Official Selection
Better Fate Than Never
Better Fate Than Never is a sharp, heartfelt comedy about reinvention, relevance, and the unpredictable nature of love at any age.
Annie, a successful relationships columnist in her 50s, is blindsided when a smug, younger editor informs her that her work is no longer “click-worthy.” Her loyal readership and decades of experience mean nothing in the face of analytics, scroll depth, and social shares. Unless she reinvents herself, and fast, she’s out of a job. Her editor suggests she switch lanes entirely and write a youthful travel piece, complete with hostel-hopping and hitchhiking tips. Annie is appalled.
Devastated but not defeated, Annie turns to her older sister Maeve, a free spirit with a flair for dramatics, who convinces her to visit a tarot reader for guidance. To Annie’s surprise, the reading seems to speak directly to her crisis, and hints at movement, change, and a journey tied to deeper connection. Still skeptical, Annie drowns her frustration in wine, sarcasm, and a late-night internet rabbit hole. She stumbles across a curious dating site for singles over 40 and impulsively signs up, only to receive an email the next morning that reads: CUPID FEST – Travel to Ireland – Meet the Love of Your Life.
What begins as a desperate attempt to save her job transforms into the start of something much more personal. With a plane ticket in hand and a hint of hope wrapped in a healthy dose of skepticism, Annie finds out that chasing a story might just lead her to one of her own. Better Fate Than Never is a funny, touching exploration of modern aging, female agency, and the courage it takes to write your next chapter - even when the ink’s long dry on the last one.
Annie, a successful relationships columnist in her 50s, is blindsided when a smug, younger editor informs her that her work is no longer “click-worthy.” Her loyal readership and decades of experience mean nothing in the face of analytics, scroll depth, and social shares. Unless she reinvents herself, and fast, she’s out of a job. Her editor suggests she switch lanes entirely and write a youthful travel piece, complete with hostel-hopping and hitchhiking tips. Annie is appalled.
Devastated but not defeated, Annie turns to her older sister Maeve, a free spirit with a flair for dramatics, who convinces her to visit a tarot reader for guidance. To Annie’s surprise, the reading seems to speak directly to her crisis, and hints at movement, change, and a journey tied to deeper connection. Still skeptical, Annie drowns her frustration in wine, sarcasm, and a late-night internet rabbit hole. She stumbles across a curious dating site for singles over 40 and impulsively signs up, only to receive an email the next morning that reads: CUPID FEST – Travel to Ireland – Meet the Love of Your Life.
What begins as a desperate attempt to save her job transforms into the start of something much more personal. With a plane ticket in hand and a hint of hope wrapped in a healthy dose of skepticism, Annie finds out that chasing a story might just lead her to one of her own. Better Fate Than Never is a funny, touching exploration of modern aging, female agency, and the courage it takes to write your next chapter - even when the ink’s long dry on the last one.
Official Selection
Mad Island
A reclusive musician retreats to a frozen island on Lake Superior to capture the lake’s rare sonic phenomena - the eerie tones of ice as it begins to freeze. But, solitude quickly turns to dread as they’re drawn into unsettling encounters with an overfamiliar neighbor, a polar plunge gone wrong, and a mysterious voice echoing from beneath the ice.
As their recordings grow stranger and their grip on reality frays, the musician finds themself haunted by disjointed memories and something far more ancient beneath the surface.
Mad Island is a psychological thriller set against the stark beauty of winter. A study in isolation, trauma, and the supernatural, it builds toward a chilling descent into the unknown - where the line between madness and truth lies just beneath the ice.
As their recordings grow stranger and their grip on reality frays, the musician finds themself haunted by disjointed memories and something far more ancient beneath the surface.
Mad Island is a psychological thriller set against the stark beauty of winter. A study in isolation, trauma, and the supernatural, it builds toward a chilling descent into the unknown - where the line between madness and truth lies just beneath the ice.
