Wunderkind, screenwriter, director Nathan Ambrosioni joins us to talk about his latest film Out of Love (Les enfants vont bien) which recently earned him a Crystal Globe award for Best Director at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Nathan is one of cinema's most promising young voices. In addition to exploring Out of Love we will touch on his remarkable journey in filmmaking. At just 25 years old, Ambrosioni has already established himself as a director with a distinctive eye for complex family dynamics and emotionally nuanced storytelling.

Nathan's latest feature is a gripping French family drama starring Camille Cottin, Juliette Armanet, and Monia Chokri. The film follows Jeanne, whose life is suddenly turned upside down when her sister Suzanne arrives unexpectedly with her two children only to disappear again, leaving Jeanne to care for kids she barely knows.

This was a fun discussion with a serious filmmaker. 

Out of Love (Les enfants vont bien) will be in French theaters December 3rd.

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Filmmaker Gözde Kural joins us to discuss her latest work "Cinema Jazireh".  It is her second feature set and shot in Afghanistan. It depicts the journey and struggles of a young mother attempting to track down her missing son. Moving solo as a woman in a world controlled by the Taliban is not an option so she dresses as a man. At the same time we are introduced to a young man who was groomed as a boy to act as a woman. The contrasting and intersecting stories raise hard questions about culture. The film explores longing, hope and the roles we are forced to take on as a result of social pressure. We will examine the amazingly well formed characters depicted and get into the themes of her work as well as touch on some of the challenges of filming in Afghanistan.

In our chat, Gözde reveals the same passion that comes through in her films and we learn some interesting news about a case currently making its way through the Turkish justice system where a colleague of hers is facing politically motivated charges. She arrived for our interview after having spent the day in court supporting her friend, and we appreciate that she was able to switch gears and talk about her film and plans for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Here's a link to the trailer for: "Cinema Jazireh"

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Director João Rosas joins us to talk about his work with a focus on his feature debut “The Luminous Life”. It's a beautiful exploration of youth that evolved in a very particular way from three of his earlier shorts. We’ll dive into those connections, examine the role of Lisbon in his movies and explore the current climate for filmmaking in Portugal.

We will also take a few moments to discuss his documentary “Death Of A City”. It is a very personal film that chronicles the demolition of a building and the men doing the work. It is a layered analysis of the exploitation of individuals and a city.

Perhaps most interestingly, we will get into the particular role that film festivals play as gatekeepers at the same time as we discuss João’s work as a festival jury member and the challenges that come with that responsibility.

During our chat João mentioned the American reviews of “The Luminous Life” you can find them here:  Variety  Hollywood Reporter

If you enjoy Stream Close Up…like, share, rate, jada jada jada….

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Winner of the Crystal Globe for Best Director at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Lithuanian filmmaker Vytautas Katkus joins us to talk about his feature debut “The Visitor” (Svečias).

Here’s what the Jury had to say about his film. 

“In his feature debut, Vytautas Katkus truly exploits the creative freedom that a director perhaps only ever properly enjoys with their first film, displaying an uncompromised, idiosyncratic vision that is both dazzlingly precise in its detail and dreamily peculiar as whole.”

“The Visitor” evolved from his earlier short films ”Community Gardens” and “Cherries” which touched on some similar themes. We will talk about that evolution and his experience on the film festival circuit among other topics.

"The Visitor" follows Danielius, a 30-year-old new father who returns from Norway to Lithuania to sell his father's apartment, exploring themes of homecoming, displacement, and the complex emotions that arise when familiar places feel foreign. This Lithuanian production serves as a cinematic meditation on solitude, marking a significant milestone in Katkus's career transition from cinematographer to director.

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Czech director Ondřej Provazník stops by for his Stream Close Up. His film Broken Voices recently premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it was nominated for a Crystal Globe award.

Loosely based on a true events, Broken Voices is a nuanced story about an elite girls’ choir and how a young woman must navigate the competitive nature of her peers and manage the advances of a controlling and less than honorable choirmaster. Featuring amazing debut performances, the film provides a fresh take on an all too familiar subject.

Ondřej joins us as part of our continued coverage of the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. We'll discuss his somewhat unique approach to tackling this sensitive subject and hear about his source of inspiration for making the film.

Also worth noting, since we recorded this, Kateřina Falbrová who has the lead role in the film received a special mention from the festival jury for her debut performance.

Here's the link to the song that we discussed: Sbirka Zvadlejch Ruzi https://open.spotify.com/track/63RXRPKS1HnF63iPe5eeq5?si=6fe125edf7e045a6

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Director Nina Knag joins us to talk about her feature debut Don’t Call Me Mama which is about to have its world premier at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

We’ll talk about how Nina has explored some similar themes in earlier works and have an interesting discussion about deliberate choices regarding what was left out of the film. We’ll also get into the impact and importance of having Norway's first certified intimacy coordinator on the project.

A drama about forbidden love, Don’t Call Me Mama confronts its protagonists with a moral test while provocatively exploring how hypocrisy can masquerade as generosity.

Note: Since we recorded this, Pia Tjelta, who has the lead role in the film, was awarded the Crystal Globe as best actress for her portrayal of Eva.

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We are kicking off this season with a look at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. We will be putting particular focus on the main competition category, The Crystal Globe.

In this episode Brian meets documentary filmmaker Dmytro Hreshko . His latest work Divia is a dark and beautiful exploration of the impact of the Russian invasion on nature in Ukraine. Scored by Grammy award winning composer Sam Slater, this film is filled with drama and scenes of horrible destruction as well as magical regeneration.

Dmytro is currently serving in the Ukrainian armed forces and used his small window of daily free time to speak with us about his film and his current service. He has some interesting observations on transitioning from telling his own stories to working on a collective mission.

And here is a link to the Sam Slater album, I Don't Wish To Be Known As A Vandal that Dymtro was looking for but never found:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1y6k3rkIQncY41rJNuzf0m?si=8njIwKQqSBuSCDFvdySH6Q

This is the first in a series of episodes that will focus on filmmakers competing for the Crystal Globe at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

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Director Lisa Ohlin joins Brian to discuss her career including her experience at NYU Film School and her journey in film and TV. They cover Lisa's work from feature films Vernada för en Tenor and Simon and the Oaks (Simon och Ekarna) to the latest instalment of the long running and much beloved Beck franchise Beck 45 - 58 Minuter.

Among other topics, they explore Lisa's successful approach to working with performers such as Krister Henriksson and Liv Mjönes and how her work as a writer supports her in her role as director.

Titles covered:

• Beck 45 - 58 Minuter
• Sthlm Requiem
• Veranda för en tenor / Waiting for a Tenor
• Sex, Hopp & Kärlek / Sex Hope and Love
• Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks

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Producer Mikael Cross (Alex, Vitt Skräp, Bröderna Salazar....) joins Brian to discuss his career and 

what's required to take a TV show or film from idea to reality. He also shares a scary story of life imitating art in the most serious manner.

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