Autum is always a reflective time. The long forever of summer slowly slips away. The sun can’t stay up till 9PM forever, even if sometimes we might want it to. The blinding greens of spring have held out as long as they could, now turn orange, yellow, brown.

And yet there’s something reassuring about this turn. Knowing that we can start to slow down, and that the slowing is something we can count on. Things pass, and that they need to pass, for next spring to come.

You can say that also applies to our lives and our deaths, but as humans, that’s a hard thing to accept. Loss is permanent. When we lose someone close to us, it rewires us. We must fight through it and persist, even if we are different on the other side of grief. That’s probably why after thousands of years, grief is still so ripe a subject for drama.

This month we look at three films that deal with losing loved ones. Whether that’s people who were our whole world, or people with whom we had deeply complicated relationships.

As always, these projects were helped by Film Independent’s 501(c)3 nonprofit status to obtain institutional grants and tax-deductible donations via Fiscal Sponsorship. Learn how it works in the short video below or in this full-length Fiscal Sponsorship Q&A.

Learn more about this month’s films—Morning, Something About the Tide, and Spite —and how to support them below.

Morning

Project type: Fiction Short

Project status: Development

Writer/Director: Ryan T. Lipscomb

Producers: Jamari Perry, Corlandos Scott

About the project: At the repast following his father’s funeral, Noah Butler grapples with the complex nature of his grief, and familial bonds, after the surprise arrival of his estranged uncle.

To learn more about Morning and how to support the project, click here.

Meet the filmmaker:  Ryan T. Lipscomb is a writer and director from Atlanta, Georgia and a graduate of Howard University and The University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. Ryan has developed projects for HBO, John Legend’s Get Lifted, and is currently in development on Jerry, a feature film based on the true-life Jerry Joseph basketball scandal. Ryan has also worked in television on Damon Lindelof’s Watchmen for HBO, Ryan Murphy’s Impeachment: American Crime Story for FX, Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof’s Mrs. Davis for Peacock, and Kenya Barris’s upcoming series based on the life of Richard Pryor.

Something About the Tide

Project type: Fiction Feature

Project status: Development

Director: Desdemona Chiang

Producers: Ashley Song, Julia Morizawa

About the project: When a misanthropic addict in recovery finds out her dying mother gave up a previous child for adoption, she must prove her self-worth by fulfilling her mother’s final wish—track down the other child and bring him home before it’s too late.

To learn more about Something About the Tide and how to support the project, click here.

Meet the filmmaker:  Desdemona Chiang (she/her) is a Taiwan-born American director and writer based in Seattle, WA and Ashland, OR. She has over 20 years of experience directing in American regional theatre and writes stories about unique intergenerational immigrant experiences. Her TV pilot Zhizha! was developed as part of Film Independent’s Episodic Lab in February 2024.

Julia Morizawa (she/her) is a writer/producer/actor with over 20 years of experience in film, television, new media, theater, and fiction podcasting. Her current project, Dragonfly (animated short film), premiered at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in May 2023 and was awarded Best Animation at the Maryland Int’l Film Festival and Best AAPI-Directed Film at the Phoenix Film Festival in 2024.

Spite

Project type: Fiction Feature

Project status: Post-Production

Writer/Director: Carolynn Cecilia

Producer: Desirée Abeyta

About the project: When social worker Johanna returns to her childhood home after the death of her estranged mother she must confront the abuse she experienced as a child, battling a force within the house that thinks Joanna is still a child in need of discipline.

To learn more about Spite and how to support the project, click here.

Meet the filmmaker:  Carolynn is an award-winning Writer and Director based in New York City. Known for her bold approach to filmmaking and her commitment to pushing boundaries, Carolynn thrives on taking creative risks. She was commissioned by the legendary David Bowie to write a social media series interpreting Bowie’s final studio album, Blackstar, which won the David Lynch award at the Austin Arthouse Film Festival.

Being a Film Independent Member has its benefits. One of our favorites is the incredible screenings you can attend as part of our Film Independent Presents program. You get to see the hottest new Indies before they hit theaters and then get to watch the creators behind the film break down the process afterwards. Entertainment and education all in one place. Enter-cation, Edu-tainment, something like that. But if you did happen to miss these incredible screenings, we have you covered. Over on our YouTube page, we have the Q&As of some of our best screenings. You can watch the film on your own, then watch our Q&A, and imagine how cool it would be to be a member.

Here are just a few of the most recent Q&As from our Film Independent Presents screenings.

Zoe Kravitz stopped by to talk about her harrowing and hilarious Blink Twice with Rotten Tomaoto’s Awards Editor Jacqueline Coley. She talks about writing and directing her first film, Blink Twice staring Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum. The discussion ranges from getting actors to act like they’re acting, to how the fight for power always has winners and losers.

I’ve got to say, I’ve always been a fan of Jeremy Saulnier’s style of action-thriller. They’re tight, they’re mean, and they have something to say. And his new one, Rebel Ridge does not disappoint on any of those points. In this Q&A, the Wrap’s Drew Taylor talks action with writer/director Jeremy Saulnier and actors Aaron Pierre and AnnaSophia Robb about their new Netflix film. They talk everything from pre-vis for action scenes, to James Cromwell’s love of MMA, to how the film was inspired by the injustice of Civil Asset Forfeiture.

Daughers is a beautiful film. The craftspersonship is impeccable and the story is powerful and timely. I personally cried at least twice watching this film. The film follows four young girls as they prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C., jail. Film critic Amy Nicholson speaks with Natalie Rae and Angela Patton, the Co-Directors of the new Netflix documentary, as well as Chad Morris, a fatherhood coach featured in the film.

Who said LA was superficial? Skincare does an amazing job of delving into the dark side of the beauty industry that keeps Hollywood power players looking like glowing gods, asks how long they can keep it up, and at what cost. Film Independent’s Rachel Bleemer talks all things Skincare with writer/director Austin Peters, producer Jonathan Schwartz, composer Fatima Al Qadiri and editor Laura Zempel.

There are even more Q&As on our YouTube Channel.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.

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Nothing could be more LA than a weekend at the fabulous Forum; the celebrities court-side, the drama(s), and all those players doing it for the love of the game. No we’re not talking about the Winning Time Showtime Lakers, we’re talking the 2024 Film Independent Forum. We’re set for another jampacked year, filled with screenings, panels, workshops, one-on-one meetings and networking receptions. And all of that is jammed into two action packed days. Get your passes right here, right now.

The official schedule can be found here—but we can guarantee another great year of wide-ranging and inclusive conversation about the winning strategies for the art and business of independent film. With panels and networking events like Industry Connect, we’ll help you find the right teammates and creative juices needed to sustain a long-term career in the filmmaking arena.

“This year’s Forum will explore our evolving industry through a wider perspective, where the definitions of fiction and nonfiction, big screen and small screen, and domestic and international are being redefined,” Maria Raquel Bozzi, Film Independent’s Senior Director of Education and International Initiatives, said. “We are thrilled to see such a large number of our international filmmakers converge and mingle with the many local filmmakers we have served through the life of the Forum, bringing to fruition our vision for a true global filmmaking community.”

It all goes down Friday and Saturday, September 27 – 28, 2024. Let’s see what the gameplan is this year:

Keynote by Hiro Murai

What: Always inspiring and informative, Film Independent Forum keynotes have included presentations and conversations with some of Hollywood’s top movers, shakers and creatives. Past speakers include Jordan Peele, Dee Rees, Jason Blum, Ted Sarandos, Ava DuVernay, Joey Soloway and others. Looking for a good place to start? We recommend last year’s passionate conversation with Justin Simien.

