This post was updated on Feb. 26, 2023 at 8:19 p.m.

“Mutt” is exploring the complex nuances of navigating long-lost relationships and day-to-day challenges.

Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, “Mutt” follows a day in the life of a young transgender man named Feña who is forced to reconnect with his straight ex-boyfriend, estranged father and 13-year-old half sister. The indie picture received funding from Spark Features, a production company founded by alumni Josh Peters and Robina Riccitiello, because director Vuk Lungulov-Klotz exemplified Spark Features’ mission to shine light on stories from all walks of life, Peters said.

“We want to be invested in … filmmakers from diversity of experience, diversity of thought, diversity of background,” Peters said. “Vuk really checked a lot of those boxes for us.”

[Related: Sundance 2023: Alumnus Randall Park makes directorial debut with film ‘Shortcomings’]

Since the movie was based on Lungulov-Klotz’s own life as a transgender man, executive producer Alexander Stegmaier said the director wanted to highlight certain aspects of early adulthood, specifically the importance of human connection. People come of age at different times in their lives, he said, and “Mutt” highlights the relationships they form at these different stages. Riccitiello said the film “Mutt” also delves into the personal crises many young adults face as they find their way through the world.

“When we are in our 20s, we are … trying to figure out the next step, how our life is going to be,” Riccitiello said. “It’s all the more complicated when you’re going through an identity crisis, like the character (Feña) is in ‘Mutt.'”

In alignment with the film’s coming-of-age themes, Stegmaier said Lungulov-Klotz’s choice for “Mutt” to take place over the course of 24 hours was to reflect his day-to-day experiences. The condensed setting was an effective way to explore an array of mundane truths about life, he said. For example, Stegmaier said Feña is deliberating the concepts of acceptance, love and mentorship when he encounters his dad, ex-boyfriend and half sister, respectively.

“One of the things I really get a lot of joy in talking to people who have seen the movie is finding out what they connect to … because, for everybody, it could be something different,” Stegmaier said. “Some people say, ‘Oh, I thought of my daughter watching the little sister,’ or, ‘I also have a complicated relationship with my dad.’”

Another element of “Mutt” that emphasizes its themes of change and growing up is the cinematography, Stegmaier said. Films that take place during a short time period, he said, are usually shot using handheld cameras to emphasize the hecticness. In contrast, he said “Mutt” was shot on stick cameras so viewers could truly empathize with the characters and their stories in a poignant way. Stegmaier added that the editing of the film complements the cinematography because it establishes the necessary energy and kineticism of a coming-of-age story.

Stegmaier said he chose to produce “Mutt” because he was enamored by the script’s focus on transmasculine voices. His whole life, he said, he has championed underrepresented perspectives, so he wanted to be a part of the film’s production and elevate Lungulov-Klotz’s story. Additionally, Riccitiello said she was drawn to the script because of its slice-of-life themes.

“We felt it was an important story … to bring to the movies,” Riccitiello said. “It’s so wonderful to have a story about a young transgender man in New York that focuses on what’s happening in his life and not totally focused on the fact that he’s transgender.”

[Related: Sundance 2023: Alumni look toward global release of ‘Run Rabbit Run’ after festival jump-start]

After watching the film, Stegmaier said he hopes audiences will take away a sense of honesty and transparency once they learn Feña’s story. He wants viewers to gain more awareness regarding transmasculine identities and visibility, he said. However, Stegmaier said the main message of the film is how viewers come to understand the protagonist’s various relationships.

“Through these three different relationships, you’ve seen these three different perspectives of our lead Feña,” Stegmaier said. “Not all of them are buttoned up really clean, beautiful and perfect, but I think that’s the case in all of our lives.”