PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — “Teen Wolf” and “Gilmore Girls” alumni star in the Portland-made movie that garnered rave reviews at the nation’s largest independent film event.
The annual Sundance Film Festival kicked off in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 23. That same night, Deadline reported that a screening of locally-produced movie “Twinless” moved audiences.
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James Sweeney serves as the star and director of the dark comedy.
“Sweeney billed the movie as a bit ‘DePalma and grief drama,’ the story about a young man Dennins (played by Sweeney) who loses his gay lover Rocky tragically (played by [Dylan] O’Brien),” Deadline said. “However, Rocky has a twin brother, Roman. Both Roman and Dennis find each other in a twin-loss bereavement group, and a complex bromance sprouts.”
In addition to “Teen Wolf” and “The Maze Runner” star O’Brien, the movie features “Gilmore Girls” lead Lauren Graham as Roman and Rocky’s grieving mother. “The Nightingale” actress Aisling Franciosi and “Abbott Elementary” actor Chris Perfetti are also among the cast.
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The entertainment magazine first revealed the film had begun production in early 2024. Local talent agency Adam and the Backgrounds released a casting call for identical twins in the Portland area around that January.
Sweeney told the Los Angeles Times the film was initially set in Seattle, with the characters embarking on a road trip for a hockey game. However, the Seattle Kraken didn’t join the National Hockey Game until 2021 — and the first draft of “Twinless” was written in 2015.
Filmmakers ultimately decided to pivot to Portland.
“…It still made sense narratively,” Sweeney said. “I feel so lucky ‘cause I love Portland and we had such a great crew there and I feel we got to show a different side of Portland than normally gets portrayed in film… Honestly, it was a few of the best months of my life. Living there and filming was magical.”
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Deadline reported that “Twinless” is now for sale. Last year, Netflix bought another Portland-made movie for $17 million after its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. It is now nominated for a Critics Choice Award.
The 2025 festival runs through Feb. 2.
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