Who: Hiro Murai is a director/producer known for his directing work on Atlanta, The Bear, Station Eleven, Mr & Mrs Smith (2024), and a multitude of music videos as well as being a producer on The Choe Show, The Bear, Atlanta, and others. He won a Film Independent Spirit Award and an Emmy for his work on The Bear.

Where: Saturday, September 28 at 11:45 am. Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

Opening Night Screening: ‘Will & Harper’ Screening & Q&A

What: When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship and transition. Directed by Josh Greenbaum.

Who: Josh Greenbaum directed his narrative feature debut Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar (2021) written by and starring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids). His feature documentariesThe Short Game (2013) and Becoming Bond (2017) both won the Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival and are distributed by Netfilx and Hulu.

Where: Friday, September 27 at 7:30pm. Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

The New Wave Actors Roundtable

What: The New Wave actors roundtable will showcase a diverse group of talented voices who have broken into the industry and continue to deliver standout performances.

Who: Tati Gabrielle (You, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat), James Ian (The Allnighter, Pugsley), Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez, Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie), Richa Moorjani (Fargo, Never Have I Ever), and Lisa Yamada (Little Fires Everywhere, Cruel Summer) will be participating. Moderated by SAGindie Executive Director Darrien Michele Gipson, these actors, selected by Film Independent, SAGindie, and Easterseals Disability Services, will discuss how they continue pushing boundaries and fighting for more authentic and inclusive representation onscreen.

Where: Friday, September 27 at 4:45pm. Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

Closing Night Screening: 10-Year Anniversary of ‘The Babadook’ with Q&A

What: The Babadook (2014) screened at Sundance Film Festival in January 2014 to critical and audience acclaim, and has won over 50 international and domestic awards, including the Australian Director’s Guild award for Best Director, the Australian Academy Award (AACTA) for Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Best Film, and the New York Critics Circle Awards for Best First Feature.

Who: Jennifer Kent is an award winning Australian actress and director, known for The Nightingale(2018), The Babadook (2014) and Monster (2005). 

Where: Saturday, September 28 at 7:30pm. Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

The Forum kicks off at the DGA on Friday, September 27 with our popular Industry Connect networking sessions beginning at 2:30 pm, followed by an Opening Night reception beginning at 6:00pm.

This year’s Forum will also include exciting panels. Launching at the Forum with the panel ‘Shifting the Narrative on Climate’ is The Climate Entertainment Initiative. This new partnership between Film Independent and Plot Shift Media offers grants and educational opportunities for independent artists seeking to explore a just and equitable climate future – and the pathways to get there – through innovative storytelling.

Confirmed 2024 Fi Forum panelists (with more continuing to be added) and speakers include:

Steven Adams (Founder, Alta Global Media)

Carmiel Banasky (Writer, Undone)

Albert Berger (Producer, Election, Little Miss Sunshine)

Josh Braun (President, Submarine)

Moses Bwayo (Director, Bobi Wine: the People’s President)

Wendy Calhoun (Writer/Producer: Justified, Prodigal Son)

Daniel Cardone (Film Independent)

Milan Chakraborty (Head of Film, Marginal MediaWorks)

Tati Gabrielle (Actor, You, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat)

Darrien Michele Gipson (Executive Director, SAGindie)

Set Hernandez (Director, Unseen)

Christine Hsu (Agent, CAA)

Maegan Houang (Writer, Shogun The Sympathizer)

James Ian (Actor, The Allnighter, Pugsley)

Chris Kaye (Producer, Thelma)

Jennifer Kent (Writer/Director, The Babadook, The Nightingale)

Jamie Lai (VP, Scripted TV for CJ ENM America and Studio Dragon Global)

Angela Lee (Film Independent)

Mayan Lopez (Actor, Lopez vs. Lopez, Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie)

Josh Margolin (Director, Thelma)

Richa Moorjani (Actor, Fargo, Never Have I Ever)

Hiro Murai (Director, The Bear, Atlanta)

Kate Oliva (Good Energy)

Nina Parikh (Mississippi Film Office)

Jeremy Podeswa (Director, 3 Body Problem, Game of Thrones)

Diane Quon (Producer, Unseen, Minding the Gap)

Amr Salama (Creator, Paranormal)

Myriam Sassine (Producer, Costa Brava Lebanon)

Cathy Schulman (Producer, Crash, The Idea of You)

McKenna Stephens (Maria Farinha Filmes)

Avril Speaks (Producer, African America, Jinn)

Tre Wesley (Video Producer, IMDb)

Zoe Worth (Producer, Thelma)

Lisa Yamada (Actor, Little Fires Everywhere, Cruel Summer)

Ron Yerxa (Producer, Election, Little Miss Sunshine)

The 2024 Film Independent Forum is supported by Premier Partners Directors Guild of America, IMDbPro and SAGindie and Supporting Sponsors Mississippi Film Office and Plot Shift Media. Easterseals Disability Services is the Accessibility Partner. Getty Images is the Official Photographer. eTech Rentals is the Official Technology Rental Provider.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here. Your donation–and impact–will be doubled through our Board Members and Friends Matching Challenge, available through Friday, September 15.

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Summer’s over. Looks like it’s time to get back to work. And by work, we mean some serious movie watching. Luckily September doesn’t disappoint. We have everything from the highly-anticipated Megaopolis, the self-funded opus from Francis Ford Coppola, to the star-studded Netflix affair His Three Daughters, to the return of the king of tight, gnarly thrillers, Jeremy Saulnier, with his new one, Rebel Ridge. Oh, and a doc about psychics from a Fast-Track alum, with Lana Wilson’s Look Into My Eyes. Looks like the fall is shaping up to be quite the movie season. Now get out there and start watching!

Why We’re Excited: Yet another selection in this month’s Film Independent Presents series, writer-director Schimberg’s latest offering is a black comedy/psychological thriller starring Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Hulu series Pam & Tommy) as aspiring actor Edward, who suffers from neurofibromatosis and undergoes surgery to transform his appearance. But the transformation soon unravels into a nightmare when he becomes fixated with an actor with the same medical condition who plays him in a stage production. Film Independent Members can join the filmmakers for a screening and Q&A on September 11^th. The producing team includes Film Independent Member, producer Christine Vachon.

 

 

BOOGER

Why We’re Excited: A Fellow in this year’s Screenwriting Lab program, writer-director Dauterman’s feature directorial debut is a body horror comedy that members can check out at a screening and in-person Q&A with the filmmakers on September 10^th. After Anna (Glowicki) is bitten by her runaway cat Booger, she begins to experience unusual physical transformations whilst she grieves for the death of her best friend. Premiering last year at the Fantasia International Film Festival, the film’s large contingent of Film Independent members on the project includes: writer-director Mary Dauterman, Executive Producers Tiffany Boyle, Tim Headington, Preston Lee, Theresa Steele Page, Elsa Ramo, and Producer Lexi Tannenholtz.

 

 

MY FIRST FILM

Why We’re Excited: Part of this month’s Film Independent Presents screenings, writer-director Anger’s feature debut is a semi-autobiographical film following Vita (Young), who recounts the tumultuous experience shooting her first film some 15 years ago. That film follows Vita, a young woman who leaves home after she finds out that she is pregnant. The drama will be available to stream on Mubi after premiering this spring at CPH: DOX. One of the producers, Riel Roch Decter, is a member of Film Independent. Check back later for the Q&A with Anger, which will be moderated by Film Independent’s very own Kate Mason.

