
Samuel McIntosh
Directing
Biography
Samuel McIntosh is a writer and director based in Los Angeles, California. His films have played festivals around the world, including Beyond Fest, Brooklyn Horror, New/Next Fest, and Champs-Élysées. His work is surreal and cinematic, often exploring themes of dreams, loneliness, structures of power, and featuring textured, poetic visuals. His film METAL (distributed by Next Films Fr) premiered at Champs-Élysées 2025, where it won the Audience Award for Best American Short.
Known For

A kid must decide between choosing the future his father wants and following his dream of becoming a pro skater.
North Hollywood

Two best friends, from South Central Los Angeles, fantasize about living lavishly when a credit card pre-approval letter with no set spending limit suddenly arrives in the mail.
The Dispute

A directionless young man contemplates his aspirations whilst on a dirty job.
Interstate

For many young people, summer in the suburbs is its own little universe. During this precious chunk of time off from school, adults are often out of sight, even further out of mind, and friends become the most important people on the planet. As you skate, swim, or chill through the days, there’s the opportunity of getting to know your pals — and yourself — better than ever.
Illegal Civilization - "Summer of '17"- Episode 1

A man in a metal helmet, chained up in a basement with nothing but cartoons to keep him company, escapes one night and finds himself searching for somewhere to belong.
Metal

The second episode of Illegal Civilization's Summer of '17 moves away from a story of romantic love and instead moves to the love and tension of friendship, keeping with the themes of turmoil and familiarity presented in episode one. This time the films opens with a search for a lost wallet, the morning after a party. But as the film progresses it is clear that the search has heavier implications than just searching for some lost cash.
Illegal Civilization - "Summer of'17"- Episode 2

In a dark industrial world, a peasant is bound and led by an emissary of the new state toward certain death. Shot on 16mm Kodak film.