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Back in 2022, a scrappy feat of independent filmmaking came across my radar. Written and directed by Florida native Justin Zuckerman, Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater is a Mini-dv shot journey of a young woman attempting to create space for herself amid the cacophony of New York City; it harkens to mumblecore while remaining entrenched in the unique hostility that young (even would-be) creatives currently face amid price-gouging and the decimation of DIY communities. This film was the first feature project undertaken in part by 5th Floor Pictures—the production collective co-founded by Ryan Martin Brown and Paula González-Nasser—itself an […]

The post “Two Strangers Meeting Over Something So Unusual”: Paula González-Nasser on Her Tribeca World-Premiering Feature Debut The Scout first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Back in 2022, a scrappy feat of independent filmmaking came across my radar. Written and directed by Florida native Justin Zuckerman, Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater is a Mini-dv shot journey of a young woman attempting to create space for herself amid the cacophony of New York City; it harkens to mumblecore while remaining entrenched in the unique hostility that young (even would-be) creatives currently face amid price-gouging and the decimation of DIY communities. This film was the first feature project undertaken in part by 5th Floor Pictures—the production collective co-founded by Ryan Martin Brown and Paula González-Nasser—itself an […]

The post “Two Strangers Meeting Over Something So Unusual”: Paula González-Nasser on Her Tribeca World-Premiering Feature Debut The Scout first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

While countless films have delved into filmmaking, viewing it through the unique lens of a location scout (played by Mimi Davila) we get a completely new twist on what we take away from the experience. In her feature debut, Paula González-Nasser draws from a world she might have witnessed firsthand for a text that goes beyond the search for physical spaces — The Scout appears to delve into the universal quest for belonging and finding one’s place in the world. I had the opportunity to speak with Ryan Martin Brown of 5th Floor Pictures, the producer of the film. Brown, who previously directed his own feature, teamed up with her once again for this day-in-the-life portrait shot in New York City.…...

Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2024, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.

As the decade crosses its halfway point, I can already sense the hastily assembled lists soon appearing, attempting to provide definitive word on the best in cinema over the last five years. I’d rather heed the wisdom of the great J. Rosenbaum and give some distance, but in the spirit of annual year-end extravaganza, I’ll join the crowd in looking back at least the last twelve months of releases. A peculiar year in I saw almost half the films on my list upon their festival premieres in 2023––and furthermore, my top three picks haven’t shifted since January. The eleven preceding months thankfully brought no shortage of illuminating experiences as detailed in my top 15 picks, including a few of the most noteworthy studio offerings failing...

Our year-end coverage continues with a look at the best performances of 2024. Rather than divide categories into supporting or lead or by gender, we’ve written about our 30 favorites, period. Find our countdown below and start watching the ones you’ve missed here and here.

30. Deragh Campbell and Matt Johnson (Matt and Mara)

It isn’t Deragh Campbell or Matt Johnson taken individually that make Kazik Radwanski’s not-quite-romance Matt and Mara so special; it’s what’s between them. Campbell and Johnson spark in their improvised conversations and gaze at each other with sparkling eyes and unfurrowed brows––the comfort of innate feelings, perhaps. They’re believable friends on screen because they are so off-screen, drawing upon their real-life relationships and experiences to capture something present and resonant. What impresses is just how richly they portray emotional truths buried beneath a well-performed surface. In unguarded moments, glimmers shine through the cracks.

Though we aim to discuss a wide breadth of films each year, few things give us more pleasure than the arrival of bold new voices. It’s why we venture to festivals and pore over a variety of different features that might bring to light some emerging talent. This year was an especially notable time for new directors making their stamp, and we’re highlighting the handful of 2024 debuts that most impressed us.

Below, one can check out a list spanning a variety of different genres, and many are available to stream here. In years to come, take note as these helmers (hopefully) ascend.

Allen Sunshine (Harley Chamandy)

Directed with a sense of tranquil serenity and grounded maturity one might be accustomed to finding in the work of a seasoned director, Allen Sunshine is, quite remarkably, the debut feature of 25-year-old Harley Chamandy. The Montreal-born, New York-based filmmaker received the...

With many annual awards ceremonies, even those that brand themselves celebrators of indie filmmaking, seemingly highlighting films that don’t necessarily need the boost, it’s refreshing when one truly highlights the indie spirit. Enter The Indie Awards, “an annual event dedicated to celebrating the spirit of truly independent filmmaking,” backed by Slamdance. Ahead of a ceremony taking place on December 9, 2024, at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles, they’ve now unveiled their nominees.

