TFV Network

Listen to our Showcast conversation with showrunners Gabija Siurbytė and Wiktor Piątkowski from the 2024 Meeting Poing Vilnius. In the latest instalment of the Showcast, recorded live from the 2024 edition of Meeting Point Vilnius in Lithuania, TFV's Matt Micucci engages in a dynamic discussion with Gabija Siurbytė from Lithuania and Wiktor Piątkowski from Poland. The focal point of their conversation is showrunning, delving into the intricacies of overseeing the writing and production of television series episodes. They also delve into the unique aspects of series storytelling and what draws them to this craft. Throughout the podcast episode, Siurbyte and Piatkowski share insights of the projects that they are currently developing and pivotal moments from their journeys in the industry. They reflect on whether the current period signifies a golden age of series filmmaking in the region and candidly discuss their triumphs and challenges along the way. (Featured photo: Bartosz Frątczak/Monika Szałek)

In the latest episode of Showcast, recorded live at the 2024 Meeting Point Vilnius in Lithuania, TFV's Matt Micucci engages in a compelling conversation with Greta Grinevičiūtė, the lead actress of the acclaimed and award-winning Lithuanian film "Slow," directed by Marija Kavtaradze. This cinematic gem defies stereotypes by beautifully portraying intimacy and closeness in a relationship, while also offering a rare and sincere depiction of asexuality on screen. Greta delves into the film's themes and her profound connection to the story and character, intertwining her insights with her passion and expertise in contemporary dance. Beyond discussing the movie, the conversation broadens to encompass various topics, including Greta's journey, her unique approach to acting, and some of the sources of her inspiration. (Featured photo: Totem Films)

In the latest episode of the showcast, we shine a light on the upcoming edition of the Stockfish Film & Industry Festival, as we sit down for a remote conversation with its Artistic Director Hrönn Kristinsdóttir. This year will mark the landmark 10th edition of this fast-growing film festival, which will be taking place in Reykjavík, Iceland, on April 4-14, 2024. Kristinsdóttir joins us to talk about the history and mission statement of this annual event, as well as how it has evolved over the years. In addition, we discuss some of the highlight films of its program, industry events and notable guests attending Stockfish this year. (Featured image: Stockfish Film & Industry Festival.)

In the latest episode of the Showcast, recorded live from the 2024 Meeting Point Vilnius, part of the Vilnius International Film Festival in Lithuania, TFV's Matt Micucci sits down for a conversation with Amanda Blumenthal, a trailblazer of intimacy coordination within the audiovisual industry. Blumenthal, founder of the Intimacy Professionals Association, leads the charge in creating safer environments on set for performers involved in scenes of nudity, simulated sex or other intimate content. She assists directors in realizing their creative vision, while also addressing legal considerations and other crucial aspects. This role is relatively new in the audiovisual industry and Blumenthal shares her expertise, as she discusses its defining characteristics and the factors driving its emergence. Furthermore, she delves into her journey, from her background as a sext and relationship coach for private clients to her advocacy work on sexuality, highlighting the growing significance of intimacy coordination in today's evolving media landscape. (Featured photo: Amanda Blumenthal)

TFV's Matt Micucci returns with the second Showcast episode from the 2024 edition of Meeting Point Vilnius, the audiovisual industry event taking place within the context of the Vilnius International Film Festival in Lithuania. This episode features an insightful conversation with renowned Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Zwiefka, who attended a special presentation of Wika!, her documentary portrait of an 85-year-old star DJ from Warsaw. Matt also takes this opportunity to ask her about her latest documentary, Silent Trees, which unveils the story of a Kurdish refugee girl stranded in a no-man's land between Belarus and Poland, and that recently premiered in CPH:DOX. Throughout this conversation, we delve into Zwiefka's journey, from her transition from investigative journalism to documentary filmmaking, and she shares insights into the essence of her craft, emphasizing the necessity of a touch of madness and an abundance of courage. (Photo credit: Agnieszka Zwiefka)

