Podcasts about grand jury award

You made it Friday and we have a great chat for you to start you weekend out right with! Andrew Klaus-Vineyard and Daniel Talbott stopped by to record a podcast together. Introducing these two is not simple for me because they both do so much that, really, I want to say this; Andrew and Daniel create. They often collaborate, defintely not always, but the unifying thread is that both are always creating. At Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025, Andrew's screenplay “Parking” was a Finalist for Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay.                                                                                                                                      Meanwhile, at Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025, Daniel's short film “My Age Now” took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Cast Performance, Short Film, Arthouse- Experimental. Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrewklausvineyard Follow Daniel on Instagram at @danielcamerontalbott _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Emma Steiger brought her short film “Wait To Tell Mother” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay – Short Film, as well as the Filmmakers Awards for Outstanding Short Film – Drama and Outstanding Director- Short Film – Drama. I hope you enjoyed listening to the interview as much as I did participating in it. Now for the follow up 4 Questions! Visit Emma's website at https://www.emmasteiger.com Follow Emma on Instagram at @emma.steiger _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Wednesday! Emma Steiger brought her short film “Wait To Tell Mother” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay – Short Film, as well as the Filmmakers Awards for Outstanding Short Film – Drama and Outstanding Director- Short Film – Drama. Considering Emma was the director, writer, co-lead actor and one of the producers on the film, and it is no surprise that their name appears on two of those awards! Emma was a delightful presence at the festival and even tolerated my overly paternal response to the film. If you cannot guess, “Wait To Tell Mother,” deals with family dynamics and someone like myself had to personally thank Emma at the festival for making such a wonderful film about a father's role. I do love all the mother-daughter stories at the festivals, but give me a lovingly portrayed father- daughter story and I melt. I hope you enjoy the interview! Visit Emma's website at https://www.emmasteiger.com Follow Emma on Instagram at @emma.steiger _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. MK wrote, directed and co-produced the short film “The Re- Education of Jane Brown” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film- Horror!                                            Every correspondence with MK has been so lovely and positive that it was no surprise to me that we had a had fantastic Four Questions follow up! Follow MK on Instagram at @mk.mcg Follow The Re-Education of Jane Brown on Instagram at @treojbfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday. I hope everyone is celebrating love this Valentine's weekend, whether that be romantic love, love for a pet, or love for your favorite independent film podcast! MK McGee brought the short film “The Re- Education of Jane Brown” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film- Horror!                                                                  MK wrote, directed and co-produced this engaging, genre twisting film that subtly makes a brilliant statement about bodily autonomy. MK hopped onto Zoom for our chat and we had a wonderful conversation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                This was no surprise to me, as MK was once of my favorite people to exchange emails with leading up to the festival. Enjoy! Follow MK on Instagram at @mk.mcg Follow The Re-Education of Jane Brown on Instagram at @treojbfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Benjamin Deutscher and Lauren Taggart premiered their incredible film animated “The Storm”  at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and  took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film - Animation and the Audience Award for Best Featurette,  the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design (Richard Larimore ) AND the Grand Jury Award for Best Score (Sylvain Kauffman). I truly hope you already enjoyed the interview with these lovely and amazing folks and are back for more with these 4 Questions! Follow The Storm at: Instagram: @the_storm_movie Website: https://www.thestormmovie.com/ Follow Lauren on Instagram at @thetaggartshow _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Gabby Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman join the show after winning Sundance's Grand Jury Prize to unpack the ten-year road behind Nuisance Bear, a polar bear's journey through two connected worlds: tourist-heavy Churchill, Manitoba, and the Inuit community of Arviat, where the stakes are far more complex and far less welcoming. The film becomes a meditation on coexistence, control, and who gets labeled a “nuisance” in a shared landscape.We dig into craft and access: finding the right position for the camera so the story can reveal itself, structuring the feature in two halves, and how a dialogue-free short film born partly out of COVID constraints became the proof of concept that unlocked TIFF, The New Yorker, and eventually A24. They also talk candidly about what the audience never sees: rough living conditions, long hours waiting, the specific agony of “the best thing happened, and we missed it,” and the slow but important work of earning trust, where listening comes before filming.They share influences that shaped them, including Miyazaki's sense of nature and modernity, Gus Van Sant's bravery with form, and John Cassavetes' belief in the energy of a set. The conversation closes on what it meant to experience Sundance as both a career peak and a personal milestone, getting engaged and then married during the festival. Advice to filmmakers: be tenacious when you know you need to tell a story, protect trust like it is part of the craft, and do not turn on each other when the pressure spikes.What Movies Are You Watching?This episode is brought to you by BeastGrip. When you're filming on your phone and need something solid, modular, and built for real productions - including 28 Years Later and Left Handed Girl - BeastGrip's rigs, lenses, and accessories are designed to hold up without slowing you down. If you're ready to level up your mobile workflow, visit BeastGrip.com and use coupon code PASTPRESENTFEATURE for 10 % off.  Revival Hub is your guide to specialty screenings in Los Angeles - classics on 35mm, director Q&As, rare restorations, and indie gems you won't find on streaming. We connect moviegoers with over 200 venues across LA, from the major revival houses to the 20-seat microcinemas and more.Visit revivalhub.com to see what's playing this week.  Acclaimed documentary ROADS OF FIRE is now available on Amazon, iTunes, and Fandango at home. Directed by Nathaniel Lezra, the film won best documentary at the 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The film examines the migrant crisis here in the States all the way down to Venezuela, and Academy Award nominee Diane Lane calls it "a must-see journey of human dignity." Roads of Fire - now on Amazon, iTunes, Fandango. Introducing the Past Present Feature Film Festival, a new showcase celebrating cinematic storytelling across time. From bold proof of concept shorts to stand out new films lighting up the circuit, to overlooked features that deserve another look. Sponsored by the Past Present Feature podcast and Leica Camera. Submit now at filmfreeway.com/PastPresentFeatureSupport the show Listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more, as well as at www.pastpresentfeature.com. Like, subscribe, and follow us on our socials @pastpresentfeature The Past Present Feature Film Festival - Nov. 20-22, 2026 in Hollywood, CA - Submit at filmfreeway.com/PastPresentFeature

