Highlights of the Nashville Film Festival Include Baltimorons and a Q&A with Jay Duplass.

      The 56th Nashville Film Festival will showcase Apple Original Films’ "Come See Me in the Good Light" and Jay Duplass’ directorial debut "The Baltimorons," along with an in-person discussion with Duplass, as part of a lineup featuring 140 titles and numerous events celebrating cinema in Music City.

      Scheduled to occur from September 18-24, the Nashville Film Festival is a regular mention on our list of 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee. It is celebrated for promoting indie films and award season contenders, all set against the unique backdrop of the city’s rich musical heritage.

      Notable films include "Color Book," which tells the story of a widowed father and his son with Down syndrome heading to their first baseball game; "By Design," featuring Juliette Lewis as a woman who exchanges bodies with a chair; and the SXSW Grand Jury Prize Winner "Slanted," which explores a Chinese-American teen’s drastic changes to meet a “white” ideal.

      Additionally, the festival presents "The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick," depicting a woman who experiences a tick bite that turns a peaceful retreat into a nightmare.

      "Come See Me in the Good Light" follows poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they confront life and mortality after receiving an incurable diagnosis. "The Baltimorons" tells the tale of a newly sober man’s dental emergency on Christmas Eve and the unexpected romance with his dentist.

      The screening of "The Baltimorons" and a special in-person talk titled "The Art of Indie Filmmaking" with Duplass, known for films such as "The Puffy Chair" (2005) and "Cyrus" (2010) alongside his brother Mark Duplass, will happen at Soho House Nashville on September 20. For ticket information and more details on all Nashville Film Festival events, visit nashvillefilmfestival.org. Festival director Jason Padgitt stated, “As we celebrate the 56th year of the Nashville Film Festival, it’s a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our progress as an organization and a community committed to storytelling.” He emphasized the growth of Nashville’s film landscape and the festival's role in promoting voices, forging connections, and highlighting impactful narratives. Programming director Lauren Thelen added, “This year’s program is among the most thrilling we’ve had, featuring a wave of essential and original works from emerging filmmakers who are shaping the future of cinema. Our carefully selected films resonate with audiences and aim to leave a lasting impression after the screenings.”

      Below are more details about the films set to be shown at the Nashville Film Festival.

      **56th Nashville Film Festival Slate:**

      **Special Presentations:**

      - **BY DESIGN** (dir. Amanda Kramer) – A sci-fi drama featuring Juliette Lewis, who humorously explores the absurdity of objectification through her body swap with a more favored chair.

      - **COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT** (dir. Ryan White) – A humor-infused love story from Apple Original Films that follows poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they navigate life and mortality with an incurable diagnosis.

      - **REBUILDING** (dir. Max Walker Silverman) – A humanistic tale set in the American West, focusing on Dusty, a quiet, divorced father coping with the aftermath of a devastating wildfire, as he starts to rebuild his life and reconnect with his ex-wife and daughter amidst a supportive community in a trailer park.

      **US Indie Features Official Selections:**

      - **THE BALTIMORONS** (dir. Jay Duplass) – On Christmas Eve, Cliff, a newly sober comedian, faces a dental emergency and forms an unexpected bond with Didi, a no-nonsense dentist, leading to a night of unforeseen adventures.

      - **BOUNDARY WATERS** (dir. Tessa Blake) – Twelve-year-old Michael navigates the Boundary Waters with friends when his mother sustains a severe injury, forcing him to face the challenges of becoming a man in a harsh world.

      - **IDIOTKA** (dir. Natasya Popov) – Set in West Hollywood, Margarita pursues the American Dream by competing on a reality show.

      **Narrative Feature Official Selections:**

      - **CACTUS PEARS** (dir. Rohan Kanawade) – Anand, in his 30s, is compelled to spend ten days mourning his father in rural western India, fostering a bond with a local farmer who struggles with his own marital status.

      - **COLOR BOOK** (dir. David Fortune) – In the wake of his wife’s death, single father Lucky faces the challenges of raising his son Mason, who has Down syndrome, leading them on a journey to their first baseball game filled with humorous obstacles.

      - **LITTLE TROUBLE GIRLS** (dir. Urška Djukić) – Introverted 16-year-old Lucija, encouraged by her mother,