Bond on Cinema

Ladies and gentleman, Kyle Kauwika Harris’ THE HUNTSMANS centers on a repressed ICU nurse played by actor Shawn Ashmore who volunteers as a reader for a recovering coma patient played by Garret Dillahunt as Lincoln, the prime suspect in the savage murders of six young women in a small southwestern town. The suspect's wife played by the amazing Elizabeth Mitchell, refuses to believe that her husband is the killer, struggles with the mounting complexities of the investigation. With a dedicated detective trying to solve the mystery before more bodies turn up, numerous other suspects take the case on a spiraling journey. THE HUNTSMAN gives all of us armchair detectives an amazing film to watch, dissect and choose who the killer is. Will you be right or will you be wrong? There are clues, so pay close attention. Forget about Knives Out, you want to see THE HUNTSMAN. Kyle Kauwika Harris is of Hawaiian heritage and an enrolled Choctaw Nation citizen of Oklahoma. Kyle previously served in the United States Navy and is best known for his Emmy-award winning feature documentary, I Stand: The Guardians of the Water and crime thriller narrative, Out of Exile. He is here today to talk about his new suspense thriller THE HUNTSMAN. Actor Shawn Ashmore has done many made-for-television movies and series,, but it was his brief appearance in X-Men in 2000 that landed him a role in X2: X-Men United in 20030) and got him on the road to stardom. As an added bonus, he even got his own personal action figure modeled after him. Currently, Shawn plays Wesley Evers the assistant DA on the hit series THE ROOKIE and today it’s all about their new feature film THE HUNTSMAN. #indiefilm #independentfilm #suspensethriller #thriller #serialkiller #film #cinema #bondoncinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproduction #actor #acting #whodunit 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Avatar film franchise is the most successful in the history of film. James Cameron does not get enough credit for what he has done for the film industry. He is an innovator, a dreamer, but he’s a doer. But to bring all the emotional magic to the Avatar films, one has to have a composer who is just as much as an innovator, a dreamer and a doer who can keep up with James Cameron. That man is Simon Franglen and what an incredible talent, but he brings emotion to each scene of Avatar: Fire and Ash. When you sit in the theater, he is responsible for that very emotion that touches you and draws you into the characters, the action and wraps you in the surreal fantasy that James Cameron created. Every filmmaker I have ever interviewed says their films do not come alive until the music score is applied to their visual storytelling. In essence, it is music that makes the world go around and again, and makes film come alive. Award-winning composer and GRAMMY-winning producer Simon Franglen who scored James Cameron’s newest installment of Avatar, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Simon composed the celebrated score for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, for which he received a 2023 World Soundtrack Award. His score was praised for expanding the sonic world of Pandora with both epic scale and profound intimacy, and was a global hit with the soundtrack album surpassing 750 million global streams.  In 2018, Simon Franglen started writing the first cues for the onscreen music, and spent the last two years composing the expansive score. To deliver the 3-hour and 4-minute score you hear in the film, and he wrote over 1,900 pages of music.  His journey to film composition began in the recording studio, where he built a remarkable career working with legends such as Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, and Quincy Jones and on landmark films such as Skyfall, Moulin Rouge, and Se7en.  He started working with his mentor, composer James Horner, on Titanic and continued with Avatar in 2009 for which Simon was nominated for a Golden Globe. His production of “My Heart Will Go On” earned him a GRAMMY Award and helped make Titanic one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time.   #avatar #avatarfireandash #avatarthewayofwater #jamescameron #filmscore #musicscore #mileycyrus #dreamasone #cinema #filmmaker #podcast #interview #filmmaking #orchestra #songwriter

Ladies and gentlemen, BAFTA-nominated and BIFA-winning, MAGID / ZAFAR announces a bold new voice in Asian British cinema. Directed by Luís Hindman, and co-written by Sufiyaan Salam, the blistering short unfolds over one sweltering night inside a British Pakistani takeaway, where a fractured childhood friendship resurfaces and long-suppressed tensions erupt. A childhood friendship looms over Magid as he navigates the heat and chaos of a professional kitchen, where long-suppressed tensions resurface and the weight of diverging futures becomes impossible to ignore. As he confronts what has been left unsaid, the film interrogates authenticity, identity, and South Asian masculinity, offering a rare and incisive portrait of manhood shaped by cultural expectation and personal truth. The cinematography is outstanding and fast paced until the moment slows into an emotional and passionate ending. It is great to see films, filmed on real film and this one delivers in every way. #shortfilm #BAFTA #BAFTAAwards #film #cinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #screenwriter #bondoncinema #manhood #masculinity #archetypes #culture

