In this conversation, filmmaker James DeMonaco discusses his journey from writing the comedy “Jack” and working with Francis Ford Coppola and Luc Besson, to creating the successful “Purge” franchise. Up next is his latest, a psychological horror film, “The Home” starring Pete Davidson, which is releasing theatrically July 25th via Roadside Attracti…

In this first episode of Season 2, documentarian Madeline Gavin joins Past Present Feature to discuss the making of "Beyond Utopia", her gripping BAFTA and Emmy-nominated film about North Korean defectors. She reflects on the emotional intensity of telling stories under high-stakes conditions and the delicate trust required between filmmaker and su…

Julia Max, director of “The Surrender”, which premiered at SXSW and is now streaming on AMC+, discusses her journey as a filmmaker, with past inspiration coming from Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. Julia shares insights into the horror genre, the importance of character development, and the challenges of navigating the filmmaking process. She emph…

Co-Directors David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano share their take on the unique blend of horror and comedy in their latest film, “I Don’t Understand You”, now in theaters following SXSW. Past films discussed include Eugene Levy’s 1992 crime-comedy “Once Upon a Crime”. They share their personal experiences working with producing partners Joel and Nas…

Indian filmmaker Natesh Hegde discusses his journey in filmmaking, from his early inspirations to the challenges and triumphs of creating his latest film, “Tiger’s Pond,” which just world-premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. Past inspo includes Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami's 1990 film “Close Up”. Natesh shares insights on collaborating with…

This episode explores the journey of filmmaker Vibeke Løkkeberg, who spent 52 years creating her film, “The Long Road to the Director’s Chair,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. Past cinema discussed includes Italian Neorealism and Andrei Tarkovsky. Vibeke’s film highlights the struggles and achievements of women in the film industry, de…

In this conversation, Yiwen Cao discusses her groundbreaking AI-generated film 'What's Next?’, which premiered at the 2025 Berlin Film Festival. Although past films about AI are discussed, including “Her”, “A.I.”, “Ex Machina”, and “The Matrix”, Yiwen’s favorite movie is Billy Wilder’s 1959 comedy/musical “Some Like It Hot”. She shares insights int…

Phil Cox discusses the importance and challenges of navigating the film ecosystem and festival landscape, and the innovative storytelling techniques used in his documentary “Khartoum”, which just screened at the Berlin Film Festival following its Sundance premiere. Past filmmakers discussed include the films of Frederick Wiseman and Joshua Oppenhei…

Nayibe Tavares-Abel shares her journey from a political science background to becoming a documentary filmmaker. She discusses her film “Colossal”, which just premiered at Berlinale. Past films discussed include “Beyond Utopia” by Madeleine Gavin. Nayibe’s film intertwines her family history with the political landscape of the Dominican Republic, ex…

Dylan Southern talks about his film “The Thing with Feathers,” based on Max Porter's book and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which delves into themes of loss and family relationships after a mother’s passing. The film made its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, followed by Berlinale. He also references previous films that inspired him, in…

Sarah Miro Fischer is the director of “The Good Sister”, which just enjoyed its World premiere in the Panorama section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. Past films discussed include Thomas Vinterburg’s “The Hunt”. Sarah discusses her emotional journey of premiering at Berlin, sharing insights into her filmmaking process which includes a fruitful…

Ben Hethcoat opens up about his decade-long journey creating the documentary "Coroner To The Stars," which focuses on Dr. Thomas Noguchi, a well-known coroner famous for his work on high-profile celebrity deaths, including those of Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. Ben draws inspiration from documentary legend Errol Morris. He tackles the difficulti…

In this conversation, Nathaniel Lezra discusses his journey as a documentary filmmaker, focusing on his latest project, “Roads of Fire”, which just won Best Documentary at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Nathaneil’s past inspirations include Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Act of Killing” and “The Look of Silence”. He reflects on the chall…

Gaby Dellal discusses the journey of creating her latest film “Park Avenue”, which just premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Her past inspirations include “Midnight Cowboy” and “Midnight Express”. She reflects on her transition from acting to directing, the themes of motherhood in her work, and the impact of industry politics…

Director Daniel Straub and cinematographer (and brother) Austin Straub discuss their film “Out of Plain Sight”, which just won the Audience Award at Santa Barbara, ahead of their LA premiere with Slamdance. Past influences include Alex Garland’s “Annihilation”. The conversation explores the themes of environmental awareness and the legacy of chemic…

Montreal-based Directors Brian Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky delve into the making of their Rotterdam documentary “A Man Imagined”, which focuses on the life of Lloyd, a homeless man with schizophrenia surviving amidst urban detritus and decay. Past inspo includes "Dog Days" by Austrian director Ulrich Seidl. They discuss their unique approach to sto…

Netherlands-based director Aaron Rookus explores themes of self-acceptance, mortality, and the quest for fulfillment through the lens of filmmaking ahead of his Rotterdam Film Festival premiere of “Idyllic”. Past inspirations include Tom Tykwer’s “Run Lola Run” and the films of Charlie Kaufman. Aaron speaks on the impact of personal experiences, su…

