, identity politics, sexuality, trauma, and much more into a stunning cinematic statement adapted from Young’s memoir Daddy. BY THE ROOTS, her feature directorial debut, tells the tale of a successful queer, kinky gallerist in San Francisco in the early 2000s who is forced to confront buried pain and the multiple personality selves that shaped her adult life.

This is not conventional prestige filmmaking built around tidy plot mechanics – no way.  Instead, BY THE ROOTS functions as emotional excavation. Honesty is Young’s strongest instinct as a filmmaker. She is  more interested in truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth more providing an audience comfort levels, thus giving the movie a raw pulse often missing from polished mainstream dramas.

Younger versions of Madison at different ages are in the movie, suggesting a layered structure in which childhood, adolescence, and adulthood exist simultaneously.

{Fragmentation of identity in movies refers to a character’s disjointed or non-unified sense of self, often caused by trauma, cultural conflict, or digital influence. It shows characters with multiple, conflicting personalities (e.g., Batman in The Batman) or represents psychological breakdown through fragmented narratives, flash-backs, and non-linear timelines (e.g., Memento)

Visually, one imagines the San Francisco setting as more than backdrop. For queer audiences especially, the city represents liberation, experimentation, chosen family, and reinvention. If Young successfully contrasts that outward freedom with inward unresolved wounds, the setting becomes dramatically meaningful rather than decorative.

Young’s long background as a filmmaker and advocate for ethical depictions of sexuality appears to inform the film’s treatment of intimacy. Coverage notes the involvement of intimacy coordinator Maya Herbsman, which suggests care in staging vulnerable scenes. That matters. Too many films confuse explicitness with depth. Here, sexuality likely functions as character language rather than provocation.

Where BY THE ROOTS may divide viewers is its pacing and structure. Memoir-driven films often risk becoming episodic or overly internal. Audiences seeking a straightforward narrative arc may find portions elliptical or emotionally dense. But viewers open to character studies and experiential storytelling are more likely to appreciate the filmmaker’s ambitions.

The performances — particularly whoever carries the adult Madison role — would be central to success. A film like this requires emotional transparency without self-pity, strength without hardening, vulnerability without collapse. If the cast meets that challenge, the film can resonate far beyond autobiographical specifics.

BY THE ROOTS is an intrepid and necessary work: Queer cinema rooted not in stereotype or market trend, but in live complexity. Memory, survival, embodiment, and the difficult labor of becoming whole resonate throughout the film. Audiences that value intimate, fearless independent filmmaking:  BY THE ROOTS shouldn’t be missed.

A Few Additional Facts for Cinematic Enlightenment and Review Wrap Up

BY THE ROOTS is a 2025 autobiographical queer feminist film based on Madison Young’s memoir, Daddy. It follows a queer, kinky gallerist and sexual revolutionary (Emily Robinson) returning to conservative Ohio from San Francisco, forced to reconcile her present life with the painful past and family she left behind. Director Madison Young’s memoir, Daddy (2013), is a candid exploration of her search for a “heroic figure” in her life, mapping her journey from a strained relationship with her biological father to finding empowerment in BDSM “leather daddies” and sex work. The memoir highlights her dual life as an independent San Francisco artist/gallery owner and an active participant in sexual revelation.

Key Aspects of the Memoir: The book centers on a “Little Girl’s fantasy” searching for a protective, dominant paternal figure, examining how these relationships (both emotional and sexual) shaped her, notes theAmazon product page for the memoir. Sex Positive Narrative: Young, a prominent sex educator and filmmaker, presents an intimate look at the politics of BDSM and “leather daddies” in the San Francisco scene. The narrative explores the shattered fantasy of the perfect “Daddy” when confronted with the realities of human nature and flaw. Some readers found the style to be a collection of loosely related life events, while others lauded it for its raw emotional honesty and self-examination.

Daddy: A Memoir is framed not just as a sexual exploration, but as a deeper look into the “fraught relationship” with her paternal past.

Reviews for Madison Young’s Daddy (2013) were mixed, with many readers appreciating the raw, honest look into her life as a porn actress, sex educator, and art gallery owner, while others found the writing style less engaging. The memoir was often described as an intimate, “unfiltered” examination of her search for a “daddy” figure and personal identity.

the WORD Editor Gregg W. Morris

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Film Review of Director Madison Young’s Erotic Semi-Autobiographical Tour de Force BY THE ROOTS– Part 2
Character & Casting Breakdown

Emily Robinson — The Central Protagonist (Madison Young surrogate). Robinson plays the film’s primary point-of-view character, a young woman navigating identity, sexuality, and artistic self-definition. The role is widely understood as a fictionalized stand-in for Madison Young herself, tracking her evolution from repression to self-ownership. Functionally: Anchor of the film’s emotional and thematic arc.

Family & Authority Figures

Ally Sheedy — The Mother. Portrays the protagonist’s mother, representing traditional values, constraint, and generational tension.
Her performance operates as a moral counterweight to the protagonist’s exploration of sexuality and autonomy. Functionally: embodiment of internalized conflict and inherited expectations.Mentors / Cultural Interlocutors

Margaret Cho — Mentor / Guide Figure. Plays a supportive, worldly presence who intersects with the protagonist’s journey. Often interpreted as a voice of experience within queer/sex-positive cultural space. Functionally: bridge between marginalization and empowerment.Romantic / Interpersonal Dynamics

Brant Daugherty — Romantic Interest / Emotional Counterpart. Appears as a significant relationship figure in the protagonist’s life.
His role reflects heteronormative tension vs. the protagonist’s evolving identity. Functionally: dramatic foil in the protagonist’s emotional and sexual self-definition.
Brittany Blum — Intimate Partner / Community Figure. Plays a closer-aligned figure within the protagonist’s chosen community.
Likely tied to queer or alternative relationship dynamics explored in the film. Functionally: representation of belonging and lived identity.
Community & Subculture Ensemble
Josephine Chiang — Friend / Peer Figure. Appears within the protagonist’s social or creative circle. Functionally: grounding presence within community scenes.
Jiz Lee — Performer / Industry Figure. A notable casting choice given Lee’s real-world prominence in sex-positive and adult performance spaces.
Likely plays a character adjacent to or reflective of that world. Functionally: adds authenticity to the film’s depiction of sexual subcultures.
Bunny Michael — Spiritual / Cultural Presence. Known as an artist and spiritual influencer, Michael’s role suggests a philosophical or reflective layer. Functionally: expands the film’s thematic register into identity, spirituality, and self-concept.
King Lotus Boy — Subcultural Figure. Likely part of the performance/art/queer community depicted in the film.
Functionally: texture and realism within alternative cultural spaces.

Extended Ensemble (Primarily Contextual Roles)

These actors contribute to world-building rather than singular narrative arcs:

Kuba Adams
Alotta Boutté
William Brosnahan
Casey Calvert
Daniel Camou
Wyatt Denny
Nessa Dougherty
Jenna Harwood
David Kubicka
Briar Magee
Rose McAvoy
Lea Robinson
Jagger Risk
Piera Tamer
Audrey Wells

Function collectively: Populate performance venues, social circles, domestic spaces, and transitional environments reinforce the film’s immersive, semi-autobiographical realism

From Other Film Critics

“Emily Robinson anchors the film as Young’s on-screen surrogate…”
“Ally Sheedy’s mother figure embodies the friction between repression and liberation…”
“Margaret Cho appears as a seasoned guide through the film’s sex-positive landscape…”

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The 33rd New York African Film Festival – Part 1

The U.S. Premiere of Irene Tassembedo’s prize-winning La Traversée is the opening night selection at Maysles Documentary Center.

The 33rd New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) will be a month-long cinematic celebration unfolding across New York City throughout May, illuminating stories, histories and visions from Africa and its diasporas.

Spanning theaters, cultural centers, and public spaces, the festival will present more than 100 films from over 30 countries across Africa and its Diasporas. The lineup includes more than 50 feature films and 60 shorts, with many filmmakers in attendance for post-screening conversations. NYAFF is co-presented by the Africa Center, Film at Lincoln Center (FLC), the Maysles Documentary Center, BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and New York City Parks Department.

