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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Closure (2026)
On the Road (2026)
Christmas at the Kringles (2026)
Never After Dark (2026)
Lone Star (1996)

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Companies:
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Listen:
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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Michal Marczak about his documentary Closure, which follows Polish father Daniel searching the Vistula River after his teenage son Chris disappears, a quest that leads him to help other families living with uncertainty. Marczak explains the film began when Daniel unexpectedly helped his family dock a raft trip on the Vistula; moved as a father himself, he joined the search and proposed filming, beginning a year-long journey.

Marczak discusses balancing being a human helper and a one-person crew, filming minimally, and navigating ethical choices while documenting grief. He describes his cinematic, no-talking-head approach, custom lightweight gear, and the Polish documentary tradition. He recounts strong festival reactions, the protagonists’ approval, and the film’s message of presence and appreciating what you have, plus the IFC Center premiere.

Closure opened in limited theaters on October 28.

00:00 Welcome and Premise
00:50 Meeting Daniel on the River
04:33 Choosing to Make the Doc
05:15 Trust and Responsibility
06:40 Filming While Helping
10:17 Meaning of Closure
11:21 Cinematic Doc Craft
14:34 Immersion and Shooting Style
17:04 Gear Hacks and One Man Crew
17:59 Adding Other Families
19:55 Festival Reactions and Release
22:08 Personal Grief Connection
23:39 Quick Cuts Segment
27:13 The Last Cut Reflection
28:10 Where to Watch and Farewell

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Companies:
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Listen:
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indie-film-weekly/id1786274754
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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with director Kevin Lewis and actor/executive producer Don Worley about the holiday horror-comedy Christmas at the Kringles, in which year-round Christmas-obsessed neighbors become increasingly sinister while a family tries to reconnect.

Lewis describes receiving Zack Imbrogno’s script four years earlier, protecting its ensemble horror-comedy tone, and finally producing it with Tom and Andrew Wartenberg; Worley joined through them, helped raise financing, and acted in the film after a career pivot from acting and stand-up to law. They discuss balancing comedy and scares through extensive prep, improvisation, “Kringle cut” editing rhythms, and a Beetlejuice/Amblin-style tone, plus casting Ron Livingston, Thomas Lennon, Arden Myrin, Donald Faison, and Rob Riggle as Drunk Santa. They explain releasing October 30 to catch Halloween audiences ahead of Christmas streaming, touch on potential sequels, and end with rapid-fire theatergoing questions and the film’s message about being present.

Christmas at the Kringles is scheduled to release in theaters on October 30.

00:00 Show Intro and Premise
01:01 Origins of the Script
01:38 Don Joins as EP
02:53 Second Chance Careers
03:51 Why This Holiday Mashup
05:09 Nailing the Horror Comedy Tone
06:42 Casting and Improv Energy
14:24 Directing Under Indie Constraints
16:53 Production Design and Team Vibe
18:26 On Set Problem Solving Stories
21:06 Rob Riggle as Santa
21:55 Finding the Heart
22:25 Halloween Release Strategy
24:35 Racing Post Production
25:23 Festival Crowd Reactions
27:43 Sequels and Next Projects
30:00 Quick Cuts Theater QandA
35:02 How Movies Get Made
36:51 Final Cut and Where to Watch

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026)
Wicker (2026)
Fatherland (2026)
Cold War in Philly
Bound (1996)

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Listen:
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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Segan about his film The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. The film stars John Turturro as Harry Layman, an aging pickpocket whose old-school skills are fading in a changing city; after stealing from the wrong person, he races across New York’s five boroughs to recover something unexpectedly valuable, risking his life and his family, including his invalid wife Rosie.

