We Need to Talk About Oscar

‘Bunnylovr’ is out in theaters today. Premiering at Sundance in January 2025 as part of the US Dramatic Competition, writer-director-star Katarina Zhu’s debut feature follows Becca, a Chinese-American cam girl in New York navigating a toxic relationship with a mysterious client while quietly trying to reconnect with her estranged, dying father.This is our conversation with Katarina and her cinematographer Daisy Zhou, their first collaboration together. The admiration between them is palpable throughout, two people who clearly found something rare in each other on their first project. We open with how they connected and what drew each of them to the material, before getting into what it means to direct and perform simultaneously and how that shapes the set from both sides of the camera.From there the conversation moves into the heart of the film: how Katarina built Becca as a character who moves between very private digital spaces and the more grounded textures of everyday life without ever splitting into two different people, and how Daisy translated those shifts into a visual language where each space carries its own feeling while still belonging to the same film.(Photos: Courtesy of Katarina Zhu)

Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, the comedy duo known as BriTANicK, brought two feature films to SXSW 2026: 'Pizza Movie,' which they wrote and directed, and 'Over Your Dead Body,' which they adapted for Jorma Taccone to direct. They reflect on their sketch comedy roots and whether anything they'd done before approached narrative filmmaking, plus how they regard sketches within the broader realm of cinema. The pair also share how their festival weekend turned out, juggling two premieres and a live comedy show.Our conversation explores how their dynamic as performers translates behind the camera, and the mechanics of escalation in 'Pizza Movie,' a film that constantly heightens the stakes. They discuss whether that comes from instinct or structure, and how they think about audience experience now that it's heading to Hulu after theatrical screenings.We turn to 'Over Your Dead Body,' examining what writing for someone else to direct feels like versus helming their own work, and how they approached "Americanizing" a 2021 Norwegian film while navigating what to touch and what to leave alone. Having been candid about their creative differences over the years, they consider whether the partnerships depicted, roommates in one film and a married couple in the other, mirror anything about how they actually collaborate.(Photo: Courtesy of Disney and Brett Roedel)

Writer-director-star Matthew Shear took home the SXSW Audience Award for 'Fantasy Life,' with Amanda Peet earning a Special Jury Award for her performance. Matthew reflects on what this double recognition means for a film drawn so directly from his own experience, and whether the script could have been directed by anyone else given how personal it is.Drawing on his acting background with directors like Noah Baumbach and M. Night Shyamalan, Matthew identifies where he consciously chose his own path versus where he unknowingly broke from what he'd learned. He tackles his frustration with mental health narratives that sensationalize crisis rather than depicting the reality of living with mental illness.Matthew shares his approach to working with an intergenerational cast of Jewish New Yorkers including Bob Balaban and Judd Hirsch, letting their natural rhythms and comic instincts surface. He also examines how the film explores a particular vision of Jewish American success and what he's learned about that ideal through making and sharing this deeply personal work.(Photo: Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment)

Writer-director-star Aisha Evelyna builds on her 2024 short 'Nola' with 'Seahorse,' expanding the story of the same titular character to feature length. Aisha reflects on the jump from short to feature and her evolving collaboration with Natalie Remplakowski, who co-directed the short and now produces the feature. She shares how they navigated dividing responsibilities as their partnership transformed.We explore the challenge of balancing roles in front of and behind the camera. Aisha discusses how she reconciles her presence as both director and star, and who makes the final call on whether a take works when those two roles might disagree. She addresses capturing authentic restaurant kitchen atmosphere on a low budget in an era when audiences have become familiar with that world through shows like 'The Bear,' and her deliberate approach to using flashbacks as a storytelling device.Aisha gets candid about how work-life balance functions when your life and feelings are embedded in the work itself, revealing the complex reality of transforming personal pain into cinema where the boundaries between artist and art dissolve entirely.