Through this year’s theme, “As the Stars Sow the Earth,” the festival celebrates cosmic agents that have sown memory, will, and possibility into Africa and its Diasporas, foregrounding Africa’s long-exploited natural resources while tracing a lineage of leaders and artists who imagine alternative relationships to the Earth. This cosmology resonates with the global rise of independent filmmaking, as directors working from historically underrepresented and underfunded regions use the moving image to reckon with the afterlives of colonialism while sustaining transnational and ecological connections. The 33rd New York African Film Festival affirms that Africa and its Diasporas, as a mobile and resilient geography, people, and idea, have been granted the wisdom, memory, and invention necessary to build sovereign futures.

“Across this year’s selection, filmmakers are reimagining the landscapes we inherit—drawing from ancestral wisdom not as something to leave behind, but as a source of renewal and possibility,” said Mahen Bonetti, founder and Executive Director of AFF. “Many of the directors, including a strong group making their first features, open new ways of seeing, rooted in land, spirit, and the worlds we share. In these films, what sustains us becomes a kind of wealth, guiding how we envision and shape futures on our own terms. Together, they offer glimpses of brighter horizons, reminding us that even in difficult times, life takes root in surprising and extraordinary ways.”

The festival kicks off May 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Africa Center with a Town Hall forum centered on the theme of “Black Space” — the ongoing transformation of social and physical environments by Black communities toward liberatory futures. Through performances, reflections and conversations, the program will explore how these spaces are forged and sustained, and how ancestral memory, spiritual cosmologies and creative practice shape African and diasporic worlds. Bringing together cultural workers across visual art, land stewardship, and performance, the Town Hall sets the tone for the festival’s broader theme, As the Stars Sow the Earth, which examines how Black communities transform displacement, ecological degradation and historical rupture into sites of possibility.
Panelists and the moderator will be announced at a later date.

Promised Sky

On Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30pm, NYAFF holds its Opening Night celebration at FLC featuring the New York premiere of Erige Sehiri’s Promised Sky, a bittersweet drama following an Ivorian pastor living in Tunisia, forming a makeshift family with the young women who find refuge in her home. The film opened the 2025 Cannes Un Certain Regard program and features a stellar cast, including César Award nominee Aïssa Maïga and Laetitia Ky.

The Centerpiece film, from executive producers Barack and Michelle Obama and Oscar-winning director Ben Proudfoot, is The Eyes of Ghana, following 93-year-old photographer Chris Hesse on a quest to rescue an archive of films that could rewrite history. Closing Night will feature Shorts Program 3: The Art of Protection, including Shiloh Tumo Washington’s Bailey’s Blues; Justice Rutikara’s Ibuka, Justice; Catherine E. McKinley, Mamadou Tapily, and Marc Lesser’s Keïta La; Aminata Drynie Bockarie’s Where the Water Meets Us; Nimco Sheikhaden’s Exodus; Klein Ongaki’s The Land Smiles Back; Abdelkrim Boughoud’s Eauquation – Water Distribution at Douiret-Sbâa; and Marwa Eltahir’s 99 Names: My Liberation Is Tied to Yours.

Additional highlights include the world premiere of Gabriel Souleyka’s The Soul of Africa, a captivating documentary exploring the origins, resilience, and contemporary relevance of African spiritual traditions; and the North American premiere of Hamed Mobasser and Yohane Dean Lengol’s Rumba Royale, following a young photographer (Congolese rumba star Fally Ipupa) who becomes entangled in the fragile social world of a legendary rumba nightclub in 1959 Léopoldville.

Two classic film restorations will have their U.S. premieres: Caméra Arabe, Férid Boughedir’s passionate 1987 documentary linking politically engaged Arab cinema from the 1960s onward to major historical events, restored in 4K and followed by a Q&A with Boughedir himself; and a 4K restoration of Paulin Soumanou Vieyra’s 1981 film En résidence surveillée, a biting political satire set in a fictional African state where corruption, media control, and forced exile reveal the human cost of unchecked power.

The festival also features the U.S. premiere of Lace Relations by Anette Baldauf, Chioma Onyenwe, Joana Adesuwa Reiterer, and Katharina Weingartner, a documentary uncovering the history of the textile trade that has intertwined Nigeria and Austria for centuries. Idris Elba’s first short film, Dust to Dreams, about a Lagos nightclub pulsating with aspiring musicians but masking a family drama, is also included in the lineup.

A special event at FLC will feature Férid Boughedir participating in an extended conversation following the screening of his newly restored 1983 film Caméra d’Afrique, inviting audiences into a thoughtful dialogue with one of the defining voices in the history of African cinema.

NYAFF will allow itself a meta moment as it presents 36 Years at NYAFF Digital Exhibition, a digital exhibition showcasing NYAFF’s archival collection, including never-before-seen interviews, discussions, and photographs with a host of pioneering figures and friends of the festival such as Ousmane Sembène, Safi Faye, Bill Greaves, Sarah Maldoror, Harry Belafonte, Rita Marley, Danny Glover, Wole Soyinka, Miriam Makeba, and Ossie Davis. Photographs will be displayed alongside the digital exhibition, documenting the communities brought together through NYAFF’s programs, parties, and events over the years. The exhibition, which runs in the Amphitheater at FLC’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, reflects the festival’s origins and its continued growth as New York City’s first African film festival.

At FLC, ticket prices are $19 for the general public; $16 for students, seniors, and persons with disabilities; and $14 for FLC Members. See more and save with a 3+ Film Package ($17 for general public; $14 for students, seniors (62+), and persons with disabilities; and $12 for FLC Members), the $89 All-Access Pass, or the $65 Student All-Access Pass. For tickets, visit: https://www.filmlinc.org/. Contact info@africanfilmny.org for information about attending the Opening Night Party.

A Tribe Called Love

The festival takes root in Harlem at Maysles Documentary Center from May 15 to 17 with a showcase of powerful documentaries from the Continent and Diaspora. Opening Night will see the U.S. premiere of Irene Tassembedo’s prize-winning film La Traversée (The Crossing), which offers a thoughtful, affecting reflection on migration and the forces — personal, political and economic — that shape it. Camille Varenne’s Wolobougou is a moving portrait of midwife Honorine Soma’s fight to expand care, dignity, and autonomy for women in Burkina Faso. In a nod to the festival’s thematic focus, Reclaiming Cocoa lays bare the inequities of extraction while highlighting efforts to protect and restore African resources for local communities.

Two standout features illuminate extraordinary lives shaped by resistance: Amílcar, a lyrical portrait of revolutionary thinker Amílcar Cabral, whose anti-colonial vision transformed Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, and Miss Jobson, an intimate portrait of the fiercely independent Jamaican lawyer and activist Diane Jobson, Bob Marley’s former attorney, who devoted herself to defending the poor. Thomas Letellier’s documentary Batwing Unmasked: An African Super Hero reveals the story behind Batwing, the groundbreaking DC Comics hero. Together, Record and Until Further Notice trace trans lives in all their complexity — resilient, vulnerable, self-fashioned — with Until Further Notice also bearing the weight of ICE and the threat of forced displacement. For tickets, visit https://www.maysles.org/.

NYAFF settles into Brooklyn’s BAM Rose Cinemas from May 22 to May 28 as FilmAfrica, part DanceAfrica 2026, BAM’s longest running program and the nation’s largest celebration of African diasporic dance, music, and culture. Curated by the African Film Festival, this cinematic companion spotlights the culture and artistry of Uganda presenting a showcase of contemporary and classic Pan-African cinema that highlights the continent’s rich storytelling traditions, social movements, and artistic expression.

At BAM, the selection ranges from foundational works such as Ossie Davis’s 1972 film Black Girl, starring Leslie Uggams, to assured debut features from Olive Nwosu — the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble winner Lady — and Suzannah Mirghani’s Thessaloniki FIlm Festival prize-winning film Cotton Queen. The Opening Night film, the New York premiere of Mohamed Ahmed’s A Tribe Called Love, is a modern-day take on the Romeo and Juliet tale set in Toronto with families from two different Somali tribes. Akinola Davies Jr.’s critically acclaimed My Father’s Shadow — the U.K.’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards — casts a powerful presence over the program.

The lineup also includes a strong slate of Ugandan films, among them Mira Nair’s Mississippi Masala, now celebrating its 35th anniversary; Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine’s Memories of Love Returned, a documentary chronicling his more than two-decade effort to preserve the photographs of master photographer Kibaate Aloysius Ssalongo; Loukman Ali’s taut thriller, The Girl in the Yellow Jumper; and Patience Nitumwesiga’s The Woman Who Poked the Leopard, a documentary about medical anthropologist and LGBTQ rights advocate Dr. Stella Nyanzi, who was jailed for speaking out against state repression. BAM Rose Cinemas is located at 30 Lafayette Avenue. For tickets, visit https://www.bam.org/.

