The directors of the Driftless Film Festival proudly announce the selections for the 14th edition of DFF, which runs Nov. 1-4 at the Mineral Point Opera House. Our selections are as follows:

Feature Films

FRIENDS FROM HOME — A dramedy that follows two childhood friends as they travel cross country. Joe is making the big move to Los Angeles, while Mike is there for the ride. Along the way, they discuss everything from why Niagara falls is not so special to what it means to never move away from home. (Joe Blank, Mike Koslov, 72 min, United States)

LOTERIA — Due to the travel ban imposed on Iran in 2017, immigrants were forced to cross the border illegally into the United States. This is the story of an Iranian man’s multiple attempt to cross illegally from Mexico to the United States in pursuit of a better life. (Ali Atshani, 85 min, United States)

LOVE & IRONY — The search for an authentic life leads an existential bike mechanic to discover the universal truths and transformative powers of love. (John Biesack, 111 min, Wisconsin, United States)

NO GOD, NO MASTER — When a series of package bombs shows up on the doorsteps of prominent politicians and businessmen in the summer of 1919, U.S. Bureau of Investigation Agent William Flynn (David Strathairn) is assigned the task of finding those responsible. He becomes immersed in an investigation that uncovers an anarchist plot to destroy democracy. Inspired by true events of the 1920s the film sets the stage for a timely thriller with resoundingly similar parallels to the contemporary war on terrorism and the role government plays to defeat it. (Terry Green, 94 min, Wisconsin, United States) *

OUTED — Oliver, a recent high school graduate, is kicked out of his house after his parents find out he is gay. He struggles to make it on his own as he tries to find a way to pay for college. (Filmmaker: Blake Arthur, 87 min, United States)

SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING — Lost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran finds solace in her cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates and occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. She is ghosting through life, unable to pop her bubble of isolation, when a friendly new coworker, Robert, persistently tries to connect with her. Though it goes against every fiber of her being, she may have to give this guy a chance. (Rachel Lambert, 91 min, United States)

THIS MUCH WE KNOW — Grieving the suicide of a friend, Frances Handerson heads to Las Vegas, the suicide capitol of the nation to seek answers. There she learns about the shocking suicide of a teenage boy. While investigating the boy’s suicide and the suicide epidemic further she learns that the city is also burdened by a national problem scrambling to bury decades of nuclear excess in a nearby mountain. (L. Frances Henderson, 107 min, United States)

YES REPEAT NO — Three actors audition to play the Palestinian-Jewish actor and activist, Juliano Mer-Khamis, a former IDF paratrooper who defiantly identified as “100% Palestinian and 100% Jewish.” During a tense rehearsal meant to determine which of them is most suited to authentically portray Mer-Khamis, the three Julianos find their sense of self fractured and disrupted. (Michael Moshe Dahan, 98 min, United States)

Short Films

A CLOUDY MOON — Nick is looking forward to reuniting with his best friend from High School, but regrets a slip of the tongue on a phone call he wants to take back. (TJ Hill, 6 min, Wisconsin, United States)

BANANA TRIANGLE SIX — A day in the life of an elderly gentleman, Hank Crute, as he deals with the trials and tribulations of a resident of Spring Valley retirement home, bad food, conniving females and an unexpected Doctor’s visit. (Marc E Crandall, 24 min, United States)

BUG — A short embodied reflection of darkness, sound, and light. (CK Olsen, 3 min, Illinois, United States)

COLLECTING KILLERS — A collector by the name of John Stavola, reveals that his collection is not ordinary. He collects murderabilia and goes into detail about what got him to collect and why he does it. (Ivan Aragon, 15 min, Illinois, United States)

COTTAGE GROVE — A young man struggles to communicate with his stroke-afflicted father, and at the same time, stay true to himself. (George Ellzey Jr., 13 min, Illinois, United States)

CRICKET — When Finn and Sam meet to celebrate the life of Lily — Sam’s dead wife — a Freudian slip by Finn creates an awkward moment that Sam initially brushes off as a mistake that even Lily would appreciate. But the comment haunts Sam, and while he needles Finn for the truth over an evening of drinks and darts, their friendship might not survive the night. (Timothy Lonsdale, 10 min, Wisconsin, United States)

CURSE BREAKERS — Mary is a young, resilient, and loving black woman. While grocery shopping with her two kids, she encounters her childhood sexual abuser. This story unveils three generations of women who deal with generational trauma, echoing a common narrative of black communities in real life. (Cache Petters-Matthews, 14 min, Illinois, United States)

IGGY — Overwhelmed with the pressures of high school, Iggy Fransisco attempts to make friends and is rejected. A classmate Abigail notices this and offers her friendship. (Anthony Cuomo, 5 min, Illinois, United States)

PATIENT — Fiction, reality, the private, and the performed overlap on a routine but emotional day at a medical center. (Lori Felker, 20 min, Wisconsin, United States)

THE CALL — A solitary man is called out of retirement to help an old friend. (Anthony Wood, 6 min, Wisconsin, United States)

THE GATEKEEPER — New owners of a small-town building discover an ancient secret in the walls of its basement. (Sam Sorenson, 13 min, Wisconsin, United States)

THE INHABITANTS — The film follows two fictional immigrant ancestors as they explore our subjective perceptions of a shared American past. Set in the late 19th century, these inhabitants perform their required daily tasks while searching for each other and a greater meaning to their existence. The story is told through highly cinematic images with no dialogue and in settings ranging from a 18th Century mansion to a fire-scorched prairie, the enigmatic storylines of the two characters remain separate but interwoven. (Tate Justin Bunker, 16 min, Wisconsin, United States)

THE SIDEKICK’S GUIDE TO ADVENTURE — A woman gets mistaken for a sidekick and gets pulled into an adventure. (Wil Loper, Jarrod Crooks, 8 min, Wisconsin, United States)

WE’LL WANT FOR NOTHING — A hardened rancher struggles to conceal a devastating loss from her sister. (Eric Schabla, Jack Whaley, 8 min, Wisconsin, United States)

Note: Selections are subject to change. Individual screening dates and times will be announced shortly.
* – Encore presentation, not in competition for awards