JUDGE NO BOOK to Open Festival of Cinema NYC's 10th Anniversary Edition

Festival of Cinema NYC returns to the Regal UA Midway in Forest Hills for the 10th Anniversary edition of the popular Queens-based film festival, running from August 7-16. The festival opens with the world premiere of Christopher Mormando's crime drama Judge No Book and closes with Kristina Klebe's stylish dramatic thriller Noxturne.

This year the festival is putting a strong focus on 1st time feature filmmakers who are just launching their careers. Attendees can expect over 100 independent films, both feature length and short length, of all genres and topics including comedies, dramas, horror thrillers, documentaries, music videos, web & TV episodic projects, and animation films. In addition, the festival will once again be offering free film related workshops and seminars all week long at the Queens Library in Forest Hills, including a work in progress preview screening of the film Jewface written and directed by past festival winner and current Board Member Melissa Center.

The 10th Annual celebration is packed with special presentations. For the first time ever the festival is holding special $10 matinee screenings throughout the week from past Audience Choice Award winners followed by an in-depth Q&A with the filmmakers, while a presentation of past Audience Choice Short films will include live commentary by the filmmakers during their screening.

Special guest for this year's festival is Forest Hills native director Todd Strauss-Schulson who will be in attendance for the 15th Anniversary screening of his hit comedy A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas.

Following the success of last year, Film Underground returns with another batch of 10 'mystery' short films that will be seen for the first time by the audience in attendance as well as the staff of both Film Underground and Festival of Cinema NYC.

Festival of Cinema NYC Founder and Executive Director Jayson Simba, said, 'This year's 10th Anniversary edition of FOC NYC strikes a balance between looking back at some of the film festival's most popular films from past editions, while platforming exciting new work by filmmakers at the beginning of their careers. I feel this year's programming truly spotlights the next generation of filmmakers. Along with our free seminars for those that are looking to raise their game, it all goes to the heart of what FOC NYC has been about over the past decade: highlighting why we love to come to the movie theater and celebrating the artistic accomplishments of our filmmakers who foster that connection between us.'

The world premiere of Christopher Mormando's crime drama Judge No Book opens the film festival on Friday, August 7. In the film, a man struggles to protect his mother and daughter as his past resurfaces in deadly ways. When old ties come calling, he is forced to confront what he is willing to sacrifice for a different future. The screening will be preceded by the world premiere of Tarik Rashaan Davis and Laura K. Nicoll's short film, We're Not in Harlem Anymore.

Saturday, August 15 will feature the Closing Night presentation of Kristina Klebe's dramatic thriller Noxturne. The film follows a famed concert pianist who suffers a freak accident which causes a critical spinal injury. While struggling to heal, her boyfriend's star begins to shine. Desperately waiting to regain feeling in her legs, Mia's physical wounds begin to creep more than skin-deep as she questions whether the man she loved is slowly taking everything that once was hers. Drawing from Klebe's own recovery following a life-altering spinal injury, Noxturne blends psychological suspense with dreamlike surrealism, exploring themes of bodily vulnerability, control, desire, and identity through a distinctly female lens. The screening will be preceded by Jason Hyun Kim's short film, Selfless.

This year's FOC NYC Special Presentation will feature Todd Strauss-Schulson's A Very Harold And Kumar Christmas (2011). The holiday sequel in the popular Harold And Kumar franchise, begins when Kumar arrives on Harold's doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand. However, he inadvertently burns down Harold's father-in-law's beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find a tree to replace it before anyone finds out. Strauss-Schulson will be on hand for a post-screening Q&A.

