The Downtown Festival: Untitled Ghost Story + Melted Into the Sun + Two People Exchanging Saliva

UNTITLED GHOST STORY (WORLD PREMIERE) + MELTED INTO THE SUN (US PREMIERE) + TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA
Q&A with filmmakers Riley Lynch, Alexandre Singh, and Natalie Musteata
84 mins

UNTITLED GHOST STORY (Riley Lynch, 13MIN)
Noriko, a 35 year old businesswoman, inherits her grandfather’s home in rural Japan when he passes away. She brings with her a small bag and a guitar. Noriko reconnects with the house where she spent her childhood, and thinks about her late grandfather. It becomes clear that there is another presence in the house, and Noriko makes attempts to connect with this spirit by playing her guitar.

MELTED INTO THE SUN (Saodot Ismailova, 36MIN)
Al-Muqanna – the veiled prophet was an 8th century leader who spread his ideas throughout present-day Central Asia. Born into a Zoroastrian tradition, al-Muqanna drew inspiration from the power of Sun, viewing it as purifying and centralizing deity that would ensure society of justice.

TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA (Alexandre Singh + Natalie Musteata, 35MIN)
An absurdist tragedy set in a repressive society where kissing is punishable by death, and people pay for things by receiving slaps to the face. Angine, an unhappy woman, shops compulsively in a department store. There, she becomes fascinated by an ingenuous salesgirl. Despite the prohibition of kissing, the two become close, raising the suspicions of a jealous colleague.

ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL:
The Downtown Festival is a celebration of emerging and established independent artists across film, music, art, and culture in New York City. The festival’s film program runs October 10–18, with premieres & anniversary screenings at Roxy Cinema, and additional events, including live music, artist talks, and special programs, taking place at venues across Lower Manhattan. Founded by filmmaker Rebekah Sherman-Myntti, The Downtown Festival is an artists-for-artists platform, dedicated to independence, discovery, and genuine cultural exchange.