Chicago filmmaker Michael Glover Smith continues his run of character-driven features with Hekla, a new film that explores the emotional realities of pursuing an acting career. Music Box Theatre will host the film’s world theatrical premiere.
Produced by Sweet Void Cinema, founded by Jack McCoy and based at Facets Multimedia.
The Chicago-made dramedy unfolds over the course of a single, hectic day. The film follows Hekla, played by Elizabeth Stam, a determined actress navigating auditions, personal setbacks, and the lingering weight of a recent breakup. Over the course of the day, she attends multiple auditions, gets new headshots, and performs Lady Macbeth in a dive bar while attempting to keep intrusive thoughts of her former girlfriend, Tyler (Mary Tilden), at bay.
The premise fits squarely within Smith’s body of work. Known for films like Relative, Mercury in Retrograde and Rendezvous in Chicago, he has built a reputation for dialogue-driven stories that explore relationships and creative lives with a grounded, often dry sense of humor.
Here, that approach sharpens into something more personal. Beneath the humor, Hekla leans into the uncertainty that comes with choosing a creative path, especially when the validation is not immediate. The film centers on the idea of showing up for yourself, even when the industry, or the world around you, is not paying attention.
The performance by Stam is already drawing attention on the festival circuit. She earned the Festival Spirit Award at the George Lindsey Film Festival world premiere, along with a Best Performance award at the Covellite International Film Festival. The film has also screened at the Beloit International Film Festival, and is scheduled to screen at the Savoy Lumiere Film Festival, and Fort Myers Film Festival.
Screening and Q&A
The Music Box screening is set for Sunday, May 10 at 7 p.m., followed by a Q&A with Smith, Stam, and cast members including Wendy Robie, Mary Tilden, Brookelyn Hebert, Sadieh Rifai, Sadie Rogers, and Grant Carriker. The conversation will be moderated by Cinema Femme’s Rebecca Martin Fagerholm.
ALSO READ:
Chicago’s Swym Good Films premieres horror short on ALTER