 

 

REBEL RIDGE

Why We’re Excited: 2015’s John Cassavetes Award contender for the crime thriller Blue Ruin, Saulnier wrote, produced, directed, and edited this action thriller, which was filmed in Louisiana. Terry (Pierre) tries to post bail for his cousin in a small town to keep him out of harm’s way. But when his life savings is seized by law enforcement, he is forced to confront local police chief Burnne (Johnson) and take matters into his own hands. Film Independent member Anish Savjani is one of the producers on the project. Look out for the post-screening Q&A with director Jeremy Saulnier.

 

 

OMNI LOOP

Why We’re Excited: Spirit Award winner Best Supporting Performance for FX series The Bear, Edebiri stars in writer-director Britto’s sci-fi which premiered this spring at SXSW. Quantum physicist Zoya (Parker, of Weeds fame) suddenly finds herself in a time loop with only one week left to live. And oh yes, she’s also got a black hole growing out of her chest! What none of the doctors know is the fact that she has already lived through this week over and over again, until one day, when she meets a gifted student, Paula (Edebiri), who may be able to help her out of this quandary. This is the second project premiering this month that counts Film Independent Member Christine Vachon as one of its producers.

 

 

SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY  

Why We’re Excited: So much has been written about legendary 85-year-old director Coppola’s first feature in 10 years long before its release this month, including the director self-financing its production to the tune of $120 million and the recent snafu over one of its trailers. But after 300 rewrites (!) and 40 years of prep, shooting began in Atlanta in 2022 for the epic sci-fi that draws parallels between the fall of the Roman Empire and the future of this country. After metropolis New Rome falls into disrepair following an accident, futuristic architect Cesar Catilina (Robert Altman Award winner for Marriage Story, Driver)—who has the ability to stop time—tries to rebuild the city even as he battles against his nemesis, Cicero (Spirit Award alum, Esposito), the arch-conservative mayor of New Rome.

 

 

LOOK INTO MY EYES

Why We’re Excited: Directed by Fast Track alum Lana Wilson (Miss Americana, The Departure), this documentary follows a group of psychics in New York City in their intimate readings, revealing a host of issues such as loneliness and healing. Some of the clients we see on-screen include a nurse who wants to know more about a deceased patient from decades ago and a woman who is curious about her own financial prospects. Film Independent Members on the project include: Ben Cotner, Co-Executive Producer; Ruth Ann Harnisch, Executive Producer; and casting director Damian Bao.

 

 

MY OLD ASS

Why We’re Excited: “I feel like I’d be happier at 40,” so says 18-year-old Elliott (Stella) to her future self at 39 years old, played by Spirit Awards alum and host of the 35^th Film Independent Spirit Awards, Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Emily the Criminal). Writer-director Megan Park’s coming-of-age dramedy follows the duo as Elliott’s “old ass” gives her younger self advice about various pitfalls to avoid throughout her own life, causing the younger Elliott to rethink everything she knows about life. The Amazon MGM Studios film premiered at Sundance earlier this year and was shot in Ontario, Canada. Film Independent Members are invited to a screening followed by an in-person Q&A with Park and Stella this Saturday.

 

 

*PROGRAMMER’S PICK* HIS THREE DAUGHTERS

From Jenn Wilson, Film Independent Senior Programmer: Film Independent Spirit Awards alum for Best Screenplay for his 2018 film The Lovers, writer-director Jacobs’ film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Part of the Film Independent Presents screening series, this bittersweet and often funny story follows an elderly patriarch and the three grown daughters who come to be with him in his final days. Katie (Carrie Coon) is a controlling Brooklyn mother dealing with a wayward teenage daughter; free-spirited Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) is a different kind of mom, separated from her offspring for the first time; and Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) is a sports-betting stoner who has never left her father’s apartment — much to the chagrin of her half-sisters, who share a different mother and worldview.

KEY

Film Independent Fellow or Member

Film Independent Presents Screening, Q&A

Microbudget

Filmmaker or Lead Characters of Color

Film Independent Spirit Award Winner or Nominee

Female Filmmaker

LGBT Filmmaker or Lead LGBT Characters

First-time Filmmaker

(Header: My Old Ass)

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.

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Our ongoing Member Lens feature spotlights current Film Independent Members to see how they got started, where they are now and what being part of Film Independent means to them. This month: producer Diane Becker.

***

Film Independent Member Diane Becker has always had non-fiction in her blood. The Academy Award winning producer of Navalny started off going to school for photojournalism, ended up working for big news networks, but couldn’t help but think that going into film was what she needed to do.

After graduating from AFI, she was exposed to the world of documentary filmmaking, and found that it was a collision of two worlds she loved. Now she has produced films like King Coal, Stutz, the Netflix docuseries The Program: Cons Cults and Kidnapping, and  Blink, which is premiering this fall for National Geographic.

We spoke with her earlier this month about the high-highs and low-lows of making a movie without a script.

 Hi, Diane. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.

I want to start with your background. Where are you from and what were a few of the things that drew you to film in the first place?

I am originally from Massachusetts. I grew up between Worcester and Boston. I’m from a small town in New England and dreaming of a film career is not really the thing you do, but I fell in love with watching movies and the power of cinema when I was a kid.

I think Star Wars was the first live action film I ever saw. I was completely blown away by the storytelling – and Carrie Fisher. Seeing films gave me access to exploring worlds and emotions that were so outside the realm of how I grew up, and I was obsessed with seeing them – and talking about them.  I went to RIT for undergrad in Rochester, New York, and I studied photography and photojournalism, but I used to hang out with all the film kids at the cage. I spent alot of my free time helping them and I knew I wanted to work in film one day, but didn’t understand totally what that meant.

After college I spent ten years in New York and I worked for a number of media companies.  I worked at ABC television at the beginning of the emergence of AOL and the internet and basically earned a graduate degree designing websites and digital press kits. My time at ABC also gave me an inside look into the entertainment world a little bit. One of my closest friends that I worked there was Eugene Hernandez, who started IndieWire with a handful of our friends and we all used to go to Sundance every year and created a kind of school newsletter in the early days reporting on the festival. I loved seeing new filmmakers careers launch and would be so inspired dreaming that someday maybe I’d figure it out. It’ s so wild that now he is the Festival Director at Sundance – it’s such a full circle moment.

And then in 2001, two weeks before 9/11, I left New York City and I moved to LA. I moved because I knew I was working really hard. And I thought, well, if I’m going to work this hard, I should try to do what I really want to do with my life, which is make movies.

I just figured if I came to L.A., I would figure it out somehow. But then 9/11 happened, and through a series of  missteps and redirections, I decided that grad school might be useful for me in gaining direct experience and contacts. I decided to study producing at AFI. and I graduated during the time of the last writers’ strike, which made trying to get an independent film career off the ground very difficult.

It was  a really hard time and  I got a job running the production office for a documentary film director who was moving back to the States. I had no idea that job would change the trajectory of my career and my life in many ways. But making Sergio was an incredible experience and opportunity which began a decade long collaboration with director Greg Barker, and his producers John Battsek (Ventureland) and Julie Goldman (Motto Pictures) who are two of the most prolific producers working in the documentary space today. They all taught me so much but that experience cemented my lifelong mantra for my career: “it’s the people, and the project”  The film ultimately premiered at Sundance and was shortlisted for an Oscar.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, to me it’s all storytellings – we just approach it from different angles and points of view. I have always wanted to work in both mediums. I have produced a couple of scripted films, but I have had so much creative opportunity making amazing films in the documentary world. I realized my background is in photojournalism And documentary filmmaking is basically modern-day  photojournalism,  so it’s not a surprise that I, in many ways, stuck around and have made most of my career in the documentary space.

It seems like you always had kind of an interest in the nonfiction world and like telling true stories. And then you found that documentary was like the avenue to do that. That worked for you.

