SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

On the next Classic SOUNDS OF FILM, Tom Needham speaks with Bill Ayers, a former community organizer and education professor whose early notoriety came as a co-founder of the Weather Underground, the radical antiwar group that emerged from the late-1960s student movement and was later labeled a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI. His past has remained a subject of debate, but it marks just one chapter in a long public career devoted to questions of democracy, schooling, and civic life.Ayers went on to become a prominent voice in progressive education, serving for many years as a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and writing influential books on teaching and social justice. His works include TO TEACH: THE JOURNEY OF A TEACHER, TO BECOME A TEACHER: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN’S LIVES, TEACHING TOWARD FREEDOM, A SIMPLE JUSTICE, and the memoir FUGITIVE DAYS, which reflects on activism, education, and the turbulent era that shaped his early life.Sounds of Film is America’s longest running film, music, and ideas show, exploring the creative minds behind the culture that moves us. Past guests include Chuck D, Chris Hedges, Big Daddy Kane, Thora Birch, Whit Stillman, Carter Burwell, Howard Shore, and DA Pennebaker.

Released on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic, PLANET OF THE HUMANS takes a harsh look at how the environmental movement has lost the battle through well-meaning but disastrous choices, including the belief that solar panels and windmills would save us, and by giving in to the corporate interests of Wall Street. Planet of the Humans, which will be available for free on Youtube for 30 days, becomes the first documentary project to be released under the Rumble Media banner.Jeff Gibbs, is the director, writer, and producer of the feature documentary film,"Planet of the Humans." Born in Flint, Michigan, Jeff has served as a long time collaborator with Michael Moore. The first film he ever worked on was "Bowling for Columbine." Following the success or "Bowling for Columbine" Jeff became co-producer for "Fahrenheit 9/11," the largest box-office documentary of all time. Jeff also wrote the original score for both films.

In this episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham sits down with Sook-Yin Lee, the director and co-writer of PAYING FOR IT, to discuss her daring live-action adaptation of Chester Brown’s acclaimed graphic novel. The film tells the story of an introverted cartoonist who, when his long-term girlfriend wants to redefine their relationship, begins seeing sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy. Combining humor, emotional depth, and intelligence, it challenges conventional ideas of love, non-monogamy, and human connection, while bringing underground comic culture to vivid life on screen.PAYING FOR IT features standout performances from Dan Beirne, Emily Lê, and Andrea Werhun, with cinematography by Emmy Award-winner Gayle Ye, production design by Olivia D’Oliveira, and an original score co-composed by Dylan Gamble and Lee herself. Chester Brown’s artwork is woven throughout the film, giving it an authentic graphic novel sensibility while highlighting the perspectives of sex workers in a thoughtful and nuanced way. The film is a deeply personal yet universally resonant meditation on intimacy, desire, and the choices we make in search of connection.Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, has been the home of insightful conversations with filmmakers, composers, actors, and cultural figures for more than three decades. Past guests include Billy Joel, Cornel West, Chuck D, Michael Moore, Carter Burwell, Nile Rodgers, Hal Hartley, Howard Shore, Ernest Dickerson, Barbara Kopple, Alec Baldwin, and Dionne Warwick, among many others, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry, craft, and stories that shape cinema and music today.

In this episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with Emmy-nominated filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough about his bold, provocative, and darkly funny new documentary Deepfaking Sam Altman. When Lough is unable to secure an interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, he takes a radical turn—building an AI version of Altman using publicly available data and cutting-edge technology. The result is “SamBot,” an artificial co-director that becomes both collaborator and mirror, reflecting Lough’s own fears, ambitions, and blind spots.Blending investigative journalism, satire, and deeply personal reflection, Deepfaking Sam Altman explores our culture’s growing obsession with simulation, power, and connection in the digital age. In the conversation, Lough discusses the ethics and legal complexities of deepfakes, the emotional experience of bonding with an AI, the blurred lines between parody and responsibility, and what it means to be human in a world increasingly shaped by machines. The interview offers a fascinating look behind the scenes of one of the most talked-about documentaries of the year and a candid exploration of the promises—and dangers—of artificial intelligence.About Sounds of FilmSounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, explores the powerful connection between music and cinema through in-depth conversations with directors, composers, musicians, and industry legends. Past guests have included Billy Joel, William H. Macy, DA Pennebaker, Chuck D, Laurie Anderson, Carter Burwell, Whit Stillman, Dionne Warwick and many more, making the show a trusted destination for filmmakers, film lovers, and music fans alike.

