Four independent short films, each under 10 minutes, will screen tonight at Alter Space in Williamsburg as part of LONGSHOT CINEMA DROP 002—a free quarterly mini film festival that’s bringing basement show energy to indie cinema.
Austin Long, the freelance video producer who founded Longshot Cinema, curated tonight’s February lineup around the theme of relationships. The screening starts at 8 p.m. and will be followed by drinks and music in the creative venue and art space.
“Longshot started as an indie film distribution idea because I knew so many people who had short films and high-quality work sitting on a hard drive,” Long told Bushwick Daily. The New York transplant, who’s lived in the city for a year and a half, launched the project to give quality independent work “the flowers it deserves” in a more relaxed setting than traditional film screenings.
Long’s mission stems from frustration with the typical film screening experience. “I’ve always felt that film screenings are boring and academic. They have this clout-chaser, networking vibe that really put me off and didn’t help me appreciate the work,” he said. “I wanted to provide a more free-spirited space, akin to maybe an indie show or a basement show for bands, where people could come and informally show love to some independent cinema.”
The concept has evolved since its first iteration at Rubulad, a DIY venue in Bushwick, with help from partner Brianna Balsamo. Now hosted at Alter Space, the quarterly events aim to distribute films through live experiences rather than digital platforms.
“I hope people understand the importance of showing up in person to support artistry and work that you give a fuck about,” Long said. “A follow only goes so far, but if you show up in person and give someone their flowers in the flesh, that goes really far. You never know—someone could be on the verge of quitting their artistic practice.”
Tonight’s Films
Untitled by Sophie Hur opens the night with what Long describes as “this surreal, poetic piece about friendship and youth.” The experimental film captures summer friendships with nostalgic intensity. “I don’t think those relationships get the prestige in media that maybe they deserve,” Long said of close childhood bonds.
Untitled Mockumentary follows with an intimate story about someone who won’t remove a beautiful mask due to a past relationship. Long was drawn to its sensitive approach: “It’s filmed in a mockumentary style but isn’t joking at all, unlike most mockumentaries.”
The 12 Inch Pianist by Lucas Ansel brings stop-motion craftsmanship to a story structured around setup-punchline humor. “It’s really funny with a very unique sense of humor, but at the same time it has a bunch of heart,” Long explained. “It’s also very vulnerable, but almost guarded with the humor. I really related to that aspect because I tend to guard my vulnerabilities with humor in my own life.”
The screening concludes with Bitchy by Mario Bolin, which follows three young women over a night out. Long praised its attention to detail and humor: “To me, it has the attention to detail of Euphoria with maybe the humor of something like I Love LA or something Rachel Sennott would make. It’s hilarious and beautifully crafted.”
Long curates the films by reaching out to friends and DMing creators whose work catches his eye online. “I crowdsource it via the internet,” he said. Filmmakers interested in future screenings should follow the Longshot Cinema page and attend an event, then reach out via DM.
Looking ahead, Long sees Longshot Cinema as a film distribution experiment. “I really see this as a film distribution process—we’re just distributing films via events,” he said. He’s exploring revenue streams including physical media, merchandise, and expanded event programming while avoiding the traditional film festival route.
LONGSHOT CINEMA DROP 002 screens tonight (February 26) at 8 p.m. at Alter Space, 63 N 3rd Street, Williamsburg. Admission is free. The screening will be followed by drinks and music. RSVP here.