Director Will Ropp and cinematographer Matthew Pothier stob by to talk about 'Brian,' a character-driven teen comedy with a dramatic edge that feels almost extinct in today's IP-driven landscape. Will opens up about recognizing his own high school anxiety in the script and what it means to make a film about a kid whose inner life operates at a volume the rest of the world can't hear.Our conversation explores how Will invited collaborators into such a personal world, and how Matthew entered that space constructively without overstepping. They discuss shooting in Oklahoma City, how location scouting informed Brian's journey, and the visual strategies Matt employed to translate teenage isolation through framing and composition. Will reflects on pushing comedy to the edge of discomfort, honoring the moments where humor and pain overlap.Matt also shares his experience working with first-time feature directors and what draws him to those collaborations. We close by examining what it means to make a film about someone who keeps choosing the harder path, and how that mirrors the choices they made as filmmakers.(Photo credit: Ryan Orange)

‘Anima,’ premiering at SXSW this week, is Brian Tetsuro Ivie’s narrative feature debut. An acclaimed documentarian, Brian now turns to a sci-fi road movie following an impulsive young woman and a reclusive older man on a cross-country trip to preserve his failing consciousness at an experimental facility.We open with what the leap from documentary to narrative actually feels like and what each form demands that the other doesn’t, before getting into the decision to shoot on film and why the logistical weight it carries is more than justified by what it gives back. From there Brian talks about working with Sydney Chandler and Takehiro Hira, and how their casting shaped not just the performances but the characters and the entire film around them.We also get into something that runs quietly through everything Brian makes: his faith, and how it finds its way into a story that on the surface seems to sit in direct tension with it. We close by looking at what making ‘Anima’ means for how he thinks about both forms of filmmaking going forward.

Emily Robinson brings 'Ugly Cry' to the screen as writer, director, producer, and star, exploring the vulnerable act of crying as an actor and what it reveals about performance and authenticity. She reflects on the decision to take on all these roles simultaneously, navigating the challenges of being both in front of and behind the camera while maintaining perspective on the story.Our conversation delves into the institution of auditioning and how it's evolved over the years in the industry. Emily opens up about her personal evolution as someone who's been acting since childhood, sharing how that long history shapes her collaboration with cast and crew. She brings a unique empathy to directing actors, understanding their process from the inside out.Emily reveals how a tonal shift during production changed the entire emotional trajectory of the film, transforming what it could be. She reflects on how her acting experience fundamentally shapes her directing approach.(Photo credit: Brody S. Anderson)

Writer-director Millicent Hailes takes ‘Perfect,' her feature directorial debut, to SXSW. Millicent opens up about whether feeling ready to take the leap of making your first feature is essential to actually doing so, sharing her own experience of moving forward despite uncertainty and what that taught her about the creative process.Our conversation goes into Millicent's transition from music videos to feature length filmmaking, examining how she navigated the shift from short to long form storytelling. She unpacks figuring out the pacing and other aspects unique to the medium, from sustaining narrative momentum over 90 minutes to developing visual language that serves an extended story rather than a three-minute track.Millicent shares her approach to assembling her cast while maintaining the chemistry and relationships established earlier in the process, ensuring those connections translated authentically on screen. We also delve into the title itself and the concept of someone or something being "perfect," exploring how that theme permeates the film. We close our conversation with what this project means for Millicent's plans going forward as she charts her path as a feature filmmaker.

Director and executive producer Tom Verica and cinematographer Jeffrey Jur discuss their work on 'Bridgerton,' tracing their collaboration back nearly two decades. They share how their creative partnership was formed and has evolved over countless projects, building the trust and shorthand that allows them to tackle ambitious productions like the Bridgerton universe.Our conversation explores their journey through the world of 'Bridgerton,' from the different stages they've worked on across each season to helming 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' as a cohesive whole, approaching it almost like a feature film. Tom and Jeff share how their roles and responsibilities shift depending on the scale and scope of each production within the franchise.We dig into the fourth season of the widely beloved series, examining multiple facets: the elaborate masquerade ball sequence, the visual language used to showcase class differences in Regency era London, and what it takes for a team like Tom, Jeff, and their crew to operate at such a consistently high level year after year, season after season.

