2025 Annual Awards Interviews: Colette McDermott, writer & lead actress of “Mustang”

Join host Olivia Lyle (@olivialyle1) for an exclusive interview with Colette McDermott, the breakout lead actress of Mustang (USA), which had its world premiere in the non-competitive section of 2025 IndieX Film Fest Annual Awards.

Recorded by Kyle Reed (@thekylereed) at Regal LA Live, Los Angeles, the interview dives into McDermott’s layered performance as Susan in this work about the emotional crossfire between family loyalty, longing, and the desperate pursuit of freedom.

Mustang, a neo-Western short film directed by Dylan Hayes, features Colette McDermott—daughter of Primetime Emmy Award nominee Dylan McDermott—in a role that reflects her deep personal investment. Having co-written the film over a two-year period, McDermott described the project as a “dream come true” and emphasized its “truly collaborative” nature.

The story unfolds on a remote ranch where Susan, a mysterious drifter, arrives seeking rest—but sets off a chain reaction that exposes the toxic bond between siblings Betsy (Violet Sommers) and James (Christopher Dietrick). When passion, jealousy, and betrayal collide, Betsy must make a choice that alters her life forever. What begins as a story of stolen trust becomes a quiet explosion of female agency and emotional reckoning.

A Los Angeles-based performer and writer, McDermott crafts characters with emotional depth and quiet intensity. Mustang marks her most personal work to date.

Watch the interview, and the trailer, below to learn about the collaborative process behind the camera, and why Mustang is a story about the cost—and the power—of choosing oneself.