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Chase Infiniti on TIFF Breakout ‘The Julia Set,’ Love Bombing and Music Video Stardom

“The Julia Set” has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.

In her feature debut, writer-director Niki Byrne crafted a perfect showcase for the talents of “One Battle After Another” breakout Chase Infiniti. The latter has earned raves for her turn as a math genius stuck under the thumb of an abusive boyfriend (and an academic system designed to ignore and exploit her).

“Julia’s off-the-charts intelligence, which Infiniti embodies with exquisite conviction, changes the stakes of the movie; we’re rooting for her emotional salvation, but we’re also rooting for her to dazzle the universe with her talent,” wrote Variety’s Owen Gleiberman in his TIFF review.

Indeed, Infiniti’s wide-eyed portrait of a prodigy is equal parts inspired and frustrating. Julia is recruited by a study group drilling for the Putnam Test — a six-hour math competition for undergraduates considered the most prestigious in the world. When Julia’s teacher’s assistant Pascal (Christopher Briney) comes hard and fast with romantic feelings, we watch Infiniti’s Julia struggle to balance blossoming romance with the obligation she has to her extraordinary gifts.

Variety caught up with Byrne and Infiniti on the ground in Toronto this week, where the film premiered and is currently shopping for distribution

Niki, you’ve had an interesting trajectory. You were an aerial photographer and a licensed race car driver. How did we get to writer-director?

Niki Byrne: Everything I’ve done make sense in reverse. I came back to California from Europe in 2018 and started working in L.A. I was writing quite a bit at that point, and I knew I wanted to write and direct. I took Martin Scorsese’s master class, where he said if you’re going to be a director of any quality you must take acting classes. So, I did and found it super valuable. I’ve worked in almost every department on a film set and found acting incredibly difficult.

Why?

NB: When acting is done poorly, it’s the easiest job on set. When it’s done well, it’s by far the hardest. I wrote this movie during [COVID] lockdown and came out with this sort of weird confessional script and linked arms with [my producers] and we went on the hunt for our Julia. Then this one walked into a coffee shop in Koreatown.

Chase, how long ago was that?

Chase Infiniti: Three years ago. I was a month into shooting “Presumed Innocent.”

And you did “One Battle After Another” between then and now, crazy. One of the things that struck me about this performance is how restrained your character is – even in the face of serious abuse and mistreatment from people and systems.

CI: Well, it was a gift getting to bring Niki’s work to the screen. I was instantly drawn to it because Julia is a wonderful human being. It felt like telling a very real story that feels central to growing up. I had a Pascal, of sorts, [in my own life]. Everyone has. I remember a point in time where I was about 18, trying to figure out who I was and scared to show the world my talent. It’s hard to allow yourself to do that.

I think a lot of people might say that math is the antithesis of artistic work. How much did you have to engage with actual math problems?

CI: I had to pull from my own experience and flip it in a way that worked for what Julia was going through. I am not a math genius! Math is not my forte. I picked something else in my life that I felt I performed strongly at. I used that to build my confidence with math in the movie.

And what was that thing you pulled from?

CI: I think I’m pretty good at my job. I thought about how I feel about performing in general, and used that to create Julia’s energy behind her math skills.

Another thing that struck me about this film is that it’s one of the clearest examples of “love bombing” I’ve ever seen. There’s a scene where Julia is Pascal a surprise dinner at this apartment, using a key he gave her, and reacts as though she’s robbing the place.

NB: There were a lot of tears on set that night. Of all the moments we shot, the crew was gently sobbing during that one. We did multiple takes, and he would come in and be so unkind to her, and then she’d break and we’d all be gutted.

It’s also an important red flag that Pascal is capable of some monstrous things. Chase, not only is your Julia very retreating about her talent – she’s a socioeconomic underdog at her school and a woman of color. How does that inform the character in relation to her wealthy white boyfriend?

CI: Julia is always doing the next best thing for herself, and also for Pascal. Unfortunately, women of color don’t have the luxury of thinking only about themselves. They’re thinking for everyone around them. This is especially [true] in an abusive relationship. Women of color are some of the most unprotected people in society.

I have to pivot and ask you about your newfound music video stardom. You were amazing in the Ateez video for “Bad.”

CI: I just absolutely love them so much. Niki has heard so much about it. The first time we met I told her she had to listen to them. I made her listen to “Ice on My Teeth.”

You know everyone’s going to want you to do a musical now that we’ve seen you sing and dance.

CI: I mean – I would love to sing and dance in a musical.

September 16, 2026
‘This one stings’: Clarity Act fails procedural Senate vote — is crypto’s biggest regulatory push dead?

September 16, 2026
5 PBS KIDS shows in Spanish to stream for Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is officially here, giving families a full month to celebrate Hispanic and Latino cultures, histories, traditions, and contributions. Observed annually from September 15 through October 15, the celebration can also be an opportunity to bring more Spanish-language entertainment into kids’ everyday routines.

For parents looking for educational Spanish-language shows that children may already recognize, PBS KIDS on Prime Video has a lineup worth adding to the family watchlist.

© Getty Images
PBS KIDS on Prime Video has a lineup worth adding to the family watchlist.

The streaming channel features a dedicated “En Español” carousel filled with Spanish versions of familiar children’s series. That means kids can follow favorite characters while hearing stories, conversations, lessons, and adventures unfold in Spanish.

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PBS KIDS itself is also marking Hispanic Heritage Month with programming centered on Hispanic and Latino communities. Its 2026 lineup includes new episodes of Alma’s Way and Rosie’s Rules, both available in English and Spanish. Alma’s Way follows a Puerto Rican girl growing up in the Bronx, while Rosie’s Rules centers on a Mexican American preschooler and her family.

© Agencies
Alma’s Way showcases Latino cultures through elements including music, food, and language

For families who want even more Spanish-language viewing options, here are five PBS KIDS favorites currently offered in Spanish through Prime Video.

PBS KIDS Spanish-Language Shows to Watch With Children

The Berenstain Bears en Español

The beloved Bear family brings its everyday adventures to Spanish-speaking and bilingual households in The Berenstain Bears en Español.

Set in Bear Country, the series follows the Berenstain family as they encounter the kinds of problems, disagreements, responsibilities, and funny situations young children can recognize from their own lives.

© PBS KIDS
The Berenstain Bears en Español

At the center of the stories are family, loyalty, humor, and figuring things out together. For children already familiar with the characters, watching the Spanish-language version can offer a comfortable introduction to hearing familiar concepts expressed in another language.

Dinosaur Train en Español

Dinosaurs plus trains is already a strong preschool combination. Add Spanish-language storytelling and Dinosaur Train en Español becomes another option for families interested in bilingual screen time.

The series follows Buddy and the Pteranodon family as they travel aboard the Dinosaur Train, meet other prehistoric creatures, and explore the dinosaur world.

© PBS Kids
Dinosaur Train en Español

The adventures give young viewers plenty to talk about after an episode, whether the conversation is about a newly discovered dinosaur, a Spanish word they heard, or where the family should travel next.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español

For preschool families, Daniel Tiger probably needs little introduction.

Inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood uses everyday situations to help young children understand emotions, relationships, routines, and social skills.

© PBS KIDS
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español brings those lessons to children in Spanish. Because the show focuses on recognizable childhood experiences, from dealing with feelings to interacting with other people, its Spanish-language episodes can make useful vocabulary part of a story children understand.

It is a particularly practical pick for families who want Spanish-language kids’ shows that combine entertainment with social-emotional learning.

Cyberchase en Español

Older kids who like problem-solving can head into Cyberspace with Cyberchase en Español.

The long-running educational series combines adventures with challenges that encourage children to think through problems. In the Spanish-language episodes available through PBS KIDS on Prime Video, viewers can follow the characters as they deal with Hacker and his latest schemes.

© PBS KIDS
Cyberchase en Español

Among the adventures highlighted in the collection are Hacker’s malicious letter campaign and his attempt to use the wish-granting Ring of Radopolis.

The result is a Spanish-language streaming option with plenty of action for children who have moved beyond preschool programming but still enjoy learning while they watch.

Caillou en Español

Caillou en Español brings another recognizable children’s character to the Spanish-language lineup.

The featured adventures include Caillou eagerly waiting for the first snowfall of winter, imagining building the biggest snowman in the world, and singing Christmas carols with his family for the first time.

© PBS KIDS
Caillou en Español

For families introducing Spanish to younger children, familiar everyday experiences and seasonal activities can provide helpful context for new vocabulary. Instead of treating language learning like a formal lesson, children get to hear Spanish while following a story.

Spanish-Language Kids’ Shows Can Fit Into Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the histories, cultures, achievements, and contributions of people with heritage connected to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. PBS KIDS notes that the celebration runs from September 15 through October 15 and offers families additional ways to mark the month through books, recipes, music, and other activities.

Spanish-language children’s programming can be one piece of that larger celebration.

© Getty Images
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with five PBS KIDS shows in Spanish that make bilingual learning, family streaming, and screen time more engaging for kids.

For bilingual households, Spanish episodes can help make the language part of everyday entertainment. For children learning Spanish, watching a familiar show in another language may give them useful context as they listen. And for Spanish-dominant families, having recognizable educational programming available in Spanish provides more choice.

Of course, Hispanic Heritage Month extends far beyond language alone. Hispanic and Latino communities encompass many countries, cultures, traditions, identities, and experiences. Families can pair screen time with books by Latino authors, music, recipes, conversations about family heritage, museum visits, and stories about influential Hispanic and Latino figures.

Modern Mami is a parenting and lifestyle column by ¡HOLA! Senior Writer Shirley Gómez, a Latina millennial mom raising a toddler. Focused on the realities of modern motherhood through a Latina lens, the column covers topics ranging from wellness and culture to parenting tips and expert advice.

September 16, 2026
Why is the far-right embracing crypto?

From billionaire donors backing parties to far-right activists raising funds in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency is increasingly being connected with the political right. Al Jazeera’s @avawarrinerr explains what is behind the growing relationship.

