Our Hero, Balthazar
Two young men, adrift in America — the younger one, Balthazar (Jaeden Martell, It: Chapter Two), was named by his loving but overworked mother (Jennifer Ehle) — perhaps in homage to Robert Bresson’s iconic film? His bedroom window looks out over Manhattan, yet even a private life coach can’t help him feel content. Far from the city, Solomon (Asa Butterfield of Sex Education) is losing his job as a gas station attendant in the middle of nowhere, Texas. He lives with his grandmother in near-poverty, under threat of eviction, and receives little help from his shady father (Chris Bauer), a former porn industry worker now hawking dietary supplements. The boys meet online. Balthazar posts about his loneliness while Solomon leaves angry comments and threatens a school shooting. What will happen when they finally meet face to face? Will they come to blows, or try to help one another? Oscar Boyson’s debut feature is, by turns, funny and frightening. It casts a sharp eye on America’s deepening class divide and shines a light on something rarely discussed: the urgent, unaddressed need for emotional support systems for young men.
Oscar Boyson
Born and raised in Maine and now based in New York, Oscar Boyson gained renown as the producer of cult favorites like the Safdie brothers’ Good Time and Uncut Gems, as well as Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha and Mistress America. After honing his directing skills on short films and series, he premiered his feature debut, Our Hero, Balthazar, at this year’s Tribeca Festival — a sharp and witty commentary on the social divides of contemporary America.
Filmography
2018 Six Sides of Katharine Hepburn (short)
2023 Power Signal (short)
2025 Nasz bohater, Balthazar / Our Hero, Balthazar
Cast & Crew
