This article was written by Julia Forest, Cinema Worcester Intern from Assumption College, Fall Semester 2025
Independent Film Reaches Reality
As a new regular to watching independent films, I can’t help but notice how undervalued this part of the film industry is. These stories are intimate, diverse, creative, and dare to show audiences a part of the world that they may not want to acknowledge or accept. So much goes into the making of a movie, and to go through that without a huge budget or without the help of promotional campaigns is risky, but it’s totally worth it for the artistic freedom.
Independent films are just as entertaining and professional as films from major studios, but the difference is that independent film offers a greater sense of uncensored and raw reality. Without the restrictions of a studio, independent films remain authentic, give voices to those who are underrepresented, and hold up the mirror to the audience, asking them to deeply consider the subject matter.
Through Cinema Worcester, I was able to see Eddington and Twinless, which were two films I have never heard of before. Both movies sucked me in, surprised me in terms of the plot, made me have a greater appreciation for cinematography and mise-en-scène, and left me thinking about the film hours later. Eddington brought attention to the current issues with politics, racism, and social media, while Twinless highlighted LGBTQ+ characters, the guilt, tension, and exhaustion that comes with grief, and wanting to belong somewhere and to be loved. They’re two completely different movies, but because they’re independent, these films are unapologetically personal and deal with current issues.
I’ve also seen The Librarians, The Last Class, and Valentino's Ghost, which are all documentaries, thanks to screenings at Cinema Worcester. These documentaries all touch upon difficult or controversial subjects that speak to society, such as banned books, preparing for retirement, and the distorted depiction of Arabs and Muslims in film, leading to unfair stereotypes being normalized. All of these screenings were well attended and led to many conversations after the film. These subjects, though upsetting, clearly leave an important impression on viewers.
Some of these films have very big names in terms of celebrities, but for whatever reason, these films don’t seem to get the recognition that they deserve. I wish independent films were respected more. In the future, I hope that independent films will receive more attention and will have more exposure when it comes to promotional content.
That being said, Anora and other independent films have seen great success at recent Oscar Award ceremonies, and hopefully this trend will continue. I think more and more people are understanding that a major studio title and the amount of money going into a film doesn’t define its quality. Just as much thought and care goes into an Independent film as it would for a Hollywood studio film.
Overall, I am so glad that I’ve been seeing more independent movies. They speak to the human condition and sometimes leave us with more questions than answers, which allows these stories to have a life that goes beyond the screen. Independent film educates viewers in a personal, more down to earth manner, and this is worth watching because these movies and documentaries are about us. They reveal both our failures and our successes, and urge us to reflect, take action, learn, and change for the better.
