VIP + Weekend Passes for the 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival presented by Regions Bank (August 18 – 24) are NOW ON SALE! Get yours at the lowest price of the year before prices increase June 1. Full ticketing info can be found below.
The Sidewalk Film Festival programming team is also pleased to announce 31 films included in the Festival lineup, expanding our Spotlight Night offerings from a single film each evening to two blocks of films for your enjoyment! Join us each evening for a themed night starting with a Happy Hour at 5:00pm, followed by 2 blocks of films.
For the 6:00pm block, our programming team has selected a range of short films that encapsulate the evening’s theme. These 27 films include animated, narrative, and documentary films from Alabama filmmakers, as well as filmmakers from across the country and around the globe. (See below for short film list and synopses.)
Stay for a feature-length film each evening at 8:00, starting with Forward, Ever on Monday for our Alabama Spotlight Night, followed by Baby Doe for our Life + Liberty Spotlight Night on Tuesday. Don’t miss Love Me Bait Me: The Power of Queer Representation on Wednesday for our SHOUT Spotlight Night and Paint Me A Road Out of Here on Thursday for our Black Lens Spotlight Night!
Alabama Film Spotlight Night (August 18)
What If? Directed by Emma Bradley Bothwell • 1:59 • USA • Cassidy learns that nervousness is a two-way street as she tries to speak to her crush.
The Wilhelm Scream Directed by Anna Quinlan • 11:50 • USA • The Wilhelm Scream has made an appearance in hundreds of films, TV shows, video games, and commercials over the past 70 years. Now discover the story behind the most infamous joke in cinema history.
Fail Year Directed by Beau Shepherd, Apollo Shepherd • 2:17 • USA • After moving to a city, we watch as a man proceeds to have the worst year of his life. Perhaps the new year will kick off on a higher note.
It Draws Closer Directed by Joshua David Matthews • 4:30 • USA • A young woman discovers the creature she just sketched is in the bedroom with her.
Next Show in 90 Minutes Directed by John T. Hill • 7:20 • USA • A routine both natural and unnatural unfolds in the heart of one of America’s most cherished landscapes. Content Warning: This film contains mild body horror and brief violence.
b[Reach] Directed by Rachel Hendrix • 10:45 • USA • A mother struggling with postpartum intrusive thoughts confronts her mental state in a desperate phone call.
A Place to Be Fed Directed by Billy Ivey • 19:46 • USA • James Harris strives to create a self-sustaining and replicable place of hope, healing, and restoration for food desert communities. The film shines a light on our universal need for healthy food and a place to call our own.
Neither Donkey Nor Horse Directed by Robin Wang • 28:29 • USA • Amidst the outbreak of the 1910 Manchurian Plague, a young Chinese doctor must defy prejudices of both the East and the West to champion his groundbreaking theory of the disease and seek the truth that will heal it.
Forward, Ever Directed by Jason Sciavicco • 1 hour 47 minutes • USA
“For the Love of the Game” is a phrase that is thrown around easily, but for the players on the Birmingham-Southern College baseball team it’s a lifestyle. Far from the money driven world of big-time college athletics and NIL contracts, these are true student athletes that are chasing a dream without scholarships or the perks that come with playing for a major program. Following years of financial difficulty post-Covid and a rollercoaster ride dealing with the state legislature to secure funding, Birmingham-Southern College is out of options and is forced to announce they are closing down. Despite the crushing news and now facing uncertain futures, the BSC Panthers respond with an improbable winning streak that secures a spot in the postseason and lifts the spirit of the BSC faithful. The eclectic collection of players and their inspirational coach are pursuing a legendary playoff run that continues after the demise of the school they play for.
Life + Liberty Spotlight Night (August 19)
The Library Problem Directed by Mell Packard • 5:27 • USA • A short student documentary examining the history and current status of the ongoing battle taking place over LGBTQ+ content in the children’s section of Alabama public libraries.
Failure to Fail Directed by Haley Breese • 20:17 • USA • Delve into the troubling phenomenon of grade inflation in the United States education system. Through the stories of three dedicated teachers, we explore the systemic flaws that push unprepared students through the educational pipeline and consider critical questions about the true value of academic achievements.
The Third Child Directed by Serna Amini • 25:11 • Iran • Mehdi is the only hearing child in a completely deaf family. Now, he is striving to become a professional voice actor and dubbing artist on his new path while navigating the challenges of his family’s circumstance.
