Just ahead of the SXSW World Premiere of Grind, the horror inflected satire anthology from Brea Grant (12 Hour Shift, Torn Hearts), Chelsea Stardust (Satanic Panic), and seasoned music video director Ed Dougherty, Yellow Veil Pictures moved quickly to acquire North American rights, a decision that speaks not only to the film’s commercial appeal, but to its terrifyingly timely subject matter. The film is also sitting at a scorching 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Told across four connected stories, Grind takes aim at the realities of modern working life, from the carefully packaged optimism of a cult-like MLM scheme to the monotonous cycles of food delivery work, the relentless pressure on those policing the internet, and the organising efforts within a recognisable coffee shop chain. Each strand stands on its own, but together they paint a broader picture of work that feels increasingly precarious, performative, and, oftentimes, outrageously absurd.
“Grind subverts the anthology genre by creating something more cohesive, more interconnected and by doing so wonderfully plays on so many feelings we are all struggling [with] while providing a great deal of laughs along the way,” says Yellow Veil co-founder Joe Yanick. “It’s the perfect kind of film to play before SXSW audiences, and we can’t wait to hear their reactions.”
The ensemble cast includes Rob Huebel, Barbara Crampton, Vinny Thomas, Jessika Van, Christopher Rodriguez-Marquette, James Urbaniak, Courtney Pauroso, James Paxton, Ify Nwadiwe and Aubrey Shea, bringing a mix of straight-faced humour and low-key exasperation that suits the material.
To mark the film’s SXSW world premiere and confirmed acquisition, CinemaChords caught up with Grant, Dougherty, and Stardust to talk about the realities behind the film’s working world, from their own experiences of side hustles and stop-gap jobs to how those informed the different segments, as well as how the three directors managed to keep a consistent tone while sharing duties, collaborating closely to create an anthology that feels less like separate shifts and more like one continuous rota.
