Wreckless: Indie Sports Drama Begins Filming in Rural Minnesota

The independent feature Wreckless has entered production in Rochester, Minnesota, shooting amid the town’s active demolition-derby community. The film, a father-daughter drama about addiction, grief and recovery, follows teenager Joni (played by Alexa Swinton) as she enters the male-dominated sport, forcing her recovering-addict father Larry (David Arquette) to confront their shared past. Director Kayla Arend co-wrote the script with Mickey Falcone and describes the project as her directorial debut.

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Kayla Arend, a graduate of NYU’s Graduate Film program whose thesis short Leaving Yellowstone was executive-produced by Spike Lee, says the story reflects her own experience as the child of a man who battled addiction. She emphasizes the “unwavering support” she received from the local community and frames the film as a contemporary portrait of the Midwest she knows and loves.

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• Alexa Swinton as Joni – known for roles on *And Just Like That…* and *Billions*

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• David Arquette as Larry – appearing in *Scarpetta* Season 2 and several indie projects

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• Wyatt Oleff as Atlas – Joni’s boyfriend, previously in *It* and *Guardians of the Galaxy*

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• Sawyer Spielberg as Bo – Larry’s neighbor and sponsor, seen in *Masters of the Air*

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• Mohamed Khalid Mohamed as Ahmed – Joni’s best friend, a Rochester native

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Executive producers include George Hubbard, Teresa Tsai, Timothy Carpenter, John Siff, Inna Swinton and Rolfe Swinton; producers Clément Bauer and Vic Brandt are attached through Resonate Entertainment.

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In a production announcement, Arend explained that the film’s setting and community are essential to its authenticity, noting that she could not imagine making the story elsewhere. She described the project as a “modern portrait of the Midwest” that honors the support she received while navigating personal family challenges.

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• “This story is important to me as the child of a man who battled addiction. The unwavering support that I received from this community is something I am eternally grateful for and will never take for granted. I cannot fathom making this film anywhere else. Wreckless is very much a modern portrait of the Midwest that I know and love.” — Kayla Arend

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