Sean Kelly on Movies Interviews Podcast

EPISODE SUMMARY: Honey Bunch is finally here! To celebrate the nationwide theatrical release, Sean Kelly on Movies Interviews brings you a deep-dive conversation recorded just before the film’s premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (#TIFF50). WHERE TO WATCH: In Canada: Honey Bunch opens in cinemas nationwide via Elevation Pics starting Friday, January 23, 2026. International: The film will begin streaming on Shudder starting February 13, 2026. THE INTERVIEW: In this episode, we go inside the making of this cinematic journey with the creative team that brought it to life. First, Sean sits down with the visionary writer-director duo […]

We hit the red carpet at the 2025 Blood in the Snow Film Festival, catching up with filmmakers from the festival’s short film programs, festival director Kelly Michael Stewart, and the team behind the documentary Nash the Slash Rises Again! BITS 2025 Interview Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 00:13 Andrew G. Cooper on Strangers 02:23 Prasanna Paul & Gavin Downes on Sanctorum 04:23 Shelly Findlay on Donations 06:47 Juan Francisco Calero on Petit Demons 08:49 Lulu Liu & D’Arcy Quan-McGimpsey on Cherry on Top 12:24 Zach Green on cancer szn 14:30 Blood in the Snow Festival Director Kelly Michael Stewart 17:02 Tim […]

While in Toronto to promote the release of Dream Eater, writer/director/stars Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm, and Alex Lee Williams joined us to talk about their Lovecraftian found footage horror film. In this interview, they discuss the film’s influences — from The Blair Witch Project to Unsolved Mysteries — and share how the project was picked up for distribution by Eli Roth’s The Horror Section. Dream Eater Interview Timecodes 00:00 Introduction00:24 Where did the idea for Dream Eater come from?01:46 Was Dream Eater Always Intended as a Found Footage Film?03:46 How Dream Eater Was Influenced by Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project05:11 Alex Lee Williams on Why He and Mallory Drumm Acted in the Film05:49 The Lovecraftian Inspiration for Dream Eater06:57 Unresolved Mysteries and the Sleepwalker Killing07:44 How Eli Roth Picked up the Distribution for Dream Eater09:23 The Growing Influence of Social Media on Film Promotion10:38 Conclusions Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

The horror-comedy Scared Shitless arrives on VOD September 2, 2025, ahead of its U.S. release on October 3. During a special Fan Expo Canada screening, we spoke with writer/producer Brandon Cohen, director Vivieno Caldinelli, and Kids in the Hall’s Mark McKinney about bringing this outrageous film to life. Scared Shitless Interview Timecodes 00:00 Titles 00:13 Introduction 00:54 Brandon Cohen on Writing the Original Short for Scared Shitless 01:37 Vivieno Caldinelli on Getting Hired to Direct Scared Shitless 03:10 Vivieno Caldinelli on Collaborating with Steven Kostanski 03:59 The Casting of Scared Shitless 04:42 Mark McKinney Invited to Join the Interview 04:56 Mark McKinney on the Character He Plays in Scared Shitless 05:31 The Influences on Scared Shitless 06:50 The Practical Effects of Scared Shitless 07:23 Will There Be a Sequel to Scared Shitless? 08:11 Concluding Notes Affiliate AdThe Jury Experience: Million-Dollar Murder or Web of Lies?

We spoke with artist Ben Maruo (Elysium, Chappie, The Hobbit Trilogy) at Fan Expo Canada 2025 about his sci-fi graphic novel series Huxley. Ben Maruo Interview Timecodes 00:00 Titles 00:23 Introduction 01:29 Interview with Ben Maruo. Affiliate AdCandlelight: The Best of Bollywood on Strings

We spoke via Zoom with animator Seth Scriver (Asphalt Watches) and his half-brother and co-director Peter Scriver about their hybrid animated family documentary ENDLESS COOKIE, now playing. Endless Cookie Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 00:26 Seth and Peter Scriver on the Genesis of Endless Cookie 03:59 The Decade-Long Development of Endless Cookie After Asphalt Watches 07:36 Coming Up with the On-Screen Depictions of the Family 09:31 How Seth Scriver Settled on the Title of Endless Cookie 11:18 What’s Next for Seth Scriver? 12:34 Conclusions Affiliate AdThe Jury Experience: Million-Dollar Murder or Web of Lies?