Join us for a captivating interview with Alejandro Vilpa, an internationally published author and the founder of Vilpa Films. We discuss his journey as a writer and delve into the world of filmmaking, exploring the nuances of cinematography and the broader aspects of cinematic education. This conversation offers valuable insights for aspiring creatives and enthusiasts alike, providing a unique perspective on the craft of how to write and produce compelling stories. Ladies and gentlemen, WHAT IF THE SUN DIES is about Saed, who suffers from a rare condition that prevents him from interacting with others—if he sweats, it could be fatal. If he goes outside in the sun, it could be fatal. Despite this, he decides to challenge his limitations and change the course of his life. The film is mysterious and provides a twist that the audience doesn’t see coming. The cinematography and colorization gives the film a haunting, yet unpredictable feel to it, which makes this film stand out on its own. #shortfilm #filmmaker #shortfilms ##cinematography #filmmaking #bondoncinema #film #filmdirector #filmproducer

My guest today is Kerry Browne, who currently resides in Scotland and is working on various writing projects; her most recent film is based on her award-winning screenplay 'Song of the Selkie' and where Kerry makes her directorial debut. The original script received a Remi award for 'Best Short Sceenplay' at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, was a finalist in Raindance Script Competition and was a Nominee for 'Best Screenplay' at the British Short Film Festival. She founded her own production company, Seal Woman Productions in 2023. Her aim is to continue to create content surrounding Scotland's diverse cultural heritage. Ladies and gentlemen, Kerry Browne’s short film SONG OF THE SELKIE, is set over two time periods, the story is a mix of English and Scots Gaelic and follows Isla; a young girl who returns to the Scottish Highlands with her father, leading her to the mystery of the legendary and mythical being, The Selkie. This film is a beautiful and tragic love story, not just between a husband and a wife, but also between a mother and a child as well as between the land and sea.  The special nuances in this film are subtle, but those subtleties is what hides the elements of brilliant storytelling. You have to truly watch this film with your heart and soul, to see those nuances come to life and tell a well rounded story.  The acting, the cinematography and the music score work synergistically together to tell a wonderful and makes for a great film to watch.  I simply loved the SONG OF THE SELKIE. #shortfilm #film #cinema #scotland #scottishhighlands #scottishgaelic #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #selkie #folklore #myths #lovestory #bondoncinema #cinematography 

Luke Sparke, an Australian writer-director known for action/sci-fi films like Occupation: Rainfall, Scurry, Bring Him to Me, and the recent dinosaur/war mashup, Primitive War. Blending his background in costume and prop work for large military productions (like Spielberg's The Pacific) with a passion for genre cinema, aiming for big-scale, effects-driven features with military authenticity and heart, often wearing multiple hats as producer, editor, and designer.  He specializes in large-scale action, sci-fi, and horror, often independently producing films that Hollywood studios deemed too risky. Today, we are taking about his incredible independent blockbuster PRIMITIVE WAR, which is placed in Vietnam during the war in 1968. A recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone. The star-studded cast includes Jeremy Piven, Tricia Helfer, Nick Wechsler, Ryan Kwanten to name a few. #featurefilm #independentfilm #newfilm #jurassicworld #jurassicpark #dinosaur #trex #filmmaker #filmmaking #interview #bondoncinema #filmdirector #cinematography #australia