I have a great new chat to start your week off right! Benjamin Deutscher and Lauren Taggart jumped onto Zoom to record this podcast just one month after their film “The Storm” had its World Premiere at Sherman Oaks Film Festival!                                                                 I could go on and on and on about how amazing The Storm is, but instead I will just share this.                                                                                                                                                                                               This animated film took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film - Animation and the Audience Award for Best Featurette. But we do't stop there. Individually The Storm also won Richard Larimore the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design and Sylvain Kauffman the Grand Jury Award for Best Score. In other words, this 60 minute animated film is amazing in every way; visually, sonically, and narratively.                                                                                                                                                                                   You cannot watch it yet, but when it becomes available we will do our best to give you a link here. In the meantime, I should also mention that Ben and Lauren were delightful attendees at Sherman Oaks Film Festival. I enjoyed every opportunity to talk with either of them at the festival. Please enjoy the interview and... Follow The Storm at: Instagram: @the_storm_movie Website: https://www.thestormmovie.com/ Follow Lauren on Instagram at @thetaggartshow _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Aaron Bennett brought his film “Jokers Wild” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December, 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director of a Horror Short as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design, Short Film for his sound designer Matt Broadfoot. Aaron and I had a fantastic chat and I had a strong feeling I was going to really enjoy the follow up 4 Questions. Follow Aaron on Instagram at @aaronwritesstuff Follow Jokers Wild on Instagram at @jokerswildmovie Follow Jokers Wild on TikTok at @jokerswildmovie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Friday, Friends! Aaron Bennett brought his film “Jokers Wild” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December, 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director of a Horror Short as well as the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design, Short Film for his sound designer Matt Broadfoot. I'm happy to say that this is Aaron's second appearance on the Discover Indie Film podcast, though this time he flew solo. Back in 2023 Aaron was part of the podcast for “Good Counsel,” a short film that he wrote for producer & actor Chandra Bond that was directed by David J. Levine and starred Chandra along with Janelle Jones and Matthew Keefe.                                                                                                                        Amusingly I had no idea that Aaron had been on before!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               I'm going to guess that my poor memory is not just due to my advancing age but also that it was a five person Zoom.                                                                                                                                                                 If Aaron had been on the mic in person back in 2023 as he did for this podcast, I swear that I would have remembered. Follow Aaron on Instagram at @aaronwritesstuff Follow Jokers Wild on Instagram at @jokerswildmovie Follow Jokers Wild on TikTok at @jokerswildmovie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. John Schlag brought his film “Panes Taking” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Dance. If you listened to our chat on Monday you learned John has had a long, distinguished career in visual effects that began with Terminator 2: Judgment Day and continued through films like Forrest Gump, The Matrix Reloaded and Watchmen AND has a deep love and study of dance under his belt.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I had even more respect and admiration for the unique perspective John has cultivated after our conversation and couldn't wait to hear what types of film he was going to mention in the 4 Questions. Infinovation Film Instagram @infinovationFilm Infinovation Film Website John Schlag on IMDB John Schlag on Instagram @johnschlag Panes Taking on IMDB Panes Taking Trailer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

