Nicholas Colia’s feature directorial debut “Griffin in Summer” is aptly getting a summer release. The writer-director helms the indie coming of age story that debuted at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and subsequently won the Founders Award at the festival for best U.S. narrative feature and best screenplay in a U.S. narrative feature. The film also landed a special jury mention for director Colia, who went on to be nominated for the Someone to Watch Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
“Griffin in Summer” centers on an ambitious 14-year-old playwright Griffin Nafly (Everett Blunck) who is determined to self-produce a divorce drama titled “Regrets of Autumn” while living with his mom (Melanie Lynskey). Yet a newfound friendship with Brad (Owen Teague), an older performance artist and handyman, changes Griffin’s plans for stardom. Kathryn Newton and Abby Ryder Fortson co-star.
The IndieWire review credited Colia for infusing the film with “cheeky humor,” comparing the feature to being a “tween take on ‘Theater Camp‘ or, better yet, a version of ‘Theater Camp’ in which the lovable theater geeks at its heart didn’t even have each other to lean on when times got tough.” The review continued, “As a showcase for his stellar casting abilities and knack for heartwarming storytelling, ‘Griffin in Summer’ is a very fine feature directorial debut.”
Colia previously told IndieWire for the inaugural Tribeca Festival Lisboa that the support from the Tribeca Festival is what really launched “Griffin in Summer” to find distribution. “Tribeca was just a really, really amazing place. I didn’t anticipate any of this, truly,” he said. “They were so generous with us and with the film and the audience. And I just hope that that can continue that in Lisbon. I was very depressed when Tribeca ended. And so I’m really excited that we get to have this reunion there. I want to keep this party going.”
He added of “Griffin in Summer” being on in the first program for Tribeca Festival Lisboa, “It’s so wild. I’m really honored I am to be in like the company of all these other great films. I know Lisbon has become such an artist’s hub in the past decade, and [my film‘s lead character] Griffin is a little aspiring artist. I’m always interested by how other creative people respond to the film, and it seems like this film hit a nerve particularly with the creative community and I know there’s a huge community there in Lisbon. I’m excited to connect with them about it.”
Camila Mendes produces “Griffin in Summer” along with Juliet Berman, Bobby Hoppey, Rachel Matthews, and Matthew Miller.
Vertical will release “Griffin in Summer” in theaters August 29. Check out the trailer below.
