The box office is benefitting from an unlikely savior

Plus: Tribeca wins, July deadlines, Festival darlings hit theaters, and more

Jun 19, 2025

Happy Thursday, and happy Juneteenth.

Thanks to all who came to our Tribeca party, along with our partners at Canva, Sony, Shotdeck, and United Airlines. Don’t forget to save contacts you met on the Portrait app.

A lot of you joined the Portrait community in the last few weeks. To our new friends: welcome! (And to those of you who requested a Portrait account just before Tribeca, fear not. We’re processing your application. It’s been a popular time to join!)

Let’s dive into what’s going on in the community and the industry — along with this week’s deadlines and opportunities.

PS: Don’t miss our Tribeca filmmaker series with ShotDeck:

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Roll of Honor

Premieres, Awards, and More. Say hello to featured members on the app.

What to Watch This Weekend

Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells in 'I Don't Understand You' — Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells in *I Don’t Understand You.*

Gristly Romcoms and Heartwarming Horror

I Don’t Understand You. “Outrageously snappy and unapologetically fun, I Don’t Understand You is a must-see for anyone who likes queer romance, horror-comedy, and/or hot Italians” (IndieWire). Lowell Meyer, Cinematographer; Gabriela Leibowitz, Eugene Kolb, Producers; Melissa Kan, visual effects artist; Juan Huici, Additional Music. Now in theaters.
The Life of Chuck. “A film that’s as sweet as it is scary, and whose frights are the sort that come from all-too-relatable fears about being alone” (Daily Beast). Katie Ballard, Hair Department Head; Nataleigh Verrengia, Key Makeup Artist. Now in theaters.

Explorations of Memory, Family, and Aging

The Queen of My Dreams. "The film explores the complexities between then and now, a tussle many diaspora families are all too familiar with. What sets this movie apart is its refusal to stick to the beaten path” (Deadline). Fawzia Mirza, Director; Andria Wilson Mirza, Jason Levangie, Arshad Khan, Producers; Kamil Chima, Carol Noronha, Alexander Stegmaier, EPs; Matt Irwin, Cinematographer; Simone Smith, Editor; Alysha Brilla, Composer; Cody Partridge, Music Supervisor. In theaters Friday.
Familiar Touch. “[Sarah] Friedland’s film, as sharp as it is soft, conveys both the terror of losing the life you recognize, and the intermittent, fragmented joy of finding it again” (Variety). Gabe Elder, Cinematographer; Nan Zhou, Costume Designer; Angie Rodriguez, Editor; Carissa McQueen, Script Supervisor; Ben Federman, Colorist. In theaters Friday.

Portraits of Women Who Changed The Conversation

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore. “A bittersweet corrective, a tribute to a trailblazer long overdue her flowers” (RogerEbert.com). Shoshannah Stern, Director; Jon Shenk, DP; Shana Hagan, Cinematography; Justine Nagan, Robyn Kopp, Ellie Wen, Producers; Sara Newens, Kristina Motwani, Editors; Kathryn Bostic, Composer; Michael Kantor, Jenny Raskin, Ruth Ann Harnisch, Kelsey Koenig, Jennifer Pelling, EPs. In theaters Friday.
Prime Minister. “Prime Minister reminds us, the role that the internet and sharply ideological news sources play in our lives shifted dramatically in just the years Ardern was in office” (NYT). Lindsay Utz, Director; Clarke Gayford, Thorsten Thielow, DPs; Clare Major, Cinematography; Kasey Fry-Day, Line Producer; Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist, Composer; Ian Hultquist, Score Mixer. Now in theaters.