Closing the festival on May 30 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Nicholas Park, the outdoor shorts program Exuberant Jubilance brings together vibrant stories from the African continent and diaspora that celebrate resilience, humor, and collective joy. The lineup includes Rachida El Garani’s Rachid, a sharp and heartfelt portrait of a young Moroccan man navigating the job market; Rhys Aaron Lewis’ Run Like We, a warm coming-of-age story set against the excitement of the 2012 London Olympics; Zoé Cauwet’s Le Grand Calao, an intimate and luminous reflection on rest, friendship and freedom in Ouagadougou; Ekwa Msangi’s Soko Sonko, a lively father-daughter comedy set in Kenya; and Kagho Idhebor’s My Jebba Story, a personal visual memoir honoring memory, place and the roots of a storyteller’s journey. Together, these films offer an uplifting close to the festival, inviting audiences to gather outdoors in celebration of community, connection and the richness of Black life across borders.

The programs of AFF are made possible by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Bradley Family Foundation, Color Congress, NYC & Company, The New York Community Trust, French Cultural Services, Manhattan Portage, Organization de la Francophonie, Essentia Water, Ministre du Tourisme République démocratique du Congo, ZOPMEDIA, South African Consulate General, National Film and Video Foundation, and Motion Picture Enterprises.

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The 33rd New York African Film Festival – Part 2

 

About the Presenters

The Africa Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution committed to the principle that a just and peaceful world begins with a flourishing Africa in deep communion with its diaspora. Located in New York City, The Africa Center convenes artists, creatives, cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to shape artistic expression, narratives, investments, and partnerships critical to the prosperous and secure future of Africa and its diaspora.

Since 1990, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between postcolonial Africa and the American public through the powerful medium of film and video. AFF’s unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management, but also by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African film and culture. AFF established the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) in 1993 with Film at Lincoln Center.

The New York African Film Festival is presented annually by the African Film Festival, Inc. and Film at Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music and Maysles Cinema. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year. More information about AFF can be found on the Web at www.africanfilmny.org. You can follow AFF at @africanfilmfest on X and Instagram.

Brooklyn Academy of Music is the home for curious people and adventurous ideas. It supports artistic experimentation and champions inclusion and accessibility throughout the arts as presenter, activator, and connector.

For more than 160 years, BAM has been a thriving, urban multi-arts complex renowned for presenting an unparalleled roster of visionary and cutting-edge dance, theater, music, opera, visual arts, literature, and film engagements. Attracting more than 750,000 people annually to its home in Brooklyn, BAM provides a welcoming cultural stage and meeting place for global and local communities of all backgrounds.

BAM’s distinctive multi-theater campus is alive year-round with inspired new engagements and signature programs alike including the renowned Next Wave (one of the world’s most influential festivals of contemporary performing arts, founded in 1983), the iconic DanceAfrica, an acclaimed repertory film program, and literary, archival, educational and humanities programs. For more information visit BAM.org.

Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) is a nonprofit organization that celebrates cinema as an essential art form and fosters a vibrant home for film culture to thrive. FLC presents premier film festivals, retrospectives, new releases, and restorations year-round in state-of-the-art theaters at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. FLC offers audiences the opportunity to discover works from established and emerging directors from around the world with a passionate community of film lovers at marquee events including the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.

Founded in 1969, FLC is committed to preserving the excitement of the theatrical experience for all audiences, advancing high-quality film journalism through the publication of Film Comment, cultivating the next generation of film industry professionals through our FLC Academies, and enriching the lives of all who engage with our programs.

Rolex is the Official Partner and Exclusive Timepiece of Film at Lincoln Center.

Film at Lincoln Center receives generous, year-round support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Film at Lincoln Center. For more information, visit filmlinc.org and follow us here for updates.

Maysles Cinema, at Maysles Documentary Center (MDC), founded by the late documentary filmmaker and pioneer Albert Maysles (1926-2015) in 2008, is dedicated to the exhibition and discussion of documentary films. The Cinema is committed to a democratic experience, one where filmmakers are asked to attend the screenings of their work, and audiences have the opportunity to actively engage the films, subjects in the films, experts, and each other in post-screening forums. Coupled with its scheduled programming, Maysles encourages the programming participation of local social and cultural organizations to deepen community involvement and provide exposure for under-represented social issues and overlooked artists and their work.

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tribeca Film Festival 2026 Announces TV & Podcast Lineup

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, has unveiled its 2026 television and podcast lineup, featuring a dynamic mix of world premieres, live tapings, and exclusive conversations, taking place June 3–14 in New York City. Passes and ticket packages are on sale now at TribecaFilm.com, with the Hudson Pass offering the premier festival experience, including VIP access and an invitation to Opening or Closing Night. Single tickets go on sale April 28.

Passes & Ticket Packages Available at TribecaFilm.com; Single Tickets on Sale April 28

“At Tribeca, we’ve always believed in showcasing great storytelling no matter where we find it,” said Tribeca Festival Director and SVP of Programming Cara Cusumano. “This year’s TV and podcast lineup reflects a creative landscape where stories move fluidly across formats and expands the Festival beyond the screen into shared, live moments of discovery. Together, they embody Tribeca’s commitment to interdisciplinary storytelling and to championing the voices shaping culture today, wherever and however those stories are told.”

This year’s television lineup spans buzzworthy new series, compelling documentaries, and standout comedies, anchored by live conversations with the creators and casts behind them. Marking a major milestone in television history, Survivor celebrates its 50th season with a special panel featuring fan-favorite players Cirie Fields, Rob Cesternino, Kyle Fraser, Kamilla Karthigesu,Teeny Chirichillo, and Tribeca’s own programmer and three-time Survivor player Jonathan Penner, reflecting on the show’s lasting impact on global pop culture.

“This year’s TV lineup blends dynamic documentary storytelling with contemporary dramas and provocative comedy, capturing the cultural pulse across generations and genres,” said Tribeca Festival Senior Programmer Liza Domnitz. “From the intimacy of personal rediscovery to the shifting landscapes of art, sports, and sex, all our TV selections come anchored in brilliant post-screening conversations with creative teams, subjects, or cast.”

Music icon Alejandro Sanz offers an intimate portrait of reinvention and resilience in Alejandro Sanz: When No One Sees Me,with a live conversation with the four-time GRAMMY® Award winner, moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Editor-in-Chief and General Manager Patrick Gomez. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow presents a gripping HBO double feature—the world premieres of Not A Very Good Murderer and The Palladino Files—created with Emmy® Award-winning filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato of World of Wonder.

Additional highlights include the world premieres of FX’s Adults season two, a sharp, heartfelt look at modern friendships in New York City, followed by a conversation with cast members Malik Elassal, Lucy Freyer, Jack Innanen, Amita Rao, and Owen Thiele; and Netflix’s final season of Survival of the Thickest with Michelle Buteau. Additional selections include Hulu’s Alice and Steve, starring Jemaine Clement and Nicola Walker, Every Year After, with Elisha Cuthbert, and the BBC’s Dear England, starring Joseph Fiennes.

Honoring Tribeca’s founding mission to unite communities through the power of storytelling in the wake of September 11, this year’s television slate includes the world premiere of Nat Geo’s 9/11: Reunited, a moving portrait of the life-altering bonds formed in the aftermath of one of history’s darkest days. Additional documentary series include Grandmasters, examining the modernization of global chess through the eyes of traditional chess masters Magnus Carlsen, Wesley So, and Hans Niemann; and HBO’s The Man Will Burn, a revealing look inside the evolution of Burning Man from Academy Award® nominated Jehane Noujaim and Vikram Gandhi.

Tribeca’s Indie TV showcases continue to spotlight emerging talent. The narrative showcase features CVNT, a fearless portrait of single motherhood; Switch, starring Pauline Chalamet and Coral Peña; and Kevin’s Series of Unfortunate Events, a sharp romantic comedy. The documentary showcase includes Free Help from Tribeca alum Bianca Giaever (TF ‘15) and The Little Cult That Could, a darkly comedic look at a Michigan doomsday group.

Today, Tribeca also announced its largest and most ambitious podcast lineup to date, transforming the Festival into a live stage for the medium’s most influential voices. As the first major festival to establish an Official Podcast Selection in 2021, Tribeca continues to lead the space with a historic expansion into Spanish-language programming for the first time this year, includingNacional II: la ruta del exilio from La República Independiente de La Radio and El Capitán y el Brazalete de Esmeraldas from Peripecia y La No Ficción. Central to this evolution is the debut of the Showcase List, a new curated section recognizing exceptional independent podcasts released since last year’s Festival, including Spanish-language work.

