The Oscar Project Podcast

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In today's episode, I interview Aryasb Feiz, the director of the short film "Tomorrow," a story of a young boy fighting for survival in the streets of Shiraz in the 1970s. The film is currently qualified for the 97th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear a little bit about the meaning behind the title of the film, the ideas behind the development of the characters in the film, and how the team actually used the position of the sun in the film to help progress the story.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession by Irvin D. Yalom
• The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "Tomorrow" directed by Aryasb Feiz
• Princess Mononoke directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Forrest Gump directed by Robert Zemeckis
• The Empire Strikes Back directed by Irvin Kershner
• The Jungle Book directed by Wolfgang Reitherman

"Tomorrow" will be screening in L.A. in January and will continue to have a festival run throughout the winter. You can also watch it for free on YouTube.

You can follow Aryasb on Instagram @aryasb_mnm.

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In today's episode, I interview Nebojsa Slijepcevic, the director of the short film "The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent," a story of one man who decided to stand up for those being persecuted unfairly. The film is currently qualified for the 97th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the film and the true story it was based on, the importance of casting the right actors for the central characters, and the challenges of filming in the tight confines of an actual train car.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The books of Kristian Novak
• Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell
• The works of Josef Škvorecký
• The works of Milan Kundera

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent" directed by Nebojsa Slijepcevic
• Fargo (TV Series)
• Some Like it Hot directed by Billy Wilder
• The Fireman's Ball directed by Milos Forman
• Belovy directed by Viktor Kossakovsky
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Goofy cartoons
• The films of Alfred Hitchcock

"The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent" has been screening at festivals around the world and any upcoming screenings are available on the film's Facebook and Instagram pages. You can also follow Nebojsa on Instagram @neb_sli.

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In today's episode, I interview Isaac Bell, Emiliano Bolado, and Madalyn Horcher, three of the creative forces behind the short film "Over the Board," a story of two long lost brothers who connect over a shared interest in chess. Isaac stars with his twin brother Elijah (who sadly was not available to join the conversation) and the film is qualified for the 97th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the filmmakers used reflections as well as black and white imagery to show the differences between the two characters, what the film was saying about nature vs. nurture, and what it's like for Isaac and Elijah to work together as brothers on a film project.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being by Hale Dwoskin and Jack Canfield
• The Actor the Target by Declan Donnellan 
• Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkein
• Berserk by Kentaro Miura
• Rumble Fish by S. E. Hinton
• The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
• Shane by Jack Schaefer

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "Over the Board" directed by Emiliano Bolado
• Peter Pan directed by Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson
• Malcolm X directed by Spike Lee
• A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Elia Kazan
• Rebel Without a Cause directed by Nicholas Ray
• Princess Mononoke directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• Fallen Angels directed by Wong Kar-Wai
• Seven Samurai directed by Akira Kurosawa
• To Kill a Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan
• My Cousin Vinny directed by Jonathan Lynn
• Spirited Away directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• The Lion King directed by Rob Minkoff & Roger Allers
• The Breakfast Club directed by John Hughes
• The Batman directed by Matt Reeves
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• The Matrix directed by the Wachowskis
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly directed by Sergio Leone
• Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino
• Reservoir Dogs directed by Quentin Tarantino
• Shane directed by George Stevens

"Over the Board" will be part of the Stockholm City Film Festival, and you can reach out to the creators on Instagram for a private screener link to the film.

On Instagram Isaac is @isaac_be11, his brother Elijah is @elijah.bell3, Emiliano is @akira_zapata, Madalyn is @madalynhorcher95, and also follow @thebellsentertainment_.