Yeah, it kind of collided. Both of these worlds that I loved.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I wanted to ask you, what is it about producing documentaries that you enjoy, and on the flip side, what are some of the struggles of that?

The joy and the struggle are kind of sometimes one in the same, right? I think for me, what I love most about producing in the documentary space is that  it’s a very challenging but intensely creative job. There is no script. You are in a constant state of pivoting, and in a constant state of having to adjust your expectations, or think outside the box, or stretch money further than you think you will.

You think you’re following a story in one direction and suddenly it goes wildly off course in another. So no two days are ever the same. I actually really enjoy that. It’s also  the super challenging part of it too, right? It can be incredibly exhausting to have to be in a constant state of flux when your brain trying to think outside the box.

Making films is hard enough even when you have a budget, a schedule, a deadline, and a clear sense of direction. What we do is difficult regardless. Having those constant variables can be super challenging or invigorating – depending on the day.

That’s true. I have a background as an editor. With the documentary stuff that I’ve worked on, the show goes in one direction, and then you get notes, or something changes with the people you’re following, and then you basically have to rebuild the thing from scratch.

And it’s madness. But that’s also part of the fun. It’s such gift to tell these stories about real things that are happening in the world, about people that are living on the planet, it’s very gratifying and inspiring to be part of that. Storytelling changes the world. It does.

Having the opportunity to either observe people, or work with people, or meet those kinds of people who are really trying to make change in the world is, I think, really one of the most gratifying things for sure.

Yeah, exactly. I’m really excited to see Hollywoodgate. Can you tell me about the struggles of doing something in Afghanistan with the Taliban and the complications of that.

Director Ibrahim Nash’at worked with so few resources and so little connection to the outside world when he was filming. He negotiated the access for himself and put his life at risk every time he would embed with them.  It was a very small footprint, little  communication, and him just bearing witness with his camera, getting that access and getting out safely. The struggle with doing films like this is keeping the director and anyone else on the team safe when you don’t have alot of safeguards. Every situation is different and it’s a constant reassessment of what’s possible and what’s best not only for the film but also for the mental and physical safety of the crew.

When did you first become aware of Film Independent, and what interested you about Film Independent when you first joined?

Oh, my God, I don’t even remember when I first joined. It’s been almost 20 years I would imagine. I knew about Film Independent  when I was in New York and working at IndieWire and it’s sort of, the minute you’re interested in independent film in any way, shape or form, you know about Film Independent, period.

Like if you’re someone who is remotely serious about the work and the industry. I’ve, for whatever reason, I’ve always known about Film Independent.

It’s an institiution.

Yeah, it’s totally an institution. And, you know, it’s also an organization that supports upcoming filmmakers and the development of talent across mulitple disciplines, and all of that. And so being part of that community, and the kind of programs that you run is absolutely vital.

What is your favorite part about being a member?

I think for me, it’s getting the opportunity to meet people that work in the industry and people that want to work in the industry. You go to some of these events and you get to interact with young filmmakers who kind of remind me of a younger version of me, many are at some point dreaming about working in the film industry in some way, shape or form or maybe not understanding how to do that.

Sometimes the only way to figure out how to do that is to be around other people who are doing it, and it’s just hearing the stories of how people come to their careers. Demystifying it and understanding that everyone’s path is unique to them and their goals.

I think is really inspiring because no two stories are ever the same.

I know, and that’s one of the things that I love about doing these interviews. I get to talk to a lot of people and get hear so many of those stories. So thank you for taking the time and I really enjoyed it.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.

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Wayne’s World is a film that needs no introduction, but will get one anyways. As the maiden voyage for Paramount’s 30-year relationship with Lorne Michaels, we witnessed a beloved yet unidimensional Saturday Night Live sketch adapt into one of the highest grossing films of its decade and solidify it’s legacy as a cultural and comedic juggernaut. Multiple generations have laughed, cried, and hurled, time and time again, for over three decades. But after three decades of anything, change can be scary. That is, unless you have Zoe Lister-Jones and Film Independent sitting in the driver’s seat of that sky blue AMC Pacer with flames on the side. Then it’s not scary at all. It’s party time. It’s excellent.

On Tuesday June 11th, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts filled to the brim as five hundred people (many in costume) flocked to have the same collective question answered; how exactly does one breathe new life into a thirty year old classic? Before the night was over, the answer was resoundingly evident. But we’re not there yet, so in the words of Wayne Campbell, let me bring you up to speed.

As fans trickled in and found their seats, murmurs and whispers and contagious anticipation swelled throughout the auditorium. There wasn’t an empty seat in the house and the excitement in the room was palpable. Some audience members flew nearly 2,000 miles to attend (and some coming from Eagle Rock and Highland Park just felt like they were traveling 2,000 miles). Some were overheard remarking that they’ve never quite felt an energy like this before. And they were right – there was something special coursing through the Wallis that evening. When the lights went down, the room was treated to an absolute shred fest from a supergroup of queer rockers featuring Miya Folick, Amelia Randall Meath (Sylvan Esso), and Claud. Hundreds of people losing their minds was a sight (and sound) to behold. But that was only the beginning.

After a warm and enlivening intro from Film Independent Director of Programming and Events Rachel Bleemer and Acting Chief Artistic Officer for the Wallis Coy Middlebrook, what followed could only be described as magical. Our fearless leader for the evening Zoe Lister-Jones – in full Garth Algar attire – came out to uproarious applause, a noise that only intensified more and more as she brought out performers Sophia Bush, Abbi Jacobson, Poppy Liu, Sherry Cola, Nicole Byer, Meatball, Nori Reed, Robby Hoffman, Kate Moennig, and Dylan Mulvaney. The chemistry emanating from Abbi and Zoe (Wayne and Garth, respectively) was absolutely incredible. Every mannerism was spot-on and their tone was pitch-perfect – it was so very clear how much love they had for these fictional Illinoisan slackers. There are too many remarkable moments to list, but a standout was the bus-directions monologue (originally delivered by the late and legendary Chris Farley) lovingly commandeered by comedy-titan Nicole Byer, who completely made it her own in the funniest way possible.

Sometimes change isn’t bad, but rather interesting. For instance, if anyone walked into the Wallis that evening hoping to see scenes depicted exactly how they were on screen or hear actors deliver lines verbatim from the film, they would be left waiting, because in some key instances that was not how it went down. No, this audience had the unique pleasure of hearing lines read from the actual shooting script, directly from the studio. In some cases, whole scenes and full pages of dialogue were unrecognizable from the finished film, allowing us a window into what could’ve been and almost was. One of the best scenes in the original film, when Wayne and Garth dish out some obvious product placement, featured entirely different products and completely alternate lines. When Wayne and Garth lounge on the hood of the Mirthmobile watching airplanes go by and professing attraction to Bugs Bunny in a dress, what mere moviegoers wouldn’t know is that right before that line, the shooting script contains an entire monologue laying out Wayne’s personal philosophy about living life like Bugs Bunny, with plenty of carrots and a hole in the ground. Now, that monologue may not fit perfectly into the flow of the film, but it’s existence is a riveting view into the filmmaking process, giving everyone in attendance a rare glimpse at writers Mike Meyers, Bonnie Turner, and Terry Turner showing their math. Most likely, this script draft has never been read by anyone outside of Paramount Pictures or Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video, and hearing it come to life with a new cast was astonishing and oddly emotional.

