FRED Film Radio - English Channel

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Miguel Calderón, director of Zeus, from the 16th Transilvania International Film Festival.

Zeus marks the directorial feature debut of artist extraordinaire Miguel Calderón, and it was featured in the competition section of the 16th Transilvania International Film Festival in Romania. This is where we met the director. In this interview, he reveals that the film is a result of personal influences and, especially, his interest in psychology. In this sense, it is a continuation of the themes from his previous artistic works; as he says: “the study of psychological patterns is what matters to me the most, and then my output is making art.” Before making Zeus, Calderón shot several short films and music videos, so we take the time to ask him what he thought were the differences between the two.

Zeus: Joel masks a sick relationship with his mother by practicing falconry. He meets a down to earth secretary, which leads to the loss of his hawk and as a consequence he has to face reality.

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PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Mehdi Fard Ghaderi, director of Immortality, from the 16th Transilvania International Film Festival.

Impressions of a life. The sequence movie Immortality, made in one lengthy shot, was presented in the No Limits section of the 2017 Transilvania International Film Festival. We spoke with the director of the film, Mehdi Fard Ghaderi. He talks about the challenge of filming Immortality in this way, already a problematic task made all the more difficult by its restricted space – a train. The decision of setting the movie on the train, as we discussed in this interview, also has its own meaning within the context of the story of the film: while the train travels in one direction on its tracks, the multiple plot and characters suggest variations, while other elements (such as the non-chronological order of its structure) openly play with the form.

IMMORTALITY. Immortality is Fard-Qaderi’s first feature film that depicts events happening on a train during a rainy night. It tells the story of six different families on different wagons of the train, gradually unfolding their stories. “When I try to imagine you, I feel kind of immortality; when I call you, I feel kind of immortality; when I look at you, I feel kind of immortality; when I touch you, I feel kind of immortality; when I smell you, again I feel kind of immortality,” the film’s synopsis reads.

The post Mehdi Fard Ghaderi – Immortality #TIFF2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, directors of Glory from the 16th Transilvania International Film Festival.

With Glory, their latest work, directors Petar Valchanov and Kristina Grozeva solidify their reputation as one of the most interesting directorial duos in the world. After their critically acclaimed previous work The Lesson, in fact, comes this new movie, which Valchanov and Grozeva define in this interview as the second in a trilogy of events inspired by real life and newspaper stories.

In this interview, recorded at the 16th Transilvania International Film Festival where the film competed for the top prize in its official competition, we talk about the political aspects of the movie, the contrast from which generates all noteworthy art, their choice of working with many of the actors who had appeared in their previous film, and their flexibility as director; they agree that a movie has a life of its own and are open to changes that may alter the original version for the better.

GLORY: When Tsanko Petrov, a railroad worker, finds millions of lev on the train tracks, he decides to turn the entire amount over to the police. The state rewards him with a new wristwatch… which soon stops working. Meanwhile, Julia Staikova, the head of PR for the Ministry of Transport, loses his old watch. Here starts Petrov’s desperate struggle to get back not only his old watch, but his dignity.

The post Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov – Glory #TIFF2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Cristiana Palmieri interviews Nashen Moodley, director of the Sydney Film Festival.

Every year the Sydney film festival creates a time and a space to reflect on what is important, good and bad and scary and hopeful and, well, everything, to everyone, everywhere…hear from the festival director’s own words what the festival has in store for you this year.

For the official website of the film festival, click here.

The post Nashen Moodley – Sydney Film Festival #SFF appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Bénédicte Prot interviews Rungano Nyoni, director of the film I Am Not a Witch.

The Zambia-born, Wales-raised debut director tells us more about her subject and how she decided to mix research and fiction to approach it like a fairytale. She explains why the choice of proposing an absurd take on a appalling reality came naturally, elaborates on her young hero’s silence, and reveals the idea behind her interestingly diverse musical choices.

I Am Not a Witch:  in her debut feature, developed with the Cannes Cinéfondation, Rungano Nyoni confirms the talent that got her noticed for her short films. I Am Not a Witch tells the tale of a tragic destiny, that of a little African girl accused of being a witch, placed in a witch camp, and ‘chained’ to a symbolic ribbon leash, using powerful visual poetics, surprising music, and a humour which conveys the absurdity of such archaic practices whilst touching the viewer deeply, without ever going for the easy tear.

