“Dazed and Confused meets Clerks”
-Caroline Madden
“Nostalgic and Warm”
-Aramide Tinubu
Community college burn out in the making, Crispin lands his first job at the local, rundown Northwood Pizza. And through his experiences with friends, coworkers, and a kindling relationship, Crispin learns to embrace his higher ambitions.
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About
75 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | Directed by Jay Salahi
Northwood Pie is a coming of age romantic comedy with subtle nods to its biggest inspirations — like Clerks/Kevin Smith and Richard Linklater — but targeted towards millennials specifically. Its core message about taking the next step in one’s life is relatable to all generations — be it current or nostalgic. Everyone’s worked at their own “pizza place” at one point or another. Northwood Pie was also shot on location in Irvine, California — where the real Northwood Pizza has been a staple since the ‘70s.
Cast: Todd Knaak, Annika Foster, Paul LeSchofs, Sean Lamping, Trevor Larson, Dominic Syracuse, AJ Hamilton, Destiny Mounce, Cole Ratcliff, Kristina Cohen, Adam Garza, Mendel Fogelman, Nathan Rickard, Elisabeth Steen-Nokleberg, Julia Walker, Walter Moise, Amir Malaklou
Reviews
“A very entertaining, but ‘down to earth’ comedy that increases confidence in indie cinema”
“A labor of love that deserves a look”
“Seasoned with small-budget heart and technical skill”
Evan Dossey | Midwest Film Journal
“Naturalistic dialogues and a subtle approach to the young-adult universe”
“Ganja genre giants Cheech and Chong would praise on high. While high.”
“A likeable hangout comedy that succeeds thanks to its engaging performances“
“An enjoyable and funny slice-of-life movie”
Mathew DeKinder | St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Where it truly excels is in the conversations that are had”
News
First Showing: Coming-of-Age Stoner Comedy Throwback 'Northwood Pie' Trailer
Best Film Ever: Podcast interview where the BFE team give a full Northwood Pie review and have a discussion with Jay Salahi
The Film Dimension: Jay Salahi discusses the film-making process of Northwood Pie with TFD
Ed Hartman's Wild-World of Film and Music: Podcast interview discussing Pizza and Life with Jay Salahi
Between a Pod an a Hard Place: Podcast interview where Jay Salahi and Todd Knaak discuss their writing process and how they made Northwood Pie a low-budget yet authentic film
The Movie Blog: Jay Salahi waxes about Wizards, Wan, Weed and his Directorial Debut
The Movie Guys at the Pasadena Film Festival: TMG discuss Northwood Pie with Jay Salahi and Todd Knaak at the Pasadena Film Festival
The Real
Northwood Pizza
A fixture for Irvine, California, Northwood Pizza has established itself as the town’s cultural mainstay. Between hiring primarily local high school kids and college students—while catering to both since 1981—the restaurant has impacted the lives of multiple generations. If it takes a village to raise a child, Northwood Pizza is the village—making even the colossal suburbs of Irvine feel like a small town. If it wasn’t your first job growing up, then it was your friend’s, sibling’s, or your initials held a high score in the arcade. So when ownership changed and closed 30 years of tradition around 2011, residents grouped together in social media protest until two childhood friends and former employees reopened its doors in a new location. Which served as our film's shooting location, and where our very own writer, Todd Knaak, found inspiration for this film through his 2-year employment.