Kathryn Ferguson, an Emmy nominated director of the multi-award winning feature doc Nothing Compares about the artist Sinéad O’Connor.  The project twas natural extension of her ongoing interest in music and power.  Her current award winning short (IFTA nominated / BAFTA longlisted) NOSTALGIE is about a faded English 1980s pop star who is unexpectedly invited to perform in Northern Ireland, pulling him out of musical retirement and into a moral dilemma tied to the unintended legacy of his work. What begins as an exercise in nostalgia turns into a reckoning when he discovers his music has been repurposed in ways that contradict its original intent. Ladies and gentlemen, NOSTALGIE was written by Stacey Gregg and based on a short story by Wendy Erskine. NOSTALGIE explores the intersection of personal vanity, collective memory, and the political afterlife of pop culture. The lead character, Drew Lord Haig, a former '80s one-hit-wonder turned IT entrepreneur, is stunned when a Belfast battalion invites him to perform at their centenary celebration. Flattered and intrigued, Drew accepts, hoping to relive his glory days and recapture his youth. Launching into his hit single, the audience appear unmoved. But on the opening bars of his long forgotten B-side Nostalgie de la Boue, something unexpected happens: the crowd erupts. Word for word, they sing with fervor, elevating the moment into something transcendent. Drew is overwhelmed, until, afterwards, he learns the truth: the battalion had adopted his song during the Troubles, using it as a rallying cry for covert, brutal operations. What he once saw as artistic rebellion had become a weapon, a soundtrack to bloodshed. Reeling, Drew returns home, the weight of complicity pressing down. What began as nostalgic curiosity ends in moral reckoning. His music, once his escape, now binds him to a history he never meant to write.  #film #cinema #oscars #BAFTA #IFTA #irish #northernireland #nostalie #filmmaker #shortfilm #filmmaking #interview #bondoncinema #filmdirector #cinematography

My guest today is Luke Angus, an award-winning filmmaker and seasoned 3D animator known for his emotionally resonant storytelling and visually striking work in animation. He has collaborated with leading studios including Nickelodeon and Framestore. His work spans both commercial and independent projects, with a focus on narrative-driven short films. Ladies and gentlemen, I love films that emotionally move me. Heartfelt, endearing even in the midst of loss, love and emotional perseverance we are given a triumphant ending, but it’s not really an ending, but a continuance of love. SOLSTICE tells the story of a lonely Inuit man who must endure the endless summer daylight in the hope of being reunited with his lost love. Told entirely without dialogue, the film explores grief, isolation, devotion, and emotional perseverance through powerful imagery, with the Arctic landscape reflecting the inner world of its protagonist. Everything about this animated short film is stunning, awe-inspiring animation, perfect storytelling with the right metaphors and juxtapositions that a film needs. Only 2 - 3 times a year do I ever use the word perfection when it comes to a film and SOLSTICE is absolute PERFECTION in every way. #animation #animator #shortfilm #grief #loss #lovestory #articcircle #animatedshort #filmmaker #bondoncinema #filmmaking #filmdirector #interview

Our guests today are writers/directors and animators Andy and Carolyn London. Since 1999, they’ve been creating films, music videos and animated content through their company London Squared Productions. They have created award-winning films that have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Annecy, and Ottawa, and at MoMA’s Talk to Me exhibition. Today, they are hear with their official selection to the Sundance Film Festival, the animated short film 1981. A 14-year old Douglas gets a birthday surprise that will change his life forever. "1981" is a psychedelic coming-of-age story that captures the beauty and terror of teenage desire. Ladies and gentlemen, Andy and Carolyn London’s animated short film “1981” pushes us toward the edge in search of honesty. The film gives us the cringeworthiness and awkwardness of adolescence. We get caught in the moment of embarrassment, but with a smile on our face. This film brought back memories of my childhood where the same feelings came to life. What makes this film unique is the wide range of age groups, different generations who will be sitting in the movie theaters at various film festivals this year and watching this film. The mental and emotional outcome will be vastly different and that’s what makes this film and its concept spot on for 2026. The animation is surreal experience so reminiscent of the late 1970s to the early 1908s and I loved it. #sundance #sundancefilmfestival #oscars #shortfilm #animatedshort #animation #comingofage #teenagers #youth #stripper #birthdayparty #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #cinema #bondoncinema

