Screenwriter Victoria Strouse (Finding Dory, Let It Snow) brings her directorial debut, Seekers of Infinite Love, to SXSW 2026. This heartfelt comedy follows three estranged siblings who discover their sister has joined a cult. They decide to travel together, along with a professional cult “deprogrammer,” to bring their sister home.

From Strouse’s past work as a writer, it’s clear she knows how to create compelling comedic tales that have a ton of heart. Now, with Seekers of Infinite Love, she’s proven she can also direct those stories to bring them to life. The film is primarily told from Kayla’s point of view. She’s a novelist with anxiety and claustrophobia who often cuts herself off from the rest of the world. Her old brother, Zach, is a lawyer who likes to be in charge at all times. Then there’s younger brother, Wes, who is a comic book writer with a drug and gambling habit. Each of these siblings are very different, but when they find out their other sister, Scarlett, has joined a cult, they are the ones who have to track her down and convince her to come back home. The journey is a wild one, taking the trio of siblings and the deprogrammer, Rick, through all sorts of hurdles as they try to reach Scarlett before it’s too late.

The hijinks this family gets into are hilarious as every step of their journey goes wrong. There are plenty of laughs to be had, but what really makes this film so endearing is the heart at the center of the story. As the situation goes from bad to worse, the siblings find themselves thrust together like never before. They’re forced to confront their differences and their individual issues, bringing them closer together. Seekers of Infinite Love also deals with themes of how painful life can be, but close connections like family can make it worth living. It’s a truly charming film that has a perfect balance of comedy and sentimentality, showcasing the importance and lasting impact of sibling relationships.

Seekers of Infinite Love boasts a phenomenal cast of actors. Hannah Einbinder (Hacks, North Hollywood) stars as Kayla. While Kayla is a bit of recluse, she still seems to be the glue that holds the siblings together. Einbinder conveys a beautiful balance of pushing people away when they get too close while also wanting to keep the family together. It’s a stunning performance that allows Einbinder to really show her range. John Reynolds (Stranger Things, Yellowjackets) plays big brother Zach. What makes Reynolds great in this role is how he outwardly delivers an air of arrogance, acting as if he’s the one with all the answers, all while revealing Zach’s inner jealousy at not having the same creative prowess as his siblings. Griffin Gluck (Dinner in America, Time Cut) plays the younger brother, Wes. While Wes might have the outward appearance of casual cool, Gluck makes it very clear right away that this character has major issues with both drugs and gambling, which threaten to ruin his life. Individually these characters are great, but the actors are wonderful at creating that loving, bickering, teasing dynamic between siblings that makes their familial ties feel real. The film also has a hilarious performance from Justin Theroux (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) as Rick the deprogrammer, a layered performance from Justine Lupe (Succession) as Scarlett, and a surprise cameo for the cult leader – who shall remain anonymous for now.

With this film being an indie comedy, the visuals of Seekers of Infinite Love are quite understated. Most of the visual interest comes from the costume design. Each character has a distinctive look that helps give the audience an idea of who they are as individuals. For Kayla, her clothes mostly consist of shapeless, neutral basics, sometimes leaning into a more masculine style. This look could either be because she’s on a mission to save her sister, ready for anything, or it could even relate to her pushing people away as she wears clothes that don’t draw attention. Zach’s clothes start out very professional when he’s in lawyer mode, but once the family is on the road he immediately looks like a dad. Since their parents were never around, it makes sense that the eldest brother would take on the more parental role. Wes, on the other hand, wears more modern, effortlessly cool and baggy clothes. It definitely speaks to his younger age and slacker mentality. Deprogrammer Rick dresses like the kind of white hippy you would expect to see go on an Ayahuasca retreat. When the audience meets the cult, there is some individuality in terms of the specific clothing items, but there is also uniformity in the color scheme, showing the connectedness of these people.

Seekers of Infinite Love is a hilarious and charming film highlighting the sibling bonds that only grow stronger through shared trauma. Strouse gives a phenomenal directorial debut years in the making. The way she writes these characters and the great performances, especially from Einbinder, make the audience feel as though they’re watching real siblings. There’s plenty of animosity and bickering, but there’s also a blood connection that’s unbreakable, making it clear these siblings can rely on each other no matter what. Audiences are sure to fall in love with the band of misfits in Seekers of Infinite Love, especially those with siblings of their own.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10