Pennsylvania Filmmaker Will Martinko Debuts Coming-of-Age Sci-Fi Drama Inertia Today

Pennsylvania native Will Martinko is bending time and hearts with Inertia, his new coming-of-age sci-fi drama releasing today, November 4, on all major digital platforms. Set and inspired by the small towns of Collegeville, Schwenksville, and Phoenixville, the film offers a distinctly local flavor to a story that fuses cosmic wonder with emotional truth.

At the center of Inertia is Roman, a 14-year-old boy who can defy time and space. Living on the run with his mother, Mariya, Roman’s world changes when they settle in a quiet Pennsylvania town and he befriends Lennon, a rebellious teen who challenges his guarded nature. What begins as a tale of adolescent friendship evolves into a deeper meditation on identity, family, and the courage to let go of what cannot be controlled.

Martinko, who first developed Inertia as a short film while attending high school in Pennsylvania, says the story grew alongside him. “Back in high school, I made Inertia as a short film called The Distinguished,” he recalls. “It was a dark time in my life—my parents were getting divorced—but entering adulthood helped me find the beauty in adolescence and family. That’s what I wanted to explore on a much deeper level.”

Rather than crafting an otherworldly setting, Martinko rooted the film in the landscapes that shaped him. “I always felt like I lived in a classic Steven Spielberg town,” he says. “Walking around and exploring Collegeville, Schwenksville, and now Phoenixville, I realized that the town I lived in was what Hollywood set out to encapsulate for generations.”

Anchored by local talent John Brocagh Lynn as Roman and Reese Grove as Lennon—both of whom hail from Martinko’s Pennsylvania community—the film carries an authenticity that’s rare in today’s sci-fi landscape. “When the two of them are together, you can tell it’s just the two of them in the room,” Martinko says. “As a director, most can only dream of the connection they brought to set every day.”

Despite its modest budget, Inertia feels expansive thanks to its emotional scope. Influenced by the works of Spielberg, Lucas, and the early-2000s wave of young adult films, Martinko reimagines those inspirations through a modern, grounded lens. “Even in a story with cosmic elements, you have to ground it in humanity,” he explains. “There’s no story without that human core.”

For Martinko, Inertia isn’t just a sci-fi adventure, it’s a love letter to Pennsylvania and to young filmmakers everywhere. “We stretched every penny as much as possible,” he says. “I hope people, especially young people, take that and run with it.”

Inertia is available now to rent or own on all major digital platforms.