Interviews
Interviews
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“Being Able to Do Even Crude Ideas Yourself as an Editor Is Really Valuable”: Editors Austin Reedy and Mark Becker on The Librarians
In The Librarians, director Kim A. Snyder’s documentary chronicles the efforts of these educators in states like Texas and Florida in the face of sweeping book bans, which largely censor stories that center on LGBTQ and racial identities. Editors Austin Reedy and Mark Becker tell Filmmaker about working with archive, creating through lines in the edit and how this film “helps us build a more empathetic conversation about such an important institution.” See all responses to our annual Sundance editor interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and […]
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“We Could Really Be Quite Merciless in the Edit”: Editor Jennifer Vecchiarello on East of Wall
Premiering in the festival’s NEXT section, this hybrid film from filmmaker Kate Beecroft follows Tabitha Zimiga, a horse trainer who houses wayward women in her remote Badlands ranch. As she provides shelter and guidance for her oft-teenage house guests, Tabitha also grapples with the recent death of her husband and mounting financial peril. Editor Jennifer Vecchiarello answers our questions about her collaboration on East of Wall below. See all responses to our annual Sundance editor interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your […]
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“A Continuous Swing Between Memories and the Present.”: DP Clarissa Cappellani on Brides
In Brides, UK teenagers Doe and Muna (Ebada Hassan and Safiyya Ingar) take an ill-advised trip to Syria to escape the constant feeling of being othered that follows them at home. The film, the debut feature by Young Vic Theatre artistic director Nadia Fall, examines teenage girlhood through a distinct sociopolitical lens. The film was shot in three different locations, meaning the production had new crews every two weeks. Director of photography Clarissa Cappellani (Misericordia, Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams) discusses working through those challenges and the films and photographs that she and Fall used as references. See all responses to our […]
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“It Came Down to Me Not Wanting to Miss Out on the Trip”: Producer Asma Chiboub on Where the Wind Comes From
A competition in southern Tunisia becomes a road trip destination for young friends Alyssa(Eya Bellagha) and Mehdi (Slim Baccar) in Where the Wind Comes From, the feature debut from writer-director Amel Guellaty. First-time feature producer Asma Chiboub talks about her experience on Where the Wind Comes From, and the current state of the industry, below. See all responses to our annual Sundance first-time producer interviews here. Filmmaker: How did you connect with this filmmaker and wind up producing the film? Chiboub: I met Amel Guellaty in 2014 around her first short film, Black Mamba, which I produced and which premiered in […]
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“For Me, Less is More”: DP Anna Smoronova on Bubble & Squeak
Bubble & Squeak, about a married couple accused of smuggling cabbages in a country where cabbage is illegal, marks the feature film debut of Evan Twohy. The film will premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Anna Smoronova (The Killing of a Journalist), served as the film’s director of photography. Below, she explains how the film’s similarity to some of her favorite filmmakers hooked on her first read of the script and elaborates on the visual aesthetic, including the influence of Henri Rousseau. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and […]
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“A Chemistry Between the Operator and the Actors:” DP Frida Marzouk on Where the Wind Comes From
19-year-old Alyssa (Eya Bellagha) and her 23-year-old friend Medhi (Slim Baccar) travel to southern Tunisia for a contest that promises to change their lives in Where the Wind Comes From, writer-director Amel Guellaty’s feature debut. Cinematographer Frida Marzouk discusses lensing Guellaty’s film, including the difficulties of shooting car scenes, her penchant for verite filmmaking and her previous career as a set electrician. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? […]
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“Working With the Storyboard Was Crucial:” Editor Giorgia Villa on GEN_
GEN_, the latest documentary from filmmaker Gianluca Matarrese, follows Dr. Maurizio Bini and his medical team at Milan’s Niguarda public hospital. Specializing in gender-affirming care as well as in vitro, Dr. Bini provides care to patients whose identities are increasingly politicized amid the rise of far-right conservatism. Editor Giorgia Villa discusses her hands-on education background, longtime collaboration with Matarrese and the similarities between music and editing. See all responses to our annual Sundance editor interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being […]
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“I Am Always Mining for Gold in the Rushes”: Editor Fiona DeSouza on Brides
Premiering in Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition, Brides follows two UK teens who travel to Syria in an attempt to escape the othering they face at home. The film is the debut feature of Nadia Fall, the artistic director of London’s Young Vic Theatre and director of productions of Three Sisters and King Hedley II, among others. The film is edited by Fiona DeSouza, whose credits include 2020’s Kindred and episodes of numerous TV series, including Great Expectations and Hanna. Below, she shares a trick for making a small number of setups go a long way and how a good cup of tea […]
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“An Observational Character Study of an Ex-Offender”: DP Sam Motamedi on Ricky
In Ricky, Rashad Frett extends his Sundance 2023 short of the same name to feature length to tell the story of a 30-year-old returning home after serving time in prison. The film follows Ricky as he tries to reintegrate into the community that he was taken from, utilize his gifts as a barber to making a living and make up for lost time. Sam Motamedi, who shot the 2023 short, again served as DP. Below, he explains how he tried to replicate a documentary-like feeling and shares a couple of his influences, including documentary footage from the early days of the […]
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“Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Up and Set the Tone”: Producer Pierre M. Coleman on Ricky
Ricky follows the travails of its title character (Stephan James), who has just been released from prison at age 30, as he tries to reintegrate into his community in Hartford, Conn. The film, directed by Rashad Frett, is an adaptation of Frett’s own short, itself a Sundance 2023 premiere. Ricky also marks Pierre M. Coleman’s first turn as a lead producer after handling the initial short. Below, he recounts the origin of his “little engine that could” and speaks to the importance of good partners. See all responses to our annual Sundance first-time producer interviews here. Filmmaker: How did you connect […]
