Programmers' Picks: Kathleen Mullen on SIFF 2026
Cuba & Alaska
A fast-moving, pulse-pounding portrait of two female medics, Cuba and Alaska, on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, whose friendship offers moments of laughter, honesty, and hope. Powerful and deeply moving, they are unforgettable as is the realities of war that is ongoing today.
Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)
Anna and Yo are two kindred spirits who form an unbreakable intergenerational friendship. After Yo’s death, the director Anna creates a detailed miniature replica of her home—complete with a puppet version of Yo—an act of devotion that keeps her memory and stories alive. A creative, one-of-a-kind documentary.
To Hold a Mountain
Semi-nomadic shepherd and cheesemaker Gara fiercely protects her land and family in the face of a NATO military takeover. Alongside her niece Nada, their stories unfold in a beautifully shot and deeply felt portrait of resilience and love. Both Gara and Nada are riveting and inspirational subjects.
Bucks Harbor
With a strong point of view, director Pete Muller reflects on masculinity in a traditional fishing community in Maine, exploring how to navigate identity amid generational expectations of what it means to be a man. A visually stunning portrait of a way of life.
Barbara Forever
Everyone should know the work of Barbara Hammer, a groundbreaking avant-garde feminist filmmaker whose body of work helped define lesbian cinema and explore themes of identity, gender, and sexuality. This film is both a celebration of her legacy and a tribute to her lifelong dedication to uncovering erased lesbian histories.
Love Chaos Kin
In this open transracial adoption, Chithra, an Indian mother who, with her husband, adopts twins born to a white woman and a Native American man. Watch as they navigate the complexities of race, class, and parenting while confronting their own complicated histories and struggles. Get to know the twins as they grow from children into teenagers with their own ideas and personalities.
The Ascent
Mandy Horvath, a bilateral amputee, is a force to be reckoned with as she climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro using only her hands. As she ascends, her harrowing past comes into focus, revealing how she confronts trauma with extraordinary strength and determination. This gripping film weaves together elements of crime drama and a mountain-culture documentary.
Hanging By a Wire
On their way to school, a group of students riding a cable car across a canyon are suddenly left suspended midair when the cables fail. What is shown—and what is left unsaid—in this nail-biting documentary is what makes it so fascinating. Even if you already know the outcome, you’ll find yourself glued to the unfolding drama.