Segan explains building empathy for a flawed criminal, balancing humor and tension, and drawing inspiration from filmmakers including Lumet, Spike Lee, Jonathan Demme, and films like Friends of Eddie Coyle and Mikey and Nicky. He recounts casting Turturro (plus Buscemi, Esposito, Maslany), pickpocket training with Apollo Robbins, shooting challenges in real neighborhoods and on the subway, editor Hilda Rosula’s role in pacing, and music choices featuring Gary Lionelli’s score, LCD Soundsystem, “Native New Yorker,” and Bobby Short. Segan describes premieres at Sundance and Toronto, and securing distribution with Sony Pictures Classics.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York opens in NY & LA October 23 and nationwide on October 30.

00:00 Show Intro And Premise
01:07 Meeting Noah Segan
01:37 Building Harry Layman
03:05 New York Film Influences
04:36 Family Blind Spots Theme
05:42 Casting John Turturro
07:20 Ensemble Chemistry
08:47 Pickpocket Training
09:56 Rosie Relationship Craft
11:15 Shooting In The Boroughs
13:46 Editing Pace And Tone
15:59 Dylan Comic Contrast
17:11 Music Score And Needle Drops
20:18 Dancing for Rosie
20:40 Landing the Opening Song
21:30 Designing the Ending
23:00 Sundance Premiere Rush
24:53 Audience Love and Awards
25:50 Sony Classics Deal
27:56 Quick Cuts Theater Habits
30:14 Movie Memories and Favorites
32:53 Final Cut New York Legacy
34:03 Release Dates and Goodbye

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Companies:
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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker/distributor Joe Amodei about his documentary Cold War in Philly: Flyers versus Russia 1976, recounting the Philadelphia Flyers’ Broad Street Bullies facing the Soviet Red Army team in a widely watched Cold War-era game. Amodei explains how the Ukraine war and a Flyers alumni event sparked the idea, his goal of preserving the players’ stories, and his access to nearly all surviving Flyers from the game.

He describes the Flyers’ coach studying Soviet hockey, the controversial Ed Van Impe hit that preceded the Russians leaving the ice, and the film’s humor and archival footage process with Comcast/NBC and Flyers archives. Amodei discusses sold-out Philly-area screenings with player Q&As and distribution realities.

Cold War in Philly is available on Apple TV, Amazon, and YouTube.

00:00 Show Intro and Setup
00:56 Joe Origin Story
02:20 Why This Game Mattered
04:13 Building the Documentary
05:27 Miracle on Ice Connection
07:46 Coaching and Game Plan
08:46 The Hit and Walkout
10:56 Getting Rights and Footage
12:50 Wild Off Ice Stories
15:43 Interviewing Childhood Heroes
18:59 Distribution Reality Check
19:40 Finding the Film’s Humor
21:04 Turning Screenings Into Events
23:01 Beyond Philly Screenings
25:24 Marketing in a Crowded World
26:55 Quick Cuts Theater Habits
28:21 First Movies and Favorites
30:50 Lessons as Filmmaker Distributor
32:42 Where to Watch and Wrap

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Trust Me, I’m a Doctor (2026)
You Can See Everything (2026)
Once Upon a Time in Harlem (2026)
Let’s Have Kids! (2026)
Swingers (1996)

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Listen:
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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Thane Economou about his dark-comedy true-story film Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, starring Kal Penn as Dr. Kapoor amid the Anna Nicole Smith media circus, with Linda Hamilton and Abbie Cornish.

Economou explains discovering the project through Kapoor’s memoir, shaping an unreliable-narrator structure with lawyer interruptions, and balancing heartbreak with humor inspired by films like Goodfellas, The Social Network, I, Tonya, plus thematic touchstones Quiz Show and Shattered Glass. He details extensive research into Smith’s life and court records, casting Penn and Hamilton, directing key scenes like the diary reading, and filming inside the actual WeHo Pride Parade. He discusses mixed-media visuals, a 2005–2007 soundscape with composers Daniel Stockdale and Niles Dwyer (DJ KASHMIR) and Briarcliff’s theatrical release plan of hitting around 600 screens.

Trust Me, I’m a Doctor opens October 16.