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In today's episode, I interview Marco Pergeo, the director of the short film "Dovecote," a intimate look at one woman's preparation to leave prison. Filmed in a working women's prison in Venice and featuring actual inmates, the film stars Zoe Saldaña and is qualified for the 97th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about how Marco came to make this film with his friend an mentor Alexander Dinelaris, the planning that went into creating a film that looks like it is composed of one continuous shot, and how Marco decided to feature his wife in the lead role.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• From Under the Truck: A Memoir by Josh Brolin

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "Dovecote" directed by Marco Perego
• 8 1/2 directed by Federico Fellini
• Stalker directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
• Nostalghia directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
• A Clockwork Orange directed by Stanley Kubrick
• 2001: A Space Odyssey directed by Stanley Kubrick
• La Strada directed by Federico Fellini
• Nights of Cabiria directed by Federico Fellini
• Cinema Paradiso directed by Giuseppe Tornatore

"Dovecote" will be screening in early December in L.A. and likely following to additional film festivals in the coming months.

You can follow Marco on Instagram @pirateyadimar.

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In today's episode, I interview Akshit Kumar, the director of the short film "bonVoyage pour monVoyage," an experimental film animating Akshit's travels. The film received the bronze medal in the experimental/alternative category at the 2024 Student Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the some of the Akshit's travels, the process of turning static drawings into animated scenes, and some of Akshit's favorite places to visit around India.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Goosebumps by R. L. Stine 
• Creativity Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "bonVoyage pour monVoyage" directed by Akshit Kumar
• Little Miss Sunshine directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
• Final Destination series
• The Devil Wears Prada directed by David Frankel
• Gone Girl directed by David Fincher

"bonVoyage pour monVoyage" is screening at the International Short Film Festival on Cultural Tourism in December, and is waiting to hear back from international film festivals.

You can follow Akshit on Instagram @_aykay.k and the film @bonvoyage_pour_monvoyage.

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17 years ago today, my wife Denise and I lost our first son Jackson and it was by far the hardest thing either of us has ever been through. I asked her to come on the podcast with me to tell Jackson's story to the world and help me remember him on this very difficult day.

If you have a story related to premature birth or anything similar, please share it with us by leaving a comment on this episode. You can find out more information about Prematurity Awareness Month at marchofdimes.org.

Thank you and we love you Jackson.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
• EllRay Jakes is not a Chicken by Sally Warner and Jamie Harper

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Karate Kid directed by John G. Avildsen
• Rocky IV directed by Sylvester Stallone
• Steel Magnolias directed by Herbert Ross
• Frozen directed by Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck
• Remember the Titans directed by Boaz Yakin
• Wicked directed by Jon M. Chu

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In today's episode, I interview Neal Fischer, author of two new movie trivia books, The Rom-Com Ultimate Movie Trivia Book and the Christmas Movie Ultimate Trivia Book. He also hosts two podcasts, Triviality and Curated by Chance.

Listen to hear about what goes into creating trivia questions for books like these, a bit about Neal's experience on the FOX game show The Floor, and one of the best arguments related to Die Hard as a Christmas movie you'll ever hear.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Rom-Com Ultimate Movie Trivia Book by Neal Fischer
• Christmas Movie Ultimate Trivia Book by Neal Fischer
• Behind the Screens: Illustrated Floor Plans and Scenes from the Best TV Shows of All Time by Neal Fischer
• Being Patrick Swayze: Essential Teachings from the Master of the Mullet by Neal Fischer
• Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman
• Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Santa Clause directed by John Pasquin
• Home Alone directed by Chris Columbus
• Seinfeld
• Die Hard directed by John McTiernan
• White Christmas directed by Michael Curtiz
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra
• Meet Me in St. Louis directed by 
• Cinema Paradiso directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
• Oldboy directed by Park Chan-wook
• City of God directed by Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund
• 12 Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet
• A Few Good Men directed by Rob Reiner
• To Kill a Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan
• Ocean's 11 directed by Steven Soderbergh
• Taking of Pelham 123 directed by Joseph Sargent
• Heat and Thief directed by Michael Mann
• The Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• The Fugitive directed by Andrew Davis
• Raiders of the Lost Ark directed by Steven Spielberg
• Pretty Woman directed by Garry Marshall
• Waiting for Guffman directed by Christopher Guest

Follow Neal on Instagram @nealefischer, check out his website nealefischer.com, and pre-order his upcoming books on Mr. Beast, Steph Curry, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

You can also check out his appearance on The Floor on Hulu.

