A Report from the 2026 Susquehanna Film Festival
The second edition of Tim Yasui’s Susquehanna Film Festival took place October 9 -11 at the District Cinema in Muncy, PA. Yasui, an LA-based independent film producer who was born and raised in nearby Williamsport, created the fest to spotlight true independent films and filmmakers. The movies programmed span a wide range of genres, including comedy, drama, horror, documentary, and international cinema. I had the privilege of attending again this year and was impressed by the dedication to giving ambitious projects an opportunity to shine.
During my day at the District Cinema, I was able to screen two movies:
Pale Magic - Brian Hauser, a faculty member at Bucknell University, directed this self-described experimental film about Taylor (Isaac Austin), a guy who eats a cookie containing the spirit of an ancient sorcerer named Talifex and subsequently has his body taken over. With the help of Taylor’s girlfriend Margot (Talulah Rice), Talifex tries to find a way to undo the spell. The situation is more complicated than it seems, as Margot finds out the hard way. With its gorgeous black-and-white cinematography and emphasis on quirky characters and dialogue, Pale Magic reminded me of the early films of Jim Jarmusch, particularly the great Stranger Than Paradise. Austin and Rice give appealing performances in a story that offers up a series of amusing plot developments. It’s funny, too, putting a witty spin on the body-swap concept.
After the screening, Hauser (pictured above) hosted an informative Q&A session. He discussed how Pale Magic was influenced by the semi-improvisational style of director Pete Ohs (Erupcja). The actors had bullet points of what they needed to convey in each scene, then followed their instincts in carrying those points out. Hauser, who described himself as “primarily a horror director,” additionally cited John Carpenter and Ari Aster as influences on his work. A particularly insightful part of the Q&A focused on the true independent nature of Pale Magic, with Hauser emphasizing the creative freedom that comes from not being bound by the goal of trying to sell a movie to a major distributor. Being able to try new ideas, then share them with festival audiences – who are especially appreciative of innovation – is rewarding in its own right. Here is a perfect match of movie and festival.
Killer Deal - This Argentinian action-comedy tells the story of Ernesto (Joaquín Furriel), a man who falls into a deep depression after discovering his wife is having an affair. Feeling suicidal, he hires a murder-for-hire company to assassinate him. While waiting for them to complete the task, he meets and falls madly in love with Rita (China Suárez), finding happiness again. But she’s the assassin assigned to eliminate him, and he hired the same company to end the contract by killing his potential killer, so things become crazy very quickly. Killer Deal, known as El Duelo in its native country, would have been better with more buildup to fully establish the relationship between Ernesto and Rita. Otherwise, the movie is a fun romp that provides several good laughs and a couple cool action sequences.
Other films screened at SFF included:
The Swan Way - Director/star Raymond Turturro (pictured below) was on hand to present his drama about a grieving man who adopts an alter ego and tries to take Brooklyn back to “the good old days.”
People vs. Politics - This documentary profiles people from different states who are working to get citizen initiatives on the 2024 ballot and push for open primaries.
Before We Leave Tuscany - A woman rents a Tuscan villa looking to get a handle on life, only to have her world changed by a handsome novelist in this romantic drama.
Glitched - Mischa Barton stars in this sci-fi adventure in which twins open a supernatural portal while playing a VR game they created.
You can see the scope of films programmed at the Susquehanna Film Festival. It truly is an event designed to celebrate the indie spirit. To keep tabs on what they’re doing year-round, you can follow them on Facebook.
© 2025 Mike McGranaghan