journey of faith christmas eve service

The Whole Story of Christmas

• Betsy Arkema

This Christmas Eve service tells the story of God’s salvation plan from the Garden of Eden to Jesus’ resurrection. It shows how all of Scripture is one big story of God calling his people back to him. The service is appropriate for people of all ages and all stages of the faith journey, and can be used in a wide variety of settings.

For this service, you will need ten readers plus a young woman to read the part of Mary. Reader 1 has lengthy passages to read, so an adult may be the best choice. For readers 2-10, choose people representing a variety of ages and backgrounds.

Rather than having the readers find their passages in a Bible, consider printing the passages on cardstock for them. Make sure each reader has a copy of the order of service so he or she knows when to read.

At our church, we darkened the sanctuary and had lots of candles burning in the front as well as down the side aisles where possible. We placed small clip-on lights on the stands for the readers and musicians.

We also incorporated the lighting of the Advent wreath at two points in the service, so plan to have a wreath and candles in place, along with a lighter.

Opening Song: “Angels from the Realms of Glory” (st. 1) LUYH, CH 259, PH 22, PsH 354, TH 218, WR 189

God’s Greeting

Song: “Angels from the Realms of Glory” (st. 3-4)

Reader 1: Tonight we’ll share with you an old, old story. It is a story of love, of sacrifice, of mystery. It’s a story about bravery and death, and about conquering evil. It’s about joy, a baby, and even some angels.

[Reader 2 lights the first four candles of the Advent wreath as Reader 1 speaks the following paragraph.]

This story, God’s story, reminds us that Christ brings us the hope that there is more to life than this world. It reminds us that Christ will give us a peace that defies all human reason, that God’s love is unconditional and eternal, and that the joy God offers is indescribable!

This story has all the makings of great fiction. But it’s not fiction—it’s all true. The most amazing story ever told is not the result of human imagination, but rather the result of divine inspiration and intervention.

Maybe you’ve heard this story so many times that you know it by heart. Maybe you’ve heard the story before but never really understood it. And maybe you’ve never heard this story told quite like this. Whatever the case, tonight it is our prayer that this story will touch your heart as never before.

Solo: “Gather ’Round, Ye Children, Come” (Andrew Peterson, from the CD Behold the Lamb of God )

or Opening Song: “O Word of God Incarnate” LUYH, CH 414, PH 327, PsH 279, TH 140, WR 670

“Open Your Ears, O Faithful People” LUYH, GSW 25

Reader 1: The only logical place to start our story is at the very beginning.

Reader 2: Genesis 1:1, 26-31

Song: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” LUYH, CH 240, PH 309, PsH 342, TH 162, WR 181

Reader 1: In this beautiful creation, God planted a garden for the man he had created. God filled the garden with all kinds of trees that were both lovely to look at and good to eat. Four rivers ran through this garden to keep it lush and green. But God saw that everything was not yet perfect. Adam needed a companion. So God created Eve to work and live alongside him. Sometimes, in the cool of the day, God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve. God loved them very much.

Now, in this garden was one tree that God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from. But one day, a serpent came to Eve. As the Bible says, “the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.” And the serpent tricked Eve into eating from the one tree that God commanded them not to touch. Eve brought the fruit to Adam, and he ate too. Adam and Eve disobeyed God. When they ate from that tree, everything changed.

For the first time, Adam and Eve hid from God. They knew God would be coming to walk with them in the garden, and they hid. God knew they had sinned before he went to the garden to find them. God could have abandoned the creation that had abandoned him, but he didn’t. God loved them, and so he went in search of them. There would be consequences for their actions—but only because God loved them so much.

Reader 3: Genesis 3:14-19, 23

Reader 1: After this Adam and Eve no longer walked and talked with God in the garden. God’s whole creation paid the price for that one sin. Nothing would be the same: pain, tears, toil, frustration, fear, and separation from God—this is what sin brought to God’s beautiful and perfect creation.

I wonder if God cried that day, when he had to banish Adam and Eve from the garden that he had made for them. God knew what this sin was going to bring: the wars, the atrocities, and the evil. But God knew something else as well. God knew how much he loved the people he had made. God loves us, the crown of creation. But God also knew the end of this story. When God spoke to the serpent that day, he was saying to Satan, “You may have won this battle, but I will win the war. Today, right here, I will begin my plan to bring my people back to me. I will bring them back to my garden where they will walk and talk with me. You have brought this sin into my creation—but I will send a Savior, a Messiah, to save my people and bring them back. My plan will succeed, and I will be victorious. You may strike my heel, but I will crush your head.”

And so the rest of God’s story is the story of how God’s plan unfolds—one generation at a time. God promised Abraham that he would bless all the peoples of the earth through his descendants, the nation of Israel. During the time of Moses, God showed the Israelites again that he loved them enough to deliver them from the slavery they endured in Egypt. When they wanted kings instead of God, he gave them kings, including King David, from whose line the Messiah would come.

Time and time again, sin and disobedience defined God’s people. God disciplined them, but he never abandoned them. God sent prophets to point the Israelites back to God and call for them to repent.

Reader 4: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; 7:14

Song: “O Come, O Come Immanuel” (st. 1-2) LUYH, CH 245, PH 9, PsH 328, SFL 123, SWM 81, TH 194, WR 154

Reader 1: The prophets spoke of a promise that God made thousands of years before—a promise that he made to Adam, to Eve, and to Satan. God promised to bring his people back to him. God made promises to Abraham; to Isaac; to Jacob; to Ruth; to David, whose father was Jesse; and to countless other descendants of Abraham. The Messiah, the Savior, would come from their line—he would be part of their family tree.

Reader 5: Isaiah 11:1-3a

Video: “Matthew’s Begats” (YouTube video by Andrew Peterson, from the CD Behold the Lamb of God ; tinyurl.com/mattbegats )

or Song of Response: “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” LUYH, CH 255, PH 48, PsH 351, TH 221, WR 190

Reader 6: Galatians 4:4-5a

Reader 1: The time had come; and now we see the next step in God’s plan.

Reader 6: Luke 1:26-38

Reader 1: So there was Mary, unmarried and pregnant. Not a good situation in that day. But her fiancé, Joseph, was a man of faith. After an angel appeared to him in a dream, he took Mary home as his wife. Soon after, the Roman government ordered a census and Joseph and Mary were forced to make a journey.

Reader 7: Luke 2:1-7

Song: “Labor of Love” (Andrew Peterson, from the CD Behold the Lamb of God )

or Song of Response: “Silent Night, Holy Night” (st. 1, 2, 4) LUYH, CH 253, PH 60, PsH 344, TH 210, WR 186

Reader 8: Luke 2:8-16

Song: “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night” CH 272, PH 58, 59, PsH 215, TH 222, 223, WR 228

Reader 8: Luke 2:17-19

Mary Monologue: O Lord, what a path you have taken me on so far. That visit from the angel Gabriel telling me about this little baby—there was so much to take in, so much to think about and do. And now—here I am in this stable, with Joseph and a baby.

