TFV's Matt Micucci talks with Joseph Fahim, curator of a retrospective on the works of Japanese filmmaker Yasuzo Masumura at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Known for his rebellious spirit and promotion of individualism, Masumura's films challenged societal norms and left an indelible mark on the cinematic landscape.

Active since the late 1950s, Masumura was a true powerhouse, creating films that defy simple categorization. His stories, rooted in classic narrative structures, encompass a wide range of emotions - from anger to clarity, from pulp to sophistication. They are broad yet controlled, nihilistic yet moralistic.

However, despite his brilliance, Masumura's close affiliation with the studio system led to his marginalization by critics and curators for nearly six decades.

As we approach the 100th anniversary of Masumura's birth, KVIFF and Fahim took the lead in celebrating this extraordinary filmmaker and invited us all to rediscover his remarkable body of work.

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TFV's Matt Micucci sits down with Behrooz Karamizade, the talented director of "Empty Nets," winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

In his feature directorial debut, Karamizade fulfils his goal of telling stories about his native land, shining a spotlight on the poignant tale of Amir and Narges, two star-crossed lovers trapped by the societal constraints of modern-day Iran.

In this episode, we'll explore the captivating narrative of "Empty Nets" and embark on an intimate exploration of Karamizade's artistic journey.

(Featured photo: Pluto Film)

TFV's Matt Micucci shares his conversations with director Ernst De Greer, and actors Asta August and Herbert Nordrum, about 'The Hypnosis,' one of the highlights from the main competition of the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

This satirical gem follows the journey of André and Vera, who navigate the world of business and personal relationships, but whose life is turned upside down after Vera's hypnotherapy session takes an unexpected turn.

"The Hypnosis" garnered much critical acclaim, winning both the FIPRESCI Prize and the European Cinema Label Award, as well as Best Actor for Nordrum.

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(20:31) Creating tension and loving the struggle

(23:00) Gender roles and stereotypes

(25:10) The risk of defying the status quo

(26:02) Experiencing hypnosis

(28:38) Outro

TFV's Matt Micucci kicks off his Showcast coverage of the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic by sitting down with none other than Karel Och, its artistic director.

The Karlovy Vary Film Festival holds a special place in the hearts of film professionals and film enthusiasts worldwide and we'll delve into its rich history and significance. As we explore the 57th edition of this iconic event, we'll uncover the exciting and wide-ranging features that characterized its program.

In addition, we have the opportunity of knowing Och better by taking a fascinating journey into the birth of his own cinephilia, discovering the sparks that ignited his passion for the big screen, and the enduring connection that he has forged with the festival, including as its longstanding artistic director.

(Featured photo: KVIFF)

Matt Micucci from TFV talks with renowned music artists Stephen Horne and Martin Pyne, who hold esteemed positions in the realm of live performances accompanying silent films.

Their collaborative efforts infuse a fresh vitality into Tod Browning's evocative 1927 masterpiece, 'The Unknown,' which was screened at the esteemed Transilvania International Film Festival in 2023.

This remarkable event sparks a thought-provoking dialogue on the art of composing scores for silent cinema, tailored to resonate with modern audiences, while also revealing intriguing insights into the intricacies of performing at these immersive cinematic experiences.

Join TFV's Matt Micucci as he dives into the depth of "El Crítico," screened within the Larger Than Life section of the 2023 Transilvania International Film Festival, in a conversation with its directors Juan Zavala and Javier Morales Pérez. The film is a documentary on Carlos Boyero, one of Spanish cinema's most revered and feared critics. The conversation also touches on the state and influence of film criticism today.

(Featured photo: Warner Bros. Discovery)

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(00:00) Intro

(01:18) Meeting Juan Zavala and Javier Morales Pérez

(01:57) Who is Carlos Boyero?

(04:05) Making a documentary about Carlos Boyero

(08:44) Loving the haters

(10:18) An anti-intellectual film critic?

(14:43) The decline of film criticism

(17:22) The new generation of film critics

(19:37) The future of arthouse cinema

(21:25) The future of cinephilia

(22:58) A message to Quentin Tarantino

(23:50) Outro

TFV's Matt Micucci takes you on a journey through the 22nd edition of the Transilvania Film Festival in the charming city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, through a conversation with the festival's artistic director Mihai Chirilov. From June 9-18, the festival showcased a dynamic program celebrating the past, present and future of cinema, and testified to the rebellious spirit of the annual film event, one of the most important for the region.

(Featured image: TIFF Romania)

TFV's Matt Micucci shares a conversation about the forgotten Iranian-born filmmaker Sohrab Shahid Saless with film scholar Vivien Buchhorn, founder of the Saless Archive.

Saless was a renegade filmmaker who was also part of a cast of creatives working in the film diaspora of Germany throughout the 1970s and 1980s. While he was part of the fabled New German Cinema movement of these years, along with such revered figures as Wim Wenders, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Werner Herzog, Saless is relatively unknown today. But it is thanks to such scholars as Buchhorn and the Saless Archive that his oeuvre is once again restored and celebrated through initiatives of restoration, education, exhibition and beyond.

Indeed, the conversation was recorded to mark as special occasion: the return of a film by Saless to the Forum section of the Berlinale via a special screening of his film, 1980's "Order."

(Featured photo: Bert Schmidt)

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Eric Mika, President and Publisher of The Film Verdict, sits down with his co-host Kelly Jones at the 2023 AFCI Week in Los Angeles, California. Here, they share a conversation with Nomin-Erdene Gereltuya from one of the newest international film commissions: the Mongolian National Film Council.

Eric Mika, president and publisher of The Film Verdict, sits down with his co-host Rashid Bahati to speak with Carlota Guerrero from the Catalunya Film Commission at AFCI week about the exciting possibilities presented for filmmakers there and the initiatives for inclusion and diversity across the industry.