Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In a chance encounter on Grindr, a reclusive barman at an Arkansas line-dancing bar connects with a charismatic Hollywood actor. The sheer force of their chemistry pushes him to question the isolated life he has built for himself- and embrace the transformative power of intimacy and vulnerability.
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Some Kind of Paradise by Nicholas Finegan
nicholasfinegan.com
"I then got very excited by the idea that we could create a small, subtle story that centred around that character’s softening. Taking that brittle shell the cowboy carries with him, and cracking it just enough to let some of his soft inner yolk spill out… Ultimately, I never set out to make a cowboy movie specifically. It emerged. I was thinking about themes of masculinity, vulnerability, performance, intimacy, and then one evening in my room I was listening to country and western music, and a lone cowboy floated into my mind’s eye. Dancing alone on a stage under purple light. Often stories come to me in images like that. There’s a mystery and magic to those inner pictures. I try to listen to them, be led by them, see where they want to go…"
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of Some Kind of Paradise with our exclusive interview with writer/director Nicholas Finegan
directorsnotes.com/2026/04/10/nicholas-finegan-some-kind-of-paradise
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// Credits //
STARRING:
John Brodsky & Gabriel Leyva
with Chloe Ibanez
Directed by Nicholas Finegan
Written by Nicholas Finegan & Talisha Elger
Produced by Tianyu Yang
Cinematography by Sharon Pulwer
Edited by Richard Bai
Production design by MOJO
Original Music by Natasha Frank
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#cowboy #romance #drama #lgbtqfilm #lgbtqia #shortfilm
In a chance encounter on Grindr, a reclusive barman at an Arkansas line-dancing bar connects with a charismatic Hollywood actor. The sheer force of their chemistry pushes him to question the isolated life he has built for himself- and embrace the transformative power of intimacy and vulnerability.
🔔 Love indie films? SUBSCRIBE to Directors Notes for more trailblazing shorts: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
Some Kind of Paradise by Nicholas Finegan
nicholasfinegan.com
"I then got very excited by the idea that we could create a small, subtle story that centred around that character’s softening. Taking that brittle shell the cowboy carries with him, and cracking it just enough to let some of his soft inner yolk spill out… Ultimately, I never set out to make a cowboy movie specifically. It emerged. I was thinking about themes of masculinity, vulnerability, performance, intimacy, and then one evening in my room I was listening to country and western music, and a lone cowboy floated into my mind’s eye. Dancing alone on a stage under purple light. Often stories come to me in images like that. There’s a mystery and magic to those inner pictures. I try to listen to them, be led by them, see where they want to go…"
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of Some Kind of Paradise with our exclusive interview with writer/director Nicholas Finegan
directorsnotes.com/2026/04/10/nicholas-finegan-some-kind-of-paradise
👉 Follow Us for More Short Film Greatness:
Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
Podcast: pod.link/192507317
// Credits //
STARRING:
John Brodsky & Gabriel Leyva
with Chloe Ibanez
Directed by Nicholas Finegan
Written by Nicholas Finegan & Talisha Elger
Produced by Tianyu Yang
Cinematography by Sharon Pulwer
Edited by Richard Bai
Production design by MOJO
Original Music by Natasha Frank
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#cowboy #romance #drama #lgbtqfilm #lgbtqia #shortfilm