Filmmaker Ida Melum follows her BAFTA-nominated and Annie Award–winning short Night of the Living Dread, she returned with Ovary-Acting. The film has been BAFTA longlisted and Annie nominated, marking a significant milestone in its awards-season journey. After its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival this past year, Ovary-Acting went on to win the Best Short Animation Grand Prize at the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), cementing its status as one of the most distinctive animated shorts of the year. Ovary-Acting offers a joyful yet incisive look at one of life’s most pressing questions and stands as a vibrant celebration of the continued evolution of stop-motion animation. Ladies and gentlemen, A comedic and deeply personal story, Ovary-Acting explores the emotional rollercoaster of contemplating parenthood in the modern world. With wit, honesty, and meticulously handcrafted animation, the film examines questions of biology, ethics, practicality, and bodily autonomy balancing cheeky humor with genuine emotional resonance. The main character Eva is stuck at her sister's baby shower a thirty-something woman is forced to decide whether she wants to have kids or not after unexpectedly giving birth to her reproductive organs. The project reunites Melum with BAFTA-nominated writer Laura Jayne Tunbridge (Sweetpea, Requiem), whose layered and incisive script deftly balances comedy with heartfelt storytelling. I really loved this film and I’m a guy, but I found the use of humor enlightening as well as a bit informative to try to understand an element of life that many women go through. Us men for the most part, we don’t really understand women, because we don’t take time to listen. I found OVARY-ACTING a film that helps women realize they are not alone and hopefully help men listen more. I can see why this wonderful animated short if BAFTA long listed. #BAFTA #trending #podcast #trendingpodcast #shortfilm #animatedshort #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #stopactionanimation #animation #ovary #uterus #womanhood #biologicalclock 

Writer/Director Mekhai Lee acted in many professional productions, including Broadway’s “The Color Purple.” He is the writer/director & co-creator of original web-series entitled For the Boys to much acclaim. He i a member of the Half-Initiative Director Program and is the 2022 Director’s Fellow on HBO’s Succession. Mekhai also wrote and directed an original short film called “Them That’s Not” which premiered at NewfestPride ‘25 Film Festival, and has since screened at numerous Film Festivals including Bushwick, Newfest Film Festival, and Chicago International Film Festival where it was the recipient of the Golden Hugo Award, making the film official Academy Award Eligible. He is also one of six directing recipients of the NAACP 2025 Cinematic Shorts Competition, which took place at the 2025 NAACP National Convention. His new short film THEM THAT’S NOT is about a prison furlough brings an estranged father and his distant daughter together at their mother's repass. Ladies and gentlemen, THEM THAT’S NOT is a beautiful film in every way. The storyline of a father and daughter reconnecting, but hidden within their estranged relationship, a secret connection is revealed. This film is a filmmaker’s dream and what I mean by that is the story is told with incredible patience and outstanding visuals. The cinematography places a central role in this film with the correct framing of the characters, that emphasizes their emotions and dialogue. As I said the color palette brings forth the warmth of home and family. The use of sign language keeps the audience focused, as if we lean in to hear a whisper, we can transported into the lives of Drea, Carol and Samuel. I can see why this film is already Oscar Qualified so early in it’s journey to the 2027 Academy Awards. And what a joy it is for me to kick off this year with such an incredible short film. #shortfilm #film #cinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #trending #spotify #itunes #cinephile #screenwriter #storytelling #filmproduction #cinematography #sxsw #filmfestival #oscars #academyawards

Ladies and gentlemen, EXTREMIST is a short film that warns us that censorship of free speech is happening all over the world. Even countries who preach democracy and freedom are slowly taking away our right to free speech. EXTREMIST shows us the absurdity of the lengths that a government will go too to silence its citizens. Sasha Skochilenko decided to stand by her principles in the midst of standing up for the truth, but the blessing of injustice caused her voice to rise above the Russian tyranny.  Alexander’s film is a powerful narrative short, a film that fits into the category of being a social impact film. And we need more filmmakers to stand up for truth, especially if they are willing to face the consequences their actions.  #oscars #academyawards #shortfilm #russia #ukraine #justice #injustice #film #cinema #bondoncinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #cinematography #cinephile #interview #trending 

