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PARK CITY, Utah — Since seeing “Little Miss Sunshine” at Destiny Mall in 2006, Carmen Emmi has wanted to premiere a film at Sundance. Seeing the “Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival” logo on his film, “Plainclothes,” Emmi realized the magnitude of the moment.

“I was just relieved that the power didn’t go out,” Emmi said. “It was incredible, the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Plainclothes” premiered Sunday night at The Ray Theater, competing in the U.S. Dramatic competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Filmed entirely in his hometown of Syracuse, the premiere was a celebration of years of Emmi’s hard work and dedication. He said the crowd’s energy and emotion toward the film made for an unforgettable night.

The film is an immersive psychological experience where the audience sees Lucas (Tom Blyth) deal with the intense anxiety from suppressing his feelings as a closeted gay man.

Before the screening, Emmi had only shown the film to a small group of people, so he was excited to see how a new audience would react to its dramatic moments. Emmi said the sounds of shock and awe from the 499 people at The Ray were “unreal,” giving him a new perspective on the film and how it could impact others.

Emmi was joined at the premiere by his cast and crew members, many of whom have known him for years and have seen his creativity blossom. Alessandra Ford Balazs, Emmi’s roommate at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, was full of emotion and pride while talking about Emmi’s tremendous accomplishments.

“My heart is full of joy and my eyes full of water,” Ford Balazs said.

Knowing him for over a decade, Ford Balazs understands how important the city of Syracuse is to Emmi and his family. Like many cast members, Ford Balazs had never been to Syracuse before filming “Plainclothes,” and Emmi’s passion for the city opened her eyes to its significance.

Ford Balazs said Emmi only ever cared about filming in Syracuse to represent the places he loves and grew up in. When working on “Plainclothes,” she said Emmi made his hometown feel like home to everyone on set.

“Something about Carmen is that Syracuse is home, and his family is home, and the people he loves are from Syracuse,” Ford Balazs said. “Everything in his heart and soul is in Syracuse, and he brought that.”

Syracuse University Department of Drama alumnus Sam Brownstein joined the cast after Emmi emailed the drama department, seeking an actor for a part in “Plainclothes.” Brownstein was the only person to reply and found himself playing a key role in Emmi’s film.

Brownstein began filming with Emmi three years ago in the New York State Fair bathrooms. Watching Emmi speak at the premiere was incredible and a reminder of all the hard work it took to reach that moment.

“Going from this small little thing in Syracuse, it’s amazing to see the process from three years ago, and coming here is absolutely wild,” Brownstein said.

Although he could not attend the premiere, Blyth spoke about Emmi’s impact on him during the production and how moving it was to work on “Plainclothes.” In a pre-recorded video, Blyth expressed how honored he was to portray Lucas and put something so meaningful to Emmi on screen.

“Carmi, I love you as a brother, as a filmmaker, as a man, as a human being. I think you’re wonderful and a creative genius,” Blyth said.

Blyth also spoke about how proud he was to star in a film competing at Sundance. It’s been his dream to premiere a movie at the festival, and “Plainclothes” was the perfect film for him to achieve that goal.

From cast members to producers, the production of “Plainclothes” was incredible, and the premiere was the perfect culmination of the creative process Emmi took them on. Although it’s Emmi’s first feature film, producer Eric Podwall was amazed at how clear Emmi’s vision was for “Plainclothes” and how beautifully he executed it.

Podwall knows this is the start of something special for Emmi.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to work with someone who is going to be one of the next great directors of our time,” Podwall said. “Being here and bringing something so personal to life with him is an honor.”

To Emmi, the festival is the best place for filmmakers to share their visions with an exciting, engaging audience. Emmi said showcasing the city of Syracuse on screen with a story so personal to film was the ultimate dream come true, exceeding his wildest imaginations.

“The movie just played at Sundance,” Emmi said. “It’s the biggest honor for a filmmaker.”

Published on January 27, 2025 at 9:14 pm