Mike Flanagan’s name has become synonymous with horror, after his successful adaptations of beloved ghost classics The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. The Life of Chuck is the third of his collaborations with Stephen King, whose work he previously adapted in Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. Less interested in scares than in life affirming sincerity, the film is a cosy science fiction tale of an extraordinary ordinary man called Charles Kantz, ever present in the lives of every citizen of a town on the brink of apocalypse. The less said the better. The film unfolds like an uplifting reminder that everyone contains multitudes

Eva Victor writes and stars in their impressive directorial debut, a surprisingly humorous and healing story about coming to terms with past trauma. English Professor Agnes teaches at the same rural New England college she attended as a grad student, living in the same home she used to rent with her best friend Lydie during their studies. When Lydie comes to stay with her, it becomes exceedingly clear that Agnes’ life has been moving slowly compared to her married, city-dwelling former roommate.

Capturing the details that enrich friendships and the barely concealed vulnerabilities resulting from past experiences, Victor’s film skilfully balances humour and heartbreak as the trauma lurking behind Agnes’s troubles is gradually revealed. Produced by Barry Jenkins, Sorry, Baby was a sensation at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, earning Victor the prestigious Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.