Remembering Scott Adams — creator of Dilbert, host of Real Coffee with Scott Adams, and an early champion of The Sounds of Film. He generously joined us when the show was just getting started, and those conversations about the simulation, his books, and big ideas will always be special.

This week on a Classic SOUNDS OF FILM, Tom Needham welcomes legendary singer-songwriter, actor, and recovery advocate Paul Williams for an in-depth conversation about his extraordinary career and his work with Jim Henson’s Muppets. Williams, whose iconic songs include “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Evergreen,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” and “The Rainbow Connection,” shares stories from his decades in music, film, and television.The conversation highlights Williams’ timeless contributions to the Muppets universe, with a special focus on The Muppet Christmas Carol and the beloved holiday classic Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. Originally broadcast on HBO in 1977 and nominated for four Emmy Awards, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas features Williams’ music performed by an all-puppet cast of woodland creatures. He also discusses his CD collection of music from the special and reflects on composing for other Henson projects, including The Muppet Movie and A Muppet’s Christmas: Letters to Santa.For over 30 years, The Sounds of Film has been the nation’s longest-running film, music, and ideas-themed program, delivering a unique mix of interviews and music to listeners across Long Island, parts of Connecticut, and worldwide via online streaming. Past guests have included Alec Baldwin, Billy Joel, Noah Baumbach, Matthew Broderick, Ralph Macchio, Marco Beltrami, and Alexander Payne, bringing unforgettable insights into film, music, and pop culture.Listen to this special episode and the entire Sounds of Film podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

On this episode of Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with acclaimed documentary filmmaker Michael Pack, director and producer of The Last 600 Meters, a compelling look at two of the deadliest battles of the Iraq War told through the firsthand testimony of the Marines and soldiers who fought them. The conversation explores Pack’s approach to documentary storytelling, the challenges of capturing the realities of modern combat, and the enduring relevance of this film in today’s world.The Sounds of Film podcast grew out of Tom Needham’s long-running radio show of the same name, dedicated to in-depth conversations about cinema, music, culture, and ideas. Over the years, the program has featured a remarkable range of guests from the worlds of film, television, music, literature, and activism, including Alexander Payne, D.A. Pennebaker, and Barbara Kopple, composer Howard Shore, Alec Baldwin, Pam Grier, Nile Rodgers, Chuck D, and Michael Moore, among many others. Sounds of Film is available as a weekly podcast on major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Audible, as well as through the Sounds of Film website. The show continues the tradition of thoughtful interviews and diverse voices that has made Sounds of Film one of the nation’s longest-running film and music themed programs.

In this episode of The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with filmmaker Johnny Ma, writer and director of The Mother and the Bear. The film tells the story of a Korean mother who travels to Winnipeg after her daughter’s accident and unexpectedly finds herself on a path of personal transformation.Johnny Ma explains how the project began years earlier during a stay at a small hostel in Seoul. A conversation with the woman running the hostel planted the initial seed for the film’s emotional core.The discussion explores how the movie balances humor with deeply human themes, its cross-cultural lens, and the creative challenges of shooting in the stark Winnipeg winter. Ma also reflects on the film’s intimate performances and the story’s focus on identity, family expectations, and the process of rediscovering oneself.The Sounds of Film is a long-running weekly program featuring conversations with filmmakers, composers, authors, and notable figures in arts and culture. Past guests have included Laurie Anderson, DA Pennebaker, Billy Joel, Alexander Payne, Marco Beltrami, Jordan Peele, and many others who have shaped contemporary cinema and music.Listeners can follow The Sounds of Film on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major podcast platforms.

In this episode of The Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker and visual artist Scandar Copti, the writer and director of the powerful new film Happy Holidays. The multi-layered drama follows four interconnected characters—Rami, Hanan, Miri, and Fifi—as they navigate the pressures of patriarchal values, cultural expectations, and the social systems that shape their realities. Known for his Oscar-nominated debut Ajami, Copti once again challenges viewers to confront the mechanisms of perception and oppression that define everyday life for Palestinian and Israeli communities. Through his innovative use of non-actors, shifting perspectives, and emotionally intimate storytelling, Copti offers a bold exploration of identity, generational conflict, and the human cost of systems that regulate truth and behavior.The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film-themed radio show, featuring in-depth interviews with directors, actors, writers, and composers from around the world. Past guests include Laurie Anderson, Chuck D, Carter Burwell, Mike Leigh, Kenneth Lonergan, and many others who are shaping the landscape of contemporary cinema and music.You can follow The Sounds of Film on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.

