Trash Mountain: Caleb Hearon’s homecoming comedy-drama premieres in Toronto

Caleb Hearon’s Trash Mountain will premiere at the 2026 Toronto film festival. The film follows Gavin, a gay Chicago resident who returns to his rural Missouri hometown after his father dies.

Gavin and his sister Abbi must clear out their father’s hoarded house. They also need to find his Social Security card before the estate proceedings can begin.

A personal story on a small budget

Hearon, a stand-up comedian and podcaster, plays the lead in a story loosely based on his own experience. The film was made in 18 days; Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow and Lilly Wachowski, who was initially attached to direct, are producers.

Zooey Deschanel plays Abbi, with Kyle Marvin as her husband and two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver as the siblings’ grandmother. Fellow comedian Jaboukie Young-White plays a local man who becomes Gavin’s romantic interest.

Familiar homecoming elements

The film uses recognizable independent-drama beats: an awkward meeting with an old schoolmate, a brief romance, an eccentric grandmother and timely advice from locals. It avoids some expected conflicts: Gavin’s father accepted his sexuality, and Gavin and Abbi remain close.

The review praises Hearon’s natural comic timing and his quieter dramatic work, while arguing that the characters lack enough distinct personality and that Weaver’s grandmother is too close to a sitcom figure. The romance gains sharper definition late in the film through its treatment of how quickly same-sex intimacy can disappear.

Trash Mountain is seeking distribution after its Toronto premiere.