Jay Duplass has made a significant return to the Sundance Film Festival, marking a pivotal shift in his creative journey. The filmmaker, known for deeply personal narratives, is now presenting a poignant tragic comedy titled 'See You When I See You', which had its world premiere on Tuesday. This move represents a deliberate transition from mining his own life stories to embracing and telling the powerful tales of others.
A Transformative Project
The catalyst for this new direction came when Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon approached Duplass with a special project. They presented him with Adam Cayton-Holland's tragicomic script and memoir, which explores the profound impact of PTSD following the suicide of his sister. Duplass was immediately captivated, finding himself both laughing and crying upon reading the material, which compelled him to help bring this story to the screen.
'You really have to be like irrationally in love with the movie that you're making,' Duplass remarked. He emphasised that the film stands on the shoulders of the Cayton-Holland family in Denver, who faced an unexpected and unbelievable tragedy. 'It's the story not only of how they survived it but came through better people,' he added, highlighting the narrative's core themes of resilience and personal growth.
An Unconventional Casting Choice
The film features an ensemble cast including Cooper Raiff, Kaitlyn Dever, David Duchovny, Hope Davis, and Lucy Boynton. Duplass made the unconventional decision to cast Cooper Raiff in the lead role, bypassing more established movie stars. He has served as Raiff's de facto mentor since before Raiff's first feature film, recognising in him a unique range and emotional depth that set him apart from his peers.
'He's just so talented and smart and funny and emotionally available,' Duplass said of Raiff. 'Frankly there aren't a lot of 27-year-olds who are all those things.' (Raiff is now 28). This bold casting choice reflects Duplass's commitment to authenticity and artistic vision over commercial predictability.
Challenges in Securing Talent
While Raiff's casting was a deliberate risk, surrounding him with well-known actors like Dever, Duchovny, Davis, and Boynton was considered non-negotiable. However, Duplass noted the increasing difficulty in attracting big-name actors to smaller art films over the past decade. He attributed this trend to actors earning substantial incomes from television roles and talent agencies gatekeeping their clients for potentially lucrative last-minute offers.
Duplass expressed deep gratitude towards the cast members who committed to the project despite these challenges. 'It's not a lot of money,' he acknowledged. 'These people are people who want to make art and who really were willing to take a chance and, you know, make something crazy with me.' Their participation underscores a shared dedication to artistic expression over financial gain.
Artistic Legacy and Distribution Hopes
Duplass sees 'See You When I See You' as a spiritual heir to Nanjiani and Gordon's Oscar-nominated romantic comedy, 'The Big Sick'. The film is currently seeking distribution at the Sundance Film Festival, aiming to find a platform that appreciates its nuanced exploration of trauma, family, and healing. This premiere not only marks Duplass's return to Sundance but also signals his evolution as a storyteller willing to champion difficult, emotionally resonant subjects.
The project exemplifies a broader shift in independent cinema, where filmmakers navigate commercial pressures while striving to tell authentic, human stories. Duplass's journey from personal to universal narratives reflects a maturation in his craft, offering audiences a film that balances humour with heartbreak, and despair with hope.