The Sounds of Film welcomes director Jota Mun, whose feature documentary Between Goodbyes offers an intimate and emotionally layered view of international adoption and family reunion. The film follows Mieke Murkes, a queer Korean adoptee raised in the Netherlands, as she travels to Seoul to reconnect with her original mother, Okgyun Kang. Their time together reveals decades of unspoken regret, cultural distance, humor, and deep affection, creating a portrait of two women trying to understand one another after a lifetime apart. Drawing from years of observational footage and archival material, Mun brings the often-sidelined experiences of original mothers to the forefront, reframing how audiences understand adoption and kinship.Before its national broadcast debut on POV on Monday, December 8, 2025 at 10pm on PBS, Between Goodbyes will be featured at the Hamptons Doc Fest, where the festival is honoring American Documentary (AmDoc) with its 2025 Impact Award. As part of the celebration, the film will screen on Friday, December 5 at 7:30pm at the Sag Harbor Cinema, followed by a live Q&A with director Jota Mun and AmDoc Executive Director Erika Dilday, and a cocktail reception for attendees. The festival’s Impact Award recognizes AmDoc’s longstanding commitment to elevating independent documentary filmmakers and fostering nonfiction storytelling that sparks civic dialogue and social change. The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film and music radio show, featuring in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, musicians, and cultural figures. Past guests include D.A. Pennebaker, John Turturro, William H. Macy, Laurie Anderson, Michael Moore, Barbara Kopple, Chuck D, and many more.The podcast version of The Sounds of Film is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The Sounds of Film welcomes acclaimed director Maria Friedman, whose filmed production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along was recently featured at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Friedman joins Tom Needham to discuss the remarkable evolution of the musical—from its troubled 1981 Broadway debut to the acclaimed revival she directed and filmed.In the film, adapted from Friedman’s Broadway staging, the story of Merrily We Roll Along unfolds in reverse chronological order, tracing the lives of three friends as they move backward through decades of personal and professional change. The narrative follows composer-turned-Hollywood-producer Franklin Shepard, played by Jonathan Groff; his former songwriting partner Charley Kringas, portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe; and their close friend Mary Flynn, played by Lindsay Mendez. The production features these mature actors moving through the characters’ earlier and later years, highlighting key moments in their friendship, artistic collaboration, and eventual breakup.Friedman’s direction for both stage and film incorporates structural revisions made after the musical’s original 1981 run and presents the story using a cast of adult performers who portray the characters across the full span of the timeline. The filmed version was recorded at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre over multiple performances and preserves the production’s staging, musical numbers, and chronological design as seen in the 2023 Broadway run.The Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is the nation’s longest-running film and music radio show, broadcasting for over 35 years on WUSB Stony Brook. The program has featured a remarkable roster of guests, including Laurie Anderson, Nile Rodgers, Carter Burwell, Alexander Payne, Chuck D, Peter Fonda, Wallace Shawn, Cliff Martinez, and more. The show offers in-depth interviews with directors, composers, actors, and cultural commentators, exploring the intersection of cinema, music, and the arts.

The Sounds of Film presents a special podcast episode hosted by Tom Needham and featuring Emmy-winning producer and talent manager Rory Rosegarten, an Executive Producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and Ray Romano’s manager. Rosegarten has represented many performers including Robert Klein and Tom Green, produced the Broadway musical Late Night Comic at age 25, co-executive produced the TNT drama Men of a Certain Age, and won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series for Everybody Loves Raymond. He is also an executive producer of the upcoming Netflix biopic I Slept With Joey Ramone.This episode also highlights LIMEHOF’s new exhibition, Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years, opening November 28th in Stony Brook. The immersive exhibit features the original 70-foot-wide set created for the show’s 30th anniversary CBS special—on public display for the first time—along with elements from the Paley Museum’s earlier Raymond exhibition. Designed by Kevin O’Callaghan, the experience brings visitors inside the Barone family home with recreated rooms, iconic props such as the fork and spoon and the Christmas toaster, and multimedia clips including rare behind-the-scenes material. The exhibit reflects Rory Rosegarten’s efforts to bring the sitcom’s history to Long Island, where the fictional Barone family lived and where Ray Romano has deep New York roots.

