Outside the Box [Office], Watch This Ready, and Thanks Again Pictures,
invite you and a guest to attend
 

A Special Theatrical Screening of

ONE ROAD TO QUARTZSITE

Directed, Shot, and Edited by Ryan Maxey
Written by Ryan Maxey, Josh Polon, and Sophie Hardeman
Produced by Ryan Maxey and Josh Polon

Followed by a Q&A with SCA Alumnus Ryan Maxey and Josh Polon

7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025

The Eileen Norris Cinema Theater at the Frank Sinatra Hall
3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.
RSVPs ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About One Road to Quartzsite

Exit to Quartzsite for cheap gas, there’s not a whole lot else. But every winter its population swells from 600 to over a million – as an unlikely cross section of snowbirds, crustpunks and libertarians make their annual pilgrimage to live in this "giant parking lot." Some bought into the American Dream and lost everything; others dropped out long ago. Now they’re all neighbors on the same piece of dirt – all trying to live free and not die. ONE ROAD TO QUARTZSITE is an observational portrait of people trying to live outside of the constraints of American society, or to simply escape the winter.

Provided courtesy of Watch This Ready and Thanks Again Pictures. Running time: 89 minutes.

https://www.quartzsitefilm.com/

About the Guests

RYAN MAXEY (Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor)

Ryan Maxey has a fondness for ordinary people and unapologetic heroes in his documentaries -- which express themes of loneliness, moral conundrum, and upheaval of the status quo.

His debut feature length documentary, ONE ROAD TO QUARTZSITE, took home the Grand Jury Best Feature prize at the 2022 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival — and can be found streaming on Apple TV and Amazon.

As director, six of his short films have been selected as Vimeo Staff Picks — and have been featured by SXSW, Hot Docs, True/False, AFI Docs, Outfest, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and Dazed and Confused Magazine.

JOSH POLON (Producer, Co-Writer; Thanks Again Pictures)

Josh Polon is an Oscar-shortlisted producer/director from Baltimore and member of the Documentary Producers Alliance. His work has premiered at Sundance, True/False, New/Next, SXSW, TIFF, DOC NYC and Hot Docs, been supported by Sandbox Films, Sundance Institute, The New York Times and ITVS, and distributed by HBO, Netflix, Oscilloscope Laboratories and Dekanalog. His current projects include documentaries about human composting, a magical book, a giant corporate cover-up, and the most powerful witch in Europe.   

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Executive Director, Film Programming and Special Projects, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu