In this charged thriller inspired by the notorious case of Leopold and Loeb, two Manhattan college friends (John Dall and Farley Granger) strangle a classmate for intellectual kicks and then proceed to invite his family and friends for dinner—with the body stuffed inside the trunk they use for a buffet table. It was a film of firsts for Hitchcock, including his first collaboration with Jimmy Stewart, who co-stars as a former teacher who slowly becomes aware that something strange is going on.

Simply one of the most astonishing feats of filmmaking ever, Alexander Sokurov’s Russian Ark is a gobsmacking technical marvel, a feature film shot in a single take, encompassing 300 years of Russian history and scenes that vary from single actors to massive formal balls and military exercises.

Sean Baker's Palme d'Or winner Anora is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood…) captivates as Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya, the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire. However, when Vanya's parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York.

In the world of cinematic badass-ery, few are as prominent as Pam Grier, and Coffy offers her signature performance. Grier plays Flower Child Coffin (seriously), better known as Coffy, a nurse by day who, by night, wreaks vengeance on the criminal scumbags responsible for her young sister’s heroin addiction.

David Lynch’s deeply nutso lovers-on-the-run opus Wild at Heart has aged well. Nicholas Cage (in a truly Nichols-Cage-y performance) and Laura Dern (in a breakout role) star as Sailor Ripley and Lula Fortune, two lovers who just can’t stay out of trouble. Hounded by Lula’s vengeful mom Marietta (an oscar-nominated Diane Ladd, Dern’s real-life mom) and psycho criminal Bobby Peru (Willem Dafoe), Sailor and Lula bolt North Carolina with California on their minds, but the journey will be a hard one. Replete with graphic violence, lots of sexual content, a Wizard of Oz theme, and piles of plain old weirdness, this is prime Lynch. 

Directed by Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas, this entirely Vermont-made feature has already made waves, winning best feature at the 2024 Underground Horror Film and Screenplay Festival, and screening at the 2024 Made Here Festival, the 2024 Big Apple Film Festival, and the inaugural Vermont Film and Folklore Festival. Equal parts campy and thrilling, The Yorkie Werewolf flips the werewolf mythos on its head and delivers a comedic bite to audiences everywhere.

The Head Stretchers Society is an ideology based on curiosity, and inspired by a quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes: “One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” To that end, the Society presents seven uniquely human short-form films, each film exploring individuals who stretch our perceptions and imaginations. These include artist Clark Russell, dumpling virtuoso Hong Yu, Lake Champlain Lakekeeper Julie Silverman, and many more. These short films reflect the creativity and diversity at work in Vermont. Several of the subjects – and nearly all of the film’s creators – will be on hand for this special event.