2026 Film Schedule
Celebrate the 11th year of Hobnobben Film Festival! This year, there are 35 film blocks featuring 154 incredible films. You can purchase passes and hang out with us for a day or the full festival or grab individual tickets to a block that piques your interest. The in-person festival will take place at Fort Wayne Cinema Center October 22 - 25, 2026. If you can’t make it in person, we offer virtual tickets to stream the films through November 10th.
In addition to the chance to celebrate and watch all the amazing films, there are several workshops and special events to enable filmmakers to network and flex their filmmaking muscles that will be announced soon.
Thursday, October 22, 2026: OPENING NIGHT
Spectator Lounge & Main Theater • 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Celebrate Hobnobben 2026 and the remarkable filmmakers who make our festival possible. The festivities will kick off with an opening night reception in the Spectator Lounge, where guests can enjoy a cash bar and hors d'oeuvres. Following the reception, we will screen a block of short films from local and Indiana filmmakers, followed by the feature documentary film out of Indiana, Sincerely Ric.
The Opening Night Reception is free to attend for all accepted filmmakers, all passholders, and for anyone who purchases a ticket for either screening on Thursday evening.
Opening Night Shorts • Main Theater • 7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
These eight shorts showcase a wide variety of stories, characters, and themes - including some out of Fort Wayne that celebrate the amazing art and artists we’re lucky to have here. Together, they showcase the depth and versatility of Indiana storytelling, making this block a celebration of Hoosier talent.
Short Films: FREEHAND: The Muralists of Fort Wayne, I Was Proud of You, Cora Dale - A Rediscovered Harmony, The End, The Christmas Tree, My Stem Story, Flick: A Fingerboarding, Get Before its Gone.
Opening Night Feature: Sincerely, Ric • Main Theater • 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Decades after Ric Routledge reshaped the dog show world, a forgotten storage unit reveals the story he never finished. Built from his own cassette recordings, archival footage, and the voices of those closest to him. Sincerely, Ric is a documentary about what a man leaves behind when he documents everything except the ending.
Friday, October 23, 2026
Inspiring Human Stories • Main Theater • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Meet a motorsportist, southern drag performer, inline skater, activist and artist, and Freddie. These five unscripted stories showcase the diversity of the human experience, while each of these individuals follow their passions, find their niche, and sometimes go against the grain.
Short Films: Shift: the Lisa Clark Story, Victoria, Wheels of Fate, The Blind Reggaetonera, The Second Life of Freddie Nole
Oh, Home, Let Me Come Home. • Spectator Lounge • 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
There’s no place like home…or is there? We can find out the most about ourselves in our own backyards - or bathrooms. Each of these four short films explore what it means to find - or re-find - your sense of home and belonging.
Short Films: Films: Don’t Cut My Wings, Mama!, The Village is not for me, This House of Ours, The Sight Unseen
ZAIRE: A Film Noir-Inspired Story • Main Theater • 12:45 pm - 2:00 pm
Filmed during DC's 2025 military occupation, ZAIRE explores the quarantine distance that united two souls who longed for human comfort beyond closed doors.
Illustrated Legacies: Graveyard Of The Pacific • Spectator Lounge • 12:45 pm - 2:00 pm
This film reclaims coastal Indigenous history, tracing a continuum from ancient whaling practices to the upheaval of colonial conflict. Relying on oral traditions, and combining documentary form with animation, the film challenges mainstream eurocentric narratives centering instead the vibrant lives and cultures of the original stewards of the lands and ocean. A complicated history is reframed by the voices of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada’s west coast.
Customs, Culture and Community • Main Theater • 2:15 pm - 3:45 pm
From food, sartorial traditions, cars and canoes, fan fiction, to finding your queer family, and more - celebrating your culture is important. This block is a mix of narrative and documentary short films, each of which showcases an insight into unique human identities and histories.
Short Films: Floreceran!, Raised by the Canoe, After the Sea, My Grandmother is a Skydiver, Our Found Family, They Called Me a Rabble-Rouse, Roll Modelz, Woven, Hāfu
(Death) All Stories Come To An End… + PANEL DISCUSSION • Spectator Lounge • 2:15 pm - 4:30 pm
What happens when we see an end before us? Death is a difficult topic for anyone. When there are final moments before us, there are as many ways to react as there are people. The films in this block tell the stories of people whose lives are coming to end.
