Ojai Playhouse, one of California's oldest single-screen cinemas, is launching a new free showcase series called "Left Turn" to spotlight emerging independent filmmakers, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The inaugural event takes place on 8 August and follows the venue's recent success screening independent films such as Obsession and Backrooms, reflecting a broader effort by smaller theatres to champion low-budget and lesser-known cinema outside the traditional studio pipeline.

The one-day event will feature screenings of seven films, including $Positions, Our Hero, Balthazar, Fucktoys, Situations, The Napa Boys and Crumb Catcher, the last of which appeared on THR's best horror films of 2024 list. Crumb Catcher, Situations and Our Hero, Balthazar will make their Ojai debuts, with each screening followed by a live Q&A moderated by journalist Daniel Spielberger and featuring the respective filmmakers. Tickets are free and can be reserved via the Ojai Playhouse website, with theatre owner David Berger and designer Harrison Neef both emphasising the series' community-driven, nostalgic aesthetic.