Cera stars as a poker addict returning to his hometown in this characteristically offbeat and perceptive dramedy from the director of Person to Person. As he reconnects with his two sisters in the house they grew up in, the siblings revert to their childhood language of inside jokes and make-believe—and their accompanying long-buried grudges. Building on a trifecta of bravura performances from Cera, Gross, and Asteroid City’s Lillis, the film’s apparently lowkey amiability builds to a bounty of funny, raw, and resonant revelations about family relationships. (MK)

A radiant Léa Seydoux stars as a Parisian single mom juggling a complicated family life and a passionate new affair in this exquisitely moving slice-of-life. Over 8 features in 15 years, writer/director Hansen-Løve has risen to become one of France’s great auteurs, and this impeccably crafted heartbreaker ranks among her best films yet. “Rich and resonant… as palpable and alive as a gust of summer air rustling the tree along the Seine” (Indiewire). “Quietly miraculous… an immensely satisfying collaboration that finds both auteur and star further solidifying their spots among the greats of their respective fields” (The Hollywood Reporter). (MK)

Five twentysomethings-- an overlapping mix of old friends, flames, and distant relatives—convene at a chilly Michigan lake house for a weeklong getaway. Faced with ample downtime and a steady supply of weed and booze, the group is left to reckon with their collective millennial malaise. Elegantly staged with each scene unfolding in an unbroken master shot, Linh Tran’s preternaturally confident and wise debut feature is all the more remarkable for being produced with fellow students at DePaul University. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. “Insightful and genuine… a launchpad for a major career” (rogerebert.com). Director Linh Tran will join us in person to discuss Waiting for the Light to Change. Presented as part of the 2023 Asian American Spotlight, with the support of Asian American Studies at UW-Madison. (MK)

Filmed over 13 years, this astonishing portrait of a young painter searching for her artistic voice won the grand prize at IDFA, the world’s most prominent documentary festival. Born into a bohemian Parisian theater company, Apolonia Sokol runs the gauntlet of the male art world—from the prestigious Beaux Arts academy (where she is told her personality is more interesting than her paintings) to the ruthlessly capitalist Los Angeles collectors’ market. A feminist reckoning with art world paternalism, Apolonia, Apolonia is itself as much a testament to resilience and the artistic spirit as the remarkable woman at its center. (MK)

In an Estonian forest lush and verdant enough for a postcard, a group of women gather at a handcrafted lakeside sauna. Enveloped in the smoky darkness, they share their deepest thoughts and desires, the surrounding woods ringing with their laughter and tears. Shot primarily in ethereally beautiful close-ups, this soulful documentary is as restorative as a cleanse. "The small, smoky, steamy miracle of this film is how it creates something so intangible, so lyrical, from the absolutely elemental: fire, wood, water and lots of naked female flesh" (Variety). (MK)