I conclude Tribeca special coverage with one of my favorite films at the festival, CAITY (2026). To say Lindsay Calleran has been through some things to get her debut feature made is underselling it by a lot. Please read this First Person IndieWire article that Lindsay wrote; it gives a lot of important background to her story and how CAITY came to be.
I'm so impressed by so many different things: the resiliency she showed in both losing her father and getting this film made; the journey to sobriety; having the guts to put it all out there for the world to see.
Mostly, though, I'm impressed she made an absolute banger of a coming-of-age film. It has amazingly unique cinematography and an ending that you won't predict. It leaves you wanting to know more (and then feeling a little heartbroken after). That's great filmmaking.
Lindsay and I discuss:
- the combination of a birthday, Tribeca premiere, and Father's Day when your debut feature is fictionalized version of your relationship with your father;
- how much real life influenced the final film;
- how she got into filmmaking;
- the unique touches of cinematography in this film;
- the incredible actors playing Caity and her father in this film, and somehow finding the chemistry between them;
- if casting directors are underrated in indie films;
- the EP/producer relationships for this film and the unique grant that made this film happen;
- why we don't see more films like this in festivals and theaters;
- what's next for her.
Lindsay's Indie Film Highlight: LONG'S LONG LOST & MINI MART (2025) dir. by Julian Doan
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