Film Forward

Me Night is a wild, hilarious, and honest depiction of one woman's night alone. Filmmakers Lauren Knutti and Anna Salinas join us for an in-depth conversation on the heart of their film and the brilliant technical approaches to making it.  Me Night screens on Saturday, September 23rd with the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival . Tickets are available now at LADFF.com

Bubjan is a powerful documentary that chronicles an Iranian man who has been living in exile in the United States since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. He was a member of the Iranian parliament, where he dedicated his life to cultivating a progressive, modern, and free society in Iran. But the rise of the Islamic Republic eclipsed those aspirations and forced him to leave behind everything he knew...

LADFF alum Emelie Claxton returns to Film Forward to discuss her new project, Doggone. In this deep dive, Emelie talks about her writing process, the heart of her story, and pre-production, which includes her Kickstarter campaign. You can donate to Doggone's crowdfunding campaign at DoggoneShortFilm.com from now through September 15th.

Felicia Pride's work spans television, film, and podcasts. In this episode of Film Forward, she discusses how her work on shows like Grey's Anatomy and  Queen Sugar sharpened her craft and prepared her for personal projects like Look Back At It . Felicia and host Nicholas Ybarra discuss the importance of making a place for yourself in the film industry, carving your own path, and honing your true...

Joshua Coppenbarger's short film Opening Night screens this week at LADFF's 10th Anniversary Celebration.  In this episode of Film Forward , Joshua discusses his journey from sports documentaries to narrative romance. PLUS: the triumphant return of our Gimme Three segment! See Opening Night on August 17th at the Laemmle NoHo 7. Tickets are available now at LADFF.com

Films have incredible power to change lives and perspectives and evoke empathy. Sometimes, they can piss us off as well. Such is the case with one 1997 indie-darling, Chasing Amy. Twenty-six years after the film's release, a beautiful counterpart to the film is released, Chasing Chasing Amy. A documentary that examines the complex legacy of Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy (1997) on LGBTQ+ people and its...

Two years ago, we were honored to speak with Academy Award-winner Sam Pollard , a legend among editors and documentary filmmakers. He talked to Film Forward about his documentary MLK/FBI . In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we are proud to revisit our discussion about this pertinent and essential film.  In this episode, Mr. Pollard elaborates on how he and his team approached this wonderfull...

Returning guest Ryan Lacen joins us for another installment of Gimme Three. This week's theme is Female-Led Thrillers , as we celebrate the Los Angeles Premiere of Save Me From Everything , a mystery thriller starring Paige Henderson.    Ryan Lacen and Nicholas Ybarra each provide three pulse-pounding thrillers led by powerhouse performances from Zoe Kravitz, Jodie Foster, Mary Elizabeth Winstead,...

Writer, producer, and star, Jéan Elie joins the podcast to discuss his incredible series, Send Help , which can be streamed right now on allblk.tv.  Elie ( Insecure , Rap Sh!t ) discusses the journey to tell his own story and what it was like to sit in the director's chair for the first time. Jéan also highlights the birth of his own production company, Bassett House Pictures - visit their website...

Actor and Musical aficionado Max Sopkin joins the podcast for another installment of Gimme Three. Not only do we discuss some spectacular movie musicals, but we also explore the very definition of what a movie musical is.  Max and host Nicholas Ybarra tell us how these musicals changed their life trajectory, work, and friendship.  Let us know what your favorite movie musicals are!

In her debut solo special, No Bad Days, Alyssa Limperis takes the audience through a funny and relatable journey of grief, love, and strength. She blends stand-up comedy and a one-woman show to create a unique and powerful special not soon to be forgotten.  In this episode of Film Forward, Alyssa joins us to discuss her writing process, finding comedy in grief, and the intricacies of filming a sta...

It's our 100th episode!! On our 100th episode of Film Forward , we are joined by LADFF Festival Director Sonja Mereu . Together, Sonja and Nicholas preview the 2022 Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival and highlight a few of the films they are excited about.  Tickets are available for LADFF right now! Visit LADFF.com/2022fest.

