Woodstock Film Festival LET'S TALK FILM! Podcast

In Episode 26, we talk with WFF shorts programmers Joy Buran, Noelle Melody and Amanda Naseem about the process of selecting films that align with their creative visions for the festival. The three speak on what it took to choose films through the record number of submissions they received, and the importance of seeking out unique and diverse stories.  This episode also dives into some of this years selections, screening in 17 shorts blocks, including “This Is America”, “Hilarity”, and “Long Live your Resistance”. Along with that, several films are highlighted. Amanda Naseem, a Bard College Graduate based in Queens, quickly emerged into Woodstock Film Festival early on in her career as an assistant to Meira Blaustein, the Executive Director of the festival. In 2019 Amanda became a film programmer at Woodstock Film Festival and found a love for working with independent film to give film-makers a voice for their stories.Joy Buran and Noelle Melody, an Annie-nominated animation and design team based in NY have been curating the Animation Program at the Woodstock Film Festival since 2016. With Joy in the city and Noelle in the Catskill mountains, the two focus on story-driven work, ranging from commercial projects to independent films. Listen to more WFF podcast episodes: https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcast2024 Shorts: https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/2024-shorts

LET'S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode 25In Episode 25, we talk to director and author Susan Seidelman about the process of crafting her memoir, Desperately Seeking Something, her experiences as a female filmmaker in the ‘80s, and the lasting legacy of her films, including the 1985 cult classic DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, starring Madonna.A graduate of NYU Grad Film School, Susan Seidelman began her career in the 1980s when SMITHEREENS became the first American Independent film to be accepted into the Cannes Film Festival. Her film, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, starring Madonna and Rosanna Arquette, was a critical and commercial success. She has directed dozens of other films starring actors such as Meryl Streep, Brooke Shields, and Sally Field.ABOUT THE BOOK: In her memoir Desperately Seeking Something, Seidelmen shares a funny and insightful first-person story of her life from her Twiggy-obsessed girlhood to the Madonna-mania of the 80’s and beyond. ABOUT THE FILM: Bored New Jersey housewife Roberta (Rosanna Arquette) only knows Susan (Madonna) through reading personal ads seeking her—until a bump on the head leads to a bout of amnesia and her taking on Susan’s identity. Listen to more WFF podcast episodes:https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcastFollow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok. 

In episode 24, we chat with Director Phil Bertelsen and Producer Lise Yasui about their documentary THE PICTURE TAKER, which explores the complicated life of Civil Rights photographer and FBI informant Ernest Withers. The filmmakers discuss in detail the 15-year journey to make the film, Withers’ complicated legacy, and the importance of exposing government surveillance in times of dissent. “It’s not really a simple story of hero or villain.” –Phil BertelsenPhil Bertelsen is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer and director who uses film and television to entertain, inspire, and provoke audiences. Most recently, Phil’s feature documentary The Picture Taker was nominated for a Peabody Award. His History Channel documentary 761st Tank Battalion with Morgan Freeman is now streaming on Hulu, along with his episode of the Emmy winning documentary series, The 1619 Project. His previous project Who Killed Malcolm X, is a six-part series currently on Netflix that prompted a reinvestigation of the decades-old crime resulting in the exoneration of two wrongly convicted men.Lise Yasui is a Philadelphia-based independent producer.  She directed the Oscar-nominated film, Family Gathering, which explored the legacy effects of the WWII Japanese American internment on her family. It aired on PBS's American Experience series and on the BBC.  She was a producer on the PBS Frontline special: The Gate of Heavenly Peace, which examined the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement in China and won a Peabody.  Yasui was the lead producer, researcher, and archivist on The Picture Taker.Listen to more WFF podcast episodes:https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcastTHE PICTURE TAKER is on PBS + also available on GoodDocs.netPhil Bertelsen Additional Projects:Who Killed Malcolm X on NetflixThe 1619 Project on Hulu761st Tank Battalion on HuluSubmit your film to WFF  and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.

