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At 21, Jenny Lee-Gilmore was diagnosed with narcolepsy. In her film LITTLE MISS SLEEPY, she explores what it's like to live with a neurological disorder that's misunderstood and often misdiagnosed.

In this conversation, we explore how she made that decision to turn one of her most personal life stories into a documentary and what advice she has for other filmmakers.

The film recently screened at GEMFest 2025 in Vancouver.

In this episode, Jenny and I talk about:

• what it was like to make something so personal and then screening it;
• how she decided to tell the story of narcolepsy through filmmaking -- "originally, no, I never wanted to make a film about this. I never thought I'd about my experiences";
• how her mom's story in OVERTIME (2023) made her comfortable releasing this film;
• what kind of concessions she made about what she couldn't share;
• advice she has for other documentary filmmakers starting on such a personal journey -- "surround yourself with a great crew";
• the ability to connect through vulnerability with other people;
• how she was able to find a crew for such a personal story?;
• how she sees documentary filmmaking going forward -- "people usually aren't going to watch documentaries, but so many more documentaries are being more cinematic";
• how she developed the unique hook for this film;
• what it is like as a filmmaker in British Columbia and why they don't get as much funding as the East Coast of Canada;
• does she ever feel pigeonholed as a documentary filmmaker, especially with her interest in narrative filmmaking;
• what's next for her --- she just finished a narrative short film and working on her first feature.

Jenny's Indie Film Highlight: MY OLD ASS (2024) dir. by Megan Park

Links:

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: BROKEN FLOWERS (2005).

Director: Jim Jarmusch

Written By: Jim Jarmusch; Bill Raden; Sara Driver

Cast: Bill Murray; Jessica Lange; Sharon Stone

SYNOPSIS

When his latest girlfriend (Julie Delpy) leaves him, retired computer magnate Don Johnston (Bill Murray) has no greater ambition than to sit around the house. When he receives an anonymous letter from a former girlfriend claiming he has a 19-year-old son he's never met, Don doesn't even think to follow up. It's not until his neighbor, a mystery fan, encourages him that Don resolves to visit the exes who seem the most likely candidates and find out the truth.

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Watch The Trailer Of A Nice Indian Boy

Preorder the film, available for streaming on May 6, 2025

I can't give this title out often before it becomes meaningless, but the best film I've seen this year is A NICE INDIAN BOY (2024), by director Roshan Sethi. And with SINNERS (2025), it's the hottest story in film right now. Let's talk about why that is with one of the most intelligent and analytic minds in filmmaking: Roshan Sethi.

In this episode, Roshan and I talk about:

• the overwhelming positive response to the film and what that says about the state of independent film;
• how did they know to go "all in" with theaters?
• he does a deep dive into the complex nature of distribution;
• his path from doctor to indie filmmaker;
• was it because he was bothered by medical inaccuracies in Hollywood? no, not at all;
• what about romcoms draws him to that material and what he learned from 7 DAYS?
• he's done both a heteronormative and a queer romcom; was he worried about the release of this film?
• when does he trust a streamers' algo?
• ** how to cast ethnic, queer, or other niches and what guideposts to use for actors that aren't part of a particular group? "often gay roles are used to launch stars"; this is a must listen answer **
• it seemed like this would be a written and directed feature but it came from a play; what kind of adaptations did he make?
• how he borrowed a technique from reality television to move along different plot points simultaneously;
• how to find profitability in great indie films -- "And so the problem is not the creators who are creating very diverse content, that's often very good. It's not the audiences who crave diverse content, it's the people who are in the middle, which is film executives and the apparatus of the system";
• his advice as a mentor for the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles; "I am just recommending that everybody make as commercial a project as they can, action, horror, thriller, whatever";
• where did the nobility come from in being broke to make films? "every art form suffers from a certain amount of pretentiousness, which is the desire to be artistically elevated and to be seen as an artist who is more sophisticated than other artists;
• his thought process of releasing the film for streaming while it's in theaters;
• having to think about releasing an indie film almost like politicians think about precincts.

