It’s been nearly 15 years since filmmaker Joe Carabeo last showed anything in Richmond, a city he once called home. He cut his teeth here, first as a VCU Photo and Film graduate, then as the co-founder of Project Resolution, an underground monthly film fest where local filmmakers could actually see their work on a big screen. He was behind RVA Magazine’s own RVA TV’s House Show, our version of the now-ubiquitous live music video format that never quite got its due. Since then, he’s carved out a career making films on his own terms, balancing professional gigs with the relentless pursuit of his own stories.
This Saturday, February 8, 2025, Carabeo returns to Richmond, Virginia, screening his latest indie revenge thriller, Kira vs Everyone, at Richmond Film Network Indie Fest at The Park RVA.
A Revenge Story with Style
Kira vs Everyone isn’t here to win Oscars. It’s a dark, stylish revenge thriller, the kind of movie that doesn’t explain itself but lets the audience figure out what the hell is going on. The plot? A senator, a humanitarian award, and a hunter in the shadows. No hand-holding, no spoon-fed exposition. Just tension, action, and a creeping sense that maybe revenge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Shot in Northern Virginia with a local DMV cast and crew, Kira vs Everyone thrives on its shadow-heavy cinematography (Kunitaro Ohi), a moody, pulse-driving score (Carolyn Koch), and a soundtrack featuring Synth Goddess, VIRG. The film leans into the unpolished grit of independent cinema, where the imperfections make it better.
Carabeo, known for his stylized storytelling and deep comic book influences, has hinted that Kira vs Everyone could be just the beginning of a larger series. “This is the type of film I’ve been wanting to make. It’s about time I got dark and a little bloody… and just had fun,” he said during a Q&A at the Fredericksburg Film Festival.
Listen to his podcast episode with Richmond’s TV Jerry HERE.
And people have noticed.
- “That film will give me nightmares.” — Maryland International Film Festival Moderator
- “That movie goes hard.” — Joseph Le, action director (Shang-Chi, Everything Everywhere All At Once)
- “This is the kind of movie I want to see made in our area.” — Charlottesville Indie Short Film Festival
Richmond Gets a Rare Screening
This weekend’s screening isn’t just another festival stop—it’s one of the last chances to see Kira vs Everyone on the big screen. After spending a year on the festival circuit, Carabeo is moving on to whatever’s next, whether that’s more Kira stories or something completely different.
If you go, expect a Q&A with Carabeo, some exclusive giveaways, and the usual mix of film fest weirdos, enthusiasts, and the occasional accidental attendee who thought they were getting into something else.
Event Details:
- What: Kira vs Everyone screening at RFN Indie Fest
- When: Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 4:30 PM
- Where: The Park RVA, Richmond, VA
- Tickets: BUY HERE
A Filmmaker Who Just Keeps Making
Carabeo isn’t just making films—he’s spent years keeping the indie film scene alive in the DMV, not by schmoozing with executives or chasing Hollywood pipe dreams, but by building platforms for filmmakers like himself—whether through Astray Productions, his work in comics and music videos, or as Program Director of Awesome Con Short Film Festival (10 years) and DC Shorts International Film Festival (21 years)—places where scrappy, self-made filmmakers actually get a shot.
A mix of noir grit, comic book energy, and cyberpunk attitude—the kind of storytelling that doesn’t beg for approval, just demands to be seen.
If you’re into independent cinema that takes risks, action with bite, and stories that don’t spoon-feed you, Kira vs Everyone at RFN Indie Fest is worth your time.
For more, visit AstrayProductions.com and JoeCarabeo.com.
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