Join us for discussion following the film about how we process and confront death with a panel led by Lauren Richwine, a Fort Wayne Death Doula who operates Death Done Differently.
Short Films: Wish the Clouds Weren’t in the Cabinet, Something Pointless, Burial Permit, My Name is Name, Thin Line, Death Closes the Eyes, We regret to Inform You.
Man, I Feel Like A Woman • Main Theater • 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Bras, nosejobs, to wear a headscarf or not, issues at the salon - this block of five shorts explores how women accept or reject their society’s standards of beauty and propriety. Despite the paradox of existing as a woman, the heroines in these stories find moments to embrace their joy and be uniquely themselves - no matter the circumstances - or the men and undergarments left in their wake.
Short Films: Catalogue of Noses, American Fabric, Bint El Shalabiyah, Tadasana, 48 - The Speaking Dead Woman, Uplift (G3, 7)
… And Create A New Beginnings (Grief) • Spectator Lounge • 4:45 pm - 6:00 pm
Grief: a deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement. It is deeply personal and people don’t experience it in the same way. These five films explore all the facets of grieving and living after loss.
Short Films: Blue, Cry, Baby, The Scriptwriter, Is Your Shade of Blue the Same as Mine?, Interlude
Whodunit? Whodunwhat? • Main Theater • 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm
Murder. Mischief. Missing Person. A Botched Robbery. And an absolutely criminal job interview. This block of five fiction crime shorts takes you on a journey through a variety of (mostly) unfortunate circumstances.
Short Films: Missing persons, murder, suspicion, a very troubling job interview and a robbery gone wrong.
Awards Ceremony • Spectator Lounge • 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Celebrate all the nominees and the winners! Don’t miss this chance to honor creativity, talent, and storytelling at its finest during the Awards Ceremony. This event is open to all Hobnobben attendees and filmmakers. See what films the awards jury has chosen to honor and show your appreciation for the recognized filmmakers. This is an event you won't want to miss as we come together to “See and be seen.” SEE you there! 👀
This event is free and open to the public, passholders and filmmakers. Please RSVP to give us a heads up that you’re coming.
Hi-Fi Sci-Fi • Main Theater • 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Humans versus artificial intelligence & technology: The capabilities and limitations of technology have long been a part of science fiction stories. This block of five incredibly creative and intelligent films are a must see for any sci-fi fans.
Short Films: Beyond the Clouds, Downsized, Ariadne Protocol, After Link, Are You a Human Being?
Getting In Your Way • Spectator Lounge • 7:45 pm - 9:15 pm
Unbridled anger, suppressed emotions, self-sabotage, understanding yourself, your emotions and your needs - man, humaning can be so damn hard. These five films explore the complicated ways in which we confront (or refuse to confront) ourselves and our struggles.
Short Films: Kicking Toward Tomorrow, Anger, CASI SEPTIEMBRE, Mid-Lennial Life Crisis, Meet the Friends
Drea & Cloe • Main Theater • 9:15 pm - 10:45 pm
Drea and Cloe, two ambitious orchestra conductors, meet at a party hosted by a world-renowned orchestra. They feel an instant mutual attraction and can’t wait to spend the night alone in the house the orchestra has provided. But when they discover they are direct rivals for the conductor’s position, they must spend the night torn between the podium they’ve dreamed of since childhood and the intense love that has sparked between them.
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Style and Substance: Production Design • Main Theater • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Production design is the art of turning a script into a living, physical world. The worlds built in these four films set the stage for a host of complex and interesting characters from a variety of genres. Watch these four films and experience a rebellion, a woman reclaiming and building her own space, a mermaid discovering the impacts of the environmental destruction and objectification above her, and see what it takes to create a super, super movie.
Short Films: Captain Torres, Nestling, Las Cosas Que Brillan, Super Super Movie
Raffle! • Spectator Lounge • 11:15 am - 1:00 pm
After her parent's death, a ne'er-do-well drifter makes her sibling's worst nightmare come true: she wants to take over the family business.
