My guest today is award-winning Quebec filmmaker Pier-Philippe Chevigny and his powerful Oscar-qualified short film Mercenaire.  His film Oscar-qualified short MERCENAIRE premiered at Toronto International Film Festival, went on to win the Special Jury Award at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and has already been selected for 74+ festivals and won 13 prestigious awards. MERCENAIRE is about ex-con hired by a pig slaughterhouse through a social re-integration program, and he desperately tries to find another job while repressing his inner violence. Ladies and gentlemen, Mercenaire follows David played by Marc-Andre’-Grondin, a young man newly released from prison for a murder committed in murky circumstances. Desperate for stability, he reluctantly accepts the only job available through a social reinsertion program, working on a pig slaughterhouse line.  As he endures the cruelty inflicted on animals and the escalating aggression of his co-workers, David must resist the violent impulses he fears will define him forever. In a workplace where killing is normalized, human and animal alike, the threat of losing his hard-won freedom grows dangerously close. Pier-Philippe Chevigny Oscar-qualified short MERCENAIRE is full of tension and drama, but this film goes much deeper than that.  MERCENAIRE is about humanity and about second chances. Just because one is released from prison only means they are physically free. One’s mindset and emotions are still caged, because society hasn’t changed their mindset as well.  MERCENAIRE is brilliantly written and directed. Each member of the cast bring top performances and they are so good you may forget they are actors and actually slaughterhouse workers.  MERCENAIRE rightly deserves to be Oscar-qualified and is aiming for the coveted Shortlist. It has all the elements of superb storytelling.  #prisonreform #shortfilm #quebec #canada #canadian #filmfestival #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #slaughterhouse #cinema #bondoncinema #cinematography #filmproduction #humanity

My guests today are Daood AL-Lab-dulaa and Louse Zenker and their Oscar-qualified short film WALUD.  Daood Alabdulaa, born in the Syrian desert in 1994, and after fleeing Syria in 2014, he sought asylum in Germany and now studies directing at HFF Munich, focusing on Middle Eastern social issues. Louise Zenker, also born in 1994, grew up in a village in southern Germany. After earning a Master's in Communication Sciences, she began working in German television in 2019.  In 2021, she started studying feature film directing at HFF Munich.. Zenker has collaborated with Alabdulaa on both documentary and fiction projects, including Fata Morgana. WALUD, a short film co-directed by Daood Alabdulaa and Louise Zenker, has officially qualified for the 2026 Academy Awards and continues its successful international festival run. Set in the rural Syrian desert during the height of ISIS control, the film is a stark, visually striking exploration of womanhood, power, and survival under extreme patriarchy. Ladies and gentlemen, the Oscar-Qualified short filmWALUD, co-directed by Daood Alabdulaa and Louise Zenker, is set in the rural Syrian desert during the height of ISIS control, the film is a stark, visually striking exploration of womanhood, power, and survival under extreme patriarchy. In 2014, Amuna lives in isolation with her husband, ISIS fighter Aziz. When he brings home a second wife, Alina, a young European convert, Amuna’s fragile world begins to unravel. WALUD explores infertility, female social dependence, and the emotional complexities of life under oppressive systems. Its title, an Arabic word meaning “able to give life,” underscores the film’s central theme of female fertility. WALUD is tense, it is heartbreaking, it will make you feel angry, empathy, sympathy and compassion all at the same time.  In your current world, women are being attacked and judged and there is no reason for it. WALUD shows us that there are parts of our world in which the treatment of women and their womanhood harken back to the medieval times and it’s 2025.  WALUD contains all the elements of an award winning film. The writing is excellent, the acting is stellar and you feel every thought and emotion of the characters. The cinematography is beautiful, even when the setting is the stark terrain of the Syrian desert.  Everyone needs to see this film and this film needs to be shown before the United Nations. Women of all races, cultures and religions should be celebrated, not regulated down or treated like a subspecies.  #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #womandhood #infertility #patriarchy #syria #shortfilm #oscars #academyawards #cinema #film #bondoncinema #cinematography  