The Congress Directed by Eko Krisna • 10:58 • Indonesia • Indonesian activist Rukka Sombolinggi believes the key to confronting climate crisis is to unite and mobilize the Indigenous communities who are often impacted the most. Now, as the first female general secretary of the world’s largest Indigenous Peoples organization, she has the power to do just that.
Exodus Directed by Bob Miller • 24:51 • USA • Meet Musa and Emmanuel, two unlikely heroes, as they facilitate the evacuation of their fellow Sudanese from cities torn by decades of war into the remote Nuba Mountains in Sudan.
Baby Doe Directed by Jessica Earnshaw • 1 hour 40 minutes • USA
At 22, Gail gave birth alone and left her newborn in the woods. Decades later, she’s arrested for murder, even though she says the baby was stillborn. BABY DOE explores the fallout when young women cannot accept the reality of an unplanned pregnancy.
SHOUT Spotlight Night (August 20)
Once Upon a Wetland Directed by Elizabeth Miller-Derstine • 16:00 • USA • As restrictions to drag grow stricter across the country, Durham, North Carolina lets its fur down for the annual Beaver Queen Pageant — a wildly campy, dam-important celebration of queer joy, eco-love, and over-the-top critter cosplay.
Solemates Directed by James Rathbone and Mike Feswick • 12:00 • Canada • The story of a love triangle between a shoe store owner, a customer, and an old pair of shoes.
F*ck That Guy! Directed by Hanna Gray Organshi • 17:33 • USA • 1992 Connecticut. Desperate to keep the attention of her intoxicating older best friend, Frankie sets out to prove that sex is no big deal.
She Raised Me Directed by Ben Lewis • 13:26 • Canada & USA • When a struggling writer discovers he’s dating the son of his favorite actress, he’ll do anything to make (and keep) a meaningful connection.
Hearts of Stone Directed by Tom van Avermaet • 29:55 • Belgium • An unexpected connection between Paula, a lonely street artist, and the mysterious sculpture that inspires her unfolds in this fantastical tale of love, loss, and rediscovery.
Love Me Bait Me: The Power of Queer Representation Directed by Rachel van der Bie • 1 hour 19 minutes • USA
This feature documentary explores the historical relationship between Hollywood, television, and the authentic portrayal of diverse LGBTQ+ experiences over the course of more than a century. Interviews and archival footage provide a critique of the U.S. film industry that emphasizes the life-saving role storytelling plays in our collective imagination for a better future.
Black Lens Spotlight Night (August 21)
UNCAGED Directed by Jay Richardson • 5:19 • USA • A young NIL student-athlete grapples with anxiety, identity, and survivor’s guilt as he navigates the hidden costs of success.
Vainglorious Directed by Oshiomati Gabriel Ugbodaga • 8:15 • USA • When a skilled young boxer and a determined father clash in a traditional Nigerian boxing match, their resilience and pride are put to the ultimate test.
Bloqué Directed by Miguel Ortiz • 6:39 • USA • A drummer with a creative block visually takes the audience down his own memories into the heart of his emotional blockage.
House of Modern Art Directed by Matthew Mugweru • 5:39 • USA • In “House of Modern Art,” an obsessive cult from diverse trades and backgrounds gathers to perform a grotesque ritual, constructing a distorted piece of artwork that serves as their idol of worship.
Heavy Is the Head Directed by Chap Edmonson • 9:24 • USA • An experimental exploration of identity as a young black man learns to navigate the world and the expectations that weigh upon him.
American Dignity Directed by Hanson Hosein • 19:59 • USA • Filmed during the first weeks of 2025, “American Dignity” captures a nation in flux. This short documentary is both a snapshot of a critical moment and a meditation on the enduring tension between progress and backlash.
Livestreams with GrandmaPuzzles Directed by Emily Sheskin • 6:00 • USA • A lifelong hobby becomes a lifeline for an unexpected Twitch streamer.
Voices of the Academy Directed by Latoria Hicks • 13:14 • USA • Three professors explore the history, significance, and ongoing challenges of African American Vernacular English in education and the United States and reflect on its cultural impact and the fight for linguistic acceptance.
Teddy Directed by Lauren Santucci • 15:55 • USA • Meet Timothy Gant, Jr., “Teddy,” a male birth doula working to improve birth outcomes for Black women in Houston, Texas. As a doula working predominantly with Black women, Timothy helps his clients achieve a positive, safe, and empowering birth on their terms.
