Interviews

Vancouver 2024 Interview: SUPER HAPPY FOREVER Director Kohei Igarashi Talks Romantic Memory and Finding the Happy in the Sad

People and places can leave an impression on us. In absence of one thing, we might find ourselves returning to the other for traces. Sano (Hiroki Sano) sits in his minimally adorned hotel room, staring blankly towards the light from...

Fantastic Fest 2024 Interview: FRANKIE FREAKO Director Steve Kostanski

I should start by saying I’m a Steve Kostanski stan. Does that make me a Kost-FAN-ski? In any event, his name on a project automatically elevates my interest. This is especially true when he’s in the director's chair. Manborg (2011),...

Toronto 2024 Interview: THE GESUIDOUZ Director Kenichi Ugana Talks Punk, Transnationalism, and Childhood

If you're a genre fiend with a taste for the low-budget and oddball, you might have noticed Kenichi Ugana's name appearing time and again over the past few years at festivals such as Fantasia, Japan Cuts, and Nippon Connection. With...

ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE Video Interview: Severin's David Gregory Talks the History of Bruceploitation

I've been blessed to have several conversations with Severin founder David Gregory over the years. He always leaves me feeling that the history of horror and exploitation film is in good hands. It would be enough if he were simply...

RED ROOMS Interview, Part 2: Pascal Plante Talks the Music and Ethics of His Thriller

In part 1 of our interview, Red Rooms filmmaker Pascal Plante talked extensively about how individual scenes were designed and shot. In part 2, we got more into the musical score and the ethics of making his thriller. Red Rooms...

TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME Interview: Sheryl Lee Returns

Sheryl Lee returns to the scene of the crime, attending an anniversary screening of David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me' at the site of its 1992 hometown premiere.

RED ROOMS Interview, Part 1: Pascal Plante Talks the Craft of Making a Thriller

In Martin Kudlac's review of Red Rooms, he writes about how the film draws on Michael Haneke, its "enigmatic" protagonist Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy), and the ways it repeatedly "bucks genre expectations" as a film ostensibly about a serial killer. More...

Locarno 2024 Interview: Denis Côté on Defying Filmmaking Norms, Upcoming Simp Movie, Embracing Artistic Freedom, Navigating Life After a Kidney Transplant

The Canadian filmmaker talks embracing DIY approach, refusing the Hollywood road, three new projects and another kind of cinephilia.

Locarno 2024 Interview: Hollywood Legend Ben Burtt on Inventing Ewok Language, Finding E.T., NASA Documentaries

Ben Burtt, legendary sound designer, reflects on his iconic work on 'Star Wars,' shares behind-the-scenes stories of creating alien languages, and reveals the unexpected challenges of working with NASA and Steven Spielberg.

Locarno 2024 Interview: MEXICO 86 Director César Diáz on Blending Personal Trauma with Political Thrillers, Mother-Son Relationships, Guatemala's Dark History

Belgian-Guatemalan filmmaker César Díaz delves deeper into his personal past with his latest film, which intertwines the intimate struggles of family with the broader socio-political turmoil of the Guatemalan Civil War.

Locarno 2024 Interview: LUCE Filmmakers Silvia Luzi, Luca Bellino Talk Truth, Fiction, Worker Rights, Power, Alienation

Italian filmmakers Silvia Luzi and Luca Bellino delve into the blurred boundaries of fiction and reality in their latest film.

Neuchâtel 2024 Interview: ENNENNUM Director Shalini Ushadevi Talks About Immortality

This year at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, several juries awarded several films. The Critic's Jury awarded their prize by unanimous decision to Ennennum, an extremely well-written science fiction drama in which Ouso and Devi, a married couple, get...

Karlovy Vary 2024 Interview: FINGERNAILS, Christos Nikou Talks Yorgos Lanthimos and Greek Weirdness

Nikou opened up about the process how his film got made with help from Cate Blanchett, the influence of Charlie Kaufman, rom-com and the inevitable topic, Yorgos Lanthimos.

CHRONICLES OF A WANDERING SAINT Interview: Director Tomás Gómez Bustillo Talks His Magical Ghost Story

Tomás Gómez Bustillo wears glasses and a warm but reserved smile. The second this young director realizes he is speaking to another Argentine, we switch to Spanish, and his sentences become longer, peppered with curses, as we like to do....

Mediterrane 2024 Interview: I SAW THE TV GLOW Director Jane Schoenbrun Talks Horror Evolution, David Lynch Influence, Nostalgic World Crafting

Jane Schoenbrun explores their journey from indie filmmaker to working with A24 and the nostalgic inspirations behind 'I Saw the TV Glow.'

Mediterrane 2024 Interview: Tarsem Singh Talks Breaking Out of His Visual Pigeonhole with DEAR JASSI, Michael Haneke, THE FALL

Tarsem Singh discusses his creative choices and the evolution of his storytelling approach in 'Dear Jassi,' European and Iranian cinema, and true crime genre tropes.

HANDLING THE UNDEAD Interview: Director Thea Hvistendahl

The dramatic horror film Handling The Undead goes into a wider release this coming Friday. We had the opportunity to speak with the director and co-writer, Norwegian filmmaker Thea Hvistendahl about their debut feature film.    We talk about themes...

IN A VIOLENT NATURE Interview: Director Chris Nash Talks About Their Slasher Hit

In A Violent Nature, Chris Nash's tremendous take on the slasher genre, opens in cinemas this coming Friday, May 31st. We managed to steal a few minutes of his time and speak with him about his breakout Sundance hit and...

Roger Corman Remembered: 1926-2024

In a conversation with Roger and Julie Corman in September 2010, the filmmakers talked about working in present-day Hollywood, shooting in the Philippines, making 'X: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes,' Allan Arkush, and 'Sharktopus.'

DANCING VILLAGE: THE CURSE BEGINS Interview: Kimo Stamboel And Their New Supernatural Thriller

Kimo Stamboel's latest supernatural chiller, Dancing Village: The Curse Begins, opens in U.S. cinemas tomorrow, April 26th, from Lionsgate Pictures.  Despite having written about and supported Stamboel throughout their career, ever since their debut feature film Macabre, I've never truly...