My guest today is Snigdha Kapoor, a US-based South Asian filmmaker, is known for centering underrepresented voices and creating work that bridges cultural, generational, and personal divides while exploring gender, sexuality, and societal norms. Her earlier short LOOK LIKE YOU was a ScreenCraft finalist, won the Audience Award at the Asian American International Film Festival, and currently streams on BFI Player.  With her newest short, HOLY CURSE, Kapoor cements her reputation as a bold new storyteller whose films spark dialogue around gender, stigma, and the lived experiences of marginalized youth. Ladies and gentlemen, Snigdha Kapoor’s HOLY CURSE is the story of 11-year-old Radha, who, while visiting India, begins to question and grapple with their gender identity in a world the demands conformity. Instead of acceptance, Radha is subjected to manipulative orthodox rituals by loved ones, believing these will dispel an alleged ancestral curse affecting Radha's thoughts.  What unfolds is a tender, playful and thought-provoking portrait of how society and family can both nurture and oppress, and how young people carry the weight of inherited expectations. This film is full of love, a mother’s nurturing nature, but also the males in the family are desiring to reverse Radha’s thoughts of being a boy through a religious ritual.  Actress Mrunal Kashid who portrays Radha brings a stellar performance with such powerful believability that she places the audience in her shoes.  Add in the music score and who feel the underlying tone of a bit of humor to lighten a very complex topic of gender identity.  #filmmaker #shortfilm #interview #film #bondoncinema #cinema #filmmaking #cinematography #genderidentity #filmdirector #screenwriter  

George Malcher and Gus Flind-Henry are a London-based directing duo, both 24, who first met while training as actors at drama school. They began writing and directing together for theatre in 2020, before moving into film. As actors, they have worked with the National Theatre, BBC, ITV, and Academy Award-winning Slick Films. Their debut short as directors, A Sisyphean Task, marks the launch of their fast-paced, performance-driven filmmaking style - rooted in authenticity, character, and a deep understanding of storytelling from both sides of the camera. Ladies and gentlemen, the BIFA nominated short film, A Sisyphean Task is a celebration of both fantastic teaching and the joys of the British school years, whilst shedding light on the quiet crisis around teacher retention in the UK.  Set entirely within a South London classroom, the story begins at the start of a new academic year, throwing the audience headfirst into the raw, unrelenting chaos of Lucy’s first day as a newly qualified teacher. Alongside the headmaster, Tim played by actor Hugh Bonneville, acting as her temporary tutor, despite already being stretched far too with his own duties.  Lucy’s unwavering grit and determination gradually earn her students’ respect and admiration, and by the end of the first term her classroom feels alive - a rare pocket of warmth and focus amidst the chaos of a tough secondary school. But as the year continues and Lucy looks to build on her progress, the cracks of the system begin to show, and she soon feels the mounting pressures that drive so many young teachers to the edge.  This film is absolutely wonderful to watch, but gives the audience what our teachers actually go through. Their job is not 9-5 and it’s also a very emotional job. A SISYPHEAN TASK shows us teachers are mentors, counselors, even becoming both father and mother to some students. This film leaves nothing out in the vocation of being a teacher. There are fun times and there are trying time. It has every element to be an award winner at the highest level.  The acting is superb, the cinematography and sound mixing rivals any A-list feature film. And to tell you the truth, after the film was over, I wanted to see more. It’s just beautiful from beginning to end.  Thank you Gus and George for sharing your film with me today and I wish you much success this award season.  #teaching #teachers #education #headmaster #school #sisypheantask #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproduction #hughbonneville #downtonabbey

AFIA NATHANIEL - DON’T BE LATE, MYRA Short Film My guest today is Pakistani-American filmmaker Afia Nathaniel to discuss her Oscar-qualified short, DON’T BE LATE, MYRA.  Drawing from her own lived experiences and her perspective as a survivor, Afia transforms trauma into bold, cinematic storytelling that confronts patriarchy and sparks vital dialogue about children’s safety in Pakistan and around the world.  With her acclaimed debut feature Dukhtar (Pakistan’s official submission to the 87th Academy Awards), which was groundbreaking work in both Pakistan and Hollywood. But it’s her newest short film, the gripping short film Don’t Be Late, Myra marking a milestone in Afia Nathaniel's return to telling stories from Pakistan. Don’t Be Late, Myra is both a survival thriller and an unflinching commentary on the silence surrounding child harassment and abuse in Pakistan and beyond. Ladies and gentlemen, Afia Nathaniel’s short film DON’T BE LATE, MYRA is set against the bustling streets of Lahore, the film follows 10-year-old Myra, who, after missing her school van, is forced to walk home alone.  Navigating harassment and menace on her way, Myra faces a quiet but escalating danger that exposes the vulnerabilities children endure in public spaces. With its urgent pacing and raw emotional undercurrent, Don’t Be Late, Myra is both a survival thriller and an unflinching commentary on the silence surrounding child harassment in Pakistan and beyond. Deeply personal in its origins, the film draws on Afia’s own childhood experiences and her perspective as a survivor of assault. By transforming trauma into urgent art, she brings visibility to an issue often silenced by patriarchy, sparking essential conversations about children’s safety and the cultural taboos that endanger them. DON’T BE LATE, MYRA left me deeply disturbed and shaken. Children all over the world are enduring childhood harassment and abuse and it shouldn’t be that way.  This is a film that should be shown before the United Nations, because of it’s very powerful and emotional storytelling.  Afia’s knows how to tell a story with small nuances and subtleties that will have a profound effect on the audience. It’s no wonder her film is a multi-film festival award winner and is now in the running for the 98th Academy Awards.   