This little baby—what am I to think of him? He is mine, but he is yours. He looks like any other baby, but yet he isn’t like any other baby. The shepherds spoke of the angels that came to tell them the news. They were amazed (I know that feeling). Everyone who hears about this baby is amazed, but do they really understand who he is? Do I really understand who he is and what he has come here to do?

Lord, show me how to be a mother to this child. Show me what you want me to teach him. Show me how to encourage him when he is discouraged. Help me to know what to say to him when he feels alone and scared. Show me what I should protect him from. (As if I could protect the Son of God!)

Oh, child—what will your life be like? How does the Son of God live here on earth? What will you do? Where will you go? What will you teach me? What will you teach us all? I don’t really know or understand what God’s plan is—but I will be your mother. I will do my best. For some reason God chose me, chose Joseph, chose this stable, chose this time. I don’t know why. I guess that’s for God to know and understand.

My child, I want you to know that I will love you forever. Your father and I believe in God and we believe in you. I have no idea what our future holds, I have no idea what your future will be, but we will trust God, your heavenly Father, to know what is best for us.

Now close your eyes and go to sleep, my child. I am here and God is with us—you are safe.

Solo: “Mary, Did You Know?” (Lowry and Greene)

or Song of Response: “That Boy-Child of Mary” PH 55, PsH 352, SFL 130, SWM 100, WR 211

Lighting of the Christ Candle

Reader 9: Matthew 2:1-12

Solo: “Behold the Lamb of God” (Andrew Peterson, from the CD Behold the Lamb of God )

or Song of Response: “As With Gladness Men of Old” LUYH, CH 290, PH 63, PsH 358, SFL 143, TH 226, WR 236

“The Magi Went to Bethl’hem Long Ago/Los magos que llegaron a Belén” LUYH, SNC 118

Reader 1: You see, the story doesn’t end with the baby in the manger. His birth was monumental; but it wasn’t the end. With his birth, God came to earth to continue his plan to bring us back to him. In that plan, this baby—God himself—would grow up to be a man. He would teach people—by word and by example—about what the kingdom of God is like and how people can enter it. He would send his followers out to spread the word in Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the world. And he would be accused, arrested, and sentenced to death—a perfect human, a human who had committed no sin. This human, Jesus, went willingly to his death, because he knew it was his Father’s plan. He was beaten and hung on a cross. He prepared to die.

Reader 10: John 19:28-30

Reader 1: Did you hear that? Jesus said, “It is finished.” God’s plan was accomplished. Jesus died on that cross—paying for our sin. But then, three days later, he rose from the dead. He conquered death and made a way for his beloved people to come back to him. If we believe in Jesus, it is as if we never sinned. We can now walk and talk with God. The garden has been opened again. We can be reunited with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The choice is now up to us. If we choose to ask Jesus to forgive our sins, to return to God, to his garden—that choice brings us the greatest joy ever imagined: an eternal, all-surpassing joy.

God created us, we turned our back on him, and he had a plan to bring us back. It was a very costly plan—but it was a victorious plan! It was a plan to bring us joy. And that’s what we celebrate today.

Song: “Joy to the World!” LUYH, CH 270, PH 40, PsH 337, SFL 137, SWM 94, TH 195, WR 179

Closing Invitation: If you don’t know this joy yet, or if you’re still trying to figure out how it can come to you, we hope you’ll talk with someone who knows Jesus Christ and knows the joy that he can bring. Don’t let this Christmas go by without listening to God’s call. God is waiting for you, he’s searching for you—just like he searched for Adam and Eve in the garden. God loves you and he wants you to come back to him. Let’s stand and close with prayer.

Closing Prayer

Song: “This Is Your God/Meekness and Majesty” SNC 109, WR 97

God’s Blessing

Doxology: “Jesus, Jesus, Oh, What a Wonderful Child” LUYH, SNC 108 (see “Noteworthy,” p. 40)

Postlude: “Joy to the World!”

Betsy Arkema works part time at Country Dairy and attends New Era Reformed Church in New Era, Michigan.

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Celebrate Christmas with us

The Christmas season is often one of the busiest for all of us. Between family get-togethers, office holiday parties, shopping for gifts, and preparing for a new year, it’s so easy to get caught up in the chaos of Christmas.

And yet, on a quiet night more than 2,000 years ago, the Son of God was born. Today, we are called to stop in the midst of the busy-ness, be still, and remember the profound gift of our Savior.

No matter where you find yourself this Christmas season, we hope you’ll consider joining us in remembrance and celebration during one of our Christmas Eve services. Whether you attend our church, a different church, or haven’t set foot in a church in decades, you’re welcome here at Journey Church in Lee’s Summit.

Christmas Eve Services at Journey

As you celebrate Christmas with us, we hope you bring your friends, neighbors, and coworkers with you. This year, we’re offering a Thursday evening service with the hope that those who are traveling elsewhere for Christmas will be able to join us before they head out of town. We’ll also have services on Saturday and Sunday to accommodate everyone.

DECEMBER 21

at 6:30 P.M.

DECEMBER 23

at 3:00 P.M.

at 5:00 P.M.

DECEMBER 24

at 9:00 A.M.

at 11:00 A.M.

at 2:00 P.M.

at 4:00 P.M.

Christmas Eve Services

Free childcare will be available at every service for children aged six weeks to kindergarten. Elementary, middle, and high school students are welcome to attend the adult services in our Worship Center. We will have activity bags for younger children to help them stay engaged during each service. If it’s your first time at Journey, you can pre-register your children online to save a little time before service, but pre-registration is not required.

Parking at Our Lee’s Summit Church

Join us on Sundays at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 A.M.!

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Christmas at the journey

Celebrate christmas with us, waiting for christ. waiting for justice..

Join us as we celebrate the Christmas season at the Journey starting Nov. 27th with an Advent sermon sermon series titled Waiting for Christ, Waiting for Justice. We have exciting events coming up

Christmas Eve Service

Due to inclement weather, we will be moving our outdoor Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Broad Street Market, indoors to The Journey Church. Join us at 5 pm at The Journey Church for an incredible and meaningful indoor Candlelight Service. We’ll have hot chocolate, coffee, and light refreshments. 

Christmas Brunch Day service

Join us at The Journey at 9 am for a worship service and brunch as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We hope to see you there!

Sabbath Sunday Service

We will be taking a sabbath Sunday on New Years day, January 1st. Our worship service will be online only streaming at 9 am. Sleep in or wake up late and stream our service online!

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Christmas Eve Service

December 24, 2021 6:00 - 7:00pm

You're Invited to Christmas Eve @ The Journey on Sunday, December 24!

