Highway 10 Showcases Indie Ambitions with SXSW Debuts

New production company Highway 10 premieres two quirky films, "The Saviors" and "Wishful Thinking," at SXSW.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:40pm

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Matt Smith and Dan Gedman, best friends since college, have launched a new production company called Highway 10 that is making its mark at this year's SXSW Film Festival. The company is debuting two indie films - the comedy-thriller "The Saviors" and the relationship drama "Wishful Thinking" - that showcase their ambitions to produce offbeat, genre-blending stories with big ideas. The two producers, who met in Kansas and now operate out of Austin, Texas, are looking to deliver unique cinematic experiences for audiences.

Why it matters

Highway 10's dual SXSW premieres represent an exciting debut for the new production company, which was founded just two years ago by longtime friends Smith and Gedman. Their ability to get two very different films made and selected for the prestigious festival signals their emerging status as indie filmmaking talents to watch. The diverse tones and themes of "The Saviors" and "Wishful Thinking" also demonstrate Highway 10's genre-agnostic approach and desire to tackle big ideas through smaller, character-driven stories.

The details

Smith and Gedman, who met in college and bonded over their shared love of movies, launched Highway 10 in 2024 after careers in producing and music video directing. Their first two films, "The Saviors" and "Wishful Thinking," were both shot in 2025 - the former in Altadena, California and the latter in Portland, Oregon. "The Saviors" is a comedy-thriller about a couple who become suspicious of their Middle Eastern tenants, while "Wishful Thinking" follows a Portland couple whose relationship troubles may be triggering a global collapse. Both films feature strong ensemble casts and explore timely social themes alongside their genre elements.

  • Highway 10 was founded in 2024.
  • "The Saviors" and "Wishful Thinking" were both shot in 2025.
  • The two films had their world premieres at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival in March.

The players

Matt Smith

A producer whose credits include the musical remake of "Valley Girl" and two entries in the "Step Up" franchise. He co-founded Highway 10 with his longtime friend Dan Gedman.

Dan Gedman

A former music video director for artists like Kendrick Lamar and Tech N9ne, Gedman co-founded Highway 10 with his college friend Matt Smith.

Kevin Hamedani

The co-writer of "The Saviors," one of Highway 10's two SXSW debut films.

Travis Betz

The co-writer of "The Saviors," one of Highway 10's two SXSW debut films.

Graham Parkes

The writer and director of "Wishful Thinking," Highway 10's other SXSW debut film.

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What they’re saying

“These films represent the last two years of our work, so to have them premiere back-to-back is exciting and terrifying. They show what we are looking for as a company. We are genre agnostic, but we want films that have big central hooks or big ideas. We are making smaller indie movies that have big stakes attached to them.”

— Matt Smith, Co-founder, Highway 10

“It was like a mixture of all these sensibilities — Tarantino and PTA, who really turned us on to cinema, and Spielberg, whose movies we grew up watching. But it's also asking questions about immigration and the way that foreigners are treated in this country that feel sadly relevant.”

— Matt Smith, Co-founder, Highway 10

“Graham and Lewis are best friends, so he wrote it to showcase Lewis's talent and then the stars aligned because Maya was our first choice and she agreed to do it almost immediately.”

— Matt Smith, Co-founder, Highway 10

What’s next

Highway 10 is already developing additional projects, including a thriller called "When a Stranger Venmos" about a young woman who is offered money to complete offbeat challenges online.

The takeaway

Highway 10's dual SXSW premieres showcase the company's ambitions to produce unique, genre-blending indie films that tackle big ideas. The diverse tones and themes of "The Saviors" and "Wishful Thinking" demonstrate the producing partners' commitment to delivering fresh cinematic experiences for audiences.