The post Rungano Nyoni – I Am Not a Witch #Cannes2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Elizabeth Moss and Claes Bang, actors of the film The Square.

This is a clip from the press conference of the Golden Palm winner of the 70th edition of Festival de Cannes: The Square by Ruben OStlund. Actors Elizabeth Moss and Claes Bang reveal how they made it through a particularly intense sex scene in the film and how they were directed by Ostlund.

The Square: Christian is the respected curator of a contemporary art museum, a divorced but devoted father of two who drives an electric car and supports good causes. His next show is “The Square”, an installation which invites passersby to altruism, reminding them of their role as responsible fellow human beings. But sometimes, it is difficult to live up to your own ideals: Christian’s foolish response to the theft of his phone drags him into shameful situations. Meanwhile, the museum’s PR agency has created an unexpected campaign for ”The Square”. The response is overblown and sends Christian, as well as the museum, into an existential crisis.

The post Elizabeth Moss, Claes Bang – The Square #Cannes2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Ruben Ostlund, director of the film The Square.

A clip from the Cannes press conference of the Golden Palm Winner of the 70th edition: the Square. Director Ruben Ostlund describes how he visually built the film and its protagonist.

The Square: Christian is the respected curator of a contemporary art museum, a divorced but devoted father of two who drives an electric car and supports good causes. His next show is “The Square”, an installation which invites passersby to altruism, reminding them of their role as responsible fellow human beings. But sometimes, it is difficult to live up to your own ideals: Christian’s foolish response to the theft of his phone drags him into shameful situations. Meanwhile, the museum’s PR agency has created an unexpected campaign for ”The Square”. The response is overblown and sends Christian, as well as the museum, into an existential crisis.

The post Ruben Ostlund – The Square #Cannes2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Angelo Acerbi interviews Danielle MacDonald, actress of the film Patti Cake$.

Danielle Macdonald is Patti Dubowski, the outsider girl from New Jersey who wants to be a rapper. The project for a strange film passed through the Sundance lab where she went too and was introduced to the world of Patti and her fellow actors who will be part in this precious film. She is proud of how she is and she loves being different , and we all love her for this.

Patti Cake$ introduces Australian native Danielle Macdonald in a breakout role, as aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$. Fighting an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in Jersey where her life is falling apart, Patti tries to reach the big time in the hip hop scene with original and affecting music. Cheered on by her grandmother and only friends, Jheri and Basterd, Patti also shoulders her mother’s heartaches and misfortunes.

The post Danielle MacDonald – Patti Cake$ #Cannes2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Fatih Akin, director of the film In The Fade.

Fatih Akin, the turkish-german director has been among the last directors to present his film In The Fade in the competition at the 70th Cannes Film Festival but his film got his protagonist Diane Kruger, the Palm for Best actress. The film focuses on her character looking for revenge after her husband and son have been killed in a neo-nazi terrorism attack. Akin explains how he directed the actress and how at first he wanted a male protagonist and then switched to this idea of having a mother seeking vendetta.

In The Fade: Katja’s life collapses after the death of husband and son in a bomb attack. After the time of mourning and injustice, here comes the time of revenge.

For the film page on the festival website, click here.

The post Fatih Akin – In The Fade #Cannes2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Angelo Acerbi interviews Geremy Jasper, director of the film Patti Cake$.

Geremy Jasper, director of Patti Cake$, closing night film of the Directors Forthnight in Cannes, is genuinely happy of being here and of what is happening to his first film. He has told his childhood, his passion for music through the voice and body of a young girl outsider, in suburban New Jersey. And he tells us why this was the only way to tell this story and how he got to this particular way of storytelling.

Patti Cake$ introduces Australian native Danielle Macdonald in a breakout role, as aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$. Fighting an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in Jersey where her life is falling apart, Patti tries to reach the big time in the hip hop scene with original and affecting music. Cheered on by her grandmother and only friends, Jheri and Basterd, Patti also shoulders her mother’s heartaches and misfortunes.

The post Geremy Jasper – Patti Cake$ #Cannes2017 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.