"Drylongso," a 1998 indie film by artist and filmmaker Cauleen Smith, has been rereleased for its 25th anniversary. The film, shot during Smith's grad school years at UCLA, embraces a DIY aesthetic and offers a captivating, genre-resistant narrative set in Oakland, California. It follows Pica, a young girl photographing young black men in Polaroids as a social commentary. The film's charm lies in its resistance to typical genre categorization, offering a unique blend of drama, thriller, and urban pastoral elements.

The title "Drylongso" originates from African American slang in the US South, meaning "ordinary" or "ordinariness", but this 1998 indie film from artist and filmmaker Cauleen Smith, now re-released for its 25th anniversary, is anything but ordinary. Smith created it during her twenties while studying at UCLA, giving it a distinct film-school project feel with a DIY aesthetic. Yet, the film's walking-pace narrative, lack of irony, and unaffected performances imbue it with a captivating innocence.

Toby Smith portrays Pica, a girl residing with her mother and grandmother in a chaotic Oakland, California house. Enrolled in a photography class, Pica captures Polaroids of young black men instead of traditional 35mm film studies, viewing it as a record of endangered individuals likely to end up incarcerated or deceased. This street-art reportage contrasts sharply with the professor's sophisticated compositions, underscoring the film's advocacy for the Polaroid aesthetic.

As Pica befriends Tobi (April Barnett), who disguises herself as a boy on the streets to avoid harassment, and engages in a gentle romance with a local artist, her life intertwines fatefully with a serial killer terrorizing the neighbourhood.

"Drylongso" defies genre conventions, not fitting neatly into social-realist drama, thriller, or romance categories. Its unusual serial killer subplot, while involving murder and horror, carries an element of whimsy, resembling more of an urban pastoral or midsummer night's dream set in Oakland. It showcases a unique talent and perspective.

• "Drylongso" will be in UK cinemas from 11th May.