“This year marks our most expansive program yet, deepening our focus on independent podcast discoverability and creating even more opportunities to celebrate exceptional new work,” said Davy Gardner, Head of Podcasts & Audio at Tribeca. “Meanwhile, the Tribeca Podcast Stage has evolved into something larger than live recordings or performances. It’s a place where the defining voices of the medium come to create something new: one-night-only experiences that, together, feel like a live expression of where podcasting is today.”

Highlights include live tapings of The New York Times’ Cannonball with Wesley Morris; Vox Media’s On with Kara Swisher, featuring comedian and pioneering podcaster Marc Maron; Slate’s Death, Sex & Money with host Anna Sale joined by Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt for a candid conversation on art, love, and creative partnership; and WNYC’s The New Yorker Radio Hour with David Remnick.

Additional standout events include the first-ever live episode of Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud featuring host Bella Freudand legendary multimedia artist Laurie Anderson, with audiences encouraged to dress for the occasion; musician Hrishikesh Hirway, host of Song Exploder, celebrates his new album In the Last Hour of Light with moderator Adam Scott; and the world premiere of a new immersive live show from WNYC’s Radiolab Live with hosts Latif Nasser and Lulu Miller.

World premieres include The Fastest Girl in Somalia from ESPN’s 30 for 30 Podcasts, a heartbreaking narrative about Olympic runner Samia Yusuf, and the highly anticipated fifth season of Lava For Good’s Bone Valley, the acclaimed investigative anthology from Rolling Stone contributing editor Paul Solotaroff.

The full television and podcast lineup for the 2026 Tribeca Festival is detailed below. To learn more about the Tribeca Festival programming team, visit TribecaFilm.com. For updates, follow @Tribeca and #Tribeca2026 on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Festival passes and ticket packages are now available at TribecaFilm.com.

 

ABOUT THE TRIBECA FESTIVAL

The Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, brings artists and audiences together to celebrate storytelling in all its forms, including film, TV, music, podcasts, games, and immersive. With strong roots in independent film, Tribeca is synonymous with creative expression and entertainment. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning talent, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new ideas through exclusive premieres, exhibitions, conversations, and live performances.

The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. The annual Tribeca Festival willcelebrate its 25th year from June 3–14, 2026 in New York City. In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises, bringing together Rosenthal, De Niro, and Murdoch to grow the enterprise.

2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL PARTNERS

The 2026 Tribeca Festival is presented by OKX and with the support of our partners: 8am, 10 Lives Studios, AT&T, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, CHANEL, City National Bank, DIRECTV, Don Julio Tequila, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, NBC4 and Telemundo 47, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, National CineMedia, Spring Studios New York, The Wall Street Journal, Variety, and Vulture.

 

2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL TV SELECTION

9/11: REUNITED (Nat Geo) New Series World Premiere. Revisits the deadliest terror attacks in U.S. history, when thousands lost their lives and millions were forever changed. Amid the devastation, strangers formed profound, life-altering bonds in fleeting, life-or-death moments and connections that have endured for decades. Made to mark the 25th anniversary, in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, this powerful three-part series brings those individuals back together, many for the first time since that day. Through deeply emotional reunions and immersive storytelling, 9/11: REUNITED interweaves present-day encounters with a gripping, human-centered retelling of the September 11, 2001 attacks, honoring the resilience, memory and lasting impact of those who lived through it.

After the Screening: A conversation with 9/11: Reunited participants and the creatives who brought their stories to life.

Adults (FX) Season Two World Premiere – Adults is an ensemble comedy series about a group of twenty-somethings in New York leaning on each other to navigate love, work, friendship and family. Created by Ben Kronengold & Rebecca Shaw, the show puts a generational lens on the wins, losses and humiliations of being in your twenties.

After the Screening: A conversation with Malik Elassal, Lucy Freyer, Jack Innanen, Amita Rao, Owen Thiele and Creators Ben Kronengold & Rebecca Shaw.

Alejandro Sanz: When No One Sees Me New Series US Premiere.

From a music-obsessed kid to a global icon, Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro’s journey is fueled by passion, reinvention, and resilience. After early failure, he reemerges as Alejandro Sanz, rocketed to fame by a debut album that changes his life overnight. Searching for his true voice, he dives into Italian pop, flamenco and Latin music, creating Corazón Partío, one of the most iconic Latin songs ever. But success comes at a cost: fame, fatherhood, heartbreak, loss, depression, and brutal industry battles threaten to break him. Through love, collapse, and rebirth, Alejandro fights back. Now in 2026, facing new challenges and guided by his four children, he stands at his most powerful and authentic chapter yet.

Preceding the Screening: A conversation with Alejandro Sanz, director Álvaro Ron, and Executive Producer Sergi Reitg,moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Editor-in-Chief and General Manager Patrick Gomez.

Alice and Steve (Hulu) World Premiere of Episode 3 – Alice is devastated when her best friend Steve starts dating her 26-year-old daughter Izzy. She’s going to lose her best friend and her daughter in one fell swoop. Alice tries everything she can to end the relationship. Unfortunately for her, Steve’s more than ready for the attack, and what begins as a perfect friendship, devolves into an all-out feud. A hilarious, messy, and complicated exploration of friendship, love, and revenge, “Alice and Steve” is an anti-romantic comedy that asks the question, how far would you go for love – or revenge?

Tribeca will screen Episodes 1 and 2, and World Premiere Episode 3.

After the Screening: A conversation with Jemaine Clement, Nicola Walker, Yali Topol Margalith, Writer and Executive Producer Sophie Goodhart and Director Tom Kingsley.

Dear England (BBC) New Series US Premiere – Based on the Olivier Award-winning play, Dear England charts the game-changing rebirth of England’s national game, football, at the hands of an unlikely disruptor – one haunted by his own failure – against the backdrop of unprecedented political, social, and cultural turmoil.

After the Screening: A conversation with Executive Producer and Writer James Graham.

Every Year After (Prime Video) New Series World Premiere – For six summers, Barry’s Bay was a magical place full of firsts for Percy Fraser, including first love—and first heartbreak. Ten years later, an unexpected tragedy brings Percy back to Barry’s Bay, where she has to face the people, memories, and mistakes she thought she’d left behind, especially the one boy who changed her life forever—Sam Florek. Told over the course of six years and one week in Barry’s Bay – the quintessential lake town – Every Year After is a romantic, nostalgic story of first loves and the people and choices that mark us forever. The series is based on the best-selling novel by Carley Fortune, “Every Summer After” – which spent 16 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller list, has sold 1M+ copies to date, and gained popularity through BookTok with the book hashtag getting over 81.4M views on TikTok.

After the Screening: A conversation with cast members Sadie Soverall, Matt Cornett, Michael Bradway, Elisha Cuthbert, Joseph Chiu, Abigail Cowen, Aurora Perrineau, Showrunner and Executive Producer Amy B. Harris, and book author and Executive Producer Carley Fortune.

Grandmasters New Series World Premiere – The once esoteric and uninspired world of competitive chess is thrown into turmoil when an eccentric German entrepreneur enlists reigning champion Magnus Carlsen to launch a new league that aims to revolutionize the game, challenge the sport’s governing body, and “make chess cool.” As the chess world fractures, Grandmasters like Wesley So – Magnus’s soft-spoken rival whose quiet brilliance contrasts with the sport’s emerging showbiz era – and Hans Niemann, a rebellious American prodigy with raw talent and controversy, find themselves at the center of this upheaval. Grandmasters chronicles the rivalries, reinventions, and personal battles shaping the modern pursuit of greatness in the game of kings.

After the Screening: A conversation with international chess masters Danny Rensch, Levy Rozman, subjects Jan Henric Buettner and Lea Makhloufi, and series Executive Producer and director Liza Mandelup.

The Man Will Burn (HBO) New Series World Premiere – The Man Will Burn traces the evolution of Burning Man, from its anarchic countercultural roots in San Francisco to the 80,000-person desert gathering it has become. With exclusive access to Burning Man Project leadership and archives, the series offers a behind-the-scenes verité look at one of modern American culture’s most successful and controversial social experiments. Throughout several consecutive years of unprecedented crises, the story follows a movement pushed to its limits.