Celebrating the best of FOC NYC's first ten years, 4 winners of the Audience Choice feature films will be screened and followed by a Q&A with the cast and crews from those films. Those films include Charles Caracciolo's We Were All Nobody's (2019), Samuel Tressler IV's Leda (2021), Casey Nelson and Marchelle Thurman's Black White and the Greys (2022), and Derek Shane Garcia's A/way (2024). 5 winners of past Audience Choice short film winners will screen with cast and crew delivering live commentary while the film plays, following a non-commentary screening. Those films include Bec Fordyce's The Karening (2021), Daniel Merino Villavicencio's Sweet Pea & Glass (2022), Melissa Rodriguez's Helado (2023), Priscilla Zanni's Wrong Move (2024), and Richie Ellis' Loose Change (2025).

Additional highlights among the narrative selections include Adam Seidel's neo-noir thriller Anywhere, which follows a hard-working oilfield hand who discovers his wife and his brother have been plotting to run away together. That discovery sets off a chain of irreversible consequences. Cameron Cole's gay romantic farce Glitterbaited focuses on a heavyset guy and his attractive friend who team up to win over the heart of a boy they've both fallen in love with. Adam Jumba's critically-acclaimed coming-of-age road drama Lone Rider stars Dexter: New Blood's Jack Alcott as a young man who steals back his beat-up '89 Mustang from his estranged father and takes off with no plan beyond the next mile. Ed Huether's The Proctor follows a rebellious slacker who has spent nearly forty years repeating his senior year. Now 56 and still roaming the halls of his high school, he faces his greatest challenge yet when his bizarre existence as the world's oldest senior looks like it could be over.

On the documentary front, Brett Buescher's Driven By Angels follows 62-year-old stuntman and dragboard pioneer Vaughn Shafer as he attempts to reclaim a world speed record 25 years after setting it for one final shot at history in this inspiring story of perseverance, friendship, and purpose. Francesco Saviano's On The Line examines the world of New York City boxing and the long-shot nature of becoming a champion in one of the most unforgiving of all sports.

Festival of Cinema NYC has been known for its short film programs since its inception, and this year's slate of programs will feature the following themes:

• Romance and Coming of Age
• Midnight Madness Horror Shorts
• NYC Local Shorts
• Queens Local Shorts
• International Short Films
• Web & TV Serial Episodics
• Animation/Experimental

FOC NYC's always popular programming and events at the Queens Library in Forest Hills which, in addition to the work-in-progress screening of Melissa Center's latest film, Jewface, will include staged readings from the Top 10 entries to this year's script competition, panels and talks featuring 'Getting Your Film Off the Ground with Intrinsic Value Films,' 'A Town Hall on AI hosted by Marmalaide AI,' 'Casting Workshop with Bob Luke,' 'The Future of Film Distribution with Hayden Films,' a RiseFlix presentation, 'Pitching and Packaging Your Film presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute,' and 'Reaching Audiences with VIMooz Cinema.'

Festival of Cinema NYC is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Funding for this year's festival was also provided in part by the Mosaic Network and Fund, and The Mathis-Pfohl Foundation, as well as an anonymous donation from members of Americans for the Arts Foundation. Sponsors for the 2026 Festival of Cinema NYC include: Aminov Law Group, Resorts World NYC, A&P Dispensary, Raising Cane's Chicken, Target, and Ponce Bank. Award sponsors include XTRA, Soundview Media Partners, Aigner Chocolates, Ink Tip, Mongo Media Solutions, and Silver Sound.

Tickets to Opening and Closing night are $35 and include entry and free drinks to a festival sponsored afterparty. Tickets to all other regular screenings are $20. (Weekday Matinee screenings are $10) All library presentations are free to the general public.

2026 FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

Judge No Book

Director: Christopher Mormando
Country: United States; Running Time: 105 min

After surviving an attempted murder in the same diner where his father was killed, a conflicted man is dragged back into a ruthless criminal world he thought he left behind. With his family in the crosshairs, escape may no longer be an option.

Preceded by

We're Not In Harlem Anymore

Directors: Tarik Rashaan Davis, Laura K. Nicoll
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 min

We're Not in Harlem Anymore is a pulpy throwback to detective classics like The Maltese Falcon and Murder My Sweet and inserts Black representation into a genre where it's glaringly missing––noir.

