Mark Schwab’s ‘Cutaways’ Heads to Prime Video and Vimeo on Demand This February
We’re always excited when a new queer indie film makes its way to major digital platforms, and Cutaways is officially doing just that. The latest feature from filmmaker Mark Schwab arrives February 3 on Amazon Prime Video and Vimeo on Demand, giving audiences at home the opportunity to seek out one of the most talked-about queer titles to come out of the festival circuit last year.
After premiering as the Centerpiece Film at the 2025 SF Queer Film Festival, Cutaways has quickly built a reputation as a bold, darkly comic drama that isn’t afraid to get a little uncomfortable. Set in Los Angeles, the film follows Evan Quick (Silas Kade), a once-respected indie filmmaker whose career takes a sudden nosedive after a social media backlash turns him into an industry pariah. With his options dwindling, Evan reluctantly takes on a job directing an adult film, a decision that sends him down an unexpected and increasingly chaotic path.
For Schwab, the story hits close to home. “For me, Evan is a kind of bizarro mirror-universe version of myself,” he explains. “In another timeline where everything in my life had gone wrong, how desperate would I be to keep making films? That question interested me. In a backhanded way, this might be my most personal film.”
The film features an ensemble cast led by Kade, alongside Fernando, Diogo Hausen, and most notably, independent film icon James Duval. Duval appears as Sammy Slade, a manipulative producer whose arrival on set immediately disrupts the power dynamics at play. Given Duval’s long history with provocative and boundary-pushing characters, his involvement adds an extra layer of intrigue and legacy to the project.
“James brought humor and depth to Sammy that elevated him far beyond a simple slimy cliché,” Mark Schwab says. “He knows exactly what a manipulative producer looks and sounds like. Working with him was a literal dream come true.”
Although Cutaways unfolds on the set of an adult film, Schwab has been clear that the setting itself isn’t the point. “It’s just the arena for my characters to play out deeper issues,” he says. “For Evan, it’s about survival and compromise, but even more than that, it’s existential.”
Produced by Diamond in the Rough Films, Cutaways makes its digital debut on February 3 on Amazon Prime Video and Vimeo on Demand. We’ll be sharing our full thoughts once we’ve watched the film, but for now, this is one queer release you’ll want to have on your radar.
Cutaways arrives February 3 on Prime Video and Vimeo on Demand. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Diamond in the Rough Films.
