This two-week festival will feature 32 films that will depict the past, present and future of independent cinema from the United States.

Created by artistic director Richard Sowada, this festival will showcase 14 films that will have their Australian premiere as part of the 32 film program.Essential Independents celebrates new narrative feature and documentaries and includes a showing of first films from now major international filmmaking talents.

Films include Anna Rose Holmer’s The Fits, Oren Moverman’s Time Out Of Mind, a newly restored print of Kelly Reichardt’s River Of Grass, Matthew Miele’s documentary Crazy About Tiffany’sand Mapplethorpe: Look At The Picturesand more.

The festival will feature performances from Australian and international stars including Joel Edgerton, James Franco, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Sarah Silverman and Sam Worthington.

Essential Independents: American Cinema, Nowis running at Palace Cinema Norton and Palace Cinema Verona from Tuesday May 17 to Wednesday June 1.

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