When Brian Silverman was growing up in Mt. Lebanon, his parents often took him along to the many cultural events they attended around Pittsburgh. That early exposure to the arts made an impression on Silverman, who’s now 55 and living in Los Angeles.

He’s returned the favor to his hometown with a film, “Two Lives in Pittsburgh,” his directorial debut from a script he wrote. It plays Nov. 9 and 10 as part of the Three Rivers Film Festival.

The film was shot in parts of Carnegie, Dormont, Green Tree, Mt. Lebanon, Bridgeville and Crafton during the summer of 2021.

It tells the story of blue-collar worker Bernie (played by Silverman), who is confronted by both his mother’s illness and his child’s exploration of gender. The film won for Best Narrative Feature at the 2023 Indie Spirit Film Festival and for Outstanding Drama at the 2023 Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival.

Silverman spoke with TribLIVE about his debut as a director and bringing his film back to the town where it was created. This interview has been edited for length.

Q: How did you first become interested in a career in filmmaking?

A: I have always wanted to be an actor. In high school and college, I didn’t let myself follow that pursuit. It took some time to give myself permission. Finally, after coming back from serving in the Peace Corps and getting a graduate degree that I don’t use all that much, I committed to pursuing acting. I’ve been doing that for about 25 years. I didn’t set out to direct films, but as the roles I wanted to play and the stories I wanted to tell proved elusive, I figured I’d try to carve a path for myself.

Q: What was the inspiration for the story of “Two Lives in Pittsburgh”?

A: “Kramer vs. Kramer” was my guiding inspiration. I was young when it came out, but that film has always tugged at me. It so poignantly explored what it was to be a father in the new world of the 1980s. Along with “Kramer,” I referred a lot to “Tootsie” – I’m a 1970s and ’80s Dustin Hoffman fan – and “Little Miss Sunshine.” I absolutely loved Alan Arkin’s character and wanted to create something like that for a veteran actress.

In addition, I’ve been a special education teacher for the last 20 years. And over the last 10, there’s been a big increase in kids identifying as transgender. One was from a very traditional, Catholic family. That student’s coming-out influenced the trajectory of the script. “Two Lives” became a “Kramer” for the 2020s with gender identity, rather than divorce and single parenting, serving as the catalyst for a new understanding of what it means to be a man and a father.

Q: You‘ve said that the film is “about as Pittsburgh as a film can get.” What does that mean to you and how is that illustrated in the film?

A: It reflects the type of grit and growth that I think of when I think of Pittsburgh — the working-class ethic and the reflection of imperfect people doing their imperfect best, showing up for their family and friends. On top of that, this is not a movie filmed in Pittsburgh to stand in for some other location. It’s profoundly Pittsburgh: accents, colors, deer head in the garage, IC Light in the fridge, Lemon Blennd in the cupboard, hockey sticks everywhere, Steelers, Pirates and Penguins throughout (apologies for not having any Riverhound stuff). I even went on eBay to get Town Talk bags for the bread.

Q: What do you hope audiences will take away from the film?

A: Film can move us to feel and reflect with a generosity of heart and a sensitivity of spirit. I hope that “Two Lives” gives to audiences what some of my favorite films give to me — a deepened faith in the power of people to become brighter, more compassionate versions of themselves.

Q: What’s been your favorite part of this process?

A: I’m still an actor first. So my favorite part of the process is that play that happens in rehearsal, or that surprise that happens while the camera is rolling where my scene partner leads me to a place I didn’t expect, or a moment unfolds in a way I didn’t see coming.

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