New York City is knee-deep in film festival season. And, while there are many options out there, BAMcinemaFest consistently rises to the top. Now in its 11th year, the Brooklyn-dwelling festival is a go-to for what’s now in American independent cinema. Showcasing both emerging and established filmmakers, the lineup consists of festival circuit favorites making their New York City debuts along with a sprinkling of world premieres.

The 2019 edition opened Wednesday with Lulu Wang’s Sundance breakout The Farewell. The film finds comedian/rapper Awkwafina taking a dramatic turn. If you missed the poignant family-centric charmer, not to worry. You can catch up with it when it lands in theaters on July 12, 2019, via A24.

As for what remains of the festival, which runs through June 23, there are upwards of 20 features screening, as well as two shorts programs, one documentary and one narrative, and a day of industry panels. The lineup is impressive, but even the most devoted cinephile will find attending everything grueling. So, we’ve combed through the offerings and come up with the five films we’re most excited to catch at BAMcinemaFest 2019. Check out our recommendations below and head over BAM’s website for more information and to pick up tickets now.

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary

Ben Berman’s documentary, which world premiered at Sundance earlier this year, appears to put the filmmaker in an uncomfortable spot. When Berman embarked on the project, he thought he was doing a traditional documentary about the comeback of renowned magician-comedian the Amazing Johnathan. But, along the way, he starts to wonder if he’s being bamboozled. We love documentaries that make us second guess or have a riddle component. Plus, Eric André is in the film. Sold! The director will be in the house for what should be a lively Q&A. If you miss this screening, The Amazing Johnathan Documentary is coming to Hulu on August 16, 2019.
BAMcinemaFest Screening: Friday, June 14 at 9:30pm

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Selah and the Spades

When a film is described as The Godfather meets The Baby-Sitters Club, how can you not be intrigued? The directorial debut of photographer-turned-filmmaker Tayarisha Poe, who made both Variety and Filmmaker Magazine’s shortlist of rising film stars, Selah and the Spades is set in an exclusive Pennsylvania prep school. Seventeen-year-old Selah Summers, the queen of the Spades, the school’s most popular clique, is at the center of this hyper-stylized teen drama. Lovie Simone (Greenleaf) stars in the title role. Other cast members include Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight (2016), When They See Us (2019)), Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy), and Celeste O’Connor (Wetlands (2017)). Executive produced by Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2012)), Selah and the Spades also gets points for screening in our favorite section at Sundance, the NEXT program. Poe will be taking questions after its New York City premiere.
BAMcinemaFest Screening: Sunday, June 16 at 7pm

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Vision Portraits

Award-winning filmmaker Rodney Evans (Brother to Brother (2005)) explores what it means to have vision in this deeply personal documentary, which had its world premiere at SXSW. Evans is currently losing his sight due to a rare, irreversible condition. In the film, he seeks guidance from three visually impaired artists, photographer John Dugdale, dancer Kayla Hamilton, and writer Ryan Knighton. A filmmaker with a unique voice, we’re always interested in seeing what Evans is up to. The Brooklyn-based director will be at BAMcinemaFest for a Q&A following the screening. Vision Portraits will also enjoy an exclusive one-week run at Metrograph starting August 9, 2019.
BAMcinemaFest Screening: Thursday, June 20 at 7pm

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It Started as a Joke

Being a fan of Eugene Mirman and a long-time attendee of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, It Started as a Joke is up there on films for which we have high hopes. Julie Smith Clem and Ken Druckerman revisit the fest’s decade-long run, which literally started as a joke in 2008 and took its final bow in 2017. The filmmakers also weave in the history of the local alt-comedy community the fest grew up in. EMCF played host to such talents as Mike Birbiglia, Michael Showalter, Kristen Schaal, Reggie Watts, Wyatt Cenac, Sarah Silverman, Bridget Everett, Aziz Ansari and many, many more. Catching the film’s New York City premiere in the backyard of where it unfolded should be a special and heartwarming experience. Besides the filmmakers, Eugene Mirman promises to stop in.
BAMcinemaFest Screening: Thursday, June 20 at 9:15pm

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The Mountain

You had us at Rick Alverson. His films might not be to everyone’s liking, but Alverson has undoubtedly earned his auteur status. A regular on the film festival circuit, his credits include New Jerusalem (2011), The Comedy (2012), and Entertainment (2015), which are all dark and haunting cinematic achievements. The Mountain is Alverson’s latest. Set in the 1950s, Tye Sheridan stars as a Zamboni operator who gets mixed up with Dr. Wallace Fiennes (Jeff Goldblum), a sinister figure who specializes in lobotomies. From the trailer, it looks poetically stark and surreal. Additional cast members include Udo Kier and Denis Lavant. If you miss it at BAMcinemaFest, The Mountain opens theatrically July 26, 2019 via Kino Lorber.
BAMcinemaFest Screening: Friday, June 21 at 6:45pm

Image above courtesy of Kino Lorber