The Fest
Every year the True/False Film Festival takes over Columbia, Missouri, for a long weekend to showcase some of the most exciting and boundary-pushing nonfiction films from all over the world. The fest will celebrate its 22nd year with music, films, events, art installations, and more from February 27–March 2.
The theme of this year’s fest is “All the Time,” which Chloé Trayner, artistic director of the Ragtag Film Society, notes is focused on grappling with the past, present, and future. While films are not exactly programmed with this theme in mind (the selection committee primarily focuses on programming the best and most risk-taking works in a given year), Trayner says that many parallels to the theme emerged as the program came together, such as visions of speculative futures, the political history of a country, a focus on environmentalism, and ideas of living in the moment. In a year that is already off to a rocky start politically, Trayner is most proud of the way the fest brings people together. “Everything that we do is largely about empathy and understanding others in the world,” Trayner says. “To me, it’s really exciting that we have this space, especially here in Missouri, that we can come together and be with a lot of people. Everyone who comes to the fest is very open-minded, culturally curious, and is very supportive of having a space here for the arts in the diverse form that it may take.” This year’s fest, programmed by Trayner, programmers Amber Love and Amada Torruella, and program coordinator Maya Bell will showcase 32 feature films and 24 shorts, spread out over four programs, with buskers playing before each screening.
Stay up-to-date with the local arts scene
Subscribe to the weekly St. Louis Arts+Culture newsletter to discover must-attend art exhibits, performances, festivals, and more.
The fest will continue with its redesigned pass structure, which replaced the old Lux and Simple passes with the Center pass, which offers reserved tickets for films, parties, and music showcases throughout the weekend; the Spring pass, which offers reservations for films and the @ction party; and the Classic pass, which offers the ability to reserve tickets for 10 films. All three also offer free admission to any film via the Q system, on a space-available basis.
The Lingo
New attendees may encounter some unfamiliar terms as they look over the festival programming. Just in case, here’s a few key terms to know for navigating True/False weekend.
Bumpers: Bumpers are the quick clips that play before each film, and change every day throughout the festival.
Buskers: Buskers are the talented musicians from all over the world that True/False brings in to play before each screening, as well as during the plethora of music showcases. There’s also always a hat or two going around the audience to tip the bands as they busk.
Gimme Truth: A live game show that features a showcase of short films submitted by mid-Missourians, where a panel of nonfiction filmmakers do their best to figure out whether a film is 100 percent true or 100 percent false.
Q: The Q is True/False’s system for getting into films when you don’t already have a reserved ticket. Festgoers line up by a large Q sign, where one of the designated, brightly dressed Queens begin handing out stand-by numbers. Then, based on empty spaces still in the theater as the film is about to begin, the Queen lets an allotted number of people in. Passholders get free admission, while non-passholders must pay for tickets.
Q Queen: The Queens are brightly dressed folks standing outside each screening venue at True/False. They operate the Q system, which admits festgoers who don’t already have reserved tickets to screenings.
Toasted: This long-running late night talk show at Cafe Berlin takes place in the wee hours after the fest has ended Sunday night and finds filmmakers, critics, and other attendees reflecting as True/False draws to a close.
The Films
With dozens of documentaries and shorts programs to see, it’s hard to narrow in on what to reserve or Q for. Here are a few of our top picks.
This inventive film from Irish filmmaker Myrid Carten turns the camera on the filmmaker’s mother for a portrait of addiction and familial love pushed to its limits. Trayner particularly highlights this film for the way it changes shape over the course of its runtime while exploring the coexistence of rage and love within this relationship.
This world-premiere film from director Eleanor Mortimer follows a group of scientists who venture into the deep sea to catalog and name undiscovered species that live on the ocean floor. The film features breathtaking underwater footage while also tackling ethical questions about the cost of scientific advancement and understanding the world around us.
Land With No Rider is an observational character portrait that documents the last generation of cattle ranchers in southwestern New Mexico. Trayner says that, while the subject matter of this world premiere may feel familiar, director Tamar Lando beautifully captures these stoic men opening up about how they feel about their way of life potentially dying out with their generation.
