Bmore-Raised Comedian to Intro Screening of Iconic Arnold Pic Oct 4
New/Next Film Festival announced today a special revival screening of the 1985 maximalist action film Commando, guest-curated and introduced by comedian Stavros Halkias. The screening will pop off the evening of October 4th within the third edition of New/Next, an annual festival presented by Baltimore Public Media and taking place October 2-5, 2025 in Baltimore’s historic 5-screen Charles Theatre.
“Past editions of New/Next have had Q+As with Mayor Brandon Scott, as well as films guest-curated by our friends in the band Beach House,” said New/Next director of programming Eric Allen Hatch. “Asking the always-hilarious Stavvy Baby to curate and host a favorite film at the fest was the next obvious move in our quest to collect all of Baltimore’s infinity stones.”
Commando, first released in 1985, boasts an iconic starring role for Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a stellar supporting cast including Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke and Dan Hedaya. Halkias will not perform at the screening, but rather cue it up with some words about why he selected the film, and then enjoy the theatrical experience with the audience.
Commando will screen as a rare repertory title within a New/Next lineup of over 100 emerging films from around the world. 12 feature films from the lineup have been revealed so far, with announcements of an additional 15+ features and 100+ shorts continuing through September.
The features announced thus far for New/Next 2025 are:
ABIDING NOWHERE (Tsai Ming-liang) The latest in Tsai Ming-liang’s experimental Walker series takes place in Washington, D.C. Two lonely souls on separate journeys, sometimes crossing paths but never once meeting. Nothing happens between them. There is no story. Their walking journeys are like a meditative prayer of heart and soul. Experimental feature.
ALICE-HEART (Mike Macera) Set in black-and-white Philadelphia, an aimless college senior navigates shallow artists, genuine friendships, and homework. Narrative feature.
CHARACTERS DISAPPEARING (Connor Sen Warnick) The paths of Mei, Chris and Leonard intersect within a melancholic vision of the Asian American Movement. This is a Chinatown rarely seen, where bursts of unexplained violence and spectral figures co-exist with the promise, and fragility, of multi-ethnic solidarities. Narrative feature.
COMMANDO (1985, Mark L. Lester) A repertory screening of the iconic ‘80s Arnold action pic, guest-curated and hosted by Baltimore-raised comedian Stavros Halkias. Narrative feature.
LOCKJAW (Sabrina Greco) Six weeks after a drunk driving accident, a young woman with her jaw wired shut seeks a fun night out on the town. Narrative feature.
NIGHT STAGE (Marcio Reolon, Filipe Matzembacher) An actor and a politician start a secret affair and together discover their fetish for having sex in public places. The closer they get to their dream of fame, the more they feel the urge to put themselves at risk. Narrative Feature.
OBEX (Albert Birney). Conor Marsh lives a secluded life in 1987 Baltimore with his dog, Sandy, until one day he begins playing OBEX, a new, state-of-the-art computer game. When Sandy goes missing, the line between reality and game blurs and Conor must venture into the strange world of OBEX to bring her home. Narrative Feature. New/Next 2025’s Opening Night Film.
REVERIES: THE MIND PRISON (Graham Mason) Two mysterious drifters find themselves trapped in an endless desert landscape, and go on a kaleidoscopic journey to free themselves from THE MIND PRISON. Narrative feature.
THE SCOUT (Paula González-Nasser) Over the course of one day, a location scout connects with a handful of New York City residents as she struggles to lock down shooting locations for a TV show. Narrative feature.
SEEDS (Brittany Shyne) A look into the lives of Black generational farmers, unveiling the challenges of maintaining legacy and the value of land ownership. Documentary feature.
SERIOUS PEOPLE (Pasqual Gutierrez, Ben Mullinkosson) Successful music-video director Pasqual Gutierrez is faced with a dilemma on the due date of his first born child: a job offer for his biggest video yet. Frustrated with his poor work/life balance, Gutierrez casts a doppelgänger to take over his work duties in his director duo Cliqua as he prepares to take an extended paternity leave. Narrative Feature.
TO USE A MOUNTAIN (Casey Carter) Six rural American communities are marked as candidates for an unthinkable fate: their land, a burial ground for 77,000 tons of nuclear waste. Against the impassive logic of government analysis and archives, a people’s history of resistance and stewardship emerges through a visceral journey across the landscapes, ecologies, and personal histories of the candidate sites. Documentary feature.
Sales are now live for New/Next Film Festival all-access passes, as well as individual tickets to Stavros Halkias’ guest-curated hosting of Commando October 4, and New/Next’s Opening Night screening of OBEX with Albert Birney the evening of Thursday, October 2.
New/Next Film Festival’s lineup announcements will continue over the next 10 days, with individual ticket sales for all titles to follow. For updates, please visit newnextfilmfest.com | Twitter and Instagram: @NewNextFilmFest | BlueSky: @newnextfilmfest.bsky.social
Support for the 2025 New/Next Film Festival comes from the Maryland State Arts Council, Deutsch Foundation, William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, Leidy Foundation, Baltimore Community Foundation, Whiting-Turner and Modera Wealth.
