Michael Smith

2025 Films, 2026 Films, essay, Profile, reviews

9 min read

Femme Film Series: March 2026

by Rebecca Martin

March 8, 2026

For me, movies and meaning are inseparable; I process my daily life through this art form. The cinema is not just entertainment—it’s a vital lens through which I understand the

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

Chicago, Indie Films, Interviews

18 min read

Clare Cooney makes her directorial feature debut with “Departing Seniors”

by Rebecca Martin

September 24, 2022

To deem a filmmaker as scrappy is the highest compliment. Clare Cooney continues to evolve in her many abilities as a filmmaker and artist, and has always has embodied the