Among a few picking up multiple nominations are Ryan Martin Brown’s Free Time and Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker, two stellar films we recently named among the best of 2024. Also nominated in the Best Narrative Feature section is Chloé Leriche’s Atikamekw Suns.

Co-founded by Ben Umstead, Paul Rachman, and Peter Baxter, the pool of films being considered could not have their premieres at some of the bigger “indie” festivals but...

Slamdance is celebrating the best indie films from 2024 with an inaugural awards ceremony aptly called The Indies. The Slamdance Film Festival announced Wednesday that its new annual ceremony will toast “the spirit of truly independent filmmaking” on December 9 at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. Actor/comedians Nic Novicki and Steve Way (“Ramy”) will host.

An interesting caveat, though: For films to be eligible at the ceremony, features must not have held their world premieres at Sundance, SXSW, or Tribeca. However, nominees must have played at one or more domestic film festivals over the last calendar year leading into the ceremony. The Indies also are staying domestic, with a focus on narrative and documentary features from filmmakers only in North America.

“Independent U.S. and Indigenous filmmakers feel neglected and abandoned,” said co-founder Paul Rachman in a press statement. “The current landscape for recognizing fresh voices in cinema has never...

Slamdance, the indie film festival established almost 30 years ago in response to the cultural monolith of Sundance, is unveiling its first ever awards show franchise.

“The Indies” will be an annual ceremony celebrating “the spirit of truly independent filmmaking,” according to organizers. The inaugural event is set for Dec. 9 at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. Comedian-actors Nic Novicki and Steve Way (“Ramy”) will host.

The Indies will focus on narrative and documentary features from filmmakers in North America. Eligible movies must have played at one or more domestic film festivals held over the calendar year. There’s an added guardrail to keep The Indies as cutting edge as possible: movies that set world premieres at Sundance, SXSW or Tribeca are not eligible for a trophy.

“The U.S. indie film sector is struggling, with only a handful of streamers and studios actively acquiring indie films — and it’s not enough.

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

32 Sounds (Sam Green)

Filmmaker Sam Green captures something so specific here: he makes audio the star of a motion picture. It’s a lovely inclination and a worthwhile escapade. There are funny moments, clever moments, plenty that are heartfelt. Sound can do so many different things! This is an exceedingly well-produced work, its perfect length and the audible narrative it designs building succinctly to a lovely finale. Toss on those headphones and get lost in 32 Sounds for a while. – Dan M.

Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel

Babes (Pamela Adlon)

Transitioning the naturalistic comic sensibilities that made Better Things a success, Pamela Adlon’s feature debut Babes manages to co-opt the rhythms of a romantic comedy to explore the relationship between two...

Cringe comedy and pathos converge with unlikely grace in Dad & Step-Dad, the debut feature from director Tynan DeLong. Expanded significantly from short films that DeLong crafted with recurring collaborators Colin Burgess (recent star of Ryan Martin Brown’s debut feature Free Time) and Anthony Oberbeck, the premise of the feature is nonetheless pretty straightforward. On a weekend trip to an Airbnb in upstate New York, titular dad Jim (Burgess) and step-dad Dave (Oberbeck) quarrel incessantly, both over the affection of teenage ward Branson (played hilariously by adult Brian Fiddyment) and for inconsequential paternal bragging rights over the other. Passive aggression […]

The post “We Shot for Four-and-a-Half Days”: Tynan DeLong on Dad & Step-Dad first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Cringe comedy and pathos converge with unlikely grace in Dad & Step-Dad, the debut feature from director Tynan DeLong. Expanded significantly from short films that DeLong crafted with recurring collaborators Colin Burgess (recent star of Ryan Martin Brown’s debut feature Free Time) and Anthony Oberbeck, the premise of the feature is nonetheless pretty straightforward. On a weekend trip to an Airbnb in upstate New York, titular dad Jim (Burgess) and step-dad Dave (Oberbeck) quarrel incessantly, both over the affection of teenage ward Branson (played hilariously by adult Brian Fiddyment) and for inconsequential paternal bragging rights over the other. Passive aggression […]

The post “We Shot for Four-and-a-Half Days”: Tynan DeLong on Dad & Step-Dad first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

It’s probably an overstatement to call writer-director Ryan Martin Brown’s feature debut, Free Time, a “generation-defining movie.” Shot in 10 days with a cast of relative unknowns, the micro-budget comedy has more or less passed under the radar, premiering at a bunch of midlevel festivals and receiving a limited release in select U.S. cities. (It’s currently playing the Quad in N.Y. and the Landmark Westwood in L.A.)

