STRAW 2025: A Mother’s Silence Was Louder Than a Siren
A haunting look at grief, survival, and a mother’s quiet collapse in a world that never gave her room to fall.

A struggling musician moves in with his gay best friend in order to restart his life only to find himself falling in love with their lesbian roommate.
A haunting look at grief, survival, and a mother’s quiet collapse in a world that never gave her room to fall.
“It's not ghosts. It's not supernatural. It's... It's America. And it's everywhere.”
Some people’s first introduction to Mira Nair might be as New York mayor Zohran Mamdani’s mom. But with her insightful direction of 1991’s Mississippi Masala, Nair shows how much she deserves to be known as an artist. Delivering a nuanced portrait of a romance between a Black man and an Indian woman living in the South, Nair explores the complications each character faces, giving both equal weight.
The Magician's Elephant has a strong multicultural cast and a heartwarming story about bringing two long-lost siblings back together
Rip Tide is a coming-of-age film that teaches viewers about finding yourself and reconnecting with surroundings.
That feeling in your gut which tells you that there’s something out there you should look for and make your own, is what the power represents