Conor Oberst and Shawn Foree announce their debut film, Invention 13, which will premiere at Los Angeles’s Beyond Fest on September 26th at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Invention 13 takes place on a cold, windy night, when a frustrated pianist encounters strange obstacles while trying to learn Bach’s notoriously intricate Invention. The short film was shot on Super 16mm film over the course of four sub-freezing nights in January 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. Invention 13 stars Emory Cohen (Rebel Ridge, The OA, Marty Supreme), newcomer Olivia Howard, and pro skater Nelly Morville. It also features a voiceover from friend and collaborator Phoebe Bridgers. They worked with a crew of forty people and three dogs. The filmmakers relied on the use of practical effects and hand drawn animation to bring this vision to life. The film’s accompanying soundtrack was composed by Bright Eyes member Nathaniel Walcott.

This October, Bright Eyes will embark on an extensive East Coast and Midwest tour, and in January, they will play three shows in New York City at the Brooklyn Paramount, where they will perform the beloved albums I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning & Digital Ash in a Digital Urn in full.

The premiere will pair the short film with Japanese horror classic Hausu (1977), and a director Q&A with Foree & Oberst, moderated by comedian & musician Whitmer Thomas, will immediately follow the film

Bright Eyes 2026-2027 Tour Dates:

Sat. Sept. 19 – Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest
Fri. Oct. 2 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall+
Sat. Oct. 3 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue+
Sun. Oct. 4 – Chicago, IL @ Metro+
Mon. Oct. 5 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre+
Tue. Oct. 6 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s+
Wed. Oct. 7 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer+
Fri. Oct. 9 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club+
Sat. Oct. 10 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel+
Sun. Oct. 11 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse+
Mon. Oct. 12 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl+
Tue. Oct. 13 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s+
Thu. Oct. 15 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre+
Fri. Oct. 16 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory+
Sat. Oct. 17 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman+
Sun. Oct. 18 – St. Louis, MO @ The Sovereign+
Tue. Oct. 20 – Omaha, NE @ The Admiral Theater+
Mon. Jan. 11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount*
Tue. Jan. 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount*
Thu. Jan. 14 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount*

* = playing I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning & Digital Ash in a Digital Urn in full
+ = with Lullaby for the Working Class

order tickets for Bright Eyes HERE
order tickets for Invention 13 HERE