And yet there’s something very much of the now in this cleverly concocted and occasionally hilarious tale of Generation Z malaise, which follows a disgruntled 20-something office worker who quits his job to join the post-pandemic great resignation, only to realize he has no idea what to do with himself once he’s out of work. Clocking in at a breezy 78 minutes, it’s the kind of down-and-dirty NYC indie we see less and less of nowadays,...

IFC’s Late Night With The Devil has scared up the distributor’s largest opening weekend ever with an estimated $2.8+ million on 1.043 screens, coming in at no. 6 at the domestic box office.

Prior to this weekend, Watcher was IFC’s top opening film at $827k, followed by Skinamarink with $819k and Blackberry at $801k. Late Night was IFC’s widest opening since The D Train, the distributor said, noting it was IFC’s highest opening day ($437k) since Skinamakink, and its highest Thursday pre-show ($317k). The film by Australian duo Colin and Cameron Cairnes unfolds almost in real-time on the set of a 1977 late-night talk show broadcast that unexpectedly transforms from amusing to sinister, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms. Stars David Dastmalchian as talk show host Jack Delroy.

The Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Spooky Pictures pic premiered at SXSW and has since played Fantasia Festival in Montreal,...

In Free Time, writer-director-producer Ryan Martin Brown’s debut feature, directionless office drone Drew (comedian Colin Burgess) decides to quit his job. After all, the position is hardly fulfilling (nor is he particularly gifted at it), and why spend all day bleary-eyed behind a screen when all that New York City has to offer exists just outside the door? Soon enough, Drew’s naive work-life musings are proven to be drivel, and his joblessness puts a mighty strain on his few remaining social relationships. His Wfh roommate Rajat (Rajat Suresh) doesn’t seem thrilled with Drew’s daytime presence in the apartment, nor does […]

The post “It’s a Confusing World That We Inhabit”: Ryan Martin Brown on Free Time first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

In Free Time, writer-director-producer Ryan Martin Brown’s debut feature, directionless office drone Drew (comedian Colin Burgess) decides to quit his job. After all, the position is hardly fulfilling (nor is he particularly gifted at it), and why spend all day bleary-eyed behind a screen when all that New York City has to offer exists just outside the door? Soon enough, Drew’s naive work-life musings are proven to be drivel, and his joblessness puts a mighty strain on his few remaining social relationships. His Wfh roommate Rajat (Rajat Suresh) doesn’t seem thrilled with Drew’s daytime presence in the apartment, nor does […]

The post “It’s a Confusing World That We Inhabit”: Ryan Martin Brown on Free Time first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

One of the great dilemmas facing American society in the 2020s is the question of how much time we actually need to spend working. For many, the Covid-19 pandemic and the flexible work-from-home accommodations it ushered in were evidence that they could get their jobs done without 40 hours of synchronized work each week. Others had bigger epiphanies and decided to prioritize free time over corporate glory by “quiet quitting” or abandoning their careers altogether. It feels like the country has reached a paradoxical crossroads in which many white-collar workers are deriving a higher percentage of their identity from their jobs while simultaneously looking to spend less time doing them.

But while the vague concept of “more free time” has become the MacGuffin motivating countless workaholics to make big life changes, the problem of what to actually do with it can be harder to solve. That’s a lesson that Drew...

Free Time opens on an office meeting between Drew (Colin Burgess) and his boss. Drew is dissatisfied with his data-analysis position because it’s too much data entry and too little analysis. “The computers do all of the analysis for you now. It’s really just… data,” he laments. The meeting ends unexpectedly with Drew surprising himself (and his boss) by putting in his two-week notice. It’s a savvy cold open that clues us into Drew’s lack of self-awareness being a source of amusement in the narrative to follow.

Free Time is the feature-directing debut from Ryan Martin Brown and the latest comedy from 5th Floor Pictures, a Brooklyn-based collective responsible for last year’s underrated gem Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater. After a small-yet-memorable role in Yelling Fire, actor Colin Burgess takes a big step forward here, appearing in nearly every frame of Free Time’s airtight 77 minutes.

