Wright State grad Nicole Riegel’s second film, featuring songs by Taylor Swift collaborators, opens Friday

“Dandelion is a character any struggling musician or artist can see themselves in,” said Riegel, 38. “I still think the film is for everyone who struggles with wanting to be seen. It really is a love letter to the struggling artist and the creative process. It’s really my story of a filmmaker told through the lens of a musician.”

The Jackson, Ohio native also contributed to the film’s songs co-written by Grammy Award winners Bryce and Aaron Dessner of rock band The National. The Dessner brothers grew up in Cincinnati and have notably collaborated with Taylor Swift (“Folklore”).

“The National is my favorite band in the whole world so it was pretty wild to get to work with Bryce and Aaron, who are my music heroes,” Riegel said. “It happened naturally that as I sent them ideas for songs, they became lyrics. It was really cool to get to write with them. It was an amazing collaboration between filmmaker and musician.”

She also views the film as a personal response to the coronavirus pandemic, a singular moment when her artistry and artistic momentum was rattled by the unknown. With great fortitude she embraced the opportunity to dig deep and uncover layers not only about herself but her profession.

“The pandemic did something to artists as if we didn’t have a reason to be upset considering all the pain that was happening around the world, particularly people losing loved ones,” Riegel explained. “I was in a place of feeling very unseen and invisible, especially in the directing chair where you do not see many women or men or women of color. It’s really a white man’s game in the directing chair more so than a lot of other professions and it’s always been a longtime boy’s club. So, I really wanted to make something in response to that. ‘Dandelion’ is not an outward politically film or about the loud racism and sexism in the film industry but it’s about the quiet racism and sexism that happens on an everyday basis.”

‘I love telling human stories’

In addition to serving in the Army National Guard prior to enrolling at Wright State, Riegel is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts writing program at the University of California-Los Angeles. She was also listed by Variety as one of “10 Directors to Watch.”

Her breakthrough 2021 debut film “Holler, a riveting drama about a teenager who joins her brother in a dangerous scrap metal crew to pay for college, received a nomination for Best First Feature at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. It was also named one of the Top 10 Independent Films of 2021 by the National Board of Review.

“Dandelion” was written in 2021, filmed on location in Covington, Kentucky in 2022 and completed post-production in 2023. It received its world premiere in March at the South by Southwest Film and TV Festival in Austin, Texas. Reigel said the film continues her aesthetic from the fundamental embrace of such themes as humanity, class, family and adversity.

“I love telling human stories,” Riegel said. “I love telling stories about class and how class impacts the dreams and desires of individuals. Not everyone gets a fair shot. Dandelion is not someone who can call her dad to help her in the music industry. She’s a 33-year-old Black woman from Cincinnati raised by a single mom. She doesn’t come from a family with a lot of money. Dandelion’s journey into the music industry is an uphill battle.”

Riegel graduated from Wright State in 2009 having studied the craft of filmmaking under the tutelage of Academy Award winners Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar. She still values the many lessons learned which she prioritizes on set.

“Julia and Steve taught me about commitment,” she recalled. “When I make a film, I make sure every single person from the cast to the crew to the producers is 100 percent committed and they feel like they’re a part of this project with me and have a feeling of ownership. I remember being one of Julia and Steve’s undergraduate students and remember feeling 100 percent committed.”

‘A fun, romance, music film’

Riegel looks forward to returning to Dayton on Friday, July 19 to participate in a Q&A following the 7:30 p.m. screening of “Dandelion” at The Neon, located at 130 E. Fifth St., in downtown Dayton. She has fond memories of seeing numerous independent films at The Neon while studying at Wright State and anticipates sharing her work with the audience.

“I love The Neon,” Riegel said. “It’s one of my favorite movie theatres in the world. I also thank (Neon manager) Jonathan McNeal for keeping The Neon alive. It’s not easy to run an art house movie theatre. It’s really special that Dayton has The Neon. It’s mind-blowing that one of my movies is going to play the art houses as well as the multiplexes. ‘Dandelion’ is a fun, romance, music film that’s perfect to see in the summertime.”

More details

For more information about The Neon screening, visit neonmovies.com.