The 2026 SLO Film Fest opens on Thursday. I’ve screened over a dozen of the features, and here are three Must See indies:
- How to Date Again: In this touching and funny romance, it’s been over a year since the death of his wife, and Michael (Rob Mor) is socially isolated, locked down by grief. His well-meaning dolt of a best friend gets him on a dating app, and after two very funny misses, he meets Leigh (Natasha Loring), whose tastes and sensibilities astonishingly dovetail with his. Michael, whose dating skills have become stale, awkwardly follows Leigh’s lead. A date morphs into an idyllic road trip to Morro Rock and the Madonna Inn. Haley Joel Osment is hilarious as an off-putting desk clerk, and will appear personally at the SLO Film Fest to receive an award. Sweet and poignant, this is an uncommonly truthful film. First feature for writer-director Matt Flanders, and the screenplay is very personal; (stick around for the closing credits). World premiere.
- Adult Children: In this smart and insightful comedy, a couple is heading off on a European vacation just as the troubled adult son from the wife’s first marriage is wait-listed for a drug rehab bed. He needs supervision to prevent relapse, so his mom enlists his two sisters to fly in and babysit him. The couple’s 17-year-old daughter, twenty years younger than her half-siblings, opts out of the trip so she can finally get to know her brother and sisters. The three adult children fled the nest early after growing up free-ranging in the alcoholic chaos of their late father. The high-achieving, somewhat anxious, teen daughter comes from much more stable parenting. As the four settle in together, they find that maturity, direction and responsibility don’t automatically accompany chronological adulthood. It’s even revealed that the older daughters are posing as altruists to mask their own neediness. By turns funny and poignant, the story benefits from an excellent ensemble cast: Betsy Brandt (Breaking Bad), Thomas Sadowski (The Newsroom, Life in Pieces), Aya Cash (You’re the Worst) and Ella Rubin (Ani’s roommate/sister Vera in Anora). The real star here is the screenplay by seasoned actress Annika Marks; she is married to director Rich Newey, and this is their second narrative feature as a filmmaking team.
- Sender: In this absurdist psychological thriller, Julia (Emmy-winner Britt Lower of Severance) receives a daily avalanche of deliveries from a thinly disguised e-commerce giant. Trouble is, she hasn’t ordered them. And the products are incoherently random. The delivery guy (David Dastmalchian) offers help, but there’s something unsettling about him. Who is placing the orders and why? As the cardboard packaging piles up everywhere in her home, Julia’s slow burning paranoia becomes more intense. Not much is more banal in post-pandemic America than getting an Amazon delivery, but writer-director Russell Goldman, in his feature debut, has turned it into something ominous and laden with menace. Also features Rhea Seehorn and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Here are some more recommendations:
- The Fisherman: You haven’t seen anything like this delightful comedy from Ghana. The aging fisherman Atta’s (Ricky Adelayitar) only aspiration is to finally reach the status of boat chief in his seaside village. Just when it looks like his dream is unjustly denied him, he gets the help of a sassy talking fish. Carrying around an emotional support fish that only he can hear, he gets the help of three young villagers and the crew heads off for the bustling modernity of big city Accra, where Atta is the fish out of water. Can they hustle the funds to purchase of Atta’s own fishing boat? Atta’s relationships with his longtime partner and his daughter are explored in this playful peek into both traditional and modern Ghanaian society. And there’s a talking fish.
- This Tempting Madness: In this briskly-paced thriller, Mia (Simone Ashley of Bridgerton) emerges from a coma, and can’t remember the fall that caused her critical injuries. She learns that her husband has been jailed for trying to kill her, but she can’t accept that explanation. She embarks on an investigation to find out what really happened, and begins to unspool the mystery, uncovering ever darker discoveries. Inspired (surprisingly) by a true story. First feature for director and co-writer Jennifer E. Montgomery.
- The Musical: In this dark comedy, Doug (Will Brill of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is an aspiring playwright, making ends meet as a middle school drama teacher. He and his girlfriend Abigail (Gillian Jacobs of Community), another teacher, are “taking a break”, and he’s oblivious to the clues that she intends for it to be permanent. Hoping that their relationship will resume, he’s stunned to learn that she’s now dating their smarmy boss (a deliciously repulsive Rob Lowe). Stewing in bitterness, Doug plots an epic revenge. First feature for director Giselle Bonilla and writer Alexander Heller. West Coast premiere.
- The Strawberry: Inspired by a true story, this moving drama explores end-of-life issues with clear-eyed authenticity. Recent widower Herb (Mike Farrell of M*A*S*H) receives a terminal diagnosis and resolves to maintain his dignity and resolve family relationships. This one’s a weeper. Farrell, himself 86, is excellent. The Strawberry was filmed in Cambria, and locals will recognize a popular ocean overlook and glimpses of the main drag. First feature for writer-directors Carlos and Kyle Plummer. West Coast premiere.
- Valentina: Gregarious and fun-loving Valentina (Keyla Monterroso Mejia) is epically irresponsible with parking tickets. To recover her impounded car, she must raise some cash, despite being job-averse. What she has going for her is wily charm, a network of friends and family and the ability to expertly navigate her hometown of El Paso. Valentina is a showcase for the bubbly charisma of Mejia (Ashley in Abbott Elementary and Petra in The Studio). In her first feature, director and co-writer Tatti Ribeiro surrounds Mejia with a cast of non-actors and embeds political-awareness and remarkable verisimilitude in a comedy.
And here is one that I haven’t yet seen yet, but I think it’s a pretty good bet. The closing night film will be Power Ballad, the latest from John Carney, writer-director of Once, Sing Street and Flora and Son. Those three Feel Good movies all feature penniless Dubliners who discover themselves by harnessing their songwriting talents. The premise of Power Ballad is that a wedding singer (Paul Rudd) finds himself in an all-night jam with a no-longer-popular boy band star (Nick Jonas). Afterwards the wash-out revives his career with a monstrous hit. Did he steal the song from the wedding singer? Story resembles a real-life controversy. California premiere.
There are plenty more experiences at the fest, including features, workshops, six programs of shorts and, for the first time, episodics. Peruse the program and get your tickets at SLO Film Fest.