Published On 15 Sep 2026

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September 16, 2026
RippleX Ships Batch V1.1 Amendment for XRP Ledger After Fixing Critical Bug

Ripple’s developer arm RippleX has declared the $XRP Ledger’s Batch amendment ready for activation, publishing a technical review on Monday that explains how the feature was rebuilt after a critical security flaw was found in the original version. The corrected Batch V1.1 ships in xrpld v3.3.0 and will let multiple transactions from different accounts settle atomically in a single ledger close — a capability RippleX frames as foundational for atomic swaps and multi-party coordination on the network.

Why the Original Batch Was Pulled

The original Batch amendment, XLS-56, was set aside after security researchers and Cantina AI flagged a critical flaw in its signature-validation routine on Feb. 19, 2026. The checkBatchSign function, which confirms each inner-transaction account has authorized a batch, contained an early-return bug: when it hit a signer whose account did not yet exist on the ledger, it returned success and skipped validation of every remaining signer. RippleX said the flaw could have let an attacker execute transactions on behalf of victim accounts without their private keys. Because the amendment was still in its voting phase and had not activated on mainnet, no funds were at risk.

How Batch V1.1 Was Hardened

Batch V1.1 is a replacement amendment that eliminates the early-return bug. RippleX said the root-cause fix was merged through pull request #6446 and reviewed by four senior engineers, with additional assurance from a Sherlock Batch Attackathon contest, a Halborn re-assessment and a Common Prefix audit. An AI-assisted static analysis pipeline that includes a Cantina scan has been folded into the release process, alongside regression testing on devnet and testnet. The amendment ships in the xrpld v3.3.0 release, which bundles it with five other proposals.

Atomic Transactions and What Comes Next

Batch is designed to let several XRPL transactions execute as a single all-or-nothing unit, so a batch either fully succeeds or fully reverts — a design aimed at atomic swaps and coordinated settlements. Like every $XRP Ledger amendment, Batch V1.1 must hold an 80 percent validator majority for 14 consecutive days before it activates, according to the network’s amendment tracker, so it remains in its voting phase for now. The ledger has drawn wider attention this month: the Bank for International Settlements recently tested the network to anchor official statistics on-chain, while $XRP has pushed deeper into traditional finance as ETF demand and derivatives access expand.

September 16, 2026
A Georgia widow’s farm faced foreclosure. Then Trump stepped in to help

Claim:

U.S. President Donald Trump helped a farmer’s widow clear her debts to keep her farm in Georgia after her husband committed suicide to stop it being auctioned off.

Rating:

In September 2026, a claim (archived) circulated online that U.S. President Donald Trump helped a farmer’s widow clear her debts to keep her farm in Georgia after her husband died by suicide.

A long text about the alleged act of kindness circulated on Facebook. It began:

On a February morning in 1986, a Georgia farmer named Leonard Hill walked out of his house twenty minutes before the bank was set to auction off his land. He never came back inside.

He took his own life that morning, believing his life insurance policy would cover the debts that had buried his family. It did not come close.

Leonard left behind a widow.

Annabel Hill was 66 years old, and the farm her husband died trying to save had been in her family for five generations.

Years of drought had wiped out the crops and the income that came with them. By the time Leonard died, the family owed the bank more than $300,000. His death did nothing to change that number.

The auction was still coming, and Annabel was now facing it alone.

That fall, an Atlanta businessman named Frank Argenbright heard what had happened to the Hills. He did not know the family. He simply decided that a widow in her sixties should not lose five generations of land because it stopped raining. So he started making phone calls, looking for anyone with the money and the will to step in.

Those calls eventually reached a New York developer whose name the Hill family had never heard. Donald Trump was 40 years old and building his reputation in Manhattan real estate.

The same text and claim also circulated elsewhere on Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived) and X (archived). Snopes readers contacted us asking whether Trump really saved a Georgia farm.

The claim was true. According to reports at the time in reputable news outlets such as The Associated Press, Trump helped fundraise for Annabell Hill, a farmer’s widow whose husband, Leonard Dozier Hill III, died by suicide in 1986 trying to save his fifth-generation farm through his life insurance payments.

Some details, like exactly how much money the Hill family owed, the exact size of the farm and how much money the fundraiser collected varied between reports, but what appeared consistent was that Trump and a Texas farmer named Tom McKamy contributed a vital final portion of the fundraiser, allowing most of the land to stay with Hill’s family.

None of the parties to the story have publicly refuted the reported account of Trump helping to save the Hill farm. Trump and Hill’s daughter, Betsy Sharp, shared the story during a campaign rally in 2016.

Snopes attempted to reach the McKamy family and Sharp to confirm the unclear details of the story and await replies to our queries.

Trump, Texas farmer provided vital funding

News outlets including The Associated Press and Time magazine reported in September 1986 that the Hill family farm was due to be sold at auction on Feb. 4, 1986. However, 20 minutes before the auction was scheduled to start, Leonard Hill fatally shot himself, hoping his life insurance payment would be enough to cover the farm’s $300,000 debt and keep it in the family’s ownership. The payments were not enough, and the bank collecting Hill’s debt scheduled another auction for Sept. 2.

However, the AP reported that Trump spokesperson Norma Foerderer told the outlet that Trump stopped that second auction by offering Hill $20,000 up front and pledged to help fundraise the remaining $173,000 needed for the family to keep the 705-acre farm.

