While in Toronto to promote the release of Dream Eater, writer/director/stars Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm, and Alex Lee Williams joined us to talk about their Lovecraftian found footage horror film.

In this interview, they discuss the film’s influences — from The Blair Witch Project to Unsolved Mysteries — and share how the project was picked up for distribution by Eli Roth’s The Horror Section.

00:00 Introduction
00:24 Where did the idea for Dream Eater come from?
01:46 Was Dream Eater Always Intended as a Found Footage Film?
03:46 How Dream Eater Was Influenced by Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project
05:11 Alex Lee Williams on Why He and Mallory Drumm Acted in the Film
05:49 The Lovecraftian Inspiration for Dream Eater
06:57 Unresolved Mysteries and the Sleepwalker Killing
07:44 How Eli Roth Picked up the Distribution for Dream Eater
09:23 The Growing Influence of Social Media on Film Promotion
10:38 Conclusions

Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

The horror-comedy Scared Shitless arrives on VOD September 2, 2025, ahead of its U.S. release on October 3. During a special Fan Expo Canada screening, we spoke with writer/producer Brandon Cohen, director Vivieno Caldinelli, and Kids in the Hall’s Mark McKinney about bringing this outrageous film to life.

00:00 Titles

00:13 Introduction

00:54 Brandon Cohen on Writing the Original Short for Scared Shitless

01:37 Vivieno Caldinelli on Getting Hired to Direct Scared Shitless

03:10 Vivieno Caldinelli on Collaborating with Steven Kostanski

03:59 The Casting of Scared Shitless

04:42 Mark McKinney Invited to Join the Interview

04:56 Mark McKinney on the Character He Plays in Scared Shitless

05:31 The Influences on Scared Shitless

06:50 The Practical Effects of Scared Shitless

07:23 Will There Be a Sequel to Scared Shitless?

08:11 Concluding Notes

The Jury Experience: Million-Dollar Murder or Web of Lies?

We spoke with artist Ben Maruo (Elysium, Chappie, The Hobbit Trilogy) at Fan Expo Canada 2025 about his sci-fi graphic novel series Huxley.

00:00 Titles

00:23 Introduction

01:29 Interview with Ben Maruo.

Candlelight: The Best of Bollywood on Strings

We spoke via Zoom with animator Seth Scriver (Asphalt Watches) and his half-brother and co-director Peter Scriver about their hybrid animated family documentary ENDLESS COOKIE, now playing.

00:00 Introduction

00:26 Seth and Peter Scriver on the Genesis of Endless Cookie

03:59 The Decade-Long Development of Endless Cookie After Asphalt Watches

07:36 Coming Up with the On-Screen Depictions of the Family

09:31 How Seth Scriver Settled on the Title of Endless Cookie

11:18 What’s Next for Seth Scriver?

12:34 Conclusions

The Jury Experience: Million-Dollar Murder or Web of Lies?

With Queen of the Ring now playing in select Canadian theatres, we sat down over Zoom with co-writer and director Ash Avildsen to talk about his passion for professional wrestling and how he came to direct a biopic about the legendary Mildred Burke.

Candlelight Jazz: A Charlie Brown Christmas ft Thompson Egbo-Egbo

In this exclusive interview, Writer/Director Anne Marie Fleming and star Keira Jang sit down with Sean Kelly on Movies to discuss their latest film, Can I Get a Witness?. They delve into the film’s themes, the creative process behind its unique storytelling, and Keira’s experience bringing her character to life.

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Ann Marie Fleming on the Inspiration Behind Can I Get a Witness?

03:48 Keira Jang on Her Character’s Arc in Can I Get a Witness?

04:54 Ann Marie Fleming on Teenagers Being the Leads

07:53 Ann Marie Fleming on Sandra Oh Being the Ideal Version of a Mother

09:34 Keira Jang on the Mother-Daughter Relationship Between Kiah and Ellie

10:31 The Incorporation of Animation in Can I Get a Witness?

11:36 The Darker Undertones of Can I Get a Witness?

12:48 Keira Jang on Her Character’s Reaction to Witnessing Death

14:12 Concluding Notes on Toxic Plants

15:15 Closing Bumper

Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

In this exclusive interview, Atom Egoyan dives deep into the dark heart of “Seven Veils” and reveals the inspiration behind this powerful film. Learn more about his creative process and the themes of Salome in this fascinating discussion.

TW: This interview contains a discussion of sexual violence, both as part of the opera Salome and within the plot of Seven Veils.

SEVEN VEILS opens in theatres on March 7, 2025.

00:00 Patreon Promo Bumper

00:30 Introduction

00:50 Atom Egoyan on Making a Film Based Around the Opera Salome

03:34 Atom Egoyan on How Working with Amanda Seyfried Was Different on Seven Veils Than Chloe 15 Years Ago

05:32 Salome as “The First Biblical Sex Crime”

07:31 Themes of Sexual Violence in Seven Veils

09:14 Does Atom Egoyan Hope Seven Veils Opens People Up to Opera?

10:09 Closing Bumper

Candlelight Jazz: A Charlie Brown Christmas ft Thompson Egbo-Egbo

Get ready to be shocked by what Lloyd Kaufman has to say about the new Troma film #ShakespearesShitstorm in this exclusive interview recorded virtually during the 2020 Fantasia Film Festival! Tune in to hear all the juicy details about his latest release, streaming on January 15, 2025 on Troma Now.

A.I. Voiceover created using ElevenLabs.

“Big Horns Intro” by Audionautix
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Artist: Audionautix

“Hero In Peril” by Audionautix
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Artist: Audionautix

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Candlelight: Tribute to A.R. Rahman

I was joined live on stage at Toronto’s historic Horseshoe Tavern to speak with the Trailer Park Boys of Bubbles (Mike Smith), Julian (John Paul Tremblay), and Ricky (Robb Wells), who were joined by the perpetually shirtless roadie Randy (Patrick Roach). The topic of conversation was the 25th anniversary of Trailer Park Boys and the release of their new film STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY, which opened on December 6, 2024.

Candlelight: Tribute to A.R. Rahman

Karl R. Hearne and Dale Dickey shed light on the dark side of elder revenge in THE G. Check out this exclusive interview from the Fantasia Film Festival 2024. The film is now playing across Canada, distributed by Level Film.

00:00 Introduction
00:28 Karl R. Hearne on a Creating a Revenge Film About Elder Abuse
01:11 The Relationship Between Ann and Emma
02:29 Real Life Inspiration of Court-Ordered Guardianship
03:37 Ann Revisiting Her Criminal Past
05:24 The Relationships That Develop in the Film
07:27 The Most Challenging Aspect of Making The G
09:28 Concluding with Buffalo

Candlelight: Christmas Special Featuring “The Nutcracker” & More