Interviews

Chicago, Indie Films, Interviews

14 min read

The Women Behind “Hekla”: Crafting Chaos, Color, and the Courage to Be Seen

by Rebecca Martin

March 3, 2026

In conversation with Elizabeth Stam, Wendy Robie, Brookelyn Hebert, Mary Tilden, and Heather Kuhlmann. Some films move like a straight line. “Hekla doesn’t. It rushes, swerves, collides—then bursts into color

2026 Films, Cinematographer, Directing, Drama, Film Festivals, Indie Films, Interviews, Now Playing, Slamdance, Uncategorized

17 min read

Slamdance 2026: Jessica Barr and Ryan Simpkins on Their Stunning Single-Take Film, “The Plan”

by Matt Fagerholm

February 19, 2026

The sun is just beginning to set as the twenty-something characters in Jessica’s Barr’s mesmerizing new film, “The Plan,” start to congregate in an East LA apartment. The calmness of

Interviews, Sundance

8 min read

Sundance 2026: Xiye Bastida and Franco Campos-Lopez Benyunes on Hope, Whales, and Resistance

by Rebecca Martin

February 10, 2026

“The Way of the Whale” tells the untold story of an extraordinary interspecies bond — a connection so profound it feels like love — between humans and gray whales in

Film Festivals, International Films, Interviews, Short Films, Sundance

10 min read

Sundance 2026: Walking Through the In-Between — Malin Barr on “Sauna Sickness” and the Quiet Violence of Emotional Manipulation

by Rebecca Martin

February 10, 2026

My discussion with Swedish-native Malin Barr at Sundance quickly evolved beyond a standard interview. By the time we secured coffee amidst the festival’s intensity, the conversation felt like a continuation

Interviews, LatinX, Sundance

7 min read

Sundance 2026: Gabriela Ortega Explores Motherhood and Becoming in “Marga en el DF”

by Rebecca Martin

February 9, 2026

Cinema Femme is thrilled to reconnect with director, writer, and actress Gabriela Ortega on the occasion of her latest short film, “Marga en el DF”, which makes its World Premiere

Documentaries, International Films, Interviews, Sundance

7 min read

Sundance 2026: Holding the Line — Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić on “To Hold a Mountain”

by Rebecca Martin

February 5, 2026

Gara, the guiding force at the center of “To Hold a Mountain,” is living proof that not all heroes wear capes. Her days begin before sunrise — herding sheep across

Asian American, Interviews, Sundance

8 min read

Sundance 2026: Writing Herself Into the Frame —Stephanie Ahn on her debut feature “Bedford Park”

by Rebecca Martin

February 4, 2026

At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Stephanie Ahn’s “Bedford Park” arrived with quiet force — and left with one of the festival’s top honors, the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award

Film Festivals, Interviews, Sundance

9 min read

Sundance 2026: “Take Me Home” — Liz Sargent on Caregiving, Disability, and Imagining a More Supportive World

by Rebecca Martin

February 2, 2026

When “Take Me Home” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, it arrived not only as an intimate debut feature but as the expansion of a story Liz Sargent has been

Film Discussion, Interviews, Short Films

16 min read

Finding Humor and Hope in “4th Dementia”

by Elisa Shoenberger

January 20, 2026

The short film “4th Dementia” manages to do something incredible: make a film about Alzheimer’s Disease that is funny. It may seem like an unlikely premise, but this 16-minute short

Cinematographer, Comedy, Interviews, TV

7 min read

Ashley Connor, Sole Cinematographer on “The Chair Company”

by Anna Pattison

January 6, 2026

The Chair Company follows Ron, who investigates a conspiracy after an embarrassing incident at work. How did you get started in cinematography? I grew up a big film lover. I

International Films, Interviews

5 min read

When Cinema Becomes a Witness: Kaouther Ben Hania on “The Voice of Hind Rajab”

by Rebecca Martin

December 19, 2025

Kaouther Ben Hania is a two-time Academy Award–nominated filmmaker whose fearless, formally inventive work has positioned her as one of the most vital voices in contemporary international cinema. Moving fluidly

Chicago International Film Festival, Interviews

5 min read

Inside “The Museum”: Annette Elliot on Art History, Erasure, and Representation

by Rebecca Martin

December 13, 2025

Annette Elliot is a Chicago-based writer and director whose work sits at the intersection of cinema, art history, and architecture. Drawing consciously from painting, sculpture, and the built environment, her

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