Zach Braff returned to the director's chair with Wish I Was Here, as the Scrubs star finally followed up his cult favourite Garden State. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival this week to almost unanimous praise (it currently holds a 9.5 rating on IMdB), with Braff and co-stars Kate Hudson, Josh Gad and Mandy Patinkin sitting down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the film before the premiere.

Wish I Was Here
Hudson and Braff in a scene from Wish I Was Here

Whilst Braff discussed the freedom of working independently, having the bulk of production costs paid for through crowd funding via Kickstarter, it was Hudson who seemed the most overwhelmed with the movie as she explained the emotional connection she felt towards the film and not just because she and Braff had wanted to make a film together for some time.

"We've been wanting to work on something together for a little bit," she told THR. "The script hit me on so many levels, just in terms of relatability to my own family, to my own struggle with my family at times."

See all our behind-the-scenes images from Wish I Was Here

The film revolves around Braff's character, a a struggling actor, father and husband still trying to find his identity as he decides to start homeschooling his children. Hudson stars as his wife in the film, with a host of Braff's Hollywood friends also helping out on filming, including Donald Faison, Jim Parsons and Phil Lewis (Hooch from Scrubs). Following it's Sundance premiere, the film is due to be released in cinemas in the USA in September this year.

Wish I Was Here scene
The film has so far been a hit with critics