Independent studio Topic Studios is experiencing success on the film festival circuit with several acclaimed projects, including films at Telluride, Cannes, and Sundance. The company, founded in 2017 as a division of First Look Media, focuses on filmmaker-driven projects that resonate with audiences and spark conversation.
At this weekend’s Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, Topic will showcase Jesse Eisenberg’s “The Debut,” starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. The studio also presented Jordan Firstman’s “Club Kid,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. “Wicker” will be released by Black Bear in a month following a successful debut at Sundance in January.
Topic film and documentary head Ryan Heller explained the company’s approach, stating, “We’ve worked hard over the last few years to identify things that we feel uniquely suited to make happen.” Heller noted that in the current post-COVID cinematic landscape, Topic focuses on identifying projects with a “communal aspect,” recognizing that audiences are now “showing up for specific movies, instead of walking into theaters [looking to discover].”
Heller emphasized that Topic seeks projects where independence is a “feature, not a bug,” and the company’s responsibility is to guide these films to an audience. The studio gravitates toward writer-directors and “distinctive and filmmaker-driven” stories that may require effort to be seen but can ultimately connect with a sizable audience. He also noted a recurring theme in their selections: “There seems to be something confrontational about each of these movies.” He cited “Splitsville,” which explores insecurity and marriage, and “Club Kid,” which addresses self-destruction and making positive life choices.
According to Heller, the biggest challenge is finding projects they connect with. “So, when we see something we fall for it’s the greatest thing,” he said.
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