Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Dave Bekerman’s Trad explores the darkly humorous and unsettling side of internet culture through the story of a struggling influencer turned “tradwife.”
- The film’s narrative was reshaped extensively in post-production, highlighting the power of editing to refine and clarify story flow.
- As an independent filmmaker, Bekerman embraces resourcefulness, leveraging home locations and close collaborators to bring his vision to life on a shoestring budget.
Writer, director, and producer Dave Bekerman brings a fresh but biting voice to genre filmmaking with his latest short film Trad, selected for the 2025 FilmQuest festival.
Featuring a talented cast including Milly Sanders and Andrew Perez, Trad navigates the disturbing demands of viral internet personas through its “satirical psycho-thriller” lens.
With a crew led by Jill Deibler on production design and Matthew J. Blake behind the camera, Bekerman’s film is as much a commentary on social media culture as a showcase of indie filmmaking ingenuity.
What drew you to make this film? Why this story, and why now?
Trad is inspired by my dismay living in a country where so many want to exist in a romanticized, fictional past, even if it's at the expense of other people's rights.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time—creatively or logistically? Was there a moment on set or in post that completely changed how you saw the story?
Post was huge in finding the flow of the narrative. We chopped things up and rearranged them in a way that made a huge, positive difference.
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?
The climax was seared into my mind before we ever shot a frame. Some of the dark humor also feels tied directly into my voice.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
How long do you make a short film? Can you tell a rich story with fully fleshed out characters? The hardest creative decisions were probably big picture conceptual ones--what is this movie going to be in real, tangible terms?
"Trad is inspired by my dismay living in a country where so many want to exist in a romanticized, fictional past, even if it's at the expense of other people's rights."
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
I hope audiences find Trad to be creepy, humorous, and Cathartic.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire maddening process and might not stray too far because there's so much to be mined in satirizing our horrifying modern moment.
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
"Leaning on collaborators from the writing stage all the way through delivery, 100%. From getting script input to asking for favors in the edit, corralling your most talented friends and working together is what it's all about."
Independent filmmakers often rewrite the rules out of necessity. What do you think is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into that on this project? Is there a lesson or breakthrough you’d share with others navigating this path?
We shot the entire project at my house. It's a pain in the neck, but for shoestring indie filmmaking, it's a major hack.
"Post was huge in finding the flow of the narrative. We chopped things up and rearranged them in a way that made a huge, positive difference."
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for FilmQuest, one of the world’s top reviewed genre film festivals?
I'm blown away by the festival's sense of community and thrilled to be a part of the magic that's been created there.
FilmQuest celebrates the majesty and might of genre filmmaking across fantasy, horror, sci-fi, action, thriller, western, kung-fu, and beyond. How does your film fit within—or push the boundaries of—genre storytelling?
I like to call Trad a 'satirical psycho-thriller,' and it's important to me that the project is funny and scary, but ultimately has something to say.
Where do you see this film going next?
Trad will continue on the festival circuit... and maybe eventually go viral like its protagonist?
“At the core of all my work is a desire to reflect the world back in a unique way that raises questions and entertains."
Cast & Crew
- Milly Sanders, Andrew Perez, David Standbra, Steve Moulton, Mary O'Neil, Ken Narasaki (Cast)
- Dave Bekerman — Writer/Director/Producer
- Jill Deibler — Producer/Production Design
- Matthew J. Blake — Director of Photography
- Jesse Soff — Editor
- Justin Lee — Assistant Director and Post Production Guru
- Mirai Kawashima — Composer