‘The Plan’ premiered at this year’s Slamdance last Sunday. One location, one day, one unbroken take: a group of disillusioned young adults inside a modest Los Angeles apartment, preparing for a radical act they believe will change the world.This is our conversation with writer-director Jessica Barr and cinematographer Sarah Whelden. We open with the nature of their collaboration and how the project came to life, before getting into what it actually means to conceive a film like this from the ground up.From there we dig into the one-take approach from every angle it touches: what it demands in the writing process, how it shapes the shot design, and what it asks of a cast that has nowhere to hide. We close by looking at where both filmmakers are headed next.

Lucy Sandler and Mechi Lakatos discuss 'Danny Is My Boyfriend,' their debut feature premiering at Slamdance, where they serve as both co-directors and stars. Lucy and Mechi trace the origins of their creative partnership, revealing how their collaboration evolved from initial connection to making this story about two women who discover they're dating the same man.Our conversation explores their approach to improvisation and how it shaped every aspect of the film. They discuss the ripple effects of working without a strict script, from how it influenced their performances and emotional authenticity to the impact on their characters' development.Lucy and Mechi also share how improvisation affected the cinematography, requiring a flexible visual approach that could capture spontaneous moments while maintaining cinematic coherence. The filmmakers reflect on what they learned from this experience and where they see their partnership heading next.(Photos: Courtesy of the filmmakers)

Autumn Best made her feature film debut in Anna Kendrick’s ‘Woman of the Hour,’ and it announced her as someone worth watching. In this conversation, we start there, with what the experience of landing that role, shooting it, premiering at TIFF in 2023, and releasing it on Netflix did to her sense of what she was capable of and what she might expect from her career going forward.From there we get into ‘BRB,’ a Kate Cobb directed tender and chaotic coming of age road trip film premiering at this year’s Slamdance. Autumn plays Sam, a teenage girl in the early days of the internet who falls for a boy she met in a chatroom. She gets into the particular challenge of inhabiting a period she was alive for but far too young to actually remember, and what it took to place herself emotionally in that specific moment of early online connection and first love.The conversation also goes somewhere more personal: her relationship with co-star Zoe Colletti, whose chemistry with Autumn carries much of the film’s emotional weight, and how her own experience living with a limb difference shaped her approach to playing a character for whom being fully seen, disability and all, is at the very heart of the story.

Twin brothers Kevin and Matthew McManus have been making films together since they were kids, and Redux Redux is their third feature as a writing and directing duo. We open the conversation talking about what it means to put a film like this into the world and how you go about pitching a multiverse revenge thriller to festivals in the first place.From there, Kevin and Matt walk us through where the idea originally came from, what finally unlocked the story for them, and how they think about the multiverse and time travel as storytelling tools without letting the concept swallow the human drama underneath it. At the center of that drama is their sister Michaela, who plays Irene, a grieving mother who acquires technology that allows her to jump between parallel universes and kill her daughter’s murderer again and again. The brothers talk about what it means to build a film around a sibling and what that specific trust makes possible.We also dig into one of the film’s most interesting technical and narrative challenges: making the recurring kills feel distinct rather than repetitive. When your premise is built on a loop, every iteration has to earn its place, and Kevin and Matt get into how they thought about that problem from the writing stage all the way through production.(Photo: Courtesy of Stella Marcus)

Five features into their collaboration, cinematographer Patrick Jones and director Amanda Kramer have developed a creative shorthand that makes projects like 'By Design' come together with surprising speed. Patrick opens up about his first reaction to the concept and the foundation that makes their collaboration so instinctive and enduring.'By Design' presented a fascinating cinematographic challenge at its core: the similarities and differences in framing, lighting, and handling human beings versus inanimate objects in front of the camera. Patrick shares how the film demanded a fresh perspective on what it means to observe and capture a subject, blurring the line between the animate and the still.We explore choreography as a visual language, from dance to general movement, and how Patrick approaches the camera's relationship to bodies in motion. He also expands on the distinct experience of shooting Amanda Kramer's music videos compared to her feature films, and what each format demands from him as a cinematographer. We close our conversation with Patrick looking ahead, sharing where he sees both their creative partnership and his own craft evolving from here.(Photo credit: Terra Gutmann-Gonzalez)

