2024 Film Stats
31 films were recommended – 20 were eligible and included in the inaugural list
The directors are: 60% women, 60% filmmakers of color, 65% first-time feature directors
50% of the films premiered at a “Market Festival”
60% of films are English Language
15 of the films are US productions or co-productions
There are 3 Grand Jury Award winners, 7 Audience Award winners, 7 ‘Best of’ winners, and AJOOMMA was Singapore’s official entry for the 2023 Academy Awards
All 20 films appear on Letterboxd, and of those with enough audience reviews for an average score, the average score is 3.5/4
Check out this end-of-year update on 11 of the 2024 films, published in Hope for Film (2/8/25.)
Special Mentions
(not included due to distribution status)
26.2 to Life, Dir. Christine Yoo (Nancy Campbell, IFFBoston)
The Accidental Getaway Driver, Dir. Sing J. Lee (John Nein, Sundance Film Festival)
Angel Applicant, Dir. Ken August Meyer (David Nugent, Hamptons Intl. Film Festival)
Bad Behaviour, Dir. Alice Englert (John Nein, Sundance Film Festival)
City of Love, Dir. Èric Boadella (Programming Team, New Filmmakers LA)
Dusty & Stones, Dir. Jesse Rudoy (Ida Teresa Myklebost, Anchorage Intl. Film Festival)
Hundreds of Beavers, Dir. Mike Cheslick (Jason Carney, Phoenix Film Festival)
King Coal, Dir. Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Mallory Martin, Cleveland Intl. Film Festival)
Late Bloomers, Dir. Lisa Steen (Alan LaFave, Hell’s Half Mile Film & Music Festival, Rachel Walker, Programmer at Large)
The Last Movie Ever Made, Dir. Nathan Blackwell (Jason Carney, Phoenix Film Festival)
Mountains, Dir. Monica Sorelle (Zoe Elton, Mill Valley Film Festival)
Summer Solstice, Dir. Noah Schamus (Andrew Peterson, Provincetown Film Festival)
Special thanks to the following festival programmers who participated in the inaugural list:
Carlos Corral (El Paso Film Festival), Tim Anderson (Florida Film Festival), Brian Hu (San Diego Asian Film Festival), Andrew Peterson (Provincetown Film Festival), Jason Carney (Phoenix Film Festival), Skye McLennan (San Luis Obispo Film Festival), Alan LaFave (Hell’s Half Mile Film & Music Festival), Allegra Madsen (Frameline Film Festival), Linda Eaddy (Denton Black Film Festival), Tishon Pugh (New Orleans Film Festival), Sabrina Aviles (Cinefest Latino Boston), Julia Kipnis (Nashville Film Festival), Mallory Martin (Cleveland Intl. Film Festival), Beth Barrett (Seattle Intl. Film Festival), Zoe Elton (Mill Valley Film Festival), John Nein (Sundance Film Festival), Juliet Romeo (Slamdance Unstoppable), Programming Team (NewFilmmakers LA), Nehad Kedar (BlackStar Film Festival), Malin Kan (AFI Fest), David Nugent (Hamptons Film Festival), Greg Sorvig (Heartland Film Festival), Festival Programming Team (Austin Film Festival), Rachel Morgan (Sidewalk Film Festival), Ida Theresa Myklebost (Anchorage Film Festival), Jim Brunzell (Sound Unseen Film Festival), Farrington (Out on Film Festival), Mike Dougherty (Programmer at Large, Los Angeles), Faridah Gbadamosi (Tribeca Festival) Rachel Walker (Programmer at Large), and Nancy Campbell (IFF Boston).