The worlds of stage and screen will converge this fall as the award-winning indie feature And Through the Portal We Go screens at two New York festivals: YoFi Fest in Yonkers on Saturday, November 8 at 4:00 p.m. and the Queens World Film Festival on Sunday, November 9 at 12:00 p.m. at Kaufman Astoria Studios’ historic Zukor Theatre. The filmmakers will appear for post-screening Q&As at both events.
Directed by Mike Hayhurst and produced by Allison Moy Hayhurst, And Through the Portal We Go is a darkly comic time-loop feature shot over nine days with a nine-person New York-based cast and crew. The film follows Katie, Craig, and Mikey—the last three members of a cult—who step through a glowing portal in the woods expecting transcendence, only to find themselves looping back to where they began.
Balancing absurd humor with emotional depth, And Through the Portal We Go has been praised for its inventive storytelling and grounded performances. 48Hills called it “a clever twist on the time-loop genre,” while The Alabama Take described it as “a comedy of errors that evolves into one of reflection.”
The Cast
The ensemble features a trio of New York-based theatre and comedy talent:
Sarah Goeke (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical National Tour) stars as Katie. Her original web series Forked—which explores sobriety, sexuality, and self-discovery—has earned awards including Best Series (NY Cinefest), Best Screenwriting (NY Indie Shorts Awards), and Best Webisode (Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival).
Joseph Lymous, a New Orleans-born actor and comedian, plays Craig. A CBS Showcase and Just for Laughs alum, he has appeared in The Other Two (HBO) and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens (Comedy Central). He will debut his solo show Turning Tigers into Pancakes at Dixon Place this November.
Taylor Dalton Curtis, who portrays Mikey, brings extensive stage experience from The National Theatre of the Deaf, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and Theater Under St. Marks. He received Best Actor at the Gig Harbor Film Festival and Best Ensemble at the Black Bear Film Festival for his performance in Portal.
Awards and Reception
The film has received multiple honors, including Best Actor, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Fantasy Feature, Best Feature, and Best Narrative Feature at festivals across the U.S. and U.K.
“This film was built here, with a team of New Yorkers, shot in the Catskills,” said director Mike Hayhurst. “To bring it back for audiences in Yonkers and Queens—it really feels like we’re completing the loop.”
Event Details
YoFi Fest – Yonkers, NY
Date: Saturday, November 8 at 4:00 p.m.
Venue: The Atrium Theater at the Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Center, Yonkers, NY 10701
Tickets: yofifest.com
Queens World Film Festival – NYC Premiere
Date: Sunday, November 9 at 12:00 p.m.
Venue: Zukor Theatre, Kaufman Astoria Studios, Queens, NY
Tickets: queensworldfilmfestival.org
