A BRIGHTER LENS

It's a Sundance tradition! We welcome back friend of the pod + film critic Beandrea July to chat with us about her Sundance Film Festival 2021 virtual experience and her favorite films.

Beandrea July (@beandreadotcom) is a freelance film critic based in Los Angeles who works in print and audio. Her work has appeared in several publications including Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Time, The Hollywood Reporter, Hyperallergic, Level and NPR. She has also been a guest on the NPR shows 1A and The Takeaway as well as KPCC SoCal’s The Frame. Of the nine films that Sidney Poitier has directed the eighth one is still a favorite.

Happy (virtual) Sundance Film Festival! We're warching films from our living rooms all week and bringing you interviews with Sundance filmmakers.

We chatted with a favorite past guest, Amey René, casting director of MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE, directed by Kate Tsang. She tells us about the casting process for the film and what special skills she brought to the table for this project!

MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Sammy is struggling to cope with the death of her mother. After she is caught vandalizing one of her school’s restrooms, her father, fed up with her wild behavior, enrolls her in a summer course—if she fails, she’ll be sent to a boot camp for delinquent youth. After storming out of her first class, Sammy meets Margot, a surly magician. Margot forces Sammy to be her assistant for a performance, and although Sammy seems uninterested, she seeks Margot out after the show and asks to become Margot’s pupil. Margot agrees, and as their unlikely friendship grows, we learn that she and Sammy understand each other more than they expected.

Happy (virtual) Sundance Film Festival! We're warching films from our living rooms all week and bringing you interviews with Sundance filmmakers.

We chatted with a favorite past guest, Amey René, casting director of MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE, directed by Kate Tsang. She tells us about the casting process for the film and what special skills she brought to the table for this project!

MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Sammy is struggling to cope with the death of her mother. After she is caught vandalizing one of her school’s restrooms, her father, fed up with her wild behavior, enrolls her in a summer course—if she fails, she’ll be sent to a boot camp for delinquent youth. After storming out of her first class, Sammy meets Margot, a surly magician. Margot forces Sammy to be her assistant for a performance, and although Sammy seems uninterested, she seeks Margot out after the show and asks to become Margot’s pupil. Margot agrees, and as their unlikely friendship grows, we learn that she and Sammy understand each other more than they expected.

Happy (virtual) Sundance Film Festival! We're watching films from our living rooms all week and bringing you interviews with Sundance filmmakers. First up, we chatted with co-director/co-writer Julia Baylis, and actor Deanna Gibson, about their short film WIGGLE ROOM.

WIGGLE ROOM synopsis: Determined to save her wheelchair ramp from repossession, Daisy confronts the shady insurance agent who owes her money. *This short is available on-demand throughout the Festival with purchase of a pass.

Happy (virtual) Sundance Film Festival! We're watching films from our living rooms all week and bringing you interviews with Sundance filmmakers. First up, we chatted with co-director/co-writer Julia Baylis, and actor Deanna Gibson, about their short film WIGGLE ROOM.

WIGGLE ROOM synopsis: Determined to save her wheelchair ramp from repossession, Daisy confronts the shady insurance agent who owes her money. *This short is available on-demand throughout the Festival with purchase of a pass.

This week we sat down with award-winning director, producer, and writer, Chantal Potter, and talked with her about her directorial debut, Balloon Man. Chantal founded Made For T.V. Productions in 2008 and she was previously known for BET Network's award-winning docu-series, The Defining Moment & Turning Point, where she was the creator, Executive Producer, and host.

Her feature directorial debut Balloon Man, is an intimate portrait of a her father--a former NFL athlete who learned how to navigate through the clouds, becoming the first African American Hot-Air Balloon Master Pilot in the world. Balloon Man will be released worldwide on-demand on February 2, 2021.

This week, we chat with costume designer Laura Cristina Ortiz. She chats with us about discovering her love for costuming (it’s in her blood!) and her passion for ethical fashion. She talks with us about her recent project, the film Synchronic which can be found on VOD, and the fascinating design challenges she faced on that. Enjoy our conversation!

With her infectious personality and unique sense of humor, Pittsburgh native Sujata Day has established herself as a performer, creator, writer, and director. She regularly performs in Upright Citizen Brigade's hit Asian AF show. Sujata is known for her starring role as CeCe in Issa Rae’s The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. She's recurred for three seasons on HBO's Insecure. Sujata is a Sundance Lab fellow, Sundance Film Festival influencer, and Sundance Collab advisor. Her short film, Cowboy and Indian, sold to a major studio for series development with Sujata writing, producing and starring. She served as HBO Visionaries Ambassador in 2019. She directs This Is My Story, a series in which beloved storyteller LeVar Burton narrates real life personal experiences of everyday racism. Sujata's debut feature film, Definition Please, is currently touring the film festival circuit.

With her infectious personality and unique sense of humor, Pittsburgh native Sujata Day has established herself as a performer, creator, writer, and director. She regularly performs in Upright Citizen Brigade's hit Asian AF show. Sujata is known for her starring role as CeCe in Issa Rae’s The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. She's recurred for three seasons on HBO's Insecure. Sujata is a Sundance Lab fellow, Sundance Film Festival influencer, and Sundance Collab advisor. Her short film, Cowboy and Indian, sold to a major studio for series development with Sujata writing, producing and starring. She served as HBO Visionaries Ambassador in 2019. She directs This Is My Story, a series in which beloved storyteller LeVar Burton narrates real life personal experiences of everyday racism. Sujata's debut feature film, Definition Please, is currently touring the film festival circuit.

This week, we chat with Sade Ndya, an LA based Cinematographer, who also specializes in Fine Art Photography and Community Organizing. Through her creative work, Sade is actively dedicated to providing safe creative spaces for fellow BIPOC to carry out their personal visions and endeavors. At only 19, she started her own freelance production company called The Red Futon, where she cultivates space for BIPOC talent to freelance creating content for local brands and musicians. Additionally, she is also a Cinematography mentor at Made In Her Image, which is a non-profit that provides young brown and black girls education, resources and industry opportunities to learn the world of filmmaking.