Paint Me A Road Out of Here Directed by Catherine Gund • 1 hour 30 minutes • USA
In 1971, underestimated artist Faith Ringgold made a monumental painting for the women incarcerated at Rikers Island jail. Fifty years later, artist Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter, who gave birth in prison 15 years ago, finds herself banding together with an eccentric bunch of activists, politicians, artists, corrections officers and Faith Ringgold to free the painting with the ultimate goal of freeing the women. Paint Me a Road Out of Here is a wild tale of the painting’s whitewashed journey and the two artists who challenge the same powerful, oppressive and persistent institutions, a half century apart with their artwork, their voices and their shared, persistent goals.
Ticketing Info
Each evening during festival week (Monday-Thursday) we will host themed Spotlight Nights, including:
- Happy Hour from 5–7 PM at the bar (no ticket required)
- Spotlight Shorts Block
- Spotlight Feature Film
?️ VIP Passholders:
VIP Passholders can add Spotlight Night Screenings for just $2 ONLY at the time of purchase. If you’d like to decide later, you can add Spotlight Nights for $8 each (normally $15) by emailing your request to our box office ([email protected]).
If you purchased a VIP Pass during our Early Bird Sale (Fall 2024), you will receive an email from our box office staff ([email protected]) about how to apply your VIP perks for Spotlight Nights.
? Members Save 10%!
VIP Passes, Weekend Passes, and Spotlight Night Tickets are automatically discounted at checkout when you’re logged in to your member account. The member discount is not combinable with any other discount or offer.
To purchase passes and for additional information, visit sidewalkfest.com/tix.
We hope you’ll join us for the 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival presented by Regions Bank, August 18 – 24 in Downtown Birmingham!
For more info on the announced films, visit sidewalkfest.com/sched.
Humanity’s first contact with aliens gets the full cinematic treatment in Arrival, where Denis Villeneuve’s deliberate pacing and signature visual style transform the story into something both grand and intimate. By dropping us into the research team’s daily mission briefs, the film makes us feel like participants in the painstaking work of discovery, reminding us just how unglamorous and methodical such a job would really be. At its heart, the story brings us to a crossroads: humanity’s ultimate test isn’t firepower, but communication. They say art imitates life, and Arrival plays less like science fiction and more like a training manual for a future that feels not just possible, but inevitable. Preparations begin this Friday at Sidewalk!
The original Matrix was easily one of those oddly defining sci-fi movies for me as a kid. It was the perfect balance of action, grit, and fantasy for a kid who loved computers, video games, and the occasional roundhouse kick. It stood out at the height of the Y2K craze and really pushed filmmaking techniques into seemingly new territory at the time. Most importantly for me, it gave such a memorable (now almost prophetic) take on the ever evolving digital age.
What I’ve loved about sci-fi movies is their ability to boldly explore the multitude of possibilities that science has to offer humanity, whether it be good or bad. The Matrix is a special sci-fi achievement not only for its sensational technical adventure, but for its mind-blowing premise challenging us to think about our own reality at times. In the digital era we live in, it’s both fascinating and alarming to see how far technology has come as well as how much it will influence our lives. Science fiction stories are not just places we look for something exciting to explore, but also reminders to tread carefully in these explorations into the unknown. A film like The Matrix pushed the boundaries in spectacular fashion as to what sci-fi will be in a modern world, while still providing us a wildly entertaining story we can’t ever forget.
Men in Black is such a fun introduction to Sci-Fi films! Vincent D’Onofrio’s performance is jaw dropping. The aliens are iconic. I have fond memories of Happy Meal tie-in toys based on the characters. This film, as goofy as it is, really makes you think about the world around you and the people you interact with everyday.
Wall•E is such a heartwarming and kind story amongst a dystopian/futuristic/sci-fi background. It’s iconic and a must-see in theaters!
Josh Hickman, Vice President
Jamie Plott, Treasurer
Laura Chappell, Board Member
Gail Pless, Board Member
The schedule for 
This Is Ballroom 
The White House Effect 
Fucktoys 
Two People Exchanging Saliva (Narrative Short)
Order for Ben (Narrative Short)
It Comes in Waves
The Last Dance (Narrative Short)
Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner (Documentary Short)
Our SHOUT screenings are sponsored by Birmingham AIDS Outreach.
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2020s: 
Forward, Ever 