A Marvelous Monday to all you Listeners! John Schlag brought his film “Panes Taking” to Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Dance.                                                                                                      Little did I know that this beautifully artistic piece brings together the diverse interests of a throughly creative and technically proficient person.                                                                                                                    John has a long, distinguished career in visual effect that began with Terminator 2: Judgment Day and continued through films like Forrest Gump, The Matrix Reloaded and Watchmen.                                                  John also learned a love for dance while studying at Carnegie Mellon University that continues to this day, and that love inspires him to sit on the board of the Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco (https://www.smuinballet.org/) and to combine his artistic pursuits by making dance films. I do not have words for how much I respect a person such as John, who has accomplished much in his careers and yet never stops seeking to create new and original works.                                                                  Even the name of his production company, Infinovation Film, clearly states his personal desire to be infinitely innovative. Many do not know this, but I adore dance and dance films and even sit on the jury of a EDIFF, the Exeter Dance International Film Festival in the UK.                                                                                                    Between us, I am always envious of the beautiful dance films that EDIFF receives and John Schlag's “Panes Taking” is the rare Official Selection at SOFF or FI-LA that eases my jealousy of EDIFF. There are many ways to follow John and his work and I highly recommend that you do so! Infinovation Film Instagram @infinovationFilm Infinovation Film Website John Schlag on IMDB John Schlag on Instagram @johnschlag Panes Taking on IMDB Panes Taking Trailer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Caleb Garrett brought his film “Lonesome Town” to FIlm Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film, Experimental/Arthouse. Caleb and I got swept away in our chat (posted Friday) but you know I had to squeeze in our 4 Questions follow up before I could let him run off to a production meeting! Follow Caleb on Instagram at @cmgcine _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Thank Goodness It's (DIF) Friday! Caleb Garrett brought his film “Lonesome Town” to FIlm Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film, Experimental/Arthouse.                                                                     I have yet to meet someone, audience or jury member, who did not love this film.                                                                                                                                                                                                        Caleb also took home awards from our Filmmakers Board, a jury of alumni filmmakers, including Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Cinematography.                                               Quite literally... WooHoo! I hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as we did recording.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 In fact, we went long and Caleb literally had to run out the door to a production meeting! Follow Caleb on Instagram at @cmgcine _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Maxwell Hamilton produced and starred in “The Mannequin,” a feature length horror film that came to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film, Horror,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Best Screenplay - Feature Film for John Berardo, Best Cinematography - Feature Film for Jonathan Pope, and Best Production Design - Feature Film for Emily Peters! I hope you already enjoyed our conversation from Monday and here because you are as excited as I was to hear Maxwell's answers to the 4 Questions. I also urge you to watch, review and support The Mannequin! How? Letterboxd - https://letterboxd.com/film/the-mannequin-2025/ JustWatch - https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-mannequin-2025 Watch it. Review it. Support it! Social Media Handles Instagram @maxwellhamilton Facebook @MaxwellHamilton X @maxxhamm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Monday, Film Folks! Maxwell Hamilton produced and starred in “The Mannequin,” a feature length horror film that came to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home a little award that we like to call the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film, Horror.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 But you can add a few more to the list, including Best Screenplay - Feature Film for John Berardo, Best Cinematography - Feature Film for Jonathan Pope, and Best Production Design - Feature Film for Emily Peters. I was excited to get to have an extended chat with Maxwell and that was BEFORE he helped me put it together that his onscreen role is one of my favorites in the film.                                                                     In fact, I feel safe saying that Maxwell delivers an absolutely crucial performance during the film's climax. I hope you enjoy our conversation and I urge you to watch, review and support The Mannequin! How? Letterboxd - https://letterboxd.com/film/the-mannequin-2025/ JustWatch - https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-mannequin-2025 Watch it. Review it. Support it! Social Media Handles Instagram @maxwellhamilton Facebook @MaxwellHamilton X @maxxhamm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Joel Benjamin created the Immersive Film “Max Q,” one of the highlights of the VR Pavilion at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025, and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Immersive Short! Seeing the array of great film posters behind Joel during our chat got me very eager to get to our follow up 4 Questions! You can learn more about Joel at his website https://electricbeard.com/                                                                                                                                                                                                                         and you can follow the Max Q on Instagram at @maxqmovie And a Happy Halloween to all that celebrate!   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

A Wonderful Wednesday to You All! Joel Benjamin created the Immersive Film “Max Q,” one of the highlights of the VR Pavilion at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2025.                                                                                                                                      In fact, Joel took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Immersive Short! I am always too busy at our festival's Opening Night Gala to get a chance to watch the Immersive Films up in the VR Pavilion, but thankfully Joel created a “play through” video that gives a non-interactive representation of the work and... holy moly I'm impressed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              It's a fun, captivating thrill-ride in a cutting edge cinematic format. You can learn more about Joel at his website https://electricbeard.com/                                                                                                                                                                                                                         and you can follow the Max Q on Instagram at @maxqmovie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Braeden and Nathan Lambert premiered their film “The Big Picture” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Music Video. These brothers not only make amazing work, they have incredible taste in other's work. Listen to see what I mean! INTERLINKED and you check out their work at https://www.interlinkedhq.com/ as well as follow them on Instagram at @interlinked.hq _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

