2025 Theme, Jim Thorpe Loves Philly, highlights the raw talent and cultural richness of the region while showcasing feature films of national significance
Jim Thorpe, PA – The 8th Annual Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival (JTIFF) returns May 1-4, 2025 with four unforgettable days of groundbreaking cinema, electrifying live music and unforgettable parties to the historic Victorian town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. This year’s festival will feature 10 first-run feature films and 80 short films from across the globe – plus live performances, surprise guests, filmmaker Q&As and immersive art experiences. For marquee features, audiences will experience three 2025 SXSW world premieres, including a Special Jury Award winner. All three directors will travel from Los Angeles to present their films in person. For 2025, JTIFF leads with heart: the theme “Jim Thorpe Loves Philly” celebrates Pennsylvania’s largest city with a curated spotlight on the raw talent and cultural richness of the Greater Philadelphia region – from visionary filmmakers and beatmakers to ambient composers and visual artists – alongside feature films of national significance. This year’s program includes powerful new work from emerging and established filmmakers whose voices are reshaping the indie landscape. All events will be held at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, located at 14 West Broadway in downtown Jim Thorpe. Jim Thorpe is a short drive from major cities and regions including Philadelphia, New York City, the Lehigh Valley, the Poconos, and North Jersey – making it the perfect day trip destination full of small-town charm, indie spirit, mountain views, and artsy vibes. For tickets, festival passes, film descriptions, full schedule, lodging, and more, visit jimthorpeindiefilmfest dot com.
The Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival channels the rebellious spirit of the Molly Maguires, welcoming the boldest, most defiant filmmakers to present their work, shatter convention and incite spirited debate. Genres include drama, documentary, comedy, horror, sci-fi, experimental, animation and LGBTQ subject.
“Our credo is ‘eyes and minds wide open’ and we mean it,” said JTIFF Founder, Executive Director Todd Morris. “JTIFF cares deeply about diversity and strives to give the under-represented filmmaker a chance. So we make a concerted effort to promote films by women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community and young student filmmakers.”
“JTIFF has grown leaps and bounds over the past eight years,” said JTIFF Co-Founder, Co-Director and Juror Jocelyn O’Neil Morris. “We’ve maintained our place in ‘The Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals’ out of more than 8,000 on FilmFreeway and we’ve premiered more A-list festival films in Pennsylvania with more attending Directors than nearly any other festival in the state.”
Once again, we’ll be welcoming films of every genre and budget level, especially work by maverick filmmakers who strive to break boundaries with no fear of controversy. In short, this ain’t your Daddy’s film festival.”
For the 8th annual event, the festival feature lineup is JTIFF’s most dynamic to date.
Opening Night sets the tone for the weekend with Alma and the Wolf, a chilling psychological horror directed by Michael Patrick Jann. Set on the fog-drenched Oregon coast, the film follows a sheriff’s deputy who stumbles upon a blood-covered former classmate, unraveling a tale of violence, folklore, and surreal transformation. The night begins with a live set by Philadelphia’s genre-bending art-rock band, Upholstery, known for their theatrical performances and cinematic soundscapes—presented by Philly’s own Great Circles music collective. Director Michael Patrick Jann will present the film in person and participate in a live Q&A with the audience. Alma and the Wolf had its world premiere last month at the Boston Underground Film Festival and took home the Audience Award for Best Feature.
In addition to Alma and the Wolf, other highlights include F**ktoys, a gritty, feminist dark comedy shot on gorgeous 16mm and set in the deranged alternate universe of Trashtown, USA. Written, directed by, and starring Annapurna Sriram—who will also attend JTIFF for a live Q&A—the film follows a cursed young woman navigating absurd and nightmarish landscapes of trauma, identity, and survival. Winner of the SXSW 2025 Special Jury Award for Narrative Feature, F**ktoys is fearless, visually stunning, and one of the year’s most unforgettable indie debuts.
New Jack Fury, directed by Lanfia Wal, delivers a high-octane blast of 1980s nostalgia. Set in a hyper-stylized world, the action-comedy follows an ex-cop, a petty thief, and a moonwalking misfit as they battle a crime syndicate to save the woman they love. Overflowing with Blaxploitation flair, synth-heavy soundtracks, and comic-book energy, this SXSW 2025 World Premiere is both adrenaline-fueled and full of heart. Wal will attend the festival for a special Q&A following the screening.
