Interview: Stacey Sargeant Opens Up About Stand Clear the Closing Doors

Some stories find their creators. Others practically demand to be told.

For actress, writer, and first-time director Stacey Sargeant, Stand Clear the Closing Doors was born from an unsettling encounter on a New York City subway that stayed with her long after the train ride ended. Rather than letting the experience become another frustrating memory, Sargeant transformed it into a deeply personal short film that made its world premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Festival.

During an interview with The TV Cave, Sargeant reflected on the whirlwind journey from real-life incident to Tribeca premiere, the challenges of wearing multiple creative hats, and why she hopes audiences walk away asking themselves difficult questions about empathy, race, and whose humanity society chooses to prioritize.

The Tribeca premiere represented far more than a festival screening. For Sargeant, it was the realization of a dream she'd quietly held for years.

She recalled moving into the neighborhood shortly after Tribeca Festival launched and vividly remembered walking past the red carpets outside the courthouse, telling herself, "One day, I'll be there." That moment finally arrived with Stand Clear the Closing Doors, making the experience especially emotional. Even more remarkable, Tribeca was the very first festival she submitted the film to—and the first to accept it.

Talk about setting the bar high.

The inspiration struck almost immediately after the subway encounter in early 2025. Sargeant had already been exploring producing during a slowdown in acting work and was on her way to class when the incident unfolded. After sharing the story with her brother, he immediately responded that it "sounds like a film."

That simple observation changed everything.

Within a week, Sargeant had written the screenplay, refining subsequent drafts to sharpen the tone while keeping the emotional truth intact. She explained that the story felt manageable because it unfolded primarily in one location, allowing her to focus on character and tension instead of spectacle.

Although directing her first film could have been intimidating, Sargeant said the biggest hurdle wasn't stepping behind the camera—it was finding the right subway line.

She laughed while recalling late-night and early-morning scouting trips across New York with her cinematographer, trying to identify trains that would work best for filming. The production itself moved remarkably quickly, wrapping in just six hours despite being filmed on active subway trains.

One of the biggest surprises came from the overwhelming support of her artistic community. Friends she had known for years volunteered as background performers, helping maintain continuity throughout the moving subway sequences despite working well below their usual rates. Their willingness to show up reminded Sargeant just how valuable genuine creative relationships can be.

Ironically, some of the film's themes revealed themselves during production.

Despite filming emotionally charged scenes on crowded trains, most passengers barely reacted. While one unhoused man jokingly "blessed" the production, another subway car had to be abandoned after the crew encountered someone openly smoking crack. Otherwise, New Yorkers largely stayed focused on their phones, offering little acknowledgment that a film was unfolding around them.

That indifference mirrors one of the film's central ideas.

For Sargeant, Stand Clear the Closing Doors is about much more than an uncomfortable subway ride. She hopes viewers question why some people are so quick to extend grace to certain individuals while overlooking the experiences of others.

She noted that after sharing her real-life story, many listeners immediately sympathized with the white woman involved once they learned she was "having a bad day." Sargeant found herself wondering whether that same compassion would have been offered had their roles been reversed. It's a question the film intentionally leaves lingering.

Equally important is what she hopes Black women take away from the story.

"I want Black women to feel seen," she shared, explaining that many are conditioned to minimize their own needs in order to make others comfortable. Through the film, she hopes audiences recognize that taking up space and prioritizing yourself shouldn't require an apology.

When asked to describe Stand Clear the Closing Doors in just three words, Sargeant chose "funny," "enlightening," and "unexpected"—a fitting summary for a film that balances sharp observations with genuine emotional weight.

And she's far from finished.

Fresh off her directing debut, Sargeant says the experience has given her the confidence to revisit scripts she'd previously written and continue expanding her career behind the camera. She also teased upcoming acting projects, including Hulu and A24's The Spot, while making it clear that directing is now very much part of her future.

If Stand Clear the Closing Doors is any indication, Stacey Sargeant has discovered another creative lane worth riding. Her first short proves she isn't interested in telling comfortable stories—she wants conversations that continue long after the credits roll. And judging by the reception at Tribeca, audiences are more than willing to stay on board.

Check out our full interview below: