In only his second year that exists, Popcorn list – a survey of acclaimed (But still not distributed) feature films that debuted on Major or Regional film Festivals Over the past year and will be highly recommended by festival programmers – take a big step forward. Next month, the creators of the list will host different pop -up screening events, both on theaters and practically, to showcase the same films they have proclaimed.
The pop-up series contains eight films from the 2025 list-seven from the first time functional directors, six directed by women, three documentaries and five fiction features-and will not only provide space for eager audiences to see these star films, but will also offer a unique model for both marketing and profit.
The series will offer what will be invoiced as a “collective and transparent model”, and participating filmmakers (and other partners) will work from a centralized marketing strategy that is controlled by the product of culture and connecting their projects with new eyeballs and lift all films in the series (while giving awareness to Popcorn list as a whole).
In addition to a traditional indie movie 50/50 Box Office Split, some of each ticket sold will enter a filmmaker Solidarity Pool, shared evenly among all participating titles. Filmmakers retain full rights to their films. Tax deductible donations, which will contribute to the campaign, Can be done here via TFC’s fiscal sponsor program.
“For each film in today’s landscape, it is important to find new audience pointing points-and to work in collaboration to support each other’s films is an exciting model,” said TPL founder Lela Meadow-Conner and Kathy Susca from the film collaboration in an official statement. “We are grateful to all players – the festival programs, cinemas, our partners who help this take shape and especially the filmmakers, who exploit their social capital to highlight each other’s films in addition to their own. We hope this will be a brand -building opportunity for those as narrator and exciting for audience looking for new stories, now.”
In-person Screenings will take place at Various Venues-Cinéspeak (Philadelphia), The Downer Theater (Milwaukee), Filmscene (Iowa City), The Independent Picture House (Charlotte), The Roxie Theater (San Francisco), (Seattle), The State Theater (Traverse City), The Nightlight Cinema (Akron), and Vidiots (Los Angeles) -2-28 September. All films will contain a pre -recorded introduction from the filmmakers and programmers who recommended the film to the popcorn list. You can get personal tickets here.
Virtual views will be available September 25 – 30 via Eventive. They will also include includes a pre -recorded introduction from the filmmakers and programmers who recommended the film to the popcorn list. These tickets are here.
The following films will be included in the pop -up series, with information and languages provided by TPL and the participating programs:
“Ashima,” Dir. Kenji Tsukamoto (Crystal Merrill, Festival Director, Mountain movie) VIRTUAL
“Ashima” is an intimate portrait of elite climber Ashima Shiraishi when traveling to South Africa to try to become the youngest person in the world to climb a V14 -gramed boulder problem. The accompanying Ashima is Poppo, an eccentric, hermit -like, retired avant -garde dancers, who also happen to be her father. Emotional and anchored in character, “Ashima” is a love letter that not only climbs, but for immigrant parents and the realization of the American dream.
“Brooklyn, Minnesota,” You. Jessica Blank, Erik Jensen (Mirab Blaustin, Managing Director, Woodstock Festival) VIRTUAL
When grandfather she never knew dies suddenly, 14-year-old 14-year-old Maisie and her artist’s father Kurt are to leave the boundaries of their Brooklyn bubble to return to Kurt’s memorial childhood home-where Maisie will increase old family patterns, fall in love and force her family to return each other and themselves.
“Clocked”, dir. Noah Salzman (Jason Hoffman, Programmer, Indy Film Fest) VIRTUAL
Adolfo Rivera is an 18-year-old boxer from a conservative Catholic family in Miami, who secretly saves his winnings for the greatest struggle in their lives: Self-acceptance in their desire to transfer to a woman. Fortunately, this journey for self -acceptance leads to mentoring from the local traction community and shows Adolfo the importance of having the right people in your corner even outside the ring.
“All you have is yours,” dir. Tatyana Tenenbaum (Dan Brawley, CEO, Cucalorus) VIRTUAL
NYC-based choreographer Hadar Ahuvia interrogates the roots to the Israeli folk dances she grew up and danced with her mother in the United States, which confronts romanticized stories about her grandparents, settlements in the 1930s Palestine, Ahuvia goes into a personal journey to count on the founding mythologies and transgresses.
“If this Mockingbird doesn’t sing,” dir. Sadie Bones (Judith Laster, Founder/Director, Woods Hole Film Festival) PERSONALLY
After being brutally dumped, 17-year-old Sydnie discovers that she is pregnant. When she sees this as an opportunity to get her ex back and give her a direction of life, she decides to keep the child. She soon realizes that this will not be the quick fix she had hoped for and is in a complicated love triangle and completely lost.
“New Wave,“ Dir. Elizabeth Ai (Sky Sitney, Co -founder, Festival Director, DC/DOX) PERSONALLY
Mile-high hair. Synthesized sound. Teenage uprising. Elizabeth AI was on the task of digging an countless story about rebellious punk in the chaotic world of the 80’s Vietnamese New Wave until she revealed a hidden past. What begins as an exploration of the uprising and freedom in this subculture develops into a deep story of identity, loss and healing.
“All the pot”, dir. Sherise Dorf (Paul Sloop, Head of Programming, Cordillera International Film Festival) PERSONALLY
A comedy of errors follows when the empty Nester Rachel quickly sends a gift to Charlie, a former colleague, after receiving his wedding invitation. The young couple’s wedding gets Rachel out of his eternal state of Ennui in his own marriage and gives unexpected tension that accidentally causes speculation about infidelity. When one domino falls after another, cracks start in their respective relationships, especially when Rachel’s husband Adam becomes obsessed with getting back his wedding present: The Everything Pot.
“To kill a wolf,” dir. Kelsey Taylor (second seward, programming director, Tallgrass Film Festival) VIRTUAL
On the outskirts of Oregon Wilderness, two strangers are combined with troubled times when a recurring forest discovers a teenage escape, Dani, hypothermic and barely conscious in the forest. After saving Dani from the elements, the forest goes on a frightened to take the teenager to his grandmother and the two become unlikely travel buddies. As they cross the state, they fake an unexpected band and test their abilities to trust each other. In the end, with each other’s help, they will meet the demons that haunt them and discover a way to start their lives again.
The initiative is presented by However, though and Film cooperationand enabled with generous support from AspectThe Hope for filmThe AnyThe Cultural productand Simple DCP.
Check out a trailer for the series, an IndieWire exclusive, below:
