Filmmaker David Shadrack Smith’s feature documentary Public Access charts the chaotic, rebellious, untold story of public access TV in NYC through a wild journey of archival footage. David sits down with LESFF Directors to chat about mining for pornographic tapes, landing fancy EPs like Steve Buscemi and Benny Safdie, and channeling the “make-art-at-all-costs” energy of the public access icons he was putting on screen. Public Access had its New York premiere as LESFF’s 2026 Closing Night film.

Mary Neely, fresh off making her Broadway debut in Death of a Salesman, and serving as a juror at the 2026 festival, joins LESFF Fest Director, Roxy Hunt to talk about writing and starring in her feature film Or Something alongside Kareem Rahma, (from the wildly popular Subway Takes), and how the best PR for your film could involve being in a bikini outside Quad Cinema.

NB Mager talks teenage coming-of-age films (top favs and the joy getting to work with Molly Ringwald!), creative rebellion, and what it actually takes to get an indie film made and how a kind of stubborn, childlike optimism can be the engine that gets a movie across the finish line.

Beg, borrow, steal - festival alums Kelsea Bauman-Murphy and Audrey Arnold chat filming with sunburns in the heat of Florida, their shared history of shoplifting (which spawned their upcoming short “TAMPA”), and their paths to fundraising, including utilizing LESFF as a fiscal sponsor.

Actor/Director, and LESFF Jury member Jennifer Morrison chats directing Euphoria, what she learned acting on Primetime TV for the past decade, and carving her own path to making her first feature. Hosted by Festival Director, Roxy Hunt.

Director Liz Smith and Producer Chantelle de Carvalho discuss their new documentary film i am Gen Z, their fascination with the evolving digital world, and their experiences making a film with the voices of Tik-Tok and tech experts alike. Hosted by Festival Directors Shannon Walker & Roxy Hunt.

Filmmakers Lena Hudson and Eliza Cossio chat about their short films Too Long At The Fair and La Bruja, what it is like to direct yourself on-screen, and our mutual admiration for the awkward middle school experience depicted in Hulu's Pen15.

Hosted by The Lower East Side Film Festival directors Shannon Walker and Roxy Hunt.

Filmmaker Matt Porter talks about his new film Nighty Night starring Chris Gethard (The Chris Gethard Show) and Zach Cherry (HBO's Crashing), and what it's like to be watched while you're sleeping.

Hosted by The Lower East Side Film Festival directors Shannon Walker and Roxy Hunt.

Shaina & Chris discuss their opening night film "Senior Escort Service", dealing with grief, and revealing your truth through storytelling.

Hosted by The Lower East Side Film Festival directors Shannon Walker and Roxy Hunt.

Matt Nelsen, director of "A Maine Movie", talks about improv, Seinfeld, and the similarities between filmmaking and pipeline engineering.

Hosted by The Lower East Side Film Festival directors Shannon Walker and Roxy Hunt.