Two Service Times to Choose from: 9:45am or 11:15am

Merry christmas eve, sunday, december 24 -  in-person services at 9:45am & 11:15am.

• An enjoyable 60-minute candlelight service for the whole family
• An inspiring Christmas Message on how to experience the hope of heaven this Christmas
• Sing your favorite Christmas Carols (including "Silent Night" by candlelight)
• Free Hot Chocolate Bar
• Journey Kids Christmas Party for your children, birth - 5th grade
• Casual Dress (ugly Christmas sweaters welcome)

🎄Your Children are Invited to the Journey Kids Christmas Party 🎄

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Are you traveling or prefer to attend christmas eve services online, at the journey's ministry and worship center, 2200 nw boca raton blvd boca raton, fl 33431 (enter from nw boca raton blvd, beside maui spa), what to expect on christmas eve @ the journey.

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Christmas gift guide to Moscow surroundings

Visitors from America and Western Europe might be surprised to discover that Russia celebrates Christmas on January 7th. That’s because the Russian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar. After the end of the Soviet Union, some Russians have begun celebrating Christmas on December 25 in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. But many Russians still observe the tradition of fasting on January 6th, breaking the fast with a large feast on Christmas Eve after the first star has appeared in the sky.

During the Soviet era, Christmas and religious traditions were banned in Russia. Santa Claus was replaced by Ded Moroz, or, Grandfather Frost, an old man with a long white beard who would bring gifts to children on New Year’s instead of Christmas. According to Russian tradition, Ded Moroz is accompanied by his granddaughter, Snegurochka, the Snowmaiden, who helps him on his journey to give presents to children.

Although the tradition of having a Christmas tree, known as a yolka in Russian, was also banned during Soviet times, Russians got around this by having New Year’s trees from which they hung homemade decorations. Today, the restrictions of the Soviet Union have faded into history, and during the Christmas season visitors to Russia can even purchase Christmas ornaments in the shape of matryoshka dolls, or religious icons that depict nativity scenes.

Heading counterclockwise around the Golden Ring this holiday season, northeast of Moscow, your first stop will most likely be the city of Vladimir, home to some of Russia’s most striking churches and cathedrals. The Vladimir region is known for its fine crystal. Stop by the Crystal, Lacquer Miniatures, and Embroidery Museum ( 2 Bolshaya Moskovskaya ) for an overview of traditional crafts before visiting the gift shop in the museum to browse the crystal selection. Vladimir Chic ( 2 Dvoryanskaya ) also sells local glass and crystal work.

Typical souvenirs are also for sale in Vladimir’s old town, especially by the Golden Gate, a triumphal arch and defensive tower that is one of the last-remaining parts of the wall that once surrounded ancient Vladimir and a sure stop on any tour of the Golden Ring.

Just 63 kilometers from Vladimir lays the nearby city of Gus-Khrustalny , the ‘Crystal Goose,’ also home to a rich glass and crystal making tradition. You can visit the glassmaking factory in Gus-Khrustalny and buy gifts ranging from plates and vases to decanters, or visit the outlet store back in Moscow ( 4 Ilyinka ) just east of the Kremlin.

North of Vladimir, you’ll arrive in Suzdal, one of the Golden Ring route’s more tranquil towns. Suzdal boasts a number of small bazaars and stands outside the main tourist sites where visitors can purchase local honey mead, called medovukha, along with traditional crafts, like a pair valenki, or Russian woolen boots, which make an ideal Christmas gift for friends and family back home. The shopping stands outside Suzdal’s Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life ( Ul. Pushkarskaya ) are also highly recommended. Market Square ( Torgovaya Pl ) houses a number of shops where visitors can search for arts and crafts.

Following the Golden Ring north of Suzdal, many tours will stop in the city of Kostroma, a former trading outpost on the immense Volga River. One of the city’s highlights is the Museum of Linen and Birchbark ( 38 Tereshkova ), where visitors can view exhibits on traditional Russian crafts woven from flax and bark. A gift shop in the basement sells tablecloths, napkins, baskets, linen dolls, and traditional clothing typical of the region.

South from Kostroma, stop in the city of Rostov-Veliky for enamel jewelry, a craft which allows artists to produce small paintings on metal that are then fired to produce a thin glaze over the image. Rostov became famous for its tradition of enamel work. Today, visitors can purchase rings, earrings, bracelets, brooches, and jewelry boxes in the gift shop of the Rostov Enamel factory ( 3 Borisoglebskoye Highway ).

While you’re in Rostov, visit the House of Crafts ( 16 Vtoraya Tolstovskaya Naberezhnaya ) for local pottery and the Souvenirs shop ( 5 Ul. Kamennyi Most ) for ushanka hats—Russian fur caps with earflaps—paintings, and samovars for tea lovers.

The last two stops on a tour of the Golden Ring are the cities of Pereslavl-Zalesskiy and Sergiev Posad. Pereslavl is most famous for its embroidery work, available at the Art Salon ( 12 Ul. Sovetskaya ) along with souvenirs made of wood and stone. Nearby Sergiev Posad is considered the place where Russia’s matryoshka dolls were first invented, and was the chief production center of the dolls before Soviet times. Visit the city’s Toy Museum ( 123 Pr. Krasny Armii ) to get a better sense of the birthplace of one of Russia’s most recognizable toys, then head over to the market alongside the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius—one of the city’s most important sites—to load up on matryoshka dolls, painted eggs, and icons before going home.

If you’ll be in the Golden Ring during New Years, the city of Vladimir hosts an impressive Christmas fair, with an iceskating rink and performances by local artists, in the main square ( Sobornaya Pl ). In most other Golden Ring cities you’ll find similar events in the center square as Christmas nears.

Most shops and markets in the Golden Ring are open year round. If you’re coming to Russia for a short period of time, whether in winter or summer, consider a trip to this stunning part of the country, and bring an extra bag if you plan to go shopping for Christmas gifts.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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Christmas Journey Festival 2017

 Manezhnaya square - «Magical time»  

Ploshchad revolyutsii - «magical ice theater».  , pushkinskaya square – «cozy time»  , novopuskinsky square – «the gingerbread village»  , kuznetsky most - «gallery of magical fir trees»  , gogolevsky boulevard - «bethlehem star».  , tverskaya square – «european christmas fair»  , stoleshnikov lane -  «warm time»  , moscow current events.

Moscow in miniature Would you like to see the central part of the largest city model that will enter the Guinness Book of World Records? You have an excellent chance to do it till the end of 2015 in All-Russia Exhibition Centre VDNKh. We belive that an architecture model of Moscow (Moscow in miniature) performed at a scale of 1:400 is really worth seeing.