By mid-September 1986, Time reported that Trump, working with Frank Argenbright Jr., a Georgia businessman who helped Hill bring her cause to the public, had raised about $77,000 and hoped to raise about $100,000 more.

The AP reported in December 1986, that the fundraiser ultimately reached $187,000. The news agency United Press International reported, citing a Trump spokesperson, that Trump had contributed $39,000, which was half of the $78,000 in missing funding after public donations, and McKamy had contributed the other half.

The New York Times reported a year later, citing Hill and Foerderer, that the auction had ultimately saved 715 acres of farmland. According to that article, the fundraiser reached $180,000 with an additional $5,000 raised in legal fees. Trump reportedly contributed $46,000.

Snopes contacted the White House Press Office and the Trump Organization to confirm the correct fundraising figures and await replies to our queries.

Trump’s own account

Trump included his account of helping save Hill’s farm in his memoir/business advice book “The Art of the Deal,” published in 1987. Trump wrote that he had seen Hill’s story on the news and “was moved.” He said he contacted the bank that held Hill’s mortgage which told him it was “too late” to save the farm. Trump wrote (pages 4-5):

That really got me going. I said to the guy, “You listen to me. If you do foreclose, I’ll personally bring a lawsuit for murder against you and your bank, on the grounds that you harassed Mrs. Hill’s husband to his death.” All of a sudden the bank officer sounded very nervous and said he’d get right back to me.

Sometimes it pays to be a little wild. An hour later I got a call back from the banker, and he said, “Don’t worry, we’re going to work it out, Mr. Trump.” Mrs. Hill and Frank Argenbright told the media, and the next thing I knew, it was the lead story on the network news.

By the end of the week, we’d raised $40,000. [Radio personality Don] Imus alone raised almost $20,000 by appealing to his listeners. As a Christmas present to Mrs. Hill and her family, we’ve scheduled a mortgage-burning ceremony for Christmas Eve in the atrium of Trump Tower. By then, I’m confident, we’ll have raised all the money. I’ve promised Mrs. Hill that if we haven’t, I’ll make up any difference.

Trump made good on his promise to carry out a “mortgage-burning ceremony” by Christmas 1986. AP photographer Richard Drew captured Trump and Hill holding a burning piece of paper aloft in front of a Christmas tree on Dec. 23, 1986.

Trump showed another photo from the 1986 “mortgage-burning ceremony” to attendees at a campaign rally in Augusta, South Carolina, on Feb. 16, 2016, before bringing Hill’s daughter Betsy Sharp on stage. Sharp praised Trump’s generosity, who described (at 16:15) his fundraising as: “I paid off her mortgage, big deal, right.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s political columnist Jim Galloway wrote in 2015 that Hill’s son, Leonard Dozier Hill IV, “still lives on the farm that Donald Trump saved.” Snopes asked Sharp whether anyone from the family still lived on or worked the farm at the time of this writing and await a reply to our query.

For further reading, Snopes previously investigated a number of acts of kindness that Trump reportedly carried out.

September 15, 2026
Old Trump post about Obama using handouts to buy election spreads online after $5K ‘dividend’ promise

Claim:

A screenshot shared online in September 2026 authentically shows a 2012 tweet from U.S. President Donald Trump, reading, “Don’t let Obama buy the election by handing out unlimited free money to states.”

Rating:

In early September 2026, people shared an alleged screenshot of an X post from the platform’s Twitter era purportedly showing U.S. President Donald Trump posting on his @realDonaldTrump account, “Don’t let Obama buy the election by handing out unlimited free money to states.”

Users shared the image after Trump’s pledge to give $5,000 to every U.S. adult should the Republican Party win the 2026 midterm elections. The president announced the pledge during the GOP midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 10, calling the payments a “Trump dividend.”

The screenshot of the alleged tweet spread on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and other platforms.

(Thomas Mohr accessed via Bluesky)

Some users drew direct comparisons between Trump’s alleged remark in 2012 and the news of his $5,000 pledge. Others referred to the “dividend” as bribery and socialism.

(@mandyarthur accessed via X)

In sum, the 2012 Trump post is real. He tweeted (archived) it on Oct. 30 of that year, one week before the Nov. 6 elections.

Don’t let Obama buy the election by handing out unlimited free money to states.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2012

Snopes emailed the White House for its response to users comparing the 2012 post to the “Trump dividend.” We will update this article if we receive further information.

The 2012 elections concluded with former President Barack Obama winning a second term. The Democratic Party picked up two seats to continue maintaining a majority in the Senate. Republicans lost eight House seats but continued their control of the legislative chamber.

For further reading, we previously published a collection of 24 things Trump actually posted on Truth Social, including, for example, an Easter Sunday post threatening Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or be “living in hell,” as well as a Memorial Day message addressing “scum” that spent years “trying to destroy our country.”

Sources

Cooper, Jonathan J. “Trump, Hoping to Salvage Midterms, Makes a Dubious Pledge to Give Every US Adult $5,000 If GOP Wins.” The Associated Press, 10 Sept. 2026, https://apnews.com/article/trump-dividend-5k-5000-check-republicans-cc80644e3168acd31c892129fb849436.

