Dylan Welter’s dream of becoming a filmmaker was born in a Kansas City theater in 2001. On January 24, 2025, his second feature film, The Militia, will premiere at the B&B Theatres Overland Park 16.
Welter initially didn’t think filmmaking was a realistic career option. “I was sort of like, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make it in movies. It seems really hard, and I don’t know where to start, and all my friends are engineers.’” He chose an adjacent path: communications studies at Kansas State University.
It was Welter’s parents—whom he implored to take him to that midnight premiere of The Lord of the Rings back in ’01—who encouraged him to go into the arts. When Welter went on a skiing trip to Colorado, his dad looked up the Colorado Film School and implored him to visit. “I pooh-poohed him,” Welter says. “I was like, ‘I don’t care, Dad, I don’t care.’ And he was like, ‘Just stop by!’ and I’m like, ‘Fine!’”
Welter visited the film school and fell in love with it. As a student there, he honed his style as a “slice of life” filmmaker and won regional Emmys for his short films. After a pre-pandemic stint in Los Angeles—a city he says is very focused on the bottom line—he moved back to Kansas City and filmed and released his first feature film, Confinement, in 2022. “It has a more familial feel, making things here in Kansas City,” Welter says. “It just feels like people are happy to collaborate and there’s more of a childlike joy and interest.”
Welter filmed The Militia entirely in Kansas City with a crew of mostly Kansas Citians. The film—about a child raised by militant extremists—will premiere privately at Overland Park 16 before hitting the film festival circuit.
Dylan’s essentials..
Caffeine Fix: Caramel macchiato from Outta the Blue Cafe all the way. It’s a really cool beach vibe, even on those cold winter mornings. Plus, they have a row of swings for chairs, and that’s too much fun for me to pass up.
Best Bite: I think the best restaurant in the city is The Town Company, hidden inside Hotel Kansas City near Power & Light. Every time I go, I get the lobster toast, but the menu is on a regular rotation, so there are always new dishes.
Special Cinema: My favorite theater is the B&B Theatres Overland Park 16 (formerly the Palazzo). I screened my first feature film there, and that will be a memory I treasure forever. The Grand Screen there is top notch, and I love the Italian theme in the lobby.
Hidden Gem: I love playing board games with my friends and family, and TableTop Game and Hobby is the place to be. Aside from having just about every type of board game, miniature, and dungeon-crawling adventure you could ever want, they have partnered with this really cool board-game cafe called Cardboard Corner.
Crafted Cocktail: My favorite cocktail haunt is P.S. Speakeasy, located—shh, don’t tell—but someone at the Hotel Phillips in downtown KC might know if you ask the right questions. The Glennon is my go-to drink—apricot, orange, and some fluffy egg white is prime.
Can’t-Miss Event: You have to go to a Chiefs game. The tailgating, the barbecue, the loudest stadium in the NFL—oh, and the Super Bowl championships—all make it a one-of-a-kind experience. My grandpa bought season tickets season one! So the games aren’t just a tradition, they’re generational outings and celebrations.