15TH ANNUAL LOWER EAST SIDE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2025 LINEUP & STAR-STUDDED JURY
Courtesy of The Lower East Side Film Festival
New York Premieres of For Worse, Micro Budget, and The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick
Jury Includes Julia Fox, Sophie Thatcher, Rachel Dratch, and More
New York, NY — April 15, 2025 — The 15th Annual Lower East Side Film Festival (LESFF) returns May 1–5, 2025, lighting up downtown Manhattan with five days of bold premieres, immersive screenings, and independent storytelling at its wildest and most unapologetic.
Opening Night launches with the New York Premiere of The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick — a genre-defying, absurdist comedy from director Pete Ohs starring Zoë Chao, Jeremy O. Harris, Callie Hernandez, and James Cusati-Moyer. The screening will be followed by LESFF’s legendary Opening Night Party inside Village East Cinema, featuring an open bar, DJ, and party favors.
The 2025 Marquee Spotlight shines on the New York Premiere of For Worse — the directorial debut from Amy Landecker (Transparent), who also stars alongside Bradley Whitford, Nico Hiraga, Missi Pyle, Gaby Hoffmann, and Ken Marino. A sharp, emotionally resonant comedy about the unpredictability of modern relationships, For Worse is one of the festival’s most anticipated events.
Also premiering in New York is Micro Budget, a deliriously meta satire of the indie filmmaking hustle from Morgan Evans, featuring a powerhouse cast: Brandon Micheal Hall, Nichole Sakura, Bobby Moynihan, Maria Bamford, and Chris Parnell.
In a full-circle LESFF moment, the festival presents TRUE CRIME, TRUE BEGINNINGS: The Catfish 15-Year Retrospective with Nev Schulman. The groundbreaking documentary, which premiered at LESFF’s inaugural 2011 edition, returns with a special anniversary screening and live Q&A featuring Schulman. The event will anchor Doc Day at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, celebrating excellence in documentary filmmaking.
Live Q&As with filmmakers and cast are confirmed after screenings of The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick, For Worse, Micro Budget, Catfish, and more.
The Lower East Side Film Festival 2025 JURY
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The LESFF 2025 jury features a dynamic mix of artists, visionaries, and downtown cultural icons:
Julia Fox — Actor, artist, and author (Down the Drain, Uncut Gems)
Rachel Dratch — Comedian, SNL alum, and memoirist
Sophie Thatcher — Star of Companion, Yellowjackets, The Book of Boba Fett, and Heretic
Julia Bloch — Palme d’Or–winning editor (The Tree of Life, Green Room)
Ben Selkow — Emmy-nominated documentarian (Q: Into the Storm, Parts Unknown)
Slick Naim — Emmy, AFI, and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker (Mo, Netflix)
Zainne Saleh — Breakout actor (Deli Boys, Hulu)
Thembi Banks — Director & writer (Insecure, Only Murders in the Building, Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
FEATURE FILMS & SPECIAL SCREENINGS
OPENING NIGHT
Courtesy of SXSW
The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick — New York Premiere
Dir. Pete Ohs | Starring Zoë Chao, Jeremy O. Harris, Callie Hernandez, James Cusati-Moyer
OPENING NIGHT PARTY | Thursday, May 1 at 8:30PM | Village East Cinema
Ticket includes afterparty with DJ and open bar
CLOSING NIGHT
GAYS FROM AWAY FILMS
The Big Johnson — New York Premiere
Dir. Lola Rocknrolla | Featuring NYC legend Dean Johnson | Village East Cinema
CLOSING NIGHT PARTY | Monday, May 5 at 7:30PM | The Slipper Room
Followed by awards ceremony & closing party at The Slipper Room
Marquee Spotlight
Courtesy of The Lower East Side Film Festival
For Worse — New York Premiere
Dir. Amy Landecker | Starring Liv Hewson, Amy Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Nico Hiraga, Missi Pyle, Gaby Hoffmann, Ken Marino
Saturday, May 3 at 7:30PM | Village East Cinema
Spotlight Presentation
Courtesy of The Lower East Side Film Festival
Not One Drop of Blood
Dir. Jackson Devereux, Lachlan Hinton
Sunday, May 4 at 6:30PM | DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema
Special Event: 15th Anniversary Screening
Catfish
Dir. Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost | Featuring Nev Schulman
Sunday, May 4 at 8:30PM | DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema
Includes Q&A with Nev Schulman
FEATURE FILM COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS
Courtesy of The Lower East Side Film Festival
Battersea
Dir. T.J. Sandella & Jad Adkins | May 2 at 7:30PM
Mad Bills to Pay (OR DESTINY, DILE QUE NO SOY MALO)
Dir. Joel Vargas | May 3 at 3:00PM
Micro Budget — New York Premiere
Dir. Morgan Evans | May 3 at 5:00PM
Ali Eats America — New York Premiere
Dir. Roush Niaghi, Greg Morris | May 4 at 3:00PM
POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP
SHORT FILM PROGRAMS
Courtesy of The Lower East Side Film Festival
Big Apple, Short Films (NY Filmmaker Showcase) — May 1 at 6:30PM
9 to 5 Shorts — May 2 at 7:00PM
Mind F*ck Shorts — May 2 at 9:00PM
Sexual Tension Shorts — May 3 at 4:30PM
Big Feels Shorts — May 3 at 8:00PM
Doc Shorts — May 4 at 5:00PM
SPECIAL EVENTS
Courtesy of The Lower East Side Film Festival
Opening Night Party – May 1, 8:30PM–12:00AM | Village East Cinema
Filmmaker Reception – May 2, 3:00–5:00PM | Village East Cinema
Closing Night Party & Awards – May 5, 9:30PM–12:00AM | The Slipper Room
Tickets for the 15th Annual Lower East Side Film Festival are on sale now
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