KUCI: Film School

The White Fortress (Tabija) / Film School Radio interview with Director Igor Drljača

THE WHITE FORTRESS (TABIJA) stars Pavle Čemerkić as Faruk. He is an orphan who lives with his ill grandmother in the rundown Sarajevo suburb of Alipasino Polje. Faruk and spends his days foraging for scrap metal and dabbling in petty crime. One day he meets Mona, a timid teen from a politically powerful and affluent family. As Mona dreams of escaping the overbearing toxicity of her home life, she seeks refuge and opens herself up to Faruk, a boy from a world entirely different than her own  THE WHITE FORTRESS was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Best International Feature Film selection to represent them at the 94th Academy Awards. The film is a Canada/Bosnia co-production feature that had its World Premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival as part of its Generation 14 plus section. The cast also includes Jasmin Geljo, Kerim Čutuna, Alban Ukaj and Irena Mulamuhić. Director and writer Igor Drljača joins us for a conversation on the declining quality of life that has come with fewer and fewer job opportunities in his hometown of Sarajevo, working with professional and non-professional actors and striking the right storytelling balance between despair and resiliency.
To watch go to: gametheoryfilms.com/tabija
To find out more go to: igordrljaca.com

Salma’s Home / Film School Radio interview with Director Hanadi Elyan

The story behind SALMA’S HOME eschews the usual woman in peril narrative that is often presented in today's Arabic cinema. Director and writer Hanadi Elyan, one of the few female Arab filmmaking voices, follows beautifully in the footsteps of bold voices like Nadine Labaki, Raja Amari, and Jocelyn Saab. SALMA (Juliet Awad) is a talented baker living alone in a large old house overlooking downtown Amman, her daughter FARAH (Sameera Asir) is a young working mother with marital problems. Their lives are disrupted by the death of Salma’s ex-husband- BAKRI. The funeral takes place at his current wife’s house, LAMIA (Rania Al Kurdi), an aspiring socialite who is obsessed with building her brand online. After the funeral, shocking facts come to light leading to clashes and finally forcing the three women to accept some harsh realities and take control of their lives. Director / writer / editor Hanadi Elyan (Reel Arab Productions) stops by to talk about finding the superb cast of actors who help make the film take flight, as well as the inspiration for writing and directing this beautifully told story of heartbreak, betrayal, renewal, friendship and love.
For news and updates go to: hanadielyan.com

Algren / Film School Radio interview with Director Michael Caplan

In his mesmerizing feature documentary film, ALGREN, Michael Caplan drops us into the gritty world, brilliant mind, and noble heart of writer Nelson Algren. Exploding onto the national scene in 1950 after winning the first-ever National Book Award for The Man with the Golden Arm, Algren defined post-war American urban fiction with his brilliant depiction of working class Chicago. Hemingway declared him second only to Faulkner; Vonnegut dubbed him a literary groundbreaker. Hollywood soon came calling, immortalizing his breakout novel with none other than Frank Sinatra in the lead role. Algren even won a notorious place in both the heart and work of France’s premiere feminist, Simone de Beauvoir. Including never-before-seen archival footage, newly uncovered audio recordings and his own rarely seen, personal photo collages, ALGREN charts the rise and fall of a man whose transgressions, compassion and thirst for justice pushed him to dedicate his life and career to giving a voice to the voiceless. Through interviews with Algren’s friends, literary experts and artists – including William Friedkin, Russell Banks, Philip Kaufman, Billy Corgan and John Sayles – the film is an intimate, witty and even antagonistic portrait of a tireless champion of America’s most marginalized. Director Michael Caplan (Stones from the Soil) joins us for a conversation on what inspired him to explore the world of a groundbreaking, deeply American writer who has never reached the level of recognition and acclaim of his literary brethren.
For screenings and updates go to: firstrunfeatures.com/algren

Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes / FIlm School Radio interview with Director Joe Berlinger

In Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes award winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger pulls back the curtain on the notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the one-time aspiring politician, beloved local contractor, and part-time clown-for-hire who murdered 33 young men between 1972 and 1976. The majority of his victims were found buried under his house, in the quiet northwest suburbs of Chicago. Fifty years later, DNA scientists are still trying to identify all of his victims, but thanks to 60 hours of unearthed audio between Gacy and his defense team, we have fresh perspective on the narcissistic mindset of the murderer and a deeper understanding of how he operated for so long with impunity. The second installment in an ongoing series from filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes), this three-part documentary also features new interviews with key participants – some of whom have never talked before, including gut-wrenching testimony from one of Gacy’s survivors – all in search of answers to a crucial question: How was a public figure like Gacy able to get away with murder for so long? Director Joe Berlinger (Brother’s Keeper, Crude, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) joins us to talk about what draws him to the backstories involving people like Bundy and Gacy, and the personal impact exploring them has on his own outlook on humanity.
For screenings and updates go to: netflix.com

The Business of Birth Control / Film School radio interview wit Director Abby Epstein

In the legacy of their groundbreaking documentary THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN which revolutionized the way people think about childbirth, filmmakers Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake unpack the power structures surrounding the reproductive health industry complex. Sixty years after the pill revolutionized women's emancipation, THE BUSINESS OF BIRTH CONTROL examines the complex relationship between hormonal birth control and women’s health and liberation. The documentary traces the feminist movement to investigate and expose the pill's risks alongside the racist legacy of hormonal contraception and its ongoing weaponization against communities of color.  Weaving together the stories of bereaved parents, body literacy activists and femtech innovators, the film reveals a new generation seeking holistic and ecological alternatives to the pill while redefining the meaning of reproductive justice. Director Abby Epstein (Weed the People, Until the Violence Stops) joins us for a conversation on the confluence of historically poor understanding of women’s health, racial and gender-biased research, industry driven mis-information, and profit driven business interest that have warped the vision for what is best for women.
For news and screenings go to: thebusinessof.life/the-business-of-birth-control

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall off / FIlm School Radio interview with Director Sam Jones

TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF center around a series of intimate interviews with Tony Hawk himself. The film is an all-encompassing look at the skateboarder’s life, legendary career, and relationship with the sport with which he’s been synonymous for decades. Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skating who is still pushing his limits at the age of 53, remains one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. A wide-ranging, definitive look at Hawk’s life and iconic career, and his relationship with the sport with which he’s been synonymous for decades. Hawk, born in San Diego, Calif., is a pioneer of modern vertical skating and one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF features unprecedented access, never-before-seen footage, and interviews with Hawk, and prominent figures in the sport including Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Neil Blender, Andy MacDonald, Duane Peters, Sean Mortimer, and Christian Hosoi. Director and Producer Sam Jones (I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, Off Camera with Sam Jones) joins us for a conversation on his own passion for skateboarding, gaining the confidence of Tony, his family and his peers, as well as peeling back the layers of a highly motivated and hyper competitive athlete who has defined what it means to be an unconventional modern day superstar.
For updates and screenings go to: hbo.com/documentaries

Bull / Film School Radio interview with Director Paul Andrew Williams

BULL is a revenge thriller like no other. This ferocious, audacious, and blood-soaked is the latest from BAFTA-winning writer/director Paul Andrew Williams stars Neil Maskell (Kill List, Peaky Blinders) as Bull, a vicious mob enforcer seeking revenge on the gang that double-crossed him. Ten years after he was last seen, Bull returns home to methodically track down those who betrayed him, including his ex-wife, Sharon, played by Tamzin Outhwaite (Eastenders) and find his beloved son. With the ominous warning: “I’m coming for all of them,” Bull stalks his former gang, leading up to a savage showdown between his wife and her mob boss father Norm, played by David Hayman (Sid and Nancy, Macbeth). Director and writer Paul Andrew Williams  (London to Brighton, Unfinished Song, The Cottage) joins us for a conversation on his intense, brutal and perversely “logical” tale of family grievance and revenge embodied in the tenacious performances of Neil Maskell and David Heyman.
Saban Films will release the thriller BULL in Theaters on April 1st and On Demand and Digital on April 5th.