40 Acres, directed by R.T. Thorne, tells the story of Hailey Freeman and her family—the last descendants of African American farmers who settled in Canada after the Civil War—who must defend their land against a ruthless militia in a famine-stricken Post-Apoalyptic near future. With its gripping performances and deeply resonant themes of land, legacy, and resistance, the film had its world premiere at TIFF last Fall and its U.S. premiere at SXSW 2025.
Executive Produced by Francis Coppola, Brother Verses Brother is a radically personal musical odyssey. Combative twin musicians, Ari and Ethan Gold, hunt for their dying poet father, in an improvisation performed by the director’s own family, in a single unbroken shot through the streets of San Francisco. Both Ari and Ethan will present their film in person, guitars in hand, and may even play a song or two before the screening.
Other must-see films include the BAFTA-nominated Sister Midnight (Cannes 2024), Crocodile Tears (TIFF 2024), OBEX (Sundance 2025) and In the Mouth (Slamdance 2025).
For the night owls, Saturday’s Grindhouse Block at Midnight May 3rd features Meat Machine by Jeffrey Garcia who returns to JTIFF to premiere his second outrageous feature – a twisted, adults-only ride through a chaotic Texas town on the brink of nuclear annihilation. Gloriously offensive and not for the faint of heart, no one under 18 will be admitted to this screening.
Beyond the feature films, JTIFF’s 80 short films remain the soul of the festival, offering diverse, daring storytelling in bite-sized form. A Student Film Block, screening Saturday morning, May 3rd at 11:00 AM, showcases a selection of the most creative and inspired student work from across the region—an impressive lineup that reflects the next generation of filmmakers at their boldest. Local talent continues to shine in the Local Heroes block on Sunday, May 4th at 11:00 AM, featuring standout films by storytellers from our own backyard. Both blocks represent some of the strongest local and emerging voices we’ve seen since the festival began.
This year’s fest also welcomes filmmakers from across the U.S., including Texas and Los Angeles, giving audiences the rare opportunity to meet directors, writers, and actors in person. Whether chatting between screenings or over a cocktail at one of our afterparties, these one-on-one interactions make the JTIFF experience truly unique.
The festivities don’t stop at the theater. The Opening Night Afterparty will be held at Marion Hose Bar (16 W Broadway), while Friday’s can’t-miss Filmmakers Gala returns to the majestic Mauch Chunk Ballroom (41 W Broadway). Starting at 9:00 PM, the Gala opens with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, accompanied by a surreal light installation by Luminous Abstract and carnival-style performances by Dani Long Legs and the Eclectic Circus. As the night heats up, Philly DJs from Great Circles will take over, spinning late-night dance beats into the early hours. Finally, the Closing Night Wrap Party caps off the weekend at OUROS (70 Broadway) on Sunday, immediately following the awards ceremony.
Tickets are on sale for the 8th Annual Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival. Join us for four immersive days of film, music, art and connection. For tickets, film descriptions, and the full schedule, visit jimthorpeindiefilmfest dot com
2025 FESTIVAL GUIDE
OPENING NIGHT
Opening Night: Philly Indie Rocks. Horror Reigns.
JTIFF kicks off Thursday, May 1, with a live performance by Philadelphia’s theatrical art-rock band UPHOLSTERY, presented by music partner Great Circles. Drawing influence from Portishead, Talking Heads, cabaret, and post-punk, Upholstery delivers music that’s visceral and thought-provoking. Their sixth album Ghouls is out now on Exotic Fever Records.
Immediately following the performance is our Opening Night Feature:
Alma and the Wolf
Directed by Michael Patrick Jann
A chilling psychological horror set on the misty Oregon coast. A brutal act of violence, a haunted town, and a mysterious wolf lurking in the woods.
Winner – Audience Award, Boston Underground Film Festival
Director in attendance for Q&A
FEATURE FILMS AT JTIFF 2025
Fktoys**
Written & Directed by Annapurna Sriram
SXSW 2025 Special Jury Award Winner
Shot on 16mm and set in a surreal underworld, this feminist dark comedy is raw, hallucinatory, and unforgettable.
Filmmaker in attendance for Q&A
NEW JACK FURY
Directed by Lanfia Wal
Over-the-top 80s action/comedy meets blaxploitation flair in this SXSW World Premiere.
