About
Wishful Thinking is a surrealist romantic comedy written and directed by Graham Parkes in his feature directorial debut. The film follows Julia and Charlie, a volatile couple in Portland, Oregon -- she's an ambitious game designer and he's a struggling musician working in sound design to pay the bills. After Julia's friend pushes them into a couples-therapy seminar run by twin healers called the Tillies, the session triggers a karmic universal system that makes the state of their relationship physically affect the world around them. With earthquakes, stock markets, and entire nations at risk, the couple must confront whether their love can survive the destruction. The film stars Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke in the lead roles, with Randall Park, Jake Shane, Amita Rao, Eric Rahill, Kate Berlant, and Kerri Kenney-Silver rounding out the ensemble. It is produced by Highway 10 (Matt Smith and Dan Gedman), Pullman's own banner Buckwild, and Kara Durrett's Pinky Promise. Principal photography took place in August 2025 in Portland, Oregon. The film will have its world premiere in the Narrative Feature Competition at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas (March 12-18, 2026), with a theatrical release set for March 12, 2026.
Filming Locations
1 locationPortland Metro Area
Various locations, Portland
Surrealist rom-com set in Portland. Maya Hawke and Lewis Pullman as couple whose relationship affects earthquakes and stock markets. SXSW 2026 premiere.
Portland
Aug 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025
Sources
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