Kestrin Pantera, the SXSW award-winning writer-director behind Pretty Problems, is back with a wild new indie comedy that turns a small-town science fair into an all-out battlefield. Titled Backseat Drivers, the film has just added some major new cast members, including Sean Gunn (Superman), Vanessa Chester (The Lost World: Jurassic Park), Natasha Halevi, and Alex Klein (Scarpetta). They join a previously announced ensemble that includes comedy legend “Weird Al” Yankovic, Tia Carrere, Jackie Tohn, David Wain, and The Sklar Brothers.
The film follows a former one-hit-wonder rockstar who moves her family to a picturesque small town for a fresh start. But all the untapped ambition and rage she's kept bottled up over the years finds a new outlet: her child's fifth-grade science fair. The intensity she brings quickly ignites a parent rivalry that spirals into an all-out war, with the entire town getting caught in the crossfire.
Pantera, who also stars in the film, says the idea was sparked by a real-life moment. After moving to a fancier town, she found herself pulling an all-nighter to help her kid finish a science project. “I found myself sizing up the other parents, judging them for doing their kids' work (or not helping enough),” she shared during a recent screening at Vidiots. “I thought: I may not win an Oscar this year, but I can win the shit out of this science fair.” That moment, combined with a nudge from her manager, Evan Anglin, led to the creation of Backseat Drivers.
Pantera describes the film as a comedy that unexpectedly became deeper than she anticipated. “I set out to make a film about a town unwinding because of the school science fair, but ended up making one about embracing fear and rediscovering creativity,” she said. “If you’ve ever experienced intrusive thoughts, marveled at the collective unconscious, or pleasured yourself to Pride & Prejudice — then this movie is for you!”
The cast is rounded out by Pantera's longtime collaborators Breeda Wool and Sam Littlefield, plus celebrity cameos from Tiffany Haddish, Sherry Cola, Paul James, and Grammy and Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. The film is the first production from Pantera's new banner, Pantera Pictures, which she launched to support and promote female-driven stories.
Sean Gunn, a frequent collaborator of his brother James Gunn, was recently seen playing Maxwell Lord in DC projects, while his wife Natasha Halevi played Amanda McCoy in Superman. Vanessa Chester, who appeared in Pantera's Pretty Problems, was most recently in the wine comedy The Napa Boys. Alex Klein, another Gunn regular, has appeared in Peacemaker and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Pantera is coming off a hot streak. Pretty Problems won the audience award at SXSW in 2022 and later hit #1 on Hulu. Her 2024 James Bond parody short, “Dr. No Means No,” is being developed into a feature film at Pantera Pictures. With Backseat Drivers, she's aiming to blend personal experience with off-the-wall comedy in a way that resonates with anyone who's ever felt the pressure of parental competition.
No release date has been set yet for Backseat Drivers, but with this cast and concept, it's shaping up to be one of the most anticipated indie comedies of the year. Stay tuned for more updates.
