Director Brian Meere presents the powerful Martyr of Gowanus at the 2025 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, starring Sawyer Spielberg. Set in Brooklyn in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the film follows a house painter who must confront personal trauma, community tensions, and moral dilemmas that challenge his sense of identity and belonging. The production stands out for its sensitive portrayal of a city’s emotional reconstruction — and that of its inhabitants.
Martyr of Gowanus is set in a post-9/11 Brooklyn, a setting still rarely explored. What motivated you to tell this story?
I was living in NYC on the morning of 9/11 so that day and period is vivid to me. And while I’ve seen a lot of great documentaries on 9/11, about first responders and victims, I wanted to explore how that day affected the people who watched it in real time. Specifically how an event like 9/11 damages a person’s psyche and has the power to fuel the cycle of male violence which still exists today.
The choice of Sawyer Spielberg as the protagonist adds a symbolic weight to the film. How was the collaboration between you during the creative process?
I couldn’t have asked for a more collaborative, dedicated and thoughtful actor for this film. If you saw him on set you would not think he was the son of a Hollywood legend. Like his father, Sawyer loves history, and I think it meant a lot for him to play a character who lived through this important period of time.
The main character faces both internal and collective traumas. How did you approach these emotional layers to build a realistic and impactful narrative?
I definitely didn’t want him to be the guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve and be the loudest person in the room. The main character (Gavin) internalizes his pain and sadness, and gets by like so many of us…through self medication. But what happens to him and his city slowly chips away at the veneer until it strikes a nerve that pushes him to act.
Bringing this work to the Julien Dubuque IFF also means introducing it to new audiences. How do you expect the festival’s audience to react to the film’s depth and sensitivity?
I hope they identify with some of the characters in the film and maybe see some themes that are still very much relevant today. And frankly, look at the people in their own lives and take the time to check in on them and see how they’re doing.
The film speaks about pain, reconstruction, and identity in an urban context. What does this time and space frame represent to you personally?
It’s ironic, but living in an urban environment, where you’re surrounded by thousands of people, it’s almost easier to slip into isolation and anonymity. You can hide in plain sight. In a city like NY or Brooklyn, we casually interact with all kinds of people but we have no idea what sort of pain they might be carrying or…how they plan to deal with that pain.
What kind of conversation would you like Martyr of Gowanus to spark in the festival discussions?
To talk about that time in American history, which I feel is starting to become just another chapter in our history books, like Vietnam or WWII. What connections exist between then and where we are today? And also to remember that in any tragic event where someone lost their life, remember these people are not statistics. And that somebody, even 25 year later, is still hurting because of that loss.
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