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In today's episode, I interview Aaron Johnson, the director of the short film "The 17%," a documentary about Colette Divitto, a young woman with Downs Syndrome and her successful cookie business. The film received the silver medal in the documentary category at the 2024 Student Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the some of the people that Collete employs in her business, some of the films that inspired the world of this film, and some of the biggest challenges of creating the visual world of the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Art of Living by Epictetus

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "The 17%" directed by Aaron Johnson
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower directed by Stephen Chbosky
• Good Will Hunting directed by Gus Van Sant
• Crip Camp directed by James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham
• The Peanut Butter Falcon directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
• Baby Driver directed by Edgar Wright
• The work of Denzel Washington
• Gladiator II directed by Ridley Scott

"The 17%" is waiting to hear back from multiple festivals and is eligible for the 97th Academy Awards.

You can follow Aaron on Instagram @ajhoops and the film @the17percentfilm.

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In today's episode, I interview Florian Maurice, Maxime Foltzer, and Estelle Bonnardel, the directors of the short film "Au Revoir Mon Monde," an animated film about a man in a fish costume trying to reach the woman he loves before the world ends. The film received the gold medal in the animation category at the 2024 Student Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the origin of the film in Florian's own life, some of the films that inspired the world of this film, and some of the biggest challenges of creating the visual world of the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Divine Invasion by Philip K. Dick
• 2001: a Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
• The Cursed Kings
• Préférence système by Ugo Bienvenu

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "Au Revoir Mon Monde” directed by Florian Maurice, Maxime Foltzer, and Estelle Bonnardel
• 2012 directed by Roland Emmerich
• Ready Player One directed by Steven Spielberg
• Pacific Rim directed by Guillermo del Toro
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story directed by Gareth Edwards
• Melancholia directed by Lars von Trier
• Your Name. directed by Makoto Shinkai
• Memories of Murder directed by Bong Joon-ho
• The Wickerman directed by Robin Hardy
• The Banshees of Inisherin directed by Martin McDonagh
• Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott
• Boogie Nights directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Boyz N' the Hood directed by John Singleton
• Transformers directed by Michael Bay
• The Place Beyond the Pines directed by Derek Cianfrance
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson
• Shrek directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
• Kung Fu Panda directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
• Big Trouble in Little China directed by John Carpenter
• Puss in Boots directed by Chris Matthew Miller
• Scrubs (TV show)

"Au Revoir Mon Monde" has been presented at numerous film festivals around the world this year and is in the running for the 97th Academy Awards.

You can follow the film on Instagram @au_revoir_mon_monde and follow the Florian @vaulfe, Maxime @grenade_bio, and Estelle @fat_mimi_the_third.

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In today's episode, I interview Rishabh Raj Jain, the director of the short film "A Dream Called Kushi (Happiness)," a documentary about a one young woman seeking an opportunity to escape a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh and receive education in the West. The film received the bronze medal in the documentary category at the 2024 Student Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the origin of the film in Rishabh's investigative reporting in Myanmar and Bangladesh, how refugees have to adapt their language and lifestyle to try and fit into their host country, and how Rishabh's personal connection to the story affected how he put the final film together.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Make No Law: The Sullivan Case and the First Amendment by Anthony Lewis

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "A Dream Called Kushi (Happiness)” directed by Rishabh Raj Jain
• Waltz With Bashir directed by Ari Folman
• Society of the Snow directed by J. A. Bayona
• The Settlers directed by Shimon Dotan
• The work of Rory Kennedy
• The work of Shah Rukh Khan
• The work of Riz Ahmed

"A Dream Called Kushi (Happiness)" was presented at the Tasveer Film Festival in October and is looking for other .

You can follow Rishabh on Instagram @rishabh.jain403 and follow the film @adreamcalledkhushi.

Read some of Rishabh's reporting work at the links below:

• Rohingya Women Detail Rape by Myanmar Forces
• Indian farmers mark 6 months of protest with no end in sight
• Through kids’ eyes: Virus outbreak brings sadness, fear, joy

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