Deng, Rae. “Trump Pledged $5K ‘dividend’ to Every US Adult If GOP Wins Midterms. Can He Do That?” Snopes, 10 Sept. 2026, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-5000-dollar-dividend/.

“Full Speech: Trump Closes out First Republican Midterm Convention.” YouTube, NBC News, 11 Sept. 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3hB7SqGnGw.

“United States Congressional Elections Results, 2012.” Ballotpedia, 2012, https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Congressional_elections_results,_2012.

September 15, 2026
JustWatch Is Launching Its Own Streaming Service

Soon, you can watch on JustWatch.

JustWatch Group, which operates the popular streaming guide, is launching JustWatch TV next month within the main app and its website. JustWatch TV, which will offer free ad-supported or paid ad-free viewership as well as rentals, will be available across the U.S. and Canada, the U.K. and Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

“Every day, millions of people come to JustWatch searching for simpler ways to watch and discover hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows,” David Croyé, founder and CEO of the JustWatch Group, said at the Toronto International Film Festival’s new content marketplace TIFF: The Market. “For over a decade, our mission has been to connect fans with their favorite films and shows, particularly the hard-to-find and previously unavailable titles. With the launch of JustWatch TV, we aim to make content discovery, access and engagement even easier.”

JustWatch TV’s content launch partners include Paramount, New Regency, Fremantle, Bleecker Street and Vortex Media. The JustWatch app boasts more than 50 million monthly users and includes the programming for more than 1,500 streaming services worldwide.

Quentin Carbonell, JustWatch’s senior vice president of global content acquisitions and strategy, added, “JustWatch TV is designed to meet that demand head-on, offering a straightforward solution at a time of fragmentation. We are curating film and TV hits and hard-to-find gems that you can watch for free or rent on JustWatch, or easily rediscover them on your favorite services. This way, JustWatch TV aims to support the whole industry, from filmmakers to distributors to streaming platforms across the world.”

JustWatch — The Streaming Guide points 140 markets to where they can find more 500,000 movies and TV shows. It’s data is shared with more than 1,400 partner websites and apps. JustWatch also has a media division that creates ad campaigns across social media platforms like YouTube, Meta and TikTok. The JustWatch Group employs more than 200 people worldwide. It is headquartered in Berlin with offices in Los Angeles, London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Munich, Dubai and Sydney.

September 15, 2026
A Sparkling Deal: Save $300 With This Roborock Robot Vacuum and Mop

Clean up on the savings aisle! Walmart has the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop down to $499.99 from its retail value of $799.99, saving you 38%. This isn’t a basic robot that just pushes dust around and leaves baseboards dirty. You get beastly 12,000Pa suction, FlexiArm edge mopping, and an all-in-one dock that empties, washes, and warm-air dries the pads for true hands-free cleaning.

Finding a high-end robot vacuum that scrubs floors with dual spinning pads, extends into tight corners, and cleans its own mops with warm air under $500 is almost unheard of. It makes this 38% price drop the best excuse to automate your floor care and reclaim your weekends.

Slashing a clean $300 off the top knocks this powerhouse right into midrange territory, giving busy families and pet owners a chance to get flagship automated floor washing and serious deep-cleaning suction without paying typical premium prices. Add to your cart now!

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Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop

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The Roborock Qrevo S5V takes control of your cleaning duties with 12,000Pa HyperForce suction and a zero-tangle DuoDivide brush system. It scrubs floors using dual 200-RPM spinning mops, an extendable FlexiArm for edge coverage, and automatic mop lifting on rugs. You also get an all-in-one dock that auto-empties dust, washes mops, and dries pads with warm air, to handle everyday messes and pet hair completely hands-free. But if you need to see more options, take a look at PCMag expert Andrew Gebhart’s list of the best robot vacuums for 2026.

I think the Roborock Qrevo S5V masterfully pairs raw 12,000Pa suction with an all-in-one self-washing, warm-air drying dock. At almost 40% off, it takes the chore out of everyday floor care, with edge-scrubbing FlexiArm pads, tangle-free brushes, and smart LiDAR mapping. Don’t let this deal get cleaned up.

Recommended by Our Editors

However, if you’re looking for a more compact robot vacuum, this iRobot Roomba 105 robot vacuum deal is currently still available with over $110 in savings.

More Deals on Robot Mops

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

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September 15, 2026
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2026 Unveils Lineup: Premieres Include Parisian Vampires, Body Horror and More Wild Genre Tales (EXCLUSIVE)

This year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is back and spookier than ever!

Variety can exclusively reveal this year’s stacked lineup, which is set to run from Oct. 15—22, with all screenings taking place at Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg.

Vampire mockumentary “I Love Paris” opens the fest, with the New York premiere of “Species (Sanguine)” as the centerpiece film and the action-horror feature “Kick On” as the closing night film. Throughout the festival are plenty of world and regional premieres, special events, retrospective screenings, documentaries and many more films of note.

Badges are now on sale, and a limited number of tickets are set to go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

See the full lineup below.

Films

I LOVE PARIS
OPENING NIGHT FILM
PRESENTED BY MUBI
Australia, France | 2026 | 120 Min. | Dir. Nicky Murphy
Aspiring underground singer Paris is bitten and turned into a vampire but, instead of letting her dreams of music stardom die, her hustle only goes harder and bloodier.

