INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE: Oscar Inside & Indie Cinema Discussions

The New York Film Festival (NYFF) may not be the oldest film festival in the U.S., but for more than 60 years it has been one of the most influential showcases of world cinema, premiering landmark films and legendary filmmakers. From Luis Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel in 1963 to RaMell Ross’s Nickel Boys in 2024, the NYFF has consistently shaped the conversation around cinema, launched award co...

Filmmaker Oren Rudavsky takes us inside Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire, a moving portrait of one of history’s most powerful voices against injustice. The world could use Elie Wiesel right now. A voice with the moral integrity and courage to speak truth to power—no matter the cost. Whether it was challenging Ronald Reagan over his decision to visit the Bitburg Cemetery, where SS soldiers were buried, or...

New interview on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE with award-winning Oscar Nominated filmmaker Connie Field. Writer and philosopher George Santayana once said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Few filmmakers embody that lesson more powerfully than Connie Field, whose documentaries on politics, history, and social change have shaped how we understand democracy and human rights to...

Inside the Arthouse | Ben Masters on The American Southwest Documentary Thank God for nature filmmakers. Instead of waiting hours in the wild for a herd of elk, a family of beavers, or a condor soaring over the Grand Canyon—we get to experience it all through the lens of award-winning documentarian Ben Masters. In his stunning new documentary The American Southwest, Masters takes us on an unforget...

There’s a special kind of magic that happens when great actors are given the freedom to fully inhabit their characters. In A Little Prayer—the new indie drama from acclaimed writer-director Angus MacLachlan (Junebug)—that magic is front and center. Veteran stars David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) and Celia Weston (Dead Man Walking) play a longtime married couple facing the quiet struggle...

Genre in film is a way we group stories — by shared style, form, or subject. In the new film ANY DAY NOW, writer-director Eric Aronson takes the familiar framework of a heist movie and flips it on its head. Instead of leaning on nonstop action, Aronson delivers a sharp, character-driven story that leans on comedy — anchored by veteran actor Paul Guilfoyle, whose wit and depth shine in every scene....

Inside the Arthouse: The Real Log Lady — Catherine Coulson’s Untold Story 🎬 Featuring director Richard Green of I KNOW CATHERINE, THE LOG LADY For generations of Twin Peaks fans, the Log Lady became a cult icon—mysterious, wise, and unforgettable. But behind the legend was Catherine Coulson: a groundbreaking woman in film, an early female camera assistant in Hollywood, and a trusted collaborator...

You might not be familiar with Jeff Buckley’s name, but his breathtaking rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is likely etched in your memory. This cult classic has secured its spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is enshrined in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. In this episode of Inside the Arthouse, we chat with Oscar-nominated filmmaker...

REPERTORY CINEMA at The Film Forum with Programmer Bruce Goldstein At INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we love discovering bold new voices and emerging filmmakers. But there's something uniquely rewarding about revisiting a classic—whether it's an old favorite or a legendary film you've always meant to watch. And seeing these films on the big screen in a real movie theater is the way they were meant to be exp...

The war in Ukraine continues, and so does the fight to tell the truth. Oscar-winning Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov (Best Documentary Feature, 20 Days in Mariupol) returns with his urgent new film, 2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA — a harrowing and deeply human look at the 2023 battle to liberate the Ukrainian village of Andriivka from Russian forces. Using real-time body cam footage, drone cinematog...

🎧 Inside the Arthouse: Embeth Davidtz on Her Stunning Directorial Debut — Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight In this episode of Inside the Arthouse, we spotlight one of the most powerful new films of the year: DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT. Based on the bestselling memoir by Alexandra Fuller, this emotionally charged coming-of-age drama marks the directorial debut of acclaimed actress Embeth...

🏆 TATAMI – A Powerful Sports Drama | In U.S. Theaters June 2025 In a bold and timely story of defiance and human courage, TATAMI follows an Iranian judo champion who must choose between obeying her government—or fighting for her freedom on the mat. Co-directed by Academy Award® winner Guy Nattiv and acclaimed Iranian actress Zar Amir, TATAMI is the first feature film co-directed by an Israeli and...

In the powerful new indie film FAMILIAR TOUCH, award-winning actress Kathleen Chalfant (known for The Affair, Angels in America) stars as Ruth, a fiercely independent octogenarian navigating the move into a memory care facility. Her body may be relocating, but her mind travels freely—often beyond what her family can comprehend. Written and directed by Sarah Friedland, and inspired by her personal...

Step behind the curtain of indie film history in this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, as we sit down with Roger Christensen, a true insider and longtime champion of arthouse cinema. With over 40 years in the movie theater business—most notably as general manager of the legendary Sunset 5 in West Hollywood—Roger shares untold stories from the heart of the LA indie film scene. During his time at the...

🎧 Inside the Arthouse: Rachel Seed on “A Photographic Memory” – A Powerful Mother-Daughter Documentary Rooted in Photojournalism and Legacy What if the only way to know your mother was through the photographs, home movies, and audio tapes she left behind? In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we sit down with award-winning filmmaker Rachel Seed to explore her extraordinary documentary, A PHOTOG...

🎧 Inside the Arthouse: Fawzia Mirza on The Queen of My Dreams – A Bold Bollywood-Inspired Debut On this episode of Inside the Arthouse, we sit down with director Fawzia Mirza to discuss her dazzling debut feature, THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS—a vibrant, emotionally rich film that explores identity, culture, and the complex bond between mother and daughter. Starring Amrit Kaur (The Sex Lives of College...

🎬 Looking for a smart, hilarious new comedy in 2024? BAD SHABBOS is the breakout indie hit that’s taking audiences by storm! Winner of the Audience Award at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, this laugh-out-loud family comedy is drawing comparisons to classics like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Meet the Parents — with a fresh cultural twist. 💥 Critics love it! BAD SHABBOS holds a 92% Fresh rating on...

🎬 INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE: GHOST TRAIL – Spy Thriller Meets Art Film at Lincoln Center’s French Film Festival 🇫🇷 Every spring, New York’s Lincoln Center hosts Rendez-Vous with French Cinema—one of the most prestigious showcases of contemporary French film in the U.S. This year, the breakout hit was GHOST TRAIL (La Piste), a gripping and atmospheric political thriller from debut feature director Jonat...

🎬 Inside the Arthouse: NORTHERN LIGHTS — Rob Nilsson on the Cannes-Winning Indie Masterpiece, Now Restored in 4K In this special episode of Inside the Arthouse, we sit down with Rob Nilsson, co-director of the groundbreaking 1979 film NORTHERN LIGHTS—winner of the prestigious Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Hailed as “the greatest movie you will never see,” this stunning indie gem has be...

🎙️ New Episode: "Jane Austen Wrecked My Life" – A Smart, Modern Twist on Austen-Inspired Romance 💌 It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen continues to inspire some of the most beloved films of all time—from faithful adaptations like the Oscar-winning Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice, to modern classics like Clueless (inspired by Emma), and fan-favorite Austen-adjacent ti...

In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we sit down with Argentine filmmaker Iair Said — writer, director, and star of the offbeat, unforgettable comedy MOST PEOPLE DIE ON SUNDAYS. A breakout sensation from the Cannes Film Festival (ACID section), the film explores what happens not when extraordinary people die, but when ordinary people do — and how the rest of us live on in their absence. Blendin...

A new Atom Egoyan film is always a major event for arthouse audiences — and Seven Veils is no exception. In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we sit down with Oscar-nominated director Atom Egoyan to talk about his provocative and visually stunning new film SEVEN VEILS, starring Amanda Seyfried. Egoyan — the visionary behind Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter — returns with a haunting psychological...

🎬 BONJOUR TRISTESSE: A Bold New Vision from Durga Chew-Bose | Inside the Arthouse 🎥 Join us for a compelling conversation with first-time screenwriter and director Durga Chew-Bose, whose powerful debut feature film adaptation of BONJOUR TRISTESSE is turning heads across the indie film world. 📚 Originally a groundbreaking 1954 novel by Françoise Sagan, Bonjour Tristesse shocked readers with its...

Inside the Arthouse: Constance Tsang on BLUE SUN PALACE – An Immigrant Story Set in Flushing, New York Immigration in America is often discussed in headlines and policy debates—but what about the real human stories behind the journey? In this episode of Inside the Arthouse, we speak with award-winning filmmaker Constance Tsang about her powerful debut feature, BLUE SUN PALACE, a deeply moving dram...

Can Indie Film Survive in New York? Ira Deutchman on the Past, Present & Future of Arthouse Cinema | Inside the Arthouse “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.” For independent filmmakers and distributors, New York City—especially Manhattan—has long been the launchpad for arthouse film success across the U.S. But what happens when the city that once defined the indie film scene is lo...