Welcome to the very first episode of After the Festival, a new interview series from The Cinephile Mind about what happens to independent films after the festival premiere.

We spend so much time talking about Sundance, TIFF, Tribeca, SXSW and the films that break out there. But what happens after the reviews are published, the audiences go home and the festival ends? How does a filmmaker take a movie from that first festival screening to distribution, theaters and the next stage of its life?

For Episode 1, I’m joined by writer-director Walter Thompson-Hernández to talk about If I Go Will They Miss Me, one of my favorite films of the year.

The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year before traveling the festival circuit, earning acclaim along the way and eventually landing distribution ahead of its theatrical release this September.

Walter and I talk about what that journey has actually been like, what he has learned from watching the film with different festival audiences, the process of finding a distributor, and how it feels to finally see the movie move beyond the festival world and into theaters.

We also go deep into the film itself, including Lil Ant and Big Ant’s complicated father-son relationship, Greek mythology, Pegasus, Poseidon and Medusa, the recurring imagery of airplanes and flight, Lil Ant’s drawings, broken dreams, masculinity, grace and the way pain can pass from one generation to another.

I also talk with Walter about why this movie hit me so personally, his own unconventional path into filmmaking, and why he is absolutely a director to watch.

This is After the Festival, where the festival premiere is only the beginning of the story.

If I Go Will They Miss Me arrives in theaters this September.

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#AfterTheFestival #IfIGoWillTheyMissMe #WalterThompsonHernandez

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Episode 24 of The Cinephile Mind is here.

Miguel sits down with legendary filmmaker Martin Campbell to talk about his new comedy-mystery thriller Just Play Dead, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green.

Campbell also looks back on one of the most remarkable careers in modern action filmmaking, including GoldenEye, Casino Royale, The Mask of Zorro, and what it was like to help resurrect the James Bond franchise not once, but twice, introducing both Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig as 007.

We also talk about working with Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green, creating tension on screen, and reminisce on Bond.

Watch the full conversation now and subscribe for more filmmaker interviews, reviews, and conversations about the movies we love.

#MartinCampbell #JustPlayDead #SamuelLJackson #EvaGreen #CasinoRoyale #GoldenEye #JamesBond #007 #DanielCraig #PierceBrosnan #TheCinephileMind #FilmInterview #DirectorInterview #MoviePodcast #FilmPodcast

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TIFF 2026 is almost here! In Episode 23 of The Cinephile Mind, Miguel, Marco, and Kaitlyn preview the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and break down the movies we’re most excited to see at TIFF this year.

Kaitlyn, a Toronto local and TIFF connoisseur, joins Miguel and Marco to talk all things TIFF 2026, including our most anticipated films, potential festival discoveries, buzzy premieres, and the movies at the very top of our TIFF watchlists.

Whether you're attending the Toronto International Film Festival 2026, following the festival from home, or just looking for the most exciting upcoming movies, here are the films we're watching at TIFF 26:

🎬 Films Discussed / Our Most Anticipated TIFF 2026 Movies:

• All of a Sudden
• La Bola Negra
• Wild Horse Nine
• Elsinore
• River
• A Long Winter
• Club Kid
• La Gradiva
• The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
• Bunker
• Always La Lisa
• Fjord
• Bucking Fastard
• Love of Your Life
• The Face of Horror
• Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
• We Are All Strangers
• Alpha Gang
• Obsession
• Once Upon a Time in Harlem
• Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo
• Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
• Babies
• Hope
• Sunburn
• In the Heart of the South

What movie are YOU most excited to see at TIFF 2026? Let us know in the comments, and tell us what we missed!

Subscribe to The Cinephile Mind for more TIFF 2026 coverage, movie reviews, festival reactions, filmmaker interviews, and conversations about the movies we can't stop thinking about.

🎙️ Featuring: Miguel, Marco & Kaitlyn

#TIFF26 #TIFF2026 #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival

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In Episode 22, we review Tony, Matt Johnson’s unconventional portrait of Anthony Bourdain starring Dominic Sessa and Antonio Banderas.

