Pop Pop: A Cinematic Parable on Masculinity, Radicalization, and the Digital Age

World Premiere at Tallinn Black Nights

American filmmaker Dylan Stephen Levers presents his debut feature, Pop Pop, in world premiere at the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in Estonia. The film, a true independent art-pop hybrid, blends meme culture, cyberspace journeys, and alt-right protest imagery. It explores toxic masculinity, identity crises, and the digital void. The film debuts in the festival’s „Rebels With a Cause” competition section.

Cast and Creative Team

Levers wrote and directed the film. The cast includes Cashton Tate Rehklau, Trevor Jonathan Lown, and Lena Kutscher, alongside Austin Davis, Djuna Knight, Kevin Confoy, and Marta Kotzien. Rehklau and Lown play Dustin and Dibz, close friends who survived their final year of college. They now share a New York apartment and an internet series. Their paths diverge sharply. Dustin becomes immersed in a radical worldview, seeking attention through provocative online posts. Dibz finds meaning in social activism and a first attraction to a man, forcing him to rethink his identity.

Production and Filming Approach

Pop Pop mixes fictional scenes with real protest footage and psychedelic animations. It is a Body by Lulz Films production, co-produced by Grease NYC. Consuelo Althouse served as cinematographer, and Josh Coll handled editing. W. Ian Ross, Levers, and Althouse produced the film. Executive producers were Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Josh Bierne-Golden, and Erin Magill.

Director’s Statement and Inspiration

In a statement, Levers says he began writing Pop Pop in 2016, „at a time when angry white men were gathering online, sharing extreme ideas about immigrants, Islam, women, and the supposed destruction of the ‘white race.’” What media considered a niche movement soon became a significant political force.

Interview: The Genesis of the Film

Before its world premiere, Levers spoke with THR about the film’s inspiration and hopes for a less divided world.

When did the idea for Pop Pop first strike you?

I started writing this many years ago. The coming-of-age story is timeless in film and TV. In the U. S., shows like Girls and Frances Ha resonated deeply with friends who identified with the transition from girlhood to adulthood. But I wondered, „Where is the conversation about men?” I began gathering small groups for writing sessions. Coming from a theater background, it developed as a new play. We met every six months with actors to refine the script. By February 2020, it seemed production-ready. Then COVID arrived, and the world shut down.

So, what did you do?

It felt almost dead on arrival. But throughout that summer of 2020, the narrative elements already present in the film became even more prominent. Set during the 2016 election cycle, the film’s themes of masculinity and community felt amplified by the pandemic. It became, strangely, more relevant each day.

On filming real protests

I researched alt-right protests in 2019 and attended several. One in Boston, the „Straight Pride” protest led by Milo Yiannopoulos, felt niche but foreboding. My filmmaker side saw production value in that disturbing event. Cinematographer Consuelo Althouse suggested filming at real protests. A political consultant advised targeting a „Stop the Steal” protest in D. C. led by Ali Alexander in December 2020, three weeks before January 6. It served as a dress rehearsal for that day. As we followed the news, we realized key figures from our footage were present.

Ethics of filming protests

Consuelo and I discussed the ethics of filming events with their own purpose. We agreed to follow the character Dibz and let the action unfold around him. We did not try to influence the day’s events. We aimed to capture the colors, textures, and chaos that no production design budget could replicate.