Halloweenies: Yûta Shimotsu's Body Horror Satire NEW GROUP

Yûta Shimotsu was born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1990 and studied mechanical engineering at Saga University. During this time, he began directing commercials and short films, for which he received multiple awards. His short film DREAMING TO ACCEPT REALITY (2020) was screened at numerous international film festivals and served as the basis for his feature film debut BEST WISHES TO ALL (2023 / NC ’24). His second feature, NEW GROUP (2025 / NC ’26), was screened at various festivals including the Fantasia International Film Festival and the Sitges Film Festival.

Body-Horror Indie Comedy BOOGER Opens September 13

BOOGER, the acclaimed debut feature from writer-director Mary Dauterman, opens in select theaters and arrives on VOD on Friday, September 13 from Dark Sky Films, with weeklong runs at the Quad Cinema in New York City and Laemmle Glendale in Los Angeles, with special filmmaker Q&As.

Synopsis: New Yorker Anna has just suffered the sudden and unexpected death of her best friend and roommate, Izzy. She's trying to handle this loss when Izzy's cat, Booger, runs away. Anna goes on a desperate search to find him and in the process, she is bitten on the hand by the cat. She soon begins to take on feline characteristics, and her work life and relationship with her boyfriend start to go downhill.