33 Independent Films Exploring Diverse Human Experiences in 2016
33 titles
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The Diary of a Teenage GirlMovie · 2015 · 102m · Drama, Romance, ComedyIn 1970s San Francisco, fifteen-year-old Minnie Goetze dreams of becoming a comic-book artist and navigates typical teenage life. However, her world takes an unexpected turn as she secretly has a relationship with her mother's boyfriend.IMDb 6.8TMDB 6.6 - 2
Me and Earl and the Dying GirlMovie · 2015 · 105m · Drama, ComedyGreg is drifting through his senior year, deliberately staying out of the spotlight and only connecting with his best friend, Earl, through their odd filmmaking projects. This carefully constructed quiet life is disrupted when his mother insists he befriend a classmate who has leukemia.IMDb 7.7TMDB 7.5 - 3
MediterraneaMovie · 2015 · 107m · DramaTo provide for his sister and daughter, Ayiva leaves Burkina Faso and joins an illegal smuggling operation with his best friend Abas to reach Italy. He adjusts to life there, but escalating tensions with the local community create increasing danger. Determined to survive, Ayiva tries to navigate the difficult situation, but not without consequences.IMDb 6.6TMDB 6.6 - 4
H.Movie · 2014 · 93mIn Troy, NY, two women named Helen lead seemingly identical lives. One Helen, in her sixties, is married and devoted to a lifelike baby doll she treats as her own child. The other Helen, in her thirties, is a successful artist and expecting a baby. After a mysterious object crashes and explodes over town one night, strange and inexplicable events begin to unfold.IMDb 5.9TMDB 5.3 - 5
A Woman Like MeMovie · 2015 · 79mA WOMAN LIKE ME blends documentary and fiction to tell the story of director Alex Sichel, who received a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in 2011. The film follows Alex's real-life experience as she grapples with her illness, alongside the fictional narrative of Anna Seashell, who faces the same diagnosis and struggles to maintain hope. Through her filmmaking, Alex explores profound questions about parenting, marriage, faith, life, and death while confronting a terminal illness. Can imagination offer a way through impossible situations?IMDb 7.4TMDB 6.4 - 6
Songs My Brothers Taught MeMovie · 2015 · 93m · DramaThe film portrays contemporary life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, focusing on the relationship between a brother and sister as they each journey to find their own sense of belonging.IMDb 7.0TMDB 6.9 - 7
King JackMovie · 2015 · 81m · DramaRaised in a rough rural town, Jack has developed a tough exterior to survive. With an absent father and a mother who doesn't see the world as he does, he's largely on his own. When his aunt becomes ill and a younger cousin moves in, the 15-year-old begins to understand the value of friendship and family, and starts searching for happiness amidst hardship.IMDb 6.9TMDB 6.4 - 8
MeadowlandMovie · 2015 · 105m · DramaFollowing a devastating loss, Sarah and Phil struggle to cope, acting impulsively and disregarding the consequences. As Sarah becomes increasingly reckless, Phil begins to compromise his principles, and she descends further into a distorted reality.IMDb 5.8TMDB 5.8 - 9
Dirty HandsMovie · 2014 · 84mA desperate fisherman and a naive young boy transport millions of dollars worth of cocaine while towing a submerged torpedo behind their damaged fishing boat. Filmed entirely on location along Colombia's Pacific coast, the film avoids romanticizing the drug trade, instead offering a stark portrayal of its destructive consequences.IMDb 7.2TMDB 6.6 - 10
Bone TomahawkMovie · 2015 · 133m · Western, Horror, DramaIn a saloon gunfight, Sheriff Hunt wounds a suspicious stranger. The doctor's assistant, the local foreman's wife, tends to him while he's jailed. That night, the town is attacked, and both vanish, leaving only an arrow from a cannibal tribe behind. Hunt and some of his men then set out to find the missing prisoner and the foreman's wife.IMDb 7.1TMDB 6.9 - 11
Out of My HandMovie · 2015 · 87mA Liberian rubber plantation worker, facing hardship, takes a chance on a new beginning as a Yellow Cab driver in New York City.IMDb 6.2TMDB 7.1 - 12
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on ExistenceMovie · 2014 · 100m · Drama, Comedy, FantasyThis pitch-black comedy blends absurdity, surrealism, and shocking moments, shifting seamlessly between nightmare, fantasy, and deadpan humor. It explores the enduring theme of human cruelty.IMDb 6.9TMDB 6.8 - 13
Glass ChinMovie · 2014 · 87m · Drama, ThrillerFollowing a defeat in the fifth round, boxer Bud Gordon retreated from public life. He now lives in New Jersey with his girlfriend, dreaming of his past success in Manhattan. Hoping to return to boxing, he enters into an agreement with a shady restaurant owner. However, the deal's complications force Bud to choose between his principles and his ambition.IMDb 5.4TMDB 5.0 - 14
Heart of a DogMovie · 2015 · 75m · DocumentaryThis lyrical and deeply personal film explores grief through the lens of loss: the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, and her dog, alongside reflections on family, surveillance, and Buddhist philosophy.IMDb 7.0TMDB 6.5 - 15
MeruMovie · 2015 · 89m · Adventure, DocumentaryMeru tells the gripping story of three top American climbers – Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk – determined to conquer a seemingly insurmountable peak.IMDb 7.7TMDB 7.4 - 16
IncorruptibleMovie · 2015 · 94mIn Spring 2011, Senegal faced a crisis when President Abdoulaye Wade attempted to extend his term in office through a constitutional change. This sparked a youth-led movement centered around artists, who mobilized to defend one of Africa's longest-standing and most stable democracies.IMDb 6.0TMDB 4.0 - 17
