Filmmaker and multimedia artist Charlie Shackleton wanted to make a movie about the Zodiac Killer, but first he lost the rights, and then the funding. In this deeply funny and incisive essay film, Shackleton unpacks the ubiquitous true-crime genre for all its pleasures, tropes, and sins against cinema, begging us to consider the lengths that storytellers (and viewers) go to make the truth—and reality itself—more palatable. Set against 16mm shots of empty Northern California locations amid excerpts of some of the most popular crime series of recent years, Shackleton’s self-aware narration evokes the films of Thom Andersen and Patrick Keiller in his abiding humor and ability to both celebrate and critique our glut of serialized trash.

The Los Angeles Festival of Movies (presented by MUBI and Mezzanine) is a curated annual film festival in Los Angeles, presenting new independent and restoration premieres to a local audience. Now in its second year, the festival, an event put on by the film non-profit Mezzanine, redefines Los Angeles as a destination for independent film. Running April 3-6, 2025, LAFM has curated a selection of high profile narrative and documentary film premieres; talks with local artists, luminaries, and thought leaders; and parties each night at three exciting new east side LA venues. The festival is the new nexus for the city’s burgeoning indie film community to gather, discuss and celebrate independent cinema.

Click here for more information about the Los Angeles Festival of Movies and to purchase tickets.