21-06-2025
‘Hey Viktor!' trailer unveils Cody lightning's bold, self-aware comeback satire
Monument Releasing has dropped the official trailer for Hey Viktor!, a sharp-witted, meta-comedy that sees former Smoke Signals star Cody Lightning return to the spotlight—this time as both writer and director. The film, which premieres on July 13, 2025, is a hilariously unfiltered satire that pokes fun at fading fame, cultural representation, and the chaos of comeback dreams.
Lightning plays a fictionalized version of himself—a former Indigenous child actor whose early success in the 1998 indie classic Smoke Signals has long since faded. Now a disillusioned adult, Cody is clinging to delusions of grandeur and nursing a failing career. When a botched intervention inspires a reckless spark of ambition, he decides to make Smoke Signals 2. The catch? There's no script, no funding, and no Adam Beach—his former co-star. The result is a rollercoaster of cringe, comedy, and deeply human moments.
The cast includes Hannah Cheesman as Kate, Cody's exhausted but loyal creative partner. Joining them are Simon Baker, Gary Farmer, Irene Bedard, and the real Adam Beach, with an unexpected comedic turn from Whose Line Is It Anyway? star Colin Mochrie.
Through chaotic on-set disasters and emotionally raw detours, Hey Viktor! becomes much more than a parody. Lightning crafts a layered narrative that cleverly skewers the film industry, explores the pressures of Indigenous storytelling, and exposes the fragility of ego with razor-sharp humor.
Both mockumentary and meditation, Hey Viktor! is a comeback film that doesn't follow the expected formula. Instead, it embraces its own messiness—delivering laughs, discomfort, and insight in equal measure. As one of 2025's most unconventional releases, this comedy looks to both entertain and challenge audiences with its fearless honesty.