The original film culminates in a raucous and passionate performance of Wayne’s love interest Cassandra Wong belting out “Ballroom Blitz.” It’s a perfect way to send us out of the film, but perfect can be improved on and Zoe Lister-Jones knows exactly how to do it. In the final scene of the Live Read, the band hit us with the familiar opening riffs of “Ballroom Blitz,” but nobody began singing. At this moment, Lister-Jones stood up and grabbed the microphone. Was she about to sing the song? Can she sing? Well, the audience never found out, as she screamed into the microphone, “ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one and only, Tia Carrere!” Unfortunately, the building didn’t make it, as the roof was torn to absolute shreds. Grown adults shrieked and made noises that should be illegal, as their childhood and adulthood crush gave a mind-bendingly extraordinary performance. That original scene was filmed in the summer of 1991, and the only explanation here is that Carrere continued to practice the song every day for the past 33 years, because what she did on stage was nothing short of transcendent. We are truly not worthy.

As the cast bowed, waved goodbye, and exited stage, it was clear the audience seemed unsure of what to do next. Were we all expected to just walk back into our normal lives pretending like everything was ok and normal? It wasn’t! How do we come down from this? The evening was a beautiful gift, wrapped up in pink paper with a red bow on it. But not like a gun rack.

There are many people to thank for such an unforgettable evening, but special thanks go out to the Wallis, HFPA, and the Film Independent Programming and Events team (namely, Rachel Bleemer, Kate Mason, Terry Chi, Rebecca Cavaleri, Jen Wilson, Matilda Nunez, Hannah Panlov, and Film Independent President Josh Welsh).

Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program supports a huge variety of projects. While many are based here in the US, the program is truly an international affair. This month we look at three films that examine the culture, politics and people of Latin America. Jaripeo looks at the hypermasculine cowboy culture of rural Mexico through a queer lens. Jaltäña explores the inner life and desires of a “Wrestling Cholita” in the city above the clouds, El Alto, Bolivia. Finally, How to Get Away with Greenwashing investigates the dark underbelly of the most successful eco-tourist destination in Chile.

As always, these projects were helped by Film Independent’s 501(c)3 nonprofit status to obtain institutional grants and tax-deductible donations via Fiscal Sponsorship. Learn how it works in the short video below or in this full-length Fiscal Sponsorship Q&A

Learn more about this month’s films—Jaripeo, Jaltäña and How to Get Away with Greenwashing—and how to support them below.

Jaripeo

Project type: Nonfiction Feature

Project status: Production

Director: Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig

Producer: Sarah Strunin, Victoria Gutiérrez Fernández

About the project: At the rural rodeos in Michoacán, México, a hypermasculine tradition is rife with hidden queer encounters. Guided by director Efraín Mojica, Jaripeo follows two rancheros as they navigate desire, machismo, and mass migration from one rodeo season to the next.

Meet the filmmaker:  To learn more about Jaripeo and how to support the project, click here. Efraín Mojica (they/them) is a photographer, filmmaker and multi-disciplinary artist from Michoacán. Their work has shown in galleries around the world including in Berlin, Barcelona, Seattle and Mexico City. Rebecca Zweig (she/her) is an award-winning poet, journalist, and literary translator based in Mexico City. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Nation, and Revista Nexos, among others.

Jaltäña

Project type: Fiction Short

Project status: Post Production

Writer/Director: Cristhian Barron

Executive Producer: Denys Sanjinés Rodriguez

Producer: Mariana Sandoval

About the project: The sensational “Wrestling Cholitas” is a sweaty, no holds barred battle (involving hair pulling, choke holds, flips, and body slams) that showcases indigenous female wrestlers from El Alto, La Paz.

Casilda and Santusa, are daughter and mother and are part of a wrestling group. Casilda, a young and imaginative “cholita,” dreams of pursuing a career as a professional fashion designer abroad. She secretly plans to leave behind the wrestling life, bringing her baby along with her. However, Santusa dismisses Casilda’s passion for fashion as nothing more than a whimsical daydream.

Meet the filmmaker:  To learn more about Jaltäña and how to support the project, click here.

How to Get Away With Greenwashing

Project type: Nonfiction Feature

Project status: Production

Writer/Director: Samuel Pigott, Benjamin Espinoza

About the project: A ragtag team of journalists, scientists and filmmakers visit a famed for-profit nature reserve in southern Chile, uncovering a shocking pattern of laboral and environmental abuse within the reserve. Despite ever worsening acts of wrongdoing, the reserve continues to receive awards and praise from respected organizations.

Meet the filmmaker:  To learn more about How to Get Away with Greenwashing and how to support the project, click here. Samuel Pigott is a biologist and co-director from rural Indiana whose work examines democratic and just forms of conservation. As a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and graduate of Earlham College, Sam has studied a variety of conservation models in as many as 12 countries around the world. Benjamin Espinoza is a seasoned Chilean political scientist and economist, is driven by a passion for social justice and human rights. His international experience encompasses work in Chile, the U.S., and Europe, notably with refugees and research on economic crimes during Pinochet’s dictatorship.

To learn more about Fiscal Sponsorship, including its benefits and eligibility requirements, visit our website. See which projects are currently being supported via our Sponsored Projects page.

Film Independent Artist Development promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To support our work with a donation, please click here. Become a Member of Film Independent here.

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You’ve got the idea. You’ve got the drive. You’ve got the script. Now what?

We all know the long, meandering road you have to take to turn an idea into a film. Of course, no two paths are alike. It’s a combination of using your experiences, contacts and a little being in the right place at the right time.

But for writer/director Billy Luther, it was all about getting going deep with his script Frybread Face and Me and making it a project other people couldn’t wait to make. And that all started at the Film Independent Screenwriting Labs­­– now accepting submissions.

You took Frybread Face And Me into the Film Independent Screenwriting Lab. Can you describe what that experience was like? And how it changed through working in the lab?

I submitted the project in 2019. This was probably my 20^th draft, and I submitted it because Film Independent has always been a part of my film life. I came to LA as a Project Involve Fellow and stayed in LA because I just started doing some more projects and working and, my past work had been in documentaries Frybread Face And Me was the first narrative project that I wrote and directed. But, yeah, I went in with the script. I submitted it and had a hope that it would get selected.

I had four other fellows in the lab, and it really was the shaping of the story and characters that really helped let me think about things that I maybe overlooked in the process of writing.

You can sometimes overlook certain parts of storytelling and character and dialog and what I really loved about working on the screenwriting aspect was having the lab advisors and having one on ones with them.

I got to work with Ruth Atkinson, who was incredible with story and making you think outside the box and applying a real-world thinking into storytelling.

And those are the workshops that I loved. Those days that we spent with Ruth diving deep into the places that were sometimes difficult or sensitive or traumatic to writers and artists.

So that was really revealing, not just for the other fellows, lives and stories, but for myself, internally, I really took a deep dive into the story. And I think that’s what helped so much. With what the story is now on screen, I had to dive deep into my past, because the story is loosely based on my life. I don’t know if it was something that I was aware of, when I was not wanting to dive deeper into these things.

But I had this ‘Ah-ha’ moment when I was in the labs of ‘I can go there. I can go deep,’ because I could always pull back. So that was a really wonderful reveal.

The whole process of the labs was understanding the artist deeper, rather than just, ’Hey, let’s just make a funnier film or more dramatic film’. And it was really diving deep into all of our projects, which was so revealing. We had to be vulnerable. And that’s what I really loved about it.

I really enjoyed the film. I love the grandmother character played by Sarah Natani. She was incredible. She spoke in Navajo the whole time, and I loved that sometimes you would give subtitles and sometimes you didn’t, like when you were in the perspective of Benny, where he didn’t quite understand what she was getting at, but her face and her expressions and her intonation, gave you so much. Can you tell me about finding her.

I made my first documentary Miss Navajo in 2007, and that was one of the also the project that was out in fast track at Film Independent. It was a documentary based on the Miss Navajo Nation beauty pageant, and I followed one young woman as she was completing that year.