After the Screening: A conversation with directors Jehane Noujaim, Vikram Gandhi and additional participants.

Not A Very Good Murderer and The Palladino Files (HBO), New Series World Premieres – 

A sneak peek of two upcoming HBO documentary crime series from award-winning filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, who chases stranger-than-fiction mysteries exploring power and truth.

Not A Very Good Murderer – Ronan Farrow explores the life of a former beauty queen, uncovering a story stranger than fiction: a bombshell political allegation, jewelry heists, kidnapping, arson, and more than one murder attempt. But how much of it is true? This genre-bending documentary series delves into what it takes to uncover the truth, and the cost of keeping it hidden.

The Palladino Files – When legendary private eye Jack Palladino is murdered, one of his old targets, Ronan Farrow, takes up the case. Over the course of the series, Farrow dives into Palladino’s celebrity-ladened case files, uncovering secrets that may reveal who killed the private eye and why.

After the double feature screening: A conversation with Ronan Farrow and Directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.

SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST (Netflix) Final Season World Premiere – Season 3 of Survival of the Thickest centers on Mavis Beaumont (Michelle Buteau). Black, plus-size, and falling in love while loving herself, Mavis works hard to grow her brand as a stylist and designer. She’s determined to not only survive but thrive with the support of her chosen family, a body-positive attitude, and a cute v-neck with some lip gloss. The scripted comedy is inspired by Buteau’s acclaimed book of essays.

After the screening: A conversation with Executive Producer, Creator and Star Michelle Buteau.

SURVIVOR 50 (CBS) – A celebration of the monumental 50th season of one of television’s most iconic franchises. Fan-favorite players Cirie Fields, Rob Cesternino, Kyle Fraser, Kamilla Karthigesu, Teeny Chirichillo, plus one of Tribeca’s own programmers Jonathan Penner will participate in a conversation exploring the series’ cultural impact and enduring legacy.

X-MEN ‘97 (Disney+) Season Two World Premiere – A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates andfears them; they’re challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future. Created by Stan Lee and Beau DeMayo.

 

2026 INDIE TV NARRATIVE SHOWCASE 

CVNT (United States) World Premiere – CVNT is a darkly comic, visually fearless series about the impossible math of single motherhood and the lengths one woman will go to keep her kid’s world intact. A love letter to moms who make it work no matter what. Starring Nicole Higgins, Will Madden, Ben Weaver, David Brown, and Mila Higgins. Created by Nicole Higgins.

KEVIN’S SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (UK) World Premiere – Hopeless romantic Kevin stumbles through a series of increasingly disastrous dates, convinced persistence will eventually lead him to love.  Unbeknownst to him, a genuine connection is growing closer to home, turning chaos into a tender story about finding love where he least expects it. Starring Ryan Sampson, Jake Watkins, Cecilia Noble, Fiona Allen. Created by Rex Glensy, Asad Moghal and Daniel Mannheim.

SWITCH (United States) World Premiere – Two women embark on a journey to find a man to have a threesome with. The perfect mix of funny and sexy, Switch asks: can a relationship survive our deepest desires? Starring Pauline Chalamet, Coral Peña, Adam Shaukat, Benjamin Holtz, Nikki Sniper. Created by Isabelle Platt & Sofya Levitsky-Weitz.

2026 INDIE TV DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE

FREE HELP (United States) World Premiere – Bianca Giaever who, after being called selfish by her dad, decides to offer free help to anyone who wants it. In every episode, Bianca takes on a few strangers, stepping into their lives to help solve their problems. But what begins as a straightforward offer quickly pulls her into more complicated territory than she ever expected. Directed by Bianca Giaever.

THE LITTLE CULT THAT COULD (United States) World Premiere – A darkly comedic documentary series following a Michigandoomsday group as they prepare for the soon-to-come apocalypse. Directed by Anthony Columbus.

 

2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL PODCASTS & AUDIO SELECTION

 

LIVE PODCAST EVENTS

Live tapings of hit shows and exclusive performances. 

 

Audio Flux Presents: Trash or Treasure

Performance. Audio Flux is a home for innovative, short-form audio and bold storytelling. Join co-founders Julie Shapiro and John DeLore for the debut of eight new “fluxworks”—three-minute audio stories inspired by Kenya-based artist Cyrus Kabiru, who transforms trash and other discarded materials into stunning, provocative sculptures. You’ll hear a range of climate stories – but not the ones you might expect. Julie and John will share original fluxworks by Munira Kaoneka (Tanzania), Daniel Ondieki (Kenya), Remoy Philip (USA), Alex Sujong Laughlin (USA), and four winners from the Audio Flux Circuit 07 open call. Produced in partnership with the Cape Town–based audio training organization Radio Workshop.

Cannonball with Wesley Morris Live (The New York Times) 

Live episode recording. Sharp, surprisingly personal and never obvious, Cannonball with Wesley Morris takes a deep dive into the culture that moves us — the good, the bad and whatever’s in between. Each week, host Wesley Morris talks with fellow writers, artists and friends to talk about the cultural moment we’re in in order to better understand it, and ourselves. Wesley will be joined on stage for an intimate, personal conversation with a special guest as they explore different parts of art and popular culture while digging into their historical context, uncovering layers of meaning and insight.

Concert & Conversation: Hrishikesh Hirway moderated by Adam Scott

A special conversation and concert at Le Poisson Rouge between Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder) and acclaimed actor Adam Scott to support the release of Hirway’s new album, In the Last Hour of Light.

Death, Sex & Money Live with Guests Peter Dinklage & Erica Schmidt (Slate)

Live episode recording. Anna Sale is back for a brand new live-from-Tribeca episode of Slate’s beloved podcast, Death, Sex & Money. Known for her thoughtful and empathetic interviewing style, Anna will sit down with award-winning actor Peter Dinklage, and his wife, writer/director Erica Schmidt, for a nuanced and lively conversation on the overlap of love and art.

Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud Live with Guest Laurie Anderson (Vox Media)

Live episode. Join Bella Freud and special guest, legendary multimedia artist Laurie Anderson, for the first-ever New York live recording of the Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud podcast. The show sees renowned fashion designer Bella Freud invite a special guest to ‘lie on the couch’ and explore the connection between fashion and identity. Bella’s conversations begin with questions about style and what we reveal through the clothes we wear, interviewing culturally significant guests in the worlds of fashion, cinema, sport, art, music and literature. Fashion Neurosis offers a uniquely thoughtful conversation that goes far beyond what we wear – exploring the unspoken language of clothes and the ways in which we use them as an alternative means to communicate in the world.

Lemme Say This Live with Guest Sydney Lemmon (Higher Ground)

Live episode recording. What’s the greatest celebrity notes app apology of all time? Who is Hollywood’s most divorced man? And which society is torturing the poets? Wanna know the answers, but have no time to scour the internet all day? Well, Peyton Dix and Hunter Harris have your back. These two beacons of truth and connoisseurs of mess have been bonded for over a decade, sharing the traumas of a crappy Boston dorm room and a pitiful Brooklyn dating scene. Now, these certified haters and internet carnivores are ready to cut your faves straight to the white meat. Featuring special guest actress Sydney Lemmon.

New Yorker Radio Hour Live with David Remnick (WNYC)

Live episode recording. The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine’s editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn’t a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation.

On With Kara Swisher Live with Guest Marc Maron  (Vox Media)

Live episode recording. Twice a week, award-winning journalist Kara Swisher gets to the heart of the story through no-holds-barred interviews with power players across business, tech, media, politics and beyond. Joining Kara on stage for a special live recording of On With Kara Swisher is acclaimed comedian, actor and podcaster, Marc Maron (also starring in Tribeca’s 2026 Film Selection, In Memoriam). Rarely do two such defining voices of the podcasting industry share the same stage, making this a truly unmissable moment for anyone who loves the art of the interview.

Radiolab Live with Latif Nasser & Lulu Miller (WNYC)

Watch a Radiolab episode come to life in real time with hosts Latif Nasser & Lulu Miller. In this world premiere of a new project, we’ll dim the lights and turn up the mics and puzzle through a great mystery of nature.

 

2026 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

Never-before-heard narrative audio stories from innovative creators to premiere at Tribeca.

