For its signature Guest Festival Director program, Art of Brooklyn Film Festival invites different filmmakers each season to take the reins of curation — ensuring its programming is always fresh, exciting and diverse. It is our pleasure to announce that for 2026 we have invited award-winning filmmakers CHRIS BOWMAN (Narrative Shorts), ABBY MOHADDES (Documentary Shorts and Features) and ADAM VOLERICH (Narrative Features) to work in tandem with AoBFF co-founders Joseph Shahadi and Anthony DeVito to program our 16th season, which will take place in early June in venues across Brooklyn.

CHRIS BOWMAN (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary filmmaker and artist. Their work centers queer and trans characters within classic genre narratives. By appropriating these genres they hope to provide cathartic, joyful onscreen representation historically denied to the queer community. They enjoy combining special and visual effects to create unique and engaging worlds - a skill they also put to use in their work as a production designer. Chris has been working in production in NYC since 2018, and in 2024 they graduated from the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema at Brooklyn College with an MFA in Directing. Their work there was twice nominated for the National Board of Review Student Grants. In 2025 Chris was named Outstanding Director of a Narrative Short by the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival for their short film BUTCH ROBINSON AND THE STOLEN SOULS.

ABBY MOHADDES is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and actor. She founded Mohaddes Productions in 2023 and completed her debut feature documentary, 500 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP, in 2024, serving as director, producer, and editor. The film documents her father and his lifelong college friends as they reflect on their experience as Iranian foreign students at the University of Nebraska in the 1970s. It screened at film festivals across the United States and won Outstanding Feature Documentary at The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival (2025), after which it was licensed by the University of Nebraska Alumni Association. Abby is a member of SAG-AFTRA and holds a BFA in acting and film production from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

ADAM VOLERICH Is a NYC based Filmmaker and Podcast Producer. The set is his natural habitat and the crew his family. His films have screened and been awarded at festivals worldwide. His latest short film, MISPRINT, premiered on Omeleto, and his feature directing debut, DRINK AND BE MERRY, is available on Video on Demand and Blu-Ray.  
Adam is the co-creator of the hit film podcast EYE OF THE DUCK on the Morbid Podcast Network for Sirius. He also produced and developed the Signal Award Winning and Ambie and Webby Nominated narrative fiction podcasts AMERICAN HOSTAGE (Amazon Originals), starring Jon Hamm (soon to be a TV Show from Shawn Ryan and MGM+), and THE FOXES OF HYDESVILLE (QCODE), starring Carey Mulligan, for Criminal Content.

Submissions for the 16th annual AoBFF are open until April 17, 2026.
Learn more at aobff.org

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival has teamed up with FAB Fulton to screen a block of indie films made by NYC filmmakers. This event is FREE and all are welcome!

Join us for 'FAB Flicks x AoBFF' Wednesday, Aug.13. Pull up a chair (or bring your own) at Jitu Weusi Plaza (Fulton Street at Grand Ave). Snacks and food are welcome, and we encourage you to support local eateries! 

Seating opens at 7:30 pm, movies will begin at dusk. And it's FREE!

Film Lineup:

BLUE HOUR
Drama, 16 min. Directed by J.D. Shields
Two personal journeys intersect when a struggling young photographer is hired for a cheap last minute portrait gig. The unfolding photo session, while transient, leaves an indelible mark on both women.

ART 21: HANK WILLIS THOMAS
Documentary, 14 min. Directed by Malika Zouhali-Worrall
This short film follows artist Hank Willis Thomas as he works on The Embrace (2023), a public memorial to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King to be installed in the Boston Common, and traces how he draws from his background in photography to augment his work with other media and translates the part of an image that impacts the viewer into three-dimensional space.

BRIDGED TOGETHER
Sci Fi, 17 min. Directed by Brahms Guignard
Bridge, a precocious and imaginative girl struggles with the unexplained disappearance of her father, Devin. When a powerful storm disrupts the celebration of Bridge's 10th birthday, her mother finally reveals the truth. Devin comes from a lineage of men who possess the extraordinary ability of astral projection. Bridge realizes that her "vivid dreams" have actually been her tapping into her hidden power, becoming not only the first girl in her family to inherit the ability of astral projection but also the first to control it, and even teleport.

A ROUGH START
Horror, Comedy 5 min. Directed by Manny Serrano
How hard could it be? One dark night, a masked assailant with a very large knife stalks and attacks a young couple. Only once they come face to face, both predator and prey discover that the massacre won't proceed as planned. What happens next is a series of unfortunate events.
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BROKE BOI
Crime Drama, Comedy 1hr 24 min. Directed by David Bell, Mecca Medina
A weed delivery boy, with dreams of being an NYC Hustler, gets robbed of his stash and profits at the worst time. He was late with the payment last week, racked up some poor performance reviews, and the company’s Henchmen "Don't play no games". Now, this #Brokeboi and friends have twelve hours to make as much money as they can to pay back the supplier, while also trying to make it to the “Party of The Summer”.

