Meet the Filmmaker | Reel Pride
Screening as part of the Enzian's 2026 Reel Pride series!
2025 SXSW Special Jury Award Winner: Narrative Feature Competition
2026 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominee: Annapurna Sriram
Featuring an in-person Q+A and meet and greet with Director/Writer/Star Annapurna Sriram!
Part-time sex worker, full-time chaos magnet, AP is convinced that the universe has it out for her… and she might be right. In Fucktoys — the wild, unfiltered debut from writer/director/star Annapurna Sriram— AP seeks a cosmic reset after a swampy tarot reading (courtesy of Big Freedia) tells her she needs $1,000 and a sacrificial lamb to lift her curse. Armed with neither, she sets off on a bizarre quest with her kindred spirit Danni (Sadie Scott) through Trashtown, USA — a dystopian, neon-drenched sprawl of assorted oddballs, Tom of Finland cops, and strip clubs galore.
Channeling the cinematic stylings of French New Wave, cross-pollinated with the rebellious vibe of 90s era Gregg Araki, Fucktoys is rude, crude, unhinged, girlypop middle finger to filmic convention. The film features a spunky and beloved cast that includes 13 Reasons Why’s Brandon Flynn, The Comeback’s Damian Young, and a knockout performance by Heated Rivarly’s François Arnaud. Sriram’s Fucktoys took home the Grand Jury Award at NewFest, Special Jury Award at both the SXSW & Fantasia, and has won a slew of other jury and audience awards since.
About the Filmmaker:
Annapurna Sriram is a writer, director, and actor for film, theater, and VR. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she received her BFA in Acting from Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts. Her most cherished previous work includes originated roles Off-Broadway and on the West End including in Jesse Eisenberg's "The Spoils" and Wallace Shawn's "Evening At The Talk House." She has appeared in numerous feature films and television shows including Billions, I Think You Should Leave, The Blacklist, Bonding, and the critically-acclaimed indie feature Feral. FUCKTOYS is her feature film directorial debut, and recently earned her a 2026 Film Independent Spirit Award Nomination for the Someone To Watch Award
2025, 106 minutes, USA, Directed by Annapurna Sriram, Unrated (Treat as R)
“The most exciting writer-director-star debut in years, a wild ride of sex, drugs, love and laughter that announces Annapurna Sriram as a thrilling new voice in American cinema.”
– Matthew Turner, NERDLY
“Annapurna Sriram has made her debut into more than just a phenomenal calling card; she’s made exactly the kind of brash and bold motion picture we deserve these days.”
– Juan Barquin, MOVIEWEB
“Undeniably sexy, fun, and chaotic, “Fucktoys” is also surprisingly layered with a dark and raunchy surface that reveals a commentary on empowerment, the need for self-reclamation, and the relentless drive to escape one’s circumstances.”
- Sara Clements, NEXT BEST PICTURE
“For all its fun, F*cktoys isn’t exclusively interested in filth and farce; AP’s search for spiritual salvation is also dotted with more earnest moments about desire and companionship.”
– Lovia Gyarkye, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“A film set on the fringes of society, emanating from beyond the boundaries of “acceptable” taste. It’s a delicious throwback to the low-budget indie trash of early John Waters.”
– Siddhant Adlakha, JOY SAUCE