 

Selections Live Show: Timbre

In this live show with selected creators in attendance, experience bold, original voices showcasing wit and depth and experimenting with form. Selections include: 

Bodies on the Line (Audacious Machine Creative)

World Premiere. Through extensive interviews and field recordings at abortion clinics, Jeffrey Nils Gardner dives into how working as a clinic escort has helped individuals understand their gender, body, and relation to others. Creator: Jeffrey Nils Gardner

For the Sake of the Children (Joe Sill Studio, Word Onscreen, Tina Lizzie Corp)

World Premiere. For the Sake of the Children is an audio series following Justin Lucas’ journey in rallying his small, tightknit town of Moriah to stand up to their ancient foreboding gods – alien beings known as the Architects that are thought to be humanity’s creators. After centuries away, the Architects have returned to our planet and sequestered themselves behind an enormous, mysterious Wall. They demand a child from Moriah be given to them once per year, a child the town never sees again. Creator: Joe Sill

My Brother David (iHeartPodcasts)

World Premiere. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, David – a 48 year old husband and father living in Toronto, who has never listened to a podcast – decides to make a podcast together with his little sister Sarah, an avid podcast listener, grief worker and artist living in Chicago. And so begins Sarah and David’s sometimes hilarious, often irreverent and totally unflinching journey to follow the ups and downs of David’s disease. How long does David have left? Will the Blue Jays ever win the World Series? Is that gas or diarrhea? What does life look like when you know you’re going to die? Creator: Sarah Illiatovitch-Goldman

Parasites & Power 

World Premiere. Parasites & Power is a six-part podcast series of interwoven stories about the colonial origins of today’s global public health system. Through archival research and dozens of interviews, the series reconstructs largely forgotten stories from medical history that tell us a lot about today, and can help us imagine better futures for global health. Creators: Jessie Graham, Rekha Murthy, Bart Warshaw

The Double[s] (Wolf at the Door Studios)

World Premiere. At a Goop-like wellness empire built on female empowerment, Alice meets her doppelganger — a shinier, breezier British import who promptly steals her promotion. Desperate for answers, Alice joins a secret support group of people whose doubles are systematically dismantling their lives…then the doubles start turning up dead. Creators: Winnie Kemp, Alexander Kemp

The Fastest Girl in Somalia (30 for 30 ESPN Podcasts)

World Premiere. In 2008, 17-year-old Somali runner Samia Yusuf Omar stepped onto the Olympic track in Beijing wearing donated shoes, long black leggings, and an oversized white t-shirt. She finished last in her heat, but ran with such determination that she drew the loudest cheer of the race. That moment defined her life – but the world she returned to was collapsing. This narrative series tells Samia’s extraordinary story of resilience, ambition, and the perilous intersection of sport, war, and migration. Reported and narrated by journalist Teresa Krug, who knew Samia personally, the series blends first-hand accounts, archival Olympic audio, and original reporting to uncover both the promise and the costs of chasing the Olympic dream. Creator: Teresa Krug

Scene on Radio: The News (Scene on Radio)

World Premiere. In this eight part documentary series, co-hosts John Biewen and Chenjerai Kumanyika explore the roots of today’s ongoing media crisis – the splintering of news audiences, the widespread perception of bias, and the deluge of misinformation – by delving through stories from the past and the present. They ask what’s *really* wrong with the media. Is it what we think it is? Creators: John Biewen, Chenjerai Kumanyika, Diane Hodson

Stunt Queen (iHeartRadio)

World Premiere. Stunt Queen follows the life of Dee Farmer, one of the most brilliant legal minds of our time who has spent most of her life incarcerated among men. Dee’s story is one of survival, sacrifice and determination as she continually advocated for herself despite being sentenced to 50 years by a judge. Facing a brutal system throughout her incarceration – compounded by her transgender identity and HIV-positive diagnosis – Dee taught herself the law from within the prison library, working to fight an unjust system for herself and others. Released in 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dee returns to Baltimore full of resolve, faith, and a newfound purpose. Creator: Alison Flowers

 

Selections Live Show: Tone

In this live show with selected creators in attendance, we probe the depths of the human experience through investigation and inquiry. Selections include: 

 

A History of the United States in 100 Objects (BBC Studios)

World Premiere. America’s 250th birthday calls for a history as sprawling and contradictory as the country itself. A History of the United States in 100 Objects tells that history one thing at a time. A gold coin from an 1857 shipwreck that triggered a financial panic. An antebellum schoolbook that became an instrument of Black liberation. Each week, an object opens the door into an extraordinary, often shocking story — about who we’ve been, what we’ve built, and what we’ve allowed ourselves to forget. The series brings together some of the most respected voices in narrative storytelling, including Radiolab co-creator Jad Abumrad and co-host Latif Nasser and Dan Taberski, investigative journalist and host of Hysterical and Missing Richard Simmons, with additional contributors to be announced. Creators: Roman Mars, Annie Brown and Courtney Harrell

Bone Valley Season 5: The Devil’s Quarry (Rolling Stone, Lava for Good)

World Premiere. Bone Valley Season 5: The Devil’s Quarry is hosted by award-winning investigative journalist and longtime contributing editor at Rolling Stone, Paul Solotaroff. For Paul, the devil had always been a myth, until now. In the woods outside Carmel, New York, a hunter finds the bones of a twelve-year-old girl, and the unraveling begins. She had been missing, forgotten even. Now, buried records, ignored warnings, and a justice system that may have gotten it dangerously wrong are forced into the open, while the real killer bides his time, counting the days until he can hunt again. Which raises the most haunting question of all: Who is the devil among us? Creators: Jeff Kempler, Jason Flom, Kevin Wortis

Cultivate Being (Theo Balcomb Sound)

World Premiere. Death is one of the core mysteries of life, a part of life that affects us all – yet just about all of us try to avoid it. When host Amelia Chiarenza was in her early forties, a giant wave of loss crashed over her: both of her parents and a close friend died in the span of 16 months. Grief consumed her, forcing her to acknowledge death, to try to understand and embrace it in order to cope and thrive. Cultivate Being is a record of that quest. Creators: Amelia Chiarenza, Theo Balcomb

Personally: Discount Dave (and the Fix) (CBC)

World Premiere. Everyone has a party story. Host and creator Becca Auerbach’s involved a run in with rock icon David Lee Roth. At least, that’s who he said he was. And maybe it’s because she loves rock and roll, or maybe it’s because she’s trying to fill a hole, but she holds onto that night. And it ultimately leads to her own reckoning. A harrowing and hilarious blend of memoir and auto-fiction, Discount Dave (and The Fix) is the true-ish story of a fake rockstar, a real trial and what it means to stop running, face yourself and fight to heal. Creator: Rebecca Auerbach

Reaching Out (Futuro Media)

World Premiere. On the eve of their 30th birthday, twin brothers Sayre and Connor are searching for their biological father while also trying to figure out their lives. Soon the brothers discover that their birth father is closer than they ever could have imagined. The journey to meet the man who left before they were born forces both brothers to confront parts of themselves they have hidden from themselves and each other. Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between them. Creator: Sayre Quevedo

The Corridor (Auricle Productions)

World Premiere. The Corridor examines how Louisiana became a center of industry and an epicenter of disease, with some communities facing cancer risks among the highest in the nation. Across seven episodes, The Corridor explores how residents have pushed back against the destruction of their past, the construction of more plants, the lax enforcement of environmental regulations, and further harm to people’s health as they seek to claim their right to a prosperous and healthy future. Creators: Jaha Avery, Erika Janik, Sam Moore

The Dolos Project (FinalFinalMixV2 Media)

World Premiere. From their small space station, co-pilots David and Sarah have witnessed the nuclear annihilation of all life on earth. Now they, and their AI station companion SAI may be all that remains of humanity. But as David and Sarah attempt to search for survivors, they discover that all may not be as it appears. This is The Dolos Project, an intimate psychological sci-fi thriller podcast that explores how we grapple with immeasurable loss, how we cling to shreds of hope when none appear to remain, and how advances in AI may not be the societal upgrade we’re being sold. Creators: Megan Bagala

The Most Wanted Olympian (CBC)

World Premiere. How did a small town Canadian boy allegedly become a narco kingpin? Ryan Wedding was once a promising young athlete, a snowboarder who went all the way to the Olympics. Now captured after a decade on the run, he’s accused of running a deadly international drug trafficking empire. In this new podcast from CBC and the Toronto Star, featuring new on-the-ground reporting and original interviews, host Michelle Shephard and reporter Calvi Leon investigate the Canadian who the FBI called a “modern day El Chapo” and ask: what will it take to bring him to justice? Creator: Michelle Shephard

 

2026 PODCAST SHOWCASE LIST

A curated selection honoring the exceptional independent podcasts from the past year.