I hope everyone had a great weekend and is ready to start the week with a great film chat! Braeden and Nathan Lambert brought their film “The Big Picture” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Music Video.                                                                     The story behind the film, and what led them to create it, is very engaging and I won't give it away here.                                                                                                                                                                   You'll just have to listen to the podcast find out! Nathan is a musician and composer who goes by the moniker New Monk.                                                                                                                                                                                                              Braeden, the filmmaker of the team, pitched the idea for this film that would be set to Nathan's music and have more in common with a performance art film than a traditional music video.                                    It's clear that Nathan loved the concept, and the two put together their team and made this extremely creative project happen. And I have to brag that I learned during this interview that FI-LA 2025 was The Big Picture's world premiere... how cool is that?!?! Nathan and Braeden have insightfully named the company for their collaborations INTERLINKED and you check out their work at https://www.interlinkedhq.com/ as well as follow them on Instagram at @interlinked.hq _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Chris Fiore was one of my very first guests on the podcast and he returns to chat about his new documentary, “Broadway & Swan,” which was part of the 10th Anniversary edition of FI-LA and earned him the Grand Jury Award for Best Director, Featurette. I just love talking to Chris and was very eager to see what was brewing in his 4 Questions all these years later. You can check out Chris's work at chrisfiore.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Chris Fiore is back! This podcast holds a special place in my heart.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The journey that I have been on for a decade, running two film festivals per year and inviting those filmmakers onto this podcast, began with Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2016 when Chris Fiore submitted his documentary “Goodwoman” to this first-year festival and took home the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary! Imagine my delight when Chris submitted a new documentary, “Broadway & Swan,” to the 10th Anniversary edition of FI-LA!                                                                                                                                    Not only that, but Chris took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Director, Featurette this time. I had no idea until this podcast that this particular award for Directing meant the world to Chris, a professional editor. Call me crazy, but I could not have asked for a better Tenth Anniversary FI-LA story! You can check out Chris's work at chrisfiore.com and I hope you enjoy our conversation! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Ari Flesch's debut film  “It's Not For Me To Say” took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film, Animation at FI-LA 2025. Ari and I were wearing almost the same outfit, have similar heritage  and discovered that neither of us participate in social media, so naturally I was curious if we had any 4 Questions opinions in common as well. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Welcome Back To All You Indie Film Discoverers! I met filmmaker Ari Flesch at the Opening Night Gala of Film Invasion Los Angeles in June 2025.                                                                                                                                                                               Ari's animated short “It's Not For Me To Say” was an official selection and, this might only be funny for Ari and I, but we noticed our similar looks and heritage and then, when he came over to do this podcast, we were both wearing a black shirt and green shorts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Okay, this is all less important than the fact that “It's Not For Me To Say” took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film, Animation at FI-LA 2025. Ari's film is beautiful, funny, touching and even a little heartbreaking.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               We had a great Q&A at the theater but anyone who listens to this podcast knows that a fifteen minute Q&A where people in the audience get to ask questions as well is not enough for me! This is normally where I type that you can follow the guest on social media, but Ari isn't wasting his time on that nonsense! Yay!!!                                                                                                                            This is why he manages to be such a productive creative while working full time in animation. Enjoy! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. A.J. Lising wrote and directed “Papa's Corner,” a film that was an official selection at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Short Film, for Val Victa's performance as Papa. A.J. was not able to stay for the Q&A at FI-LA so I was thrilled for the chance to dive deeper with A.J. about his incredible work and get to the 4Qs to see what type of films helped him cultivate it. Follow A.J. and his work at: Website: http://filmbyaj.com/ Instagram: @ajlising Instagram: @papascornerfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

A Marvelous Monday to You All! A.J. Lising wrote and directed “Papa's Corner,” a film that was an official selection at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Short Film, for Val Victa's performance as Papa. I was in the theater for this screening and even though I had already seen it as a member of the jury, after the film's beautiful ending I wept for nearly all of the credits. We did hold a Q&A at the theater with Erik Luminarias (producer & lead actor) and Patricia Esguerra (editor & script supervisor), but A.J. was not able to stay for the Q&A. Once again the Discover Indie Film podcasts gives me a chance to more than make up for a missed Q&A opportunity. It was a pleasure to talk to A.J. and I hope to see a lot more work from him in the future. Follow A.J. and his work at: Website: http://filmbyaj.com/ Instagram: @ajlising Instagram: @papascornerfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

