We are thrilled to announce:
Smile… The Worst is Yet to Come
WORLD PREMIERE!
New York City, Regal Union Square
January 18, 2026 at 6:45p
Ticket Link in Bio
Now you can watch Pablo, Honey here!
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It’s the one year anniversary of our insane little comedy featuring my best boy, Pablo. We miss him every day.
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I’d you’ve never seen, I apologize for how uncomfortable you’re about to be.
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#shortfilm #dogsofinstagram #rubadub
“Instead of asking which film “wins,” we ask what each one is reaching for. What it risks. What it offers. Where it works for us, and where it doesn’t.
Not everything needs to be flattened into a verdict.
Two things can exist, fully, at the same time.
That isn’t a compromise. That’s the point of art.”
Full essay up on Substack. Link in bio
Huge THANK YOU to Surya Komal @justmoviefreaks for the incredibly kind review and for shining a light on our secret weapons: Cinematographer @allie.schultz Production Designer @vfiddlerart and Composer @geographermusic who made this scrappy film look and sound beautiful. This movie punches above its weight class thanks to them and the whole crew. We’re so glad their work is being recognized. 💐💐💐
“A fairy tale fatally collided with reality.”
Grateful for how Smile… The Worst Is Yet to Come is landing with audiences across the board.
A film that Film Threat calls “a warm hug from someone you love.”
Honored by the 9/10 review from Ken Hill at @filmthreat . Link in bio to read more.
#indiefilm #filmstagram #cinema #worldpremiere #filmfestival
Two full theaters for our World Premiere of Smile… The Worst is Yet to Come @danceswithfilms in New York City at Regal Union Square.
@jeremy_hassell caught up with some of the audience afterward on the carpet and this is what they had to say!
#indiefilm #filmfestival #filmstagram #worldpremiere #cinema
Jerek & January spiced up our film with a little “paprika” and added some Cayenne to their orange carpet looks!
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Give @krystinaalabado and @ethan_jromero a follow to keep up with all the amazing work they are doing!
#indiefilm #filmfestival #filmstagram #cinema #worldpremiere
The Smile team had a blast sharing our World Premiere with old friends, new friends, family, and the entire @danceswithfilms community.
@jeremy_hassell caught up with us on the Orange Carpet and gave us a chance to talk about this film we love so much.
We cannot wait for Smile… The Worst is Yet to Come to come to your screens!
#indiefilm #filmfestival #filmstagram #cinema #nyc
Overnight success isn’t a thing.
Films don’t happen because you “have a good idea” — they happen because you spend years testing scenes, interrogating tone, arguing about structure, rewriting for clarity, and finding actors who can carry the emotional weight without overselling it. It’s all the unglamorous parts: script pages taped to walls, endless screenings in living rooms, debates over pacing, and the problem-solving that feels invisible once the lights go down.
I couldn’t dream up a better team than the one that built Smile… The Worst is Yet to Come. Every craft discipline quietly shaped the story: performance, edit, sound, production design, camera — all pulling toward the same worldview.
As you know, I’m a real film nerd and this was a real Pinch Me moment to have our world premiere at Dances With Films: NY at Regal Union Square. I watched movies there for twenty years and to be able to share with friends, family, and all the filmmakers we met at the festival in the city I still call home (even though I’ve been away for 8 years) meant everything to me.
Thanks to all who came out. I really love this film and despite our title — THE MOTHERFUCKING BEST IS YET TO COME.
#indiefilm #filmfestival #worldpremiere #cinema #filmstagram
Music is the emotional undercurrent of SMILE… the Worst is Yet to Come. We were incredibly lucky to have @geographermusic compose the original score and have his catalogue make up the entire soundtrack.
His sound moves between light and dark, serious and playful. His lyrics are full of joy, longing, humor, and heartbreak. That duality feels like real life, and it became the heartbeat of the film. Every needle drop and original chord is woven into the story, letting the music guide the emotion from start to finish.
See SMILE… the Worst is Yet to Come on the big screen at @danceswithfilms and experience Geographer’s music in a whole new way. 🎶
🎬 Screening: Sunday Jan 18th, 9pm @regalunionsquare
🎟️ Tickets available at link in bio
@geographermusic@danceswithfilms #DWFF #FilmMusic #IndieFilm #Geographer #FestivalScreening