Russian Impressionism Museum Art-buffs are welcome to visit the Russian Impressionism Museum, which opened its doors in Moscow on the 28th of May. The exhibition hall is located on the grounds of the former “Bolshevik” confectionery factory grounds.

Robostation in VDNH If you are interested in everything connected with robots you should certainly attend one of the most curious interactive museum called Robostation, situated in All-Russia Exhibition Centre VDNH. Here visitors of all ages have a great chance to get acquainted with modern robots, take part in different activities, enjoy technopark, chemistry show and show of dancing robots.

Archive Of Moscow Events:

19.06.2019 — 15.09.2019 Shchukin. Biography of a Collection. The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts presents one of the most prominent collections of European Modernist art, encompassing the most important artistic trends of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.The Shchukin exhibition includes masterpieces by Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gaugin, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and other masters.

18.05.2019 — 19.05.2019 Moscow Museums Night 2019 In 2019 in Moscow Museums Night will be held on May 18. Hundreds of urban cultural spaces will be open until midnight, and some until morning. Many galleries and museums have prepared special programs with free guided tours, concerts and master classes. 2019 year in Russia has been declared as the Year of the Theater, therefore many events will be devoted to the history of the theater.

16.03.2019 — 18.08.2019 Ilya Repin exhibition All art admirers are welcome to the New Tretyakov Gallery to see a large-scale exhibition of works by Ilya Repin. He was the most renowned Russian realist artist of the 19th century.Please be aware that tickets for the exhibition can only be bought in advance and are not sold on the day of the visit at the box office.

18.01.2019 — 23.02.2019 Primeval Russia Photo Exhibition One of the most interesting photo festivals opened its doors to the visitors of all ages in CHA (Tsentralny Dom Hudozhnika). The exhibition uniting more than 500 works is devoted to Russian nature. The project “Primeval Russia” was organized by the enthusiastic photographers, documentary directors, cameramen, travelers and scientists. These talented people wanted not only to share the most fascinating views of our country and reveal some interesting facts about wild animals but also to draw visitors' attention to the main theme - relationships between man and nature.

31.10.2018 — 20.01.2019 East: Another Beauty Exhibition 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the State Museum of the Oriental Art. The State Museum of the Oriental Art is the only cultural center in Russia specializing in the storage, study and popularization of the eastern peoples' culture and art.

13.10.2018 — 14.10.2018 Moscow is behind us 1941. The military-historical festival Did you know that Borodino Field was not only the location of the Battle of Borodino during Napoleoinic Wars but also the place of a severe clash between the Soviet and German forces in 1941? Join the festival of military reconstruction where the events of the WW II will come to life.

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DC/Dox Film Festival Unveils Second Annual Lineup (EXCLUSIVE)

By Addie Morfoot

Addie Morfoot

Contributor

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DC/Dox has unveiled the lineup for its second annual edition, which takes place in Washington, D.C., from June 13-16. The documentary festival will kick things off with “ Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story ,” the Warner Bros. Discovery film that premiered at Sundance earlier this year.

Popular on Variety

In April, Sitney revealed that Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” was one of four docus that would make up DC/Dox’s Signature Screenings section. The remaining three docus in the program are: Lana Wilson’s “Look Into My Eyes” (DC/Dox Centerpiece film), Dawn Porter’s “Luther: Never Too Much” (DC/Dox Spotlight film), and Sally Aitkin’s “Every Little Thing” (DC/Dox Closing Night film). Each docu premiered at Sundance 2024.

“These four signature films capture important aspects of our human experience: resilience in the face of adversity, the beauty found in small acts of kindness, the power of art and music to unite people in our shared humanity, and the universal desire to find higher meaning in our lives,” said Sitney.

Six feature docus will make their world premieres at DC/Dox: They are: AJ Schnack’s “Majority Rules,” about Alaska’s decision to use ranked-choice voting; Ross Kauffman’s “Wild Wild Space” an exploration of private companies jostling for dominance in space; Catherine Gund’s “Paint Me a Road Out of Here,” about Faith Ringgold’s painting “For the Women’s House”; Bridget Hunnicutt’s “Breaking the West,” about a Russian oligarch’s ambitions in the West; Alexandra Shiva and Lindsey Megrue’s observational portrait of a psychiatric unit for young adults titled “One South: Portrait of a Psyche Ward”; and Asako Gladsjo’s “The Calling, which follows a group of medical students in the Bronx.

DC/Dox will also screen the North American premieres of Peter Middleton’s “Apollo Thirteen: Survival,” which chronicles the almost disastrous NASA mission, and Chad Freidrichs’ “The Cinema Within” about the art and science of film editing. Jeremy Xido’s “The Bones,” an examination of the high-stakes world of dinosaur bone trading, will make its U.S. premiere at the fest. The doc premiered in March at CPH:Dox.

“With this second edition, DC/Dox continues to provide a festival experience that can only be found in the nation’s capital,” says DC/Dox co-founder Jamie Shor. “This festival allows filmmakers the unique opportunity to connect with an audience that can be influencers and amplifiers of their work, as well as appreciators.”

DC/Dox 2024 PROGRAM

Signature Screenings

Signature Screenings Opening Night Screening: Thursday, June 13

SUPER/MAN:THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY: DIRS Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui. PRODS Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford, and Ian Bonhôte. United Kingdom, USA. The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, marked by his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman. After becoming a quadriplegic he became a passionate advocate for disability rights, all while continuing his career in cinema, and dedicating himself to his beloved family. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery. Spotlight Screening: Friday, June 14

LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH: DIR Dawn Porter. PRODS Trish D. Chetty, Ged Doherty, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, and Leah Smith. USA. Using a wealth of rarely seen archives, the virtuoso vocalist Luther Vandross tells his own story with assistance from his closest friends including Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson, and Roberta Flack. Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing. Centerpiece Screening: Saturday, June 15

LOOK INTO MY EYES: DIR Lana Wilson. PRODS Kyle Martin and Lana Wilson. USA. A group of New York City psychics conduct deeply intimate readings for their clients, revealing a kaleidoscope of loneliness, connection, and healing. Courtesy of A24. Closing Night Screening: Sunday, June 16 EVERY LITTLE THING: DIR Sally Aitken. PRODS Bettina Dalton, Oli Harbottle, and Anna Godas. Australia. Amid the glamor of Hollywood, Los Angeles, a woman finds herself on a transformative journey as she nurtures wounded hummingbirds, unraveling a visually captivating and magical tale of love, fragility, healing, and the delicate beauty in tiny acts of greatness. Courtesy of Wildbear Entertainment, Dogwoof, and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios.