The MendMovie · 2014 · 110mEstranged brothers Mat and Alan reconnect briefly before Alan departs on a trip with his girlfriend. However, Alan returns unexpectedly early, without his girlfriend, to find that Mat and his family have moved into Alan's apartment.IMDb 5.6TMDB 4.8 - 18
God Bless the ChildMovie · 2015 · 91mFive siblings, ages one to thirteen, spend a day alone together, unsure if their depressed and unreliable mother has truly left them. Harper, the oldest and the only girl, tries to keep her brothers together as their day shifts from make-believe to mayhem.IMDb 6.4TMDB 4.7 - 19
The End of the TourMovie · 2015 · 106m · DramaThis film chronicles a five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky and celebrated novelist David Foster Wallace. The interview occurred shortly after the release of Wallace's influential novel, 'Infinite Jest,' in 1996.IMDb 7.2TMDB 7.0 - 20
KrishaMovie · 2016 · 82m · Drama, ThrillerKrisha goes home for Thanksgiving, but old problems resurface and put her family gathering in jeopardy.IMDb 7.1TMDB 6.8 - 21
Among the BelieversMovie · 2015 · 84m"Among the Believers" offers a disturbing and revealing look at the radical Islamic school Red Mosque. The film documents how the school trains young children to dedicate their lives to jihad, or holy war, starting at a very early age. With unprecedented access and unsettling footage, the documentary examines the factors behind the rise of radical Islam in Pakistan and globally.IMDb 7.5TMDB 7.0 - 22
Best of EnemiesMovie · 2015 · 87m · Documentary, History"Best Enemies" documents the 1968 nationally televised debates between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley Jr., two prominent public intellectuals. Originally meant to discuss contemporary issues, their intense and often volatile clashes fundamentally changed public discourse in media. These debates are considered a pivotal moment, where entertainment overshadowed substance and rhetoric replaced reasoned argument. The film explores the intertwined lives of Vidal and Buckley, highlighting the dramatic nature of their debates and raising the question: how has television shaped political discussion in modern democracy?IMDb 7.6TMDB 7.2 - 23
Christmas, AgainMovie · 2015 · 80m · Drama, RomanceEach year, Noel journeys from upstate New York to sell Christmas trees in the city. This year, without his usual girlfriend, he struggles to perform the task he's always excelled at: selling Christmas trees. As Noel's struggles intensify and he pushes away his colleagues and customers, he discovers that this very community might be the only thing that can pull him back from the brink.IMDb 6.7TMDB 6.2 - 24
It FollowsMovie · 2015 · 101m · Horror, MysteryAfter a sexual encounter, a young woman finds herself relentlessly pursued by an unseen supernatural presence.IMDb 6.8TMDB 6.6 - 25
Heaven Knows WhatMovie · 2015 · 97m · Drama, CrimeIn New York City, a young woman battling heroin addiction navigates the streets, seeking money for her next high. Her volatile boyfriend appears and disappears unpredictably throughout her life.IMDb 6.8TMDB 6.5 - 26
GirlhoodMovie · 2014 · 112m · DramaFeeling trapped by her family, limited educational options, and the local boys' influence, Marieme begins a new life when she connects with a group of three independent girls. She alters her name and appearance, and drops out of school to join the gang, believing it will offer her liberation.IMDb 6.9TMDB 6.4 - 27
James WhiteMovie · 2015 · 87m · DramaJames White, a troubled young man in his twenties, struggles to cope with life in bustling New York City. He increasingly seeks escape in a self-indulgent lifestyle, but his mother's worsening health throws him into a situation where he must take on greater responsibility. As the pressure intensifies, James must discover inner strength or face complete breakdown.IMDb 7.1TMDB 6.6 - 28
AdvantageousMovie · 2015 · 92m · Science Fiction, DramaIn a city of extreme wealth built on a foundation of poverty, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, strive to maintain their happiness as cracks begin to appear in their world.IMDb 6.0TMDB 6.0 - 29
TangerineMovie · 2015 · 87m · Comedy, DramaOn Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, Sin-Dee returns to her neighborhood. She learns that her pimp boyfriend cheated on her during her 28-day jail sentence, and she and her best friend, Alexandra, set out to investigate. Their chaotic search takes them through different parts of the city, including an Armenian family grappling with the consequences of infidelity.IMDb 7.1TMDB 6.9 - 30
ResultsMovie · 2015 · 105m · ComedyThe lives of two very different personal trainers are thrown into chaos when they get a new, affluent client.IMDb 5.5TMDB 5.0 - 31
The Russian WoodpeckerMovie · 2015 · 80m · Documentary, HistoryAmidst revolution and war in Ukraine, a man who survived the Chornobyl disaster uncovers a disturbing secret. He is then faced with a difficult choice: risk everything to reveal this secret and become involved in the fight for change.IMDb 6.7TMDB 6.3 - 32
Mississippi GrindMovie · 2015 · 108m · Comedy, DramaGerry, a skilled but struggling gambler, finds a turning point when he meets Curtis, a younger, captivating poker player. They quickly become friends, and Gerry convinces Curtis to join him on a road trip to a famous high-stakes poker game in New Orleans. Traveling down the Mississippi River, Gerry and Curtis explore countless bars, racetracks, casinos, and pool halls, experiencing both triumphs and setbacks. Through it all, they develop a strong and lasting friendship.IMDb 6.4TMDB 6.0 - 33
(T)ERRORMovie · 2015 · 93m · DocumentaryThis film offers an inside look at FBI counterterrorism work, showing both the perspective of the government informant and the individual being targeted.IMDb 6.6TMDB 6.1
