About this episode
Todd M. Friedman discusses his film Last Shot, exploring themes of family and grief through the lens of youth basketball.
Welcome to another episode of the Following Films Podcast. I’m Chris Maynard. Today, we are diving into a project that kicked off this year’s Dallas International Film Festival as the opening night selection. It’s a film that uses the backdrop of competitive youth basketball to explore much larger themes of family, grief, and the weight of expectations. Joining me today is writer and producer Todd M. Friedman to discuss his new film, Last Shot. Starring Jaime Pressly and Michael Rapaport, the story follows a young basketball prodigy navigating life after a significant loss. What makes this project particularly compelling is how it leans into a grounded, realistic drama—a narrative depth that stems from Todd’s own experiences on the sidelines and the unique decision to cast his son, Dylan Friedman, in the lead role. We’re going to talk about the transition from personal experience to the page, the collaborative process of indie filmmaking, and what it’s like to premiere a project of this scale. Todd, welcome to the show!
People in this episode
Host: Chris Maynard
Guest: Todd M. Friedman
Topics covered
- youth basketball
- family
- grief
- expectations
- indie filmmaking
- personal experience
Keywords
- Last Shot
- Todd M. Friedman
- youth basketball
- family
- grief
- indie film
- Dallas International Film Festival
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Dallas International Film Festival
Books & works: Last Shot
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