Christian Nilsson and RJ Mitte spoke with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about their new film “Westhampton,” which will be in theaters on July 10th via Obscured Releasing. It was written and directed by Nilsson.
The film stars Finn Wittrock (who also serves as an executive producer), RJ Mitte, Jake Weary, Amy Forsyth, Roxanne Schiebergen, Sam Strike, Chris Gray, Gabrielle Manna, Tovah Feldshuh, and Dan Lauria, among others.
The synopsis is: Years after leaving his Long Island hometown to chase his dream as a filmmaker, Tom Bell (Finn Wittrock) is down on his luck as a director.
Unable to replicate the success of his breakout film, Tom remains haunted by guilt from the high school accident that inspired it.
As the black and white 16mm of Tom’s film creates a dreamlike, heightened connection to the past, his return to Westhampton forces him to confront buried secrets, broken relationships, and the past he is trying to rewrite.
The New York screening of “Westhampton” will take place on Friday, July 10th, 2026, at Village East by Angelika. “I love that venue,” Nilsson exclaimed. “It’s the same theater that we screened it in at Tribeca. It’s easily my favorite theater in New York City. We feel very blessed to be able to screen it there.”
On the film getting its movie theatre release, Nilsson remarked, “This is incredible! It opened at Tribeca Film Festival and to have sold-out screenings and engage with people is really great. It feels a lot differently when it’s a wider release.”
“The last time we were at Stony Brook, it sold out. The theater holds 1,000 people and they said that in the festival’s 30-year history, they’ve only sold it out five or six times. ‘Westhampton’ was one of those times, so having a sold-out crowd was awesome,” Nilsson exclaimed.
“This is truly remarkable,” Mitte exclaimed. “I think the overwhelming respect we’ve from the film, and Finn’s performance, and everyone that was a part of it was great because everybody brought their A-game.”
On the lessons learned from the screenplay, Nilsson stated, “I learn something from everything I write. This movie felt like the one for me! I knew I couldn’t make any other film until I got this one done. It was a personal story that I could see so clearly in my head. It’s an incredible experience to have this idea actualized and to be able to share this movie with a wide audience.”
“Now, the film is no longer about what my intention is. It’s about what the audience takes from the movie. It has been wonderful to engage with audiences and hear from their perspectives what the story has meant to them, or hear the different ways that they are connecting with it,” he explained.
“I really do think that the point of cinema is to be in a crowded room with no lights on… with everyone watching a screen, having this shared experience, but being able to connect with the film individually,” he said.
On the lessons he learned from the screenplay, Mitte remarked, “What I got out of it was getting to play a character that was happy, Fitz. Most of my characters are usually going through something. I definitely felt many emotions but playing Fitz was a happy emotion. I think it was a lot of fun to be able to vocalize that, and be able to put it out there and have a character where normally I am more internal, and this is all external.”
“So, it’s a great piece of work. When I read the script, I think there are so many elements to it that really captivated me, just with the redemption, understanding, and with everyone going through something. I think it definitely resonated with me,” Mitte acknowledged.
When asked what he wants people to get out of “Westhampton,” Nilsson remarked, “In this age of superhero films, I hope that people engage with a film that exists outside of the studio system, which lives and dies by word of mouth. I want them to engage with a nuanced story and talk about it.”
“I think if nothing else comes out of the film, then any filmmaker would see themselves as a success. The film deals with things and approaches things in a very different way,” Nilsson noted.
“I think it handles disability on film in an original way, Nilsson admitted. “It has original conventions as the story unfolds, with this idea of a film within a film, but treating it like it’s a flashback from an untrustworthy narrator. Also, the subject matter of forgiveness, self-forgiveness, self-atonement, is something that I think you very rarely see dealt with on screen.”
“I’ve been blown away by the response from people that have seen the film, that have understood it, that got to hear their own stories that are inspired after seeing it,’ Nilsson added.
Nilsson hoped he could have gotten Zach Braff to moderate their Los Angeles screening, however, he did send them a few messages with his support and wished them his best of luck because he is filming in Canada at the moment.
Mitte loved working with the cast and crew of “Westhampton.” “Anytime I can work with a great cast and have a director and a team with a solid vision, it makes my job so much more enjoyable and it gives so much more room to grow the characters. I’m just very lucky to be a part of this cast,” Mitte elaborated.
With his bubbly personality on set, and with his popularity among the locals, Mitte affectionately become known as the “mayor of Westhmapton.” “Perhaps next year I will run for mayer of the actual town of Westhmapton,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Nilsson also praised this set for being the “kindest set” that he has ever worked on. “Every day would end with everyone just hugging each other,” he said. “I feel like everybody was so in tune with what we were doing. I think also because the strikes were going on at the same time while we were filming, there was also a sense of everyone felt so present in this work and that we were getting to be able to create something in a time when really no one else was able to make things.”
“I’m curious if I will ever have as much fun on a set and, and work with such a determined group of people,” he admitted.
“I hope that every set that I work on after this has more money, more resources, and that I don’t have to do costumes as well as directing and be shuttling people in my car between shots. Beyond that, I was really, really blessed,” Nilsson said.
Mitte is an active member, acting as President of his family’s legacy of philanthropic projects in South Texas through The Mitte Foundation, spearheading community efforts and funding towards education, health, infrastructure, and scholarships projects for marginalized communities. “The foundation is going great,” Mitte said. “We have our next round of students for our scholarship program, and it just keeps it rolling. Nedda Soltani is one of our board members, and she does a great job with great insights.”
While in New York last year for the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of “Westhampton,” Mitte complimented Burgerology USA. “That place is a 10 out of 10 with awesome food,” Mitte exclaimed. “We need to go back with some of the ‘Westhampton’ cast, director, and crew.’
For fans and viewers, Mitte expressed, “I think Christian Nilsson is definitely a testament to filmmakers. If you have a vision and if you have a story and you want to make it, then don’t give up, and keep pushing forward. Do the mundane things that keep the light on for you but never give up on your dreams. I think this was a dream project for all of us.”