Director in attendance for Q&A
BROTHER VERSES BROTHER
Directed by Ari Gold
A one-take cinematic experiment and deeply personal family odyssey, executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola.
Director in attendance for Q&A
40 ACRES
Directed by R.T. Thorne
A near-future thriller about land, legacy, and resistance.
World Premiere – TIFF 2024 | U.S. Premiere – SXSW 2025
IN THE MOUTH
Directed by Cory Santilli
A quirky, dark suburban comedy where a man discovers a giant version of himself sprouting from the front yard.
World Premiere – SLAMDANCE 2025
SISTER MIDNIGHT
Directed by Karan Kandhari
Bold, genre-blending dark comedy set in Bombay.
World Premiere – CANNES 2024 | BAFTA-Nominated | Winner – Fantastic Fest
CROCODILE TEARS
Directed by Tumpal Tampubolon
A suspenseful psychological drama on a crocodile farm gone wrong.
World Premiere – TIFF 2024
GRINDHOUSE MIDNIGHT BLOCK – SATURDAY, MAY 3 @ MIDNIGHT
MEAT MACHINE
Directed by Jefferey Garcia
An atomic bomb is about to be dropped on a small Texas town inhabited by compulsive gambler Lee Harvey Oswald (no relation), his platonic nymphomaniac roommate, teenage sweethearts, and other equally unhinged residents—while notorious mad scientist Dr. Calypso races against time to save them all. Grindhouse master Jefferey Garcia returns from Saint Marcos, Texas, with his third outrageously offensive feature. No one under 18 admitted. World Premiere
Also screening in the block:
CAVEMAN’S VALENTINE
Directed by Stewart O’Nan
A washed-up poet and paranoid recluse believes a murder has taken place outside his cave in New York’s Riverside Park—and he’s determined to solve it. A gritty, stylized descent into madness and urban noir.
SHORT FILMS + STUDENT SPOTLIGHT + LOCAL HEROES
With 80 international short films, JTIFF continues to spotlight innovative voices in compact, powerful storytelling. The Student Film Block screens Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 AM and features a standout selection of the most creative and inspired student films from across the region—bold, fresh work that reflects the next generation of filmmakers at their best. The Local Heroes Block follows on Sunday, May 4 at 11:00 AM, showcasing exceptional short films from artists right here in our backyard. Together, these blocks represent some of the strongest local and emerging voices we’ve seen since the festival began.
PARTIES, GUESTS & GOOD VIBES
JTIFF is a celebration of film—and of the people who make it. Dozens of filmmakers will travel from across the U.S. to attend, from Los Angeles to Texas. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to meet directors, writers, and stars face-to-face throughout the festival.
Opening Night Afterparty – Marion Hose Bar, 16 W Broadway
Filmmakers Gala – Friday, May 2 @ 9:00 PM, Mauch Chunk Ballroom, 41 W Broadway
Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, 3D visuals by Luminous Abstract, carnival performance by Dani Long Legs & The Eclectic Circus, followed by a soul-shaking dance party with DJs from Great Circles
Closing Night Wrap Party – Sunday, May 4, OUROS, 70 Broadway, immediately after the Awards Ceremony
COME FOR THE FILM, STAY FOR THE WEEKEND
JTIFF is more than just a film – it’s a full weekend experience. The festival brings Philly’s indie spirit to the mountains with a lineup of immersive events, including the Filmmakers Gala on May 2 at the historic Mauch Chunk Ballroom, featuring live DJs, cocktails, and stunning visual art. The weekend closes out in style with the Closing Night Wrap Party at OUROS on May 4. All events take place in walkable downtown Jim Thorpe, making it easy to see a film, grab a drink, and meet the artists behind the work.
ABOUT JTIFF
Founded on the credo Eyes and Minds Wide Open, the Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival champions bold, personal, and provocative storytelling. Screenings take place in the historic Mauch Chunk Opera House—a jewel of the Poconos that draws cinephiles, creatives, and artists from across the region and beyond.
Festival Dates: May 1–4, 2025
Venue: Mauch Chunk Opera House, 14 W Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Website: www dot jimthorpeindiefilmfest dot com
Instagram: @jimthorpeindiefilmfest
Hashtags: #JTIFF2025 #JimThorpeLovesPhilly #EyesAndMindsWideOpen
Information providd to TVL by:
Kory Aversa