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

Noxturne

Director: Kristina Klebe
Country: United States; Running Time: 93 min

Days before a solo performance at Carnegie Hall, world-renowned pianist Mia Nox suffers a spine-shattering accident. Without the ability to press the pedals and in the care of her increasingly duplicitous boyfriend, Mia's wounds begin to creep more than skin-deep as she is forced to endure a waking nightmare - one in which she must learn to embrace her shadow to press the pedals again.

Preceded by

Selfless

Director: Jason Hyun Kim
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 min

Hemi waits at home for her son Hari visiting from college. Hemi reveals that his father's terminally ill. A secret she kept to avoid distracting Hari from his studies. Suspicious, Hari confronts Hemi who reveals a chilling plan: Jong's life insurance payout will fund Hari's tuition. Horrified, Hari rushes Jong to the hospital. Dawn approaches, Hemi is prepared for the next steps.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

A Very Harold And Kumar Christmas (2011)

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Country: United States; Running Time: 89 min

Six years have elapsed since Guantanamo Bay, leaving Harold and Kumar estranged from one another with very different families, friends and lives. But when Kumar arrives on Harold's doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand, he inadvertently burns down Harold's father-in-law's beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find the perfect Christmas tree, once again stumbling into trouble at every single turn.

FILM UNDERGROUND

The 'Film Underground' is a NYC-based screening series and collective run by filmmaker Tzvi, focusing on showcasing lesser-known films from around the world. For the first time ever Festival of Cinema NYC will be partnering with Film Underground and founder Tzvi to present 10 short films all under 10 minutes that have been randomly picked to screen raffle style.

ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS

A/way

Director: Derek Shane Garcia
Country: United States; Running Time: 62 min

After suffering a profound loss, a travel journalist is sent on assignment to Martinique, which sparks a candid reflection on her unsettled life. Blending the lines between documentary and narrative, A/way focuses on the stories of the people Anna profiles in Martinique (played by non-actors), which pushes her to examine her path forward coming to terms with her grief. This film is a unique take on one's place in life. Is this all there is, or is there another way?

Anywhere

Director: Adam Seidel
Country: United States; Running Time: 101 min

Anywhere is a gripping neo-noir thriller. The story follows John, a hard-working oilfield hand who comes home unexpectedly, eager to share news of a life-changing promotion. Instead, he discovers his wife, Syd, and his own brother, Cody, have been plotting to run away together. A brutal confrontation explodes into violence, and sets off a chain of irreversible consequences.

Black White and the Greys

Director: Casey Nelson, Marchelle Thurman
Country: United States; Running Time: 99 min

Jordie and Caleb Grey seem to have it all. A beautiful Atlanta home, seven years of marriage, and an adorable daughter. But when a pandemic forces them to quarantine together, the events of 2020 slowly expose how differently they see the world. Black White And The Greys is an unflinching, funny, and heartbreaking look at marriage, race, and the fault lines that year cracked open.

Can You Stand The Rain

Director: Eden Marryshow
Country: United States; Running Time: 92 min

When beloved children's author Shawn Xavier Brown dies unexpectedly, his lifelong friends reunite for a funeral weekend that becomes a reckoning. As old wounds, buried dreams, and hidden tensions resurface, they confront the lives they've built, the loves they've lost, and the people they hoped to become. Can You Stand The Rain is a moving exploration of friendship, grief, identity, and the power of connection.

Downtown Utopia

Director: Yuki Otsuka
Country: Japan; Running Time: 78 min

Escaping her controlling mother, Naomi finds shelter in a downtown shared house. Encounters with its eccentric residents help her heal old wounds and reclaim her identity.

Glitterbaited

Director: Cameron Cole
Country: United States; Running Time: 108 min

Charles, an under-confident heavyset guy and Christian, his conventionally attractive friend team up to win over the heart of Rocky, the incredible boy they've both fallen in love with in a modern gay romantic farce adaptation of the classic French play Cyrano de Bergerac.

