Film Forward

Isaac Elliot and Oli Pizzey Stratford are amazingly talented and charming filmmakers. In today's episode they discuss two of their incredible films, the documentary We Are Sexual Beings, and the dark comedy Don't Come In... Yet!

Isaac and Oli discuss their craft and how their being wheelchair users affects their thematic approach to their projects.

You can see We Are Sexual Beings on Friday, September 22nd with LADFF. Don't Come In... Yet screens with LADFF on Saturday, September 23rd.

Tickets are available now at LADFF.com.

Me Night is a wild, hilarious, and honest depiction of one woman's night alone. Filmmakers Lauren Knutti and Anna Salinas join us for an in-depth conversation on the heart of their film and the brilliant technical approaches to making it.

Me Night screens on Saturday, September 23rd with the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival. Tickets are available now at LADFF.com

Bubjan is a powerful documentary that chronicles an Iranian man who has been living in exile in the United States since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. He was a member of the Iranian parliament, where he dedicated his life to cultivating a progressive, modern, and free society in Iran. But the rise of the Islamic Republic eclipsed those aspirations and forced him to leave behind everything he knew.

Joining us on the Film Forward are director Nicholas Mihm and producer Rostam Zafari.

Don’t miss Bubjan - screening with LADFF on Saturday, September 23rd. Tickets are on sale now at LADFF.com

LADFF alum Emelie Claxton returns to Film Forward to discuss her new project, Doggone. In this deep dive, Emelie talks about her writing process, the heart of her story, and pre-production, which includes her Kickstarter campaign.

You can donate to Doggone's crowdfunding campaign at DoggoneShortFilm.com from now through September 15th.

Felicia Pride's work spans television, film, and podcasts. In this episode of Film Forward, she discusses how her work on shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Queen Sugar" sharpened her craft and prepared her for personal projects like "Look Back At It."

Felicia and host Nicholas Ybarra discuss the importance of making a place for yourself in the film industry, carving your own path, and honing your true voice.

"Look Back At It" screens with LADFF on Friday, September 22nd. Tickets are available now at LADFF.com

Joshua Coppenbarger's short film Opening Night screens this week at LADFF's 10th Anniversary Celebration.

In this episode of Film Forward, Joshua discusses his journey from sports documentaries to narrative romance. PLUS: the triumphant return of our Gimme Three segment!

See Opening Night on August 17th at the Laemmle NoHo 7. Tickets are available now at LADFF.com

Films have incredible power to change lives and perspectives and evoke empathy. Sometimes, they can piss us off as well. Such is the case with one 1997 indie-darling, Chasing Amy.

Twenty-six years after the film's release, a beautiful counterpart to the film is released, Chasing Chasing Amy. A documentary that examines the complex legacy of Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy (1997) on LGBTQ+ people and its life-saving impact on director Sav Rodgers.

Two years ago, we were honored to speak with Academy Award-winner Sam Pollard, a legend among editors and documentary filmmakers. He talked to Film Forward about his documentary MLK/FBI.

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we are proud to revisit our discussion about this pertinent and essential film.

In this episode, Mr. Pollard elaborates on how he and his team approached this wonderfully crafted film and what audiences can take away from the lessons of the past.

The film is available to stream now on Hulu.

Returning guest Ryan Lacen joins us for another installment of Gimme Three. This week’s theme is Female-Led Thrillers, as we celebrate the Los Angeles Premiere of Save Me From Everything, a mystery thriller starring Paige Henderson.

Ryan Lacen and Nicholas Ybarra each provide three pulse-pounding thrillers led by powerhouse performances from Zoe Kravitz, Jodie Foster, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Naomi Watts, Natalie Portman, and Sofia Boutella.

Check out all six of these fantastic films, then see Save Me From Everything, hosted by LADFF on January 12th at the Laemmle NoHo7. Tickets are available now at LADFF.com.

Writer, producer, and star, Jéan Elie joins the podcast to discuss his incredible series, Send Help, which can be streamed right now on allblk.tv.

Elie (Insecure, Rap Sh!t) discusses the journey to tell his own story and what it was like to sit in the director's chair for the first time. Jéan also highlights the birth of his own production company, Bassett House Pictures - visit their website bassetthousepic.com for more info on their upcoming film festival.