The story of My First Film and its unflinching look at creative chaos
My First Film follows Vita, a young filmmaker who decides to revisit her first attempt at making a feature—something that happened 15 years in the past. What unfolds is a portrait of creative ambition meeting hard reality. Vita had wanted to shoot a semi-autobiographical film starring her friend Dina, but her eager but inexperienced approach turned the production into something else entirely: a spiral of chaos, miscommunication, and near-disaster. The film doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable parts—the accidents that nearly became fatal, the relationships strained by the demands of the shoot, the gap between what a young filmmaker imagines and what actually happens on set. It's a story about the cost of learning on the job.
Behind the making of My First Film and how it came to screen
My First Film is a 2024 American drama directed by Zia Anger, who co-wrote the screenplay with Billy Feldman. The project draws heavily from Anger's own experiences as a young filmmaker, making it deeply personal in ways that go beyond typical Hollywood storytelling. The film stars Odessa Young in the lead role as Vita—Young, known for her work in films like Assassination Nation, brings a particular intensity and vulnerability to the part that grounds the narrative. The production came together through MEMORY and MUBI, two companies known for supporting distinctive, unconventional voices in cinema. With a runtime of 100 minutes, the film moves at a deliberate pace, giving scenes room to breathe and characters space to reveal themselves. The IMDb community has rated it 7.065/10, suggesting a film that finds an audience among those who appreciate character-driven drama over conventional plotting. According to reporting on the festival circuit, the film's exploration of creative failure and youthful hubris struck a chord with critics who saw in it something honest about the gap between artistic vision and execution.
What makes My First Film stand out in the landscape of creative drama
What's striking about My First Film is how it refuses to make Vita entirely sympathetic—or entirely culpable. That's the real insight here. Most films about young artists either valorize their suffering or condemn their selfishness, but Anger's film does something trickier: it holds both truths at once. Vita is earnest and driven, but she's also thoughtless about how her ambitions affect the people around her. She wants to make great art, but she doesn't know how to manage a set or handle the emotional complexity of asking a friend to bare themselves on camera. The performances anchor this tension. Young plays Vita with a kind of restless energy—there's always something she's chasing, some creative impulse she can't quite articulate. When the film flashes back to the actual shoot, we see the younger version of this same character making decisions that feel inevitable and terrible at the same time. It's not a cautionary tale exactly, but it's not a celebration either. The thing nobody mentions is that the film's real power comes from its refusal to resolve the moral ambiguity. You finish watching and you're still not entirely sure how to feel about what Vita did—and that uncertainty is exactly the point. The craft here is meticulous; Anger uses the structure of memory and reflection to create a kind of emotional vertigo.
Where to stream My First Film online
My First Film is currently available on major OTT services, and you can find the complete list of where it's streaming right now using the Where to Watch widget at the top of this page. Movie OTT tracks streaming availability across all the major platforms, so you can see exactly which service has it in your region without having to check five different apps. Since streaming rights shift regularly, that widget will keep you updated if the film moves between services. Whether you prefer to watch on a specific platform you already subscribe to or you're hunting for the best option, the aggregator tool takes the guesswork out of it.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed My First Film?
Zia Anger directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Billy Feldman. The project is semi-autobiographical, drawing from Anger's own experiences making her first feature film.
Q: Is My First Film based on a true story?
Yes, it's based on Anger's real experiences as a young filmmaker. While the names and some details have been changed for the film, the core narrative of a chaotic first shoot and the relationships it tested comes from her actual past.
Q: Who stars in My First Film?
Odessa Young plays the lead role of Vita, the filmmaker reflecting on her past. Young brings depth and nuance to a character caught between artistic ambition and the collateral damage it causes.
Q: How long is My First Film?
The film runs 100 minutes, giving it enough time to explore the emotional and creative complexities of its story without feeling rushed or overstuffed.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for My First Film?
The film holds a 7.065/10 rating on IMDb, indicating solid appreciation among viewers who engage with character-driven dramas and unconventional narratives about creative failure.
Final thoughts on whether My First Film is worth your time
If you're drawn to films that examine the messy human cost of creative ambition—the kind that doesn't wrap everything up in a neat bow—My First Film deserves your attention. It's not comfortable viewing, and that's by design. Anger has made something genuinely unsettling about how we treat the people closest to us in service of our dreams. The film doesn't offer easy answers, and honestly, that's what makes it linger. Check the Where to Watch widget to find it on your preferred streaming service, and don't expect a feel-good story about overcoming odds. Expect something stranger and far more interesting.