It's a great day today because Filmmaker Lindsay Nyman returns to the podcast! And she was zooming in from Berlin! Back in April, 2018, Lindsay appeared on Episode 57 to talk about her pilot, “The Blind Center.”                                                                                                                                                                                  That wonderful film played at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2017 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Narrative Short Film. Thanks to Instagram I was able to keep up with Lindsay over the years and then she returned with a new film in 2024, “They Call Me The Tattoo Witch.”                                                                                       This remarkable documentary,  directed by Lindsay, screened at Sherman Oaks Film Festival and took home the Grand Jury Awards for Best Short Film - Documentary and Best Cinematography - Short Film for Katie Eleneke.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Lindsay's peers on the Filmmakers Board also awarded her with the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Direction - Documentary! Lindsay directed and produced the film, working side by-side with cinematographer Katie Eleneke and assembling an all-female crew local to Hanoi.                                                                                            Lindsay always credits the heart and authenticity of the film to this extraordinary Vietnamese team, who brought their talent, care, and cultural insight to the process and became like family. Learn more about Lindsay and Leading Woman Films at https://www.leadingwomanfilms.com/ and on Instagram @ leadingwomanfilms _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. I was sad I never was able to interview Jon James Smith after he wrote and directed “Last Orders,” a horror short that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Horror at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2022. Thankfully Jon's work returned to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 with a new film, “Babushka,” and again he took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Horror. And even better, Jon flew all the way from London for the interview (well the festival) and that meant we had plenty of time to do our in-person 4Qs follow up! Learn more about Jon and his work at: JonJamesSmith.com @jonjamessmith @babushkamovie   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

This is a special podcast for me. Why? Jon James Smith wrote and directed “Last Orders,” a horror short that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Horror at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2022. As a London resident, Jon was not able to attend the festival but I made a point to tell him of how well-received the film had been. I invited Jon onto the podcast then and he held off for a great reason.              He did not want to Zoom in from London for the interview, he wanted to do it in person. Thankfully Jon's work returned to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 with a new film, “Babushka,” and again he took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Horror.                                                      But Jon was able to attend FI-LA's 10th Anniversary Edition and, even though I prefer to do nothing the day after a festival wraps... how could I say no to having Jon over to the house to record a podcast? I hope you all enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed having it.                                                                                                                                                                                                        And a huge thank-you to Jon for being the kind of person who follows through on his intentions with actions! Learn more about Jon and his work at: JonJamesSmith.com @jonjamessmith @babushkamovie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Ethan Shaftel brought his Immersive film “Ajax All Powerful” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2024 and took one the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Immersive Short. If you listened to Friday's full interview with Ethan its no secret that “Ajax All Powerful” simply blew my mind and I was very eager to hear about the type of films Ethan was drawn to with his 4 Questions! Learn more about Ethan at his website EthanShaftel.com or @ethanaction on Instagram. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Independence Day, Everyone. And what better way to celebrate independence thank listened to a podcast about Independent film! Ethan Shaftel brought his Immersive film “Ajax All Powerful” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2024 and took one the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Immersive Short.                                                      Do I need to explain what an immersive short is? You watch it on the Meta Quest virtual reality headset and become immersed in the amazing world that Ethan created. “Ajax All Powerful” simply blew my mind and I think every person looking at these words right now should find a way to get their hands on one and watch Ethan's film. What else needs to be said in this intro? Learn more about Ethan at his website EthanShaftel.com or @ethanaction on Instagram. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

When live performance shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, actors Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen weren't sure when—or if—they'd ever be onstage again. So, they turned to an unexpected venue: Grand Theft Auto Online, a sprawling, open-world video game best known for fast cars, chaotic and often criminal missions, and player-driven mayhem. Amid the game's unpredictable violence, they decided to stage Hamlet—it would be the first ever complete performance of a Shakespeare play within a video game. Filmmaker Pinny Grylls joined them and turned the experiment into a documentary: Grand Theft Hamlet. Shot entirely within the game, the film won the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival. “A startling example of using any tools at your disposal to make memorable art,” said the Rotten Tomatoes website. “Grand Theft Hamlet's experimental approach does justice by the Bard.” In this episode, Crane and Grylls talk about performance, friendship, and grief during lockdown, as well as how one of Shakespeare's most famous plays unexpectedly resonated with a virtual cast of strangers and a world in isolation. The result is both funny and poignant, and as surprising as live theater itself. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published July 1, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. Final mixing services are provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc.

