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TEMPEST is a series designed to transcend borders. At first glance, it’s another entry in the sprawling world of espionage dramas. Yet, under the surface, it delivers more—an exploration of trust, loyalty, and fractured identities played out against a conspiracy that stretches from Seoul to Washington.

Set against the rise of Apple and the near-mythic figure of Steve Jobs, EVERYTHING TO ME unfolds as a clever, heartfelt look at ambition, failure, and the moments in between that actually shape who we become. Kayci Lacob, making her feature directorial debut, crafts a story that is both nostalgic and incisive, weaving Silicon Valley’s glossy allure with the awkward realities of growing up.

Short films thrive when they condense ambitious ideas into concise storytelling, and AS i BELIEVE THE WORLD TO BE does just that. Written and directed by Spooky Madison, the project was born from creative constraint: competitors were given a theme and a prop and had only a month to turn the concept into a finished film. The result is a thriller that blurs the line between reality and imagination, a compact story in which a writer tests the limits of chaos one mind can conjure before the world pushes back.

James Sweeney’s TWINLESS takes a premise ripe for intrigue — two men bonding in a bereavement support group for twins — and spins it into a darkly funny, emotionally layered story that defies expectations. Written, directed by, and co-starring Sweeney, this Sundance audience award-winner refuses to stay in a single lane. It’s hilarious and biting one moment, deeply moving the next, and even a little shocking when its secrets unravel. The result is one of the year’s most distinctive indie films, anchored by two phenomenal performances.

Chad Hartigan’s THE THREESOME begins as the kind of presumptuous premise you might expect from a raunchy sex comedy: two long-time friends finally hook up and bring in a stranger into the mix for a spontaneous night together. However, rather than relying solely on cheap laughs, the film uses that impulsive encounter as the starting point for something more complex. At its core, it’s a romantic comedy with genuine weight — one willing to ask what happens when a fantasy meets reality, and when adults are forced to grow up in the aftermath.

Anuparna Roy’s feature debut is as modest as its 77-minute runtime suggests, yet its quiet emotional force persists long after the final frame. The film follows Thooya, a migrant actress trying to carve out a place in Mumbai while struggling to survive, and Swetha, a corporate worker who sublets a temporary home from her. The premise seems straightforward, but Roy is far more interested in the inner lives of these women than in melodrama or plot mechanics. What emerges is a deeply humane portrait of two individuals who find each other in a city that rarely slows down long enough to notice anyone.

There’s an unparalleled restlessness in the summer after graduation, a time caught between childhood and adult responsibility. THE RUNAROUNDS leans into that transitional energy with a mix of humor, heart, and plenty of music. Created by Jonas Pate and David Wilcox, this eight-episode Prime Video series follows a Wilmington, North Carolina band made up of recent grads trying to turn a summer into something more. It’s a story full of mistakes, heartbreak, and hope—the kind of messy ambition that feels authentic to anyone who ever dreamed too big, too soon.

PSYCHIC MURDER may only run ten minutes, but it crams in a surprising amount of tension, satire, and complexity into those frames. Directed and co-written by Brandon Block, the film tells the story of Billy (Will Bernish), a struggling young stand-up comic born with a three-fingered hand. Early on, Billy can’t quite find his voice on stage. His jokes lack confidence, and his physical differences are something he avoids fully embracing. The breakthrough comes when he begins folding his own disability into his material, using humor as a way to claim ownership over his body and his story. It’s a moment that feels both triumphant and slightly uneasy, as the film wisely doesn’t present self-deprecating humor as an uncomplicated solution.

Director and co-writer Brandon Christensen has long demonstrated an interest in using horror to explore more than just jump scares. The film’s setting—a quiet 1980s suburb where Halloween is still a community event—immediately feels familiar, yet the story avoids playing like a mere nostalgia cliche. Instead, it builds suspense by centering on Deena (Jessica Clement), a college student reluctantly taking a last-minute babysitting job while back home for the weekend. It’s a premise that sounds classic on paper. Still, Christensen and his brother Ryan give it a fresh twist by intersecting Deena’s ordeal with the investigation of Sheriff Rod (Ryan Robbins), who receives a chilling package suggesting a previous murder may only be the beginning.

Sometimes the most unexpected journeys carry the deepest emotional weight. DARUMA takes that familiar notion and reshapes it into a story that’s genuinely heartfelt in its humanity. At its core, this indie drama doesn’t hinge on disability as a narrative gimmick; instead, it highlights fully realized characters who happen to live with disabilities, allowing their complexities to take center stage. While the film started a little slowly, I wasn’t entirely sure where it was going, but it picked up in the second and third acts to offer a complete story that will get you in your feels!

THE INNKEEPERS is the type of ghost story that lingers long after the credits roll, not because it overwhelms you with cheap jolts, but because it patiently wraps you in unease until the silence itself feels threatening. Ti West’s 2011 indie gem has always thrived on atmosphere, and with Dark Sky Selects bringing it back in a fully restored 4K UHD steelcase release, its reputation as one of the most effective modern slow-burn horrors feels more solid than ever.

How do you confront a silence that’s lasted over four decades? Min Sook Lee’s THERE ARE NO WORDS begins with that question and carries it with determination through every frame. It’s a documentary that refuses to look away from a family’s wounds, even when the pain is too heavy to articulate. The result is a deeply personal film that expands far beyond one individual’s story, speaking to generational trauma and the complex intersections of memory, love, and loss.

Some short films lean on whimsy, but what makes THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS compelling is how it threads the timeless qualities of a fable with the artistry of stop-motion animation. In just under twenty minutes, Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski transform grief, devotion, and temptation into a cautionary tale that feels both rooted in centuries-old storytelling and strikingly relevant today.

Country music’s origins are often romanticized, but THE MUSIC WE CALL COUNTRY does something better: it traces the genre’s roots with detail and genuine affection for the people that shaped its sound. At just under an hour, Greg Gross’ documentary is concise yet not rushed, offering an exploration of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and the first wave of country superstars, including Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.

Family dinners are rarely as peaceful as the movies make them out to be. SUNDAY SAUCE leans into that chaos, delivering a bold, biting, and unexpectedly moving portrait of identity and inheritance—all packed into a brisk 14 minutes. Writer-director Matt Campanella’s short, fresh off its selection at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, proves that he has a knack for finding the emotional fault lines hidden beneath familiar rituals.