By Jessica Herndon
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. While we can learn a lot about the filmmakers from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival through the art that these storytellers share with us, there’s always more we can learn about them as people. We decided to get to the bottom of those artistic wells with our ongoing series: Give Me the Backstory!
Cooper Raiff has a knack for telling stories that hit you right in the heart, and his latest project, Hal & Harper, is no exception. Set to premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in the Episodic section; the show follows siblings Hal and Harper as they navigate the changes in their family while trying to come to terms with their past. Raiff, who stars as Hal, plays opposite Lili Reinhart, who is unforgettable as Harper. They are a mess. They are chaotic. They are hilarious.
“Ultimately, I want the show to say that we can release trauma while still maintaining relationships with the people we were codependent with,” says Raiff. “We can still be loving, and we can still be close with boundaries.” Adding to the idiosyncrasy of the series, Raiff layers in flashbacks, and both he and Reinhart play younger and older versions of themselves. Mark Ruffalo, who plays their dad, elevates the complexity of their family dynamic.
Hal & Harper isn’t Raiff’s first Sundance Festival moment. His film Cha Cha Real Smooth, in which he also starred alongside Dakota Johnson, earned him the Audience Award in 2022. Below, Raiff dives into what inspires his storytelling (for Hal & Harper, it was his family), one key thing we all need to make a project, and what makes him a good storyteller.
Films are lasting artistic legacies. What do you want yours to say?
Codependency is a survival tool that can ultimately be broken down. I want it to be healing for audiences as they watch these family members lean on each other and then survive letting go of each other. Ultimately, they let their trauma go. Some do. Not all. One just takes a baby step.
What was your favorite part of making Hal & Harper? Memories from the process?
It was awesome getting to work with a ton of super-experienced crew, as well as up-and-comers on the same project. Since we were so independent and small, the experience lent itself to everyone learning from and teaching each other. Myself included. Some people were learning to teach for the first time, and others were learning for the first time. It was a crazy and stressful experience, but I can’t imagine learning more from any other project.
Why does this story need to be told now?
It’s a story that needs to be told all the time. There are so many people all of the time wondering how to take care of each other while maintaining what they need as individuals. It’s very hard. And it’s very important to try to get it right.
Tell us why and how you got into filmmaking.
Movies have always provided me with such a safe place to grow and learn, get challenged, and feel very big things. I’ve always loved them and wanted to be a part of making them. At first, I thought acting was the way to do that. Then, a teacher in high school helped me get into playwriting. I read a bunch of plays and scripts and started writing my own. I never wanted to be a director, but nobody was interested in directing anything I was writing. So the first thing I made was a little script called Madeline and Cooper with my friends. I very much enjoyed it and realized directing and editing [are] what I’m most passionate about in the filmmaking process.
Why is filmmaking important to you? Why is it important to the world?
It’s where I go to heal and understand myself and others. I just saw Wicked yesterday, and my goodness, that movie is important to the world. I don’t want to try to type out why. It’s there.
What is something that all filmmakers should keep in mind in order to become better cinematic storytellers?
If you don’t have something to say, don’t make a movie. Don’t make something because you think it’ll be good, look good, or be considered good. Don’t make something because you think you’re a good filmmaker. What’s the point of that?
Who are your creative heroes?
Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson.
Which of your personal characteristics contributes most to your success as a storyteller?
My wishful thinking. Like my positive imagination that I think is pretty grounded but imaginative enough.
Tell us about your history with Sundance Institute. When was the first time you engaged with us? Why did you want your series to premiere with us?
My second movie, Cha Cha Real Smooth, played at Sundance two years ago. It was the best experience ever, even though it was all virtual because of Omicron. I wanted Hal & Harper to play at Sundance because it is literally the only way to launch this TV show. In order to get TV execs excited about buying an entirely independent TV show, we have to get a big, great audience excited first.
