The warmer days in New York signal Rooftop Films’ 30th anniversary Summer Series, a citywide showcase running May 15 through August 21 with more than 40 events. The festival blends new independent features, curated shorts, free community screenings, live performances, and special programs, while expanding access with lower ticket prices and a refreshed membership option.
The spotlight opens with the New York premiere of Daniel Roher’s Tuner, followed by a live attendance of Leo Woodall (The White Lotus) and Oscar‑winning sound designer Johnnie Burn. In addition, the festival will screen Shaolin Soccer for its 25th anniversary as part of World Cinema Nights.
New features on the bill include Gorilla Gorilla, Jaripeo, and Sour Minnows, forming a diverse cross‑section of contemporary independent cinema. Alongside these, Rooftop remains deeply committed to shorts, opening the season with an all‑shorts Opening Night at Green-Wood Cemetery and curating a wide array of compact programs across venues.
Beyond screenings, Rooftop reinforces community access through free neighborhood screenings, while a redesigned membership program broadens perks and discounts for attendees across the five boroughs.
Feature Films
- Tuner — 2026; Daniel Roher; US/Canada; 107 minutes; New York premiere. May 18 at Pier 57; free with RSVP. A Black Bear Pictures release.
- Shaolin Soccer — 2001; Stephen Chow; Hong Kong; 112 minutes; World Cinema Nights at Fort Greene Park; free with RSVP.
- Jaripeo — 2026; Efra edn Mojica & Rebecca Zweig; US/France/Mexico; 70 minutes; June 4 at Fort Greene Park; free with RSVP.
- Gorilla Gorilla — 2026; Tij D oyen & Michael Calciano; US; 87 minutes; NY premiere; date TBA.
- Sour Minnows — 2026; Harrison Atkins; US; 83 minutes; US premiere; date TBA.
Short Film Program Highlights
- This is What We Mean by Short Films: Opening Night 2026 — May 15, Green-Wood Cemetery
- Cemetery Shorts — June 5, Green-Wood Cemetery
- Vidas Vibrantes: Shorts en Español — June 11, Fort Greene Park
- Queerly Beloved: Pride Shorts in the Park — June 24, Fort Greene Park
- Trapped: Mind-Altering Shorts — June 26, Industry City
- Farm-to-Screen Shorts — June 30, Brooklyn Grange Sunset Park
- Dark Toons — July 8, The Old American Can Factory
- URL IRL: Internet Shorts — July 24, Industry City
- New York Non-Fiction — July 31, Green-Wood Cemetery
- Love is Strange: Romance Shorts — August 7, Industry City
- Rooftop Shots: Closing Night 2026 — August 21, Green-Wood Cemetery
- Dangerous Docs: States of Emergency — date and venue to be announced
Partner Events
- HBO Max Presents: Heated Rivalry Comes Out(side) — May 31, Pier 17; free with RSVP.
- The Brittney Griner Story — 2026; Alexandria Stapleton; US; 107 minutes; New York premiere; June 1 at Gansevoort Plaza; free with RSVP.
- 2:1 by 2/3: Computer Chess, sitrep, and the Sony tube camera — 2013/2025; a Sloan‑themed program at The Old American Can Factory on June 12; preceded by a short by Blair Barnes; presented as part of the Alfred P. Sloan Science on Screen series.
- Community Joy Free Movie Night on Staten Island — TBA; Snug Harbor; free with RSVP.
Rooftop Films began in the late 1990s as a grassroots screening project and has grown into a vital incubator for emerging filmmakers. The 30th edition doubles down on short‑form storytelling while preserving a broad slate of features, citywide screenings, and community partnerships that define Rooftop’s ethos.
Campaign imagery this season spotlights a range of shorts and the talents behind them, underscoring Rooftop’s ongoing commitment to discovery and risk‑taking in independent cinema.
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Source: Original article
