'Behind the Lens' | Filmmaker Interview Archive

Writer and director Rohan Kanawade joins Borrowing Tape to discuss his film Cactus Pears [Sabar Bonda]. Rohan shares how personal grief inspired a story centered on hope, positive queer representation, and authentic intimacy over tragedy.IN THIS EPISODE:• Narrative Shift: Transforming personal grief into a story of joy and hope• Stereotypes in Indian Cinema: Why Rohan rejects trauma-centric coming-out tropes• Crafting Intimacy: Using silence and authentic locations• Production Challenges: Sourcing real cactus pears and filming on location in GujaratInterviewer: Shaurya Thapa WATCH / CONNECT:• Streaming: Available on VOD, Digital & Criterion Channel (US) ABOUT BORROWING TAPEEst. 2014, BorrowingTape.com is an online film publication for cinephiles. Filmmaker interviews, spoiler-free reviews, and features.

In this interview, Palestinian writer and director Annemarie Jacir talks to Borrowing Tape about the challenges of recreating 1930s-era Palestine, tackling Israeli censorship around her film, and working with a stacked Palestinian and British cast. Available on rent on Prime Video and Letterboxd Video Store. Interviewer: Shaurya Thapa

Creature features aren’t new to Hollywood, even though we’re yet to get a definitive film on the mysterious snow giant called “Yeti”. Writers and directors Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta are trying to fill that gap with their aptly titled period adventure horror The Yeti. Available on VOD and digital. Physical Media (DVD/Blu-ray): May 19, 2026Interviewer: Shaurya Thapa

With the Artemis II crew’s historic return to Earth this week making headlines, there is no better time to look at The Astronaut: a space traveler gets existential in Jess Varley's sci-fi drama. In this interview, the writer and director talks about consulting real-life astronauts, her love for Spielbergian space films, and scouting for an "Ex Machina" house.Interviewer: Shaurya Thapa

On the surface, Late Shift comes across as an anxiety-inducing medical drama as we follow a nurse on a graveyard shift at an understaffed hospital. But as Swiss filmmaker Petra Volpe breaks down her research, interactions with healthcare workers, and concerns for an understaffed medical future, Late Shift becomes much more than just a riveting human drama. In this conversation, the director reveals how she set out to undo cliched nurse tropes in medical dramas, how they filmed it all in an abandoned Zurich hospital, and how Late Shift doubles as a “cry to arms” for better care for those who care for us.Interviewer: Shaurya ThapaFeature interview