Closing Night FilmOut 2024 Riley

Riley

Sunday, September 15, 7:30pm | Dessert Reception

Director: Benjamin Howard, 93 min, USA

Centered on the clashing emotions and pent-up passions of a beloved high school football star, Riley is a compelling tale of a young man’s journey to discover who he is, what he wants, and where he’s going. Written and directed by Benjamin Howard, the film tells the story of a popular & talented young athlete Dakota (Jake Holley) who struggles with the all-encompassing anxiety of coming out. With an overbearing dad and hyped-up teammates who have a clear plan for his future, Riley’s secret dreams and desires gnaw at his insides, leading to a powerful exploration of identity, courage, and self-acceptance.

Director Benjamin Howard on the film’s recognition:

It’s incredible, it is really an honor. I did not set up to make the movie to get and all that kind of stuff. The recognition is a really wonderful affirmation for me and for the team. I just wanted to write something honest and truthful based on my own experiences, and the fact that people have resonated with it in a cool and special way is really meaningful for me as the storyteller. It really has shown me that I was not along in my experiences. And that’s what I want to do with the film tell other especially young questioning queer athletics that you are not along, and things are going to be ok. And so, we had a really cool run on the festivals, I been able to travel to a lot of different states and out of the country a couple of time with this movie and see how all sorts of different people resonate with it has been really special. San Diego has been great to us; we swept the San Diego film awards which was really special. And FilmOut specifically is such an honor to come back to, I had a few shorts films play here, my first of which was seven years ago and if you told me back then, one day you will have your first feature close out the festival, I would not have believed you. It is such a cool full circle moment for us, especially because we shot in San Diego, I’m from San Diego, I have always loved the support that FilmOut has given us. It really means a lot that we are closing this year’s festival, especially because one of the scenes we shot was filmed literally right outside the doors where the movie will play. So, there is a lot of cool serendipitous elements about what is going on here.

The importance of independent films and film festivals like FilmOut.

It is so cool to have an audience come out and celebrate and independently made feature, specially at a festival like FilmOut. Queer festivals are so important, telling stories you are not going to see in other venues in other events, so queer specific festivals do a great job at fostering a sense of community a sense of togetherness a sense of comradery. The importance of them really can’t be overstated. We are really blessed to be part of that community and to be welcome in and to have our story as part of that story and celebration. The more we can get audiences in to watch and celebrate these independent films the better.

Jake Holley Lead Actor of Riley

On Playing Dakota:

I was a really lucky person to get to play this character. I met Ben four years ago in 2020, not for this. We did not shoot this four years ago; it was a long time ago but not that long. We did a short fill call rendezvous,  its actually one of my favorite stories about Riley, I almost said no to the short film that introduce me to Ben and gave me what has easily been the most fulfilling, most challenging and most wonderful role I’ve ever done. That short film character I was scared but I liked him I trusted him and knew he was a great film maker I wanted to know and work with, so I said yes to it, we made it. And long story short it was the first time where I felt I had been trusted with something that matter, that is not to say that other films don’t matter. But a lot of what Hollywood makes is products not necessarily stories, it’s not always a filmmaker putting their heart and soul on a piece of paper and then trying to get it in camera and Ben does that, and he is excellent at it. So, I had done the short film and he told me afterwards “I am going to make a feature, I am going to try and get money to make a feature, if we do I would love to have you audition,” and I said of course I’ll audition, I would audition for anything you do ever short, film feature anything and sure enough two years later he got the money and he asked me to audition. I knew who ever got this was going to be the luckiest person and for whatever reason he let me do it. 

About audience reaction:

People that I never thought would see themselves in this see themselves in this. I have a stepfather who is kind of a conservative southern man’s man, and he cried watching it. Crazy to me, people see themselves, Ben and I went to a Florida film festival an a older woman probably late 70’s early 80’s came up to me crying and people see themselves in it and I think the reason is so important is Ben was able to capture some of that burning identity thing that we all carry around with us, because we all have to exist in this society, we all have to have jobs and figure out how to be social and figure out the right things to wear and figure out how to tell jokes and figure out how to be funny or cool or well-spoken and well-read and we are trying to do all these things and while we are doing it we have these little people inside of us who are really scared who just want to be good and be ok and be accepted and be loved and fit in and be alright and Ben was able to capture that on film by telling his own story. It’s that saying of specificity is universality, Ben told a very specific story about a closeted football player who one comes to term with his sexuality but also comes to terms with masculinity weather or not he wants to be a football player. I think with that very specific story he made a universal message, maybe the goal is not to kill it in society and thrive in the world, maybe the goal is to find a way to be ok with whatever you are inside and at least can we make room for it and except it and be gentle with it. I think that is why people that have nothing to do with the LGBTQ+ Community or football cry and see themselves in it. I think it’s because we can all relate to being so rigorous on ourselves.