From Greeting Guests To Welcoming Audiences

A uniquely New York story is coming full circle at The Roxy Hotel. Rasan Kuvly, the beloved doorman who has worked at The Roxy for nearly two years, is celebrating the theatrical debut of his first feature film, So Far All Good, at The Roxy Cinema—fresh off its selection at the 2025 Tribeca Festival.

The son of Kurdish refugees, Rasan was born in Little Kurdistan in Nashville and moved to New York to pursue acting. This fall, he’ll attend the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

So Far All Good is a fully improvised, 72-minute film shot guerilla-style across NYC on a $500 budget, with no crew—just two mics and a Sony A7IV. The story follows a young man newly released from prison, reentering a city, and a life, that’s changed in his absence.

It’s a raw and intimate debut from a promising new voice—and it’s opening exactly where his New York story began. The theatrical debut will take place on Friday 7/25 at 7:00 p.m followed by a Q&A. Purchase tickets HERE.

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When did you start working at the Roxy Hotel?

Mid August 2023. 

How did you get into film?

I grew up in a challenging immigrant home, but as a kid film was what brought the home together. As life got more fractured, I found myself searching for refuge in a film or being in theater. I’ve always had this compulsion to document—taking pictures of everything, even when I didn’t know why. But it wasn’t until I started seriously pursuing acting that I felt the urge to explore everything film could offer. Watching La Haine for the first time inspired me to want to be a part of film and not just act in them. 

What is your favorite movie?

“A Prophet” holds a special place in my heart. So does “The Elephant Man.” 

How did you discover your passion for acting?

I accidentally signed up for the wrong theater class in high school, the kind where you actually had to be in the school play. My teacher wouldn’t let me drop it, and next thing I knew, I was standing on stage reciting “to be or not to be.” I never set out to be an actor, but something kept pulling me back. I kept showing up, and here I am. 

Are you excited to start your MFA program at Yale?

Without a doubt. It’s an honor to fully dedicate myself to exploring my craft and being a true student of the worlds I want to be a part of. That mindset has guided me for years, regardless of school or acting, but I’ve been craving an artistic education that challenges and expands me. I started in the theater, and it’s been a long time since I’ve been on stage so I’m itching for that journey. 

What was it like premiering your film at Tribeca Film Festival this year?

An absolute privilege. Coming from where I come from and having no roadmap, no connections— there’s never been any option but to figure things out on my own. Yet, none of this would’ve happened without the friendships I’ve built over the years. This film is the result of those bonds. So when it was acknowledged by Tribeca, it felt like we all were recognized. I’m beyond grateful to the programmers for seeing us. And the premiere itself—to see our true DIY film projected on that screen, surrounded by love, it was true affirmation. 

Tell me what it was like to write and star in this film?

Chaotic, but it all fused into the style of the film and characters, especially Ace. The film is fully improvised and we used every challenge to our benefit. We had an outline but due to the nature of the film and being intertwined with the real world, everything kept changing—growing. We all had to roll with the punches and embrace them— think quick on our feet. The script only finished the moment we stopped filming our final shot. I had to constantly switch hats on set, but that openness to change made it one of the most fun and free creative experiences I’ve had. Especially getting to realize Ace everyday on and off set to thread it all together. The cast deserves to be applauded for the talent it takes to work the way we did. While Seck’s editing wove all the pieces into something beautiful.

How does it feel to be premiering the film in the theatre of the hotel you work in?

It feels right. Regardless of how my journey may have unfolded, I knew I would be back in that theater as an audience member and some day a filmmaker or actor. The Roxy Cinema and the people I’ve come to know through the hotel have become a kind of home. It’s not always easy showing up every day, but I’ve always felt supported here. So to now share my art in a space that’s held me up, it means so much. The surreal part is realizing I was working in the hotel, shooting the film, and now premiering it there all within a year. I truly feel blessed, honored, and grateful.