Roshan's Indie Film Highlight: GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS (2024) dir. by Shuchi Talati

Links:

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Follow A NICE INDIAN BOY On Instagram

A NICE INDIAN BOY Official Website

Buy Tickets Now For JIMMY IN SAIGON In NYC Through May 1st

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"Polite persistence" -- that's the story of filmmaker Peter McDowell in so many ways, and it's how he brought the film JIMMY IN SAIGON to movie theaters, through May 1st, 2025 in NYC, and then beyond. He's been at work on the film since 2010, and it throws on its head what you might expect from a Vietnam War documentary.

In this episode, we discuss:

• how he got started in filmmaking, alongside his brother, Jimmy, who is the subject of JIMMY IN SAIGON;
• what his concepts of documentaries about the Vietnam War before he started?
• the long journey of creating his film, starting in 2010, that details the search for what happened to his brother during the Vietnam War;
• what advice he'd give documentary filmmakers embarking on such a personal narrative -- "just turn the camera on";
• what his "special sauce" for fundraising on a project that took 12 years to put together -- fiscal sponsorship;
• the soundtrack was released for the film; was that always part of that plan and how did he come up with a such a great score?
• the film has been on the festival circuit for over two years; what does he think of film festivals?
• what's next for him?

Peter's Indie Film Highlight: Pedro Almodovar; A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY (2024) dir. by Rachel Elizabeth Seed

Links:

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: MOBILE HOMES (2017).

Director: Vladimir de Fontenay

Written By: Vladimir de Fontenay; Danielle Lessovitz

Cast: Imogen Poots; Callum Turner; Frank Oulton

SYNOPSIS

A young mother drifts from one motel to the next with her dangerously intoxicating boyfriend and her 8-year-old son. When a crisis tears them apart, the mother finds a mobile home community that provides the possibility of a better life.

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One of the things that fascinates me about filmmaking is the concept of authenticity. That is, the filmmakers either have to put in the time to do research for a particular film genre (veterans, ethnic films, etc) or they have to live it. For the new film BROTHERS AFTER WAR, my guest Jake Rademacher lived it. It's in his blood -- literally, as many of his siblings serve in the military -- and he's spent significant time overseas with our deployed soldiers. I felt honored to talk with a director who tells veterans' stories so eloquently.

Keep checking the BROTHERS AFTER WAR social media on when it'll be available for screening near you. And I hope you enjoy this episode with one of the most authentic voices for military veteran stories you’ll ever hope to meet. 

In this episode, Jake and I discuss:

• how he created such a unique and genuine film series about his "brothers" -- both familial and military;
• how he created such an authentic film about war and after war;
• what made him decide to get into filmmaking and how he had the resilience to go into war zones with just a camera;
• advice he has for other documentary filmmakers -- "don't make a film during a global pandemic"; they were the first film back in Italy; "get a pen out, a piece of paper out, and ask yourself why you want to make yourself this film? and why do they need to see it?;
• his thoughts on the political response to Matthew Heineman's film RETROGRADE and how he handled his relationship with the DoD -- "I always have final cut";
• what did he leave out? where does it go too far for a cinéma vérité documentary filmmaker?
• would he consider making a narrative film? is documentary the best way to share veterans' stories?
• if he wants to turn it into a Richard Linklater BEFORE type series and what's next for him;
• how Christian filmmakers have inspired a model for veteran films.

Jake's Indie Film Highlight: FIGHTING SPIRIT: A COMBAT CHAPLAIN'S JOURNEY (2024) dir. by Richard Hull; Justin Roberts

Links:

Follow @brothersafterwar on Instagram

BROTHERS AFTER WAR Website

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Go and listen to THE CORONER'S ASSISTANT, a new show on Tubi by filmmaker Angeline Walsh, and I'll bet you have the theme music caught in your head for the rest of the day (week, month, etc.) Kudos to Angeline for putting music first.

The episodic model might look scary, but my guest is here to convince you otherwise -- for her, it was a way to follow her heart.

In this episode, we discuss:

• the ridiculously catchy theme music and how she decided to start with that instead of leaving it to the end;
• how she got into filmmaking;
• she calls her filmmaking "weird and too dark for children" -- where did that come from? it's more lighthearted than you may think;
• what they should expect to see from THE CORONER'S ASSISTANT;
• isn't that the point of good filmmaking, to subvert expectations?
• why episodic content on Tubi versus a short or a feature?
• the metrics available on Tubi?
• what advice would she give about the process of putting a show on Tubi?
• how to monetize episodic or short films -- "I'm not being hired to do this, so I might as well just make it the way I want to because I'm not beholden to anyone's rules right now";
• will there be a season two?
• what other projects is she working on?