Growing up across multiple continents gave cinematographer Ashley Barron ACS a unique visual perspective that shapes her work today. In discussing 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast,' Ashley reflects on how her childhood experiences of constant movement and cultural adaptation inform her approach to crafting images and telling stories through the camera.Our conversation explores Ashley's experience joining a tight-knit group of filmmakers who previously collaborated on the highly successful 'Derry Girls.' She shares insights into fitting into an established creative team and how that dynamic influenced the production process and collaborative spirit on set.Ashley delves into her lighting choices and their crucial role in balancing the film's comedy, drama, and mystery elements. She discusses developing distinct visual languages for the three main characters, using light, color, and composition to differentiate their perspectives while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)

We sit down with cinematographer James Whitaker discuss 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die,' Gore Verbinski's sci-fi thriller. James opens up about the challenge of shooting science fiction on a relatively low budget, revealing how constraints pushed the team toward inventive visual solutions that serve the story's themes.Our conversation delves into how James and Gore merged their respective references to create the film's distinctive look. He discusses the collaborative process of finding a shared visual language that honors both their influences while creating something unique. James also tackles the technical and creative challenge of shooting the film's crucial expositional monologue in an engaging, visually interesting manner, turning what could be static into something dynamic.We examine how practical and digital effects work together in a film about humanity's fight against AI. James reflects on the irony and intention behind blending these approaches, discussing how the marriage of old-school techniques and modern technology mirrors the film's central conflict. His insights into resourceful filmmaking and thematic visual storytelling offer a compelling look at creating ambitious sci-fi within indie constraints.(Photo credit: Graham Bartholomew, SMPSP)

Director Corin Hardy joins us to discuss ‘Whistle,’ now in theaters, exploring how he connected to the script and the differences between working with someone else’s screenplay versus directing his own material. Corin reveals how each approach shapes his creative process and the unique challenges and freedoms that come with interpreting another writer's vision.Our conversation delves into assembling the group of young talented actors for the film, including Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, and Percy Hynes White. Corin discusses the casting process and what he looked for in performers who could carry the film's emotional weight while navigating its horror elements, creating authentic chemistry among the ensemble.We explore the death whistle as a symbol of bringing something new and fresh to the horror genre. Corin reflects on how this ancient Aztec artifact becomes both a narrative device and a metaphor for his approach to the film, honoring horror traditions while pushing the genre into unexpected territory.(Photo credit: Michael Gibson)

Director Sook-Yin Lee joins us to discuss ‘Paying for It,’ her adaptation of Chester Brown’s graphic novel about their former relationship. The film represents a unique creative challenge: adapting a graphic novel that was already based on their shared life together.Sook-Yin reflects on how she came to collaborate with Chester on the project and how the three layers (the lived experience, the graphic novel, and the film) compare and diverge from one another. She walks us through translating the source material into cinematic language and what that process revealed.We also talk about the many roles Sook-Yin has held throughout her career and how her varied experiences shape her approach to filmmaking and storytelling.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​(Photo credit: Dylan Gamble)

Writer-director Georgia Bernstein joins us to discuss 'Night Nurse,' her feature directorial debut that premiered in the NEXT section at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Georgia traces the birth of the film's idea and how she ventured into the realm of psycho-sexual thrillers while maintaining its foundation in elderly care and caregiving, creating an unsettling blend of intimacy and menace.Our conversation explores Georgia's long-spanning friendship and collaboration with actress Cemre Paksoy, revealing how their creative partnership shaped the film's central performance. We delve into the opening shot and its crucial role in setting the tone, discussing how those first moments establish the film's psychological terrain and prepare audiences for what's to come.Georgia also reflects on her relationship with intention and the audience, sharing her approach to balancing control and release as a filmmaker. She discusses the deliberate choices that guide viewers through the film's unsettling narrative while leaving room for their own interpretations and emotional responses.