Our series covering the 2022 Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival continues as we do a deep dive into the beautiful and ethereal short film, Letters To Axel.  Filmmakers Miles Adonay Lopez and Jonathan De La Torre discuss their writing process and the creative challenges of blending the real world with the dream world.  Letters To Axel screens with LADFF on Friday, August 19th, as a part of the Lov...

On this episode of Film Forward, we chat with Rae Binstock and Maria Fernanda Diez, producers of the wildly entertaining short film DIVR, which will screen at the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival on August 18th. DIVR follows three founders of an exclusive lesbian sex app, shattering the start-up world's glass ceilings, but the pressures of success have threatened the integrity of their friendsh...

Our series on 2022's Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival continues with Diliana Deltcheva and Alex Frnka , makers of the gripping short film Blue Moon . Blue Moon follows a family that unravels one evening as they struggle with the best course of care for their mother, who is in the later stages of Alzheimer's. Diliana and Alex discuss their uncomfortable but relatable subject and the importance o...

Our series highlighting the filmmakers from the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival continues with the director of the powerful short film When She Was Good.  When a young girl discovers that Santa is not real, she questions the lies told by adults and the terrible secret that she has been forced to keep. Join us at LADFF to see When She Was Good , screening Saturday, August 20th, as a part of the...

As a part of our series highlighting filmmakers from the 9th Annual Los Angeles Diversity Film : Wet Seal Cigarettes blends and bends cinematic genres to create a world where consumerism is eating individualism alive. This short film takes every opportunity to inspire the individual to be more than what they consume, whether it be their environment, media, or even the illustrious Wet Seal Cigarett...

Director and Producer Emelie Mahdavian joins Film Forward to discuss her new film, Bitterbrush . The beautiful and immersive documentary follows two friends who traverse the changes in season, as well as the changes in their lives. Emelie discusses her relationship with the fascinating subjects of the film and what it was like adapting to the conditions in rural Idaho.  Bitterbrush is screening th...

Katt Shea has directed some of the most memorable cult films of the last quarter-century, including Poison Ivy , The Rage: Carrie 2 , and Streets . In this episode of Film Forward, Katt discusses her storied career, from her start working with Roger Corman to her recent work in family films with Netflix.  We also discuss her latest film, Rescued By Ruby , a heartwarming movie available to stream n...

StoryNosh is a digital storytelling competition served in delicious bite-sized pieces. Four themes are explored throughout this initial season, each featuring a handful of stories released weekly on YouTube. The web series' Director Aysha Wax and producers/showrunners David Chiu and Daphna Shull join Film Forward to discuss their selection process and their adaptation and creative process. You can...

The HBO Documentary, ICAHN: The Restless Billionaire , explores the fascinating contradictions at the heart of the famed financier Carl Icahn . He has amassed close to 20 billion dollars over the last half-century was at the forefront of some of the most legendary business deals of our time; the film dissects his legacy and the American system that helped create it.  On this episode of Film Forwar...

2021 was a tremendous year for cinema. Not only were we treated to a beautiful array of stories, but it was also the year when we were able to return to the cinemas.  In this episode of Film Forward, our producers Sonja Mereu, Anselm Kennedy, and Nicholas Ybarra each give three of their favorite films from the year that was 2021.  Please give us a listen and let us know what your favorites from 20...

We conclude our series on All The World Is Sleeping with one of the film's stars, Kristen Gutoskie. Kristen discusses the detailed work that created her character Nell, both from a physical and emotional standpoint. In our Gimme Three segment, Kristen highlights some incredible performances that informed and inspired her work in All The World Is Sleeping.

Film Forward continues its series on the film All The World Is Sleeping. In the episode, we're joined by composer Emily Greene. Emily discusses her composition process, inspirations, and what it was like laying vocals down in her music. Emily also helps us with a special edition of Gimme Three. Listen and show her some love. And see All The World Is Sleeping on January 20th. Tickets are available...