Few films capture the trials and tribulations of twenty-something waywardness rooted in economic realities of today so eloquently and humorously as Ryan Martin Brown’s feature debut Free Time, as I noted in my March preview. Led by Colin Burgess in a beautifully articulated performance of neurotic self-sabotage, this portrait of “the Great Resignation” more than makes up for its small scale with keen observations on what it means to have a creatively satisfying life. Accompanied by the strong supporting cast of Rajat Suresh, Holmes, James Webb, Eric Yates, Jessie Pinnick, and Rebecca Bulnes, Free Time feels like the promising beginnings of a new era in NYC indie filmmaking.

Ahead of the film’s theatrical release beginning at New York’s Quad Cinema this Friday, I spoke with Ryan Martin Brown about developing his first feature, his approach to comedy, being inspired by The Heartbreak Kid and The Jerk, the...

"I think this is good for me... I think I'm gonna go out and live life. Live life to the fullest..." Cartilage Films has unveiled an official trailer for an indie comedy titled Free Time, marking the feature directorial debut of indie filmmaker Ryan Martin Brown. This first premiered at the 2023 Indy Film Fest last year, with stops at the Boston, Montclair, and Nashville Film Festivals as well. Led by Colin Burgess and featuring a wide ensemble of New York's funniest performers, Ryan's debut feature is an uproarious comedy — filmed on location in the midst of America's "Great Resignation" — about the search for meaning in the modern world. Approaching the end of his twenties and his relative youth, a man decides to quit his cushy desk job and "embrace life" - only to realize he has no idea what to do with this newfound freedom. Also starring Rajat Suresh, Holmes,...

One of the most promising American indies of the year, Ryan Martin Brown’s Free Time brings together Colin Burgess, Rajat Suresh, Holmes, James Webb, Eric Yates, Jessie Pinnick, and Rebecca Bulnes for a story about a man rethinking his life’s path. Ahead of a NYC opening on March 22 at Quad Cinema, LA opening on March 29 at Landmark Westwood, and Chicago opening on April 12 at Gene Siskel Film Center from Cartilage Films, the first trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Drew is approaching the end of his twenties and, with it, his relative youth. Looking to make a sudden change, he decides to quit his cushy desk job and “embrace life.” Cycling quickly through friends, hobbies, and goals, it’s not long until Drew realizes he has no idea what to do with his newfound freedom. Led by Colin Burgess and featuring a wide ensemble of New York City’s funniest performers,...

Drew (Colin Burgess) believes he’s gonna have a bunch of sex if he just quits his desk job. In “Free Time” (as in reality), it doesn’t quite work out that way.

In Ryan Martin Brown’s debut feature film, shot over 10 days on the streets of New York, the main character hits a quarter-life crisis — hard. Drew chooses life over work … until he realizes life isn’t really happening while everyone else is at work. Drew quickly cycles through hobbies (including literally cycling), friends, and every which way to watch a DVD. As it turns out, what he really wants is the mundanity of structure. Drew wants a job.

If stand-up comedian and actor Burgess feels like perfect casting as the lead, well, that’s probably because the movie was written for him, Brown said. “Free Time,” distributed by Cartilage Films, also stars Rajat Suresh (“Severance”), Holmes (“Welcome to Flatch”), James Webb,...

Exclusive: Cartilage Films has taken worldwide rights to Ryan Martin Brown’s feature directorial debut, Free Time for a 2024 domestic release.

Pic stars Colin Burgess as Drew, who is approaching the end of his twenties and, with it, his relative youth. Looking to make a sudden change, he decides to quit his cushy desk job and “embrace life” — only to realize he has no idea what to do with this newfound freedom. Cycling quickly through friends, hobbies, and goals, it’s not long before Drew’s search for meaning leads him back in the direction of his recently vacated post. Brown also wrote the pic which stars Rajat Suresh, Holmes (Welcome to Flatch), Jessie Pinnick (Princess Cyd), Michael Patrick Nicholson (Socks on Fire), James Webb and Eric Yates,

Free Time was produced by Mackenzie Jamieson, Paula Andrea González-Nasser, Justin Zuckerman and Nolan Kelly.

