KUCI: Film School

Leave No Trace / Film School Radio interview with Director Debra Granik

Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. After clashing with their new surroundings, Will and Tom set off on a harrowing journey back to their wild homeland. The film is directed by Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone) from a script adapted by Granik and Anne Rosellini and based on the novel My Abandonment by Peter Rock. Director Debra Granik joins us to talk about her modern day tale of two people grappling with a sense of place, loyalty, love, and deep wounds.
For news and updates go to: bleeckerstreetmedia.com/leavenotrace

The King / Film School Radio interview with Director Eugene Jarecki

Forty years after the death of Elvis Presley, two-time Sundance Grand Jury winner Eugene Jarecki’s new film takes the King’s 1963 Rolls-Royce on a musical road trip across America. From Memphis to New York, Las Vegas, and beyond, the journey traces the rise and fall of Elvis as a metaphor for the country he left behind. In this groundbreaking film, Jarecki paints a visionary portrait of the state of the American dream and a penetrating look at how the hell we got here. A diverse cast of Americans, both famous and not, join the journey, including Alec Baldwin, Rosanne Cash, Chuck D, Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke, Van Jones, Mike Myers, and Dan Rather, among many others. To investigate these questions, THE KING traces Elvis’ rise and fall from the Deep South to New York, Las Vegas, and countless points between. Alongside this, the film examines America in parallel, from her auspicious founding to her own struggles with excess power up to the acute challenges of today. This was always Jarecki’s intent, but he could never have anticipated the election of Donald Trump, which happened in mid-production and sent a shock wave through the filmmaking process.
For news and updates go to: theking.film

Three Identical Strangers / Film School interview with Director Tim Wardle

Tim Wardle’s acclaimed documentary THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS is the most amazing, incredible, remarkable true story ever told. Three strangers are reunited by astonishing coincidence after being born identical triplets, separated at birth, and adopted by three different families. Their jaw-dropping, feel-good story instantly becomes a global sensation complete with fame and celebrity, however, the fairy-tale reunion sets in motion a series of events that unearth an unimaginable secret –– a secret with radical repercussions for us all. Winner of Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award, THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS is an exuberant celebration of family that transforms into a thriller with colossal implications and proof that life is truly is stranger than fiction. THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS is part emotional family drama, part conspiracy thriller, and a gripping cinematic experience. Director Tim Wardle talks about gaining the confidence of the brothers, being faithful to this very complex saga and wrestling with the crucial “nature vs. nurture” question posed by their story, a question that lies at the heart of human behavior.
For news and updates go to: threeidenticalstrangers.com

Half the Picture / Film School Radio interview with Director Amy Adrion

HALF THE PICTURE celebrates the groundbreaking work of female film directors and investigates the systemic discrimination that has, for decades, denied opportunities to far too many talented women in Hollywood. The film consists of interviews with high profile women directors including Ava DuVernay, Jill Soloway, Lena Dunham, Catherine Hardwicke and Miranda July, among many others, who discuss their early careers, how they transitioned to studio films or television, how they balance having a demanding directing career with family, as well as challenges and joys along the way. HALF THE PICTURE also includes interviews with experts about gender inequality in Hollywood including the ACLU’s Melissa Goodman, Sundance Institute’s Caroline Libresco, Vanity Fair’s Rebecca Keegan, USC’s Dr. Stacy Smith and San Diego State University’s Dr. Martha Lauzen, who establish the magnitude of this employment discrimination issue as women are shut out, across the board, of an industry that systemically denies their expression and point of view. HALF THE PICTURE Director / Producer Amy Adrion joins us to talk about a unique time in the film industry where systemic change seems possible and whether, unlike previous efforts to address gender inequality in Hollywood, will this time be different?
For news and updates go to: halfthepicture.com
Social Media:
facebook.com/halfthepicture
instagram.com/halfthepicture
twitter.com/amyadrion

Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town / Film School Radio interview Director Christian Papierniak

