Luther Vandross started his career supporting David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, and more. His undeniable talent earned platinum records and accolades, but he struggled to break out beyond the R&B charts. Intensely driven, he overcame personal and professional challenges to secure his place amongst the greatest vocalists in history.
October 9-13, 2025
Luther: Never Too Much
Climbing Into Life
Director Melissa Davey will be attendance and will participate in a post-screening Q&A!
Climbing into Life is a feature length documentary detailing the inspiring life story of Dierdre Wolownick, the mother of Free Solo’s Alex Honnold. Already an accomplished writer, artist, teacher and musician, she was inspired by her adult children’s passions eventually leading her to become the oldest woman to ascend Yosemite’s famed El Capitan. The story of how she went from a completely consumed mother and professor, shedding a bad marriage and ending up on the wall of El Capitan is riveting and nothing less than inspiring. From an unhappy wife and lonely mother to the status of athlete later in life, Dierdre confronts fear and ageism and gains a wonderful new community in the outdoors. At age 71 Dierdre pushes back against the societal norms that assume her retirement years will be spent slowing down.
In our society, women continue to be valued and judged by their age and appearance. Despite their contributions to our history and prolific influence on our culture, a tragic phenomenon often occurs in women beyond a certain age. They become invisible. These later years are a time when women are at the height of their expertise and accomplishments, yet their significance is rarely acknowledged in media or literature. Bringing older women’s stories to the forefront not only inspires older people but younger people as well.
Following Dierdre on her journey in life, the film highlights her resilience, fervent curiosity and challenges society’s definition of continued relevance. Rich in experiences and accomplishments, Dierdre challenges herself as she moves through each decade of her life. Through this film we celebrate the impact she has made hoping to inspire all generations and bring attention to the significance of her story. Climbing into Life celebrates the power of film to connect an audience that spans generations through storytelling that offers universally relatable themes of experience, success, loss, resilience and continued relevance.
Director’s Choice: A Longform Shorts Program
These captivating selections from our Executive Board will take you on a journey through the intricate tapestry of the human experience, weaving together themes of grief, identity, magic, and beauty.
Patrol | Film Screening and Panel
An emerging crisis in one of the last remaining rainforests in Central America ignites a heroic mission in PATROL. When illegal cattle ranchers decimate large swaths of rainforest, indigenous rangers join forces with an American conservationist and undercover journalists to expose the dark world of conflict beef.
Outside Line
As one of the only Black drivers and having no connections in the sport, Rajah Caruth is a relative outsider in NASCAR. Nevertheless, he has forged an unlikely path from virtual racing to the sport’s penultimate series, building stardom on the way.
California Light
One filmmaker’s exploration of natural light in California and its influence on the lives of those touched by this light.
Generation UA
After the outbreak of a full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine, the Ruslan Shostak Foundation carried out the largest evacuation of orphans since the Second World War. Rescued 1700 orphans from Ukraine, transporting them to Turkey. What do children dream of without parents? Where will they return after the war?
Closing Night Film: This is Not Financial Advice
Glauber “Pro” Contessoto—an immigrant working multiple jobs and living in a 220-square-foot apartment—gambles his life savings on a joke cryptocurrency. Two months later, he becomes “The Dogecoin Millionaire” and a hero to his growing YouTube following.
It’s easy to get rich online. But as Pro will soon discover, it’s even easier to lose it all. Amateur investors like Pro must navigate a landscape that’s rife with scams, bad advice, and a fear of missing out. THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE exposes the startling risks and rewards of today’s market through expert commentary and the anxiety-inducing stories of real people trying to make millions.
The Orchestra Chuck Built and Panel
In 2016, the League of American Orchestras conducted a study that revealed a shocking statistic: only 1.8% of the professional orchestra workforce in the US is Black. From an old church rec room in the inner city of Los Angeles, former lawyer-turned-conductor Chuck Dickerson is on a mission to change that.
Through ICYOLA – The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, — the largest majority Black orchestra in the country — Chuck is creating life-changing opportunities for his community that did not previously exist.
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes
MAX ROACH: THE DRUM ALSO WALTZES explores the life and music of the legendary drummer, composer, bandleader, and social activist through a remarkable series of creative peaks, struggles, and personal reinventions—from the Jim Crow era to the Civil Rights years, surveying the heady days of post-war modern jazz to hip hop and beyond.