“I look at the movie like it’s an album,” said Josh Mond, whose directorial debut, James White, plays like a musical melody. The film stars Christopher Abbott as James, a 21-year-old New Yorker who must care for his beloved mother (Cynthia Nixon) as she battles cancer for a second time. His turmoil ignites a binge of self-destructive behavior, characterized by bar fights and fits of rage.

The director Jon M. Chu delivered an inspiring, though rueful, keynote address at the 2015 Film Independent Forum.

The influential director Chantal Akerman past away on October 5, 2015. She will be remembered as both a feminist and experimental filmmaker.