Hallelujah Station

Director: Christian Walker
Country: United States; Running Time: 45 min

Manny, the janitor at an asylum discovers that Maddie, a catatonic girl broadcasts radio signals through the fillings in her teeth. Drawn to her silence and strange gift, he kidnaps her to his farmhouse, where obsession, tenderness, and delusion blur together and they form an unlikely friendship.

Leda

Director: Samuel Tressler IV
Country: United States; Running Time: 76 min

Leda lives alone in her sprawling family estate, weighed down by loss. After losing her mother to illness and her father to a hunting accident, she retreats into isolation, haunted by spying animals and unsettling dreams. As her grief deepens, her belly begins to swell, though there is no husband and no explanation. A mysterious swan starts appearing at the estate, stirring a growing turmoil within her and pulling her further from reality. What happened at the pond? And what terrible thing is growing inside her? When a concerned relative arrives, they find the house in disarray and Leda drifting through her days in a trance-like state. As the swan's appearances become more frequent, Leda grows desperate to hide the truth, convinced that destroying the bird will keep her secrets buried. Consumed by fear, guilt, and delusion, Leda descends into a waking nightmare that culminates in birth, revelation, and tragedy.

Lone Rider

Director: Adam Jumba
Country: United States; Running Time: 87 min

Twenty-five-year-old Tyler steals back his beat-up '89 Mustang from his estranged father and takes off with no plan beyond the next mile. Chasing a Facebook post and the fading memory of a teenage crush, he drifts through middle-of-nowhere diners, old stomping grounds, and midnight highways, crossing paths with old friends, strangers, and moments that feel like echoes of another life.

The Poetry of Failure

Director: Holger Borggrefe
Country: Germany; Running Time: 96 min

A long time ago Gunther wrote one successful book. When his daughter Carla moves back in with him, he decides to write a new novel: The Poetry Of Failure, an undertaking that pushes Gunther and Carla to the limits in their relationship.

The Proctor

Director: Ed Huether
Country: United States; Running Time: 120 min

After failing to graduate in 1986, rebellious slacker Jack Schotz has spent nearly forty years repeating his senior year. Now 56 and still roaming the halls of his high school, Jack faces his greatest challenge yet when a new state exam threatens to finally end his bizarre existence as the world's oldest senior.

Spoken For-The Movie

Director: Jeeve
Country: United States; Running Time: 56 min

Spoken For is a visual album unfolding across 12 interconnected music videos. It follows a personal journey of love, insecurity, and transformation, as the protagonist travels through emotional landscapes, confronting their past to redefine their future self.

Stay

Director: Fred Goss
Country: United States; Running Time: 90 min

Julian, a successful yet jaded TV producer, returns home to reconnect with the family of his dead friend Denny -- and navigate a spectral 'Traveler' tasked with retrieving Denny's errant soul. Humor and poignancy collide as the living and the dead negotiate forgiveness, connection, and the desire to experience life fully. Whether that's sweet redemption or just another taste of bluefish.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS

Driven By Angels

Director: Brett Buescher
Country: United States; Running Time: 77 min

Driven By Angels follows 62-year-old stuntman and dragboard pioneer Vaughn Shafer as he attempts to reclaim a world speed record 25 years after setting it. Battling age, injuries, and impossible odds, Vaughn risks everything for one final shot at history in this inspiring story of perseverance, friendship, and purpose.

On The Line

Director: Francesco Saviano
Country: United States; Running Time: 111 min

A feature length documentary that examines the world of New York City boxing and the long-shot nature of becoming a champion in one of the most unforgiving of all sports.

We Were All Nobody's

Director: Charles Caracciolo
Country: United States; Running Time: 70 min

SHORT FILMS

• 3 Minutos — Director: Douglas Ryan; Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min
• A Fateful Weekend — Director: Tony Doupé; Country: United States; Running Time: 14 min

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