15TH ANNUAL LOWER EAST SIDE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2025 LINEUP & STAR-STUDDED JURY

New York Premieres of For Worse, Micro Budget, and The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick

Jury Includes Julia Fox, Sophie Thatcher, Rachel Dratch, and More

New York, NY — April 15, 2025 — The 15th Annual Lower East Side Film Festival (LESFF) returns May 1–5, 2025, lighting up downtown Manhattan with five days of bold premieres, immersive screenings, and independent storytelling at its wildest and most unapologetic.

Opening Night launches with the New York Premiere of The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick — a genre-defying, absurdist comedy from director Pete Ohs starring Zoë Chao, Jeremy O. Harris, Callie Hernandez, and James Cusati-Moyer. The screening will be followed by LESFF’s legendary Opening Night Party inside Village East Cinema, featuring an open bar, DJ, and party favors.

The 2025 Marquee Spotlight shines on the New York Premiere of For Worse — the directorial debut from Amy Landecker (Transparent), who also stars alongside Bradley Whitford, Nico Hiraga, Missi Pyle, Gaby Hoffmann, and Ken Marino. A sharp, emotionally resonant comedy about the unpredictability of modern relationships, For Worse is one of the festival’s most anticipated events.

Also premiering in New York is Micro Budget, a deliriously meta satire of the indie filmmaking hustle from Morgan Evans, featuring a powerhouse cast: Brandon Micheal Hall, Nichole Sakura, Bobby Moynihan, Maria Bamford, and Chris Parnell.

In a full-circle LESFF moment, the festival presents TRUE CRIME, TRUE BEGINNINGS: The Catfish 15-Year Retrospective with Nev Schulman. The groundbreaking documentary, which premiered at LESFF’s inaugural 2011 edition, returns with a special anniversary screening and live Q&A featuring Schulman. The event will anchor Doc Day at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, celebrating excellence in documentary filmmaking.

Live Q&As with filmmakers and cast are confirmed after screenings of The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick, For Worse, Micro Budget, Catfish, and more.

The Lower East Side Film Festival 2025 JURY

The LESFF 2025 jury features a dynamic mix of artists, visionaries, and downtown cultural icons:

• Julia Fox — Actor, artist, and author (Down the Drain, Uncut Gems)

• Rachel Dratch — Comedian, SNL alum, and memoirist

• Sophie Thatcher — Star of Companion, Yellowjackets, The Book of Boba Fett, and Heretic

• Julia Bloch — Palme d’Or–winning editor (The Tree of Life, Green Room)

• Ben Selkow — Emmy-nominated documentarian (Q: Into the Storm, Parts Unknown)

• Slick Naim — Emmy, AFI, and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker (Mo, Netflix)

• Zainne Saleh — Breakout actor (Deli Boys, Hulu)

• Thembi Banks — Director & writer (Insecure, Only Murders in the Building, Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

FEATURE FILMS & SPECIAL SCREENINGS

OPENING NIGHT

The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick — New York Premiere

Dir. Pete Ohs | Starring Zoë Chao, Jeremy O. Harris, Callie Hernandez, James Cusati-Moyer

OPENING NIGHT PARTY | Thursday, May 1 at 8:30PM | Village East Cinema

Ticket includes afterparty with DJ and open bar

CLOSING NIGHT

The Big Johnson — New York Premiere

Dir. Lola Rocknrolla | Featuring NYC legend Dean Johnson | Village East Cinema

CLOSING NIGHT PARTY | Monday, May 5 at 7:30PM | The Slipper Room

Followed by awards ceremony & closing party at The Slipper Room

Marquee Spotlight

For Worse — New York Premiere

Dir. Amy Landecker | Starring Liv Hewson, Amy Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Nico Hiraga, Missi Pyle, Gaby Hoffmann, Ken Marino

Saturday, May 3 at 7:30PM | Village East Cinema

Spotlight Presentation

Not One Drop of Blood

Dir. Jackson Devereux, Lachlan Hinton

Sunday, May 4 at 6:30PM | DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema

Special Event: 15th Anniversary Screening

Catfish

Dir. Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost | Featuring Nev Schulman

Sunday, May 4 at 8:30PM | DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema

Includes Q&A with Nev Schulman

FEATURE FILM COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

Battersea

Dir. T.J. Sandella & Jad Adkins | May 2 at 7:30PM

Mad Bills to Pay (OR DESTINY, DILE QUE NO SOY MALO)

Dir. Joel Vargas | May 3 at 3:00PM

Micro Budget — New York Premiere

Dir. Morgan Evans | May 3 at 5:00PM

Ali Eats America — New York Premiere

Dir. Roush Niaghi, Greg Morris | May 4 at 3:00PM

POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP

SHORT FILM PROGRAMS

Big Apple, Short Films (NY Filmmaker Showcase) — May 1 at 6:30PM

9 to 5 Shorts — May 2 at 7:00PM

Mind F*ck Shorts — May 2 at 9:00PM

Sexual Tension Shorts — May 3 at 4:30PM

Big Feels Shorts — May 3 at 8:00PM

Doc Shorts — May 4 at 5:00PM

SPECIAL EVENTS

Opening Night Party – May 1, 8:30PM–12:00AM | Village East Cinema

Filmmaker Reception – May 2, 3:00–5:00PM | Village East Cinema

Closing Night Party & Awards – May 5, 9:30PM–12:00AM | The Slipper Room

Tickets for the 15th Annual Lower East Side Film Festival are on sale now

Follow LESFF on social media for updates, trailers, and sneak peeks. #LESFF2025 | @lesfilmfestival