2024’s The Last Stop in Yuma County was an outstanding indie debut from director Francis Galluppi. It was certainly one of my favorites of the year, and all seemed to bode well for the director who was quickly tapped to direct one of the upcoming Evil Dead films. Sell Your House provides a deep look inside of everything that went into the making of Galluppi’s spitfire neo-noir, which includes the very personal details of friendship that was put into jeopardy based on how things played out for some talented up-and-comers. Working as both an underdog story and a movie about a significant relationship, it’s the access given to this documentary crew and the punk rock-like approach taken that makes this a documentary well worth anyone’s time who wants to either learn about filmmaking or have a lot of fun seeing how a crazy project was able to take off the way it did.
What we quickly learn is that Francis and James Claeys became best friends when their short films were touring around the same time. To really get something serious going, they decide they’re going to make a movie. That said, with the studio system not being an option, James does something wild – he sells his house. It provides the million-dollar budget needed to realize Francis’ script for The Last Stop in Yuma County. Still, it also means an intense 21-day shoot that will require everything going right, making their schedule on time, dealing with talent, and hoping a massive explosion set piece goes off without a hitch. But that’s not all. While much of the film covers the production, there’s also the aftermath and what happens when the two need to figure out distribution plans. With Hollywood the way it is, there will be unexpected challenges that test even the best of friends.
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The film is directed by Eric Foss and Brandon Pickering, who have primarily worked as camera operators on reality shows, most notably Naked and Afraid. That said, right away, it is made clear that this documentary wants to go out of its way to have fun with the setup, mess with the editing to provide genuine thrills, and keep a good sense of humor about itself, even if it means watching the directors and the guys on screen stumble into messaging worth keeping in the film. Suffice to say, this is a very fun documentary. It’s unfiltered, honest, and a great look at how independent films get made.
Wisely, the film moves past much of the work involved in finding a crew, locations, and all that. Much of the focus is on this 21-day period when Francis learns about the difficulties he will face in achieving the vision he’s after, as well as the many successes that come from planning, working as well as he can with others, and being genuinely talented. At the same time, James, while not the same sort of creative as his pal, fills us in on his own backstory, why he wants to take this sort of risk, what it means for him, and what’s going on with his own presence on set.
While we jump around in time a bit, some crucial moments are captured, such as the film’s first shot, which features one very specific animal-related element. The unlikely presence of rain in the California desert makes for another challenge. And we even get an extended bit revolving around the butting of heads between Francis and ‘Yuma County’ co-star Faizon Love. As a way of looking at just some of the difficulties one can find during a low-budget film shoot, there’s plenty to take in here. Yet it’s presented in a way that balances the thrill of the moment with a continual sense of humor created by the voice-over, editing choices, and the natural comedy of how real life sometimes plays out.
This all effectively fuels the underdog aspect of the story. Even knowing the film would go on to be a critical success and a decent financial success, I was still elated to see this side of the story. With that said, the real surprise came from the latter portion of Sell Your House, where things became a bit more serious. As Francis and James contend with the strings that come with signing a distribution contract, the guys are tested in ways that create unfortunate changes in the status quo. Wisely, the doc isn’t here to pick sides or create resentment. Even in its presentation of the distributor, there’s an acknowledgement that it’s all a part of a flawed system that has evolved to make things generally very difficult for independent filmmakers.
Still, even as a rift forms and the guys reflect on it, the doc does miss out on finding ways to amuse. One particular interview with Francis is a chaotic mess as he tries to answer questions seriously while his two children march around the living room making all sorts of noise. Cutting back and forth between this and the things James is saying at the same time makes the experience all the more entertaining, even as we know there’s true emotional introspection taking place.
Whether one is interested based on having seen The Last Stop in Yuma County, or just interested in the filmmaking process, or being a fan of films like American Movie or Lost in La Mancha, there’s a great deal of fun to be had with Sell Your House. It takes an anarchic approach to the whole documentary process while still finding a way to tell a sincere story about friendship in the midst of serving as an educational tool with an edge. Much like the way in which films like ‘Yuma County’ need to be supported to make way for more independent, original voices, Sell Your House is in the same realm. It’s a scrappy doc telling a great story, but it certainly needs the same kind of groundswell support. I’m happy to pass that message along, and hopefully more will too.
Sell Your House is currently on the festival circuit. Learn more about the film at sellyourhousefilm.com.
The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival will be taking place from February 4 to February 14, 2026.
