Congratulations to Dr Justin MacGregor, School of Creative Arts, on the prestigious selection and world premiere of this film at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
Dublin-based MindRiot Entertainment is delighted to announce that the feature film “Tow,” written by MindRiot founder Jonathan Keasey and with creative development by MindRiot’s co-founder, Justin MacGregor, School of Creative Arts, Trinity College Dublin, and co-written by Brant Boivin, will have its World Premiere as a Spotlight film at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival on the 7th of June.
A record 13,541 features were submitted to his year’s Tribeca Film Festival and only 19 Spotlight Narrative films were selected out of the 118 features accepted overall. Says Keasey, who is also an Executive Producer on the film and has taught masterclasses at Trinity, “I am thrilled that this film is going to be shown at Tribeca, one of the world’s leading film festivals.” Says MacGregor, who is also the Head of Creative Arts at Trinity College Dublin, “This is a huge honour. The odds are always against you but this is an amazing true story, the kind both of us are drawn to and want to tell.”
“Tow” is Inspired by the true story of Amanda Ogle (played by Rose Byrne), an unhoused woman living in her blue 1991 Toyota Corolla, as she seeks work in Seattle. Her precarious circumstances escalate when her car is stolen and then impounded, with the towing company demanding exorbitant fees she can’t possibly afford. Refusing to accept this injustice, Amanda confronts the broken system, engaging in a year-long legal battle to reclaim not only her vehicle but also her dignity. Along the way, she forms meaningful connections with other women in similar circumstances, gradually rebuilding her life and sobriety through community and persistence. The cast also includes Octavia Spencer, Dominic Sessa, Ariana DeBose, and Demi Lovato.
“Jonathan read a short piece in the Seattle newspaper about the story and tracked Amanda down. She told him her story, and that collaboration led to this amazing script from Jonathan,” says MacGregor. “Many late night and early morning phone calls and coffees later, the final script from Jonathan and Brant was great – nuanced, truthful and moving.”
“What a journey,” Jonathan says, “from reading this short OpEd to being at Tribeca? But the best part is telling Amanda’s story. It needs to be heard. I have so much respect for the person she is and how she stood up to a system that is too often indifferent.”
“I’ve been in Ireland, at Trinity, for twelve years,” MacGregor says. “My wife is Irish and my children were born in Holles Street. To represent Ireland – and D12! – at Tribeca is very humbling.”
Says Keasey: “Justin and I have a shared idea of using the best practices of Hollywood and Europe here in Ireland to unearth really impactful stories that benefit society. Justin’s been doing that in theatre and film for over twenty years and I’ve been doing it in Hollywood and Seattle and now Dublin. I really love what we’re doing together.”
MacGregor and Keasey have a number of projects set in Ireland and Europe on the go. Collaborations that are underway include an adaptation of the award-winning novella “The Barracks Thief” by Thomas Wolff, the Ireland set and Lady Gregory-inspired “Druid Rising,” and the Welsh set “Gelert: A Prince Rises,” among others.
“We’re excited about Tribeca,” MacGregor says, “and we’re excited about the future. We both hope to keep telling stories like this to as wide an audience as possible.”
MindRiot’s most recent film, Parallel, is also currently streaming on various platforms.
Further information on MindRiot Entertainment is available on their website here.
For further information please email Dr Justin MacGregor <MACGREGJ@tcd.ie>.