Man of Action Joshua McGillis and the Haymaker Film Festival

Salt Lake City native Joshua McGillis may be a man of limited means, but there is no limit to his enthusiasm. As the Festival Director of the brand-new Haymaker Film Festival, launching Oct. 10 and 11 at The Beehive, he’s quick to make one thing clear: This isn’t your typical indie film showcase. “Haymaker Film Festival is fully independent,” McGillis says. “We don’t receive any sort of corporate sponsorships or ads or rely on fickle government spending — everything is paid for by myself.”

McGillis describes Haymaker as a passion project born from admiration for the tenacity of independent filmmakers, especially those who work within the action genre. “There’s one filmmaker, Eric Jacobus, who in interviews has talked about making early DIY movies — having to shoot on the weekends over a long period of time to make something — and I found that really inspiring,” McGillis says. “At a certain point, I felt like if action cinema creators can do something with limited resources, then there’s no reason I can’t be an action cinema exhibitor with similar limited resources.”

The festival’s inaugural lineup features a range of international and local shorts, plus two special feature screenings: Dragons Forever by Samuel “Sammo” Hung Kam-Bo and Kill by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat. The festival will also showcase reels from Utah stunt performers. That emphasis on stunts and physical performance underscores what McGillis sees as the soul of action cinema. “John Wick Chapter 4 made a billion dollars,” McGillis says, “but there are limited opportunities for truly independent filmmakers who are making shorts on $500 in a day to have the opportunity to show their work to a broader audience.”

Haymaker’s programming balances international submissions with Utah talent, something McGillis feels strongly about fostering. “I randomly saw a horror short from some local filmmakers that I really enjoyed — it just had a certain kind of energy to it that I don’t feel like you would see on the mainstream circuit or something,” McGillis recalls. “That got me thinking about some sort of event to highlight the work of current independent filmmakers instead of just repertory films. Since I was already focusing on screening action movies, that just seemed like the path to take, but it took me a while to fully commit to it.”

That commitment eventually grew into a full-fledged festival — one McGillis has largely organized himself. “For primary, ‘full time’ organizers, it’s just me,” McGillis says. “Morgan Akana helped out with cutting our trailer. Andrew Earley runs the venue, and his support has been invaluable. And though they’re a third party, Derek Ballard at Neuer Geist has been a huge help with the brand and art design.”

The festival’s name, Haymaker, carries a symbolic punch. “In boxing or fighting, I’ve seen a ‘haymaker’ described as being an unsophisticated but powerful punch that also carries a lot of risk, and I felt that perfectly described what we’re doing,” McGillis explains, “especially within the broader spectrum of film festivals or local house film. I also think that action cinema is largely viewed that way — even in the genre film world. Something that’s sort of considered lowbrow or looked down upon.”

But for McGillis, the goal isn’t just to challenge perceptions; it’s to spark something new in Salt Lake City’s filmmaking community. “Realistically, I think I’d really like to achieve two things,” McGillis says. “The first being spreading the good word, so to speak, of action cinema and enhancing appreciation for it. The second thing — and it does feel a little bit more lofty — but I would love to help cultivate a broader action filmmaking scene here locally. There’s already a very large filmmaking community, and I think that there is potential for having more action cinema made here by local filmmakers. If I can help showcase that and connect people, then I think that’s a job well done.”

As for what attendees can expect, McGillis promises an experience driven by energy and authenticity, much like the films themselves. Whether it’s Tiger Cop: Project A, Brawler or 4 Graves for Ximena, each selection carries what McGillis calls “that certain kind of energy” that made him start this journey in the first place. Haymaker may be an underdog in the festival world, but that’s exactly the point. Like its namesake punch, it’s a bold swing from the heart — raw, independent and powerful.

The Haymaker Film Festival runs Oct. 10-11 at The Beehive, an all-ages venue at 666 State Street in Salt Lake City. More information and full programming are available at haymakerff.com.

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