Sundance Film Festival 2025

“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 […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“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 […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“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? […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“I Had Succeeded in Bringing My Imagination to the Screen” | Amel Guellaty, Where the Wind Comes From

Films are made over many days, but some days are more memorable, and important, than others. Imagine yourself in ten years looking back on this production. What day from your film’s development, production or post do you think you’ll view as the most significant and why? It’s such a tough question. Perhaps the shooting days in Djerba were the most significant. During those three days, we filmed very important scenes—difficult to perform—that we had rehearsed extensively. I was stressed because I knew that if I didn’t get them right, the film would lack emotion. But I was so happy and […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“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 […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“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 […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“Dance With Me, Ben” | Grace Glowicki, Dead Lover

Films are made over many days, but some days are more memorable, and important, than others. Imagine yourself in ten years looking back on this production. What day from your film’s development, production or post do you think you’ll view as the most significant and why? I have been trying to pinpoint a single day of Dead Lover to answer this question…but the truth is, specific days are almost impossible for me to remember. It’s just a smattering of random memorable moments! The days from which they came are lost in my memory….probably due to the lack of sleep. So, […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“The Profound Exchange Between Doctor and Patient” | Gianluca Matarrese, GEN_

Films are made over many days, but some days are more memorable, and important, than others. Imagine yourself in ten years looking back on this production. What day from your film’s development, production or post do you think you’ll view as the most significant and why? The most memorable day, without a doubt, was the very first day I met the doctor and began filming simultaneously. It was an overwhelming vortex of emotions. In just one day, I observed and listened to the stories of more than ten patients, stories of resilience, pain, and joy. All at once. All ages, […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“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 […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025
“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 […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 24, 2025

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