Catalyst and Witness

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A year-by-year analysis of the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy.

Ryan Swen & Dan Molloy


    • Oct 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 35 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Catalyst and Witness

    2025 Festival Dispatch #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025


    The first 2025 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the first week of press screenings of the 2025 New York Film Festival, and features guest Alex Lei.

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    2024 Festival Dispatch #2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024


    The second 2024 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the middle week of the 2024 New York Film Festival, and features guests Soham Gadre and Esther Rosenfield.

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    2024 Festival Dispatch #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024


    The first 2024 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the first week of the 2024 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis and Jackson Kim Murphy.

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    2023 Festival Dispatch

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023


    The 2023 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the 2023 New York Film Festival, and features guest Dan Schindel.

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    2022 Festival Dispatch

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2022


    The 2022 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the 2022 New York Film Festival, and features guest Nick Newman.

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    2021 Festival Dispatch #2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2021


    The second 2021 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the second week of the 2021 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Edo Choi, Soham Gadre, Susannah Gruder, Jeva Lange, and Jason Miller.0:00-54:44 - Part One54:45-1:55:41 - Part Two

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    2021 Festival Dispatch #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2021


    The first 2021 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the first week of the 2021 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Soham Gadre, Susannah Gruder, and Patrick Preziosi. (Edo Choi was also on the call but could not be included due to technical difficulties.)0:00-34:08 - Part One34:09-1:11:09 - Part Two

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    18th (1980): "The Earth Strikes Back"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021


    The eighteenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the eighteenth edition of the festival in 1980, and features special guest Shawn Glinis, host of the Wiseman Podcast.0:00-16:20 - Opening16:21-55:27 - Part One55:28-1:33:05 - Part Two1:33:06-2:27:51 - Part Three2:27:52-3:20:37 - Part Four3:20:38-3:26:19 - Closing

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    17th (1979): "Film Capital of the World"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2020


    The seventeenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the seventeenth edition of the festival in 1979, and features special guest Jake Cole, freelance film critic for Slant Magazine. 0:00-15:35 – Opening15:36-1:08:42 – Part One1:08:43-2:16:06 – Part Two2:16:07-3:13:08 – Part Three3:13:09-4:11:27 – Part Four4:11:28-4:17:25 – Closing

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    2020 Festival Dispatch #4

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2020


    The fourth 2020 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the third week of the 2020 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Soham Gadre, and Jason Miller. 0:00-1:01:03 – Part One1:01:04-2:06:23 – Part Two

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    2020 Festival Dispatch #3

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020


    The third 2020 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the second week of the 2020 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Jeva Lange, Jason Miller, and C.J. Prince. 0:00-1:07:45 - Part One1:07:46-2:07:51 - Part Two

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    2020 Festival Dispatch #2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2020


    The second 2020 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the first week of the 2020 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Max Carpenter, Susannah Gruder, Jeva Lange, Chloe Lizotte, and C.J. Prince. 0:00-1:05:18 – Part One1:05:19-2:06:11 – Part Two

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    2020 Festival Dispatch #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2020


    The first 2020 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the announcement of the 2020 main slate, and features guest Jason Miller. 0:00-1:28:41 - Part One

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    16th (1978): "A Thousand and One Details"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2020


    The sixteenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the sixteenth edition of the festival in 1978, and features special guest Evan Morgan, critic and co-host of the dormant Snakes & Funerals podcast. 0:00-18:45 – Opening18:46-1:13:12 – Part One1:13:13-2:10:51 – Part Two2:10:52-3:16:50 – Part Three3:16:51-4:22:38 – Part Four4:22:39-4:28:57 – Closing

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    15th (1977): "A Real Smash"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2020


    The fifteenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the fifteenth edition of the festival in 1977, and features special guest Keith Uhlich. 0:00-18:22 – Opening18:23-1:23:16 – Part One1:23:17-2:45:25 – Part Two2:45:26-3:48:38 – Part Three3:48:39-4:50:18 – Part Four4:50:19-5:39:23 – Part Five5:39:24-6:54:08 – Part Six6:54:09-7:02:59 – Closing

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    2019 Festival Dispatch #3

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2019


    The third 2019 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the second half of the 2019 New York Film Festival, and features guests Graham L. Carter, Beatrice Loayza, and Dan Schindel. 0:00-26:36 – Part One26:37-48:14 – Part Two

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    2019 Festival Dispatch #2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2019


    The second 2019 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the first half of the 2019 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Lena Houst, Jake Pitre, and Etan Weisfogel. 0:00-57:26 – Part One57:27-1:49:38 – Part Two

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    2019 Festival Dispatch #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2019


    The 2019 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen. This covers the announcement of the 2019 main slate. 0:00-1:02:25 - Part One

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    14th (1976): "Artistic Freedom"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2019


    The fourteenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the fourteenth edition of the festival in 1976. 0:00–27:53 – Opening27:54–1:11:17 – Part One1:11:18–1:55:04 – Part Two1:55:05–2:34:08 – Part Three2:34:09–3:20:25 – Part Four3:20:26–3:26:08 – Closing

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    13th (1975): "Celluloid Guerillas"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2019


    The thirteenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the thirteenth edition of the festival in 1975, and features special guest Alyssa Heflin, George Eastman Museum film preservation graduate student and cinephile. 0:00-23:22 - Opening23:23-1:30:07 - Part One1:30:08-2:20:05 - Part Two 2:20:06-3:03:28 - Part Three3:03:29-3:49:41 - Part Four3:49:42-3:57:22 - Closing

