ScreenFish

For many, Disney animation remains the pinnacle of the art form, especially during it's peak years in the 1990s. One of the key animators during that time was Andreas Deja, a man who helped create iconic characters such as THE LION KING's Scar, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST's Gaston, Hercules and many, many more. Now, Deja has returned with his directorial debut, MUSHKA. As a love letter to the classic Disney 2D animation, MUSHKA tells the charming a young girl who becomes best friends with an infant tiger, only for complications to develop as it grows older. In this 1on1, we speak to Deja about the magic of Disney, working with Richard Sherman and whether or not we lost anything with the move to CGI animation.

Beginning a year after the original film, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE reintroduces the world to Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), New York’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. As he looks towards his future, Miles is soon reunited with his friend, Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld), when she arrives from another dimension. Together, they travel across the Multiverse and encounter the Spider Society, an inter-dimensional group of Spider-People charged with protecting the innumerable universes from anomalys. In this 1on1, we speak to supervising animator Humberto Rosa about creating the Spider-Verse, the fun of the Spot and what sets Miles apart.

Directed by David Peck & Nathanael Draper, BROKEN COURAGE is set in the heart of Cambodia and tells the story of Suon Rottana, a former teenage Khmer Rebel and soldier with the Cambodian army. Now a landmine amputee, Rottana has built a museum to remind himself and teach the next generation about the horrors of war, even if they'd like to forget. BROKEN COURAGE is a story about how trauma leaves a mark on us all and the power to heal. In this 1on1, we speak to Peck and Draper about their passion for Cambodia and fighting to heal.

Pixar's ELEMENTAL follows Ember (Leah Lewis) a fiery young woman who lives in Element City, a world where residents of fire, water, earth and air co-exist. The daughter of immigrants Cinder and Bernie (Shila Ammi and Ronnie del Carmen), Ember works hard in their family’s store and hopes to take over for her father one day. However, her life is changed when she comes into contact with Wade (Mamoudou Athie), a sappy man of water who is forced to shut down her father’s business. As they work together to solve the problem, a relationship between them begins to blossom, begging the question if fire and water can ever truly mix. In this 1on1, we speak to Ammi about the magic of Pixar, the film's portrayal of the immigrant experience and whether or not 'love conquers all'.

Directed by Anton Corbijn, the new documentary SQUARING THE CIRCLE (THE STORY OF HIPGNOSIS) follows the relationship of Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell, the two men who formed Hipgnosis, one of the most influential album art companies in history. Working together during the Rock n’ Roll Revolution of the 60s and 70s, Powell and Storm worked with some of the biggest bands in the world to create images that have stood the test of time, ranging from Wings to Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin. In this 1on1, we speak to Powell about the definition of great art, the energy of the era and our changing view of images.

In this 1on1, we speak to Jennings about burning away at stereotypes, colonialist mentalities and appreciating fire.

Disney has made a mint by bringing their animated classics to life but the quality has rarely lived up to the legacy of its original property. Now, for Disney's 100th anniversary, they swing for the fences by giving new life to one of their most popular films. But this iteration of THE LITTLE MERMAID has more to offer than a mere hit parade of Disney classic songs. This week, Seun Olowo-Ake and Chris Utley return to talk about necessary change and reclaiming voices.

Directed by Sean Claffey, the new documentary AMERICONNED highlights the struggles created by the American economy. With the death of the ‘middle class’, the gap between the top 1% continues to grow at an alarming rate, destabilizing the economy as compensation for the average American remains stagnant. One of these deeply affected workers is Chris Smalls, a former Amazon employee fighting for the rights of his fellow disaffected co-workers. AMERICONNED follows Smalls as he attempts to lead a movement to unionize Amazon staff in the hopes of bringing back some equity to those who are being left behind. In this 1on1, we speak to Claffey about the death of the American Dream, shaming in the system and what can be done to change.

CASCADE follows four friends as they venture out into the wilderness, searching for adventure. However, after they stumble across a crashed drug plane, the group are faced with a choice: notify the authorities or keep their discovery to themselves. But their decision also draws the attention of a ruthless gang that wreaks havoc on their lives. In this 1on1, we speak to star Josh Cruddas about the invincibility of youth and battling the darkness within.

LESS THAN KOSHER follows Viv (Shaina Silver-Baird), a 30-year old singer whose music career remains at a standstill. However, despite her self-proclamation that she’s a ‘bad Jew’, Viv finds herself taking a job as Cantor within her family’s synagogue. As she leads the congregation with her stunning voice, Viv attempts to reconcile her atheism with her new role in this spiritual setting. In this 1on1, we speak with Silver-Baird and her co-writer Michael Goldlist to talk about the spirituality of music and walking the line between faith and atheism.