Film Festival Radio

Today we’re joined by a powerhouse creative team — actress, producer, and longtime fan favorite Anne‑Marie Johnson , along with her husband, writer and director Martin A. Gottlieb . They’re here to talk about their new independent film THE ADDICTION OF HOPE. Anne‑Marie leads the cast and produces the film, while Martin wrote the script and serves as the director. It’s an intimate, character‑driven...

Screenwriter Billy Ray  is best-known for his work as the Oscar-nominated and critically acclaimed screenwriter behind  Captain Phillips ,  The Hunger Games , and the highly anticipated adaptation of  Sunrise on the Reaping . He has now written his first novel, BURN THE WATER, which is the first installment of an epic dystopian duology. Ray delivers a searing reimagining of Romeo and Juliet , set...

Our guest today is NY Times and USA Today best‑selling author Tui T. Sutherland , the imaginative powerhouse behind the global phenomenon Wings of Fire series, will be chatting about the latest release THE HYBRID PRINCE . This book is number 16 in the series. Tui's richly layered dragon universe world has inspired millions of young readers around the world--over 35 million readers and growing. Thi...

Filmmaker Andrew Davies Gans joins us today to talk about his new documentary Voices: The Danny Gans Story , honoring his father, the late Danny Gans—one of Las Vegas’ most iconic and beloved performers. The film, which celebrates Danny’s impact on fans and the Vegas entertainment community, is set to screen at the upcoming San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (April 25, 26, 27). The film,...

Today we’re spotlighting one of the biggest global celebrations in the world -- The Crunchyroll 10th Annual Anime Awards (May 23, 2026) live from Tokyo, Japan . This event is colossal! It brings together millions of fans from around the world together. Joining us for this special conversation are two voices who know the awards inside and out. Tim Lyu , one of the co-hosts of the pre-show event, an...

Today we’re joined by filmmakers Jeremiah and Wendy Ginsberg , the creative team behind the new feature film Mendel’s Messiah — a project that began as a hit Off‑Broadway musical and has now made the leap to the big screen. They’re here to share the story behind the film, its beloved characters, and the journey from stage to cinema. The duo shares insights on bringing their beloved stage productio...

Stanley Nelson  is the foremost chronicler of the African American experience working in nonfiction film today. His documentary films, many of which have aired on PBS. Nelson’s latest documentaries include  Sound of the Police  for ABC News Studios/Hulu, and  Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom  and  Becoming Frederick Douglass  for PBS. His previous documentary  Attica  for SHOWTIME Documentary Fi...

Guest:  Bailey Tippen, who stars as 'Sylvie' on Tyler Perry's runaway hit drama series BEAUTY IN BLACK, on Netflix. The series explores power, corruption, family betrayal, and reinvention , all set against the backdrop of a beauty‑care dynasty with deep underground ties. Beauty in Black is holding down the #1 rated show or in the top 10 of shows on Netflix around the world! TRAILER:  https://youtu...

Guest Drea Cooper chats about his latest documentary -- Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait (premiering March 30, 2026, on Prime Video). The film chronicles Rory McIlroy’s 14-year, often painful pursuit of a Masters victory to complete the career Grand Slam. The documentary features intimate interviews and highlights Rory's 2011 meltdown, years of near-misses, and the ultimate 2025 triumph, revealing h...

Jason Melton is the creator, writer and executive producer of the new docuseries ADVENTURE IN WONDER. It's currently exclusively on Wonder Project’s subscription on Prime Video in the U.S.The series follows two families from opposite worlds learning from each other: the Meltons, a Texas family who, after health scares, reprioritized what matters most, and the Woods, who've spent years sailing the...

Today we’re shining a light on a powerful new documentary that’s already sparking global conversation. It’s titled UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun — a film that goes far beyond the stage to reveal the resilience, the history, and the human stories behind one of Shen Yun, the world’s most recognized performing arts companies.  Joining us are two of the film’s key voices: Steve Lance (executi...

GUESTS are: Zoe Tyson and Louie Rinaldi. They are the stars and executive producers of the new film DADDIE'S BOI. SYNOPSIS: Ride-or-die best friends are desperately clinging to relevance in a city that worships youth—Los Angeles.  When their longtime sugar daddy dumps them on their “28th” birthday for a younger model, and debt soars to new heights, the duo dives headfirst into L.A’s unconventional...

BIRITA is a moving, deeply personal feature documentary set in the Faroe Islands, where a family of lifelong theater-makers attempts an extraordinary artistic undertaking: staging King Lear with their mother, Birita Mohr , in the title role — even as she lives with Alzheimer’s and can no longer speak. Her son is our guest, filmmaker and theater director Búi Dam. He leads the production, driven by...

Film Festival Radio is celebrating the Oscar‑winning film SINNERS with a special tribute. We’re revisiting two standout conversations from our 2025 archives — actress Wunmi Mosaku and blues legend Bobby Rush. Wunmi received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, and blues legend and Grammy winner Bobby Rush worked as an on-set consultant, performed harmonica parts for the character Delta Slim, and...

If you love classic tv, you will love our guest Award-winning actress and beloved television icon Kathy Garver  has released her latest book,  Romancing with the Stars: Inspiring Hollywood Love Stories , a heartfelt celebration of enduring romances from Hollywood’s golden eras to the present day. Blending personal insight with behind-the-scenes stories,  Romancing with the Stars explores serendipi...

Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story”  follows the whimsical life and career of iconic ‘80s accordion-playing “comedienne” Judy Tenuta. Winner of Best Indie Short at L.A. Film Fest. A mini biopic on Judy Tenuta, who became nationally known in 1987 for her first HBO comedy special “Women of the Night”, starring alongside Ellen DeGeneres, Rita Rudner, and Paula Poundstone. Judy was a two-time Grammy nomi...

The Mechanics of Borders follows a young man whose quiet, isolated life is disrupted when he’s asked to retrieve his estranged sister from the U.S. The unexpected journey through the southern U.S. becomes a backdrop for reopening old wounds. The film deals with absence, resentment, and the fragile attempt to rebuild a broken bond, from a childhood marked by absence and emotional fracture. Guests a...

We’re spotlighting one of the most talked‑about new films on the festival circuit, 9 6 Pounds of Dynamite . The documentary profiles Chad “Shorty” McDaniel, a genetically diminutive man–in stature only–who didn’t let his health condition, osteogenesis imperfecta/brittle bone disease, define him. He’s a celebrity in the billiards world. Chad has become a pool champion in the world of billiards. In...

DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT is an intimate, character‑driven drama that follows two unlikely companions who find themselves at emotional crossroads. When a burned‑out musician and a fiercely independent young woman are thrown together by circumstance, their unexpected road trip becomes a journey of healing, truth‑telling, and second chances. As they confront the “elephants” in their lives—grief, regre...

Launching on Apple TV (March 13th), “Twisted Yoga” is a three-part documentary series that follows a group of young yoga students from around the world who were drawn to the ancient practice in search of inner peace and purpose, only to fall under the influence of reclusive Romanian ‘guru’ Gregorian Bivolaru, the spiritual leader of an international network of yoga studios specializing in tantric...

Guest Daniel Roebuck chats about his new film THE HAIL MARY. T his is a heartfelt comedy-drama written and directed by veteran actor and filmmaker Daniel Roebuck. THE HAIL MARY follows a down‑on‑his‑luck former high school football star whose life has stalled far from the glory he once imagined. When an unexpected crisis forces him back to his hometown, he’s pushed into confronting old wounds, fra...

Director Joseph Zentil chats about his latest film BORN TO LOSE. A story about broken men, broken families, and whether the next generation can break the cycle," underscoring the film's blend of motorcycle culture and masculinity with intimate, emotionally resonant character work. the film delivers a raw, character-driven look at fathers, sons, trauma, and choosing one’s own destiny. The film...

This show takes us inside one of the most haunting and heartbreaking cases of the last decade — the story at the center of Hulu’s new 3-part docuseries Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese . Director Claire Titley joins us to discuss how she approached this complex, deeply emotional narrative with sensitivity, nuance, and a focus on the real young woman. We’re also honored to be joined b...

If you’ve been glued to Netflix lately, you already know the buzz — 'Finding Her Edge' is the latest hit series everyone’s talking about. It's a runaway hit! And right at the center of it is pour guest, actress Alexandra Beaton, one of the standout talents of the show, who brings depth and fire to her role as 'Elise Russo,' the eldest sister in the Russo family. Finding Her Edge is a high-stakes t...

Author/filmmaker Nicole Diamond Austin joins us with her powerful debut book, The Gospel of Caiaphas , a bold reimagining of one of the most controversial figures in biblical history - High Priest Caiaphas from the New Testament. In her first book, Austin steps into the shadows of the ancient world to explore the life, motives, and humanity of Caiaphas—the high priest often remembered only for his...