Americana

'Americana' is a U.S. thriller written and directed by Tony Tost in his directorial debut. The film, starring Sydney Sweeney, premiered at the South by Southwest Festival on March 17, 2023, and does not hit U.S. theaters until August 15, 2025, after Lionsgate acquired its rights.

In a small town in South Dakota, young Cal Starr becomes obsessed with Native American culture, convinced that he is the reincarnation of Sitting Bull. His mother Mandy, a woman with a complicated life who suffers from her father's abuse, ends up getting involved with Lefty, a wandering veteran, and Penny Jo, a shy waitress who wants to be a country singer.

The fates of the three intertwine due to a stolen Lakota relic t-shirt taken by Cal's father. What starts as personal struggles evolves into a violent modern western about survival, cultural heritage, and the search for identity.

In addition to Sweeney, 'Americana' features Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, and Gavin Maddox Bergman. The film, despite receiving generally acceptable reviews, becomes a box office failure, grossing nearly $500,000 for a $9 million budget, despite being released in about 1,000 theaters across the country. Filming took place in New Mexico.