We stayed with her before the pageant, go into her life and visiting her grandmother. And Sarah was her grandmother. We went a few times, but it didn’t make it into the film.

When I wrote this character, I thought of my grandmother. My grandmother did not speak English, and it was that language barrier that brought us closer for me, coming from the city and coming into the reservation speaking only English and vice versa.

So I really wanted to find that a grandmother like the grandmother I had in my head, my own grandmother. It was difficult because there were actors coming in that were very actor-y and I just I didn’t want her to act. I just wanted to be in her world. The silence is just so much more dramatic and visual.

So, I met with, Sarah. I live in L.A., so I went down to New Mexico to meet with her and discuss the project. And, she had never acted before. She’s been a weaver her entire life. It worked beautifully. It was almost like it was meant to be. I do feel it was meant to be.

What was great about working with her was, she didn’t have lines in the script. I would just tell her every scene like ‘This is what happens, this is what’s going on in the scene. This is what happened before,’ and she would go with it.

Then I would say, ‘Hey, say something in Navajo that you would respond to this, and she would say that. So she started to get the hang of it and she started interacting and listening to the actors.Not in every scene, but every now and then, she would say something wonderful in Navajo, and it was perfect.

It was putting her in these situations that were really fun and reminded me of my grandmother. For example, when the kids were watching Star Man for Benny’s first time and she’s sitting there on the couch saying, ‘This movie makes no sense,’ that was an experience that I had with my grandmother when we watched movies! Those are moments that I think that were really incredible with Sarah.

She’s going to be in the upcoming Netflix Rez Ball movie. So she got an acting gig right after Frybread. So, yeah, she’s amazing. And I did a short documentary on her, on how weaving and her life this past summer. So I’m editing right now.

I will look out for that when that comes out. That’s exciting. You started out in doc. Tell me about why you transitioned into narrative and what you think you brought over from one to the other?

I went to film school to write and direct narrative films, but I came to L.A. in early 2000 and it was difficult to be a first-time director to go in and say, ‘Hey, this is the film.’

So, I just had this idea that was Miss Navajo, the documentary. My mother was Miss Navajo in the 60s, so the story has been around my life growing up.

So I borrowed a camera, and I was like, ‘I’m going to make this a documentary, because I can just borrow a camera and go and shoot’. So that’s what I did. It was an easier, cheaper way for me to make a film.

Then after that, I started working in documentaries, one after the other. I love them, but I always wanted to go back to writing. I burn out at a point because documentaries, they take years, and you have to really follow a subject. To survive on a documentarian budget,I mean, it’s difficult.

I just had this idea for the Frybread story. When I was shooting this web series for PBS, I would take time and write. And then I go back and start filming again and go back and write. It was great because I just was able get everything that I wanted to get out on paper with the first draft of the story. It gave me that foundation.

I did it, even though it wasn’t the greatest thing to share. But it just felt good.

I started writing, and I just didn’t stop. I knew I wanted to tell this story. So that was my journey back into writing.

But documentary came into play when I was on set with Frybread because the majority of my actors were non-actors or first-time actors. Especially Grandmother, being in her world, like I said before, we’re telling the camera, ‘Let’s shoot her like we’re in her world. Let’s don’t worry about her hitting her marks. Let’s just be with her.’

And then whenever she was on set with other actors, everybody just felt that she was their grandmother. Also, when I was working with the kids, I was like, ‘You guys are free to be as fluid as you want to on set.

My camera department and I really had this discussion of just being in these worlds. Especially since we’re in this vast landscape outdoors, we really wanted to give these kids and a lot of the actors, this freedom. Except for when we were in these limited spaces, like the kitchen and the trailer. Working with these first-time actors, I just felt like you’re working in a documentary.

After you left the labs, how did you go from it being this finished written piece, to going into production and like lining up funding.

The Screenwriting Labs happened, and then we submitted to the Film Independent Directing Labs with the script that we had. It was selected for the Directing Labs, but it was the pandemic, so we had to work on everything on zoom.

We weren’t able to go in and shoot or be hands-on working with actors. Lisa Robertson, who has worked with the labs for years, directing actors, was so pivotal in our creativity and development of our stories and our scripts.

I wanted to get the script and this package together pretty quickly. So as the Directing Labs were happening, I was putting my deck together, and all of the things you need to start going off pitching.

Taika Waititi is a good friend of mine. We talked about this project that I had, and I gave him a script, and he jumped on as EP. And that helped immensely, especially being a first-time writer/director. His support for indigenous storytelling and storytellers is huge.

We started to get meetings here and there, and we worked closely with Film Independent. Angela Lee was great for introducing me to investors. So, it was it’s a combination of people that I’ve known for the 20 years I’ve been in L.A.

Angela and her team, it was so pivotal in us moving forward and getting this getting made.

And then it took it took over a year for us to edit. It was really hard to work editing during Covid. There were just a lot of challenges that were thrown our way, as every film has.

I don’t know how it got made. I look back and say, ‘I don’t know how I did it’, but it screens and people talk to me about it. I’m just like, ‘I don’t know how I did that…”

It all worked in a very exciting way. Especially being my first narrative.

And then we also had our distributor, Ava DuVernay their company. Array, which gave us, launching pad on Netflix. I pinch myself. It happened from Film Independent on, to Netflix and to reaching out to people around the world.

So, I think it’s been incredible.

What piece of advice would you give to a filmmaker who would want to apply to our Screenwriting Labs?

Many first-time screenwriters or people who are looking to get their first feature made, they want to hurry up. They already want to be at the finish line. And that was like me.

You want to get your stuff made. ‘Oh, I know this person. This person could be my funder’, but you’re not really thinking about a script that’s in your face. You have to be open and ready to go through each page and spend time. When I sent my script to Film Independent the first time for the Screenwriting Labs, I was like, ‘This is ready to get made.‘ No. It took a year. You have to take the time and spend time with it.

One of the takeaways is: people making the decisions to move your script forward and be part of these programs aren’t looking for you to get a story made in the next five months.

They want to make sure that you are ready to do the work to get the story ready.

And then also just, the people and the creative advisors. I’m still in contact with the majority of the people who were in my labs. I just had this connection with them. It was really rewarding when we went to screen at the Film Independent Film Forum opening night this year, all the advisors who are my advisors are in the labs were there, and that was really freaking cool.

And again, I tell everybody, it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I really enjoyed it.

 To learn more about the 2025 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab, including how to apply click here. The deadline for general submissions is for non-members is Monda, August 26^th The Member deadline is Monday, September 9th.

Screenwriting Lab Fellowships:

The Climate Entertainment Development Grant: The Climate Entertainment Initiative awards a $25,000 development grant to a filmmaker who is accepted into Film Independent’s Screenwriting Lab or Fast Track with a climate-focused fiction feature.

MPAC Hollywood Bureau Fellowship: The MPAC Hollywood Bureau Fellowship provides a $10,000 grant to a filmmaker who identifies as American-Muslim and is accepted into Film Independent’s Artist Development programs, including the Screenwriting Lab.

Learn more about our Fellowships.

Are you a Member? Film Independent Members get an exclusive extended application deadline for the Screenwriting Lab and save 30% on application fees, and Filmmaker Pro Members can apply for free! Join for extra time and savings.

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For the past two decades, there haven’t been many bigger advocates and fans of documentary than the residents of Missoula, Montana. To be more specific, the organizers, filmmakers and attendees of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. Recent winners include Collette, St Louis Superman and The Last of the Elephant Men. The festival also includes industry panels, workshops and pitch sessions with participants like HBO Documentary, ESPN Films and of course, Film Independent.