Once again, our Script Contest Director Gina Leone and our roster of professional script readers had their work cut out for them. We received many great scripts by talented writers from around the world. We're proud to congratulate all our 2025 placements!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Animals Written By Andrei Chachine

FINALISTS
Animals Written By Andrei Chachine
Crimson Seed Written By Ryan G. Kelly
LoreScape Written by Armelle Gonzalez Harper

SEMI-FINALISTS
At The Mercy of Faith Written by Samuel Taylor
Blood Enough Written By Saeid Ghasemi
Corpse Written By Alan Bradshaw
Flag Day Written By Brian W. Smith and Vincent Vinas
Gambare Written By Connor Johnston
Gorilla Written By Daivd Herman
Grave Maker Written By Mario G. Lopez
Hallow’s Point Written By Brian W. Smith
Headcase Written By Christopher Jones
Hello I Must Be Going Written By Sara Hallowell
Homes for Colored People Written By Julie Loretta Seely
How To Disappear Completely Written By Joe Thayer
Lady M Written By Sara Hallowell
Late Bloomers Written By Kyle Kennan
Queen Written by Peter J. Gibbons & Gina Kaslovsky
Real Heroes Written By Richard Hohenrath
Silver Tunnel Written By Raluca Nistor
Tanuki Ninja Written by Charles Tucker
The Charge of Concept Island Written by Abbot Dodson
The Fourth Psalm Written by John Martins III
The Red Zone Written by Terry Podnar
Wild Justice Written By Cami Ciotta & Delane McDuffie

QUARTER-FINALISTS
A Few Perfect Heads Written by Ben Hirschhorn
Bach Written By Carly Wilkins
Bad to the Bone Written By Tim Young
C.R.E.A.M. Written by Katrina Jaxson
Boxer’s Revolution Written by Matthew Farrell
Dark Ride Written by Brian W. Smith
Fattasha Written by Abdalla Jamal
I Am The Storm Written By Sara Hallowell and Arabella Field
King of Sleaze Written by Henry Ryeder
Never Forget Written By Aladen Gulmohamad
Propitiation Written by Chai-Kei Wimberly
Roughstock Written By Tyler Rivenbark
The Age of the Empath Written by Steve Brown
The Cruise Written by Talie Melnyk
The Law Lover Written by Dale R. Botten
The Measure of She Written By Karen Dee Carpenter
The Secret Written by Reneida Ferraro
With You Written by Megan Condit

HONORABLE MENTION
A Photograph Written Conor Clancy & Christina Sussmann
Anais II Written by Randal Talton
Blossom Written By E. Auguste C. Lykes
Caffeinated Written By Lillie Sokolski
Come Together Written By Taylor Bartczak
Doctor Cruise Written by William Read Hopkins
Doll’s House Written by Katrina Jaxson
Fool Written by Kai-Lilly Karpman
Hemispheres Written by Robert Potter
How The F***Did I End Up in This Situation Written By Deontae Simolien
If Not It’s All Good Written by Scott Mendlinger
Mic Drop Written By Charlie Nadler
Nya Blue Written By Laura Wallgren
Off The Mat Written by John Acquaviva
Olivia Colman Says My Farts Don’t Stink Written By Lisa Marie Tedesco
Precursor Written By Steve Brown
Princess Hole Written by Sleth Larson
Shuttlecock Written by Tapan Sharma
Special Victims’ Movie Night Written by Howard Schreiber
Sweetheart Written By Tiffany Shinn
The Chaos without a Face Written by Henry Winnik
The Night I Got Arrested with Lenny Bruce Written By Jason Solomon
The Others Written by Christian Krohn
Waiting For the G Written By Kamran Rosen
Who Let The Wallflowers Out Written by Virginia Austin

The 15th Annual Art of Brooklyn Film Festival was a true joy. For this landmark anniversary, we wanted to create a very special edition... and we got one! We screened 55 new films in all genres and held special events in wonderful venues across Kings County. People traveled from near (and very far) to pack our houses with 5 sold-out screenings, and our virtual encore screenings increased our reach across the country. Every festival event was filled with enthusiastic crowds overflowing with love for independent art and artists.

We celebrate every film and screenplay that took part in the 2025 AoBFF and are proud to announce our winners.

2025 Highlights include:

The world premiere of ‘Drink and Be Merry’ opens the festival. Adam Volerich’s first feature. set at a struggling New York dive bar in the days leading up to Christmas, 2019. Chet (Jefferson White, Yellowstone), a beleaguered bartender in a state of extended arrested development, must balance taking care of his misanthropic, aging regulars including Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live) and Delaney Williams (The Wire, Law and Order SVU), with his naive desires to muster some Christmas spirit.
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The uproarious mockumentary ‘Unfriendly Fire’ is set In an alternate reality where America grapples with the consequences of a divisive war over escalating issues surrounding reproductive rights. The East Coast premiere of Richard Tucci’s film stars Golden Globe nominee Beverly D’Angelo (National Lampoon’s Vacation, Coal Miners Daughter) Oscar nominee Eric Roberts (Star 80, Runaway Train) and comedy legend Debra Wilson (Mad TV, Girl 6).

