FARTHER ALONG: LGBTQ+ Comedy Pilot Starring Peter Friedman to Make West Coast Premiere
Blair Peyton's short screens at TCL Chinese Theatre, with Clara Wong and NaTonia Monét co-starring.
Farther Along, the LGBTQ+ comedy proof-of-concept from writer and actor Blair Peyton, will make its West Coast Premiere as an Official Selection of Dances With Films LA on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre.
Blending dry humor with emotional honesty, Farther Along follows Wesley, an uptight perfectionist reeling from his mother's death and a painful breakup, who reluctantly allows his devil-may-care father, Harvey, a small-town minister, to move in. The 14-minute short explores grief, identity, and the messy joy of family through a distinctly queer lens.
The film stars Blair Peyton alongside Peter Friedman (Succession), Clara Wong (Billions), NaTonia Monét (The Other Two), and Mia Rose Kavensky (Meet Cute in Manhattan). The short is directed by MJ Bernier and Emily Draper.
Farther Along previously made its World Premiere to a sold-out crowd at Dances With Films New York in January 2026, where it screened as part of the festival's Series Pilots section.
"Our goal with Farther Along is to find fresh ways to tell stories about queerness within Southern religious families. We didn't want the Mitchums' main source of tension to be Wesley's sexuality. That story has been told many times before," said co-directors MJ Bernier and Emily Draper. "Instead, we wanted to explore the funny and strange ways love can exist between a father and son who struggle to understand each other."
Farther Along is a series for gays and allies, for anyone looking for a little levity to break through grief, and for anyone with a complicated relationship to their regional accent. Our ultimate goal is to develop the project into a television series that can resonate with more families like the Mitchums."
The creative team behind the film is majority women and LGBTQ+, with many department heads bringing their own lived experiences into the storytelling. The project serves as a proof of concept for a half-hour comedy series centered on the evolving relationship between a preacher father and his gay son.
The screening will take place Sunday, June 28, at 10:15 a.m. at the TCL Chinese Theatre as part of Series Block 10.
For festival information and tickets, visit Dances With Films.
About Farther Along
Farther Along is a comedy proof-of-concept series pilot created by Blair Peyton. Inspired by Peyton's own relationship with his preacher father, the project combines grounded comedy with emotional depth to explore grief, identity, and unconventional family dynamics within the LGBTQ+ experience.
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