LET'S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #23In this episode, we talk with Actor/Producer Djaka Souaré and Actor Anthony Lalor about their new short film CUT ME IF YOU CAN, a satire about the racist and sexist tropes we see in horror films. Djaka and Anthony talk about creating black characters in non-stereotypical roles, meeting dream collaborators, and the festival circuit +  Djaka recommends some lesser-known festivals to consider submitting your film to. Djaka Souaré is an actress and filmmaker of Guinean & French descent. In 2023, Djaka produced the short film “Reunion,” Executive Produced by Danaï Gurira & Lupita N’yongo that has qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards. She was also part of the 2023 AFRIFF & CANEX “Script to Screen” program, where she developed her first feature script and won the pitch competition. Djaka’s first short film, “Jazz in Wakanda,” which she wrote, directed, produced, and in which she starred, sold to COMCAST. Previously, Djaka worked at Goldcrest & Saboteur Media, and produced two documentaries that both opened at TriBeCa.Anthony Lalor is a born and raised New York actor who graduated with a BA from Le Moyne College. Member of Classical Theatre of Harlem, Anthony’s credits include ‘The Tempest,’  ‘Antigone,’ ‘Macbeth,’ ‘Romeo & Juliet’  and ‘Midsummers Night’s Dream.’ Anthony is developing a TV dramedy based about a group of friends living in NYC.Instagram:Djakasouare1Anthonyf.lalorSubmit your films to WFF  (https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/callforentry) plus included are Djaka’s recommended African film festivals: FESTIVAL DAKAR COURTS https://www.festivaldakarcourt.com/FESPACO https://fespaco.bf/appel-a-films-fespaco-2025/DURBAN FILM FESTIVAL https://filmfreeway.com/DurbanFilmFestMore WFF podcast episodes:https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcast

LET’S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #22In this episode, we chat with filmmakers Julie Sharbutt and Anastasia Rykova, whose shorts SCAM and THE TALE OF TWO CRUEL RULERS were featured at the 2023 Woodstock Film Festival. Julie Sharbutt is a Genre and Comedy filmmaker and writer based in LA. Her 2023 short film SCAM has screened at Woodstock, Fantaspoa and more. The 2021 short CUPIDS she co-wrote premiered at Tribeca. Her short film 3 DAYS is on ALTER, her feature MOVED on Amazon. Julie is a Warner Bros Discovery OneFifty New Storytellers Initiative alumni, and member of Film Fatales and Alliance of Women Directors. Her humor writing can be seen in The New Yorker and McSweeneys. MFA: Acting from NYU, BA: Vanderbilt. She loves hiking, volunteering, and ghost stories. Anastasia Rykova is an award-winning animation filmmaker, visual development artist, and art director. With over 9 years of experience in Fine Arts, she came to the United States in 2019 to study Computer Animation. She believes that every message and emotion has its perfect storytelling form, and she fell in love with animation because of the multitude of storytelling tools it encompasses. She finds her mission in healing through creation and in reminding everyone that animation is one of the most powerful forms of art.Julie Sharbutt https://www.instagram.com/jcsharbsAnastasia Rykova https://www.instagram.com/xaosart/More WFF podcast episodes:https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcast

LET’S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #21In this episode, we chat with filmmaker and food advocate Oliver English about his recent film, FEEDING TOMORROW. Oliver talks about the impact of his solutions-oriented film, from regenerative farming, growing food on rooftops at Brooklyn Grange, the first farm built inside of a hospital that provides healthy food to patients, and much more! Oliver English is a filmmaker, photographer, chef, and food advocate born in raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Common Table Creative, an impact-driven production and hospitality company. His film FEEDING TOMORROW has already been recognized by several film festivals, winning the Ceres Best Feature Documentary Award and being named as the official selection by both the Bahamas International Film Festival and the Woodstock Film Festival.Watch the film FEEDING TOMORROW. Connect with Oliver English on Instagram.More podcast episodes:https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcast

LET’S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #20In this episode, we discuss with 2023 WFF filmmaker alumnus Set Hernandez and his close friend, Pedro, the subject of his most recent film, UNSEEN. Together they explore the creative approaches to documentary filmmaking that assist in representing Pedro’s intersectionality as a disabled, immigrant social worker. They simultaneously discuss the social impact filmmakers can have on audiences as well as the captivating story of UNSEEN’s development in this riveting interview.Set Hernandez (they/she/he) is a filmmaker and community organizer whose roots come from Bicol, Philippines. Their feature documentary debut, “unseen,” had its world premiere at Hot Docs 2023. Set’s past documentary work includes directing the award-winning short COVER/AGE (2019) and impact producing for Call Her Ganda (Tribeca, 2018). An alumnus of the Disruptors Fellowship, Set is currently developing both a TV comedy pilot and a feature-length screenplay. Their work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, NBCUniversal, the Gotham Institute, and the Woodstock Film Festival, among other organizations.UNSEEN has already received multiple accolades, including: the Official Hotdocs Selection, the CAAMFest 2023 Documentary Award, the 2023 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Audience Award, the 2023 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival  Emerging Filmmaker Award, and the 2023 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival Social Change Award.More podcast episodes:https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcast

LET’S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #19In this episode, writer/director Chelsea Bo and actor Ava Acres talk about making the narrative film NO RIGHT WAY by improvising the script, which brings a totally fresh and new kind of realism to an indie film about single motherhood. Chelsea Bo is a writer/director with a theater and improv background. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film & Television and was selected for both Film Independent’s Incubator Lab and Village Roadshow’s Emerging Talent Program. Chelsea co-founded the production company Paxeros with her husband/producing partner Sean Drummond, and together they have produced three feature films, including Joshua Leonard’s Fully Realized Humans (Tribeca, 2020) and Sarah Adina Smith’s The Drop (Tribeca, 2022). No Right Way is her feature directorial debut.Ava Acres is one of Hollywood's most versatile young actors. She played "Madeline" in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL, young "Queen Regina" in ABC's ONCE UPON A TIME, and recurred as young "Rebecca" in CW's award-winning musical comedy CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND. Ava's recent credits include a recurring role on Ryan Murphy's 9-1-1 (Fox), HANDSOME: A NETFLIX MURDER MYSTERY, and WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER: TEN YEARS LATER. Ava can also be seen as the evil supervillain Katya in MARVEL's AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., and appeared in season 7 of MAD MEN as Susie. Other television work includes a TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE pilot for CBS, a series regular role on the Fox comedy pilot OUTNUMBERED, roles on WEEDS, HARRY'S LAW, CRIMINAL MINDS, and more. Support the NO RIGHT WAY indie filmmakers on GoFundMe! Paxeros More WFF podcast episodes

LET’S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #18In this episode, we chat with Filmmakers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson about their latest award-winning films GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT, the short film BLACK GIRLS PLAY: THE STORY OF HAND GAMES, and the importance of communal viewing and how film festivals contribute to that experience. Producer and Director Joe Brewster is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist who uses his training as the foundation in approaching the social issues he tackles as an artist and filmmaker. Brewster wrote and directed his first film, The Keeper (1995), after a two year-long stint as a prison psychiatrist at the notorious Brooklyn House of Detention. Filmmaker, artist and author, Michèle Stephenson, pulls from her Haitian and Panamanian roots to think radically about storytelling and disrupt the imaginary in non-fiction spaces. She tells emotionally driven personal stories of resistance and identity that center the lived experiences of communities of color in the Americas and the Black diaspora. Rada Studio Listen to more WFF podcast episodes here. 

LET’S TALK FILM! Podcast Episode #17In this episode, we chat with Actor and Director Larry Fessenden about his independent horror films and how they showcase the impending doom of present societal issues. Fessenden is an actor, writer, director, and producer and the head of the NY-based independent production shingle Glass Eye Pix with the mission of supporting individual voices in the arts.Larry FessendenGlass Eye PixTopics Discussed:- Larry’s horror films and their relation to modern social issues - Importance of Woodstock Film Festival for smaller artists- Why Larry chooses to inspire/mentor others- The importance of local and smaller “voices”; supporting small businesses and ideasFor More Episodes: https://woodstockfilmfestival.org/podcast