The 12th Mammoth Lakes Film Festival (MLFF), taking place May 20-24, 2026, in Mammoth Lakes, California, revealed the lineup. The festival opens on May 20 with the presentation of the Sierra Spirit Award to Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin, as part of a special 40th anniversary screening of Children of a Lesser God.
The festival’s closing night film on May 24 will be a screening of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “Nuisance Bear,” followed by a Q&A with directors Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden.
“We are honored to celebrate this year’s Sierra Spirit Award recipient, Marlee Matlin, whose groundbreaking career has redefined representation and expanded what is possible in film,” said Festival Director Shira Dubrovner. “In addition to her recognition, this year’s program features bold, award-winning films from top-tier festivals alongside boundary-pushing new discoveries—reflecting the same spirit of storytelling that Marlee has always championed.”
Director of Programming Paul Sbrizzi added, “Even as our country and the world move through a dark time of violence and political upheavals, the steady stream of fascinating, personal, innovative expression in film endures. We are committed to finding the cream of the crop, evaluating each film on its own merits, and bringing together a community of inspired, inspiring, visionary filmmakers.”
The festival’s short films program will spotlight 32 narrative shorts, 15 documentary shorts, and 16 animation shorts, as well as a program of music videos and a screenplay competition. A new addition to the festival is Reel Flavors & Fine Vines, a wine and food pairing event to be held with wine maker Rachel Stellareese Davies of Stellareese Wine of Napa Valley and amuse-bouches from the House Chef at the new Limelight Mammoth Hotel & Residences.
This year’s MLFF jurors include: Carlos Aguilar (RogerEbert.com), Allison Amon (EP, Superconductor), Kimberley Browning (Tribeca), James Costa (Producer, Queendom), Allison Foreman (Indiewire) Shaun Hill (Indican Pictures), Oded Horowitz (Greenwich Entertainment), Randal Kleiser (Director, Grease), Kiva Reardon (former TIFF programmer), Pat Saperstein (Variety), Katherine Tulich (AP & RogerEbert.com). Over $40,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to this year’s films and screenplays in competition, in eleven categories. Winners will be announced on May 24 at the Awards Ceremony.
The MLFF feature film line-up is as follows:
North American Narrative Features:
“Danny Is My Boyfriend” (USA) – When her new boyfriend Danny asks her to dog-sit while he’s out of town helping his sister prepare for her baby’s non-denominational circumcision party, it feels like a major milestone: proof that her relationship (and life) is on track. But the illusion shatters when a stranger on the street recognizes the dog… as HER boyfriend Danny’s dog. Featuring Brooke Smith from “Silence of the Lambs.” Directed and written by Lucy Sandler & Mechi Lakatos.
“Debt to the Dead” (Mexico) A thrilling, deeply human, and wildly stylish black and white neo-noir. Cipriano Zuzunaga (Gerardo Trejo Luna) is a worn-out policeman whose best days are behind him. When Juan Perea—the son of a prominent congressman—is kidnapped, Zuzunaga is assigned to carry out a solitary investigation in a city neighborhood teeming with suspects. Directed and written by Daniel Castro Zimbrón. International Premiere.
“Mono 222” (USA) – A gorgeously colorful, kaleidoscopic, semi-documentary look at the world of curious and creative multi-cultural 20ish-year-olds, loving, fighting, and lighting up the night in Los Angeles. A snapshot of a generation learning, losing, and longing in the restless heart of the city. Directed and written by Quinton Dominguez. World Premiere
“Ten Will” (USA) – One of the boldest films of this year, Ten Will is a comedy-drama that follows a newly-released sex offender as he tries to survive on the streets of Los Angeles, rejected even by other homeless people, and proposes to a woman who wrote to him in prison. DeFalco has a unique style involving dynamic zooms, high-stakes scenes with characters talking over each other and a comedic sensibility that lands somewhere between Harmony Korine and John Waters. Directed and written by Max DeFalco.
“Toronto Apartment” (Canada) – A madcap low-fi comedy anchored by a spectacular lead performance from writer-director Tristan Wheeler; an absurdist, satirical take on the struggle to survive in the big city — reminiscent of Boots Riley’s sensibility and classic Jim Carrey comedies. Directed and written by Tristan Wheeler. World Premiere.
International Narrative Features:
“Dreaming of Lions” (Brazil/Portugal/Spain) – A raw, touching, surreal, and hilarious story of a Brazilian woman (Denise Fraga) with terminal cancer who seeks to die with dignity and connects with a much younger kindred spirit as she becomes involved with a dubious clandestine euthanasia organization. Directed and written by Paolo Marinou-Blanco. West Coast Premiere
“Memory of Princess Mumbi” (Kenya, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia) – Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser takes us into Africa as you’ve never seen it before: in 2093, filmmaker Kuve visits Umata to document life after a war that banned modern tech. Local filmmaker Mumbi challenges him to create without AI, leading him to discover beauty in life’s simple moments. Directed and written by Damien Hauser.
