It Was All a Miracle: Embeth Davidtz on “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight”
I was ten years old when Danny DeVito’s euphoric screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel Matilda arrived in theaters. I had read the book so many times that the cover had fallen off, and in the character of Miss Honey, I found an embodiment of all the teachers who had been an invaluable, nurturing […]
A Profound Experience of Rewriting: Eva Victor on “Sorry, Baby”
As annoyed as I was about Barry Jenkins, one of the greatest filmmakers working today, recently helming a prequel to the worst Disney remake in history, the Oscar-winning director of “Moonlight” has also been helping launch some of the most exciting careers in modern cinema over the past few years. I’m thinking specifically of Charlotte […]
He Believed in Me: Sabrina S. Sutherland on Her Favorite Person, David Lynch
It’s difficult to put into words the gratitude I have for Sabrina S. Sutherland. The collaborations she forged with filmmaker David Lynch, particularly over the last decade, have transformed my life in ways I never could have anticipated. Sutherland executive produced Lynch’s 18-part masterpiece, 2017’s “Twin Peaks: The Return”—or as she prefers to call it, […]
Hannah Welever on shaking things up with her sex positive short “Soirée”
Hannah Welever is a queer filmmaker based in New York, but her roots are Midwestern. In her newest short, “Soirée,” Welever creatively holds space for women’s bodies, and how often they are misunderstood. After an unfortunately awkward hookup gone awry, Reed (Naomi Walley) takes a literal trip inside her body, and meets the personification of […]
Johanna Putnam on her film “Shudderbugs” and returning to familiar spaces in uncertain times
Samantha (Sam) Cole returns to her childhood home when her mother suddenly passes. In place of familiar spaces and memories, Sam finds only uneasiness and confusion. Things are missing, the environment seems unnatural, and the neighbor (Noah) is suspiciously obtuse. Isolated with these mysteries, a scavenger hunt her mom had prepared for her upcoming birthday, […]
Florence Bouvy on examining themes of human connection, pain, loss, and love, in “Where We Stay”
From writer and director Florence Bouvy, “Where We Stay” is a beautiful and touching examination of human connection and unspoken truths. The film was partially inspired by Florence’s own story of loss, when her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and the period of pain, grief, and love that followed. She noticed how in those […]
A Conversation with Cheryl Dunye on “Stranger Inside”
Cheryl Dunye is best known for her iconic film “The Watermelon Woman” — a tale of an aspiring Black lesbian filmmaker (played by Dunye herself) who seeks to learn more about the actress behind a mammy figure in 1940s film, credited only as The Watermelon Woman. But “Stranger Inside,” which screened at Brooklyn Academy of […]
Sylvia Le Fanu on Low-Key Acting, Developing Fiction as Documentary in Her Highly Emotional Debut “My Eternal Summer”
After a successful festival run kicked off at San Sebastian and BFI London last year, Sylvia Le Fanu’s debut, titled “My Eternal Summer,” heads to the Göteborg Film Festival, one of the Nordic countries’ largest cinematic gatherings, running this year from January 24–February 2. Shot over six weeks in 2023, the Danish drama follows 15-year-old […]
Queer Trailblazer Albertina Carri on Her Latest Genre-Blurring Pic, “White Roses Fall!,” Ahead of Rotterdam Premiere
In her latest endeavor, “White Roses Fall!” (in Spanish: “¡Caigan las rosas blancas!”), Argentinian filmmaker Albertina Carri follows Violeta, a director known for her breakout amateur lesbian porn hit, as she’s invited to go mainstream. Unwilling to conform, she takes her project on the road — from Buenos Aires to São Paulo — chasing artistic, […]
This Was the Fight: Emily Sheskin on “JessZilla”
One of my favorite films I saw in 2024 is finally kicking off its limited theatrical run before arriving on VOD. Last year, I had the privilege of serving on the documentary nomination committee for Slamdance’s inaugural awards ceremony, The Indies. As a result, I screened numerous magnificent pictures, yet none delivered a knockout punch […]
An Aliveness Behind the Eyes: Shuchi Talati and Preeti Panigrahi on “Girls Will Be Girls”
I have always had a fondness for coming of age films that vividly recall how intense our emotions are during pivotal moments of growth and transition. In many ways, we as humans are coming of age throughout our entire lives. It is an experience not merely confined to our adolescence, and that is a truth […]
CIFF 2024: Screen Legend Valeria Golino on Her Exhilarating Miniseries, “The Art of Joy”
Valeria Golino was 18 years old when she filmed Italian director Francesco Maselli’s “Storia d’amore,” the movie that would make her an international star. She earned the Best Actress prize in Venice, and went on to be cast in such major Hollywood releases as “Rain Man,” “Big Top Pee-Wee,” “Hot Shots!”, “Leaving Las Vegas” and […]