Izzy is the textbook definition of a hot mess. She wakes up hungover from a one-night stand, puts on her stained clothes from the night before and plans to start yet another aimless day. That is, until she finds out that her ex is getting ready to celebrate his engagement to her former best friend. Izzy has to make it to the other side of town to break them up, and nothing will stand in her way. Further proving that she’s one of the most promising new actresses working today, Mackenzie Davis plays Izzy with a manic energy that is utterly electrifying. Featuring a killer supporting cast made up of Carrie Coon, Haley Joel Osment, and Alia Shawkat, Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town is a chaos-filled ride through Los Angeles, one that introduces a bold new voice in indie cinema. Director and writer Christian Papierniak talks about the making of his kinetic, off-kilter vehicle for the amazing MacKenzie Davis and working with a brilliant cast of supporting performers.
For news and updates go to: izzygetsacrosstown.com

Ronnie Coleman: The King / Film School Radio interview with Director Vlad Yudin

Ronnie Coleman is one of the legendary athletes in the history of bodybuilding - holding the world record for most Mr. Olympia titles of all time with 8 wins. Now for the first time ever the world will see the true-life story of the biggest bodybuilder of our time. Known as "The King" of bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman is a true icon in the sport of bodybuilding comparable to the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is known as one of the heaviest bodybuilders ever to compete in the IFBB as well as his aggressive heavy lifting in his training regimen. Since retirement, Ronnie Coleman has suffered a total of 6 major injuries to his spine and hips requiring rehabilitating surgery. He is now on a journey back to 100% recovery so that he can train at peak levels once again. Ronnie Coleman: The King focuses on  Coleman's recent efforts to recover after his latest spinal surgery so that he can once again train with heavy weights at maximum capacity. The King takes a deep look into his past career and accomplishments - giving a never before seen look at one of the biggest (literally and figuratively) athletes in the bodybuilding industry. Director Vlad Yudin talks about what makes this gentle giant and arguably best ever bodybuilder tick and how Coleman continues to find success outside the spotlight.
For news and updates go to: generationiron.com/ronniecoleman

The Icarus Line Must Die / Film School Radio interview with Director Michael Grodner

Punk's not dead in this cool AF drama riffing on actual events. THE ICARUS LINE MUST DIE is a dramatic narrative feature set against the backdrop of the current LA underground music scene. The film tracks Joe Cardamone, front man of notorious punk bad boys The Icarus Line as he navigates his way through the ups and downs of the modern music landscape. With a new record completed and a major label deal within sight, Joe fights to keep his band, his relationship and his life from completely falling apart. Ariel Pink, Keith Morris (Black Flag/Circle Jerks), Pearl Charles, Melissa Brooks (The Aquadolls), Justin Pearson (RETOX, The Locust), Rafael Reyes (Prayers) and Jerry Stahl (Permanent Midnight) are featured along with performances by Pink Mountaintops, Together Pangea, The Icarus Line, Retox, Obliterations and Annie Hardy of Giant Drag. The film was directed by Michael Grodner and written by Michael Grodner and Joe Cardamone. THE ICARUS LINE MUST DIE will open in LA on June 22 at the Laemmle Royal and will rollout theatrically over the summer by Dark Star Pictures.  The film will also be available on digital on 7/10 (iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, Fandango Now, Xbox and local Cable Providers). Director Michael Grodner joins us to talk about his collaborator and star, Joe Cardamone, the blurred lines between narrative and documentaries, his take on the LA music scene, past and present and Dirty Laundry.
Social media:
facebook.com/theicaruslinemustdie
facebook.com/pg/DirtyLaundryTV

To A More Perfect Union: U.S. V. Windsor / Film School interview with Director Donna Zacarro