Director William D. Caballero joins us to discuss ‘TheyDream,’ his deeply personal film premiering in the NEXT section at Sundance. Blending documentary with multiple forms of animation, the film explores his family’s story through an intimate collaboration with his mother.William shares what drew him to build a film from such personal material and the dynamics of working creatively with his mom. The film employs a striking mix of animation techniques including 2D, 3D, miniatures, and rotoscoping, each serving a different purpose in the storytelling.We discuss why he chose this hybrid approach, how the various visual forms interact with the documentary elements, and the process of transforming family memory into a multi-layered cinematic experience.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Writer-director Constance Tsang and producers Tony Yang, Sally Sujin Oh and Eli Raskin join us to discuss ‘Blue Sun Palace,’ their Spirit Award nominated feature. With nominations celebrating the film’s achievement, the team reflects on the journey from conception to completion.Constance and the producers open up about the very birth of the story and what it took to produce and manage a film like this in today’s independent landscape. We explore how the logistics and creative storytelling relate to one another, and the challenges of bringing this vision to the screen.We also dig into the collaborative process between director and producers, how they navigated the realities of independent filmmaking, and what might be next for this creative team.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Writer-director Mascha Schilinski and cinematographer Fabian Gamper join us to discuss ‘Sound of Falling,’ their ambitious sophomore feature that won the Jury Prize at Cannes and has been selected as Germany’s entry for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards.Mascha and Fabian open up about how they structured the film to connect the four girls across time beyond just their shared location, exploring their approach to continuity on multiple levels as they wove the separate timelines into a cohesive whole.Our conversation digs into the camera’s role as a storytelling device, including their use of natural light and the film’s distinctive voyeuristic shooting style. We also discuss their decision to break the fourth wall at key moments and what that brings to the film’s exploration of memory and womanhood.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Filmmaker Albert Birney joins us to discuss 'OBEX,' his black and white science fiction film set in pre-internet 1987 Baltimore that premiered at Sundance. Albert opens up about the origin of the film, tracing its roots to his own video game creation 'Tux and Fanny' and his experience getting a dog in 2021, both of which became foundational inspirations for this story of isolation and obsession.Our conversation explores Albert's relationship to video games and how he translated that into a film-video game hybrid. He discusses the technical and creative challenges of merging these mediums, creating a mesmerizing multimedia experience where the boundaries between reality and the virtual world dissolve. Albert also addresses the age-old question that haunts any film featuring a beloved dog: does the dog die?We delve into the practical realities of shooting the first half of the film in his own home, turning personal space into cinematic landscape. Albert reflects on the inspirations and inevitable comparisons that come with creating such a visually distinctive work, discussing how influences shaped his vision while maintaining his singular artistic voice.

This week, actress Liz Larsen joins us to talk about her Indie Spirit nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance in ‘The Baltimorons.’ With decades of stage and screen work behind her, she reflects on what it means to be recognized in this category at this point in her career.Liz shares how she first connected with director Jay Duplass and how the film’s low budget, guerrilla shooting style positively impacted her performance and the atmosphere on set. We also explore one of the trickiest aspects of the role: not falling in love too early with co-star Michael Strassner while building their characters’ chemistry.We discuss Baltimore’s role in the film and how the city helped set the tone and made everyone feel at home during production. We wrap up by looking ahead at what might be next for Liz.(Photo credit: Courtesy of Jon Bergel)

Today, we sit down with writer-director Charlie Polinger and cinematographer Steven Breckon to talk about ‘The Plague.’ They share the origins of their creative partnership and how Charlie’s personal experiences shaped the story’s themes.We dig into the technical challenge of underwater cinematography and what it brought to the film’s visual storytelling. Our conversation also explores working with child actors on such heavy material from both their perspectives as director and cinematographer.At the end, they tease their next collaboration, an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Masque of the Red Death,’ currently in production.