The Invisible Pilot / Film School Radio interview with Co-directors Phil Lott and Ari Mark

The HBO Original THE INVISIBLE PILOT, a three-part documentary series by Emmy®-winning filmmakers Phil Lott and Ari Mark, is a tale of a charismatic, daredevil husband and father who unexpectedly jumped off a bridge in 1977, despite a seemingly happy home life and a lucrative career as a pilot. His small-town Arkansas community searches for his body in vain while family and friends seek answers. Years later, a mysterious story emerges involving hypnosis, secret identities and a double life of dangerous missions and law-breaking. And that’s just the beginning… THE INVISIBLE PILOT unfolds in three chapters, each one divulging new, shocking surprises. When Gary Betzner, a father of three, unexpectedly commits suicide the mystery surrounding his death deepens and unfurls a caper-filled tale involving a clandestine world of drug smuggling, gun running, and involvement in a covert war conducted at the highest level of the U.S. government. With a wealth of colorful archival material and shaped by vibrant storytelling by Gary’s wife, ex-wife, children, friends and associates, public defenders, law officers and journalists, THE INVISIBLE PILOT is a cautionary tale of unchecked power and covert operations, centered around a small-town man with outsized dreams. Co-Directors Phil Lott and Ari Mark join us to walk us through the bare-bones description of a multi-layered story that not only defies belief, but illuminates one of the darkest and most consequential political scandals in American history.
For news and screenings go to: hbo.com/the-invisible-pilot
THE INVISIBLE PILOT debuts MONDAY, APRIL 4 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) with new episodes airing subsequent Mondays at the same time. The series will debut on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max.

7 Days / Film School Radio interview with Director Roshan Sethi

7 DAYS jumps into the world of arranged marriages through a pre-arranged date set-up by their old-fashioned Indian parents, Ravi (Karan Soni) and Rita (Geraldine Viswanathan). With apparently nothing in common, their afternoon date, while pleasant enough, couldn’t be any more awkward. Ravi’s conservative and clearly nervous, while Rita’s doing her best to politely keep on smiling. But then circumstances conspire and force Ravi to spend the night at Rita’s place. Before long, he sees that she’s not the straight-laced girl she initially pretended to be—for starters, she’s quick to pound a beer for breakfast. As their time stuck together stretches towards a full week, though, Ravi and Rita develop an unlikely bond, and in the face of a heartbreaking turn of events, that bond grows into something stronger. 7 DAYS is a delightful rom-com that doubles as a showcase for its two stars, Soni and Viswanathan, both of whom carry the film with their natural charm and easygoing chemistry, and a culturally specific spin on its genre’s familiar tropes. Optimistic and full of heart, director/co-writer  Roshan Sethi’s debut captures love in the time of isolation and will leave you on a feel-good high.
Official Selection: BFI London, Tribeca Film Festival 2021
Independent Spirit Award Winner for Best First Feature

You Are Not My Mother / Film School Radio interview with Director Kate Dolan

YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER picks up it’s harrowing tale the week before Halloween and Char’s mother, Angela (Carolyn Branken), has inexplicably disappeared. All that remains is her abandoned car. When she returns home without explanation the following evening, it becomes clear to Char (Hazel Doupe) and her grandmother, Rita (Ingrid Craigie), that something is amiss. She might look and sound the same but Angela’s behavior has become increasingly frightening, as if she has been replaced by a malevolent force. When Halloween arrives, a night steeped in ancient myth and legend, Char realizes that she is the only one who can save her, even if it means potentially losing her forever. Director and screenwriter Kate Dolan (Catcalls) joins us for a conversation on updating the folkloric tale of the changeling and the connection to a more modern and scientific context of mental health, as well as the razor sharp examination of the mother / daughter relationship, while scaring the pants of viewers.
For updates and screenings go to: youarenotmymother.com
watch-at-home: magnetreleasing.com/youarenotmymother