Journalist-turned-filmmaker Sean Decker “makes a high-octane entrance into narrative directing” with his noir-inspired short film Rendezvous, and it’s available to watch right now. The film stars Sarah Nicklin as a car thief on the run and was “shot in raw guerilla fashion with zero permits and maximum grit.” Available in its entirety on YouTube, we have the film embedded below for you to watch:
From the Press Release: Crafted on a micro-budget of under $4,000 and filmed during the SAG-AFTRA strike, Rendezvous channels the spirit of Claude Lelouch’s 1976 cult classic of the same name. The project boasts an impressive team, including Emmy-winning cinematographer Will Barratt (Frozen, Hatchet series), editor John Fitzpatrick (“The Boys”, “Supernatural”), and a pulse-pounding original score by renowned composer Joseph Bishara, known for his work on The Conjuring and Insidious film franchises.
Additional cinematography was provided by Richard Trejo and celebrated filmmaker Ryan Valdez, the latter who also saw oversaw post-production, with Joe Stockton delivering immersive sound design.
“Rendezvous was born out of pure adrenaline and creative rebellion,” says Decker. “Shot entirely without permits on the streets of Los Angeles, it’s a miracle we pulled it off. The passion and talents of this cast and crew blew me away — they jumped into the chaos with me, and I’ll be forever grateful.”
The film’s centerpiece — a highly modified 2016 Ford Focus ST built by Decker himself — is no stranger to attention. It was recently featured as an official selection at both Larry Chen’s Night Lights Long Beach and Tuner Evo San Diego in 2025.
“This wasn’t just another car film — it was survival filmmaking,” adds Nicklin, who delivers a fierce, no-holds-barred performance. “There’s nothing like racing through the streets in a real car, in real time, with everything on the line.”