Mammoth Lakes Film Festival has announced the lineup of its ninth installment, held in-person from May 24-28 at venues throughout the California mountain town. Notably, the opening and closing films will feature stories from transgender individuals around the world.

“Two of the most compelling documentaries we came across this year happened to be transgender stories, highlighting characters living in circumstances that threaten their survival, and we are so thrilled to showcase ‘Queendom’ and ‘Kokomo City’ as our opening and closing spotlight films,” said Paul Sbrizzi, director of festival programming.

Opening film “Queendom,” by Agniia Galdanova, is a window into the life of Gena, a transgender Russian performance artist, and the radical acts that put her life in danger. The closing film “Kokomo City” by D. Smith explores the lives of four Black transgender sex workers as they consider what their existence means within the Black community. Koko Da Doll, who...

I first saw Justin Zuckerman’s Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater—the writer-director’s ultra-low-budget, MiniDV-shot feature debut—back in December at Williamsburg’s Spectacle Theater. I’d been invited on a whim by the film’s emerging producer Ryan Martin Brown, and I happened to be long overdue for a visit to the volunteer-run microcinema. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but was quickly charmed by Yelling Fire‘s humble yet lived-in digital aesthetic, impressively taut script and endearing ensemble of adrift, wannabe New Yorkers. Shot between November and December of 2019 and made for less than $3,000, the film feels like a strange, beautiful […]

The post “We Expected for Pretty Much No One To See It”: Justin Zuckerman on Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

I first saw Justin Zuckerman’s Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater—the writer-director’s ultra-low-budget, MiniDV-shot feature debut—back in December at Williamsburg’s Spectacle Theater. I’d been invited on a whim by the film’s emerging producer Ryan Martin Brown, and I happened to be long overdue for a visit to the volunteer-run microcinema. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but was quickly charmed by Yelling Fire‘s humble yet lived-in digital aesthetic, impressively taut script and endearing ensemble of adrift, wannabe New Yorkers. Shot between November and December of 2019 and made for less than $3,000, the film feels like a strange, beautiful […]

The post “We Expected for Pretty Much No One To See It”: Justin Zuckerman on Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Cinedigm announced today the acquisition of North American rights to “Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater,” the feature debut of writer-director Justin Zuckerman. Starting Jan. 24, the film will be available for viewing exclusively on Fandor, Cinedigm’s official streaming platform.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Fandor and Cinedigm on the film, who are really building an incredible new home for independent film,” Zuckerman said. “When we made this film, we only had set out to prove to ourselves that we could make something fun and interesting with what we already had at our disposal. The support and encouragement from Fandor and elsewhere has meant the world, and we’re excited for more people to see the project.”

Zuckerman shot the 73-minute feature with a mini-dv on a budget that cost less than the monthly rent of the apartment he filmed in. Though the film’s minimal production value...

A long-time coming fit of exasperation gets Lisa (Isadora Leiva) to ask herself the question she should have asked before leaving Florida behind: is New York City a place or just an idea? A stranger at the airport tried to prepare her for this inevitable reckoning by handing over an unsolicited fifty-dollar bill along with advice to temper expectations, but dreams aren’t so easily thrown away. This move is about hope and excitement. It’s about leaving behind the only life she’s ever known to adventure forward into a fresh future with infinite promise. Her college boyfriend (Ryan Martin Brown’s Eric) already resides there, and she’s secured herself a place to stay via a friend-of-a-friend (Kelly Cooper’s Holly). So, what could go wrong? The unfortunate answer is always: everything.

Writer/director Justin Zuckerman has more or less taken all the usual romanticized tropes of a...

As we look ahead to the new year, one of the first festivals of 2022 has unveiled its lineup. Slamdance Film Festival will return to both Park City, Utah for a physical festival from January 20-23, 2022, along with holding virtual screenings from January 20-30, 2022. With a lineup of 28 features, 79 shorts, and 7 episodes, the feature competition lineup was chosen from over 1,124 submissions.

“We are anti-algorithm. That’s always been true, but it’s more urgent than ever as we continue to celebrate truly unique voices that defy simple classification and transcend analytics,” said Slamdance President and co-founder Peter Baxter. “This year our programmers gravitated towards films that embody the true DIY spirit of guerrilla filmmaking and push the boundaries of what’s possible in storytelling. The Slamdance team is honored to introduce everyone of these storytellers, who are changing the media narrative and elevating the art form of independent film.”

See the lineup below.