Twinkle of Love • Main Theater • 12:45 pm - 2:00 pm
Missed Connections. Love Experienced. Longing for love. Love Lost. Sometimes love is just a “twink”le in your eye and sometimes it's a fading memory. While subverting heteronormativity, this block of six fiction shorts explores relationships and the marks they forever leave.
Short Films: Balloons, Reaching Seventeen, Chatting Around, Mis-Angel, Summer Fling, It Comes in Waves
A Little Gray Wolf Will Come + Panel Discussion • Spectator Lounge • 1:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Alice calls her mother’s work propaganda, but Zhanna believes that she is working for the good of her homeland. As a foreign correspondent for Russian TV she covers the major events in the Western countries from the Kremlin’s perspective. Over four summers and one winter, mother and daughter travel across the length and breadth of Putin’s Russia. But as their journey unfolds, Zhanna grapples with her past, her secrets, and her identity as both a journalist and a mother—while the country edges closer to a war. A Little Gray Wolf Will Come is a powerful tale of love, lies, and the loss of homeland.
A Safe Distance • Main Theater• 2:15 pm - 3:45 pm
Alex and her boyfriend Joey head into the wilderness for a romantic getaway. When Alex turns down Joey's surprise proposal, he abandons her in the woods. She’s rescued by Kianna and Matt, an enigmatic young couple living off the grid. Stranded and shaken, Alex accepts their invitation to stay at their remote campsite. As she’s drawn into their intoxicating world, complicated emotions and unexpected connections begin to surface. But when she learns they’re fugitives wanted for a string of violent bank robberies, Alex must navigate the blurred lines between desire, loyalty, and survival.
Complicated Realities • Spectator Lounge • 3:45 pm - 5:15 pm
From dystopian dramas to nihilistic animated shorts and deeply personal unscripted shorts, this block of films explores what happens when what you want, say, believe, or do comes into conflict with the reality of the events that are unfolding. The subjects in these eight shorts manage to hold onto some hope in harrowing and complicated circumstances.
Short Films: El Sueño Americano, Toward the Sun, The Waterline, Hell, No Nation, Gizaki, Bruise, Fred
Beyond the Meet Cute • Main Theater • 4:00 pm - 5:45 pm
Love at first sight is a cute start to a story - but there is so much more than comes after. These eight fiction shorts delve into what happens next– the ups, down, the love, laughter, the poor neglected house plants, the dreaded ick, and sometimes - the break up. But the good news is - if you last long enough, you too can bond over adult diapers.
Short Films: Breathe, Love Blooms, The Worm’s-Eye View of the Bird, The Queen of Pop, Monstera, The Skin Under my Girdle, Tomorrow Night, Sam Wants Her Sweater Back
Spectrum of Life + Panel Discussion• Spectator Lounge • 5:30 pm - 7:45 pm
How do you navigate a world that isn't always built with you in mind? From a young man discovering the world beyond his books to a celebrated pianist refusing to let a changing body silence her, this mix of six animated and unscripted short films explore the many ways people persevere.
Short Films: Stumbling Blocks, Bruno’s Wings, The Third Child, Concerto, Look at Me, Prisoner at Home
These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Things: Saturday Night Scenes • Main Theater • 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Enter a world where your mom can let off a little steam, the youths are subjected to rotary phones, actors find an unusual outlet for their skills, and people find their joy, their mattresses, and most importantly - a world where roommates sing their way through Lasagna Day, arguably the most important and delicious day. Thank you, amazing filmmakers, for helping us create this creative, snarky and joyful Saturday evening block of 11 comedic shorts.
Short Films: Mom Walkers, It Was our Turn, 5 stars, With Oak, Matched, The Knot Job, Best Kept Secret, Rabbit, Ceol, Lasagna Day
Supernatural Stories • Main Theater • 7:45pm - 9:15 pm
Witches, ghosts, zombies, werewolves and Death! Supernatural forces align in these six films. It’s a cliche - but you will literally laugh and cry - and appreciate the storytelling in these six fiction shorts as they bring you through these supernatural scenarios.
Short Films: Swine, Mort, The Lingering, The Last Sunset, Hairy, The Perfect Jump Scare
My Home • Spectator Lounge • 8:00 pm - 10:15 pm
My Home is a heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and longing, a story of four women waiting for the return of Mohan, a migrant worker and the family's sole breadwinner. Over the years, their lives are defined by hope, yearning, and dreams that seem increasingly out of reach.
