The new year begins with a global embrace of indie moviemaking — from the DVD/Blu-ray release of the 2025 documentary Naked Ambition on Jan. 13 to the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards held at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Feb. 15.
In between, the Rome-set rom-com Solo Mio (2026) starring Kevin James opens on Feb. 6 in the US. Thanks to Angel Studios, the $4 million movie will receive wide distribution across the country including engagements at Chicago’s AMC and Regal theaters.
Conversely, the limited appeal of Amanda Kramer’s psychological fantasy By Design (2025) with Juliette Lewis and Melanie Griffith will only play in select cinemas on Feb. 13.
Following showings of the Portuguese thriller Secret Agent (2025) through Jan. 8, Music Box Theatre will screen Mona (The Brutalist) Fastvold’s $11 million Shaker musical The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) in 70mm from Jan. 17 to Jan. 22. But not before the French-language drama Young Mothers (2025) opens on Jan. 16 at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
The American kindred spirits drama A Little Prayer (2023) starring David Strathairn and Jane Levy will be available on DVD/Blu-ray on Jan. 27. By Jan. 30, the New Zealand drama Pike River (2025) will see a US VOD release.
A same-named TV movie directed by Rupert MacKenzie and Sofia Wenborn aired in 2016. While it focused on the true events that led up to the infamous mine explosion that killed 29 men in 2010, the newer film written by Fiona Samuel and directed by Robert Sarkies centers around the post-tragedy struggles of the victims’ families, specifically Anna Osborne (Melanie Lynskey) and Sonya Rockhouse (Robyn Malcolm). Together, these women fought for accountability regarding the loss of their husband and son, respectively. Lucy Lawless co-stars as Helen Kelly, the President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
Lastly, the Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 22-Feb. 1) will make its last appearance in Park City and Salt Lake since the event will move to Boulder next year. For now, the fest features Cathy Yan’s black comedy The Gallerist (2026) featuring Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
