We’re thrilled to announce that Stubborn Beast, a new feature directed by film critics and video essayists Scout Tafoya and Tucker Johnson, will begin production this month in Savannah, GA. The film, about a family of step-siblings and divorcees trying to get through a particularly rough holiday without their matriarch, is set to start filming on April 28 and wrap in mid-May.
The film stars Paul F. Tompkins (Lodge 49, Bojack Horseman), Meredith Salenger (Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, The Journey of Natty Gann), Sam Clifford (Apple TV+’s Cape Fear), Bill Corbett (Mystery Science Theater 3000, Rifftrax), Lorelai Linklater (Boyhood, American Trash), and Autumn Noel, star of vertical dramas such as The Words and Baby Please! Don’t Come Home for Christmas.
The film follows a grad student played by Clifford who comes home for the holidays in need of a heart-to-heart, only to find her gone and her stepfather, Stephen (Tompkins), home by himself. The pair must deal with their emotional troubles together for the first time, without a sobering matriarchal influence.
The film is executive produced by Mark Pellington (The Mothman Prophecies, and the upcoming This is Buzz and Lone Wolf) and will be produced by Tafoya and Johnson’s Honors Zombie Films, along with Salenger, Tompkins, Sean U’Ren, Thomas Hedges, Ben Lebermann, and Ryan Harrison Warnberg. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, the film is still looking for financial partnerships and distribution.
“This is the happiest moment of my life and I’m also completely terrified,” said Tafoya. “It is absolutely a dream come true to work with this cast. Tucker and I have heard Paul F. Tompkins more than we have our own voices, Meredith Salenger is one of the great unsung talents of her generation, Sam and Autumn are about to explode and we get to be there on the launchpad. You write books about Ford and Hooper like I have and you sort of dream about leveling up to make something the way they might have. But how often does it happen? I actually can’t believe we get to make this.”
Johnson noted, “Scout has had so many more brushes with film culture over the years but because we love movies an equal amount we’ve never struggled to bond over the idea of finally getting the chance to really make one at this level. We simply couldn’t feel more fortunate to have a cast and crew that’s generous enough to trust us with their time. We can’t wait to wrangle everyone’s talent and make something we’re truly proud of.”
Johnson and Tafoya’s previous work as filmmakers includes Eyam and Hang the Pale Bastard, and their work as essayists includes The End of History on the influence of Ridley and Tony Scott. Tafoya is the author of books on John Ford and Tobe Hooper and the creator of the highly lauded series The Unloved at RogerEbert.com.
Tompkins is repped by UTA, Salenger by Authentic Talent & Literary Management, Clifford by Privelege Talent, and Noel by Key.
Meredith Salenger photo courtesy of Nick Holmes.