Features 1-800-ON-HER-OWN: DIR Dana Flor. PROD Amy Hobby. USA. 1-800-ON-HER-OWN follows groundbreaking indie musician/feminist Ani DiFranco, founder of the first “woman-run non-corporate queer-happy” label, Righteous Babe Records, on a wild road trip from her punk-folk past to her life today as an activist, mother and rock star. Throughout, Ani remains resolutely true to herself, no matter the cost. ADMISSIONS GRANTED: DIRS Hao Wu and Miao Wang. PRODS Hao Wu and Miao Wang. USA. In a landmark Supreme Court case pitting Asian American plaintiffs against Harvard University, activists on both sides wrestle with hard truths about race and equality, as the fate of affirmative action hangs in the balance. Courtesy of MSNBC Films. AIN’T NO BACK TO A MERRY-GO-ROUND: DIR Ilana Trachtman. PROD Ilana Trachtman. USA. Five Howard University students rode a segregated carousel outside Washington, DC in 1960, igniting the first organized interracial civil rights protest in US history. This is the untold story of the Jews they marched with, Nazis they provoked, Congressmen they inspired, and Civil Rights leaders they became. Screening as part of DC/FRAME. AMERICA’S BURNING: DIR David Smick. PROD Ian Michaels. USA. America’s Burning explores the country’s divide through the lens of the U.S. economy and examines the big question — could an economic civil war take us all down? AND SO IT BEGINS: DIR Ramona S. Diaz. PROD Ramona S. Diaz. USA. Amidst the traditional pomp and circumstance of Filipino elections, a quirky people’s movement rises to defend the nation against deepening threats to truth and democracy. In a collective act of joy as a form of resistance, hope flickers against the backdrop of increasing autocracy. ANTIDOTE: DIR James Jones. PROD James Jones. United Kingdom. A deeply immersive and urgent film that reveals the cost of standing up to Vladimir Putin and daring to tell the truth about modern Russia. APOLLO THIRTEEN: SURVIVAL: DIR Peter Middleton. PRODS Hugh Davies and Clive Patterson. USA. In April 1970, NASA faced the greatest crisis in its history: three astronauts were halfway to the moon on a spacecraft that had suffered a catastrophic explosion. With access to NASA’s complete audiovisual archives, APOLLO THIRTEEN: SURVIVAL tells the story of a space mission like no other. North American Premiere. Courtesy of Netflix. THE BITTER PILL: DIR Clay Tweel. PRODS Tim Grant, Shannon E. Riggs, and Mary Rohlich. USA. A small-town lawyer takes on a 500 billion-dollar sector of the pharmaceutical industry to aid his community in its recovery from the opioid epidemic. BLACK BOX DIARIES: DIR Shiori Ito. PRODS Eric Nyari, Hanna Aqvilin, and Shiori Ito. Japan, United Kingdom, USA. Young journalist Shiori Ito embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country’s outdated judicial and societal systems. Courtesy of Dogwoof. BLACK TABLE: DIRS John Antonio James and Bill Mack. PRODS Katie Taber, John Antonio James, Bill Mack. USA. For Black students at an elite college during the early days of the culture wars, the most important lessons didn’t happen inside the classroom. THE BONES: DIR Jeremy Xido. PROD Ina Fichman. Canada, Germany. Traversing the globe, paleontologists are on a quest to unearth dinosaur fossils that may hold the key to save humanity from extinction. It’s a race against time before the bones disappear into the hands of fossil dealers, who stand to make millions by selling them on the open market. US Premiere. Courtesy of Dogwoof. BREAKING THE WEST: DIR Bridget Hunnicutt. PRODS Bridget Hunnicutt, Mike Gehman, Eddie Stafford. USA. A Russian oligarch’s dream of becoming a pop star is derailed, as he is accused of influencing the 2016 US presidential election. World Premiere. Screening as part of DC/FRAME. THE CALLING: DIR Asako Gladsjo. PROD Tanya Blake. USA. Over the course of a year, a diverse group of medical students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx learn what it takes to become doctors serving one of America’s most underserved communities. World Premiere. Courtesy of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY: DIR Ben Sturgulewski. PRODS Katie Stjernholm and Baktash Ahadi. USA. In the peaks of Afghanistan, villagers from rival ethnic groups build makeshift skis and convene for a thrilling mountain race that requires incredible camaraderie and resilience – lessons they must call upon when they experience the collapse of their country to the Taliban. THE CINEMA WITHIN: DIR Chad Freidrichs. PRODS Chad Freidrichs and Jaime Freidrichs. USA. Film editor Walter Murch, film scholar David Bordwell, and a group of psychologists suggest that film editing is profoundly “natural,” but in remote Turkish mountains, a budding researcher – alongside people who have never seen films – puts this deepest of cinematic ideas to the test. North American Premiere.

DAUGHTERS: DIRS Angela Patton and Natalie Rae. PRODS Natalie Rae, Lisa Mazzotta, Justin Benoliel, James Cunningham, Mindy Goldberg, Sam Bisbee, Kathryn Everett, and Laura Choi Raycroft. USA. Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy-Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, DC jail. Courtesy of Netflix.

DRIVER: DIR Nesa Azimi. PRODS Nesa Azimi, Nicolas Borel, and Ines Hofmann Kanna. USA. After losing everything, Desiree Wood takes a second lease on life as a long-haul truck driver. Alongside an irreverent group of women drivers, she fights for a life on the road.

EMERGENT CITY: DIRS Kelly Anderson and Jay Arthur Sterrenberg. PRODS Brenda Avila-Hanna, Kelly Anderson. USA. As rents and sea levels rise, Brooklyn residents confronting a new real estate development navigate a tangled web of power, money and politics.

THE FIRST CLASS: Lee Hirsh. PRODS. Robert Fernandez, Lee Hirsch. USA. A rousing documentary that immerses viewers into the lives of the very first students and teachers at Memphis’s Crosstown High.

HOLLYWOODGATE: DIR Ibrahim Nash’at. PRODS Talal Derki, Odessa Rae, and Shane Boris. Germany. When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban retook control of the ravaged country and immediately found an American base loaded with weaponry. Unprecedented and audacious, director Ibrahim Nash’at’s HOLLYWOODGATE spends a year inside Afghanistan following the Taliban as they take possession of the cache America left behind—and transform from a fundamentalist militia into a heavily armed military regime.

INHERITANCE: DIRS Matt Moyer and Amy Toensing. PRODS Matt Moyer and Amy Toensing. USA. Filmed over 11 years, INHERITANCE follows Curtis, a young boy, as he grows up in rural Appalachia in a family and community surrounded by substance use disorder and poverty. Can Curtis break the cycle of addiction that has plagued his family for generations?

INTERCEPTED: DIR Oksana Karpovych. PRODS Rocío B. Fuentes, Pauline Tran Van Lieu, Lucie Rego, Darya Bassel, and Olha Beskhmelnytsina. Canada, France, Ukraine. Quiet scenes of everyday life for Ukrainians since the full-scale invasion play out in stark contrast with intercepted phone conversations between Russian soldiers and their families, creating a stunning tension between sound and image.