Writer-director Julia Jackman and cinematographer Xenia Patricia join us to discuss '100 Nights of Hero,' their adaptation of Isabel Greenberg's graphic novel that premiered at Venice Film Festival. Julia and Xenia open up about the challenges of translating a graphic novel's visual language onto the screen, finding cinematic equivalents for the book's distinctive illustrative style while creating something uniquely filmic.Our conversation explores how they built the look and emotional core of this medieval fantasy world where the story unfolds. We discuss establishing a visual language that serves the film's romantic and fantastical elements while grounding the narrative in authentic feeling.Julia and Xenia also share how they made the most of limited time and budget constraints, turning restrictions into creative opportunities. They also reflect on capturing yearning through the lens and camera movement to externalize the characters' internal longing.

Today, we talk with cinematographer William Rexer about his work on ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’.William shares how he got to this project and the creative collaboration with the likes of writer-director Mona Fastvold, writer Brady Corbet, composer Daniel Blumberg, and choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall.We explore how they approached translating the Shakers’ ecstatic worship onto the big screen while preserving its intimate spirituality, and dig into the weather challenges production faced during the shoot.

Today, we sit down with writer-director Kurtis David Harder to talk about ‘Influencers,’ the sequel to his 2022 horror hit that was not always part of the plan.Kurtis shares how the sequel came to fruition and the creative challenge of bringing CW back after the first film’s ending. We dig into how he justified her return both narratively for audiences and practically for the cast who thought her story was done.We also explore the process of weaving new characters into an established story while maintaining what worked in the original, and touch on his upcoming project ‘FOMO’.

Today, we talk with writer Robert Kaplow about ‘Blue Moon,’ the Richard Linklater film that took decades to bring to the screen.Robert shares how his long-gestating interest in Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers evolved over the years, and how he looks back on the journey now that it’s become the backbone of a Linklater film. We explore what it was like having his first screenplay made into a film and collaborating with the director and Ethan Hawke.We also dig into the challenge of revealing Larry Hart as a person - a man we mostly know through the lyrics he wrote, but whose life story remains largely untold.

Writer-director Shih-Ching Tsou joins us to discuss 'Left-Handed Girl,' her deeply personal solo directorial debut that premiered at Cannes Critics' Week and has been selected as Taiwan's entry for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards. Shih-Ching reflects on her decades-spanning collaboration with Sean Baker, who co-wrote, produced, and edited the film, and how their creative partnership shaped this intimate family drama.Our conversation explores the remarkable time, patience, and effort making this film required, over 20 years from conception to completion. She shares what returning home to Taiwan to shoot her first solo feature meant to her, capturing the vibrant energy of Taipei's bustling night markets where much of the story unfolds.We delve into the film's central theme: the physical and cognitive consequences of left-handedness being considered "the devil's work" in traditional Taiwanese culture. Shih-Ching discusses how her grandfather's words about her own left hand became the heart of this multi-generational story, exploring how superstition and shame can echo through families and how quiet stories about women's struggles deserve a place on the big screen.

Director Clint Bentley and cinematographer Adolpho Veloso join us to discuss 'Train Dreams,' their adaptation of the Denis Johnson novella. The filmmakers reflect on the origins of their collaboration and how their partnership shaped the translation of Johnson's spare, evocative prose into visual storytelling from both a writer-director and cinematographer's perspective.Our conversation explores their thoughtful use of inserts as a narrative device, revealing how these moments expand the film's emotional language. They discuss capturing Joel Edgerton's internal yet deeply meaningful performance, finding ways to externalize a character whose journey is largely solitary and introspective.Clint and Adolpho also delve into the relationship between cinematography and narration, examining how visual language can complement or carry the weight of voiceover.

Director Simon Cellan Jones joins us to discuss 'The Family Plan 2,' the second installment of what has become a franchise following the 2023 hit. Simon reflects on the fruition of this sequel and the timeline between making the two films, revealing how quickly they moved from the first film's success to developing its follow-up.Our conversation explores how the family dynamics have shifted now that Dan's secret past has been uncovered. With everyone in on the truth, Simon discusses the challenge of finding new sources of tension and comedy without the original film's central engine. He shares his approach to blending action and violence with earnestness in a family-friendly movie, maintaining the balance that made the first film resonate with audiences.Simon also discusses the deliberate holiday setting and how Christmas in Europe provides both emotional warmth and high-stakes adventure. We wrap up with reflections on the possibility of a third film, as Simon weighs the excitement of continuing the Morgan family's story against the challenges of sustaining a franchise.(Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate)

