Sideshow Surrealism
Narrative Feature
Project Type: Narrative Feature
Project Status: Production
Writer, Director, Editor: Felix Milionis
Producer: Felix Milionis, Jonathan Englander, and Daniel Coffeen
LOGLINE
Sideshow blends the remnants of the Victorian Era in the Bay Area (1850s) with the bold, fast-paced style and attitude of the present. It creates a collision of meanings in the term "sideshow" — from its origins as a circus attraction filled with clowns and acrobats to its present-day form: a wild street spectacle of souped up muscle cars, crowds, and constant documentation through the cameras in everyone’s pockets.
SYNOPSIS
Sideshow is a feature film that blends the remnants of Victorian Bay Area décor with the fast-paced spectacle of present car culture. The project is divided into six theatrical acts, each centered around vehicles performing elaborate stunts at the sideshow/street takeover — ranging from a hibachi restaurant inside a box truck performing donuts as food fills the air, to a Victorian house mounted on a monster truck chassis. Each act flows into the next through shared objects or lines of dialogue, immersing viewers in a shifting, chaotic rhythm that mirrors the instability of a real sideshow.
The film collaborates directly with Bay Area youth, artists, and community members, reframing a practice dismissed by the media as vehicular misconduct or criminal as a legitimate form of expression. Shot guerrilla-style during live, planned events, the project lays the foundation for a practical, legal alternative to sideshows by using film as a catalyst for shifting cultural perspectives — including those of the participants themselves.
Acting as a connective force, the film aims to bridge the divide between those who want these events abolished and those who want to preserve them, proposing a compelling artistic middle ground. In doing so, it reimagines sideshows as a kind of contemporary circus, echoing the original meaning of the word “sideshow.”
MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Sideshow Surrealism is a project deeply rooted in Bay Area culture and community. At its core, it’s about challenging the dominant narratives around who gets to take part in experimental cinema — who gets to be seen and who gets to shape culture. By speaking in the language of spectacle — car sideshows, street performance, experimental theater, and found-footage editing — the film shines a light on cultural practices that are often dismissed as chaotic or criminal, and reframes them as powerful forms of expression and storytelling.
We’re seeking fiscal sponsorship to support and legitimize a creative process that’s collaborative, unpredictable, and deeply human. This film works directly with local youth, artists, and communities that exist outside traditional film industry pipelines. Scenes will be performed live in front of real Bay Area residents, many of whom are already part of the cultural fabric of sideshow spaces, whether through cars, fashion, dance, or music. Instead of extracting from those communities, Sideshow Surrealism brings them in as collaborators, helping shape the energy and spirit of the film from the inside out.
Everyone involved in this project grew up in San Francisco, surrounded by the city’s unique mix of cultures, art, and personality. Whether they were part of the scene or just soaking it in, that identity stuck with them. The Bay feels like one big performance, and this project is our way of showing that off—by spotlighting people from the community who don’t usually get that kind of platform.
Meet The Filmmakers
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Felix Milionis
Writer, Director, Editor
I’m a filmmaker raised in San Francisco. I began developing my cinematic style through shooting narrative films around the city, slowly growing less infatuated with plot as a narrative device and more focused on using compelling visual and auditory experiences to tell stories.
I’ve had short films screened around the city at the ATA and the Balboa Theater. Another project of mine involved riding every Muni line in the span of 24 hours, which screened at the Transit Month wrap party. I also work in the commercial space, primarily creating launch videos for local tech brands.
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Daniel Coffeen
Producer
I hold a PhD in Rhetoric from UC Berkeley. For over a decade, I taught critical and film theory at Berkeley as well as at the San Francisco Art Institute. In 2016, I published Reading the Way of Things: Towards a New Technology of Making Sense (Zer0 Books). I’ve been an absurdly frequent guest on philosophy podcasts and have written rather extensively about art, film, and philosophy — as well as sundry subjects such as Nietzsche, death, tequila, PT Anderson, cryptocurrency, Deleuze & Guattari, John Cassavetes, and conversing with trees — including a piece about Pontecorvo’s Battle of Algiers and database cinema for the Tate Modern.
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Celine Arreola-Pilarte
Art Director
I'm Celine Arreola-Pilarte, an artist from Antelope, California, with cultural roots in Mexico and Central America. I’ve been living in San Francisco for the past nine years, but art has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom used to run a gallery and boutique that highlighted local Latin artists, so I grew up in a home decorated in color and culture. That really shaped how I see the world and gave me a deep love for visual storytelling.
I went to UCLA thinking I’d just explore a few creative things, but I ended up discovering how powerful visual language can be—and how much I love using it. That’s where I found my path in art direction, which brings together everything I care about: design, storytelling, and creative leadership. After college, I worked on a number of projects with director Kaith Karishma in Los Angeles, and eventually moved to San Francisco, where I continue to develop my practice.
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Jonathan Englander
Producer
Originally from New York City, I practiced law for 14 years before moving to Thailand, where I’ve led legal services for the film and TV industry since 2007. I’ve advised on major productions like The Hangover Part 2, The Serpent, Thirteen Lives, TÁR, The Rescue (NatGeo), and Alien: Earth. In addition to supporting production companies, I represent Thai filmmakers and actors in their negotiations with streamers and producers.
In recent years, I’ve expanded into creative work—serving as a creative producer on a series developed for Netflix and co-producing the upcoming musical Dream! by Paul Spurrier. I'm also developing original film and series projects set in Thailand for both local and international markets.
Your Help
SIDESHOW SURREALISM is a fiscally sponsored project of Cinematography for Actors, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation will be tax-deductible!