Filmmakers from ‘Minecraft’ and ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ Join Tim Blake Nelson and Mireille Enos in New Film ‘On The End’
Filmmaking Duo Jared and Jerusha Hess Join "On The End" as Executive Producers
Acclaimed filmmaking partners Jared and Jerusha Hess, celebrated for their creations such as Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and the recent hit A Minecraft Movie, have signed on as executive producers for Ari Selinger’s debut feature film, On The End. Starring Tim Blake Nelson and Mireille Enos, the film marks a significant entry into the independent cinema landscape.
The Hesses agreed to join the project after its screening at the Rome International Film Festival in Georgia, where On The End garnered awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Actress, awarded to Enos.
Set against a David versus Goliath backdrop, On The End follows Tom, a struggling mechanic in Montauk, who unexpectedly finds love with Freckles, another outsider. Their lives take a dramatic turn when the town of East Hampton conspired to evict Tom from his beachfront home and auto repair shop.
Produced by Wise Child Studios and Red Barn Films, the film is currently in search of distribution, with Submarine Entertainment overseeing sales. The Hesses will join Eric Kohn, Will Janowitz, and Tim Blake Nelson as executive producers. Notably, Tim Blake Nelson and the Hesses previously collaborated on the Oscar-nominated short Ninety Five Senses.
Director Ari Selinger’s connection to the story began when he sought a location for a short film and met Tom, who graciously offered his backyard filled with scrap metal for the set. Selinger’s exposure to Tom’s ongoing legal struggles with East Hampton deepened his commitment to telling this story, showcasing both the challenges and the resilience of its characters.
The film features an ensemble cast, including James Badge Dale, Lois Smith, Anna Chlumsky, Desmin Borges, Matthew Maher, Glenn Fleshler, Michelle Hurd, and Sawyer Spielberg, alongside the leads.
On The End debuted in the Industry Selects section of the Toronto Film Festival, later making its world premiere at this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival, as well as screening at the Woodstock Film Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival.
In a statement, Jared and Jerusha Hess described Selinger’s film as “as deeply human as you can get,” emphasizing the emotional journey it offers. “Try not to laugh and cry your way through it—what independent cinema should be! Tim Blake Nelson and Mireille Enos compel you to believe in love,” they added.
Ari Selinger expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “There’s an electric feeling when storytellers who inspired you step into your world with a genuine, reciprocated appreciation for the work they helped shape. I couldn’t be happier to have them on our team.”
