FRED Film Radio - English Channel

“Under The Grey Sky” by Mara Tamkovic is an intense and compelling drama about a couple of journalists in Belarus that try to document the demonstrations against Lukashenko’s rigged election in 2020. The film is based on a real story where the political issues intertwine with the personal consequences on the couple for their choices.

Director Mara Tamkovic, in her film “Under The Grey Sky“, wanted to point out, through the tale of a politically committed couple under the regime of terror of an authoritarian government, that people necessarily find ways to survive and continue to live, and this is the strongest and braver message that can be sent out, in such dark times.

The post “Under The Grey Sky”, interview with the director Mara Tamkovic appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

“Ponyboi” has been presented in competition at the 42nd Torino Film Festival. The film is directed by Esteban Arango, based on a screenplay written by River Gallo, who stars in the film. the actor   has been awarded  for Best Performance. We met director and actor before the festival screening to talk about this nocturnal and fascinating thriller drama.

As River Gallo, lead actor of “Ponyboi“, says the film is strongly about a journey of self affirmation and recognition, in a seedy and dark world. The redemption trip the lead character unconsciously makes is fundamentally linked with the gender recognition path that walks parallel to the main plot. This is the strength of the film.

Esteban Arango, director of “Ponyboi” tells us that when he read the final script he had clear in mind the atmosphere and the kind of visuals he wanted to pull. The evolution of “Ponyboi” and their dreams in the film needed some aesthetics to function in connection with it, and which had to be believable for a genre film

The post “Ponyboi”, interview with the director Esteban Arango and the actor/writer River Gallo appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Dito Montiel in “Riff Raff” tells the story of this family that is large and complex and that has to deal with criminals, in their own way. The idea came from a stage play Dito loved and decided to adapt. Then some remarkable cast came on board and all started. managing that cast in ensemble scens was difficult so he let them play.

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Christina Eliopoulos presented her film “Here’s Yanni!” at the 42nd Torino Film Festival. The screening was the occasion also for the lead actress Julia Ormond to receive a Stella Della mole Award, given by the national Museum of Cinema of Turin to the personalities of the movie world with an important career. We had a talk with Julia and the cast of the film about this touching and heartwarming comedy.

Christina Eliopoulos tells us that the character played by Julia Ormond comes form the tradition of greek women who want to fix any problem. Here she cannot fix it but she can work around the illness of her husband. And Julia Ormond has an acting  sensibility that transcends the screen, and  goes straight to the heart of the audience.

The post “Here’s Yanni!”, interview with the actors Julia Ormond and Joe Cortese and the director Christina Eliopoulos appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Vince Vaughn was honoured with the Stella Della Mole Award during the 42nd Torino Film Festival, the actor came to the festival to introduce and talk about his film “Swingers“, that was his international breakthrough. In this chat with Angelo Acerbi, the actor talks about his career, his roles and his craft.

Vince Vaughn confesses, thinking about the times he shot “Swingers“, that they all were not aware of the magnitude the film would have acquired after his release. They were friends, having fun on a project they love, that they all considered as very good but very niche. The future proved them wrong, luckily.

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Billy Zane is the producer and lead actor of “Waltzing with Brando”, the film directed by Bill Fishman. The film narrates a hidden side of the persona Marlon Brando, when visited in the Hawaii by an architect that was supposed to build a resort on one of the island the actor owned. The film has been the closing night of the Festival, that celebrated Marlon brando with a complete retrospective of all his movies.

Billy Zane, who plays Marlon Brando in “Waltzing with Brando” by Bill Fishman, recalls the fun and the fascination for him to play this hidden side of the icon, much more lively and funny than the regular and common public person, difficult and moody. And looking s much like Brando has been a plus for his acting and for the film itself.

The post “Waltzing with Brando”, interview with the protagonist Billy Zane appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

“From Ground Zero“, an anthology of 22 short films created by talented filmmakers from Gaza is at the 42°Torino Film Festival

The film project, launched by Palestinian director Rachid Masharawi and artistically advised by Layali Badr, aims to tell the apparently invisible stories of people living in Gaza. 

Paolo Maria Spina with Revolver, embarked on the mission of distributing the film all over Italy. The film was presented at the Medfilm Festival in Rome, at the presence of Masharawi. 

It has been presented in Torino in the out of competition section and it will travel more in the following weeks. 

The 80% of the revenues from the italian distribution will be assigned to the families in Gaza and to the young film students in Ramallah. 

