Queer road trip dramedy DREAMS IN NIGHTMARES (2026) w/ cast member Joss Barton in person!
September 16 : 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
“With their debut film Test Pattern, Ford announced themselves as an essential new voice in Black cinema, with a focus on the lives and struggles of Black women. Here, Ford tackles similar themes with a wider scope that includes Black femmes, queer love, and non-monogamous relationship structures. An even mix of comedy and drama, Dreams in Nightmares is a work that feels both casual and cathartic.” – Jordain Searles, The Film Stage
With their second film, St. Louis-raised filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford (Test Pattern) puts their singular stamp on the American road movie. Dreams in Nightmares, which stars Denée Benton (The Gilded Age) and Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets, Scream 7). follows a group of queer friends in their mid-30s navigating love, identity, and belonging across America. Anchored in themes of chosen family and self-discovery, the film blends humor and emotional depth against the backdrop of a journey through the Midwest and beyond. Dreams in Nightmares is an expansive and tender ode to the chosen family and to the radical act of claiming space to dream—and to exist—in an increasingly fraught country.
Cast member and St. Louis-based writer Joss Barton will join us in person for a Q&A following the film!
Dreams in Nightmares also plays Sept. 15 at 6 pm, with director Shatara Michelle Fordin person.
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING…
“Open your imagination”
“With Dreams in Nightmares, Ford extends an exciting invitation: Get lost in my vision, open your imagination. The chemistry among the performers makes it an easy one to accept.”
The Hollywood Reporter
“A singular artistic experience“
“This is a filmmaker in full command of their craft, demanding the audience follow their tempo… Dreams in Nightmares [is] a singular artistic experience.”
Variety
“Funny, shocking, and true”
“[A]live, surprising, funny, shocking, and true…a nifty new spin on the American road trip movie, one that functions both as an intimate exploration of identity and a rallying cry for a new kind of world.
IndieWire
Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.
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September 16 : 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm