The Oscar Project Podcast

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In today's episode, I interview Robin Wang about his film "Neither Donkey Nor Horse," a blending of historical fiction with science fiction. The film was selected as a finalist for the 2024 Student Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about how the story of Dr. Wu helped Robin become unstuck during Covid lockdown, parallels between 1910 and 2020, and the meaning behind the phrase "neither donkey nor horse."

You can check out Robin's film at the Telluride Film Festival this weekend on Saturday August 31st at 9 AM or the St. Louis International Film Festival in November.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• Persuasion by Jane Austen

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Neither Donkey Nor Horse” directed by Robin Wang
• Alien: Romulus directed by Fede Álvarez
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Edward Berger 
• The Apartment directed by Billy Wilder
• Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao
• 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days directed by Cristian Mungiu
• A Separation directed by Asghar Farhadi
• Breaking Bad
• Eat Drink Man Woman directed by Ang Lee

Follow Robin Wang on Instagram @robin_z_wang. 

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In today's episode, I interview Lu Lu about her film "Invocation," a story of dealing with life's changes based on her own personal experiences. The film was selected as a semifinalist for the 2024 Student Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the film rooted in her own experience, the importance of the Miao people in Guizhou to the development of the story, and what I think is the most practical dinner party yet recommended on The Oscar Project.

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Invocation” directed by Lu Lu
• Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 directed by Quentin Tarantino
• The Killing of the Sacred Deer directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• Raw directed by Julia Ducournau
• Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller
• Another Round directed Thomas Vinterberg
• Frances Ha directed by Noah Baumbach

Follow Lu Lu on Instagram @grooffe_llu.

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In today's episode, I interview director Dur Jamjoom about her film "Kum-Kum," a story of loss and grief built from her own personal experiences. The film was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival back in June.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the film, how her grandmother helped influence an important part of the film, and two versions of Tom Hanks coming to dinner.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Kum-Kum” directed by Wendi Tang
• The Grand Budapest Hotel directed by Wes Anderson
• Brotherhood directed by Meryam Joobeur
• The Girl with the Needle directed by Magnus von Horn
• Toy Story directed by John Lasseter
• Forrest Gump directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Scarface directed by Brian De Palma

Follow Dur on Instagram @dur_jamjoom.

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In today's episode, I interview director Wendi Tang about her film "Fishtank," a surreal story about a woman struggling to remain sober, but for some reason she can't stop vomiting goldfish. The film will be showing this August at the Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival and the HollyShorts Film Festival.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the film, the importance of close collaboration between practical and visual effects, and a very Marvel dinner party.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• Fleabag: The Scriptures by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Fishtank” directed by Wendi Tang
• Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee
• Interstellar directed by Christopher Nolan
• Soul directed by Pete Docter
• X-Men directed by Bryan Singer
• Doctor Strange directed by Scott Derrickson
• Guardians of the Galaxy directed by James Gunn

Follow the film on Instagram @fishtank.mov and Wendi @_wenditang.

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In today's episode, I interview director Rebecca King and actress/producer Nina Yndis about their film "Elsa" about a tense love triangle between a Norwegian civilian woman, her adoring neighbor and a German soldier during World War II. The film will be showing this August at the Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Listen to hear about where Rebecca and Nina got the inspiration for the story, what challenges they faced making the film, and if they worried about sharing the name of their film with a certain animated character.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
• The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding, Big and Small by Isabella Tree
• Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk and Antonia Lloyd-Jones
• Nei og atter nei by Nina Lykke (No, A Hundred Times No)
• Food for Life: The New Science of Eating Well by Tim Spector (the audio got cut off a bit when Nina mentioned this book so you won't actually hear it mentioned in the episode)

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Elsa” directed by Rebecca King
• High and Low directed by Akira Kurosawa
• Ratatouille directed by Brad Bird
• Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho
• Burning directed by Lee Chang-dong
• Cabaret directed by Bob Fosse
• Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino
• Joker directed by Todd Phillips
• Toy Story directed by John Lasseter
• Babe directed by Chris Noonan
• Frozen directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck
• Bean directed by Mel Smith
• Grease directed by Randal Kleiser

Follow the film on Instagram @womenlikeelsa. Rebecca is @rebeccajking_ and Nina is @ninayndis.

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As I gear up for a series of interviews with filmmakers featured at the 2024 HollyShorts Film Festival, I'm kicking off this coverage by bringing you a few interviews that I did with some of this year's filmmakers that I already spoke with previously on the podcast. If you like these excerpts, check out the full episodes below:

• Nazrin Choudhury, director of "Red, White and Blue"
• Courtney Dixon, director of "Depression is a Beast"
• Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, directors of "Jane Austen's Period Drama"

Be sure to check out their work at the HollyShorts Film Festival if you're in Los Angeles this August.

Check out this information about the "Red, White and Blue" impact campaign.

Rent "Red, White and Blue" today.

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In today's episode, I interview director Dana Koops about her upcoming short film “La Bibliothèque” an intimate look at a young woman dealing with grief. The film has its world premiere at ComicCon this July 28th as part of the San Diego International Children's Film Festival.

Listen to hear about how Dana's inspiration for the film, how she went about casting someone to play her brother, and a very magical dinner party.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “La Bibliothèque” directed by Dana Koops
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson
• The Quiet Girl directed by Colm Bairéad
• You've Got Mail directed by Nora Ephron
• Black Panther directed by Ryan Coogler
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever directed by Ryan Coogler
• The Artful Dodger
• Thor directed by Kenneth Branagh
• Loki Season 2
• Anne of Green Gables directed by Kevin Sullivan
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them directed by David Yates
• The Amazing Spider-Man directed by Marc Webb
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children directed by Tim Burton
• Good Omens

Follow Dana on Instagram @danakoops.

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In today's episode, I interview director Antonina Kerguelén Román about her short film “¡salsa!” a look at the world of music through the experience of someone who cannot hear. The film will be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York this June.

Listen to hear about how Antonina explored experiencing music as a physical sensation through a character who cannot hear, the decisions that went into the sound design of the film, and her own memories of visiting the coast of Columbia growing up.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• Lights Out in Wonderland by DBC Pierre
• Satanás by Mario Mendoza
• Just Kids by Patty Smith

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “¡salsa!” directed by Antonina Kerguelén Román
• Y tu mamá también directed by Alfonso Cuarón
• Memento directed by Christopher Nolan
• Tomboy directed by Céline Sciamma
• Fight Club directed by David Fincher
• Harry Potter
• Shiva Baby directed by Emma Seligman

Follow Antonina and the film on Instagram @antoninakr and @salsashortfilm.

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In today's episode, I interview director Courtney Dixon about her short documentary "Depression is a Beast," a frank look at how horror films can help people cope with anxiety and depression. The film was inspired by a New York Times article and will be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York this June.

Listen to hear about how Courtney starts exploring her documentary subjects, how actor Jenna Kanell uses her horror roles to help deal with her depression, and how Courtney uses visuals, sound, and animation to tell the story in this short film.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
• None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Depression is a Beast” directed by Courtney Dixon
• “Let Yourself Rest” directed by Courtney Dixon
• The Imposter directed by Bart Layton
• Cutie and the Boxer directed by Zachary Heinzerling
• City of God directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund
• Raiders of the Lost Ark directed by Steven Spielberg
• Free Willy directed by Simon Wincer
• Alien directed by Ridley Scott

Follow Courtney and the film on Instagram @courtneydixon and @depressionisabeast.

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In today's episode, I interview the writer/director pair of Julia Aks and  Steve Pinder about their short film "Jane Austen's Period Drama," a hilarious comedy about well, periods, set in England two centuries ago. The film played at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February and will be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York this June.

Listen to hear about how Julia and Steve collaborate on their comedy, some of the challenges they faced making the film, and  what we might be able to expect in a feature length version of this film.

Books recommended in this episode include:

• Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch
• The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• “Jane Austen's Period Drama” directed by Julia Aks and Steve Pinder
• Sense and Sensibility directed by Ang Lee
• The Lobster directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• Notting Hill directed by Roger Michell
• Moonstruck directed by Norman Jewison
• The Emperor's New Groove directed by Mark Dindal
• Possession directed by Neil LaBute
• Serial Mom directed by John Waters
• The Sound of Music directed by Robert Wise
• The Heartbreak Kid directed by Elaine May
• Thelma and Louise directed by Ridley Scott

Follow the film on Instagram @janeaustensperioddrama along with Julia @jaksicle and Steve @stevecpinder. Also check out their videos on YouTube.

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