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Nicholas Burns wrote and directed the short film “Intertitle” that took home both the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design and the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality - Drama at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2024. He ALSO brought it to Sherman Oaks Film Festival later that year and took home- Filmmakers Award – Outstanding Writing – Arthouse/Experimental – Nicholas Burns Nicholas is not on social media so you'll just have to go to his website nicholasburns.net or listen to our chat released on Wednesday or his 4 Questions here to find more about him! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Welcome back listeners and a special thank you to anyone who came out to Film Invasion Los Angeles this past weekend! There are many things I love and adore about the two festivals I run, but one of them is having an exciting new crop of filmmakers to invite onto the podcast. Nicholas Burns wrote and directed the short film “Intertitle” that took home both the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design and the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Originality - Drama at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2024. He ALSO brought it to Sherman Oaks Film Festival later that year and took home- Filmmakers Award – Outstanding Writing – Arthouse/Experimental – Nicholas Burns This uniquely original film brings a lot more to the table than simply its use of silent film era intertitles.                                                                                                                                                                              In fact, it tells one of the most compelling, personal and authentic stories that I have seen in my decade of festival programming. Nick hopped onto Zoom for this interview and I hope that you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed chatting with him. Nick is NOT on social media, but you can visit his website nicholasburns.net _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

In this captivating episode of Two Mics Up, multi-hyphenate talent Lanett Tachel—acclaimed actress, writer, and producer—sits down to discuss her dynamic career and the powerful new feature film, Angie's Cure, now streaming on Tubi. Known for her commitment to creating layered, multi-faceted roles for African American characters, Lanett shares her journey from her early days in Prince George's County, Maryland, to earning her BFA from Howard University and making her mark in Hollywood.Listeners will get an inside look at the making of Angie's Cure, a psychological thriller that has already made waves with its world premiere at the Dances With Films Festival, where it won the coveted Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film. Lanett discusses what it was like to write, produce, and star in the title role, exploring themes of trauma, mental health, and resilience. She opens up about the challenges and rewards of bringing such a personal and socially relevant story to life, and highlights the incredible cast and crew—including Essence Atkins, Vanessa Williams, and Sean Nelson—that helped make the film a standout success.The episode also touches on Lanett's other acclaimed projects, including the hit series PUMP and the Tubi thriller Twisted Date, showcasing her versatility and passion for storytelling. With her motto “Don't Wait, Create,” Lanett inspires listeners to pursue their creative dreams and make an impact both on and off the screen."This film speaks to me like nothing I've ever been a part of," Lanett shares about Angie's Cure, underscoring the personal and professional significance of this project.Don't miss this exclusive episode—stream it now on all major podcast platforms and catch Angie's Cure on Tubi!-Guest: Actress, Writer, Producer - Lanett TachelIG: @actresslanettFB: @lanetttachelproctorWeb: Newbreedentertainment.org

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Lauren Moreno directed and co-wrote “Palmdale,” an official selection at the 2024 Sherman Oaks Film Festival that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Drama as well as Best Lead Performer - Featurette for Isabelle Marchard. I felt a deep and instant connection to Lauren and her powerful film and couldn't wait to dig deeper with her 4 Questions. You can learn more about Lauren and her work in Instagram at @laurenmorenofilms as well as get a glimpse of a future project at @bagboysfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Happy Monday, Everyone and thank you for tuning in. I know that sometimes I kind of turn into an instant-uncle with some of the filmmakers on the podcast.                                                                                                                                                                                I will come right out and confess Lauren Moreno joins this club.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I am absolutely crushed by the authenticity of “Palmdale,” a film that Lauren directed and co-wrote the was an official selection at the 2024 Sherman Oaks Film Festival.                                                             The film took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Drama as well as Best Lead Performer - Featurette for Isabelle Marchard.                                                                                                                   And it took home a little piece of me, as this wonderful movie lives in my heart.                                                                                                                                                                                                          And, through the transitive property, this means that my new unofficial niece Lauren Moreno is in there, too. You can learn more about Lauren and her work in Instagram at @laurenmorenofilms as well as get a glimpse of a future project at @bagboysfilm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Podcast Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Links DIF Foundation - Sherman Oaks Film Festival - Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Claire Chubbuck directed the film “A Way Home” that played at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2023  and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Drama and Best Performance by a Cast - Featurette. On Wednesday's episode Claire and I cover a wide range from Cathartic Realism to her legendary acting coach mother. I'm hope you already listened and are returning to catch Claire's 4 Questions! You can learn more about Claire at @claire_chubbuck (https://www.instagram.com/claire_chubbuck/) or at the website catharticrealism.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Welcome back, Discover Indie Film Listeners. We have a great show for you today! If I wrote fun titles for these podcasts, I just might name this one, “Claire Chubbuck is awesome.” Because Claire is freaking awesome!                                                                                                                   But what I should do is play the normal rules, letting you know that Claire directed the film “A Way Home” that played at the Sherman Oaks Film Festiva   l in 2023                                                                               and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Drama and Best Performance by a Cast - Featurette. “A Way Home” amazes me with its authenticity and emotional truth, as well as the brilliant performances in it.                                                                                                                                                                   In this podcast we get to learn how Claire's process, Cathartic Realism, is exactly what made this a great film. You can learn more about Claire at @claire_chubbuck (https://www.instagram.com/claire_chubbuck/) or at the website catharticrealism.com We do discuss Claire's mother, a highly respected acting teacher, in this podcast and if you want to learn more you can visit ivanachubbuck.com or                                                                   @ivanachubbuckstudio https://www.instagram.com/ivanachubbuckstudio _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website - DIF Instagram - DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Monday I posted my chat with writer/director ETA and lead actress Gemi Rubi about their thought provoking & engaging horror film, "White Gaze,"                                                                                                   that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Horror at Film Invasion Los Angeles  in 2024. I'm hoping you already listened to that great talk and here to follow up with their 4 Questions! You can follow ETA on Instagram at @etawashere (https://www.instagram.com/etawashere)   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

