Five Films to See at Australia's New American Indie Film Festival

A film festival dedicated to American films? Bear with us here. Sure, Hollywood pumps out most of the movies that reach our screens, but don't expect to see superheroes battling for supremacy, transforming robotic cars saving the world or an endless parade of sequels at Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now.

Instead, the brand new event is dedicated to the types of US flicks that don't usually make it to our shores. Here, smaller titles and character-driven fare share the spotlight with experimental efforts, intriguing docos and the kind of classics that you won't find on every retro lineup. Think revisionist westerns featuring gun-slinging gals and explorations of important American artists, plus the chance to see early work by the Coen brothers, Kathryn Bigelow, Richard Linklater and Sofia Coppola in a cinema.

It's a real celebration of the other side of American filmmaking, and the source of the usual festival dilemma: choosing what to see. If you're having a tough time picking the best of the bunch, we're here to help. Here's our five top films you won't want to miss.

THE FITS

Fleet footwork might feature prominently, but The Fits isn't just another dance movie. And, while it chronicles an 11-year-old girl's attempt to find her way in the world, it isn't the usual coming-of-age effort either. Instead, the striking debut from emerging talent Anna Rose Holmer blends both — as well as an intimate look at housing estate living, an understanding of the struggles of being a tomboy approaching womanhood, and an enigmatic mystery — into one unique package. If the sensitive story at the centre of the film doesn't win you over, then Holmer's fluid yet fresh style of filmmaking will.

THE KEEPING ROOM

Since first coming into prominence in low-key sci-fi effort Another Earth, Brit Marling has proven one of the American indie scene's most intriguing figures. Audiences either love her or don't quite know what to make of her — but whether she's co-writing and starring in Sound of My Voice and The East, or featuring in I, Origins, she's always interesting. The Keeping Room provides her latest fascinating role, this time pairing up with Pitch Perfect 2's Hailee Steinfeld and rising star Muna Otaru. Together, they explore the plight of women left behind during the American civil war, and offer up a female-centric take on one of the most masculine of movie genres.

(T)ERROR

True crime fans, rejoice. And then prepare to be thrilled, shocked and even a little horrified. (T)ERROR is the first documentary to thrust audiences right into the thick of the action, with filmmakers Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe on the ground with the FBI during an active counterterrorism operation. Yes, it's as tense as it sounds — but it is also equally revelatory. The informant at the centre doesn't just let viewers in on secret phone calls and meetings, but exposes the murky procedures followed and questionable decisions made in the name of security.

SIXTY SIX

Making an animated movie is a massive task; however it doesn't normally take 13 years. But that's how long Lewis Klahr spent crafting Sixty Six — and evidence of his hard work is obvious in every image. Using bits and pieces from '50s and '60s comic books, advertising and pulp novels to tell stories steeped in Greek mythology, the end result looks like an art film in every sense of the word. Unravelling over 12 episodes, it's a true collage of sound and vision, a portrait of a time period and a bit of a road trip. It's the kind of experimental feature that really doesn't come around very often.

RIVER OF GRASS

Before Kelly Reichardt explored the companionship only a pet can bring in Wendy and Lucy, delved into the western genre in Meek's Cutoff and contemplated eco-activism in Night Moves — and brought Michelle Williams, Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart together for her recent Sundance hit Certain Women, too — she spun a story of social isolation and disconnection in the Florida suburbs. More than two decades later, her debut feature River of Glass has been gloriously restored for all the world to see. If you only see one retrospective title at this year's festival, make it this one.

Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now runs from May 17 to June 8, and will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide. For the full program, visit the festival website.