I Used To Be Funny

A traumatized comedian attempts to piece her life back together, but when a girl she knows better than anyone else goes missing she puts her own needs on hold.

Sam is a stand-up comedian, but after a traumatic event and the PTSD diagnosis that came with it, she struggles to return to her old way of life. Getting out of bed in the morning is a battle, and the prospect of standing on stage to tell jokes seems impossible. She intends to take it easy, but when Brooke, the teenage girl she nannied for years, runs away from home, Sam finds herself torn between the weight of her trauma and a need to ensure that Brooke is safe.

I Used To Be Funny combines pains and laughs, while simultaneously touching on the unique sorrow that comes with missing who one once was. Indie-darling Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby) plays Sam with great mastery over the strong emotions needed from her in a film that is both poignant and grounded, but hopeful as well.

«As a director, [Pankiw] has a razor-sharp focus, never missing a beat in her exploration of relationships, friendships, and mental health. But there’s always a permeating levity to it, and that’s what makes I Used to be Funny such an interesting and welcome change in how we portray trauma and abuse.»
- Emma Kiely, Collider -

Jenny Lund

Director

Ally Pankiw is a Canadian director, writer, and producer. She directed the first season of the Netflix series Feel Good and individual episodes of Black Mirror, The Great, and Shrill. As a producer and director of music videos, she has worked with artists like Ariana Grande, Muna, and Phoebe Bridges. I Used To Be Funny is her debut feature.

This film is part of