Josh and Benny Safdie, known eponymously as the Safdie brothers, have collaborated with A24 — the independent entertainment company responsible for horror classics Hereditary and Midsommar — to bring to life a humorous coming-of-age story about an aspiring comic artist: Funny Pages. Having originally screened at the Director’s Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival, A24 has dropped the official release trailer for the low-budget indie comedy, and it looks nostalgic, passionate, and incredibly charming.
The Safdie brothers have previously worked on the crime-thriller films Good Time (2017) starring Robert Pattinson and Uncut Gems (2019) starring Adam Sandler. In April 2022, IndieWire reported that the Safdie brothers would be teaming up with Sandler once again for another project, but for now, they proudly present Funny Pages as their latest Safdie-produced endeavor. Check out the trailer for the Safdie’s heartwarming comedy above, or click here.
Written and directed by Owen Kline — best known for starring in comedy-drama The Squid and the Whale — in his directorial debut, Funny Pages follows a young teenager named Robert (Daniel Zolghadri) with artistic integrity well beyond his years who dreams of becoming a big-shot comic artist. In pursuit of his career, he rejects his quiet suburban lifestyle and stumbles upon veteran comic artist Wallace (Matthew Maher), a down-and-out shell of a man who agrees to mentor Robert and hone his skills.
Zolghadri has appeared in a handful of films, including Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade (2018) alongside Elsie Fisher and Nathaniel Halpern’s Tales from the Loop opposite Paul Schneider and Rebecca Hall. Moreover, Zolghadri’s co-star Matthew Maher has landed minor roles as Norex in Captain Marvel (2019) and Corwin Earle in Gone Baby Gone (2007). Joining the two leads are Maria Dizzia (Orange Is the New Black), Josh Pais (Joker) and Stephen Adly Guirgis (Russian Doll).
Funny Pages will be available in select theaters and on-demand from Aug. 26. Also, keep an eye out for A24’s upcoming slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies, which gets its theatrical release on Aug. 5.