00:00 Welcome and Premise
00:41 Finding the Story
02:02 Choosing Dark Comedy
03:14 Unreliable Narrator Setup
04:21 Film Inspirations
06:27 Deep Research Process
08:01 Casting Kal and Linda
09:49 Directing the Diary Scene
11:01 Shooting Pride Parade
14:34 Narration Rules and Edit
15:55 Building the Soundtrack
17:15 Nailing the 2000s Look
18:56 Distribution and Briarcliff
19:46 Briarcliff Takes the Risk
21:11 Mixed Media and Poking Bears
21:37 Is Kapoor Sympathetic
23:56 Quick Cuts Theater Habits
24:49 The Vista Theater Memories
26:06 Repeat Watches and The Room
27:46 IMAX Odyssey and Parenting
29:34 Final Cut Family Secrets
32:12 Where to Watch and Farewell

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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Kasia Adamik about Winter of the Crow, a political thriller set in Warsaw during martial law in 1981, starring Lesley Manville as British professor Joan who witnesses a secret-police murder and becomes trapped in a shut-down country.

Adamik explains the film’s long development from adapting Olga Tokarczuk’s seven-page novel, the challenge of capturing Tokarczuk’s absurdity and humor, and the decision to tell the story subjectively rather than with detailed political factography. She describes changing the protagonist from male to female after earlier script versions stalled, which clarified Joan’s vulnerability, ambiguity with students, and Thatcher-era context.

Adamik details recreating 1981 Warsaw largely in Luxembourg with slightly exaggerated realism influenced by Brazil, using Polaroids as proof and a “reality check,” and reflecting on her storyboard career before discussing the film’s themes of normalized oppression, lost freedoms, empathy, and audience reactions after its Toronto premiere.

Winter of the Crow opened in limited theaters October 9.

00:00 Show Intro and Setup
00:55 Origins of the Adaptation
02:53 Tokarczuk Tone and Subjective Approach
04:44 Why Joan Became a Woman
08:06 Casting Lesley Manville
10:09 Building Warsaw 1981
13:03 Polaroids as Proof and Paranoia
14:53 From Storyboards to Directing
16:29 Themes of Oppression and Empathy
18:38 Festival Premiere and Audience Reactions
20:49 Quick Cuts Moviegoing Q&A
24:03 Final Cut and Where to Watch

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Misty Green (2026)
California Schemin’ (2026)
Double Trouble (2026)
Ballroom (2026)
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Shaun Paul Piccinino about Double Trouble, a PG-13 holiday action comedy set during a Las Vegas casino jewelry heist starring sisters Madeleine and Violet McGraw with Andrew Koji.

Piccinino explains the film originated from a desire to showcase the McGraw sisters in a non-stereotypical holiday movie, blending influences like Home Alone, Ocean’s 11, Die Hard, and Jackie Chan-style environmental action. He discusses Vegas production challenges at the Palms Casino, including working with underage actors’ time limits and filming amid 4,000 football fans, plus staging sleight-of-hand, complex stunts, and an original song performance cross-cut with the heist. He hopes audiences take away a message about family and found family.

Double Trouble opens in limited theaters October 9 before streaming on Amazon Prime.

00:00 Show Intro and Premise
01:02 Origin of Double Trouble
03:14 Shooting in Vegas
06:14 Diamond Gauntlet MacGuffin
07:25 Movie Influences and Tone
09:22 Stunts and Fight Choreography
12:08 Heist Sleight of Hand
13:25 Production Challenges and Time Limits
16:57 Music Performance Crosscut
19:03 Directing the McGraw Sisters
21:44 Marketing the Comedy Shift
22:10 PG-13 Balancing Act
23:06 Cast Future Plans
23:32 Premiere Crowd Reactions
25:17 Letting Films Find Fans
27:03 Christmas Release Strategy
30:14 Quick Cuts Theater Habits
31:25 Star Wars Theater Memories
33:58 Rewatching Epic Cinema
37:49 Last Movie Seen
38:46 Family Message and Where to Watch

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Atonement (2026)
Lady (2026)
Nickels (2026)
Men of Law (2026)
Mulholland Drive (2001)

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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Karl Lentini about his indie thriller Men of Law, releasing September 29 on Amazon and other transactional VOD platforms through X4 Pictures. Lentini explains the film’s origin as a self-financeable concept he developed with Charles Gorgano, the New York–Texas character setup and Smithville, Texas locations, and inspirations such as the structure of The Untouchables.