Colombian filmmaker Gala Del Sol discusses her debut feature film, “Rains Over Babel”, which just screened at this years Sundance and Rotterdam Film Festivals. Careful not to borrow too heavily, her cinema influences include Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica, who directed “Black Cat, White Cat”, and her favorite film of all time - “Children of Parad…

Tad Nakamura, the director of Sundance-bound "Third Act," reflects on his latest documentary, which centers on his father Robert Nakamura, a distinguished filmmaker frequently recognized as a trailblazer in Asian American media. Tad drew inspiration from his father’s 1974 short doc “Wataridori: Birds of Passage”. Tad shares the unique experience of…

Co-directors Pasqual Gutierrez & Ben Mullinkosson blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction with their latest film “Serious People”, which just had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Ben discusses his filmmaking journey from Chicago to Shanghai and Pasqual shares the inspiration behind their film, which stemmed from a vivid drea…

Italian filmmaker Gianluca Matarrese discusses his documentary project “GEN_”, which is premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Past inspo includes the films of Frederick Wiseman. Gianluca delves into the complexities of his filmmaking philosophy, exploring the therapeutic nature of his creative process, and the importance of community and v…

Delaney Buffett, recipient of the Golden Key Award at the Key West Film Festival and director of “Adult Best Friends” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, stresses that when creating comedy, the story comes first. Past films discussed include Mike Nichols’ “The Birdcage” and Paul Feig’s “Bridesmaids. She shares insights on developing her f…

Wannes Destoop, director of “Holy Rosita”, which just won the Best Film award at the Torino Film Festival, shares his affinity for misfits and the unique stories they embody. Past films discussed include Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project” and Martin McDonagh’s “In Bruges”. He reflects on his documentary roots, the importance of authenticity in stor…

“Sonic The Hedgehog 3” director Jeff Fowler shares his filmmaking journey, focusing on his experiences with visual effects, animation, and storytelling, having been influenced at an early age by “Star Wars”, “T2”, and “Jurassic Park”. Jeff emphasizes the importance of hard work and passion in achieving success, recounting his time at Ringling Colle…

Pia Marais shares insights from her filmmaking journey, including the making of her atmospheric new film “Transamazonia,” which just screened at the New York Film Festival following a Locarno world premiere. Past inspirations include Werner Herzog’s “Wings of Hope” and Asif Kapadia’s “Amy”. Pia’s latest film explores themes of faith and family dyna…

Ben Russell delves into the concept of observational cinema, sharing insights on his latest co-directing effort “Direct Action” (with Guillaume Cailleau), which portrays a radical activist community in France. It debuted at Berinale and just screened at the New York Film Festival. Past films discussed include Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson” and th…

In this conversation, Egil Pedersen reflects on his experiences growing up in a small Norwegian village and how he transitioned from short films to his first feature film, “My Father's Daughter,” the first-ever Sámi-language premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. His cinema inspirations include David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks” and “Show Me …

In this conversation, Erik Poppe - the director of “Quisling - The Final Days”, which just premiered at TIFF following the Norwegian Film Festival, discusses his journey from photojournalism to filmmaking, emphasizing the role of art in raising questions and engaging audiences. He reflects on his influences, including Francois Truffaut’s 1970 film …

In this episode, Afolabi Olalekan discusses the vibrant Nigerian film industry, dubbed Nollywood, and his latest film, Freedom Way, which premiered at the Toronto Int. Film Festival. His past inspirations include Cary Fukunaga’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’ and ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’, directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Afolabi shares the challenges h…

Mumbai-based director Subhadra Mahajan discusses her debut feature film ‘Second Chance’ which just had its Hollywood premiere at AFI, following a World premiere at Karlovy Vary earlier this year. Past inspirations include her love for the Iranian New Wave and Andrea Arnold’s ‘Fish Tank’. She speaks on her filmmaking journey, influenced by classic H…

Today’s episode features Devon Delmar, Jason Jacobs, and their feature film, “Carissa”, which just enjoyed its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and was nominated for the Venice Horizon’s Award for Best Film. They are also joined by Producer Deidré Jantjies. Past inspirations include Benh Zeitlin’s ’Beasts of the Southern Wild’. Th…

Vojtĕch Strakatý, director of ‘After Party’, which just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, speaks on how real-life experiences can inspire unique storytelling. His past cinema inspirations include the Brazilian films ‘Neighboring Sounds’ and ‘Aquarius’, by Kleber Mendonça Filho. He discusses the emotional core of his film, inspired by real-life…

In this conversation, Valerio Mastandrea discusses his film 'Feeling Better', which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The film thematically explores love, emotional awakening, and authenticity within the creative process. Past cinema inspirations include Sofia Coppola’s ‘Lost in Translation’. Valerio reflects on his transition from acting to d…

In this conversation, Oscar-nominated Scandar Copti discusses his latest film 'Happy Holidays', which just won the Orizontti Award for Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival. His past inspiration includes Alexander Nanau’s 2014 Docu-drama ‘Toto and His Sisters’ and Brazilian doc ‘Bus 174’. Scandar shares the creative process behind his film an…