A new podcast is out to ail your case of the Mondays! Writer/Director ETA had a vision, and that vision turned into the incredibly compelling film “White Gaze.” This thought provokingly authentic parable about gentrification and appropriation is also an engaging horror film,                                                                                                                                                       and it took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette - Horror at Film Invasion Los Angeles  in 2024. ETA pulled their lead actor Gema Rubi onto the podcast with them, which was extra fun because ETA literally pulled a non-actor friend into their film and it was a great choice.                                                    We had a lot of chatting the evening away on Zoom and I hope that everyone enjoys listening as much as we enjoyed talking. You can follow ETA on Instagram at @etawashere (https://www.instagram.com/etawashere) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

TGIF! Ty Clancey is a returning champion! Ty was on episode 366 to talk about his short film “Thank You For Staying,” an Official Selection at Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2021.                                                     After the podcast, he sent me his hilarious human-puppet hybrid comedy “Support.com and You!” and I loved it so much that we instantly threw it onto The Indie Channel. Ty came back to the podcast because in 2023 his beautiful, stylistic horror short “Drawn” was an Official Selection in Sherman Oaks Film Festival.                                                                                                 In In classic Ty fashion, he didn't realize that “Drawn” won the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette, Horror and Best Cinematography for Stephen Tringali until I told him on the podcast! (If memory serves, he didn't know about the awards “Thank You For Staying” won until he came onto the podcast. Not gonna lie. I enjoy my conversations with Ty so much that I may have to think of an excuse to bring him on again even before he makes another film.                                                                                        He was on episode 366 in March 2023 and here he is, back on episode 504 in March 2025. Maybe I should that he come back for a March 2027 episode? You can more about Ty's work at victorhousefilms.com and tyclancey.com , or hit Ty's instagram at @tyclancey _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – BlueSky The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – TikTok

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Nick Livanos wrote and directed the feature film “All the Wrong Ingredients” that was an official selection at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2024, taking home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film - Comedy. Last Friday we posted the second fantastic talk I've had the privilege of having with Nick, and I'm so glad you're tuning in today for Nick's follow up 4 Questions! IG- @nicklivanos https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/all-the-wrong-ingredients _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I have a new DiscoverIndieFilm Podcast for you! Nick Livanos wrote and directed the feature film “All the Wrong Ingredients” that was an official selection at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2024, taking home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film - Comedy. Nick is based in Tennessee and this podcast was our second Zoom, as we also did a Zoom for his FILA 2024 Q&A. Nick took a very interesting path into filmmaking and hones his skills as both a filmmaker and an Associate Professor at Southern Adventist University. I'm pretty sure that we offered each other guest rooms if either of us is ever in the other's home town. It might be from the fact that we all went through lockdown together, but at this point I think that I'm a good Zoom or two away from considering someone a friend! IG- @nicklivanos https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/all-the-wrong-ingredients _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Producer and actor Sof Puchley brought her short film “ID EST” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2024 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Sci-Fi, as well as earning her director Shayda Frost the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director - Sci-Fi. I hope you had the chance to discover how courageous and dynamic Sof is on Monday's interview and that you're here to complete the journey with her 4 Questions! You can follow Sof son instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sofpuchley/ Or hit Sof's links at https://linktr.ee/Sofpuchley _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

