Interview With "Fantasy Life" Filmmaker And Star Matthew Shear

The Next Best Picture Podcast

Tv & Film

4.2 • 542 Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2026

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

"Fantasy Life" is an American comedy film written and directed by Matthew Shear in his directorial debut. It stars Amanda Peet, Shear, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Andrea Martin, Zosia Mamet, Jessica Harper, Holland Taylor, and Sheng Wang. It had its world premiere at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it received positive reviews for Shear's writing and direction, as well as Peet's performance. Shear was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Greenwich Entertainment. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to the next Best Picture podcast, and this is my interview with the director,
0:04.7	writer, and star of the film Fantasy Life. Matthew Shear.
0:08.4	What are the intrusive thoughts?
0:10.2	I think I suffer from internalized anti-Semitism.
0:13.8	Wonderful.
0:15.1	Go on.
0:15.8	Do you think it could be like intergenerational trauma?
0:20.7	Yeah, sure. Now, let's talk meds i'm feeling a little discouraged
0:25.8	acting wise i ran into bob hempel at the gym and he didn't even recognize me he has Alzheimer's diana
0:32.1	what mommy do you babysit?
0:37.8	Your mom found a guy to help me with the girls.
0:40.8	That's a terrible idea.
0:42.4	Would that be right for a patient?
0:44.1	You're functional.
0:45.4	Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Next Best Picture podcast
0:47.9	where I am being joined right now
0:49.2	by the director, writer, star of the film Fantasy Life, Matthew Cher.
0:55.8	Matthew, thank you so much for joining me here today. Thank you for having me. I'm really happy to be talking to you. Yeah, so I'm very interested in
1:01.9	talking to you about this because I love the world of independent cinema. I especially love whenever I
1:07.7	see somebody get a chance to write, direct, and do all the things that you did on
1:12.2	this movie.
1:13.4	You know, it also opens the door to what has been the journey for you and for this film in a very
	...

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