Ever since it met its first applause in the Cannes Un Certain Regard competition, Firstman’s debut about the coming-of-age of an “eternal child” has become a Chaplinesque screen-prose comedy with a touch of  Instagram aesthetic. This paternity sitcom plunges headlong into the chaos of New York’s unruly party scene, evoking not only the aforementioned Chaplin but also Capra and Wilder, with the warmth of classic Hollywood, infectious self-assurance and modern intoxication.

Peter has no idea what day it is. He can barely remember which handsome guy was his most recent bedfellow. Living from night to night, from one party to the next, he gradually becomes the king of the underground club scene, making money doing what he knows best — promoting and partying. Suddenly, Peter’s routine is interrupted by nine-year-old Arlo, who has the same brown eyes and an eerily similar haircut. A party promoter whose life has long since become one big blur of Cocteau Twins songs, sexual liberty, sleep and yet another Björk T-shirt, Peter tries to wake from the fever dream of his existence and take responsibility for someone else.

American independent cinema has reached a new high in recent years, shining brighter than ever this year thanks to comedian, director and actor Firstman. In his debut, which cleverly turns the formulas of Hollywood comedy on their head, he confidently joins the ranks of Araki, Gerwig, Victor and other filmmakers, gleefully poking fun at the perpetual teenagers, the debauched and the hedonistic, and those sleepwalking through their ideals. With Firstman himself starring in the lead role and assembling an unexpected ensemble that includes supermodel and actress Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva (Babylon (2022)), musician Shygirl, and many others, the result is a dazzling dramedy about an age of childish adulthood and people attempting to make the biggest decisions of their lives at the break of dawn.