US PREMIERE This year’s opening night film invites us into a world where sensitive, passionate people gather not just to participate in a public competition but to be seen, to connect, and to honor a shared craft. At the Masters of Musical Whistling festival in Hollywood, founder and force-of-nature Carole Anne Kaufman (aka the Whistling Diva) devotes herself to creating an inclusive, international stage for an art form that is largely practiced non-professionally, yet deeply meaningful for its performers.
Filmmaker Christopher Nelius and his team hone in on a lively group of individuals who arrive in full possession of their quirks and hopes. As the festival’s rehearsals and stages of competition progress, Nelius captures familiar rhythms—camaraderie, playful competitiveness, and tender gestures of support—revealing a community bound less by the pursuit of victory than by simply being there for each other. Whistle reminds us that there is a space for everyone in this world—for connection, care, and mutual support. - Jaie Laplante
The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Chris Nelius, and film protagonists Jay Winston, Lauren Elder and Molly Lewis.
All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.