Director Emily Mkrtichian joins us to discuss 'There Was, There Was Not,' her documentary that began filming in 2016 and evolved in devastating ways no one could have anticipated. Emily opens up about the mythology embedded in the film's title, a traditional Armenian storytelling phrase, and how the story she set out to tell transformed from hopeful beginnings into a chronicle of war and survival as conflict erupted.Our conversation explores how Emily reckoned with this unpredictable evolution, documenting real trauma as it unfolded rather than the narrative she originally envisioned. She discusses her decision to center the film around four women, keeping them in focus as war began engulfing their lives.Emily reveals how maintaining this intimate perspective amid chaos became both a creative anchor and an ethical responsibility in bearing witness to these women's experiences.(Photo credit: Chris Natalie)

Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey joins us to discuss 'Die My Love,' his latest collaboration with director Lynne Ramsay. Seamus reflects on their decades-spanning friendship and creative partnership, revealing how Ramsay's unique filmmaking style continually reinvents cinema.Our conversation delves into the technical choices that define the film's aesthetic, particularly the decision to shoot on Ektachrome and employ day for night techniques. Seamus explains how these choices serve the narrative's psychological intensity and create the film's otherworldly atmosphere.Seamus also shares his philosophy on cinematic adaptation, emphasizing that the difference between projects isn't measured in scale but in transformation. He elaborates on how he becomes a different cinematographer with each director he works with, and indeed with each film, reshaping his approach to serve the unique demands of every story.(Photo credit: Kimberley French)

This time around we are joined by Mike Makowsky, creator of the limited series ‘Death by Lightning,’ about bringing the story of one of America’s lesser known presidents to the screen.Mike shares how he connected with Candice Millard’s book and what it took to get a 4-episode historical series made in the current TV landscape, where IP recognition often drives decisions.We also dig into comedy’s role in serious and tragic moments, and how humor shapes the way we process historical drama.(Photo credit: Jana Williamson)

Writer-director-actress Cherien Dabis joins us to discuss 'All That's Left of You,' a film following a Palestinian family across three generations of conflict. Cherien opens up about evacuating the production from Palestine to Cyprus, Greece, and Jordan just two weeks before filming began due to escalating violence.Our conversation explores how Cherien balanced writing, directing, and acting while managing this unprecedented crisis. She reveals how these interconnected roles informed one another and shaped her deeply embedded perspective on the storytelling.Cherien also reflects on the ongoing Gaza genocide and its impact on both the film and its narrative spanning the Nakba, the occupation, and the first Intifada. Selected as Jordan's Oscar entry for Best International Feature, the film stands as a testament to perseverance amid overwhelming adversity.

Writer-director John-Michael Powell joins us to discuss 'Violent Ends,' his southern crime thriller hitting theaters on Halloween. Powell opens up about the leap from his micro-budget debut 'The Send-Off' to this significantly larger production, sharing insights into navigating that scale shift.Our conversation explores John-Michael's extensive editing background and how it shaped his approach to directing. He discusses how his editorial experience allows him to move efficiently on set and make confident decisions about coverage. Powell also reveals the unique dynamic of now working with an editor after years behind the cutting room himself, and how that relationship informs his vision behind the camera.We delve into the film's intentional approach to violence and gore within action sequences, with him emphasizing their deliberate portrayal of violence as a rumination on its destructive nature.(Photo: Courtesy of Kai Caddy)

Co-directors Salvatore Scarpa and Max Burgoyne-Moore join us to discuss Largo, their short film about a young Syrian refugee in the U.K. that took nearly five years to develop. The filmmakers open up about the dynamics of their creative partnership, exploring how two voices shaped one vision, and what can be achieved within the constraints and creative possibilities of short film format.We dig into the film’s exploration of displacement and their choice to depict a reversal of migration, examining what it means to be caught between worlds. We also talk about the film’s festival journey, from HollyShorts to Oscar-qualifying platforms.

