Dindin, the indie feature directed by Brendan Patrick Hughes and written by Brenda Withers, is now available to stream on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, distributed by Good Deed Entertainment. This film takes viewers into the tense and unpredictable dynamics of a dinner party gone awry, revealing the complexities of human relationships through sharp dialogue and escalating conflict.
The story revolves around four individuals attending what begins as a seemingly pleasant dinner, only for the evening to unravel into chaos. As the night progresses, polite conversation gives way to exposed secrets and deep-rooted tensions, making for a gripping narrative filled with sharp social commentary and moments of dark humor. Brenda Withers, who not only wrote the screenplay but also stars as Darlene, the instigator of much of the evening’s turmoil, reflects on the setting: “Dinner parties put a lot of moral questions on the table—who eats what, who holds their tongues, how everything gets paid for—so it was a naturally rich canvas to explore.”
Originally conceived as a stage play, Dindin took an unexpected path to the screen during the pandemic, when Withers and her collaborators experimented with the story in a digital format. “We did a Zoom reading to keep the creative spark alive,” Withers recalls. “The response was unexpected. People connected deeply with these characters even through a screen, and that’s when we knew we had to expand it into a film.”
Dindin stands out for its blend of genres, seamlessly moving between comedy, drama, and moments of psychological intensity. “Like a good conversation, Dindin is pretty wide-ranging in tone—it’s a comedy of manners that veers into drama and horror and farce, and doesn’t sit too long in any one place. Part of the piece’s experiment is how to keep a simple evening, one long and winding conversation, suspenseful. We settle in the realm of a philosophical thriller,” said Withers.
Much of the film’s impact comes from Brendan Patrick Hughes’ direction and Emily Topper’s cinematography. Topper, known for her work on high-profile documentaries, brings a minimalist style to Dindin, allowing the actors’ performances to take center stage. “Emily is used to working with skeleton crews in remote locations, where she has zero time to decide where the camera goes and how to disappear so that she can capture every drop of psychology in an unfolding scene. With the actors having so much chemistry, we were able to do incredibly long takes and let Emily’s camera rove to find the truth,” says Brendan about their cinematographer.
The chemistry between the cast—Brenda Withers, Jonathan Fielding, Robert Kropf, and Stacy Fischer—drives the film’s emotional core. Jonathan Fielding reflects on the dynamic between the actors: “Well, there’s just a level of trust there that you cannot manufacture. In other words, there’s a comfort and sense of ease, rhythmically, that comes from years of bouncing off that other person in a hundred different situations. So you’re able to be much more free, and much more open. It’s trust,” Robert Kropf adds.
The film’s dark humor and exploration of social dynamics have drawn comparisons to works that blend sharp social commentary with suspense. As the dinner guests navigate strained conversations and clashing worldviews, the film asks whether we are truly connecting with others or simply playing roles to fit social expectations.
For viewers seeking something intellectually engaging and unpredictable, Dindin offers a unique experience. It challenges conventional storytelling, combining wit and tension to create a film that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. As Hughes puts it, “Dindin is an experiment—I would say a successful one—that attempts to poke at the edges of cinema, or genre, and ask if four human beings in conversation can create a vortex that can encompass an entire motion picture.”
Now available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, Dindin invites audiences to experience a film that pushes the boundaries of genre and form. It is a must-see for indie film lovers looking for something that offers both depth and suspense.