He discusses taking on multiple roles (co-writer, director, producer, composer, and lead actor), the challenges of run-and-gun chase scenes, editing with Sarah Radle, and directing himself. Lentini describes losing Gorgano in 2021 and the actor who played Vito in 2024, and how the film led to a Men of Law podcast exploring child trafficking with real-world guests.

The episode also covers distribution strategy, meeting Reynolds via an Austin DVD connection, and quick-fire moviegoing questions.

00:00 Welcome and Film Setup
01:14 Origins of Men of Law
01:40 Writing Partners and Influences
04:49 Early Filmmaking Roots
05:32 Texas Locations and Casting Changes
07:21 Action Scenes and Production Challenges
08:53 Heroes or Vigilantes
09:58 Editing Choices and End Tease
12:36 Character Chemistry and Directing Yourself
14:36 Lessons Learned and Men of Law Podcast
16:33 Distribution Deal and Release Plans
20:43 Quick Cuts Theater Questions
23:10 Final Cut and Where to Watch

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Edie Arnold Is a Loser (2026)
The Scout (2026)
The Incomer (2026)
Resynator (2024)
Big Night (1996)

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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with writer/co-director Megan Ricco and co-director Kade Adwood about their debut feature, Edie Arnold Is a Loser, about an awkward Catholic schoolgirl who finds drumming, forms a punk band, and embraces what makes her different.

They discuss the script’s origins in Ricco’s Catholic school experiences and punk wish fulfillment, Adwood’s desire to make a low-budget film without waiting for approval, and why they chose to co-direct. They cover casting believably young actors, creating a respectful low-budget set, and developing the film’s cartoony sound effects and later-added animations that Ricco taught herself to make.

The filmmakers reflect on SXSW premiere and buzz screening, winning SIFF’s Golden Space Needle for Best Film, audience reactions, influences to avoid, and their 22-city theatrical roadshow with no current streaming plans.

00:00 Welcome and Film Intro
01:47 Origins of the Script
03:35 Choosing to Co-Direct
05:30 Why the Story Resonates
06:28 Title and Punk Influences
07:48 Casting Real Teens
10:52 Standout Performances
12:04 Sound Effects and Animation
14:28 Catholic Goth Aesthetic
15:32 Teen Movie Influences
17:50 SXSW Premiere Reactions
19:18 Screenings and Audience Surprises
22:39 Message for Teen Girls
24:15 What’s Next for Them
24:53 Quick Cuts Theater Trivia
28:07 Final Advice and Where to Watch
30:32 Closing Thanks

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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with filmmaker Colette Ghunim about her debut feature documentary Traces of Home, which follows her taking her Mexican mother and Palestinian father back to the homes they were forced to leave as children, evolving into an exploration of displacement, intergenerational trauma, and healing.

Ghunim explains the project’s origins in cultural-root seeking, its deepening during the 2017 refugee ban and border separations, her parents’ differing comfort levels returning, and how the camera enabled difficult family conversations, aided by her father’s 100+ hours of VHS footage and animated sequences created by Lebanese and Mexican animators.

They discuss mentorship via Kartemquin Films, festival responses, DOC NYC Grand Jury Prize, and distribution with Watermelon Pictures.

Traces of Home begins a theatrical rollout on Sept. 16 in New York (Angelika) and Sept. 25 in Los Angeles (Laemmle), with further cities listed at tracesofhome.com.