“To A More Perfect Union: U.S. V. Windsor” shares a rich tapestry of love, marriage, and a fight for equality. The film chronicles unlikely heroes — octogenarian Edie Windsor and her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, on their quest for justice. Upon the death of her spouse Thea Spyer, Windsor was forced to pay a huge estate tax bill because the government denied federal benefits to same-sex couples. Windsor became a renowned LGBTQ civil rights advocate when she chose to sue the United States government to recognize her more than 40 year union– and won Windsor and Kaplan’s legal and personal journeys go beyond the story of this pivotal case in the marriage equality movement as Zaccaro tells the story of our journey as a culture, and as a country that promises its citizens equal rights for all. The film features interviews with notable voices in this civil rights battle, including: Roberta Kaplan (Windsor Attorney), Pam Karlan (Windsor Legal Team & Co-Director, Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic), Rosie O’Donnell (Comedian, Actor & Activist), Frank Rich (Writer-At-Large, NY Magazine), Hilary Rosen (Communications Advisor & LGBT Activist), Richard Socarides (White House Special Assistant & Advisor to President Clinton), Matt Staver (Founder & Chairman of Liberty Counsel), Jeff Toobin (CNN Legal Analyst & New Yorker Staff Writer), Nina Totenberg (Legal Affairs Correspondent for National Public Radio), Tony West (Former Associate U.S. Attorney General), Edie Windsor (Plaintiff), Evan Wolfson (Founder & President of Freedom to Marry), among others. Donna Zaccaro (“Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way”) joins us to talk about her intimate tale of the struggle for universal equal rights and the on-going attempts to undermine them. Director Donna Zaccaro talks about the heroic struggle by Edie Windsor and the scarring legal battles that it took to achieve this historic victory for human rights.
For news and updates go to: perfectunionfilm.com
Social Media:
Facebook: facebook.com/ToAMorePerfectUnionFilm
Instagram: @perfectunionfilm

Middleground / Film School Radio interview with Director Alicia Khazanova

Trapped in the hotel of her husband's various business meetings, a woman finds herself adrift between lives when she is approached by a stranger with vivid memories of an affair with her that she can't remember. She's always sitting there with her husband. He's always getting up to take a meeting. The other man always comes and sits, the stranger, who always insists on his account of their past affair, and every time he does, it's more convincing. Acclaimed Russian actress Alisa Khazanova makes her directorial feature film debut this intriguing and intimate thriller “Middleground” for a limited theatrical release and global VOD/Digital release beginning on June 8th, 2018. Director Alisa Khazonova joins us for a conversation on her Lynchian tale of a woman’s very shifting perception of reality.
For news and updates on Middleground go to: vladar.com

Cowboy and Preacher, The Life and Times of Tri Robinson / Film School Radio interview with Director Will Fraser

Screening at this year’s Dances with Films, Cowboy and Preacher comes face-to-face with the degradation of the environment as the most daunting crisis facing humankind. If that isn’t enough, many people oppose action to save the environment or deny there is even a problem. Some of the most vocal and powerful of these people are conservative Christians in the USA. Tri Robinson, a conservative evangelical pastor but also life-long environmentalist, has battled throughout his life to show that Christianity and environmentalism are not mutually exclusive. In fact, environmental stewardship is demanded by Christianity – “with dominion comes responsibility”. Most environmental films are framed for a liberal audience and preach to the converted. This film addresses “unconverted” Christians, while offering liberal non-Christians a fascinating insight into evangelical values and mindset as Tri, at work on his ranch or church, builds up a Biblical case for environmentalism emphasizing respect and responsibility that flies in the face of many on either side. This film is absolutely timely – the destruction of the environment is the most important issue facing all people, and many politicians and voters need to face it. Director Will Fraser (The Genius of Cavaillé-Coll, Martinkerk Rondeau) stops by to talk about breaking down the barriers that are keeping many from an honest conversation on the looming challenge of climate disruption and the impact Tri Robison has had on his own path to spiritual commitment.
For news and updates go to: cowboyandpreacher.com
Cowboy and Preacher Dances with Films screening info
Screening Thursday, June 14 at 2:45 PM at Chinese TCL Theatre
2018 Dances with Films website