Director John Waters will attend a special 25th anniversary screening of his film "Cecil B. Demented" April 17 at The Brightside in Dayton, a part of the YS Film Fest Mini-Fest. (Submitted photo)
YS Film Festival Mini-Fest to return
- Published: April 11, 2025
The YS Film Festival will hold its second annual Mini-Fest this month; the Mini-Fest debuted last year as a prelude to the second annual full festival event.
Following last year’s one-day event, this year’s Mini-Fest will take place over two days, beginning Thursday, April 17 with a 25th-anniversary screening of the film “Cecil B. Demented” at The Brightside in Dayton.
The screening will feature a conversation and Q&A with famed cult filmmaker and director, John Waters; YSFF founder Eric Mahoney will moderate the conversation. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the event beginning at 7 p.m.
On Friday, April 18, the Mini-Fest continues at the Little Art Theatre at 5 p.m. with a program of short films from Ohio filmmakers.
The lineup is a mix of documentary, narrative and animated films, including “Love and Service,” an animated music video by local resident Justin “unJUST” Herman and “Chasers,” by Erin Brown Thomas, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The program will be followed by a panel discussion with the films’ directors.
At 8 p.m., the Mini-Fest will screen the feature documentary “SEEDS,” directed by Dayton-born filmmaker Brittany Shyne. “SEEDS” examines the lives of southern Black generational farmers through the lenses of the challenges of land ownership, legacy and cultural preservation.
The film — shot in black and white — intimately highlights the resilience of Black farming communities as they face down threats from systemic inequities. “SEEDS” was awarded “Best U.S. Documentary” at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Tickets for each event scheduled for the Mini-Fest are available online at http://www.ysfilmfest.com.
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