Film Independent

09/14/2026

‘The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs’ had its world premiere at !

Film Independent recently supported the project and director Èlia Gasull Balada in the 2026 Documentary Story Lab. Producer Maria Altamirano is also a , and has participated in Fast Track 2020, Producing Lab 2020 and the Imaginar Producers Residency 2023.

The documentary follows 75-year-old Indigenous artist Sara Flores emerges from the Peruvian Amazon into the global contemporary art scene.

Congrats to our Fellows!

09/14/2026

This month's Always Remember screenings are available to watch NOW!

Watch 'Pepi Fandango' and 'Disposable Humanity', two incredible films showcasing the powerful stories of the Holocaust. Includes pre-recorded Q&As with filmmakers writer/director/producer Lucija and writer/director Cameron S. Mitchell.

Registration closes soon. Sign up for FREE: https://bit.ly/4bqRuon

In partnership with the Cayton-Goldrich Family Foundation and Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany).

09/14/2026

🚨 FINAL DAY to apply to the 2027 Screenwriting Lab!

Over two weeks, screenwriters receive individualized story and career development, meet film industry veterans and pitch to industry executives.

Accepted Fellows may also be eligible for the $25k Climate Entertainment Development grant, or a $10k cash grant through one of these Fellowships:

• Cayton-Goldrich Family Foundation Fellowship (for a Jewish filmmaker)
• MPAC Hollywood Bureau Fellowship (for a filmmaker who identifies as American-Muslim)
• 191 Fellowship (for a South Asian or South Asian American filmmaker)

Join as a ➡️ Submit your fiction screenplay NOW: https://bit.ly/FiScreenwritingLab

09/13/2026

Registration opens soon for Industry Connect at on September 25-26! 🤝

Don’t miss this opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with agents, casting directors, distributors, funding organizations, production companies and other industry professionals.

General Registration opens Thursday, September 17, but spots fill up fast! Join as an Arts Circle, Filmmaker Pro or Secret Member for priority registration.

Passes are ON SALE NOW: https://bit.ly/FiForumS

09/13/2026

This National Grandparents’ Day is a reminder that we need more grandmas as action heroes, leading ladies and everything in between. ❤️🎬

Inspired by stories like ‘Thelma’, starring Nominee June Squibb, we’re producing five short films with generous support from the Humana Foundation.

With five teams of two filmmakers, these films will celebrate the vital roles and contributions of seniors to society.

Applications open soon. Learn more: https://news.humana.com/press-room/press-releases/2026/the-humana-foundation-deepens-investment-in-emotional-health-?fbclid=IwY2xjawURYjxwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMTVEOUZoN1kwemprVkxib2tzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-tYDJqvNwpKguWQN9oxwp83wLexIBb46qrH9MUZqgrDwiEzpsdgai64kKr8_aem_s_H3KfYbNPgy-nygL3PUUg

📸: The 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

09/10/2026

The 2026 Film Independent Forum brings you not just one, but TWO keynotes from . ✨

HIKARI (‘Rental Family’) will kick off the Forum on Friday, followed by director-producer team Elegance Bratton and Chester Algernal Gordon (‘By Any Means’) on Saturday.

Join us September 25–26 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles for two days of panels, workshops, one-on-one meetings, networking and candid conversations about navigating today’s film industry.

Learn more about what's in store this year: https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/the-film-independent-forum-returns-with-two-keynotes-from-hikari-and-director-producer-team-elegance-bratton-chester-algernal-gordon/

🎟️ Check out the full lineup and grab your pass ( get a discount!): https://bit.ly/FiForumS

📸: Corey Nickols (L); Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures (R)

09/09/2026

‘Atonement’, a 2026 Cannes Director’s Fortnight premiere! Following will be an in-person Q&A with writer/director Reed Van Dyk and actors Boyd Holbrook and Hiam Abbass.

As the Khachaturian family navigates the war-torn streets of Baghdad during the Iraq War, one Marine makes a devastating split-second decision. Years later, haunted by his time in Iraq and aided by a New Yorker journalist, the Marine seeks to reconcile with the family.

🗓️ Tuesday, September 22 at 7:30 pm
📍 Harmony Gold Preview House
🎟️ Tickets:

Film Independent Members, you and a guest are invited to a theatrical screening of Atonement, including an in-person conversation with writer/director

09/08/2026

TheGrill, TheWrap's flagship conference, returns SEP 29-30 in LA!

Join 300+ executives, entrepreneurs and innovators across film, TV, music, streaming, tech and media on the trends shaping the future of entertainment. One paid ticket to TheGrill includes complimentary access to AI Creator Day.

Buy your tickets here: https://thegrill2026.splashthat.com/

09/08/2026

a theatrical screening of ‘Desert Angel’, followed by a Q&A with with director/producer Vincent DeLuca, and producer, editor and TFTV alum Jillian Corsie. Presented in partnership with the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV).

After risking everything to cross the border from Mexico to the US, Rafael Larraenza spends 25 years tirelessly searching the desert to rescue lost immigrants and recover remains. Despite needing a double hip replacement, Rafael risks his life again and helps a Salvadoran mother find her son.

‘Desert Angel’ won Best Feature Documentary at the Austin Film Festival! Associate producer, Skinner Myers, is a Film Independent Fellow who was a recipient of the 2025 Amplifier Fellowship.

🗓️ Monday, September 14 at 7:30 pm
📍 Landmark Sunset
🎟️ Tickets:

Presented in partnership with the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV), Film Independent Members and a guest are invited to

09/05/2026

September is a month for some truly compelling films, many of which you can see right here at a Film Independent Presents screening!

But even if your selection happens to be fully booked, you can catch any of these in theaters or on streaming – documentaries on lesser-known victims of the Third Reich, immigration or concrete, narrative films on dancing, war, and getting back at your ex by producing a musical.

🎞️ Read the full list on the blog: https://bit.ly/4gSUDPy

✍: Cortney Matz

It’s a month for some truly compelling films, many of which you can see right here at a Film Independent Presents member screening. But even if your