Happy Monday, Everyone! I'm wishing every a great start to the week and hoping that this interview helps with that. Producer and actor Sof Puchley brought her short film “ID EST” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2024 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film - Sci-Fi, as well as earning her director Shayda Frost the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Director - Sci-Fi. This stunningly beautiful and extremely engaging film was one of my favorites last year, as I'm a huge SciFi fan and love when someone like Sof brings a fresh perspective to the genre. If you're curious, that's pronounced “ihd-ehst.” Sof's creative journey is a bold and courageous one. She has done things in her life, both as a student and professional, that most people I've met would not dare to try. But I will not go into it further because you need to listen to the interview. You can follow Sof son instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sofpuchley/ Or hit Sof's links at https://linktr.ee/Sofpuchley _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Brazilian filmmaker Tôka wrote and directed the film “Nauru,” a remarkable film that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette, Sci-Fi at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2024 as well as Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Supporting Performer. We have to love technology because I was able to have a fantastic chat with Tôka all the way from London via Zoom that aired on Monday. Here's our trusty follow-up with his 4 Questions! Learn more about Tôka at https://www.instagram.com/toka.filmes/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

Happy Monday, Film Friends! That's right, we are trying on a Mon-Wed-Fri schedule because we have so many exciting talks to share with you all! Brazilian filmmaker Tôka wrote and directed the film “Nauru,” a remarkable film that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette, Sci-Fi at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2024. In fact, the film took home five awards, including Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Supporting Performer. “Nauru” is a proof of concept for a feature script that Tôka wrote, which is good news because the world he created in “Nauru” deserves to be explored much further. Tôka lives in London today and hopped onto Zoom to have this conversation with me. After seeing a film as well-written and visually stunning as “Nauru,” I had been looking forward to this talk for most of 2024. We managed to get on Zoom together in December and now you get to listen to it in 2025! Learn more about Tôka at https://www.instagram.com/toka.filmes/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Happy 4Qs Thursday, Folks! Did everybody listen to my interview with the extraordinary Alina Krasnianska on Tuesday? I truly hope so. Like I said before, Alina's documentary “Culture vs war. Liberov” is easily one of the most important films we've had the privilege of showing at either Film Invasion or The Sherman Oaks Film Festival. It took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette, Documentary at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2024 and is one documentary of six in the “Culture vs. War” series with a feature length adaptation of the series is on the way. Alina generously included the links to watch the entire series, so check out Tuesday's interview post for those links. Facebook page of Alina Krasnianska - https://www.facebook.com/alina.krasnianska _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok

Welcome back, Everybody! I hope 2025 is treating you well so far. My guest on today's podcast is Alina Krasnianska, the Executive Producer of “Culture vs war. Liberov,” a documentary that took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Featurette, Documentary at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2024. In this case “home” is Kyiv, Ukraine. The logline for the film is, “A deeply touching story of the war by the eyes of the couple of photographers Kostyantyn and Vlada Liberov.” I sincerely do not have words for how powerful and important this film is. In fact, I wish that every person in the USA would watch it right now. No, I want everyone in the world to see it. And you can... right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgVN6HHIW3k This film is one documentary of six in the “Culture vs. War” series and a feature length adaptation of the series is on the way. I do not feel that I am exaggerating when I say that this film is one of the most important films that has ever played at either Film Invasion Los Angeles or Sherman Oaks film festival. Honestly, I cannot believe how lucky I am that I had the opportunity to talk to Alina for two hours about this film, about the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, and about life in the country that my great grandparents fled in the 1890's. But even if you have no tie to Ukraine surely any person who believes in human rights, freedom, democracy, and the right to not be murdered in your home by a fascist neighbor will appreciate Alina's films and hopefully this podcast interview with her. What is truly inspiring is that Alina and her creative partners reacted to the invasion by highlighting the power of Culture to overcome War. There is so much I want to say about this film and Alina, but I will instead just ask you to listen to the interview and WATCH THE FILMS. Alina has shared links with us for the films as well as other important videos, news sources, and Facebook pages. Here come the links for the documentaries Culture vs war: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YALSyd3ohuU&t=32s Antytila band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ewnkyz1uxw&t=16s cinematographer Serhii Mykhalchuk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR3Q2LiRTXg&t=1100s film director Akhtem Seitablaiev https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGKVyHliwsk&t=82s poet Serhiy Zhadan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYn7r-Be7kc&t=9s kobzar Taras Kompanichenko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgVN6HHIW3k&t=43s photographers Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov To check the videos of the Association Watch Ukrainian https://www.youtube.com/@watchukrainian To check the news of the Association Watch Ukrainian https://www.facebook.com/dyvysukrainske Facebook page of Alina Krasnianska - executive producer Culture vs war project https://www.facebook.com/alina.krasnianska _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter The INDIE Channel The INDIE Channel Website – Instagram – Facebook – X/Twitter – TikTok