INTERVIEW: Rise of a Star

The drama of the ballet world has long been a source of inspiration for filmmakers. Indeed, films like “The Red Shoes” to “Black Swan” have delivered indelible portraits of women enduring the pressures to succeed. In James Boris’ short film “Rise of a Star“, a ballerina named Emma finds herself on the verge of stardom. But she is hiding a secret threaten that could potentially her career. Starring real-life prima ballerina Dorothée Gilbert and the legendary Catherine Deneuve, her personal journey to overcome society’s obstacles is conveyed with beautiful artistry. In a recent interview with Awards Circuit, James Bort explained how he used ballet, fashion and feminist themes to craft this empowering tale that was recently named to the Oscar shortlist for Best Live Action Short.

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INTERVIEW: Kevin Wilson Jr.

The tragic story of Emmett Till has long been recognized as a significant catalyst for the African-American Civil Rights Movement. His brutal murder in 1995 Mississippi brought a much needed spotlight to the severity of racist violence in the United States, forever ensconcing the then 14-year old as a martyr for civil rights. With his short film “My Nephew Emmett“, writer-director Kevin Wilson Jr. revisits this horrific incident from the atypical perspective of Emmett’s uncle. Featuring a superb performance by L.B. Williams, this powerful film has already won the Student Academy Award, ahead of making the Oscar shortlist for Best Live Action short. It was therefore an honor to speak with the talented Kevin Wilson Jr. as we discussed the importance of the Emmett Till story and his aspirations as a rising filmmaker.

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INTERVIEW: Sean Meehan

Based on a short story by Jack London, “Lost Face” is a bleak tale of survival set in Russian-colonized America during the mid 1800s. It centers around a Russian fur thief named Subienkow, who must use all his wits to escape a slow, painful death at the hands of native tribesmen. Directed by Sean Meehan, this short film showcases terrific craftsmanship and is worthy of viewing on the biggest screen possible. Following its selection to the Oscar shortlist for Best Live Action short, I recently spoke with Meehan about the making of his surprising debut film.

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INTERVIEW: Fatih Akin

When it was announced as Germany’s Oscar submission, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” immediately became one of the top contenders. This intense revenge thriller had already been garnering attention for Diane Kruger’s performance, which won Best Actress at Cannes. And with its topical themes and provocative storyline, it seemed destined to make an impact with the Academy. I was therefore excited to speak with Akin recently, as we discussed those themes and the thought process behind making the film. Below is an edited version of our conversation.

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REVIEW: Quest

On first glance, “Quest” seems to be a documentary about an ordinary American family. Its first scenes depict a mother frying up some bacon for breakfast, followed by preparations for a modest wedding. Over the course of the film however, director Jonathan Olshefski stumbles on a profoundly bittersweet testament to the human condition. At once universal and specific, “Quest” is a truly American story.

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REVIEW: Woodpeckers

This may sound like a corny reference, but one of the first things that came to mind while watching “Woodpeckers” was a line from the Rihanna song “We Found Love”. In it, she sings “we found love in a hopeless place”, a lyric that could easily have been the tagline for this unique romance drama directed by Jose Maria Cabral.

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REVIEW: A Ciambra

In 2015, Jonas Carpignano made a splash with his debut feature “Mediterranea,” a drama that hearkens back to the heyday of neorealism. With his follow-up “A Ciambra,” the Italian-American filmmaker continues in the same vein. Once again, he focuses on a member of one of Italy’s minority populations. And in the process, he crafts an intimate, melancholic portrait of their daily struggle.

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INTERVIEW: Annemarie Jacir

The term “wajib” refers to an obligatory practice in traditional Islamic culture. And with director Annemarie Jacir‘s latest film, audiences will be introduced to one of Palestine’s most fascinating examples. Screened at film festivals all over the world, “Wajib” follows an estranged father-son pair who are brought together to hand-deliver the wedding invitations for their daughter/sister. And as Palestine’s official Oscar entry, this gentle drama now awaits the decision of the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award committee. In anticipation, Annemarie Jacir kindly spoke with me via phone from Nazareth, to discuss the film’s unique premise and her perspective as a female director from Palestine.

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INTERVIEW: Dome Karukoski

As an actor, director, writer, and producer, Dome Karukowski is one of the shining talents of the Finnish film industry. And with a biopic about the popular author J. R. R. Tolkien on the way, we’ll definitely be hearing more about him in the future. It was, therefore, an honor when Karukowski took time out of his shooting schedule to discuss his current biopic in theaters called “Tom of Finland.” Below is an edited version of our chat, in which we talked about the film’s social relevance and the importance of its selection as Finland’s Oscar submission.

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INTERVIEW: Amit Masurkar

With a pair of well-received films under his belt, writer-director Amit Masurkar is one of the most promising talents in India’s thriving film industry. In his sophomore effort “Newton,” his confident voice is evident as he incisively examines his country’s democracy. After a successful run on the festival circuit, the film has now been chosen as India’s official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film. In celebration of this honor, I recently spoke with Masurkar to discuss the fascinating politics he depicts as well as the pleasant surprise of the Oscar selection. Below is an edited version of our conversation.

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