‘Locally Sourced’ is a block of shorts from Brooklyn filmmakers about to break big. AoBFF and Sundance alum Carlos Cardona’s autobiographical ‘Born to Lose’, about a Latino punk rocker struggling to fit in the Hamptons, Jeremiah Kipp’s ‘Don’t Pick Up’ about a shoplifter unexpectedly attracted to a bookstore clerk stars Kathryn Erbe (Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Stir of Echoes) and Keith David (Platoon, Requiem for a Dream, Cloud Atlas).

AoBFF features thematic blocks of exciting new short films featuring everything from offbeat comedies and heartbreaking dramas, to thrilling horror and cutting-edge experimental films. Films are screened in person, with streaming encore screenings available to watch from anywhere in the US.

The award-winning Art of Brooklyn is the only film festival with events across the entire borough. 2025 venues include Stuart Cinema, 100 Sutton, Film Noir Cinema, and AbelCine and the Tom Kane Theater at Industry City. For 15 seasons AoBFF has showcased exciting emerging creators and established voices, created innovative programming, hosted world-class artist talkbacks, and screened for enthusiastic audiences across Brooklyn — and the world.

The 2025 AoBFF runs June 1-13. Schedule, Film Guide and Tickets at aobff.org

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival celebrates our 15th anniversary this year. Time flies when you're showcasing the amazing work of indie filmmakers from around the way and around the world. 

For 2025 we are proud to be screening 55 new films in every genre from June 1-13 in amazing venues across Brooklyn, with streaming encores online.  Congratulations to all our filmmakers and thank you to everyone who share their work with us this year. 

FEATURE FILMS
DRINK AND BE MERRY - Directed by Adam Volerich
UNFRIENDLY FIRE - Directed by Richard Tucci
WITHDRAWAL - Directed by Aaron Strand
PARK LIFE - Directed by Tyler Haney
SERGEANT PICKLE BREATH AND THE ROOFTOP WARRIORS - Directed by Jarrett Jung

DOCUMENTARIES
500 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP - Directed by Abby Mohaddes
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - Directed by Aubrey Sprinkle
THE EMBRACE - Directed by John Owens
NAUDLINE PIERRE: A PLACE OTHER THAN HERE - Directed by Haimy Assefa
SHIRIN NESHAT: VOICE OF A WOMAN - Directed by Sophie Chahinian
TINY MOVEMENTS - Directed by Laura Sweeney

NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS
6 O’CLOCK - Directed by Keeyong Hong
A ROUGH START - Directed by Manny Serrano
THE AUDITOR AND THE APOCALYPSE - Directed by Cinder Chou
BORN 2 LOSE - Directed by Carlos Cardona
BOXES & ELEPHANTS - Directed by Leon P Jackson
BRIDGED TOGETHER - Directed by Brahms Guignard
BUTCH ROBINSON AND THE STOLEN SOULS - Directed by Christina Bowman
DO YOU LIVE ALONE - Directed by Tianshi Ben
DON’T PICK UP - Directed by Jeremiah Kipp
EAT HOT CHIP & LIE - Directed by Anders Kapur
THE EMBRACE - Directed by John Owens
ENJOY IT - Directed by Wesley Chessa-Forman
FLEURETTE AND SOPHIA GET BUSHWICKED - Directed by Caitlin Mayernik
GILLYFISH - Directed by Sarah Sellman
I’M SORRY ABOUT YOUR MARRIAGE - Directed by Allison Landi
KIND OF A LOT - Directed by David Lombroso
L(ong)A(ss)ST DAY - Directed by Jenny Curtis
LOST NATION - Directed by Hannah Cabell
MARSHMALLOWS - Directed by Maris Huangying Wirt
PANSIES - Directed by Jamie J Simiele
THE PICKUP - Directed by Karen Wang
PLEATS - Directed by Anoushka Agrawal
RAGE RHONDA - Directed by Emily Troedson
SHALLOW END - Directed by Maria de la Cruz Rudloff
SQUARE BREATHING - Directed by Kim Cummings
STRANDED - Directed by Luca Floris
THE UNDERSTUDY - Directed by Peter Pasyk
UNRAVELING - Directed by Rich Devaney
WHEN EVERYTHING WAS BLUE - Directed by Christina Chironna
WORST MORNING AFTER - Directed by Maisa Chiang

EXPERIMENTAL & NON-LINEAR FILMS
ARENA - Directed by Khalil Charif
CHRIS TANNER REVEALS - Masa Gibson
ÉIST LIOM (LISTEN TO ME) - Directed by Maud Lee, Zoe Ní Riordáin, Dúirt Tú (you said), Tar Anseo (come here) One Two One Two
LEAVES OF THREE - Directed by Julia de Guzman
LIGHT - Directed by Alexander Kachiroubas
MANY MOONS IN THE VACANCY - Directed by Lynn Bianchi
MOTHER’S MILK - Directed by Martin Del Carpio
SIGHTS ON SCENE - Directed by Joakim Ekström
WHERE DID THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE LOSE THEIR COLOR? - Directed by Masa Gibson