With Queen of the Ring now playing in select Canadian theatres, we sat down over Zoom with co-writer and director Ash Avildsen to talk about his passion for professional wrestling and how he came to direct a biopic about the legendary Mildred Burke. Affiliate AdCandlelight Jazz: A Charlie Brown Christmas ft Thompson Egbo-Egbo

In this exclusive interview, Writer/Director Anne Marie Fleming and star Keira Jang sit down with Sean Kelly on Movies to discuss their latest film, Can I Get a Witness?. They delve into the film’s themes, the creative process behind its unique storytelling, and Keira’s experience bringing her character to life. Can I Get a Witness Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Ann Marie Fleming on the Inspiration Behind Can I Get a Witness? 03:48 Keira Jang on Her Character’s Arc in Can I Get a Witness? 04:54 Ann Marie Fleming on Teenagers Being the Leads 07:53 Ann Marie Fleming on Sandra Oh Being the Ideal Version of a Mother 09:34 Keira Jang on the Mother-Daughter Relationship Between Kiah and Ellie 10:31 The Incorporation of Animation in Can I Get a Witness? 11:36 The Darker Undertones of Can I Get a Witness? 12:48 Keira Jang on Her Character’s Reaction to Witnessing Death 14:12 Concluding Notes on Toxic Plants 15:15 Closing Bumper Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

In this exclusive interview, Atom Egoyan dives deep into the dark heart of “Seven Veils” and reveals the inspiration behind this powerful film. Learn more about his creative process and the themes of Salome in this fascinating discussion. TW: This interview contains a discussion of sexual violence, both as part of the opera Salome and within the plot of Seven Veils. SEVEN VEILS opens in theatres on March 7, 2025. Atom Egoyan Interview Timecodes 00:00 Patreon Promo Bumper 00:30 Introduction 00:50 Atom Egoyan on Making a Film Based Around the Opera Salome 03:34 Atom Egoyan on How Working with Amanda Seyfried Was Different on Seven Veils Than Chloe 15 Years Ago 05:32 Salome as “The First Biblical Sex Crime” 07:31 Themes of Sexual Violence in Seven Veils 09:14 Does Atom Egoyan Hope Seven Veils Opens People Up to Opera? 10:09 Closing Bumper Affiliate AdCandlelight Jazz: A Charlie Brown Christmas ft Thompson Egbo-Egbo

Get ready to be shocked by what Lloyd Kaufman has to say about the new Troma film #ShakespearesShitstorm in this exclusive interview recorded virtually during the 2020 Fantasia Film Festival! Tune in to hear all the juicy details about his latest release, streaming on January 15, 2025 on Troma Now. Bumpers and Aside A.I. Voiceover created using ElevenLabs. Opening Music “Big Horns Intro” by AudionautixLicensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.Artist: Audionautix Bumper Music “Hero In Peril” by AudionautixLicensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.Artist: Audionautix News Theme by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Affiliate AdCandlelight: Tribute to A.R. Rahman

I was joined live on stage at Toronto’s historic Horseshoe Tavern to speak with the Trailer Park Boys of Bubbles (Mike Smith), Julian (John Paul Tremblay), and Ricky (Robb Wells), who were joined by the perpetually shirtless roadie Randy (Patrick Roach). The topic of conversation was the 25th anniversary of Trailer Park Boys and the release of their new film STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY, which opened on December 6, 2024. Affiliate AdCandlelight: Tribute to A.R. Rahman

Karl R. Hearne and Dale Dickey shed light on the dark side of elder revenge in THE G. Check out this exclusive interview from the Fantasia Film Festival 2024. The film is now playing across Canada, distributed by Level Film. The G Interview Time Codes 00:00 Introduction00:28 Karl R. Hearne on a Creating a Revenge Film About Elder Abuse01:11 The Relationship Between Ann and Emma02:29 Real Life Inspiration of Court-Ordered Guardianship03:37 Ann Revisiting Her Criminal Past05:24 The Relationships That Develop in the Film07:27 The Most Challenging Aspect of Making The G09:28 Concluding with Buffalo Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Special Featuring “The Nutcracker” & More