Sofiia Chui-kov-ska, an Ukrainian artist based in Paris, France. She is one of seven directors of the Oscar Shortlisted animated short film THE SHYNESS OF TREES. The short film won a Student Academy Award in the Animation category of the 52nd Student Academy Awards, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Sofiia was involved in a bit of everything in the project but mainly character animation and compositing. She works as a freelance animator and is developing a short animated film on the side. Their Oscar Shortlisted animated short film THE SHYNESS OF TREES is about Hélène, 40 years old, comes to visit her aging mother in the french countryside. But her mother isn't being her usual self. She seems to have formed a strange bond with the plants, insects, and the old oak tree at the end of her garden. #animation #animator #shortfilm #oscars #academyawards #film #filmmaker #filmdirector #cinema #bondoncinema #lifeanddeath #creation 

Writer/director and composer Trevor Morris has contributed to 35 Feature Films and over 700 hours of dramatic Television. He is a 5 time EMMY nominee and 2X winner. He has collaborated with Ridley and Tony Scott, Antoine Fuqua, Gore Verbinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer among others. BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL marks Trevor’s first narrative film as writer-director. Here, he fuses music, emotion and visual storytelling into a grounded portrait of mental health, resilience and creative freedom. With the film’s rich Toronto setting, soulful performances and exploration of OCD and anxiety through the lens of a young artist’s coming-of-age, BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL is painfully beautiful, but powerfully triumphant. A film that everyone who sees it can find something to relate too, and maybe lead them to their own healing journey. #oscar #academyawards #shortfilm #ocd #anxiety #music #musiccomposer #filmscore #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #cinema #storytelling #cinematography 

Ladies and gentlemen, Entirely hand drawn and animated by Blaise over three years in his Florida studio, SNOW BEAR tells the story of a lonely polar bear navigating a rapidly changing Arctic in search of connection. With stunning 2D animation, the film uses expressive visuals and a poignant original score to capture the emotional landscape of isolation, hope, and ecological fragility. Blaise drew inspiration from his own personal journey and a profound reverence for nature. With Snow Bear, he set out to capture the universal longing for connection and the resilience it takes to endure life’s harshest seasons. By using hand drawn, frame by frame animation, Blaise channels raw emotion into every image, weaving a story that reflects both personal vulnerability and the fragile beauty of the environment. The film features a powerful original score by Grammy winning composer Mark Mancina, known for his work on The Lion King, Moana, Brother Bear, and Tarzan. He is joined by composer Marlon E. Espino, whose credits include Moana, The Lego Batman Movie, and The Sea Beast. Together, the duo delivers a sweeping, immersive soundscape that heightens the film’s emotional impact. The film has also garnered early acclaim from global conservation organizations, including Polar Bears International and the National Parks Conservation Association, both of whom have endorsed the film’s environmental message. Earlier this year, Aaron received the Winsor McCay Award, one of animation’s highest honors, recognizing his lifetime achievement and contributions to the art form. Now, with SNOW BEAR shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards®, his legacy expands into new territory, bridging hand drawn artistry, ecological urgency, and deeply personal storytelling. #DISNET #THELIONKING #MULAN #MOANA #brotherbear #oscars #academyawards #film #cinema #shortfilm #animation #animator 

Writer/director duo Julia Aks and Steve Pinder and their hilarious Oscar Shortlisted short film JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA. The film is set in 18th century England and following its successful world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the whimsical live-action short was selected for the prestigious OSCAR-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival, where it was named one of the top ten films to watch. Personally, I would name this as the Top film to watch, period. Yes, pun intended! Set in 1813 England, in the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his expensive education has missed a spot. The stunning cinematography was created by Emmy-nominated Luca Del Puppo and rivals any multi-million dollar Jane Austen film such as Pride & Prejudice. Co-writer/directors Julia Aks and Steve Pinder’s wonderful partnership began in 2016 when Steve was directing a SOUND OF MUSIC parody whilst studying at USC and discovered Julia’s impeccable Julie Andrews impersonation. In 2019, the two came together once again to co-direct a Julie Andrews parody of Ariana Grande’s 7 RINGS. The parody went viral, and the pair began a string of collaborations for Julia’s YouTube channel. #janeausten #period #comedy #shortfilm #juliaaks #stevepinder #luadelpuppo #filmmaker #filmmaking #tribecafilmfestival #tribeca #soundofmusic #england #cinematography #menstruation