 

Showcase Live Show: Texture 

In this live show with showcase creators in attendance, we explore stories of compassion and endurance. Selections include: 

 

Articles of Interest: Gear (Radiotopia)

Conducting more than two years of research, recording 70+ different interviews with designers, soldiers, veterans and civilians, crossing dozens of state lines and entering a myriad of places previously barred from press, host and producer Avery Trufelman composed Articles of Interest: Gear as a series investigating the connection between the United States military and the outdoor clothing industry, while diving deep into history and far beyond the world of high-tech performance wear. Creator: AveryTrufelman.

Babalu  (Uneasy Tiger)

In the eight-part audio drama Babalu, Sherry Zhang died by suicide in 1989, leaving behind a baby daughter Luisa and, unbeknownst to her family, dozens of cassette tapes recording her innermost thoughts. Years later, Luisa learns about these tapes and decides to finally get to know the mother she lost through her own words. But the more she listens, the more questions she has. Season one explores Luisa’s personal love letter to grief, the nuanced Asian American experience, and theoften misrepresented people of Los Angeles. Creators: Kimberly Truong, Katharine Chen Lerner.

Cotton King (Signal Hill)

From the audio magazine Signal Hill, Cotton King looks back at Omar Etman’s grandfather, who ran the biggest cotton company in Egypt. It was a workman’s paradise, owned by the people of Egypt. At least, that’s the story his family has always told him. Creator: Omar Etman.

Digital Ghost (Written In Air) 

From the audio magazine Written In Air comes the audio showcase Digital Ghost. How do you find a ghost who doesn’t want to be found? That’s the question Rebecca Nola has been asking herself ever since her dad died as a kid. Taking a page from her dad’s favorite Greek mythologies stories, she embarks on her own quest to bring him back from the underworld… with some help from artificial intelligence. Creator: Rebecca Nola.

Ear Hustle: The Loop (Radiotopia)
Ear Hustle: The Loop brings listeners into the Crossroads Youth Detention Facility in Brooklyn, NY, where a Drama Club program teaches improvisational theater techniques as a way to build connection and conflict-resolution skills. Additionally, Ear Hustle heads uptown to visit the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, where they close their doors to the public twice a month and invite a select group of parents and their children. Moms and dads, bussed over from Rikers Island in chains, are uncuffed upon arrival at the museum and reunited with their kids for a rare, emotional and often bittersweet visit outside prison walls. Creators: Earlonne Woods, Nigel Poor.

Grim Death and Bill the Electrocuted Criminal (Echoverse)
In this quirky, supernatural investigative scripted thriller based on the acclaimed book of the same name, Bentley Hawthorne lives a solitary and mysterious life in an old mansion with his wry, long-suffering butler Pym. Pym and Bentley’s childhood friend and spitfire journalist Gwendolyn Marks don’t understand why Bentley insists on a path of isolation, but that’s because they don’t know his secret: the seemingly-gentle Bentley is actually a chosen servant of Death tasked with avenging victims who have been killed before their time. Starring Cory Michael Smith, Merritt Wever, and Željko Ivanek. Creator: Mark Stern.

Nacional II: la ruta del exilio (La República Independiente de La Radio)
What do a young Spanish Republican woman in 1939 and a young Palestinian woman in 2025 have in common? Both have been forced to leave their homes, both have crossed a border, and both become refugees in a foreign country. The narrative podcast brings together fiction and documentary — the history of Spain and that of Palestine, the Spanish Civil War and the genocide in Gaza – to tell the lives of two women, Lola (Victoria Luengo) and Duha Alzaiti (played by herself), bound by the same wrenching experience: exile. Two women who speak to each other about their fears and uncertainties and share their stories in a place without space or time. Creator: Javier Gallego Garrido.

Snap Judgment: A Tiny Plot (KQED)
Snap Judgment brings listeners “A Tiny Plot,” a five-part documentary series following a group of homeless people in Oakland, CA as they fight for an extraordinary idea: their own plot of land from the city, where they could live in community. The series follows Mama D, who has been homeless for more than ten years, as she and cohort invite listeners into their worlds to witness high-stakes decisions, devastating failures, and wild successes — all in service of getting people off the streets in Oakland. “A Tiny Plot” offers an intimate and personal perspective on the nation’s deeply entrenched homelessness crisis. Creator: Shaina Shealy.

Showcase Live Show: Tempo 
In this live show with showcase creators in attendance, unique, singular storytellers are highlighted. Selections include: 

A Whole Other Country (Marfa Public Radio)
A Whole Other Country delves into the creation and bloody dissolution of the Republic of Texas, a short-lived secessionist “nation” that flourished in an off-grid community in Far West Texas in the 1990s. Reported by Zoe Kurland, the six-part documentary series traces the story of Rick McLaren, a Texas transplant who started out as an aspiring vintner before becoming the frantic, history-obsessed leader of the Republic of Texas. To investigate what happened, Zoe drives the long, bumpy roads to The Davis Mountains Resort, a rural subdivision, to talk to a cast of Rick’s neighbors and onlookers who watched the story of the standoff play out in real time. Creator: Zoe Kurland.

Caterpillar Roadshow (Signal Hill)
From the audio magazine Signal Hill, Caterpillar Roadshow is an audio story from reporter Annie Rosenthal. A couple years ago, Annie’s mother — an entomologist named Martha Weiss — received a letter from a little boy in Japan saying he wanted to replicate a famous study of hers. The letter Martha received about building on this study set in motion a series of spectacular events that advance her original science and show how science works when a 12-year-old boy is the one doing it. Creator: Annie Rosenthal.

El Capitán y el Brazalete de Esmeraldas (Peripecia y La No Ficción)
El Capitán y el Brazalete de Esmeraldas is a narrative podcast that revisits one of football’s most controversial and least understood episodes: in May 1970, days before the Mexico World Cup, England captain Bobby Moore was arrested in Bogotá, accused of stealing an emerald bracelet from a jewelry store. What followed was an international scandal that entangled sport, politics, diplomacy, and media pressure at the highest level. Through exclusive interviews, archival research, and declassified diplomatic cables, El Capitan y el Brazalete de Esmeraldas reconstructs the events from multiple perspectives. Creators: Camilo Macias, Felipe Macias, Juan Serrano.

Proxy: Brian Can’t Stop Fact-Checking His Mother-In-Law (Radiotopia)
It’s the knot you can’t untangle – the problem so unique, it makes you feel alone. But what if someone is out there who gets it? In the Proxy podcast series, creator Yowei Shaw finds that person: the perfect stranger to offer the insight to demystify the feelings that shape us all. This special installment features acclaimed journalist and podcaster Brian Reed (S-Town, Question Everything), who lives with his mother-in-law diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Brian can’t stop fact-checking her and losing his patience — even though he knows she’s losing her memory. Creator: Yowei Shaw.

The Vodou Project 
The Vodou Project is a documentary podcast from Haitian-American producer Baudelaire Ceus that reexamines one of the world’s most misunderstood spiritual traditions. Through immersive sound, travel, and intimate interviews, Baudelaire journeys from Benin to Haiti and across the Haitian diaspora to uncover the true story of Vodou — a story of resistance, faith, and cultural survival that’s often been distorted by fear and colonial mythmaking. Blending investigative storytelling, history, and personal narrative, The Vodou Project challenges old perceptions and celebrates the spiritual and cultural heritage at the heart of Haitian identity. Creator: Baudelaire Ceus.

Two Thousand and Late (Atypical Artists)
Two Thousand and Late tells  the story of a demon from hell sent to bring along the apocalypse. Only, when they arrive, they find that the end of the world isn’t as straightforward as they thought. Best described as Fleabag meets Venom, Two Thousand and Late is a dark, angry story that’s full of hard-won optimism. It’s about imperfect, destructive people who want to shape the world into something better. There are lessons to be learned about mankind, about community, and about yourself even as you burn everything down. Creator: Lauren Shippen.

Unknown Unknowns (Signal Hill)
From the audio magazine Signal Hill, the audio showcase Unknown Unknowns asks the question: how to make a life-changing decision when all you have is the sparse and noisy data of an uncertain world? First, try posting on Lex. Creator: Lio Wong.

