The math is deliberately awkward, the ambition is gloriously outsized, and the whole thing feels like it might fall apart at any second. That’s the charm of Tangential Live at Tony, a 22-minute comedic-dramatic short that premieres today, August 24, 2026, and plays like a backstage heist movie where the loot is just a few minutes of airtime. Directed by and starring Mia Tangential, this is a scrappy, self-aware piece of work that understands the deep, almost pathological desperation of trying to keep a dying creative project alive.
Release Date & Where to Watch
Tangential Live at Tony officially hits select streaming platforms and a handful of art-house cinema programs today, August 24, 2026. Given its micro-runtime and indie pedigree, don’t expect a wide multiplex rollout. Instead, look for it on major VOD services like Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vimeo On Demand, where short-form narrative features often find their first life. It’s also screening as part of several late-summer independent film showcases, particularly ones focused on Australian production and meta-narrative comedy. If you’re in a major city, check your local repertory theater’s schedule for a curated shorts block - this one deserves to be seen with an audience that laughs at the specific pain of public failure. The digital release is global, so no matter where you are, you can queue it up tonight. At just over twenty minutes, it’s the perfect length for a between-shows palate cleanser, though you might find yourself rewinding the final confrontation more than once.
Cast & Crew
The film is a family affair in the most literal sense, with Mia Tangential directing and starring as a heightened, frazzled version of herself. She’s joined by Baxter Tangential, who plays her on-screen partner-in-crime and co-host, bringing a weary, reactive energy that grounds Mia’s manic plotting. The film’s secret weapon is Chris Hosea as Matt Johnson, the celebrity target. Hosea plays Johnson with a smooth, practiced charisma that slowly cracks into genuine bemusement and then real irritation, making him far more than a cardboard cameo. Cameron Ghannoum rounds out the core cast as Cameron, a frazzled festival coordinator who just wants the premiere to go smoothly and becomes the unwilling audience to the chaos. The chemistry between Mia and Baxter feels lived-in - they bicker like siblings or old bandmates, alternating between blame and shared panic. Behind the camera, Mia’s directorial eye keeps things tight and handheld, favoring long takes that let the awkward silences breathe. There’s no inflated production gloss here; the lighting is often flat, the sound slightly roomy, which only amplifies the fly-on-the-wall authenticity. It’s a lean, purposeful crew making a film that knows its limitations and weaponizes them.
Story & What to Expect
The premise is deceptively simple: Mia and Baxter run Tangential, a struggling radio show (or podcast, the film cleverly leaves the medium ambiguous) that’s on its last legs. Listenership is down, sponsors are gone, and the only way to save it is a viral moment. Their plan? Ambush Matt Johnson at the Australian premiere of his new film, Tony, and force him to do a live segment on their show. What follows isn’t a slick takedown or a triumphant gotcha. Instead, it’s a cringe-comedy exercise in logistical failure. The pair can’t get past security, misidentify a decoy, and nearly blow their cover twice before they even get within earshot of Johnson. The film’s structure mirrors the radio show itself: tangential digressions, interrupted thoughts, and long stretches where nothing works as planned.
What’s unexpected is the dramatic weight that creeps in around the edges. The comedy is broad - there’s a particularly funny bit involving a borrowed lanyard and a very confused usher - but the core is melancholy. Mia’s monologue in the third act, delivered in a stairwell while Baxter tries to fix a dead phone battery, reveals why the show matters so much. It’s not about fame; it’s about the fear of being unheard. The film shifts gears from farce to quiet pathos without whiplash, a testament to the script’s restraint. The climactic interaction, when it finally happens, is not the explosive interview they hoped for. It’s quieter, more human, and lands with a bittersweet punch. Expect a lot of nervous laughter, genuine awkward pauses, and a finale that doesn’t offer easy answers. This isn’t a story about winning; it’s about the dignity of trying.
Why It's Worth Watching
In a landscape full of bloated, self-important content, Tangential Live at Tony is a refreshingly small, honest piece of cinema. It earns its rating - or lack thereof - by not chasing spectacle. Instead, it invests in the specific, uncomfortable truth of creative desperation. The 22-minute runtime is perfect; it never overstays its welcome and leaves you wanting another hour, which is the highest compliment you can pay a short. Mia Tangential’s dual role as director and lead star shows real promise; she’s unafraid to make herself look foolish, petulant, and ultimately vulnerable on screen. The decision to cast a real actor like Chris Hosea as the target rather than a stand-in elevates the material - his subtle reactions give the film its dramatic anchor.
It’s also a love letter to failure, a genre that’s increasingly rare in a culture obsessed with optimization and virality. The film doesn’t mock Mia and Baxter; it empathizes with them. It understands that the gap between aspiration and execution is where the most human stories live. Whether you’re a podcaster, a painter, or just someone who’s ever pitched an idea that went nowhere, you’ll recognize the specific ache in their eyes. The final shot - a single, unmoving wide of the two hosts sitting in a silent studio, the red “ON AIR” light off - says more about resilience than any dramatic speech could. Tangential Live at Tony might not change the world, but it will make you feel seen. For a film about a failing broadcast, that’s a remarkable transmission. Stream it tonight; it’s worth your 22 minutes.
