Victoria Monai Richards wants families laughing together in ‘Search Party: Where’s PawPaw?

The film runs one hour and 42 minutes, and Atlas Distribution Company is listed as its distributor.

Behind the missing-grandfather premise is a family undertaking. Faith+Works Productions, the company Richards and her mother founded, has made shared entertainment its mission. For Richards, that begins with memories of going to movies with her father and brother, then working out why a particular film had earned everyone’s approval.

She directed this one at 22. Her answers reveal the preparation behind that responsibility, the friendships that informed the characters and the Christian faith she brought into the writing process. They also make clear that she wants adults to enjoy the jokes as much as children do.

Her experience offers aspiring filmmakers a look at how personal relationships can influence a production, from the screenplay’s jokes to decisions made on set. Ahead of the release, Family Media News asked Richards about making the film, working with her mother and creating characters she hopes families will remember.

FMN: What did movie outings with your father and brother teach you about filmmaking?

Richards: Whenever my dad, brother, and I could all agree that a movie deserved a “thumbs up,” I took note of why. Unpredictability was a big one for us! We loved films that made us laugh but also left us thinking long after the credits rolled. Those experiences shaped the kind of filmmaker I wanted to become. I wanted my art to do the same: be thought-provoking, unpredictable, genuinely funny, and ultimately earn a thumbs up from the entire family.

FMN: How did writing with your mother strengthen the comedy?

Richards: We’re from two different generations, so naturally, our senses of humor don’t always align! Sometimes I’d write a joke she didn’t understand, and vice versa. Eventually, we started turning those disagreements into comedy. For example, my mom wanted to include a David Hasselhoff joke, and I had absolutely no idea who that was. I kept butchering his name: “Hasselscotch,” “Hassletoff,” you name it! We laughed so hard that we ended up writing the characters mispronouncing his name into the script. Sometimes our differences produced the best jokes!

FMN: How did your Christian faith influence the writing process?

Richards: My faith shapes every aspect of my life, and I’ve come to realize that the Lord has the greatest sense of humor of us all! Scripture is full of sarcasm, wit, and clever callbacks, so we allowed God’s Word to guide our comedic style. I knew we could create a clean comedy without it feeling preachy. It wasn’t always easy because there isn’t exactly a blueprint for what we were attempting. But we invited the Holy Spirit into every writing session, asking Him to help us think creatively. And He certainly did!

FMN: What challenged you most about directing, writing and starring at 22?

Richards: I had a very specific vision, so my biggest challenge was making sure that vision translated while I was also performing. Going back and forth between acting and reviewing footage wasn’t easy! Thankfully, I had an incredible directing supervisor whom I’d spent months preparing with. We discussed everything from comedic deliveries to creative camera angles and unconventional choices that would make our film stand out. That preparation allowed me to trust the process, even when I couldn’t physically be behind the camera.

FMN: What did you learn from directing Tichina Arnold and Tommy Davidson?

Richards: Tichina and Tommy are legends! Watching them work was a masterclass in fully committing to a scene. They use everything around them: their surroundings, fellow actors, and cultural references. They’re not just in the scene; they ARE the scene! One unforgettable moment was watching Tichina crawl out of a hospital room, chasing down her daddy’s favorite clock after eating his favorite biscuit, all while crying and blowing her nose into a window curtain. GOLDEN! Their commitment taught me that great comedy comes from fully embracing the absurdity.

FMN: How did your friendships with Nijah Brenea and Daisy Fernandez translate to the screen?

Richards: Honestly, this was probably the easiest part! Our dynamic has been this way since the moment we met. We’re three completely different personalities, but we have so much love and respect for one another that our chemistry naturally translated onto the screen. We didn’t have to manufacture a friendship because it was already there. I think audiences can recognize when relationships are genuine, even when the characters are completely ridiculous. We’re the definition of opposites attract, LOL!

FMN: How did you balance comedy with care for older relatives?

Richards: Older people are hilarious to me! They’re so wonderfully blunt and too seasoned in life to beat around the bush. That made balancing tenderness and comedy feel natural. Ultimately, we wanted to communicate that as our loved ones age, they deserve a community that supports and protects them, even with their smart mouths and outrageous observations! Family means showing up for one another, regardless of age. And yes, if one of our grandparents escaped a nursing home, we’d absolutely form a search party to bring them home! Haha!

FMN: What does family-friendly comedy mean to you?

Richards: For me, avoiding profanity, sexual innuendos, and violence is the baseline. But family-friendly entertainment should also reinforce values we can all agree on. If someone in your family is in danger, you drop everything to help them. That’s a message anyone can appreciate, regardless of background. Whether you’re Black, white, bald, hairy, a circle, or a square, as they say! I wanted to create something children could enjoy without adults feeling like they were watching a children’s movie. Clean comedy can still be clever, unpredictable, and genuinely hilarious!

FMN: What did you learn about leadership, and what would you tell young women beginning their own projects?

Richards: Be patient. Be clear. Be kind. And most importantly, just start! Leadership isn’t about having every answer; it’s about having a clear vision, communicating it effectively, and treating people with respect along the way. Making an independent feature taught me that patience and perseverance are just as important as creativity. You won’t have everything figured out on day one, and that’s okay. Trust God, do the work, and don’t wait for someone else’s permission to tell the story He’s placed on your heart.

FMN: What do you hope families take home after seeing the film?

Richards: Joy! I want families leaving the theater saying, “Wow, that was refreshing! I’d watch that again!” More than anything, I hope the film becomes a shared cultural experience. Maybe next week they’re quoting something outrageous Sunshine said, one of Noble’s sayings becomes part of their daily routine, or they actually start believing one of Nigeria’s conspiracy theories! Haha! I want audiences to love these characters so much that they become more than fictional people on a screen. They become part of the family’s conversations, inside jokes, and memories.

For Richards, the hoped-for measure of success extends beyond the screening itself: a line repeated at home, a character remembered, a joke that belongs to everyone who went together. The family that once compared thumbs-up verdicts has become a family making the movie.

On November 13, audiences will get to offer their own verdict.

Check HERE for theater availability.

Trailer here.

*Parents should know that the film carries a PG rating. That advisory should inform family viewing decisions alongside Richards’ description of her intentions. Editorial note: This release preview draws on Victoria Monai Richards’ written interview responses and official film materials. *Supporting information: official film website, release date and runtime, and rating and distributor.