It’s been ten years since Hal Hartley last stepped behind the camera with 2014’s “Ned Rifle.” Since then, the once-prolific voice of ‘90s American independent cinema has been quietly biding his time, trying to get “Where to Land” off the ground.
First announced in late 2019 via Kickstarter, the film was described by Hartley himself as “the best thing I’ve ever written,” a farce centered on mistaken identity, mortality, and filmmaking. The pandemic promptly derailed the original plans, and, waving his white flag, Hartley released the screenplay in book form in 2021.
The film’s production, quietly rebooted in 2022, via a second Kickstarter, is said to have cost only $300,000—a shoestring sum even by Hartley’s usual standards. Regular Hartley players Bill Sage and Robert John Burke return, joined by newcomer Katelyn Sparks. Notably, the cast is a step down from earlier versions, which had included indie icons Edie Falco, Parker Posey, and Elina Löwensohn.
Now, it’s been announced, “Where to Land” is finally set to quietly open on September 12 in select NYC and L.A. theaters. A small miracle. Many believed the project to be dead, even Hartley, but persistence prevailed, and not only has he shot it, but it will now be released eight weeks from now.
The plot follows Joseph Fulton, a renowned director who takes a job at a cemetery, begins preparing his will, and unintentionally sparks a rumor that he’s dying. As word spreads, his girlfriend panics, and a parade of friends, acquaintances, and past collaborators arrive to say their goodbyes.
For those unfamiliar, Hartley emerged in the late ’80s and early ’90s as one of the maverick voices of American independent film.
His breakout features—“The Unbelievable Truth” (1989), “Trust” (1990), and “Simple Men” (1992)—combined deadpan humor, philosophical musings, and minimalist aesthetics to create a unique brand of off-kilter storytelling. Often working with a tight-knit group of actors and composers, Hartley’s films became cult favorites, even as he drifted further outside the mainstream with more alienating fare like “Henry Fool” (1997) and “The Girl from Monday” (2005).
While his commercial footprint faded over the years, his influence remains evident in the work of younger auteurs who similarly blur the lines between satire and sincerity. Whether Where to Land marks a final act or a creative rebirth, Hartley’s return is a rare and welcome sight in today’s IP-driven cinematic landscape.