This unsettling, albeit deeply rewarding film from T/F alum David Osit uses the TV program To Catch a Predator as a springboard to challenge ideas around justice and voyeurism. The film received favorable writeups coming out of the recent Sundance Film Festival, but Trayner recommends viewers come in with as little advanced knowledge as possible to get the full effect.
The Track follows a group of teen boys and their coach in Sarajevo as they train for the Bosnia and Herzegovina luge team using a track left over from the 1984 Winter Olympics, even though it has fallen into disarray following years of conflict. This emotionally rich debut from director Ryan Sidhoo is the 2025 True Life Fund film and digs into the idea of growing up in the shadow of a country’s past. Trayner notes that because we watch these boys grow up over the course of the film, it plays a bit like Cool Runnings meets Stand By Me.
This film from director Ian Bell is a look at the 1999 World Trade Organization protests in Seattle through archival footage. The protests were some of the first where protesters themselves had video cameras and were able to document what was happening, so when they were met with police brutality, they were able to capture the conflict. While the film tells the story of these protests, it also reflects on the ideas of accountability and citizen journalism.
The Music
Between (and before) films, there are plenty of opportunities to soak up some great music during True/False. Keep an eye out for these acts on the festival schedule.
Shabaka, a U.K. jazz & new-age artist who released the critically lauded album Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace in 2024, will kick things off at the Opening Night Showcase at The Blue Note. Fest music director Ashwini Mantrala says that this collaboration with Dismal Niche and the We Always Swing Jazz Series is special not only because it is one of Shabaka’s few North American tour dates, but it also sets a tone for the weekend and speaks to the contemplative side of this year’s programming slate.
A mix of punk and deep-cut classic rock, David Nance and Mowed Sound have made a name for themselves in Columbia and beyond, recently signing with Jack White’s Third Man Records and backing up ascendant indie singer-songwriter Rosali. Mantrala says that, as far as regional rock music goes, Nance and his crew are scions of the scene, and they’ll be performing as part of the Saturday Night Berlin Showcase alongside St. Louis post-punk band Kids and Columbia shoegazers Tri-County Liquidators.
New Orleans–based artist MC Cavalier plays with gravity-defying wordplay and heavyweight blows of worldly truths in his music. Mantrala speaks very highly of Cavalier’s hip-hop and underground-rap credentials, as well as his Mensa-level genius when it comes to lyrics. Catch Cavalier at the Friday Night Berlin Showcase performing along with E L U C I D and Semiratruth.
Psychedelic folksters and indie rockers from Chicago, Tenci have a sound that defies easy categorization but rewards intentional listenership. Mantrala sees Tenci as a particularly interesting cross-section of the current, sonically diverse Chicagoland music scene. Tenci will be performing at the Saturday Night Rose Showcase, alongside fellow Chicagoans Finom and RESAVOIR.
The Events
Beyond a staggering program of films and music showcases, there are plenty of other events worth checking out during True/False. The Jubilee reception at the Missouri Theatre kicks the festival off Thursday evening. Later on Thursday night, the @ction Party, available for Spring Passholders and above, is the fest’s biggest party, hosted at MyHouse this year and featuring Los Angeles–based DJ drummerscales. Friday evening, the famous March March parade takes over Ninth Street and walks straight into the Reality Bites reception, which features an array of food and drinks from local vendors. Later on Friday, the Short Circuit event takes over Irene’s, where Super Circle and Silver Circle passholders can chat with the filmmakers behind the shorts playing the fest. The fest’s long-running in-person game show, Gimme Truth, hits the Blue Note stage Saturday night. Busker’s Last Stand closes things out on Sunday evening with a final showcase of the many different musical acts at the festival, following the final film screening of the weekend at the Missouri Theatre. And for those who want to extend the fest a bit, Toasted, a live late-night talk show reflecting on the fest, runs from 12–2:30 a.m. in the wee hours of Monday morning at Cafe Berlin.