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    12th (1974): "A World Phenomenon"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2019


    The twelfth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the twelfth edition of the festival in 1974, and features special guest Jason Miller, New York cinephile and kind of a Twitter guy. 0:00-23:16 - Opening23:17-1:23:06 - Part One1:23:07-3:04:18 - Part Two3:04:19-4:03:18 - Part Three4:03:19-5:08:57 - Part Four5:08:58-5:13:31 - Closing

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    11th (1973): "Trains in the Night"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2019


    The eleventh episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the eleventh edition of the festival in 1973. 0:00-1:19:01 - Introduction [2018 Top Tens]1:19:02-1:37:58 - Opening1:37:59-2:18:45 - Part One2:18:46-3:18:08 - Part Two3:18:09-4:14:49 - Part Three4:14:50-4:20:34 - Closing

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    10th (1972): "The Next Picture Show"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2018


    The tenth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the tenth edition of the festival in 1972. 0:00-47:30 – Introduction47:31-1:02:44 – Opening1:02:45-1:41:57 – Part One1:41:58-2:20:13 – Part Two2:20:14-3:00:17 – Part Three3:00:18-3:51:03 – Part Four3:51:04-3:56:45 – Closing

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    9th (1971): "This Year, Who Knows?"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2018


    The ninth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the ninth edition of the festival in 1971. 0:00-28:52 - Opening28:53-1:27:08 - Part One1:27:09-2:10:52 - Part Two2:10:53-3:19:36 - Part Three3:19:37-3:25:01 - Closing

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    2018 Festival Dispatch #3

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2018


    The third 2018 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the second half of the 2018 New York Film Festival, and features guests Forrest Cardamenis, Courtney Duckworth, Caden Mark Gardner, Jeva Lange, Jason Miller, and Kyle Pletcher. 0:00-58:56 - Part One58:57-1:48:21 - Part Two

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    2018 Festival Dispatch #2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2018


    The second 2018 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the first half of the 2018 New York Film Festival, and features guests Aret Frost, David Neary, and Kyle Pletcher. 0:00-52:36 - Part One52:37-1:41:27 - Part Two

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    8th (1970): "The Deluge"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2018


    The eighth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the eighth edition of the festival in 1970. 0:00-17:13 - Opening17:14-1:19:40 - Part One1:19:41-2:19:33 - Part Two2:19:34-2:53:46 - Part Three2:53:47-3:56:36 - Part Four3:56:37-4:04:55 - Closing

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    7th (1969): "New Site, Same Scene"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2018


    The seventh episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the seventh edition of the festival in 1969, and features special guest Caden Mark Gardner, critic and co-publisher of Body Talk. 0:00-21:56 - Opening21:57-1:21:11 - Part One1:21:12-2:27:41 - Part Two2:27:42-3:13:51 - Part Three3:13:52-4:00:43 - Part Four4:00:44-4:09:52 - Closing

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    2018 Festival Dispatch #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2018


    The first 2018 festival dispatch of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the announcement of the 2018 main slate. 0:00-1:03:40 - Part One1:03:41-2:08:35 - Part Two

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    6th (1968): "High Drama in Low Key"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2018


    The sixth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the sixth edition of the festival in 1968, and features special guest Etan Weisfogel, cinephile and Twitter personality. 0:00-15:06 - Opening15:07-1:18:27 - Part One1:18:28-2:39:26 - Part Two2:39:27-3:33:45- Part Three3:33:46-4:47:58 - Part Four4:47:59-4:59:07 - Closing

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    5th (1967): "To See and Be Seen"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2018


    The fifth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the fifth edition of the festival in 1967. 0:00-12:42 – Opening12:43-1:00:37 – Part One1:00:38-1:34:58 – Part Two1:34:59-2:03:23 – Part Three2:03:24-2:38:47 – Part Four2:38:48-2:45:04 – Closing

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    4th (1966): "An Exceptionally Personalized Point of View"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2018


    The fourth episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the fourth edition of the festival in 1966, and features special guest Evan Morgan, critic and co-host of the Snakes & Funerals podcast. 0:00-12:09 - Opening12:10-51:17 - Part One51:18-1:33:20 - Part Two1:33:21-2:16:45 - Part Three2:16:46-3:08:35 - Part Four3:08:36-3:15:54 - Closing

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    3rd (1965): "Films: Fashion of the Fashionable"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2018


    The third episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the third edition of the festival in 1965. 0:00-9:08 - Opening9:09-54:11 - Part One54:12-1:31:16 - Part Two1:31:17-2:18:36 - Part Three2:18:37-3:10:38 - Part Four3:10:39-3:17:39 - Closing

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    2nd (1964): "All Over the World"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2018


    The second episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the second edition of the festival in 1964. 0:00-9:58 - Opening9:59-1:21:50 - Part One1:21:51-2:21:44 - Part Two2:21:45-3:04:05 - Part Three3:04:06-3:44:17 - Part Four3:44:18-3:50:37 - Closing

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    1st (1963): "The Film As Art"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2018


    The first episode of the Catalyst and Witness podcast, devoted to exploring the films and format of the New York Film Festival, hosted by Ryan Swen and Dan Molloy. This covers the first edition of the festival in 1963, and includes an introduction to the mission of the podcast as a whole. 0:00-16:07 - Introduction to the Podcast16:08-26:27 - Opening26:28-1:09:45 - Part One1:09:46-1:48:11 - Part Two1:48:12-2:39:48 - Part Three2:39:49-2:48:06 - Closing

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