Chain NYC Film Festival

The Chain Theatre is thrilled to announce the 2025 Chain NYC Film Festival. A cinematic celebration of bold voices and original storytelling, this year’s festival features over 160 films from around the globe—narratives, documentaries, shorts, web series, and animated works—plus panels, filmmaker events, and an awards ceremony.

Highlights include:

• Land of the Mustaches– Feature
  The filmmaking team is made up of six members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences! Starring and written by Rutanya Alda (The Deer Hunter, Mommie Dearest), edited by David Ray (Scarface, Reds, All That Jazz) with score by Charles Bernstein (Nightmare on Elm Street, Cujo) directed by Leon Joosen (Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Scooby-Doo, The Muppet Babies).
• Lovebug – Feature
  Starring Logan Pepper (American Housewife)
  In 1980s Los Angeles, a naive young man is swept into the adult film industry by an eccentric hustler. A dark, coming-of-age romance set against the glittery, gritty porn scene of the era.
• Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back In Ireland – Music & Dance Block
  Directed by Will Chase (Smash, Nashville, Stranger Things), Produced by Will Chase, Ingrid Michaelson, and Deborah Lopez
  Actor/director Will Chase follows the beloved band back to Ireland for their first tour in a decade.

Past guests have included Oscar-winning writers, Emmy-nominated creators, and industry legends like Richard LaGravenese and Richard Price. The 2025 festival continues this legacy of discovery and excellence. Chain Theatre’s past collaborators include Eric Bogosian, Jesse Eisenberg, and John Patrick Shanley sharing new work with Off-Broadway audiences.

2025 Chain NYC Film Festival
AUGUST 7-17
The Chain Theatre
312 W 36 Street, 3rd & 4th Floor (Between 8th and 9th ave)
All screenings are $13 in advance and $15 at the door

image by Jen Chou