See ‘Christmas Pop Up’ Premiere at Austin Film Festival
"Christmas Pop Up" holiday rom-com makes Austin Film Festival premiere ❤️🎄
Romantic Comedy "Christmas Pop Up"
to World Premiere at the Austin Film Festival
Mark your calendar for the premiere
World Premiere Sunday, Nov. 1
3:35p at the Galaxy Theater
Second Screening Thursday, Nov. 5
Catch the second screening Thursday
4:45p at the Galaxy Theater
Available for interviews:
Star Zach Gilford
Meet the star-studded team
Writer-Star Geena Pietromonaco
Director Molly Muse
Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights, Criminal Minds) stars as Will, a jaded celebrity chef who has lost his love for cooking and the holidays after a brutal breakup with his business partner. Enter Fran (Geena Pietromonaco), a quirky, Christmas-obsessed designer scrambling to move out of the apartment she shares with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend before they get engaged on New Year's Eve.
A festive culinary love story
Determined to design the perfect Christmas culinary pop-up, Fran enlists her besties to pull off a successful event, and help Will remember why he loved cooking in the first place. And despite her vow to never date another chef, sparks begin to fly.
Directed by Molly Muse | 2026 | 93 mins | Not rated | Website
Geena Pietromonaco, Writer & "Fran"
Behind the scenes with the creators
Geena Pietromonaco is an actor, writer, and director based in Seattle. Her short film, Impenetrable, premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2023 and screened again at the Spokane International Film Festival in 2024. Recent acting credits include Devil’s Wine (feature film, 2024), Blood Moon (short film, 2025), and Puppy (short film, 2025).
Molly Muse, DirectorMolly Muse is a Director, Producer, Writer, Actor, and proud Co-Founder of Paper Palace Productions. She has a B.A. in Theatre Arts: Performance from Portland State University. Molly directed and produced the documentary Jump the Fence (“Best First Feature” AZIFF 2020) and sold it to The Ovation Channel. Her short films are Wrap Me in a Sheet (2023 “Best Drama” DSFF. “Best Dramatic Short” AZIFF. ) and Ghost Town (2024 “Best Narrative Short” FCFF. “Best Art Direction” SEFF. “Best Score” BSFF.) Today, Molly is in post-production for a nine-episode travel docuseries about traditional cheesemaking in the Alps.
