Chu, chu.
Clint Bentley and Greg Koidar, directors of the Oscar-nominated Netflix drama Train dreamsthey signed a first-look deal with the streamer.
The duo, through their production banner Ethos, will develop and produce features for Netflix. Filmmakers work together in such a way that they co-write their projects and then rotate among themselves who gets to sit in the director’s chair. Train dreamsfor example, was managed by Bentley while Kouidar handled its previous effort, the 2023 championship. Singing singing.
But, going back to the filmmakers’ independent roots, there’s a creative touch to the proceedings.
Bentley and Koidar will also develop a roster of up-and-coming filmmakers selected from the world’s best film festivals and schools. Netflix will finance the development, production and release of these low-budget films.
The two filmmakers, now alongside Netflix, have focused on discovering new voices and making what are considered high-risk titles in the independent space, which has seen many traditional financing and distribution methods collapse since the days of Covid.
Ethos, which the duo launched in 2024, actually works differently from most other production companies. Its productions see that everyone who works on its films, from above the line to below the line, receives the same wage. Additionally, everyone assigned to their productions receives royalties from their films.
Making a living in independent film is a defining principle for the duo.
“By founding Ethos, our hope was to create a home where independent filmmakers could make bold, lasting work in an environment that was fair and sustainable for the entire community of artists working on these films,” Bentley and Koidar said in a statement. “We are grateful to Netflix for their commitment to this vision and for believing in us as artists, and we are excited about this partnership.”
“I’ve been fortunate to meet so many talented filmmakers at festivals and markets, including Clint and Greg,” said Sean Burney, Head of Film Acquisitions at Netflix. “What really stood out to me while working with them, apart from their raw talent, is how genuinely invested we are in nurturing the next wave of filmmakers and giving them a real opportunity to make their mark.”
Bentley and Koidar are beloved on the festival circuit thanks to their growing collection of acclaimed independent acts. Their distinctive debut Transpicus It premiered at SXSW where it won the Audience Award during their follow-up Knight It premiered at Sundance where it won the Special Jury Award for Best Actor for Clifton Collins Jr.
Singing singing It premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to win the 2024 SXSW Festival Audience Award while also receiving three Academy Award nominations and three Independent Spirit Award nominations, among other accolades.
Train dreams It was a major contender last awards season after debuting at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Netflix. The film received four Independent Spirit Awards, winning three of them, while also receiving five Academy Award nominations.
The duo is currently in the post stage Saturn returna romantic film set in Chicago and starring Charles Melton, Rachel Brosnahan, and Will Poulter. Kuidar directed the feature from a script written by Jaylen Gould with revisions by him and Bentley. The film will be released on Netflix later this year.
To handle their growing company, Bentley and Koidar are currently looking for a Creative Director for Ethos to manage day-to-day operations.
The duo is repped by CAA, Joan Roberts Wiles at Black Bear, and Johnson Shapiro and Paula Woods Consulting.