My guest today is writer/director Christopher M. Anthony and his BAFTA-qualified feature film, HEAVYWEIGHT. The film stars Jason Isaacs, Nicholas Pinnock and Jordan Bolger to name a few.  He taught himself animation and interned for The Jim Henson Company at the age of 15. His first official job in London was for Hensons.  Over the years he worked on a number of pioneering projects, developing the tools and pipelines that made London a world leader in VFX. The key turning point being Prisoner of Azkaban. He went on to develop perhaps the original atomization effect seen in many films today.  This was originally for X-Men 3, later used to kill Voldemort and later copied many times over. In 2008 he moved to San Fransisco to work at Lucasfilm on Indiana Jones and became a BAFTA member soon after.  Today we discuss his BAFTA-qualified feature film, HEAVYWEIGHT, where the greatest fight is in your mind and not in the ring.  Ladies and gentlemen, HEAVYWEIGHT follows wildcard boxing contender, 'Diamond' Derek Douglas, and his support team ahead of a title fight he doubts he can win.  The pressure escalates in real-time, as dirty tricks and revelations are revealed. HEAVYWEIGHT is an intense and visceral experience exploring a side of elite sport rarely seen. This film is character-driven and dialogue heavy, which I love. The film is actually fast-paced and gets to the heart of the story quickly. This is how you do a film right.  This film is tense, emotional at times, but helps us to learn that in life, the biggest fight is what happens when we let outside sources affect our thoughts. As long as we don’t allow those thoughts to enter our hearts, we still have a chance to win in life.  #boxing #MMA #fighting #sportfilm #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #jasonisaccs #nicholaspinnock #jordanbolger #trending #cinema #cinematography #bondoncinema #BAFTA 

My guests today are writer/directors Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh and the absolutely spectacular medium-length French-language film TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA.  NATALIE MUSTEATA is a writer, curator, and filmmaker. She holds a Doctorate in art history and a Masters in film from The Graduate Center, CUNY. She is the curator of several exhibitions including if I can’t dance to it, it’s not my revolution, Haverford College, and UNREST: Revolt against Reason. In 2018, she produced Alexandre Singh’s richly imaginative short film The Appointment, which played in over 40 film festivals where it won several awards for “Best Short Film”, as well as co-curated the exhibition A Gothic Tale at the Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco.  In 2024, she co-wrote, directed, and produced with Singh a medium-length French-language film TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA, featuring Zar Amir, Luàna Bajrami, and Vicky Krieps. ALEXANDRE SINGH is a Brooklyn based visual artist, born in Bordeaux, France, to Indian and French parents. His work is inspired by a love of imaginative storytelling. His work is represented in numerous private and public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and the Centre national des arts plastiques in Paris. In 2019, Alexandre made his debut short film, THE APPOINTMENT, which premiered at the Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco, in his solo exhibition A Gothic Tale, and then played at PÖFF Shorts, Leuven, and Bogo Shorts amongst many others. Their mind blowing cinematic masterpiece TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALVIA takes place in a society where kissing is punishable by death, and people pay for things by receiving slaps to the face. And there is so much more. Ladies and gentlemen, TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA is about In a society where kissing is punishable by death, and people pay for things by receiving slaps to the face. Angine, an unhappy woman, shops compulsively in a department store. There, she becomes fascinated by a playful salesgirl. Despite the prohibition of kissing, the two become close, raising the suspicions of a jealous colleague. There are very few films that leave me speechless and this is one of them. It is one of the most original storylines, one of the most beautiful films cinematically and so engaging you want to watch over and over again.  The black and white visuals are so stunning, they are very portrait like. It enhances the emotion of every character and the close ups of each one makes you feel you can look into their soul.  There is something the French can do better than any other filmmaker, and that’s make a film with such romance, even if one is forbidden to kiss. You still feel that romance in the cinematography. The French do it better and TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALVIA is proof we need more French cinema in our lives.  #love #forbiddenlove #lovers #flirting #jealousy #film #frenchcinema #cinema #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproduction #shopping #trending #cinematography #cinematographer #blackandwhitefilm #art 