LOVE MACHINA: DIR Peter Sillen. PRODS Brendan Doyle and Peter Sillen. USA. LOVE MACHINA follows Bina48, a humanoid AI, commissioned in 2007 by Martine & Bina Rothblatt. An early sketch of potential digital consciousness, Bina48 is our vehicle to explore the Rothblatts’ futurist ideas and their quest to be in love forever.

MADE IN ETHIOPIA: DIRS Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan. PRODS Tamara Dawit, Xinyan Yu, and Max Duncan. Canada, Ethiopia, USA, United Kingdom. When a massive Chinese factory complex attempts a high-stakes expansion in rural Ethiopia, three women in search of prosperity have their faith in industrialization tested to the limit. Courtesy of Dogwoof.

MEDIHA: DIR Hasan Oswald. PRODS Hasan Oswald, Annelise Mecca, Fahrinisa Campana, Alexander Spiess, and Stephen Nemeth. USA. Mediha, a teenage Yazidi girl who has recently returned from ISIS captivity, turns her camera on herself to process her trauma. She confronts her past through personal video-diaries, reclaiming her voice and stepping bravely towards the future. Courtesy of The Film Collaborative.

NEW WAVE: Elizabeth Ai. PRODS. Rachel Sine, Elizabeth Ai. USA. Mile-high hair. Synthesized music. Underground parties. Elizabeth Ai was on a mission to excavate an untold story of rebellious punks in the chaotic world of 80s Vietnamese new wave until she rediscovered a hidden past. Courtesy of The Film Collaborative.

OMAR AND CEDRIC: IF THIS EVER GETS WEIRD: DIR Nicolas Jack Davies. PRODS. Germany. Whittled down from hundreds of hours of footage shot by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, this film offers an all-access pass to the masterminds behind the Grammy award-winning band, The Mars Volta. Courtesy of Autlook Filmsales.

ONE SOUTH: PORTRAIT OF A PSYCH UNIT: DIRS Alexandra Shiva and Lindsey Megrue. PROD Matt Gottesfeld. USA. A deeply intimate, two-part observational portrait of an inpatient psychiatric unit in Queens, NY that specializes in treating young adults in acute crisis. World Premiere. Courtesy of HBO Documentary Films.

PAINT ME A ROAD OUT OF HERE: DIR Catherine Gund. PROD Tanya Selvaratnam. USA. Featuring artists Faith Ringgold and Mary Baxter, PAINT ME A ROAD OUT OF HERE uncovers the whitewashed history of Faith’s masterpiece For the Women’s House and follows its 50-year journey from Rikers Island to the Brooklyn Museum in a heartbreaking, funny, and true parable for a world without mass incarceration. World Premiere.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY: DIR Rachel Elizabeth Seed. PRODS Kirsten Johnson, Maida Lynn, Hinda Gilbert, and Robina Riccitiello. USA. A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY is an intimate, genre-bending portrait of a daughter’s attempt to piece together a portrait of her mother, an avant-garde journalist and a woman she never knew. Uncovering the vast archive Sheila Turner Seed produced, including lost interviews with iconic photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks, Cecil Beaton, Bruce Davidson, Lisette Model, and others, the film explores memory, legacy, and stories left untold. Courtesy of The Film Collaborative.

PORCELAIN WAR: DIRS Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev. PRODS Aniela Sidorska, Paula DuPre’ Pesmen, Camilla Mazzaferro, and Olivia Ahnemann. USA. Under roaring fighter jets, Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey choose to stay behind. Defiantly finding beauty amid destruction, they show that although it’s easy to make people afraid, it’s hard to destroy their passion for living.

PRECONCEIVED: DIRS Sabrine Keane and Kate Dumke. PRODS Heather Keane, Maggie Contreras, and Sabrine Keane. USA. PRECONCEIVED explores the pervasive presence of crisis pregnancy centers throughout the US, and their role in furthering the anti-abortion movement. Courtesy of The Film Collaborative.

THE RIDE AHEAD: DIRS Dan Habib and Samuel Habib. PROD Erica Lupinacci. USA. Samuel Habib is a typical 21-year-old, itching to move out, start a career and find love. But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability. Can a community of disability activists help him follow his dreams?

SABBATH QUEEN: DIR Sandi DuBowski. PROD Sandi DuBowski. USA. Filmed over 21 years, SABBATH QUEEN follows Amichai Lau-Lavie, descendent of 38 generations of rabbis, from drag-queen rebel to rabbi, as he radically reinvents religion and ritual, challenges patriarchy and supremacy, and stands up for peace.

SECRET MALL APARTMENT: DIR Jeremy Workman. PROD Jeremy Workman. USA. In 2003, eight young Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment in a hidden space inside the Providence Place Mall and lived in it for four years, filming along the way. More than a wild prank, the secret apartment became a meaningful place for everyone involved.

SHAKING IT UP: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LIZ CARPENTER: DIRS Abby Ginzberg and Christy Carpenter. PRODS Abby Ginzberg and Christy Carpenter. USA. Over her 89 years, Liz Carpenter was often front and center where history was unfolding, leaving her own indelible mark on some of the most vivid moments and movements that shaped the twentieth century. As journalist, vice-presidential advisor, White House official, author, humorist, and feminist leader she blazed important trails.

SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY: DIRS Jeff Zimbalist and Maria Bukhonina. PRODS Jeff Zimbalist, Maria Bukhonina, Chris Smith, and Tamir Ardon. USA. To save their careers and their relationships, a daredevil couple journeys across the globe to illegally climb the world’s last super skyscraper and perform a life-or-death acrobatic stunt on the spire. Courtesy of Netflix.

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT: DIR Johan Grimonprez. PRODS Daan Milius and Rémi Grellety. France. Jazz and decolonization are entwined in this historical rollercoaster that rewrites the Cold War episode that led musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach to crash the UN Security Council in protest against the murder of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba.

STORY & PICTURES BY: DIR Joanna Rudnick. PRODS Joanna Rudnick, Tim Horsburgh, and Korelan Matteson. USA. This is a story about the boundary pushers who shape souls and give children strange dreams; picture book creators who are changing the narrative for the next generation, even when their own lives are not fairytales.

SUGARCANE: DIRS Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie. PRODS Emily Kassie and Kellen Quinn. USA, Canada. An investigation into abuse and missing children at an Indian residential school ignites a reckoning on the nearby Sugarcane Reserve. Courtesy of National Geographic Documentary Films.

UNION: DIRS Brett Story and Stephen Maing. PRODS Brett Story, Stephen Maing, Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone, and Martin Dicicco. USA. The Amazon Labor Union (ALU)—a group of current and former Amazon workers in New York City’s Staten Island—takes on one of the world’s largest and most powerful companies in the fight to unionize. Courtesy of The Film Collaborative.

WAR GAME: DIRS Jesse Moss and Tony Gerber. PRODS Todd Lubin, Jesse Moss, Jack Turner, Mark DiCristofaro, Jessica Grimshaw, and Nick Shumaker. USA. A bipartisan group of U.S. defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations participate in an unscripted role-play exercise, set on January 6, 2025, in which they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the U.S. military, in the wake of a contested presidential election.

WILD WILD SPACE: DIR Ross Kauffman. PRODS Jaye Callahan, Ashlee Vance, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Christopher Collins, Lydia Tenaglia, and Craig H. Shepherd. USA. Less than one hundred miles above our heads is where some of the most valuable real estate in the universe lives: Low Earth Orbit. This is an extraterrestrial land grab, a galactic Wild West where the cowboys are visionaries, tinkerers, and capitalists dead set on owning the future. WILD WILD SPACE delivers the audience into this critical and unknown world. World Premiere. Courtesy of HBO Documentary Films.

14 PAINTINGS: DIR Dongnan Chen. PRODS Jiaqing Lin, Chongjun Li, Dongnan Chen, Jisong Li, and Heying Chen. China. A field study of fourteen paintings from China’s Dafen village, as the government rebrands the copy-painting district as a hub for original art.

51ST STATE: DIR Hannah Rosenzweig. PRODS List Rubin and Ray Whitehouse. USA. 51ST STATE explores the emerging national issue of DC statehood from the personal perspective of one of DC’s most vibrant Gen Z leaders – set against the overlooked cultural backdrop of our capital city and a deep yet virtually unknown crack in our democracy. World Premiere. Screening as part of DC/FRAME.

ANYUKA: DIR Maya Erdelyi. PROD Marga Varea. USA. A story of a marvelous and tragic life as told across three generations.

BEEN THERE: DIR Corina Schwingruber Ilić. PROD Stella Händler. Switzerland. Weekend trips, city breaks, a detour into nature or around the world, tourists become invaders in search of the best pictures.

THE BIG WAIT: DIR Yannick Jamey. PRODS Lucy Pijnenburg and Yannick Jamey. Australia. In a remote desert town in Australia, population two, a couple manages an emergency airport and keeps vacant cottages in pristine condition, waiting for visitors who never seem to arrive.

BOB’S FUNERAL: DIR Jack Dunphy. PROD Jordan Tetewsky. USA. Searching for the root of generational trauma, the director takes a camera into his estranged grandfather’s funeral.

A BORDER BETWEEN US: DIR Riad Arfin. PROD Charlotte Hailstone. United Kingdom. How does a couple with roots in two different countries find a place to make home? North American Premiere.

THE CALLERS: DIR Lindsey Dryden. PRODS Colleen Cassingham, Samantha Steele, Lindsey Dryden. USA. Anonymous documentary testimony from the UK’s oldest queer support line is blended with imagined creative scenes to tell the stories of those who have sought help from it in times of need.

CAN I HUG YOU?: DIR Elahe Esmaili. PROD Hossein Behboudi Rad. Iran, United Kingdom. In the Iranian city of Qom, restrictions are imposed on women in the name of “sexual safety.” Hossein grew up in this context, but as a young boy he found himself victimized, left to carry this secret into adulthood. Now, with the help of his wife Elahe, he is confronting his trauma. North American Premiere.

CHRISTMAS, EVERY DAY: DIR Faye Tsakas. PRODS Enrique Pedraza Botero, Rowan Ings, Lauren Howell, and Faye Tsakas. USA. From their rural Alabama home, two preteen girls market fashion and beauty products to thousands of online fans.

CONTRACTIONS: DIR Lynne Sachs. PRODS Emily Berisso and Laura Goodman. USA. Intimate confessions, paired with experimental choreography outside a woman’s clinic in Memphis, offer a glimpse into the end of safe and legal abortion access in the US. Plays with companion audio piece, WE CONTINUE TO SPEAK, featuring recordings of the participants and producers of CONTRACTIONS as they vocalize their reactions to the reduction of women’s bodily autonomy in the United States.

EAT FLOWERS: DIR River Autumn Finlay. PRODS Cig Harvey and Sashka Rothchild. USA. When a dear friend is forced into isolation with a rare form of leukemia, artist Cig Harvey sets out to fill her sterile world with beauty and magic.

FAMILIA: DIRS Picho García and Gabriela Pena. PRODS Gabriela Pena and Picho García. Chile. The dual nature of social media is revealed when a young man tries to get an appealing profile picture, while the family WhatsApp chat is sharing the last days of the grandfather’s life

FRANK: DIR David Gauvey Herbert. PRODS Lance Oppenheim, Abigail Rowe, and Nate Hurtsellers. USA. At 99 years old, Frank Lucianna is America’s oldest practicing attorney. Now, he’s preparing for his final criminal trial.

HELLO STRANGER: DIR Amélie Hardy. PRODS Sarah Mannering and Fanny Drew. Canada. Between loads of laundry at the corner laundromat, Cooper shares the tumultuous story of her gender reassignment journey.

HINDSIGHT: DIR Max Rykov. PRODS Anna Rykova and Igor Rykov. Ukraine, USA. A visual meditation on the memories of two young Ukrainians emerging from the fall of the Iron Curtain, Hindsight looks at the fragility of our roots, the impermanence of our cultures, and the transience of our freedom through the lens of a VHS camera in the late 1990s. Screening as part of DC/FRAME.

HOLD THE LINE: DIR Daniel Lombroso. PROD Devon Blackwell. USA. When the largest Protestant organization in the U.S. decides to purge women in leadership positions, one prominent female pastor fights back. East Coast Premiere. Courtesy of The New Yorker.

I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: DIR Frank Eli Martin. PRODS Sophie Outhwaite and Solomon Golding. United Kingdom. A visionary devotion to the Virgin Mary in rural Ireland reveals the hushed secrets that exist beneath the surface of the country’s Catholic institutions.

IN DUE SEASON: DIR Ashley O’Shay. PROD Cherrelle Swain. USA. Despite the Obama-era push for expansion under the Affordable Care Act, ten states—mainly in the South—opted out, leaving many low-income families without healthcare coverage. IN DUE SEASON introduces us to three individuals caught in this gap. World Premiere.

INSTRUMENTS OF A BEATING HEART: DIR Ema Ryan Yamazaki. PROD Eric Nyari. Japan. As first-grader Ayame traverses the ups and downs of music auditions and performances, lessons of sacrifice and resilience in the Japanese education system are revealed. World Premiere. Courtesy of The New York Times Op-Docs.

JE M’APPELLE MARIIA: DIR Juho Reinikainen. PRODS Hedi NIkzad, Aalto University, and ELO Film School Finland. Finland. Ukrainian Mother and daughter Liubov and Mariia start on a European journey toward Mariia’s big dream of visiting Paris and studying in France.