SPECIES (SANGUINE)
CENTERPIECE FILM
New York Premiere
France | 2026 | 103 Min. | Dir. Marion Le Corroller
A young intern at a prestigious ER struggles to keep up with the fast-paced environment, and when a strange disease begins appearing in a number of her patients, she starts suffering from her own bodily symptoms.

KICK ON
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
New York Premiere
Australia | 2026 | 91 Min. | Dir. Nick Kozakis
What starts off as a wild night of partying devolves into a brutal fight for survival when four friends cross paths with a mobster’s unhinged son in this gruesome new entry in the single-location siege horror canon.

THE GLORIOUS DEAD
Presented by Arrow Video
Leviathan Award
New York Premiere
USA | 2026 | 80 Min. | Dir. John Adams, Toby Poser
What should be a typical day in the life for a small-town sheriff quickly turns sinister as people begin to disappear and fleshy creatures begin popping up all around them.

AMERICAN DOLLHOUSE
New York Premiere
USA | 2026 | 87 Min. | Dir. John Valley
A woman living a drama-riddled life returns to her childhood home for what she hopes can be a clean start but, no thanks to her psychotic and homicidal new neighbor, doesn’t go as planned.

CORPUS
Presented by MUBI
USA | 2026 | 102 Min. | Dir. Corrin Evans
A photographer takes a trip to Upstate NY with his longtime friend and unrequited love, but the trip takes a turn when their three mysterious hosts begin to show they have ulterior motives.

THE CYCLE
East Coast Premiere
UK | 2026 | 112 Min. | Dir. Jordan Downey
When her estranged father’s corpse is discovered at a grisly crime scene, Meg is dragged into the investigation to uncover why — when he’s been missing for over three decades.

THE DEN
USA | 2026 | 77 Min. | Dir. Zachary Donohue
While studying the behaviors of webcam users, a sociology student witnesses a murder and becomes the killer’s next target in this early and underrated entry in the “screenlife” horror canon.

ERIE
East Coast Premiere
USA | 2026 | 89 Min. | Dir. Alison-Eve Hammersley
Aided by her skeptical older brother, a young girl launches her own investigation into their sister’s mysterious death, connecting it to a string of local suicides whose explanations may or may not be supernatural.

FULL MOON RISING: THE CHARLES BAND STORY
North American Premiere
UK | 2026 | 94 Min. | Sarah Appleton
From his days revolutionizing the home video market to producing classics like FROM BEYOND and RE-ANIMATOR and running the influential Full Moon Features, indie maverick Charles Band’s illustrious career is front and center in this entertaining and inspiring documentary.

GHOST IN THE MACHINE (35mm)
USA | 1993 | 95 Min. | Dir. Rachel Talalay
After he’s killed in a car accident, a serial killer’s soul is uploaded into a computer system, enabling him to find technological ways to try to kill the woman he was targeting before his death.

GODHEAD
East Coast Premiere
USA | 2026 | 98 Min. | Dir. Mark H. Rapaport
A pair of oddball, possibly dangerous twins force a priest to make a series of painful and potentially Biblical decisions in this singular blend of pitch-black comedy and surrealist horror.

J.D.’S REVENGE (35mm)
USA | 1976 | 95 Min. | Dir. Arthur Marks
Hell-bent on getting some long-overdue revenge, the ghost of a New Orleans gangster inhabits the body of a young black law student in this Blaxploitation horror gem.

LITTLE DOORS
New York Premiere
USA | 2026 | 77 Min. | Dir. Anthony Oberback
A woman doing her best to survive day to day in an apocalyptic world finds a small door on the side of her body and contemplates opening it to see what’s inside.

MOUNTAIN KING
East Coast Premiere
USA | 2026 | 94 Min. | Dir. Gabrielle Christensen
Surprising her boyfriend unannounced at his family home in Scandinavia, Hannah is determined to prove she can be part of the family no matter how increasingly dark their traditions seem to be.

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
East Coast Premiere
USA | 2026 | 86 Min. | Dir. Josh Lobo
When his fellow security guard vanishes, Andy is overwhelmed with paranoia about their enigmatic workplace’s intentions and the disturbing phenomenon kept hidden in the building’s new wing.

THE ONLY ONE
World Premiere
Australia | 2026 | 99 Min. | Dir. Michael Schwarz
When her exes are suddenly being murdered one by one, suspicion falls on Zoe and it’s up to her and a ragtag team of old friends to prove her innocence and figure out the identity of the masked Prince Charming killer.

OPI
North American Premiere
Poland | 2026 | 96 Min. | Dir. Marta Giec
Shortly before her 18th birthday, a young woman’s already complicated home life gets upended by the arrival of an aunt and grandmother she’s never met before, triggering her family’s downward spiral into nightmarish folk horror.

THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (with live score)
France | 1928 | 81 Min. | Dir. Carl Theodore Dreyer
A towering achievement of the silent-film era, THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC equals and oftentimes eclipses the horror of any other masterwork from the 1920’s. Live music accompaniment by The Flushing Remonstrance.

THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS
USA | 1991 | 103 Min. | Dir. Wes Craven
Two criminals and their teenage accomplice find themselves stuck inside the booby-trap-riddled home of their ghetto neighborhood’s evil landlords in Wes Craven’s massively entertaining marriage of horror-comedy and social commentary.

POSTHUMOUS
East Coast Premiere
Australia | 2026 | 110 Min. | Dir. Josh Tanner
After returning to her childhood home, a troubled woman becomes enamored with VHS birthday tapes left behind by her late mother that gradually reveal a secret family connection to the occult.

ROMA ELASTICA
Presented by MUBI
New York Premiere
France, Italy | 2026 | 107 Min. | Dir. Bertrand Mandico
A struggling French actress travels to Rome to work on a science fiction film which sends her spiraling and threatens to make this the last film she makes.

RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & MONSTERS OF STEVE JOHNSON
East Coast Premiere
USA | 2026 | 106 Min. | Dir. Nick Taylor
Tracks the spectacular rise and swift fall of practical SFX master Steve Johnson while taking viewers on an impressively candid and revealing overview of the glory days of special effects makeup.

SENDER
New York Premiere
USA | 2026 | 94 Min. | Dir. Russell Goldman
A newly sober woman begins to find a disturbing amount of daily packages she never ordered on her doorstep, setting her off on a paranoid and dizzying investigation to discover her tormentors.

SLAY
East Coast Premiere
Presented by MUBI
USA | 2026 | 89 Min. | Dir. Kyra Elise Gardner
After her friend is brutally murdered, a young social media star heads to a cabin in the woods with friends for what’s meant to be a distracting good time but turns into a bloodbath when a masked killer crashes the party.

SPLIT ROCK
North American Premiere
Canada | 2026 | 98 Min. | Dir. Ryan Glover
A group of geologists discover a strange anomaly in the desert and as they continue their research their thirst for knowledge threatens to put them in grave danger against an ancient horror.

SUNDOWN
East Coast Premiere
USA | 2026 | 79 Min. | Dir. Rebekah McKendry
A trio of blood-related women seeking vengeance kidnap a man only to discover that his darkest secret is far worse than what they thought.
Screening with: Bloodsuckers, dir. Rosie Brear (USA, 10min)

TRAUMA, OR MONSTERS ALL
New York Premiere
USA | 2026 | 118 Min. | Dir. Larry Fessenden
Larry Fessenden’s down-and-dirty, blue-collar universe of Universal-Monster-inspired films (HABIT, DEPRAVED, BLACK OUT) comes to its masterful conclusion in this clash of nightmarish titans set in a small town harboring its own dark past.

TRICK ’R TREAT (35mm) w/ SEASON’S GREETINGS
USA | 2007 | 86 Min. | Dir. Michael Dougherty
It’s the ultimate Halloween season event with everyone’s favorite little pumpkin-headed demon, Sam: a special 35mm screening of Michael Dougherty’s classic Samhain-minded omnibus gem TRICK ’R TREAT (2007), preceded by the filmmaker’s handmade animated short that inspired it, SEASON’S GREETINGS (1996), and capped off by a conversation with Dougherty to discuss it all.

WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR
USA | 2021 | 86 Min. | Dir. Jane Schoenbrun
A teen loses her sense of reality as she is drawn into a popular online role-playing game.

Secret Screening
??? | 2026 | > 100 Min. | Dir. ???
Get your best guesses ready, scary movie lovers — Brooklyn Horror is excited to present a mystery film that, trust us, you won’t want to miss! And, sorry, we won’t give any easy-to-solve hints for all of you proud cinema sleuths out there!

Okay, fine, we’ll give you a little something: Our “Secret Screening” film will be a must-see new gem that’ll make NYC’s horror fans kick themselves for missing if they aren’t in the building for it at Nitehawk. Sorry, that’s all you’re going to get. Now let the speculation begin!

Short Films

NIGHTMARE FUEL
These frightening folktales, body horrors, and monsters in the machine will haunt your dreams and make sure you never sleep again!
Bagman, dir. Connor Gaston, Vaughn Gaston (Canada); Stuck, dir. Jan van Gorkum (Netherlands); Wax, dir. Alexandre Forgues, (Canada); Breeder, dir. Sapphire Sandalo (USA); YAOGUAI, dir. Mimi Lee (USA); Don’t Go, dir. Talon Darren Winsnes, (Norway); Tsume Kill: The Clapper Claw, dir. Shinsuke Fujioka (Japan); Ceiling King, dir. Mats Udd (Sweden).