In this conversation, Peter Kerekes, Slovakian director of the Venice-bound documentary ‘Wishing On a Star’, shares valuable insights and inspirations, including Ulrich Seidl’s ‘Losses to Be Expected’ and Italian comedies from the 1970s. Peter shares his journey into poetic documentary filmmaking, the influence of his filmmaker father's experiences…

In this conversation, Deepak Rauniyar - director of ‘Pooja, Sir’, which just premiered at the Venice Film Festival - shares how he found inspiration in Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Stray Dog’, and the 2019 French film ‘Les Misérables’ by Ladj Ly. Deepak discusses his journey from journalism to filmmaking, inspired by personal experiences and the socio-politic…

In this conversation, Nathan Tape shares his experiences making ‘Off Ramp’, now in cinemas after its World premiere at the prestigious Polish genre festival Splat!FilmFest, followed by the New Orleans Film Festival. Nate’s biggest inspiration: David Lynch’s 1990 film ‘Wild at Heart’ starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern. Nathan dives into the making…

On today’s episode, Elliott Lester talks about his latest film ‘The Thicket’, starring Peter Dinklage and Juliette Lewis, and shares his inspirations from movies like 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', 'Midnight Cowboy', and the works of Martin Scorsese. He also discusses his experience working with global stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jaso…

Today’s episode features Vincent Grashaw and his new film 'Bang Bang', screening this week at the Deauville Film Festival following Locarno and Tribeca. Past inspiration includes ‘The Wrestler’, and we share an appreciation for Spike Lee’s ‘He Got Game’. Vincent talks about his connection to boxing, his casting techniques, shooting on ultra-wide le…

In this conversation, filmmaker Dương Dược Linh discusses her journey into filmmaking and her fascination with the body horror genre, ahead of her feature debut, ‘Don't Cry Butterfly’, which is premiering at Venice Critics Week followed by the Toronto International Film Festival. Being inspired by such past body horrors ‘Possession’, directed by An…

Marcus speaks with Freddy Macdonald about his debut feature film 'Sew Torn', just screened at Locarno, following a World premiere at South by Southwest. Drawing inspiration from the 1998 German film ‘Run Lola Run’ as well as ‘No Country For Old Men’ (2007), Freddy speaks on the great fortune of sitting down with one of the directors of the latter f…

Marcus speaks with Bálint Szimler about his feature film ‘Lesson Learned’, which just premiered at the Locarno Fim Festival. The discussion also touches on the films that most inspired him - 'Play' by Ruben Östlund and 'Family Nest' by Béla Tarr. Bálint dives in to the inspiration behind his film, and the challenges of the Hungarian educational sys…

Today I speak with my friend and exceptional filmmaker Ellie Foumbi, about her Independent Spirt Award-nominated 'Our Father The Devil,' which is now on the Criterion Channel following a premiere at last year’s Venice International Film Festival. We also discuss the influence of Andrea Arnold’s film 'Red Road' (2006) on her work. We reminisce about…

Today I speak with Mumbai-based director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat about his kick-ass action film ‘Kill’, which premiered at TIFF last year and is now globally distributed by Lionsgate. We discuss Nikhil’s journey into the film industry, from watching Indian action films on television as a child, and his love for James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’. He shares his ex…

In this episode, I speak with Zhengfan Yang about his film 'Stranger’, which just won the Grand Prix prize in the Proxima Competition at Karlovy Vary. We also discuss his past cinema inspiration, ‘A One and a Two’, the 2000 film by Taiwanese filmmaker Edward Yang. Zhengfan talks about the challenges of shooting his film in 7 total shots, each in a …

This episode features Paolo Tizón and his documentary “Night Has Come”, which just won the Special Jury Award and the FIPRESCI (Critic) Award at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. His main inspiration for the film: ‘Beau Travail’ (1999) by Claire Denis. We discuss cinematic techniques used in documentaries, the importance of not kno…

Ivana Gloria, the director of ‘Chlorophyll’, which World Premiered at the Rome International Film Festival, followed by a warm reception at Karlovy Vary, shares her journey and challenges as a filmmaker, having been heavily inspired by the 2018 Swedish film ‘Border’ from director Ali Abbasi. The conversation also revolves around Ivana’s film ‘Chlor…

In this episode, filmmaker Nelicia Low discusses her film 'Pierce', which she just won the Best Director award for at Karlovy Vary. She talks about her past cinema inspirations which include Ang Lee’s ‘Lust, Caution’, and her experiences studying at Columbia University. The conversation highlights the value of editing and music in her film, her dir…

On today’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bruno Anković about his new film ‘Celebration’, which premiered at this years Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Crystal Globe competition. We dive into the themes and storytelling techniques used in ‘Celebration’, which explores the cyclical nature of history and the challenges o…

Bulgarian filmmaker Pavel Vesnakov discusses his journey in the film industry and his film 'Windless'. He talks about the importance of World Premiering at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival - a significant milestone for him. He shares his early influences, including the films 'Taste of Cherry' by Abbas Kiarostami and '3 Iron' by Kim Ki-d…