Rent Free

After a misguided seduction leaves them broke and without an apartment, ageing zoomers Ben and Jordan (played by charismatic duo Jacob Roberts and David Treviño) launch a social experiment to spend an entire year living “rentfree” by couch-surfing with friends, family, and strangers in a rapidly changing Austin, Texas. Collaborators Fernando Andrés and Tyler Rugh follow up their winning Three Headed Beast (VQFF ’23) with this renegade character-driven comedy tackling contemporary issues of rising rent, urban instability, and the tech-sector takeover of everyday life, and the nuances of queer male friendship. As observational chroniclers of our ultra-modern times, Andrés and Rugh are on a roll. Boasting a freewheeling carousel of colourful supporting players with scene-stealing performances from Neal Mulani (writer-director-actor of RAT! VQFF ’24) and indie legend Bill Wise, this heartfelt hangout epic breaks the mould with a boundless barrage of chaotic shenanigans.