Instead of delivering a traditional rise-and-fall biopic, Johnson focuses on one unfinished summer in 1976, when a nineteen-year-old Bourdain arrived in Provincetown with no reputation, no clear direction and little idea of the person he would eventually become.

We discuss the film’s refusal to flatter its subject, Dominic Sessa’s loose and wounded performance, Antonio Banderas’ scene-stealing supporting turn, and the warm, handheld style that makes Tony feel more like an unpretentious seventies hangout movie than a prestige biopic.

By resisting the urge to explain the future icon, does Tony become something even more affecting: a coming-of-age story about a difficult young man finally beginning to find his footing?

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day might be our favorite Tom Holland Spider-Man film—and possibly the best live-action Spider-Man movie since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2.

In this review, Miguel breaks down the three biggest reasons the movie works: the mature and emotionally complicated romance between Peter and MJ, Destin Daniel Cretton’s deeply character-driven direction, and Sadie Sink’s incredible performance as an antagonist whose trauma parallels Peter Parker’s own.

We also discuss Tom Holland’s strongest performance in the role, Jon Bernthal’s substantial appearance as the Punisher, Spider-Man’s emotionally meaningful confrontation with Hulk, Scorpion’s place in the story, Florence Pugh’s Black Widow, and why Brand New Day feels less like a continuation of the original trilogy and more like the beginning of an entirely new Spider-Man era.

This episode contains light spoilers involving characters and relationships, but avoids discussing the ending and the film’s biggest reveals.

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Our discussion of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey continues.

In Part 2, Miguel is joined by Nic, Jack, and Hunter for a deeper conversation about what makes The Odyssey such a remarkable achievement. We explore why Nolan's adaptation isn't defined by how faithfully it recreates Homer, but by how effectively it uncovers the timeless emotional core of the epic. Along the way, we discuss the film's breathtaking craft, standout performances from Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Samantha Morton, and why this story continues to resonate nearly three thousand years after it was first told.

Whether you've already seen the film or are eager to hear an in-depth conversation about one of the year's biggest releases, this episode dives into what makes The Odyssey both a cinematic spectacle and a deeply human story.

In this episode:

•  Why fidelity to Homer was never the point 
•  Christopher Nolan's approach to adaptation 
•  Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Samantha Morton's performances 
•  The emotional core of Odysseus' journey 
•  Final thoughts on one of the year's defining films 

⭐ Rating: 4½/5

🎬 Read the full written review:
 https://thecinephilemind.com

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Christopher Nolan returns with one of the year's biggest cinematic events.

In Episode 19, we share review of The Odyssey, discussing its ambitious storytelling, unforgettable performances, breathtaking technical achievements, and why we believe Nolan has once again crafted something truly special.

Whether you're a longtime Christopher Nolan fan or simply curious about one of the most anticipated films of the year, join us for an in-depth conversation celebrating one of cinema's most ambitious epics.

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James Gunn's new DC Universe continues with Supergirl, but did it live up to the hype?

In this spoiler discussion, Miguel and Nic break down what worked, what didn't, and why Milly Alcock delivers a genuinely capable performance despite our mixed feelings about the film itself. From the action and visuals to the screenplay, pacing, and emotional core, we discuss where Supergirl succeeds and where it ultimately falls short.

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Released on Father's Day, we're diving into some of cinema's most complicated fathers and father-child relationships.

From the raw emotional wounds of Honey Boy, to the heartbreaking memories of Aftersun, to the quiet devastation of this year's Omaha, we explore how these films portray fathers who love deeply, fail profoundly, and leave lasting impacts on the people closest to them.This video is about Video

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Steven Spielberg is back with his latest film, Disclosure Day, and to celebrate the return of one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers, Miguel and Jack from Jack in Frames each rank their Top 10 Steven Spielberg films of all time.

From Jaws and Jurassic Park to Schindler’s List, E.T., Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report and more, we dive into the films that shaped our love for movies and discuss Spielberg’s impact on blockbuster filmmaking, emotional storytelling, and modern cinema itself.

What are YOUR top Spielberg films?

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