“Undergrads” and the Twin Cities Film Industry

A look into a young Twin Cities director’s experiences

By: Nina Afremov

Minnesota is a hidden gem in terms of our local art scene. We have the second-most theater seats in the country behind New York, as well as the world-class Walker Art Museum. We also have a vibrant literary scene with its slew of local publishers and the presence of the Loft Literary Center in downtown Minneapolis. It’s equally hard to forget our musicians who have toured far and wide, such as Prince, Bob Dylan, and, most recently, Hippo Campus. But did you know we also have a blooming film industry?

Recently, the young director and the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities alum Andrew Zuckerman have made big strides in actualizing his dream of being a director right here at home. His first feature-length film, “Undergrads,” which he filmed in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, debuted this past month at the 2022 San Francisco IndieFest, winning the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film. 

“Undergrads” is a “hangout” movie that follows a group of friends nearing the end of their college years. The film follows the characters’ escapades over one summer weekend. “We wanted, like, a really contained ensemble with just college kids just to showcase a lot of different personalities through the ensemble piece,” Zuckerman tells me over our Zoom call. “And I guess the goal was [to] just kinda show college life and make a vibe.” As a college student myself in her final year, it was indeed relatable. This largely character-driven movie creates the atmosphere of nonchalance and bliss that we chase during our summer breaks but also gives it an existential twist as characters navigate their relationships and their own personal objectives. 

When Zuckerman transferred back home to the UMN after spending several years at NYU Tisch School of Arts, he felt there was no better way to launch his artistic and career aspirations than just doing it here. It turns out filming a feature-length film in the Twin Cities has its advantages, especially if you’re a local. “Because we’re from here, we know the area, we knew where to shoot, and we felt like we could do it.” Having familiarity with the various sets, such as residential streets and the Saint Thomas campus, emblazoned Zuckerman and his team to seize every filming moment. 

Zuckerman continued to detail for me various other advantages of filming here: “It’s cheap, and also nobody shoots here, so everyone wants to help out.” When asked what sort of local help he received, Andrew replied, “You know Bogie’s bar and other locations? They were happy to have us film there because we’re, like, local and a lot of locations let us shoot if not for free, then for very cheap.” 

Zuckerman deduced that the generosity is a result of him being a local and young director. As far as being a young director working on their first feature, Andrew faced challenges. “We never had made a movie, so we have to navigate, I guess, how to make sure everyone was safe while learning how to make a feature, so, uh, it was a lot of pressure already on top of not knowing much.” In regards to cast and crew safety, Andrew referred to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, much of the film was shot in the summer of 2020; a time marked with acute uncertainty. Although challenging for all involved, especially when shooting was halted for several weeks due to an outbreak among the cast, Andrew was able to reorganize the cast and crew at the tail end of the summer and at various times in the spring and summer of 2021. 

Despite the challenges that arose during its production, “Undergrads” has done well at its first festival and soon will play at the 2022 Beloit International Film Festival. But that’s not all! Zuckerman tells me some of the details for its distribution on streaming services. “It’ll be free on Tubi, and you’ll have to rent it on Amazon.” The film should be available to watch as early as summer 2022. 

As for Zuckerman, he has other projects already on his mind. “[I’m] just trying to get another movie made. I have a script I’ve been working on that I think I’d like to get funded soon.” Having successfully produced and directed one noteworthy film, “Undergrads” will hopefully be the first of many cinematic works to emerge from the growing Twin Cities film industry.