Who Blew Up The Guidestones? (Goat Rodeo & The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
For decades, the Georgia Guidestones were nothing more than kitschy roadside Americana – a curiosity people visited for fun, intrigue, and the occasional pagan ritual. But in 2022, the Guidestones became a flashpoint that resulted in a real-world act of domestic terror – a mystery that to this day, has never been solved. This all-new podcast takes listeners to the small town of Elberton, GA and on a wild ride through granite quarries, graves, cults, Confederate monuments, a swatting raid, and A LOT of explosives. Creator: Tyler McBrien.

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Filmmaker Award Winners at the 2026 Florida Film Festival
William Means’ Slam Dunk: Wins Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for Best Narrative Film

Documentary Feature Winners

Sharon Leise’s SEIZED, Grand Jury Prize. Patrick Bresnan’s FIRST THEY CAME FOR MY COLLEGE, Audience Award. Michael Borrelli’s THE LAST DAYS OF BYRON BRAY, Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for Best Short Film.

JUNKIE SEIZED FIRST THEY CAME FOR MY COLLEGE
Junkie, Seized, First They Came For My College

The 2026 Florida Film Festival has announced the filmmaker award winners during a ceremony at the Enzian Theater and following a 35th Anniversary edition of the popular film festival which combined salutes to beloved stars, screenings of highly anticipated films, and a concentration of films produced in Florida by local filmmakers, all taking place in the warm (literal and figurative) setting of Central Florida.

Additional Jury Awards went to Brian Gersten’s Hollywood’s Mermaid: The Esther Williams Story (Best Documentary Short), and Andy London, and Carolyn London’s 1981 (Best Animated Short). Films receiving Special Jury Awards included Tatti Ribeiro’s Valentina (Narrative Feature) for “resolute feature filmmaking”, Blake Winston Rice’s Disc (Narrative Short) for “surprising intimacy”, and Madeline Engle and Joe Purtell’s Trapped (Documentary Short) for “innovation in Non-Fiction storytelling”.

Other films receiving Audience Awards included Costa Karalis’ Frogtown (Best Florida Feature), Daniel Roher’s Tuner (Best International Feature), Justin Whittingham’s Welcome (Best Florida Short), Eric Jackowitz’The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much (Best Midnight Short), and Alexandra Strunin’s I Gaze at the Sky (Best International Short).

Florida Film Festival Executive Director Wade Neal, said, “This Florida Film Festival was my first as the new Executive Director, and it exceeded what was already very high expectations on my part for an exciting, well-curated, and outrageously fun film event. These award winners are wonderful representatives of the amazing films we screened and filmmakers we hosted throughout the fest.”

FFF Programming Director, Matthew Curtis, added, “There is always an additional expectation and anticipation during a film festival’s big anniversary year. This one fulfilled that for our film fans, our staff, and a wonderful group of filmmakers. The fact that two of those films doubled up on awards – a first for us – seems very appropriate to cap the uniqueness of our 35th edition.”

2026  Florida Film Festival’s Jurors

The Narrative Features Competition Jury 
Brian Andreotti (Co-Founder and Director of Acquisitions for Music Box Films)
Aaron Koontz (FFF Alumni and Independent Spirit Award nominated filmmaker)
Violet Lucca (Film Critic and Author)

The Documentary Competition Jury
Brian Bolster (5-Time FFF Alumni Director and Grand Jury Award Winner)
Grace Cheung (Director of Strategic Initiatives at Magnolia Pictures)
Clint Worthington (Assistant Editor at RogerEbert.com)

Shorts Competition Jury
Dwight Brown (Former Chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle)
Radha Mehta (Slamdance Award Winning director and FFF Alumni)
Guillermo Restrepo (Director of Publicity IFC Entertainment Group)

The 35th Anniversary edition kicked off with an Opening Night presentation of Adam Carter Rehmeier’s renegade road trip movie Caroline, Caroline, and featured a gala Centerpiece presentation of Jorma Taccone’s Over Your Dead Body, with both filmmakers in attendance.

The festival closed with a nod to the classics via a 75th Anniversary screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train. Florida Film Festival’s celebrated “An Evening With.. events were huge hits with the packed audiences, as well as fans outside the Enzian Theater, with Academy Award®-nominee Paul Giamatti and Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Beverly Hills Cop’s Judge Reinhold delighting everyone with stories from their films and careers, and having fun posing for selfies and talking to people outside prior to the events in the theater.

Also making special appearances were Fallout’s Johnny Pemberton, with his filmMermaid, Justice Smith, with his film Grampa, and Orlando’s first African American Poet Laureate, Shawn Welcome, with Welcome, a documentary short film about his life.

World premieres included Ahmed Bouchalga’s The Call, Costa Karalis’ Frogtown, Woodruff Laputka and Tehben Dean’s The Man Whom the Trees Loved, Randy Moore’s Return From Tomorrow, Alejandro Ruax and Saskia d’Altena’s If You Really Love Me, Outlive Me, Paul Oh’s Correspondence, Justin Whittingham’s Welcome, Ellie Foumbi’s Afufu, Faryl Amadeus’ Man in Motel, Jessica Li’s Peace Corps, Michael Borrelli’s The Last Day of Byron Bray, Timothy Jacob Elledge’s Neuman, Brooke Trantor’s Nut Milk in May, Sterling Hampton IV’s Study Hall, Isabel Pask’s Scout’s Honor, Grant Swanson’s Iron Lake, Syra McCarthy and Kyle Casey Chu’s Betty St. Clair, Austin Cauldwel’s Idyll, Kyle Spleiss’s House Cat, Justice Smith’s Grampa, Stacey Torkelson’s In Lieu of Flowers, Mary Pilon’s Screw Lucy, Modar Kajo’s In God’s Hands, and Noah Engel’s Everything that Fell from the Mourning Dove’s Nest as She Built It ).

Highly anticipated titles from filmmakers like Steven Soderberg (The Christophers), Kirk Jones (I Swear), Gregg Araki (I Want Your Sex), Ben Wheatley (Normal), Curry Barker (Obsession), Maude Apatow (Poetic License), Daniel Roher (Tuner), and Jeremy Workman (School For Defectors) were all screened for Central Florida film fans to see for the first time. Meanwhile, the film festival saw several screenings sell out, with record breaking audience numbers overall. Filmmakers participated in dedicated red carpets and press junkets throughout the festival’s run, as well as numerous networking events which have become a hallmark of the film festival.

To find more information on the Florida Film Festival, please go to: https://floridafilmfestival.com/.

The 2026 Florida Film Festival Award Winners

Grand Jury Awards

Best Narrative Feature
Junkie
Director: William Means

Special Jury Award – Narrative Feature
Valentina
Director: Tatti Ribeiro

Best Documentary Feature
Seized
Director: Sharon Liese

Best Narrative Short
The Last Day of Byron Bray
Director: Michael Borrelli

Special Jury Award – Narrative Short
Disc
Director: Blake Winston Rice

Best Documentary Short
Hollywood’s Mermaid: The Esther Williams Story
Director: Brian Gersten

Special Jury Award – Documentary Short
Trapped
Directors: Madeline Engle, Joe Purtell

Best Animated Short
1981
Directors:  Andy London, Carolyn London

Audience Awards

Best Narrative Feature
Junkie
Director: William Means

Best Documentary Feature
First They Came for My College 
Director: Patrick Bresnan

Best Florida Feature
Frogtown
Director: Costa Karalis

Best International Feature
Tuner
Director: Daniel Roher

Best Short Film
The Last Day of Byron Bray
Director: Michael Borrelli

Best Florida Short
Welcome
Director: Justin Whittingham

Best Midnight Short
The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much 
Director: Eric Jackowitz

Best International Short
I Gaze at the Sky 
Director: Alexandra Strunin

About the Florida Film Festival
The Florida Film Festival (FFF) is an Oscar®-qualifying festival that has been showcasing the best in independent, documentary, and international cinema since 1992. Presented by Enzian Theater in Maitland, Florida, the 10-day event features 160+ films, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, and world-class special events. FFF is one of only a handful of festivals in the U.S. that qualifies in all three Academy Award® short film categories: Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, and Documentary Short Subject.

About the Primary Sponsor – Full Sail University
Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has received numerous accolades throughout its over 45-year history, including most recently being named to TheWrap’s 2025 “Top 50 U.S. Film Schools” list as well as being named one of the “30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada” in 2025 by MovieMaker Magazine.

Full Sail University is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on-campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Technology. With over 100,000 graduates worldwide, Full Sail alumni have worked on countless award-winning projects with individual recognition including Oscar®, Emmy®, Grammy®, Addy®, and The Game Award honors.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.