Saturday Scaries• Main Theater • 9:30 pm - 10:45 pm
Looking for a twisty, spooky, sometimes bloody Saturday night? This block is for you! Moral of this block: Be careful where you stay, the promises you make, the people you let into your store, and the murderers you cover on your podcast.
Short Films: Long Play, Last Kill, Plaything, I owe you one, The Last Guest, Haemo_philia
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Just Another Manic 9 to 5 • Main Theater • 11:00 am - 12:45 pm
Climbing the corporate ladder can be difficult. There’s the shame of sneezing on your boss, leaky faucets and sometimes the barriers of even finding employment or even being able to do your actual job are enough to drive you crazy if you let it. These seven fiction shorts all center on making a living and the challenges that come with it.
Short Films: You’re the Boss, The Housekeeper, Prefer Not to Say, Monday to Friday, Cellular, The Display, The Job
Shambala Story• Spectator Lounge • 11:15 am - 1:00 pm
In the Himalayan town of Darjeeling, India, the devout Tibetan monk, Tashi, is sent to Japan for further studies. There, he befriends a violent elderly man and his parolee granddaughter, Emi, who are both struggling to make ends meet. As the loneliness they all share brings them closer to Tashi, forbidden feelings between him and Emi emerge. Can Tashi avoid losing himself in the impossible choice between his love for a woman and his promise to his religion?
Maternal Instincts • Main Theater • 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
There is no one path to motherhood, and no singular experience of raising a child. These six fiction shorts cover just a sampling of the experience of bringing life into this world and then nurturing it - with all the complications that come with both: From the complex realities pregnant women face, the maternal impulse to protect others, to the unique ways working moms connect with their children.
Short Films: A Message Between Times, Insensible Losses, Vital, Zona Cesarini, 33-Week, Citizen Number 6 Million
The Art of Performance • Spectator Lounge • 1:15 pm - 3:00 pm
Art. Music. Theater. Satire: Lesbian Jacobines fight an orange dictator in their community. An actor tries to find their place in the Midwest. Two students reunite in an acting class. A violinist makes himself home in his new house. A queer performer reclaims Medusa. The five films in these blocks illustrate the importance of play, performance, social commentary and the role of film as an art form.
Short Films: Medusa: Dare to Gaze, Performing, And the Shadow Dances, Marlee X, The rebellion of the lesbian Jacobines
Nurturing Nature: The Challenges Of Conservation + Panel Discussion• Main Theater • 2:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Can we protect our landscapes and communities from ourselves? This mix of five fiction and unscripted shorts explores our relationship with nature and how we can (if we can) preserve the planet for future generations. Learn about photosynthesis, the pigs who got away, the migration patterns of sandhill cranes, and the impact industrialization can have on our ecosystem.
Following the film we will have an extended Q&A with attending filmmakers and representatives of ACRES Land Trust, an organization dedicated to protecting land in northeast Indiana and portions of southern Michigan and northwest Ohio.
Short Films: On the Stream, Leaves are weird, Blu’s, A Touch of Wildness, When Pigs Fly, Railroaded
Through A Child’s Eyes • Spectator Lounge • 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm
Children often perceive more than we give them credit for, even without the control and context adults might have. From navigating a missing parent, trying to feel safe in a dangerous situation, meeting a friend who has a grownup job, to being put to work alongside adults: These six fiction shorts showcase how children experience complicated human situations.
Short Films: Looking for Daddy, Bang Bang, Rooftop Lempicka, The Boy with the white skin, The little girl who lived under her bed, Little Treasures
Bob’s Best Friends • Main Theater • 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
A lonely man discovers he has an ability to talk to dogs after a sudden illness strikes. Through a series of adventures, mishaps, and conversations with his new “friends”, Bob rediscovers life’s joys. It’s a story of love, loss, and renewal. A drama/comedy for all ages.
The Witchdoctor and the Windmill • Spectator Lounge • 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
"The Witchdoctor and the Windmill” explores the life of the Indigenous artist, Linda Syddick Napaltjarri. She was the last of the world’s 6 ‘clever women’ who after experiencing a fully traditional, nomadic desert childhood went on to win Australia’s biggest art prize.
