This month, our team is covering the Slamdance Film Festival, an experimental festival celebrating independent and startup filmmakers.
With a dedication to diversity and inclusion, Slamdance recently launched Slamdance Unstoppable for filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities. Beyond the Unstopable program, in an effort to build a community of disruptive filmmakers, the non-profit hosts workshops, mentorship programs, and exhibition opportunities.
This year’s festival will take place from February 19 to 25, 2026, in Los Angeles, CA. Danny Jarabek, Nandita Joshi, and Gabe Lillianthal preview their most anticipated titles.
Danny Jarabek
Danny is My Boyfriend, dir. Mechi Lakatos and Lucy Sandler
After co-creating the short film The Weight of a Dog, which showcased Dawn (Brooke Smith) chaperoning her daughter’s abortion through her own psychological journey of womanhood, the director duo Mechi Lakatos and Lucy Sandler are sharing their first feature film effort at Slamdance 2026 in the Narrative Feature category.
The film’s title Danny is My Boyfriend, undoubtedly caught my eye, but the premise is even more compelling. Starring themselves, the two characters discover they are dating the same man and fumble their way through a revenge plot against their shared partner. It’s the kind of idea you can’t wait to see play out, even if it means sacrificing any goodwill toward my shared name titular character.
BRAILLED IT, dir. David Grabias
Over in the Unstoppable Features category, David Grabias is premiering his latest documentary, BRAILLED IT, which follows a group of blind and low-vision kids who take control of the cameras and capture their own experiences at the annual Braille Challenge, an annual literacy competition akin to a spelling bee for sighted children.
Both the material and the format are compelling, given that the film will explore a coming-of-age POV from an underrepresented community while also challenging formal conventions by having the kids operate through memories. Davoperates has had an acclaimed career in documentary work, and this addition will be a unique one in his Emmy-award-winning career.
Gabe Lillianthal
Tony Odyssey, dir. Thales Banzai
Since the ‘90s, Thales Banzai has made a name for himself in the Brazilian film scene. His projects have ranged from experimental shorts, music videos, skating videos, commercials, and documentaries. Even with all of that experience, Tony Odyssey will mark the first time Banzai has applied his talents to a feature film.
In this stylish black-and-white drama, he works with his wife, Ivy, and they steal a powerful drug that takes them on a journey that confronts their morality and spirituality head-on. This provocative film will undoubtedly be one of the most unique experiences in the Narrative Feature category.
Dump of Untitled Pieces, dir. Melik Kuru
Dump of Untitled Pieces will be making its North American premiere at Slamdance and is the feature directorial debut of Melik Kuru. Melik is a true Turkish artist who has worked as an editor, producer, writer, and director. His versatility as a filmmaker makes this Narrative selection one to watch out for.
This dramedy centers on Asli (played by Manolya Maya), a photographer who is scrambling to get her work sold before she gets evicted. There is a strong emphasis on interrogating Istanbul’s art market with humor and humanity in a way that feels incredibly singular. Dump of Untitled Pieces is looking like a transportational piece of artwork that will surely be relatable to any creative minds out there.
The Projectionist, dir. Alexandre Rockwell
Longtime independent director Alexandre Rockwell has a storied history with film festivals. In 1992, his film In The Soup, starring Steve Buscemi, won the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. At the Venice Film Festival in 1992 and 1994, he competed for the Golden Lion for In The Soup and Somebody to Love, which stars Harvey Keitel and Rosie Perez. Suffice to say, Rockwell has had a storied career that continues with The Projectionist.
The titular projectionist, played by Vondie Curtis-Hall, centers around his troubled past resurfacing, forcing a long-awaited confrontation. The premise converges trauma and the cinema in very overt ways, while also sprinkling in intriguing crime elements. The film is also produced by Quentin Tarantino, making it all the more exciting to anticipate.
Nandita Joshi
Actors turned directors were all the craze in 2025, with the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart, and Kate Winslet making their feature-length directorial debuts, showing what an actor’s eyes can bring to the directing seat. Coming off the success of her short turned debut feature-length film, Okie (2024), Kate Cobb continues her journey from acting to directing with her sophomore film, BRB, which is playing as part of the Breakout Feature line-up.
The story follows two sisters taking a road trip to meet a guy one of them had been messaging online. Promising to be a nostalgia-fuelled ride, BRB transports us back to the mid-2000s in what is shaping up to be a cathartic, messy celebration of sisterhood and early internet culture.
The Plan, dir. Jessica Barr
Over the years, countless films have been shot primarily in one location. From The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), and The Father (2020), these are all films that make the most of the space they are working with. Simultaneously, shooting anything in one take can be seen as gimmicky, but it can be done flawlessly, building tension in the most miraculous way, as recently seen in the limited series Adolescence (2025).
Combined, it is a hard feat to master, but when executed correctly, it can lead to wondrous filmmaking. Writer and director Jessica Barr attempts to achieve this in her latest narrative feature, The Plan, in which a group of young activists plots to make a massive political statement at a graduation ceremony. It is a recipe for stress in this anxiety-inducing, turned absurdist comedy, so buckle in for the 74-minute ride.
Preview Courtesy of The Rolling Tape Team
Feature Image from ‘Tony Odyssey’ by Thales Banzai