The dark fairy tale RITA is now available to stream on Shudder. We spoke to writer and director Jayro Bustamante about the film, which includes the real 2017 Guatemalan tragedy that inspired the narrative of the fantastical realism of this film. Jayro Bustamante Interview Time Codes 00:00 Introduction00:30 Jayro Bustamante on the 2017 Guatemalan Tragedy That Inspired RITA03:30 The Balance of Fairy Tale Elements with the Dark Story of RITA05:22 The Fantastical Cliques in RITA06:36 Does Jayro Bustamante Hope RITA affects how girls are treated in Guatemala?07:51 Conclusions Affiliate AdCandlelight: The Best of Bollywood on Strings

In advance of the film’s Toronto premiere as part of the Blood in the Snow film festival, here is the interview we conducted with writer/director Jeffrey St. Jules (Bang Bang Baby) on his third feature THE SILENT PLANET, prior to the film’s World Premiere at the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival. Jeffrey St. Jules Interview Time Codes 00:00 Introduction00:19 Jeffrey St. Jules on the Inspiration Behind The Silent Planet01:05 Jeffrey St. Jules on Casting Elias Koteas01:47 The Ambiguous Backstory of The Silent Planet02:59 Comparing The Silent Planet to Duncan Jones’ Moon03:33 Jeffrey St. Jules on Briana Middleton’s Character of Niyya04:51 The Dark Twists in the Films of Jeffrey St. Jules05:19 Jeffrey St. Jules Changing Genres with Each of His Films06:43 The Release Plan for The Silent Planet07:13 Conclusions Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Classics

Meet Academy Award-winning animator Adam Elliot (Mary and Max, Harvie Krumpet) and learn about his latest stop-motion masterpiece Memoir of a Snail. Distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media, Memoir of a Snail is now playing. Don’t miss this exclusive interview with the talented animator! Adam Elliot Interview Time Codes 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Memoir of a Snail Trailer 02:07 Adam Elliot on the 15-Year Gap Between Mary and Max and Memoir of a Snail 02:51 Adam Elliot on His Career Plan of a Trilogy of Trilogies 03:40 The Inspiration for the Story of Memoir of a Snail 04:50 Adam Elliot on His Use of Neurodiverse Protagonists 06:32 What Type of Audience is Adam Elliot Aiming for with Memoir of a Snail 07:53 What Adam Elliot Looks for When Casting 10:13 Adam Elliot on Guillermo del Toro’s Support of Stop Motion and Whether He Hopes Memoir of a Snail Would Return Him to the Oscars 11:41 Conclusions Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Special Featuring “The Nutcracker” & More

I spoke via Zoom to John Adams and Toby Poser of Adams Family Films to talk about their new creature horror film Hell Hole, available to stream on August 23, 2024, on Shudder. Hell Hole Time Codes 00:00 Introduction 00:18 Clip from Hell Hole 02:12 Interview John Adams and Toby Poser on Hell Hole 02:22 The Genesis of Hell Hole 03:19 Shooting the Film in Serbia 03:48 Casting the Film 04:33 Workings with MastersFX on the creature effects of Hell Hole 06:42 The Influences of Hell Hole 07:56 The “Villain for Science” of Hell Hole 09:04 What Hell Hole Might Have Been Like with a Bigger Budget 09:52 The Conspicuous Absence of Zelda Adams from the Film 11:00 What’s Next from Adams Family Films 11:54 Conclusions Affiliate AdCandlelight: Tribute to A.R. Rahman

We were on-site in Montreal for the World Premiere of the Satanic Cult professional wrestling horror film Dark Match at the ‪2024 Fantasia Film Festival. We hit the red carpet to interview writer/director Lowell Dean and cast members Sara Canning, Ayisha Issa, Michael Eklund, and professional wrestling superstar Chris Jericho! Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Special Featuring “The Nutcracker” & More