The Sounds of Film welcomes writer-director Michael J. Weithorn for a conversation about THE BEST YOU CAN, a new relationship dramedy that world-premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival and will be available off the record on VOD platforms beginning November 25. Reuniting Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon on screen for the first time in twenty years, the film offers a smart, sharp, and emotionally resonant look at connection, change, and the unexpected pathways that bring people together.In THE BEST YOU CAN, Sedgwick plays Cynthia Rand, a tightly wound New York City urologist whose life is thrown off balance when her husband—portrayed by Judd Hirsch, a brilliant former Watergate prosecutor—begins showing signs of dementia. Bacon co-stars as Stan, a bright but underachieving security guard trying to reconnect with his adult daughter, played by Brittany O’Grady. An unexpected robbery brings Cynthia and Stan together, sparking an unlikely bond that grows into something deeper and more meaningful.THE BEST YOU CAN is written, directed, and produced by Michael J. Weithorn, best known as the co-creator and executive producer of the long-running CBS hit The King of Queens. Before that, he spent four acclaimed seasons on Family Ties, earning multiple Emmy nominations, and wrote for celebrated series including Cheers (WGA Award), The Wonder Years (Emmy nomination), and The Tracey Ullman Show. His additional work includes creating Ned & Stacey, South Central, and True Colors; co-creating the Sundance-screened animated series The Adventures of Baxter and McGuire; writing and directing the feature A Little Help; consulting on The Goldbergs; and creating the Fox comedy Weird Loners.The Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is the nation’s longest-running film and music interview show. Over its decades on the air, it has featured conversations with an extraordinary roster of guests, including Ric Burns, John Debney, Carter Burwell, Billy Joel, Ralph Macchio, and Wallace Shawn, as well as countless independent filmmakers, composers, documentarians, and cultural icons.

Filmmaker Joel Gilbert joins Tom Needham on The Sounds of Film to talk about his new documentary, Roseanne Barr: Is America. In the film, the still hilarious and outspoken Roseanne recounts her unusual upbringing and rise to television stardom. A master storyteller, she shares her take on cancel culture, politics, and the challenges facing free expression in America.Gilbert discusses Roseanne’s resilience, her lasting cultural influence, and how her story mirrors the broader divisions in American life. The conversation offers a revealing look at one of comedy’s most controversial and influential voices.The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film and music-themed radio show, airing on WUSB Stony Brook. For over three decades, the program has featured in-depth interviews with filmmakers, musicians, and cultural figures including Billy Joel, Dionne Warwick, Ralph Macchio, and Howard Shore.

This week on The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with Guggenheim Fellow Alan Govenar about his new documentary Quiet Voices in a Noisy World: The Struggle for Change in Jasper, Texas. Opening in New York theaters on November 14, 2025, through First Run Features, the film explores community, race, and healing in the wake of one of America’s most painful tragedies.Govenar discusses the making of the film, his upcoming NYC screenings, and the restoration of his classic tattoo documentary Stoney Knows How, now part of the Criterion Collection. He also reflects on his long career chronicling overlooked voices in American culture through photography, film, writing, and archival work.Alan Govenar is a Guggenheim Fellow, an extensively published author, photographer, filmmaker, sound archivist, and playwright whose work has explored American culture through an incredible range of lenses. He has founded institutions like Documentary Arts, the Texas African American Photography Archive, the Museum of Street Culture, and Truth in Photography. This year marks major milestones for him, including new photography retrospectives, three new books, and the premiere of Quiet Voices in a Noisy World.The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film and music-themed radio show, broadcasting from Stony Brook University for over 35 years. Hosted by Tom Needham, the program has featured guests such as Billy Joel, Laurie Anderson, Hal Hartley, Whit Stillman, Nile Rodgers, and Cornel West.

The next episode of the Sounds of Film features an interview with award-winning filmmaker Cody Sheehy, director of The Last Dive, which will be featured at the Port Jefferson Documentary Film Series on Thursday, November 6 at 7 PM.Sheehy’s stunning new documentary follows Terry Kennedy, a legendary diver and American veteran whose extraordinary friendship with a giant manta ray named Willy Wow transformed him from a man with a troubled past into an unlikely ocean conservationist. Through breathtaking underwater imagery and deeply personal storytelling, The Last Dive captures the beauty, mystery, and emotional depth of one man’s lifelong connection to the sea.Cody Sheehy is an award-winning filmmaker and the founder of Rhumbline Media. He has spent decades living aboard a sailboat with his wife and son, and his work often explores humanity’s relationship with the natural world. His previous film, Make People Better, was an official selection of HotDocs and winner of DocVille. The Last Dive continues his tradition of telling intimate, character-driven stories that highlight courage, transformation, and the urgency of environmental preservation.For over 35 years, Tom Needham’s The Sounds of Film has been America’s longest-running film and music program, broadcasting on WUSB and streaming worldwide. The show has featured interviews with distinguished guests including Alec Baldwin, Billy Joel, Dionne Warwick, Chuck D, and Rory Kennedy.The Sounds of Film Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The Sounds of Film welcomes filmmaker Tim Roper, co-director of the powerful new documentary For the Living. The film tells the extraordinary true story of Marcel Zielinski, a 10-year-old Holocaust survivor who, in January 1945, walked 60 miles by foot from Auschwitz-Birkenau to Krakow in search of his family. Decades later, hundreds of cyclists from around the world retraced his path in a moving event called Ride for the Living, an act of remembrance and empathy that continues to inspire participants each year.For the Living draws profound parallels between Marcel’s journey and the modern world’s continuing struggle between dehumanization and compassion. Featuring moving interviews, historical footage, and stirring original music, the film explores how empathy can serve as humanity’s most powerful defense against hate and indifference. The documentary screens at the Port Jefferson Documentary Series on October 23rd at 7 PM, with director Tim Roper and in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.The Sounds of Film is America’s longest-running film, music, and ideas-themed radio show. For over 35 years, the program has entertained and inspired audiences throughout Long Island, Connecticut, and around the world online. Hosted by Tom Needham, the show has featured an extraordinary range of guests, including Rory Kennedy, D.A. Pennebaker, Dionne Warwick, Whit Stillman, Hal Hartley, Chuck D, Howard Shore, Carter Burwell, William H. Macy, and Wallace Shawn.