With submission season for the big winter and spring festivals, we wanted to take a look at the festival and what it has to offer. Last month, we featured films from the Big Sky Film Fest, and our own Matt Warren spoke with Ryan Weibush about his experience working at the festival as Director of Programming, and what the festival can offer for both a visiting filmmaker and a festival attendee.

Visit our events page for more details and to register for more upcoming Festival Visions screenings—which are always online and for free—on our YouTube page.

Tell me a little bit what Missoula, and maybe more broadly Montana, is like in terms of the local film scene, local art scene.

As you would expect, the film community is very tight knit. Everybody seems to know each other at a certain level, and it’s a very large state. Missoula has a long history of being an arts community, and it seems a lot of folks were either born here or passed through at one time or another. Lily Gladstone, David Lynch, Steve Albini, even Richard Brautigan and people like Slim Moon. There’s something here that either leaves its mark or pulls people back. I think it’s a place to feel as though you can do what you want and feel supported. Outsiders are drawn here, people like Jay Rummel, maybe because we’re outside of those coastal centers. I would hesitate to say we’re the arts community in Montana, because there are little pods all over the state, but I think Missoula’s history goes a bit deeper.

This is, self-evident in the name of the festival, but talk a little bit about the focus of Big Sky and why you feel it’s important to focus on nonfiction films and showcase them at this festival.

The festival was started in 2003 as, at the time, one of the few doc-only festivals. It grew out of the founders of the festival, Doug Hawes-Davis and Damon Ristau, who were documentary filmmakers themselves and decided to just rent a theater and see who showed up.

And it turns out that there was support that really was wanting that. Our audience is a mix between the over 200 filmmakers who come to the festival and appreciate it as filmmakers would; but we also have this very localized support that has learned to really trust this over the years to where we can we feel liberated in terms of what we can ask them to watch.

I think nonfiction in general is important as a form. It’s difficult because documentary is so all-encompassing. It’s not a genre festival where you can say, it’s fantasy or it’s sci-fi or something like that. It runs the gamut between the more journalistic pieces, to somewhat avant-garde, to experimental, to verité observational pieces. Our modern, fractured world. We’re most interested in authorial voices we haven’t heard or seen before.

So, you get a little bit of everything, and I think that’s why the audiences appreciate us. Because they can find something that they’re interested in. And then be pushed to find something else. The Big Sky term, you know, it’s kind of cliche, but at the same time it’s undefinable in its scope.

Absolutely. That sort of relates to my next question, which is, what are some real standout projects that you’ve been proud to feature and how are they representative of the perspective Big Sky is trying to get out there?

One thing that we really take pride in is that 90% of our films come from open-call. Growing up as an independent filmmaker with not a lot of means, your vision of a film festival is that everybody has a shot. You get into it, and then things change for you. While we can’t promise to change your life, one of our main goals is lifting films to new, often wider audiences.

So that means the projects that we have are sometimes passion projects from emerging filmmakers. We had Jeanie Findlay as a retrospective artist last year, and her first film, Teenland, played here, and it was the first festival that she got into. It’s where she connected with her longtime cinematographer. So that builds this deep connection with these filmmakers who eventually go on to this longer, illustrious career.

So for you personally, what has been your favorite festival related memory?

A few years ago, I attended a 10AM screening of Steven Bognar’s Personal Belongings. He and Julia Reichert were our retrospective filmmakers that year. A special year for many reasons. There was something about being in a theater at 10AM and watching a film I knew very little about, with other people who were doing the same thing, and completely resonating with it. Those moments keep you going, you know, as both a filmmaker and human being.

Recently, we started to spotlight some of our attendees, people who had been coming to the festival for a long time. There was this family that makes the trek from Idaho every year with their three kids, just to go to the festival. And they’ve been doing it for like ten years. So, just those moments are pretty special.

And from the attendee perspective, what are some festival tips for Big Sky?

Two years ago, it was a constant blizzard with below zero temps and last year it was quite pleasant. So, paying attention to the forecast is an important thing. And if you don’t have winter boots, you can get them here!

But also, if you’re an attendee, getting the program early, circling those films and taking risks. Choose some things that go beyond your comfort level.

Let’s say I have a film. It’s gotten into big Sky. How do I make the most of that opportunity once I’m sort of on the ground there in Montana?

One of the valuable things for filmmakers who are attending is to take advantage of the DocShop. It’s our weeklong industry and filmmaker conference, It’s full of panels and masterclasses on different topics. Each year we have a different focus on what the main theme will be, this year it’s understanding the documentary audience of the 21^st century.

I think what is good about us also, is that we are also independent filmmakers. So we understand how tall of an order it is to be able to afford going to a place. We try to make that realistic for people and try to feed them, so they can enjoy themselves. I think it’s a great place to make friends. I’ve made friends over the years that I still keep in touch with. Filmmakers who meet here end up collaborating and coming back with their work. And even if a party every night isn’t your scene, there’s still plenty to do, culturally. It’s a cool old mountain town where you can find your pace.

My favorite kind of town. One of the things I hear pop up as reoccurring themes is just to meet other filmmakers and build that community.

Yeah, exactly. I think just realizing that we’re all human beings trying to make difficult work for not a lot of reward sometimes and building that community is essential.

Festival Visions is a series of free online screeningsthat shines a light on films discovered this year in regional film festivals across the US. Our next Festival Visions screening is of Magic Ring and Boys at Twenty. They start next Monday, August 19th and go until Wednesday, August 21st. Both screenings are 100% free and open to both members and non-members, and include a pre-recorded Q&A with the filmmakers. Register here to see both films.

If you want to submit your film to next year’s Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, the standard deadline is August 31.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices, providing a wide variety of resources to help filmmakers create and advance new work. Learn more online and become a Member of Film Independent today.

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We’ve gone through Covid, we’ve weathered the strikes, we continue to have the pleasure of surviving the consolidation and financialization of our industry. No one said working in TV was easy.
But like a lighthouse on a dark stormy night, there is a beacon of stability and guidance. The Film Independent Episodic Lab is once again here with a two week in-person program with personalized feedback from experienced showrunners, workshops and pitch events, to help push these writer’s projects over the line.

Past Episodic Lab Fellows include April Shih, who has written on FX’s Fargo, Dave and struck an overall deal at FX Productions; Kimi Lee, who wrote on Amazon’s Expats, Apple’s The Morning Show, and sold her show $ugar in a four-way bidding war to Hulu; Henry “Hank” Jones, who has written on ABC’s Will Trent and Apple’s Truth Be Told.
Supported by Founding Sponsor Netflix, each Fellow will be paired with a Netflix executive, to act as a personal Industry Advisor providing opportunity and advice for the duration of the Lab and beyond.

“We’re proud to welcome these exciting new voices into the Episodic Lab whose work explores varied themes including grief, identity, sexuality and societal expectations in bold and inventive ways” said Dea Vazquez, Associate Director of Fiction Programs. “We’re thrilled to be able to support these writers both in the program and throughout their careers.”

This year’s Film Independent Episodic Lab projects are:

Title: A-Town Boyz
Writers: Honey Ahmad, Eunice Lau
Logline: When two Asian-American teens in Atlanta turn to petty crime to fund their rap star dreams, they unwittingly get caught up in a turf war between local rival gangs, all while trying to keep up appearances that they are still on board with their parent’s expectations.
 
Title: Margarita
Writer: Christian Moldes
Logline: Margarita, a cursed spirit conjured up by her grieving mother, is tasked with collecting as many souls as possible in order to become human once again.

