Rebecca Martin

2026 Films, Comedy, Indie Films, Interviews

15 min read

Sabrina Greco on Making “Lockjaw” Loud, Chaotic, and Unapologetically Strange

by Rebecca Martin

August 30, 2026

After a drunk-driving accident, a young woman with her jaw wired shut sets out for a fun night with her friends—but what begins as a night of parties and social

Chicago, Interviews, Short Films

8 min read

Teresa Moore on Making Art and Building Community Through Film with Film in a Bag Productions

by Rebecca Martin

August 20, 2026

Teresa Moore is a Chicago-based filmmaker, entrepreneur, and actor and co-founder and executive producer of Film in a Bag Productions, a video production company founded by five filmmakers dedicated to

Interviews, Short Films

5 min read

Charlie Traisman and Katherine Romans on “Achiever,” Intimacy, Anxiety, and Letting Go

by Rebecca Martin

August 19, 2026

At the intersection of high-stakes ambition and personal vulnerability lies “Achiever”, a sharp, heartfelt comedy that offers a tender look at an often-unspoken reality: the impact of psychiatric medication on

2026 Films, Comedy, Interviews

20 min read

Dylan Meyer on “The Wrong Girls,” Female Friendship, and the Joy of Living Life on Your Own Terms

by Rebecca Martin

August 12, 2026

For decades, the “stoner comedy” has been a heavily male-dominated subgenre, often leaning on the same predictable tropes. With “The Wrong Girls” (premiering August 14 from NEON), writer-director Dylan Meyer

2026 Films, Indie Films, Interviews

8 min read

Finding Healing Through Play: Megan Seely on “Puddysticks”

by Rebecca Martin

August 7, 2026

Few debut features arrive with the confidence and emotional honesty of Megan Seely’s “Puddysticks.” Equal parts dark comedy, psychological drama, and coming-of-age story for adults, the film follows anxious video

Chicago, Interviews, Short Films

7 min read

Coming Home to Hope: Kateryna Sazonova on Environmental Storytelling, Sustainable Filmmaking, and “2389: Coming Home”

by Rebecca Martin

August 6, 2026

Kateryna Sazonova’s work sits at the intersection of environmental advocacy and cinematic storytelling. A Ukrainian filmmaker and environmentalist based in the United States, she has built her career around films

2026 Films, reviews

3 min read

“The Plan”: Jessica Barr’s Masterclass in Modern Tension

by Rebecca Martin

August 3, 2026

As a millennial, my world is framed slightly differently than that of Gen-Z, yet given our current cultural and political climate, it is easy to see exactly where we are

Interviews, Short Films, Tribeca

10 min read

Noam Argov on “VERSE,” Virtual Identity, and the Ethics of Digital Worlds

by Rebecca Martin

July 24, 2026

In an age where our online and offline identities increasingly blur together, writer-director Noam Argov explores what happens when the emotional realities of virtual spaces become impossible to separate from

Interviews, Short Films, Tribeca

8 min read

The Rules of Going In—and Coming Home: Abby Pierce on “So, Boom” and “Run It Back”

by Rebecca Martin

July 21, 2026

I’ve been a fan of Abby Pierce’s work for years. I’ve had the chance to interview her about several of her short films, and each project is completely unique while

2025 Films, Chicago International Film Festival, International Films, Interviews

7 min read

Reclaiming the Self: Carolina Cavalli on the Strange Beauty of “The Kidnapping of Arabella”

by Rebecca Martin

July 10, 2026

Revisiting our interview with Carolina Cavalli ahead of the film’s Chicago release. The film opens at the Siskel Film Center on July 30, buy tickets here. It also landed a

Chicago, Interviews, Short Films

8 min read

Joelle Velez Explores Trauma, Trust, and Paranoia in “Sock It to Me”

by Rebecca Martin

June 26, 2026

Joelle Velez is an award-winning actress, writer, and filmmaker based in Chicago whose work blends comedy, suspense, and emotional honesty. A graduate of The Second City Film School, her first

Documentaries, Film Festivals, Interviews

16 min read

Bentonville 2026: Cheri Gaulke on “Acting Like Women” and the Legacy of Feminist Performance Art

by Rebecca Martin

June 16, 2026

Years ago, while working at Chicago Filmmakers, I came across a large pile of magazines from the organization’s archive that were destined for the trash. To some, they may have

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