HEAD TRIP
Open your mind to genre-bending terror and find the fear in everyday things like your sewing projects, mancaves, and headphones. Embrace the bizarre.
Man Eating Pussy, dir. Emily Lawson (Canada); Summer Project, dir. Yuki Hara (Japan); Headphones, dir. Steven Arriagada (Australia); Rusalka, dir. Mykita Bulgakov, Vlad Fishez, Oleg Batrakov (Ukraine); Prosthetika, dir. Brandon Chi-Wei Chen (USA); Needle, Sofie Somoroff (USA); Mancave dir. Fredrik S. Hana (Norway)

CULTURE SHOCK
Our latest and permanent program section strives to uplift Black filmmakers and aims to be a launchpad for new excellence in genre cinema. Join us in celebrating Black stories with our very first Culture Shock: Black Horror shorts block.
The Inheritance, dir. Destinee Stewart (USA); Night Feeds, dir. Rana Roy (USA); Angels Pull Your Hair, dir. Gabby Beans (USA); Dread, dir. Loren Loubser, Gabe Gabriel (South Africa, UK); The Keeper, dir Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes (USA); Grampa, dir Justice Smith (USA)

SLAYED
Presented by MUBI
Brooklyn horror explores the gamut of queer experiences in this shorts block, from messy lesbian relationships to taboo sexual experiences.
By Yourself, dir. Elaine Frost (USA); Crash Season, dir. Audrey Rosenberg (USA); Four Itchy Boys, dir. Andrew Hebert (USA); Internet Boy, dir. Joseph Demaria (USA); Embrace, dir. Matthew Rush (USA); Tooth, dir. Max Wren (USA); Mine, dir. Jaclyn Moore (USA); Scissors, dir. Hannah Alline (USA)

LAUGH NOW, DIE LATER
Horror and comedy are sisters — both build up tension for a satisfying relief. Afterall, isn’t death the final punch line?
Knitting Club, dir. Diogo Abrantes, João Rito (Portugal); Baby Fever, dir. Katrina Vergara (USA); Udders!, dir. Michael Spencer (USA); CHÄIR, dir Chris McInroy (USA); A Stable Marriage, dir. Josephine Decker (USA); Matches, dir. Jake Delaney (USA); Open Mic, dir. Jano Pita (Spain); Vape Glow, dir. Steven Schloss (USA); Gloss, dir. Leah Shore (USA); House Cat, dir. Kyle Spleiss (USA)

DEATH GRIP
These shorts will grab a hold of you, won’t let go, and love to watch you squirm. Enjoy slow-burn horror and explore the dark recesses that hide in quiet moments.
Bruised Sky, dir. Gary James Kent (UK); Down the Length, dir. Milo Ed (UK); Primus the Robot, dir. Max Delagrave (France); Devourer, dir. Nirvana Nagi; Living Grounds, dir. Émile Lavoie (Canada)

HOME INVASION 1
Hometown heroes and fresh faces alike showcase their newest works. Enjoy the work of our locals and let their creativity inspire you!
The Crying Man, dir. Emily Bennett; Richard Goes On a Date, dir. Johnny Frohman; Imprint, dir. Ran Jing; PRIME, dir. Meagan Coyle; Viewfinder, dir. Clay von Carlowitz; Packages, dir. Nick Barat; Crib Club, dir. Jordan Freeman Klaja; Walter Wuz Here, dir. Ben Duff

HOME INVASION 2
The category so nice, we made it twice. Our community is bursting at the seams with talented creatives, we can’t fit everything into one block.
Echelon, dir. Sebastian DiNatale; Book U Can Ask ???s, dir. Casimir Nozkowski; No Free Brains, dir. Ciara Sergi; Behind This Locked Door, dir. Matthew Brennan; Carousel, dir. Christopher Kosakowski; Hand, dir. Jennifer Winterbotham; The Fool, dir. Adjahni Dèsirè; In My Blood, dir. Alex Bendo

Special events

Final Exam Horror Trivia
Presented by Dark Sky Films
Do you think you know more about horror films than the rest of Gotham? Then it’s time to prove it via five blistering rounds of expert level creepy trivia with hosts Ted Geoghegan (director of We Are Still Here and Shudder’s Brooklyn 45) and journalist Michael Gingold (of Fangoria and Rue Morgue fame)! Meet new friends, win amazing prizes, and learn more about horror cinema exclusively at Final Exam!

Certified Forgotten Podcast
Certified Forgotten is a 60-minute bi-weekly horror movie podcast with a focus on underseen films. Hosts Matt Donato and Matt Monagle speak with creators, filmmakers, and critics about their lifelong relationships to the horror genre. Each episode also highlights another unique genre title with ten-or-fewer reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes that’s picked by the guest, letting them champion each episode’s title to their heart’s content.

The Leviathan Award

Presented by Arrow Video, Brooklyn Horror’s first and only tribute award was created in 2023 to honor the luminaries of horror and acknowledge their monstrous contributions to the genre. The 2026 Leviathan Award goes to the incomparable and prolific filmmaking family, the Adams Family. Since their breakout film in 2019, THE DEEPER YOU DIG, the Adams Family have conquered the indie horror world through unbridled creativity and an ever apparent adoration for all things bloody, goopy and monstrous. Never playing the same tune twice, these literal rockstars have sharpened their family’s craft over the past 13 years while displaying a deep reverence for the classic horror canon and lending their incredible talents on other filmmaker’s projects. Toby, John, Zelda, Lulu and the greater extended Adams Family have not only carved out a place of their own but have paved a new roadmap for future filmmakers to follow their dreams — one of passion, ingenuity and community. With their Lovecraftian apocalyptic creature feature THE GLORIOUS DEAD now hitting screens, sky’s the limit and the future is bright with these modern day folk heroes leading the cinematic charge.

See this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival poster below.

September 15, 2026