Title: Motherland
Writer: Pallavi Yetur
Logline: An Indian-American doctor who dreams of being a Hollywood actor is in over her head when she finally lands a part in a movie…in Bollywood. Now she must juggle dodging her disapproving mother and figuring out this unfamiliar (and musical!) world.

Title: sadboi
Writer: Kyle Lau
Logline: Perpetually in his feelings, sadboi navigates love and life while trying to get over his ex, who cheated on him with his mom’s hot murderer.

Title: Shame
Writers: V.T. Nayani, Paige Wood
Logline: Shame is a comedy-drama series that follows ANJU, a 30-something South Asian-Caribbean woman, who suddenly develops vaginismus after a pap test gone wrong. Through an obstacle course of comically painful turns, she must navigate the intricacies of sex, shame, and societal expectations, after being diagnosed with a rarely-discussed, quietly-kept medical condition.

Title: The Feather Detective

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship Awardee
Writer: Mayanka Goel
Logline: A young woman struggles with 1960s societal expectations till she meets Roxie Laybourne and together they solve the mystery of America’s deadliest aviation disaster.

But wait, there’s more! Through the Lab, this year’s Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant is going to Mayanka Goel, who will receive a $20,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to support the development of their pilot, The Feather Detective. The grant is given to outstanding writers whose screenplays integrate science or technology themes and characters into dramatic stories—part of the Sloan Foundation’s nationwide film program to advance public understanding of science and technology.

Now let’s meet the filmmakers:

Honey Ahmad

Honey Ahmad is a Malaysian screenwriter, podcaster, and food journalist. She was on the writing team for Emmy-nominated Saladin, Malaysia’s first fully animated series. She has written and produced over 8,000 hours of food content, including a food drama series called I Eat KL, which the Asian Wall Street Journal called “a mouth-watering soap opera.” Her first film that she co-wrote, Motif featured a female cop on the trail of a small-town murder. Her animation short Walinong Sari has won awards in LA, New York, Mexico, Chile and Japan. She also hosts the “Two Book Nerds Talking” podcast.

Eunice Lau

A former journalist, Eunice Lau’s works have screened at acclaimed film festivals, and televised on Discovery Channel, PBS, and Canal Plus, while her documentary A-Town Boyz is currently streaming on Prime Video. Her latest feature Troll Storm premiered at the 2024 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival where it was nominated for “Best Documentary”. She is currently in production for Son of the Soil, a documentary about the climate crisis, while developing a TV series inspired by A-Town Boyz. Born in Singapore, she lives in New York City and holds an MFA in Film Directing from New York University.

Christian Moldes

Christian Moldes is a 2024 Sundance Development Labs Fellow and a 2020 NALIP Media Market Fellow. An LA-based screenwriter from El Paso, Texas, he has developed feature-length and TV projects for Mark Williams Ozark, Evan Shapiro Portlandia, Couper Samuelson Get Out, and Skip Williamson Underworld, among others. As a producer and editor, he has executed content for Fox Searchlight, Fox Sports, MTV Tr3s, Red Bull, Remezcla Media, and Mitú Networks. His screenplays focus on the Latin American experience, immigrant identity, and social justice issues through unexpected genres ranging from comedy to western, horror to science fiction.

Pallavi Yetur

Pallavi Yetur is a licensed psychotherapist who has worked in mental health for fifteen years. She has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction & Screenwriting from UC Riverside, undergraduate degrees in Communication and Literature/Writing from UC San Diego, and an MA in Counseling from NYU. Her pilot Motherland was a 2023 Finalist at Austin Film Festival. Her feature Stone Age was a 2021 Semifinalist for The Writers Room 5050 BIPOC Writers Fellowship. Pallavi’s essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Salon, NBC News THINK, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. She lives in Los Angeles.

Kyle Lau

Kyle Lau is a WGA Award-nominated writer/director, originally from San Francisco, CA. He is a writer/producer for the upcoming Onyx/20th series, Deli Boys, and served as writer/co-producer for Max’s Clone High and Comedy Central’s Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. Previously, this proud UCLA alum worked as a staff writer on ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat, and as a writers’ assistant on Dead to Me (Netflix) and Family Guy (FOX). On the directing front, Kyle’s latest short film, White Now Please, was selected for over 20 festivals, winning 9 awards. Currently, he is developing an animated project with Sony Television/88rising.

V.T Nayani

V.T. Nayani is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller for the screen. Her work intimately and thoughtfully explores how we continuously come of age. She has been championed by The Gotham, Telefilm Canada, BIPOC TV & Film, the Canadian Film Centre, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and UN Women. Her work has been supported by TIFF, Outfest, Frameline, NewFest, BlackStar, Inside Out, and IFFI Goa. V.T.’s award-winning feature directorial debut, This Place, premiered at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival and has since toured globally. She is currently developing her sophomore feature and two original series.

Paige Wood

Paige Wood is an award-winning independent filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer working across narrative and documentary film, animation, and video games. Her work such as Dot’s, Home, Mine, The Giverny Document, and The Femme Queen Chronicles championed by the likes of BlackStar Film Festival, Tribeca Festival, Apple, and the Museum of Modern Art. Based in Detroit and working worldwide, Paige is a 2024 Finalist for the Fox Entertainment Writers Incubator, 2023 winner of Constellations’ Artist Disruptor Award, 2022 Gotham TV Lab Fellow, 2021- 2022 Annenberg Civic Media Fellow, and a 2019 Sundance | Knight Fellow.

Mayanka Goel

Mayanka Goel is a writer and artist from Mumbai, India. She studied journalism at SCMSophia, Mumbai, where she wrote features for the daily newspaper The Hindu. She graduated from NYU Tisch with an MFA in Dramatic Writing where she received the Tisch Future Screenwriters’ Fellowship Award and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Writing Award. She has written commercials for brands like Baskin Robbins and was a writer for a series of short films about women in sports and comedy for Humans of Bombay. Her works often feature women who defy convention, along with millennial and Gen Z humour.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.

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One of the great benefits of being a Film Independent Member is that you get to go to our Film Independent Presents screenings. We do the hard work of finding some of the freshest new voices out there, we screen their films for you weeks before they release wide, and you get to see them for free! Oh, and afterwards there are Q&As with the creatives behind the project. Wow, that seems like a pretty good deal.

Here are just a few of the most recent Q&As from our Film Independent Presents screenings.

Recently, our own Josh Welsh spoke with, actors Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin, producer Monique Walton, and writer/director Greg Kwedar, about the transformative power of art in A24’s new film SING SING. starring an ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors. In theaters now.

In a riotous Q&A, Carlos Aguilar get under the mask with the people behind KNEECAP, writer/director Rich Peppiatt and group members, Móglaí Bap and DJ Prováí. In this fiercely original sex, drugs and hip-hop biopic, Kneecap play themselves, laying down a global rallying cry for the defense of native cultures.

Jenelle Riley breaks down the Gentlemen’s rules in the new film, The Duel, with filmmakers Justin Matthews, Luke Spencer Roberts, and actors Dylan Sprouse & Patrick Warburton. In theaters only on now.

Matthew Carey talks with with writer/director Jeff Zimbalist as they discuss the modern love story behind two brave rooftoppers in the new Netflix high-wire documentary, Skywalkers: A Love Story.

Guest moderator Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek, Good Grief) talks to friend and filmmaker Ally Pankiw about her new film, I USED TO BE FUNNY, starring Rachel Sennott. Available to rent on Apple TV & Amazon.

There are even more Q&As on our YouTube Channel.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work. To become a Member of Film Independent, just click here. To support us with a donation, click here.

Keep up with Film Independent…

• Twitter
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• Facebook
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• Events
• Letterboxd
• Newsletter