THE LEGACY OF LEE’S FLOWER SHOP: DIR Kamilah Thurmon. PRODS Rick Lee, Stacie Lee, and Kristie Lee. USA. Lee’s Flower and Card Shop, the oldest Black-owned flower shop in Washington, DC, has planted seeds of wisdom and perseverance in the District since 1945. Screening as part of DC/FRAME.

MY DEAD DAD: DIRS Abby Ellis and Erik Osterholm. PRODS Omar Mullick, Michael Simkin, and Erik Osterholm. USA. With a cult-like following at the New York Times, Christopher Gray throws his family for a posthumous loop when he requests that his body be defleshed and his skeleton preserved for permanent display—a request his daughter strictly abides, but not before a last father-daughter road trip along the way.

ON THE BATTLEFIELD: DIRS Theresa Delsoin, Lisa Marie Malloy, J.P. Sniadecki, and Ray Whitaker. PRODS Rachel Burns, Karin Chien, Judson Childs, Theresa Delsoin, Clarence Dossie, Wynne Hannan, Lisa Marie Malloy, J.P. Sniadecki, and Ray Whitaker. USA. In the Southern Illinois region of Little Egypt, a sound recordist walks through the fields where once stood Pyramid Courts – the housing projects that formed the heart of the Black community of his hometown, Cairo.

ONE STORY AT A TIME: CELESTE LECESNE: DIRS Eva Tenuto and Natalia Iyudin. PROD Kashka Glowacka. USA. Celeste Lecesne candidly shares how he escaped the confines of homophobia by sharing his truth with the world in an off-broadway solo-show that becomes an Academy Award-winning film and ultimately inspires The Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQIA+ youth.

THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA: DIR Molly O’Brien. PRODS Lisa Remington and Molly O’Brien. USA. Orin O’Brien never wanted the spotlight, but when Leonard Bernstein made her the first female musician hired by the NY Philharmonic, it was inevitable. Exploring Orin’s remarkable career, we discover the key to life: “You don’t mind playing second fiddle.”

PENN F—ING STATION: DIR Claire Read. PRODS Nora DeLigter and Claire Read. USA. In NYC, the debate over how to fix Penn Station erupts between the city’s power brokers and residents. But what’s at stake is not just a transit hub; it’s the future of the city. World Premiere.

PUBLIC DEFENDER: DIR Andrea Kalin. PRODS Andrea Kalin, Ethan Oser, Kate Woodsome, Liz Gilbert Cohen, and Janice Engel. USA. What happens when a liberal public defender represents right-wing January 6th rioters? PUBLIC DEFENDER takes on America’s epidemic of division and misinformation with humanity and comic relief, modeling how to restore trust and accountability one relationship at a time. Screening as part of DC/FRAME.

THE PUZZLE PALACE: DIRS Jenny Schweitzer Bell and Brian Bell. PRODS Brian Bell, Jenny Schweitzer Bell, Justin Lacob, Kenny Laubbacher, and Bryn Mooser. USA. Amassing the world’s largest puzzle collection is a labor of love for one inseparable couple.

THE QUILTERS: DIR Jenifer McShane. PROD Jenifer McShane. USA. A quilting group inside a maximum security prison is an unlikely setting where incarcerated men create personalized quilts for local foster children. Through this process and the relationships formed, we witness the power of art to restore an individual’s view of themselves and others. World Premiere.

SEAT 31: ZOOEY ZEPHYR: DIR Kimberly Reed. PRODS Kimberly Reed and Robin Honan. USA. After Zooey Zephyr’s expulsion from the Montana House of Representatives for defending transgender medical care, she made a nearby bench her “office.” Director Kimberly Reed’s intimate camera transforms this shocking political moment into a portrait of trans and queer joy.

THE SOUND OF THE WIND: DIR Maria Pankova. PROD Sophia Carr-Gomm. United Kingdom. Yuliia has become a refugee in Scotland due to the war in Ukraine. She is fighting for the future of her children while trying to maintain her relationship with her husband, who is on the frontline.

THE TEST: DIRS Claudia Myers and Laura Waters Hinson. PROD Heather Brumley. USA. A Ghanaian maintenance worker at a Virginia retirement community dreams of becoming an American citizen to provide a better life for his family. With their future at stake, he enlists the help of two elderly residents to prepare for the biggest test of his life: the US Citizenship exam. Screening as part of DC/FRAME.

TO BE DESTROYED: DIR Arthur Bradford. PRODS Jennifer Ollman and Katie Taber. USA. Author Dave Eggers travels to Rapid City, SD after learning that five books, including his novel, The Circle, were removed from local high school shelves and designated “to be destroyed”. Courtesy of MSNBC Films.

TO BE INVISIBLE: DIR Myah Overstreet. PRODS Myah Overstreet, Devon Blackwell, Melissa Fajardo, Jennifer Redfearn, and Jason Spingarn-Koff. USA. For over three years, Alexis and Kellie have been fighting to get their children back. With the assistance of a former social worker turned parent advocate, these mothers are battling to reunite with their children, who were removed from their homes by the children’s welfare service.

UNTIL HE’S BACK: DIR Jacqueline Baylon. PROD Jacqueline Baylon. USA. After learning that his son, Yahya, has died at sea trying to get to Spain, Ahmed Tchiche must find a way to bring his remains back home to Morocco so he and his family can have a proper goodbye.

WE EXIST IN MEMORY: DIR Darian Woehr. PROD Hailey Sadler. USA. How do you rebuild home from nothing but memories? Through the candid conversations between a grandmother and grandchild living in refuge, we witness the complexity of raising a new generation in displacement.

WEEKEND VISITS: DIR Pete Quandt. PRODS Hannah Whisenant and Garson Ormiston. USA. Jessi, an incarcerated mother at a rural Virginia prison, gets the rare experience of an extended visitation with her sweet and hyperactive 9-year-old, Ryleigh.

WINDING PATH: DIRS Ross Kauffman and Alexandra Lazarowich. PROD Robin Honan. USA. Eastern Shoshone medical student Jenna Murray spent summers on the Wind River Indian Reservation helping her grandfather any way she could. When he suddenly dies, she must find a way to heal before realizing her dream of a life in medicine.

WOULDN’T MAKE IT ANY OTHER WAY: DIR Hao Zhou. PRODS Tyler Hill, Merrill Sterritt, and Carlo Velayo. USA. Having built a colorful queer life in Iowa, an aspiring costume designer visits their island homeland of Guam to make costumes for a children’s theater while reconnecting with distanced parents.

YOU CAN’T SHRINK LOVE: DIR Veena Rao. PROD Veena Rao. USA. An artist gives life in miniature to the memories of our most beloved companions.

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