The post “From Ground Zero”, interview with artistic advisor Layali Badr and italian distributor Paolo Maria Spina appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

The 50 Days of Cinema in Florence 2024 concludes with a day dedicated to Irish cinema, curated by N.I.C.E. – New Italian Cinema Events. In this exclusive interview, acclaimed director Luke McManus takes us behind the scenes of his remarkable documentary, “North Circular“. Set along Dublin’s iconic North Circular Road, the film is a profound exploration of the area’s physical journey and the rich tapestry of stories, voices, and melodies that define its character. The documentary’s acclaim includes winning the Audience Award at the Dublin International Film Festival, underscoring its impact both locally and globally.

Luke’s passion for documentary filmmaking was ignited by a vision that simmered for years. “I had an idea about making a documentary about the road… after I saw Gianfranco Ròsi’s Sacro GRA,” he reveals. However, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a closer examination of his immediate surroundings that “North Circular” truly began to take shape. This unexpected twist rekindled Luke’s desire to tell the stories of those living along the road he calls home.

One of the documentary’s most poignant features is its eight-chapter structure, each focusing on different locales and themes. Luke explains his use of psycho-geography, emphasizing how moving through a city can reveal hidden narratives, much like reading a book where each street is a chapter. This innovative approach allows the documentary to act as a window into the diverse lives populating this area of Dublin, creating a vivid and multifaceted portrait of the community.

“There is no one story,” Luke admits, crediting his editor, John Murphy, for weaving together the intricate web of experiences. Together, they crafted a documentary that feels cohesive yet richly layered, presenting a nuanced portrait of the North Circular Road and its inhabitants.

The documentary’s visual choices—black-and-white imagery and a 4:3 aspect ratio—play a significant role in its storytelling. This aesthetic evokes a dreamlike quality and underscores the historical depth of the narratives being told. “By stripping away color,” Luke shares, “we show how the past lives in the present.” These choices honor the dignity of the subjects, presenting their stories in an intimate and significant manner.

At the heart of North Circular lies a powerful sense of community. The documentary beautifully captures the connection among the people living along this road, showcased in moments of music-making, storytelling, and shared history. This spirit resonates deeply with viewers, offering a sense of unity that transcends borders.

The documentary’s impact extends far beyond Dublin. Luke recalls moments when international audiences connected with the film’s themes. A viewer from Naples, for example, expressed gratitude for the portrayal of a chaotic yet heartwarming environment, highlighting the universal appeal of themes such as community, memory, and identity.

As the documentary reached its participants, Luke felt relief and joy upon their positive reactions. Their stories of resilience, struggle, and joy were captured authentically, fulfilling their expectations and further validating the film’s vision.

North Circular is more than a documentary; it is a love letter to Dublin’s North Circular Road and its people. Through its layered narrative, striking visuals, and heartfelt storytelling, the film invites audiences to reflect on their narratives and the spaces they inhabit, proving that even the most local stories can resonate on a universal scale.

The post “North Circular”, Interview with Director Luke McManus appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

“The Last Act” is about a film crew shooting a film, on a bus travelling continuously in the countryside outside Teheran. But as the director Payman Shahbod tells us it is also a chamber film as the sìaction of the ongoing shooting takes place alway and only inside a bus, creating an intimate and small world closed to the outside reality.

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Crystal Moselle brings her latest feature “The Black Sea“,  co-directed by the film’s star Derrick B. Harden, in competition at the 42° Torino Film Festival.

After the documentary “Wolfpack” which won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance in 2015 and her coming-of-age “Skate Kitchen“, Moselle joined forces with actor, director and rapper Derrick B. Harden for this film. 

In this unscripted feature, Harden plays Khalid, a barista who leaves Brooklyn for this dream woman he plans to meet and start a new life only to find out, once landed in Sozopol and with his passport and luggage stolen, that he was a cat-fishing victim. 

With the help of Ina, played by Bulgarian actress Irmena Chichikova, Khalid slowly finds his place in that little world  and maybe his “Bulgarian dream”. 

Harden and Moselle describe the genesis of the film, their work together on a film they developed while shooting, without a script. 

When talking about the film being about the right for everybody to dream, Derrick B. Harden agrees and adds: “This film is about dreaming and the whole project is a dream for everybody involved”. 

The post “The Black Sea”, interview with directors Crystal Moselle and Derrick B. Harden and actor Irmena Chichikova appeared first on Fred Film Radio.