Discover Indie Film

What are the 4Q’s?  (1) Favorite films, top 3. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Matthew Lucas came into DIF HQ to discuss his feature film “Kingle Time,” a fantastic dark comedy about what goes on behind the scenes of children’s television. “Kringle Time” came to  Film Invasion Los Angels in 2021 and...

Matthew Lucas brought his feature film “Kingle Time” to Film Invasion Los Angels in 2021 and took home two Grand Jury Awards.  This innovative, fresh film keeps the dark comedy genre alive with its take on what goes on behind the scenes of children’s television.  Needless to say, it’s a GREAT film and you watch it today.  Today! To watch “Kringle Time” on iTunes...

What are the 4Q’s?  (1) Favorite films, top 3. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Ted Knighton hopped onto Zoom to discuss his film “Cinema,” which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2021.  We had a great talk about Ted and his film, and of course I had hi...

Ted Knighton’s film “Cinema” won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2021.  I cannot get enough of this film.  You should watch it immediately so that I don’t have to struggle describing all the reasons that I love it.  But mark my words, if you watch it and want to challenge my belief that it is a love story, you...

What are the 4Q’s?  (1) Favorite films, top 3. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Paul Lindsay joined me on the DIF podcast to talk about his film “11-95,” which took home two awards at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2021.  And I’m proud to say that this film is in Season 5 Episode 4of the  Discover Indie Film TV Ser...

Paul Lindsay brought his short film “11-95” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2021 and took home two awards.  And I’m proud to say that this film is part of Season 5 of the  Discover Indie Film TV Series on Amazon Prime Video . Paul has a thriving career in the entertainment industry but still manages to make time for writing and directing his own projects.  Do I have to mention th...

What are the 4Q’s?  (1) Favorite films, top 3. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Stavit Allweis started a career in fine art and illustration, but had always been drawn toward filmmaking.  Thankfully for us she took the initiative and her film “Execution” took home the Porgrammer’s Prize for Exceptional Filmmaking...

The first time that I saw the film “Execution” by multimedia artist Stavit Allweis I was absolutely blown away.  Thoughtful yet raw, visual with comic book elements, this perfectly balanced film centers around a renegade band of females stages an execution of rapists and killers in a classroom.  At Film Invasion Los Angeles 2021, Stavit’s “Execution” took home the Pro...

Filmmaker Steven Smith has “Long Covid.”  I know Steven from his collaboration on films that have been at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival and Film Invasion Los Angeles.  He expressed to his frequent collaborator and two-time DIF podcast guest Hayden Croft that he’d like to share his Long Covid experience publicly.  When Hayden asked me about it, I had no hesitation allowing Steven...

What are the 4Q’s?  (1) Favorite films, top 3. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out. Award winning filmmaker Dylan James Amick hopped onto Zoom for a DIF interview, so of course I had him answer the 4Qs for this episode.  Dylan brought his short horror film “Clean Cut” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2022 and took home both...

Dylan James Amick brought his short horror film “Clean Cut” to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2022 and took home both the Filmmakers Award and the Audience Award for Best Short Film – Horror.  “Clean Cut” is great horror because it is great, inventive filmmaking.  And I’m proud to say that this film is part of Season 5 of the  Discover Indie Film TV Series on Amaz...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out As talented filmmakers and improvisers, Bree Helders & Lyndsey Frank wrote, directed and starred in the short film, “Bree and Lyndsey are Actors.”  At Film Invasion Los Angeles i...

Lyndsey Frank & Bree Helders wrote, directed and starred in the aptly titled, “Bree and Lyndsey are Actors.”  These two talented filmmakers and improvisers brought their film to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2021 and took home two awards, the audience Award for Best Comedy Short and uniquely they shared the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role as Co-Leads.  Almost as exc...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out Alek Lev wrote and directed the feature film “What?” and at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2021 he took home the Grand Jury Ward for Best Director – Feature Film!  “Wh...

Writer/director Alek Lev brought his feature film “What?” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2021 and took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Director – Feature Film!  “What?” also won Best Actor in a Lead Role for John Maucere and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film.  Needless to say, it’s a GREAT film and you watch it today.  Today! In fact, this podcas...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out The filmmaking team of Brian Barnes and Matthew Merenda made the award winning short film “yellow” starring a rubber duck.  At the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2021, they went home...

Brian Barnes and Matthew Merenda teamed up to make the award winning short film “yellow,” one of my favorites at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2022.  This original, hilarious, and super-smart comedy took home the award for Outstanding Performance, Inanimate Object – Rubber Duck The Actor (David Agustín – Voice). So be smart and watch “yellow” right now at this Vimeo lin...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out Guitarist, songwriter, singer and director Goldwyn Thandrayen brought his music video “I Don’t Need A Sledgehammer To Start A Fire” to FILA 2021 and won the Filmmakers Award for Outs...

Goldwyn Thandrayen is a musician and composer.  A guitarist and a singer.  And a filmmaker!  Goldwyn directs his own music videos, and the video he made for “I Don’t Need A Sledgehammer To Start A Fire” won the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Music Video at FILA 2021.  Almost as exciting is that this video is part of Season 5 of the  Discover Indie Film TV Series on Amazon Prime Video...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out The film “Achan and Ezra” came to both Sherman Oaks Film Festival and Film Invasion Los Angeles, and filmmaking team Yan Fisher (director/producer) and Omri Rose (writer/producer/act...

Omri Rose & Yan Fisher both worked in the industry for years before these friends finally collaborated on a project together.  The film that brought them together is “Achan and Ezra,” a short film that Omri wrote and acts in while Yan directs.  This smart, funny comedy is part of Season 5 of the  Discover Indie Film TV Series on Amazon Prime Video . Yan & Omri came over for an...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out Troy Christian, Tom Graves & Timothy Milos collaborated to create the feature length documentary “A Perfect Vintage,” which took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary at F...

Many years ago, filmmaker Troy Christian began a passion project; a documentary centered around winemaking in Napa Valley, California. Pulling together family and friends, Troy’s efforts resulted in “A Perfect Vintage,” a feature length documentary that took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary at Film Invasion Los Angeles 2021.  Guess what?  “A Perfect Vintage&#822...

What are the 4Q’s? Name your favorite films of all time (limit 3) Name a film you think is underrated Name a film you think is overrated Name a lesser-known film that you think people should seek out Jean Villepique brought her short film “IV-Effing” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2019 and went home with two awards, including Best Short Film – Comedy!  You should know...

You should know actress and screenwriter Jean Villepique from her appearances on such shows as A.P. Bio, Sharp Objects, The Office, Veep, and dozens more.  Jean brought her short film “IV-Effing” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2019 and went home with two awards including Best Short Film – Comedy.  This brilliant film captures a hilarious yet tender moment in many women&#821...