“Noir” (Turkey) – A dark, bold, and wryly funny portrait of a violent, matriarchal Turkish family whose suspicions about an outsider escalate in the wake of the death of a family member. A true auteur film with stunning, innovative visuals and searing performances. Directed and written by Ragip Ergun. International Premiere
“Spring Came on Laughing” (Egypt) – This black comedy anthology presents four tales and a captivating finale. From a chaotic brunch-turned-marriage-proposal to a raging birthday bash, misunderstandings and chaos escalate. Accusations of theft shake a hair salon, while a wedding day turns into a nightmare. As the seasons shift, the autumn finale brings hope for rejuvenation. Directed and written by Noha Adel. N. American Premiere
“Tony Odyssey” (Brazil) – Tony and his best friend Ivy plan to rob the bar where he’s trapped in servitude, stealing a reality-altering drug that launches them into a psychedelic odyssey. As they navigate extravagant, surreal visions and shattered memories, Tony searches for answers and the power to rewrite his fate—facing his past and confronting God himself. Directed and written by Thales Banzai.
Documentary Features:
“I Got Bombed At Harvey’s” (USA) – In 1980, a 1,000-pound dynamite bomb was wheeled into Harvey’s Wagon Wheel Casino in Lake Tahoe with a $3 million ransom note demanding payment in 24 hours. As the bomb squad works to disarm it, the FBI rushes to catch the extortionists. Directed by Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel. West Coast Premiere
“The Moths & The Flame” (USA) – A touching observational documentary about young, playful, caring Black fathers in Florida experiencing the inevitable life changes around starting a family. It subverts stereotypes about young Black men, using a rigorous visual aesthetic to explore the vulnerability and humor of its subjects. Premiered at Berlinale 2026. Directed by Kevin Contento. North American Premiere
“Nuisance Bear” (Canada, USA, UK) – Closing night film. A polar bear’s traditional migration path leads it into populated areas, sparking conflict between human interests and wild nature as the animal struggles to survive in a changing world. Directed by Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman. Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner — US Documentary Competition.
“Sugarfly” (USA) – A shockingly intimate and revealing portrait of two Native American drug addicts living in Seattle, both of them highly creative and intelligent old souls. A palpable emotional bond between the two men and the filmmaker allows us to witness the beauty of their spirits and the depth of their struggles with inner demons with great empathy, employing an unsettlingly stark visual approach. Directed by Max Schoenfeld. World Premiere
“Welded Together” (Belarus) – A strikingly intimate and poetic verité look at 18-year-old Katya, whose life as a welder is full of daily struggles and harsh realities. She’s determined to protect her little sister from her alcoholic mother and child protective services, working hard for a better future for both of them. Directed by Anastasiya Miroshnichenko. West Coast Premiere
Spotlight Presentations:
Opening Night Sierra Spirit Award Presentation: Marlee Matlin – The festival’s highest honor, the Sierra Spirit Award, is given to someone who has forged a unique, independent path in the world of film and television. The festival will present this award to Academy Award®-winning actress Marlee Matlin, as part of a special 40th anniversary screening of “Children of a Lesser God,” including a moderated conversation about her career.
Previous recipients of the award include Academy Award-winning actress Melissa Leo, Joe Dante, John Sayles, and esteemed alumni of the Groundlings, including Cheri Oteri, Mindy Sterling, and Julia Sweeney.
“Inborn” (USA) – Simple, shocking, darkly beautiful imagery and an extreme performance dramatize the psyche of a man deeply disappointed with his childhood, who seeks to recreate it by any means possible. Directed and written by Joey Hirsh. World Premiere
“Mountains of the Moon” (USA) – The unseen connections between sport, life, music, and the living earth are set to the timeless tunes of the Grateful Dead. Captured almost entirely at night using cutting-edge cinematography, the film takes viewers on a surreal journey through ocean, river, and mountain landscapes. Featuring some of the world’s greatest athletes, adventurers, and thinkers. Directed and written by Chris Benchetler. World Premiere
“One in a Million” (USA, UK, Germany) – A sweeping epic shot over ten years, about a Syrian girl’s journey to Germany and back, as she and her family face the challenges of war and life as refugees, and experience culture shock — particularly around women’s roles in society. Directed by Itab Azzam and Jack Macinnes. The film is a Sundance World Cinema Documentary Competition Audience Award Winner.
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