The ambient slasher film IN A VIOLENT NATURE, written and directed by Chis Nash, opens in theatres this Friday, May 31, 2024, distributed by IFC Films and Shudder. In a series of Zoom interviews in promotion of the film, I spoke with both producer Peter Kuplowsky and actor Ry Barrett about this much-buzzed-about film. Make sure to support this independent Canadian horror film by getting tickets are one of the links below: https://www.inaviolentnature.com/ https://www.cineplex.com/movie/in-a-violent-nature Music Attribution Big Horns Intro by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/ #InaViolentNature #canadianfilm #peterkuplowsky #rybarrett #chrisnash #shudder #ifcfilms Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Special Featuring “The Nutcracker” & More

To coincide with the film’s release onto VOD, we spoke via Zoom to Mike Cheslik, the co-writer and director of the slapstick silent film Hundreds of Beavers. We talk about the film’s successful festival and roadshow run, upcoming projects for him and his collaborator Ryland Brickson Cole Trews, and a mutual love for releasing films on physical media! Hundreds of Beavers Synopsis IN THIS SILENT SUPERNATURAL EPIC, A DRUNKEN APPLEJACK SALESMAN IS THRUST INTO THE FRIGID WILDERNESS. CAN HE GO FROM ZERO TO HERO, BECOME NORTH AMERICA’S GREATEST FUR TRAPPER, AND DEFEAT HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS? Fundraised and shot in Wisconsin and Michigan Completed over 4 years 12 weeks of shooting Filmed in subzero temperatures 1500+ effects shots Hundreds of Beavers Interview Timecodes 00:00 Titles 00:24 Introduction by “Billy the Beaver” 00:49 Mike Cheslik on the idea for HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS 01:20 The Influence of Guy Maddin 02:04 How HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS differ from Mike Cheslik’s previous film LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER 02:43 The Video Game aspect of HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS 03:24 How Many Beavers Were There, Actually? 03:51 How difficult was HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS to edit 04:45 The challenging compositions of HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS 05:33 About HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS’ performative roadshow 06:20 Mike Cheslik on what’s next for him 07:23 Mike Cheslik on the success of HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS 08:01 Mike Cheslik on a future Blu-ray release for HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS 08:37 Conclusions Watch Hundreds of Beavers Powered by JustWatch Music Attributions Big Horns Intro by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/ 🎵 Music licensed from Lickd. The biggest mainstream and stock music platform for content creators Pee Wee Hero 7 (Bumper) by David Tobin, https://t.lickd.co/bpmoYlel1v2 License ID: daedrP4jxkQ Pee Wee Hero 10 (Sting) by David Tobin, https://t.lickd.co/9MoOvg82p4z License ID: Nx8NWP0xD3A Try Lickd FREE for 14 days...

We spoke via Zoom with Caitlyn Sponheimer, the writer, director, producer, and co-star of the coming-of-age drama Wild Goat Surf, now playing in limited release, distributed by Vortex Media. Wild Goat Surf Synopsis Set in a rundown Penticton, Okanagan Valley RV park during the summer of 2003, Goat, a surfing-obsessed, thirteen-year-old skater girl, navigates the unbridled, unstructured, summer days of youth, dreaming about becoming a surfer like her deceased father. While her mother sublets their rental unauthorized and takes on two jobs during the bustling summer months, Goat is left to her own devices; coping with grief through rambunctious actions that soon go too far. Caitlyn Sponheimer Interview Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Caitlyn Sponheimer on how she got the idea for WILD GOAT SURF 01:14 Finding the right girl to play Goat in WILD GOAT SURF 02:50 The casting of Nate and his friendship with Goat 05:10 The relationship between Jane and Goat in WILD GOAT SURF 06:51 Caitlyn Sponheimer on whether she believes Jane is oblivious to Goat’s petty crimes 09:14 The importance of the RV in WILD GOAT SURF 10:45 Caitlyn Sponheimer on Jane’s big moment in WILD GOAT SURF 12:45 What Caitlyn Sponheimer hopes audiences take away from WILD GOAT SURF 13:54 Conclusions Music Attribution Big Horns Intro by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/ Affiliate AdCandlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings