Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater

Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater is an independent American comedy-drama film written and directed by Justin Zuckerman. It premiered at the 2022 Slamdance Film Festival, and was released on Fandor on January 24, 2023.

Plot

The film follows Lisa, a recent college graduate, who moves from Florida to New York into an apartment with an often-bickering couple. The plot follows Lisa as she meets new friends and experiences the city.

Cast

Isadora Leiva as Lisa
Kelly Cooper as Holly
Michael Patrick Nicholson as Bill
Ryan Martin Brown as Eric
Austin Cassel as Sean
Colin Burgess as Doug
Krista Jensen as Debra

Production

The film was produced by Ryan Martin Brown and 5th Floor Pictures. It was filmed on a mini-DV camcorder on a very small budget. Director Justin Zuckerman said he liked the playful aesthetic and look of mini-DV.

Release

The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival on January 27, 2022, where it was nominated for Best Narrative Feature. It won the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature at the 2022 Tallahassee Film Festival. On January 18, 2023, Cinedigm announced that it had acquired the North American rights to the film, and that it would be released on Cinedigm's streaming platform Fandor starting on January 24, 2023.