EXCLUSIVE: Psychological thriller Desert Road will open in theaters in April 2025 as Firebrand Media‘s debut release.
Shannon Triplett‘s first feature stars Kristine Froseth as a 20-something photographer who, after a car crash in the desert, finds herself trapped in a surreal time loop. Froseth won Best Actress at Spain’s Sitges Film Festival for the performance.
The low-budget indie film had a budget of $3M, and has an ensemble cast include Primetime Emmy winner Beau Bridges, Frances Fisher (Reptile) D.B. Woodside (Lucifer) and Max Mattern. Deadline’s Damon White wrote in his review of the film’s premiere at SXSW that “a cult audience surely awaits this compelling, Primer-like puzzler,” and praised both Triplett and Froseth.
“Shannon, Kristine and the rest of the wonderful crew sat in 107-degree desert heat to create a psychological classic, a mind bending tale that Hitchcock would be proud of,” said Alec Roth, Firebrand’s co-founder and Desert Road producer. “We’re so excited at FMG to have this be our first release, and excited to show the world that these are the types of films we will make and distribute for years to come.”
Producers on the film include Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity), Roth, Tuan Bui and Kirk Martin. “Filming in the California desert during extreme heat pushed everyone to their limits, but it also brought an incredible energy and authenticity to the project,” said Martin. “The dedication and creativity of the cast and crew shine through in every frame, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I’m thrilled to finally share this gripping story with audiences and can’t wait for them to experience the twists and turns we’ve crafted.”
Deadline hears Firebrand was initially in talks with UTA and CAA about leading sales, but after Desert Road premiered at SXSW to strong reviews, decided to distribute the film itself. Firebrand launched in March 2022 as a “next-generation” entertainment production group working across film and TV, with Roth Josh Clayton, Kirk Martin and Robby Clifford at the helm.
“Firebrand is all about purposeful disruption,” said Desert Road lead producer Schneider. “They are innovation, imagination, and intelligence, and Desert Road is the proof. The film is a revelation, and we could not be more proud of how it turned out.”
Roth himself is making his directorial debut with Billy Knight, which will star Al Pacino, Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) and Diana Silvers (Ma). It follows a pair of grad students, who aspire to become filmmakers while one grapples with the death of his father, a failed screenwriter.