Angeline's Indie Film Highlights: Valyo Gennoff, composer of the catchy music for THE CORONER'S ASSISTANT; Mabel Normand; Marion Davies (Angeline later mentioned she meant Frances Marion)

Links:

Follow Angeline On Instagram

Angeline Walsh's Website

Watch THE CORONER'S ASSISTANT on Tubi

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Preorder on Apple TV Now

In the beating heart of the most successful independent filmmakers you can find one thing for certain: a belief in oneself. I've hardly ever heard a more powerful defense of one's vision than from filmmaker Rachel Suissa, who is here to talk about her debut indie film, GREEK MOTHERS NEVER DIE (2025).

If you want to be inspired by a woman and her vision, this is the episode for you.

And don't forget -- preorder her film! Rachel lets us in on the insight of the Apple algorithm and so much more.

In this episode, Rachel and I discuss:

• how she got involved in filmmaking, starting as an actress and boldly taking control of her career after a show bombed -- "people had different ways to grieve and mine was to take control, of things and have freedom to tell my stories";
• what people should expect to see during GREEK MOTHERS NEVER DIE;
• what kind of advice she gives on creating ethnic related films? "if somebody wants to make a first indie movie, it has to be something that resonate with his heart, his universe, and his experience";
• her feelings about MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002);
• how she was able to keep a two hour plus run time in a field (romcoms) that's very hard to do -- how did she manage this?
• whether being an actress helped her direct this film with the vision she wanted -- "it's all ink and paper until an actor brings it to life";
• her thoughts on funders demanding a "name" cast and what an indie director should do about it;
• her sticking to her vision, no matter the consequences;
• how many preorders it takes to beat the Apple algo;
• what's next for her -- "The Hangover meets Mamma Mia!"

Rachel's Indie Film Highlight: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) dir. by Michel Gondry

Links:

Follow Rachel Suissa On Instagram

Preorder on Apple TV Now

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Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: THE BACHELORS (2017).

Director: Kurt Voelker

Written By: Kurt Voelker

Cast: JK Simmons; Josh Wiggins; Odeya Rush

SYNOPSIS

After the death of his wife, Bill and his 17-year-old son, Wes, move from a small town to a big city for a fresh start. As they begin to adjust to life in the city and seek ways to heal their wounds, they both find comfort in newfound romances. Although circumstances contribute to Bill and Wes growing apart, they come back together and rediscover their true selves in the process.

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It takes a really special filmmaker to write, act, direct, produce their debut feature film. Well, let's go to Western Canada to find out in Caitlyn Sponheimer, the dynamo behind the film WILD GOAT SURF (2023), which had its US premiere in the beginning of April.

If it was my dream world, it would open in a thousand theaters, but look for it on streaming on May 20th.

In this episode, Caitlyn and I discuss:

• she does everything in her latest film -- acting, directing, writing, producing -- how did she get started? "I wasn't being seen for the type of roles I wanted to be seen for"; "I just kept making stuff";
• why don't more actors make that jump to writing and directing?
• her path to feature filmmaking. It started with an indelibly titled short, KITTY'S NAUGHTY KNICKERS (2019) and followed the supposed "path" for indie filmmakers. Does she wish it was different?
• the incredible cinematography, writing, acting -- everything -- in her film WILD GOAT SURF;
• the brilliance of Shayelin Martin, the protagonist in the film, and how she found such an incredible actress;
• how Caitlyn eventually decided to act in the film and what that means for indie filmmaking and casting -- "it's a balance of names...and budget"; "it has to be an actor I want to work with and respect so much...not just a name";
• the mission of her production company, CouKuma Productions, to empower female voices and how that can be tested in the casting process;
• how she decided on the release strategy for WILD GOAT SURF, including getting picked up by Tribeca Studios;
• how should indie filmmakers look at Canada as a film market?
• what's next for this brilliantly talented filmmaker?

Caitlyn's Indie Film Highlight: SHE DIES TOMORROW (2020) dir. by Amy Seimetz; THE WOLVES (2019) dir. by Samuel Kishi; VIOLENT (2014) dir. by Andrew Huculiak and cinematography by Joseph Schweers

Links:

Follow Caitlyn On Instagram