One of the fiercest contemporary voices in independent cinema, Joel Potrykus stands firmly in a league of his own when it comes to grungy slacker flicks. His recent works include "Buzzard," "The Alchemist Cookbook," and "Relaxer" garnering him prestigious festival selections like SXSW and Fantasia. But his first feature, "Ape," is a total miracle child.

Done on a shoestring budget of less than $2,000, Joel and his team paid more money to attend the Locarno Film Festival where he won Best Emerging Director than the film itself. "Ape" is a ferocious and wholly original piece of work with a very slippery process that's a blast to revisit. There are tons of critical takeaways and learning moments that everyone should know before making their first film.

Stick around until the very end for an update on Host Alec C. Cohen's first film, "Petunia."