Sundance Film Festival 2025
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“These Small Letters Can Cause Such Instability”: DP Paulius Kontijevas on The Librarians
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“The Censorship Our Librarians Face is One We Will Face in Our Field”: Producer Janique L. Robillard on The Librarians
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“The Turning Point for the Entire Project” | David Ngo, Never Get Busted!
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? Our first meeting with John Battsek and Chris Smith was quite a moment, as I’m a fan of both their works. My partner in crime Erin Williams-Weir and I took a bit of risk personally funding the initial production for Never Get Busted! We cut together a teaser and pitched the project to John, […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 28, 2025 -
“A Mix of Natural Indie Style, Theatrical Spotlights and Neon Colors”: DP Dustin Supencheck on Touch Me
Following his 2022 film Hypochondriac, writer-director Addison Heimann’s Touch Me centers on two best friends (Olivia Taylor Dudley and Jordan Gavaris) who fall under the erotic spell of the same guy (Lou Taylor-Pucci). At least he looks like a guy; the truth is, he’s an intergalactic being ensconced in a human flesh suit. As the best friends vie for his affection, they gradually realize that they’re fighting for their right to live as much as love. Cinematographer Dustin Supencheck discusses his working relationship with Heimann, the importance of capturing vibrant colors and the influence of 20th century Japanese cinema on the […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 28, 2025 -
“Capturing a Kenyan Point of View as a Central Theme”: DP Christopher King on How to Build a Library
Shiro and Wachuka are two Nairobi women who attempt to transform the McMillan Memorial Library, a whites-only library until 1958, into a modern and vibrant cultural hub. Their attempts to navigate local politics and Kenya’s colonial history is tracked in How to Build a Library, husband-and-wife duo Christopher King and Maia Lekow’s follow-up to The Letter. King, besides co-directing, also served as the film’s cinematographer. Below, he explains the importance of capturing a Kenyan point of view and why working as a two-person crew helps build trust with their subjects. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 28, 2025 -
“A Deeply Important Gap in Kenya’s History” | Maia Lekow & Christopher King, How to Build a Library
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? One unforgettable day was following our subjects into the basement of the decaying McMillan Library and witnessing them unearth from a pile of junk a miniature photograph of the first hanging in Kenya, in 1907, conducted by the Imperial British East Africa Company. We all got chills and, in this tiny photograph, found a […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 28, 2025 -
“A Grueling 12-hour Interview Day” | Cristina Costantini, SALLY
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? My favorite part of making SALLY was getting to know Tam O’Shaughessy, and the most memorable day of shooting was a grueling 12-hour interview day which now serves as the primary narration for our film. National heroes like Sally Ride inspire us, give us hope, and show us just how far we can go. […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 28, 2025 -
“People Are Willing to Show Up if You Create Something Important” | Mathias Broe, Sauna
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“We Had to Turn Everything Upside Down”: Producer Mads-August Hertz on Sauna
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“I Often Think of Doc Editing as Being Similar to Poetry”: Editors Kate Hackett & Andy McAllister on Sally
Sally Ride is well-known for being the first woman in space, but less recognized is her 27-year partnership with Tam O’Shaughnessy. Director Cristina Costantini gives both the professional and the personal equal treatment in the Sundance Premieres documentary Sally. Much of the film consists of footage shot by NASA during astronaut training. Editors Kate Hackett and Andy McAllister were tasked with combing through NASA’s enormous archive for Sally. Below, they talk about the challenges and excitement of being presented with so much footage and the importance of keeping the film close to Sally Ride’s story. See all responses to our […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 28, 2025