The next episode of the SOUNDS OF FILM features an in-depth conversation with Tom Needham and British filmmaker Elliott Hasler, the writer and director of VINDICATION SWIM, the inspiring true story of Mercedes Gleitze, the first British woman to swim the English Channel.VINDICATION SWIM tells the extraordinary story of Gleitze’s 1927 accomplishment and her subsequent struggle to reclaim her achievement after being falsely accused of faking her swim. The film vividly captures both her physical endurance and her determination to defy societal barriers in a male-dominated world. Shot with remarkable authenticity, the film features Kirsten Callaghan in her debut role as Gleitze, performing all her own swimming scenes—without the use of green screens or body doubles. The film also stars John Locke, James Wilby, and Douglas Hodge, who provides narration.Filmed over three years in the actual waters of the English Channel, VINDICATION SWIM stands as a celebration of perseverance, equality, and the indomitable human spirit. Directed by Hasler—who, at just 23, has already been hailed as one of Britain’s most promising young filmmakers—the film brings to life an unsung chapter of British sports and feminist history.About The Sounds of FilmThe Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film and music-themed show, hosted by Tom Needham. For over three decades, the program has featured in-depth interviews with many of the world’s leading directors, composers, and artists. Past guests include Laurie Anderson, Ernest Dickerson, Barbara Kopple, and Howard Shore.Listeners can hear The Sounds of Film on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Audible, where it continues to spotlight conversations at the intersection of art, politics, and social justice.

Today’s episode of THE SOUNDS OF FILM features Tom Needham’s interview with director Craig Renaud and producer Juan Arredondo discussing the powerful HBO Original documentary short, ARMED ONLY WITH A CAMERA: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BRENT RENAUD. The film tells the remarkable and heartbreaking story of filmmaker and journalist Brent Renaud, who was killed by Russian soldiers while covering the war in Ukraine—becoming the first American journalist to die in the conflict.The vérité documentary follows Craig Renaud as he recovers his brother’s body and final footage from Ukraine, weaving together decades of the brothers’ reporting from global conflict zones including Iraq, Haiti, Somalia, and Central America. The result is a moving testament to Brent’s fearless commitment to truth and his empathy for those caught in the chaos of war. Produced by Juan Arredondo and executive produced by HBO Documentary Films and DCTV, Armed Only With a Camera is both a deeply personal story and a tribute to journalists who risk their lives to show the human cost of violence. The documentary premiered at the SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award in the Documentary Short category, and debuts Tuesday, October 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and streams on Max.About The Sounds of FilmThe Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film and music-themed radio show, broadcasting for over three decades. Hosted by Tom Needham, the program offers in-depth interviews with leading directors, composers, and thought leaders from around the world. Past guests have included Laurie Anderson, Ernest Dickerson, Hal Hartley, Barbara Kopple, Chuck D and Howard Shore.Listeners can hear The Sounds of Film on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio. The show continues to explore the intersection of art, politics, and social justice through conversations with today’s most compelling filmmakers and musicians.

On this episode of The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham talks with Swiss filmmaker Barbara Miller about her documentary Wisdom of Happiness, in which she films an intimate dialogue with the Dalai Lama about compassion, peace, and resilience in times of crisis. They explore how she captured such candor and warmth, her collaborations, and why kindness is at the heart of lasting transformation.The Sounds of Film has featured past guests such as Billy Joel, Cornel West, Jimmy Webb, Chuck D, Michael Moore, Carter Burwell, Jim Messina, and members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music.