Indie Film Weekly [EP 22]: Sister Midnight (2025) & Joe (1970)
Indie Film Weekly
Hello again, film lovers! Welcome to Indie Film Weekly, your curated escape from the algorithm and into the land of the bold, the offbeat, and the quietly brilliant. I’m Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films, and I’m here to guide you through this week’s freshest indie releases in theaters, on demand, and from the vault.
As always, we’re powered by Indie Igniter, your go-to toolkit for indie film marketing. Head over to theindieigniter.com and get on the list.
New in Theaters
First up is Sister Midnight, a bold and eerie descent into domestic chaos from Mumbai-based director Karan Kandhari. When a passive husband finds himself in an arranged marriage, he watches helplessly as his wife transforms into a feral, unforgiving force of nature. It’s horror, it’s feminism, it’s marriage therapy by way of a fever dream.
Kandhari, best known for his short Bye Bye Miss Goodnight, makes his feature debut here with style and swagger. It’s part Cronenbergian nightmare, part Indian Gothic, and all edge. Pro tip: do not see this one with your in-laws.
Next, slow things down with Love, a meditative relationship drama from Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud. It begins with a ferry ride and a quiet chat between two healthcare workers, Marianne and Tor. What unfolds is a philosophical tug-of-war over love, ethics, and personal freedom.
Haugerud, whose film Beware of Children earned critical acclaim, has a knack for turning conversations into cinematic tension. Love is like a two-person chess match stretched across long silences and subtle glances. It might sound quiet, but it packs a sharp emotional punch.
And for something very different: The Damned, from Italian director Roberto Minervini, transports us to a snowbound 1862 during the American Civil War. A volunteer company is dispatched into unknown western territory, only to be confronted not by enemies but by questions of purpose and identity.
Minervini, known for blurring the line between doc and fiction, casts non-actors and shoots in natural light. The result is hauntingly immersive and unnervingly real. Think Malick meets Dead Man, with frostbite.
So, that’s Sister Midnight, Love, and The Damned. Three very different paths into the indie wilderness.
Films to Rent or Download
This week on TVOD, we have Scooter LaForge: A Life of Art, a documentary portrait of the iconic queer painter and provocateur. Directed by Ethan H. Minsker, this film dives into LaForge’s career, from his DIY roots to his ascendance in the fashion and art worlds.
The film covers his creative process, the cultural battles he’s navigated, and the personal toll of carving out space in a world that doesn’t always reward authenticity. LaForge is punk rock meets high art with a splash of glitter and fury.
If you’ve ever walked through a gallery and thought, “Why don’t I see more acid unicorns and postmodern Jesus?”—this is for you.
Scooter LaForge: A Life of Art is now available on demand.
Indie Classic
For our Indie Classic this week, we’re going way back for the 55th anniversary of Joe, directed by John G. Avildsen. Yep, the same guy who later gave us Rocky started out with this gritty, violent culture-clash drama.
The film stars Peter Boyle as Joe, a blue-collar bigot who bonds with an uptight exec (Dennis Patrick) after a barroom confession to murder. What begins as a shared sense of outrage quickly spirals into a blood-soaked journey through America’s ideological fault lines.
It’s raw, messy, and deeply uncomfortable—but in a good way. Also notable: a young Susan Sarandon makes her film debut here. It’s streaming now on Amazon Prime and Tubi.
That wraps up this week’s Indie Film Weekly. Whether you’re craving war-time introspection, Norwegian ferry-flirtations, or subversive art documentaries, there’s something out there with your name on it.
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Until next week, keep it strange, and keep it indie!