Exclusive Clip from DWF-Premiering Dave vs. Hollywood

After a sold-out world premiere at the 2026 Dances With Films: Los Angeles, Dave vs. Hollywood is heading to Texas. On Thursday, July 23 at 7pm, Dave vs. Hollywood will have its Texas premiere at the San Antonio Film Festival. Film Obsessive is thrilled to exclusively debut a clip from this cringe comedy mockumentary.

From directors Brad Dickson and Daniel Katz comes Dave vs. Hollywood. The film follows Dave (Preston Tyler Ward) who, like many who have picked up their lives to move to Los Angeles, has dreams of becoming an actor. He has no connections in the industry and and no foot in the door. Dave puts himself through the emotional wringer of auditions, rejections, and missed chances until he’s finally had enough. He’s not quitting, though. Kind of the opposite. Dave decides that he is willing to do literally anything to make his Hollywood dreams come true. He’ll join AA and Scientology just in the hopes of networking with some movie bigwigs. He’ll even donate a kidney to a movie star for the chance at stardom. The question is, will any of this work?

The minds behind Dave vs. Hollywood, Dickson and Katz, each bring their own experience to the film. Dickson was a staff writer at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for fourteen years where he specialized in monologues. His darkly comedic plays have been performed in New York City, Chicago, New Jersey, and his hometown of Omaha. It’s no surprise that Dickson would take on the writing duties for Dave vs. Hollywood.

“Making this film was a labor of love and we’re excited to have people we don’t
even know watch it,” Dickson says. “Dave vs. Hollywood is a cringe comedy that at times pushes the envelope. If you go, ‘I can’t believe he said that,’ it’s the reaction we’re going for.”

His partner in the director’s chair, Katz, also serves as the film’s producer and director of photography. Born in Azerbaijan, but emigrated to the United States at four years old, Katz has been using his global experience to develop his filmmaking style. He has shot films on a multitude of formats, from 16mm to large digital formats. Katz’s credits include documentaries, music videos, commercials, and now, mockumentaries.

For more information about the upcoming film, visit Dave vs. Hollywood‘s website and for tickets for the upcoming San Antonio Film Festival screening on July 23 at 7pm, click here.