IFC Films recently dropped the trailer to Gia Coppola’s sophomore feature Mainstream, starring Andrew Garfield and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things). The film, which has been called an influencer satire, tells the story of Link (Garfield), a chaotic youth struggling to find his purpose and Frankie (Hawke), a sad but down-to-Earth bartender who, one night, films Link’s random public outburst that happens to go viral. 

Along with her loyal coworker Jake (Nat Wolff), Frankie and Link form a social media team and embark on a twisted journey of internet stardom. Jason Schwartzman’s corporate jerk complicates the matter for the three when he introduces infinite wealth and fame into the mix. 

Coppola, who debuted Mainstream at the 2020 Venice Film Festival in September described the film to Deadline as “a love story of being in love with someone who doesn’t love themselves set against the new emerging culture of today’s world.” 

She shared that she was inspired by Elia Kazan’s 1957 film A Face in the Crowd, starring Andy Griffith. Kazan’s film follows a similar “zero-to-hero” narrative but instead of a social media star, Griffith’s character becomes radio famous. 

Producer Fred Berger described Mainstream as a “cautionary tale that will spark debate. It points a mirror at the audience in terms of how we engage with other people and how we engage with social media and react to incentives that are subliminally sent to us all day long.” 

Mainstream marks Coppola’s second feature film, following her breakout debut Palo Alto from 2013. Based on James Franco’s novella Palo Alto Stories, the film follows a network of high schoolers in the titular school district. Emma Roberts, Nat Wolff, Jack Kilmer and James Franco star in the indie-flick received mixed reviews but quickly gained a cult-like following for the young filmmaker. 

Mainstream is produced by Gia Coppola, Fred Berger, Andrew Garfield, Lauren Bratman, Siena Oberman, Jack Heller, Enrico Saraiva, Francisco Rebelo de Andrade, Alan Terpins and Zac Weinstein. Handling U.S. sales is CAA, with Wild Bunch working internationally.

IFC Films is releasing Mainstream in theaters, on select digital platforms and VOD on May 7th, 2021.

Watch Mainstream‘s trailer here: