We always tell people, this "Best of Flickerings" session is simply a sampling of films that represent the direction we're trying to send this festival. Sometimes inclusion or exclusion comes down to a matter of running time, or which filmmakers are there with us to join in the conversation and/or introduce their film. Still, we're not taking anything from these films: this was our strongest year yet for Showcase entries, and these "Best of" films are among the strongest. We are quite pleased to lay them down as markers on the map as we chart our way forward. Congratulations, filmmakers: thanks for continuing to lead us in such promising directions. (Next year, we'll see about adding some time to the "Best of" session so we can show some of the longer films which are tougher to add to a short single session on the schedule.)

Destination Sky, Zach Baliva

Psalm 51, Kris Barberg

Wildlands, Bevan Klassen

Shooting Guns in Church, Kevin Nikkel

Stranger Things, Luke Renner