00:00 Welcome and Setup
01:14 Meet Colette Ghunim
01:52 Origins of the Film
03:01 Convincing Her Parents
04:36 Becoming a Filmmaker
06:00 Mentors and Influences
07:17 Camera as Healing Tool
09:37 VHS Archive Deep Dive
10:31 Finding the Story in Edit
11:49 Personal Meets Political
13:43 Family Feedback and Aftermath
17:09 Animation Choices
18:41 Festivals and Audience Reactions
20:38 Distribution and Producers
22:50 What’s Next for Collette
23:54 Quick Cuts Moviegoing Game
26:28 Final Cut What Is Home
27:08 Release Dates and Farewell

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Traces of Home (2026)
The History of Concrete (2026)
The Weight (2026)
Kneecap (2024)
My Brother’s Wedding (1983)

Get the free Indie Film Weekly newsletter here - https://newsletter.circusroadfilms.com/

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Circus Road Films - https://www.circusroadfilms.com/
Just Curious Media - https://www.justcuriousmedia.com/

Listen:
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indie-film-weekly/id1786274754
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On this episode of Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds and Jason Connell speak with writer/director Michael Paradies Shoob and producer and story collaborator Joe Mealey about their new indie film, Road to Everywhere.

The film follows Los Angeles cab driver Jason Skyler as he takes Jake, a casino dealer returning to the Navajo Nation after 30 years, on a long-distance journey to see his grandson compete in a Native American rodeo.

Shoob and Mealey met at AFI and previously made the 1996 cab-driver ensemble Driven, which was shot and edited on film. They discuss returning to that world with Whip Hubley once again playing Skyler, their original plans involving Tony Todd, Shoob’s experiences driving a cab, the decision to use black-and-white with color flashbacks, and how low-budget flexibility helped shape several key scenes.

They also discuss the film’s unusual roadshow release, which paired screenings with live performances and Q&As featuring Grammy-winning musician and lead actor Robert Mirabal. The tour reached 26 theaters in 21 cities.

Road to Everywhere will be available September 15 on Amazon, Apple TV, and other TVOD platforms through Twin Engines Global.

00:00 Welcome and Setup
01:46 Origins of the Sequel
03:03 Casting Changes and Whip Returns
04:17 Cab Life Inspiration
07:37 Why Revisit Now
08:18 Partnership and Producing
10:29 Tech Shifts and Growth
12:10 Black and White Choice
14:16 DP and Shooting the Cab
16:26 Title Meaning and Themes
19:35 Roadshow Release Strategy
22:24 Distribution and Audience Impact
24:47 Quick Cuts Game
27:33 Final Cut and Wrap

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
On a String (2026)
The Condor Daughter (2026)
A Marble in the Jar (2026)
Road to Everywhere (2026)
Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Get the free Indie Film Weekly newsletter here - https://newsletter.circusroadfilms.com/

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#indiefilmweekly #independentfilm #indiemovies #filmreviews #movierecommendations #circusroadfilms #justcuriousmedia #glenreynolds

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This week on Indie Film Weekly, Glen Reynolds highlights five indie films worth knowing about: three in theaters, one on demand, and one classic.

🎥 Indie Film Reviews:
Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood (2026)
Barbara Forever (2026)
Chronovisor (2026)
The Wizard of the Kremlin (2026)
Donnie Darko (2001)

Get the free Indie Film Weekly newsletter here - https://newsletter.circusroadfilms.com/

Companies:
Circus Road Films - https://www.circusroadfilms.com/
Just Curious Media - https://www.justcuriousmedia.com/

Listen:
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indie-film-weekly/id1786274754
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7i8CzZ19BfM6lRfFAobxRu?si=29bf8ec6da5b44d0
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Watch:
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Connect:
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Indie Film Weekly - https://www.instagram.com/circusroadfilms/

#indiefilmweekly #independentfilm #indiemovies #filmreviews #movierecommendations #circusroadfilms #justcuriousmedia #glenreynolds