TFV's Matt Micucci kicks off his Showcast coverage of the 2024 edition of Meeting Point Vilnius, the annual audiovisual industry event taking place within the context of the Vilnius International Film Festival in Lithuania. In the first episode from this event, we shine a light on the current state of the Lithuanian animation industry and its growing status at an international level by exploring some of its diversity, represented by Agnė Adomėne, Founder of Art Shot, and Dovydas Vilkelis, CEO of Animatrix. Art Shot is an animation production company focused on the development and international co-production of artistic animated films, including DK and Hugh Welchman's latest feature, The Peasants. Animatrix is a studio dedicated to creating high-quality animation and visual effects for the advertising, entertainment and game industries. Inevitably, the sit-down conversation also touches on a hot topic of recent times: the disruption caused by AI technologies and how they could be helpful or harmful to the animation industry. (Featured photo: New Europe Film Sales.)

In this latest episode of the Showcast, TFV's Matt Micucci delves into the program of this year's edition of Visions du Réel, one of the world's most important festivals of nonfiction films. This year, the festival is set to take place in Nyon, Switzerland, on April 12-21. In this episode, Matt is joined by the festival's Artistic Director Emilie Bujés, who shares with us some of the highlights from its program's offerings and details about its industry section. She also takes time to share with us some details about the history of Visions du Réel and its mission statement. (Featured image: Hélas/Visions du Réel)

In this episode of the Showcast, TFV's Matt Micucci spotlights another gem from the Panorama Dokumente section of the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival. The focus turns to a vibrant documentary on the trailblazing Peaches, known for her daring blend of electronic music, pop and hip-hop, and her fearless exploration of sexuality and societal norms that have captivated audiences worldwide.

Teaches of Peaches not only chronicles her recent anniversary tour celebrating her seminal album of the same name, originally released in 2000, but also weaves together recent footage with a wealth of archive material for a truly immersive experience, fit for anyone ranging from diehard Peaches aficionados to anyone who has not yet been introduced to her.

Joining Matt for a discussion of Teaches of Peaches are its directors, Philipp Fussenegger and Judy Landkammer, whose documentary received a Teddy Award and came third in the Audience Awards standings for this year's Panorama section of the Berlinale. (Featured photo: Avanti Media Fiction)

Today's episode of the Showcast features TFV's Matt Micucci sharing a conversation about one of the highlights from the Panorama Dokumente section of the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival. The film is titled "I'm Not Everything I Want to Be" and focuses on the life and work of little-known Czech photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková.

From the aftermath of the Prague Spring of 1968 through the 1970s and 1980s, Jarcovjáková prolifically documented her own life through endless series of still photographs, which are woven into a narrative throughline, aided by her own diary entries, which she narrates throughout the film.

We talk about this powerful fusion of autobiography and cinematic expression with the film's director, Klára Tasovská, and its producer, Lukáš Kokeš, shortly after premiering their work at the Berlinale.

(Featured photo: ©Libuše Jarcovjáková)

In our latest Showcast conversation, TFV's Matt Micucci speaks with Loïc Tanson, director of what has been defined as Luxemburg's first western movie, "The Last Ashes." The film is a modern Western set in Luxembourg from the early to mid-1800s and tells the story of a woman who returns to her native village under a new identity, looking for revenge against those who harmed her and her family. In our conversation, we discuss this visionary feature directorial debut but also find out about Tanson's journey, from his early cinephile memories to his formative experiences, working as a film critic and film editor.

In speaking about "The Last Ashes," Tanson also talks about balancing genre conventions and universally resonant themes while drawing on the history and folklore of Luxembourg. We discuss the movie's visual prowess, including the cinematography and sound design, and Sophie Mousel's lead performance. Additionally, he shares his thoughts on the current state of Luxembourg's film industry and whether he believes Luxembourg is a cinephile country.

(Featured photo: Samsa Film)