The Next Big Thing in Movies: Your Apartment

So you’ve got the filmmaking talent of Steven Spielberg but the bank account of that homeless guy down the block who always forgets to wear pants — big problem, right? Not according to 24-year old filmmaker Lena Dunham, who’s been creating a big stir with her low-budget, critically acclaimed feature Tiny Furniture. Shot for just under the price of a mid-sized car, there’s nothing mid-sized about the response that Dunham has been getting for Tiny Furniture. The film took home the top prize at the South by Southwest Film Festival and has attracted big-name fans like Judd Apatow and Will Ferrell. Not too shabby for a feature that Dunham says she wrote in just five measly days, no?

Tiny Furniture tells the story of a young woman named Aura who returns home to live with her family after college in an attempt to figure out what to do with her life. The character of Aura is an exaggerated version of Lena Dunham herself, who in real life seems to have things pretty well figured out.

Dunham not only wrote, directed and starred in the indie darling, she also filmed most of the scenes in her own New York apartment. Dunham also decided to forgo the traditional casting process and instead filled her cast list with real-life friends, her sister and even her own mother. The result is a funny, heartfelt film that has delighted critics and film festival audiences alike.

So what’s up next for this indie prodigy? She’s got a new HBO pilot called Girls, a drama about four women in their 20s which is being produced by Apatow. Dunham will once again be writing, directing and starring in Girls, but we’re fairly sure that she won’t be using her own apartment this time around.

Tiny Furniture opens in select theaters Friday December 17.