Manhattan Film Festival

Best-selling self-help author Aaron Driscoll may look like a successful motivational speaker on the outside, but inside, he hides a dark secret, that he thought would remain buried deep in his past. After a long day of talk shows, book signings, and motivational speaking, he returns home to his mansion and passes out, only to be startled awake by what initially appears to be an obsessed fan holding him at gunpoint, demanding the truth about his shameful past, and forcing him into a painful reckoning that will either kill him or be his salvation.

They say if you're feeling lost, reach out to those around you. But what if they don't reach back? Shot in Fayetteville, Arkansas and inspired by a true story, this dark comedy explores the boundaries of friendship, love and clown horns. Sometimes in our darkest moments, the absurdity of it all makes us laugh.

Filmed days before her final live recording at Birdland in New York City, Sloane: A Jazz Singer follows the legendary Carol Sloane as she reflects on her storied but largely unknown career involving everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to The Rolling Stones. In the 1960s, Sloane became an overnight sensation, hailed by Johnny Carson and later the Washington Post as “the greatest living jazz singer.” But when the British Invasion of rock swept the country, her rising star faded as quickly as it rose, paving the way for devastating financial and emotional setbacks. Through rare archival footage, intimate moments with Sloane, and enlightening commentary from industry notables, we learn of this singular artist’s adherence to her passion against great odds, and are invited to examine the meaning of success in a world where "art don't pay."

Best friends since childhood — Baird and Noah’s relationship changes forever after a fateful day at the beach.

What is the space between life and death after addiction? A long-time friendship between Lexi and Michelle uncovers the truth in a personal, shocking, and hilarious documentary set to a metal soundtrack and early 2000's nostalgia. It is at heart a portrait of unrealized potential, near misses, societal and personal failures, and most importantly, of the communal struggle to keep moving.