My guest today is BAFTA-nominated and Oscar-Shortlisted Afghan filmmaker Elham Ehsas has he returns with There Will Come Soft Rains. Elham, whose acclaimed short Yellow earned both a BAFTA nomination and an Academy Award shortlist, is known for illuminating unseen perspectives with emotional clarity and unflinching humanity. With There Will Come Soft Rains, he continues this bold trajectory, casting a woman’s defiance as a metaphor for resilience in a changing world. Developed in close collaboration with global narrative-change organization Climate Spring, There Will Come Soft Rains challenges how climate stories are told on screen. Rather than relying on common tropes of dystopia and personal blame, spectacle or statistics, the film embeds the crisis in an intimate human story of grief, courage, and connection. It is one of the first films to explore climate change through the lens of Muslim faith and female defiance, voicing an urgent appeal to reimagine how we live, adapt to our changing world. Co-funded through Climate Spring and Film London’s Hot House Shorts Competition 2023, the production was also one of the first to adopt the Green Rider Handshake Agreement, ensuring a low-carbon, sustainable shoot. A powerful reminder that the climate crisis is both personal and universal, There Will Come Soft Rains reframes climate cinema as a story of faith, defiance, and human connection. It arrives as a film for our burning moment, timely, defiant, and unforgettable. Ladies and gentlemen, There Will Come Soft Rains challenges how climate stories are told on screen. Rather than relying on common tropes of dystopia and personal blame, spectacle or statistics, the film embeds the crisis in an intimate human story of grief, courage, and connection. It is one of the first films to explore climate change through the lens of Muslim faith and female defiance, voicing an urgent appeal to reimagine how we live, adapt to our changing world. Starring Olivia D’Lima as Mira, the film tells the story of a British-Pakistani woman haunted by the threat of rising sea levels who digs up her father’s grave to move him to higher ground. That single act sets faith, family, and the climate crisis on a collision course, forcing her to face tradition, authority, and her longing for sisterhood. The moment this film started, I noticed the framing and cinematography, which instantly telling me that it’s a multi-layered story.  Elham is a master filmmaker and he brings his mastery back to the silver screen with THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS. Think of famed directors like John Ford, Quentin Tarantino and you understand that Elham’s talent sits at the top of the world in storytelling and seeing something profound through the camera lens.  I’ve watched the journey this film as taken, and it is being talked about even more so than is award winning film YELLOW, which is still one of my favorite short films ever.  Climate Change is a polarizing topic, and there are millions who stand on the opposite sides of this issue. But Elham makes the topic more human than anyone I’ve seen cover this topic. It’s all about humanity and Elham puts a human face to it, but it gives it tremendous heart.  #climatechange #trending #global #earth #film #cinema #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproduction #cinematography #cinematographer #filmscore #savetheplanet 

DAVID TELLES - FREYR Short Film My guest today is David Telles, a Chicano filmmaker from Oakland, California, began his career in documentary film and music videos, mediums that continue to inform his narrative work. He believes stories can serve as medicine, offering audiences new ways of seeing the world. With Freyr, David delivers a daring and emotionally charged debut that underscores the transformative power of storytelling. As an Oscar-qualified film, Freyr stands as both a celebration of artistic vision and a testament to the opportunities fostered by Indeed Rising Voices, now in its fifth season of amplifying bold, underrepresented voices in cinema. Ladies and gentlemen, the Oscar-qualifying short film Freyr, directed by David Telles and based on an original story by Pulitzer Prize finalist Tommy Orange, has premiered at the Academy-recognized HollyShorts Film Festival.  Produced as part of Indeed Rising Voices Season 5, the acclaimed initiative from Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions and Ventureland in partnership with Indeed, Freyr announces Telles as a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. A haunting and poetic story, Freyr follows Frank, born with a third hand growing out of his chest, and Tom, the only person who ever truly saw him. At Frank’s funeral, Tom recounts the unlikely bond they shared, revealing a meditation on otherness, belonging, and the human need for connection. Starring Benairen Kane (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation of North Dakota; descendant of the Hochunk Nation of Wisconsin and Prairie Band Potawatomi), the film resonates as both tender and provocative, exploring how difference can fracture and bind us in equal measure. #film #cinema #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #disabilit #chicano #bondoncinema