This time around, we talk with Cooper Raiff, the creator, director and star of the limited series ‘Hal & Harper,’ about navigating the indie scene on the TV side.Cooper breaks down one of the show’s central conceits: he and Lili Reinhart playing their characters as kids in certain scenes. We explore what it took to get into that childhood headspace and how those scenes shape the series.We also dig into what it’s like juggling multiple roles on a project, from directing and acting to editing, and how that creative control shapes his storytelling approach.(Photo credit: MUBI)

Filmmaker M.G. Evangelista joins us to discuss their horror short 'Anino,’ premiering at this year's NewFest. Our conversation explores the integral role of language in shaping their film's narrative and the ongoing search for identity that drives their work. M.G. opens up about their venture into genre filmmaking with this monster story, revealing how horror became a vehicle for exploring deeper personal themes.We also delve into the extensive development journey of their debut feature 'Burning Well,' which has been in progress for over five years. M.G. shares insights into the challenges and evolution of bringing this project to life, demonstrating the patience and persistence required in independent filmmaking.

Cinematographer Mattias Nyberg joins us to discuss his work on episodes 1-3 of 'The Girlfriend,' directed by Robin Wright. Mattias reveals what drew him to the project - the opportunity to collaborate with Wright, whose directorial vision he'd long admired - and how they developed a visual language that serves the story's emotional core.Our conversation explores Mattias's tailored approach to capturing the dual perspectives of Laura and Cherry, deliberately avoiding neutral shots to position viewers within each character's distinct emotional landscape. He discusses the technical challenges of shooting in constrictive yet stunning locations, from London's Sanderson house to a Spanish villa, where spatial limitations sparked creative innovation in camera movement and staging.Mattias delves into specific visual choices, particularly the hospital sequences where he introduced warm colors into typically sterile environments to enhance emotional complexity. His reflections on using extended shot lengths to build tension and deepen feeling demonstrate the delicate balance between technical precision and emotional storytelling.

Director Mercedes Bryce Morgan and cinematographer Nick Matthews join us to discuss 'Bone Lake,' a film that shifts the typical thriller focus from "whodunit" to exploring why chaos unfolds in the first place.Our conversation explores how Mercedes and Nick crafted a visual experience that subverts audience expectations, blending genres and pushing boundaries. Mercedes discusses the creative evolution that brought this twisted world to life, while Nick reveals his approach to creating imagery that serves the film's unpredictable narrative.(Photo: Courtesy of FLASCH)

Cinematographer Alexander Dynan joins us to discuss his work on 'The History of Sound,' tracing his collaboration with director Oliver Hermanus from their previous project 'Mary & George.' Alexander reveals how lessons from episodic filmmaking informed his feature approach, while acknowledging the distinct storytelling demands of each medium.Our conversation explores the film's ambitious temporal scope, spanning decades. From visual strategies for communicating the passage of time - from color grading choices to production design collaborations - showing how every element from costume to camera movement contributes to the film's emotional weight, alongside the unique challenge of visually representing musical performances.

This week, we sit down with director Ondi Timoner to talk about her documentary ‘All God’s Children,’ which follows the partnership between Congregation Beth Elohim and Antioch Baptist Church in Brooklyn.Ondi walks us through how the project began with her sister’s activism and the challenges of filming within sacred spaces while balancing her roles as both filmmaker and family member. We explore the messy realities of the partnership - including moments that threatened to fracture the alliance - and how both communities learned to thrive together.We also talk about her evolution as a documentary filmmaker and how she’s handling distribution through her production company Interloper Films.

This week, writer-director Carmen Emmi takes us through his creative process for ‘Plainclothes,’ where he threw technical perfection out the window to focus on raw, heartfelt storytelling.Carmen shares his journey from cinematographer to director, and how he navigated the transition from worrying about flawless shots to weaving a personal story that resonates with queer audiences. We talk about the film’s festival run, including stops at Sundance and Frameline, and the meaningful connections he’s made with peers and audiences along the way.(Photo: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)