My guest today is award-winning Chinese-born filmmaker Michael Yuchen Lei. His fiction and non-fiction work has screened at leading festivals including Tribeca, Slamdance, San Sebastian, CPH:DOX, and Palm Springs.  Michael is a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he began his career in music as a photographer for Joe Walsh of the Eagles, later photographing artists such as Ringo Starr, the xx, and Outkast. He produced the documentary Echo which went on to win the 2023 Audience Award at Aspen Shortsfest and premiered on The New Yorker. He is currently a 2025 Rideback RISE Fellow and an Indeed Rising Voices filmmaker. Michael’s Oscar-qualified short film MUSHROOM DAD, has been selected as part of the groundbreaking Indeed Rising Voices Season 5, the celebrated initiative from Emmy-winning writer, producer, and director Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions and Ventureland, in partnership with Indeed. Ladies and gentlemen, the poignant and surreal dramedy, Mushroom Dad follows a young chef struggling to manage the most important night of his career, the opening of his restaurant, while unexpectedly caring for his Chinese-immigrant father, who accidentally consumes psychedelic mushrooms. Blending humor and heart, the film is both a playful family tale and a meditation on identity, generational divides, and the immigrant experience. Everything about this film is fantastic from the storyline, the acting, the emotion and the cinematography, but this film truly shines because the heartfelt message it brings to the audience.  When we’re young we tend to react to our parents ways of criticism. Sometimes they don’t know they are being critical as they think they are helping us along in their own way.  Maybe we need to take some psychedelic mushrooms and get the emotional clarity to see that some criticism is just love in disguise. #shortfilm #cinema #film #filmmaker #indeed #risingvoices #oscars #academyawards #family #fatherson #filmmaking #filmdirector #psychedelicmushrooms #chinese #familytradition

My guest is Ross Syner, an award-winning British film writer/director whose emotionally charged storytelling and cinematic visual style have earned him recognition across the UK and the international film industry.  Ross has currently qualified for both BAFTA and BIFA consideration with his latest short film BROTHERS, starring BAFTA-winning actor David Bradley, which is now on an active awards-season run. Ross first gained international attention with his debut short film Francois, a project that gained him accreditation to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, giving him early exposure to the global film industry.  He followed this early success with JACK, a powerful drama that won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Short Film, cementing his reputation for creating deeply human stories with a striking cinematic edge. He is the founder of Mockingbird Film Co, and continues to champion bold, original storytelling. Ladies and gentlemen, Ross Syner’s BROTHERS is about a family's bond and morals are tested by a life-changing situation. Every day we make decisions of choosing between right and wrong. But would you be willing to lay down your life for the ones you love? Would your sacrifice your future for someone else? BROTHERS brings up so many questions we should ask ourselves. Morality, the distinction between right and wrong or good or bad behavior.  Cinematically, this film is spot on beautiful. The lighting, the coloring, the simple camera work makes this film focused on the story and its incredible cast.  Actors David Bradley, James Eeles and Jack Christou bring realistic, emotional depth to their characters. They make us live within the dilemma they are facing.  The music score by Anthony Ford is beautiful, but it leaves us with the feeling of living with the mistake of one person and the sacrifice of another.  This is an award winning film and it should be nominated for both the BAFTA and the BIFA. It has all the elements and I will leave it at that.  #oscars #academyawards #shortfilm #shortfilms #film #family #brothers #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproducer #filmproduction #cinema #cinematography #bondoncinema  

My guest today is Pardeep Sahota and his newest short film OK/NOTOK.  He is a British Asian director, screenwriter and producer. He has cited his obsession with filmmaking beginning at age ten, shooting films on his father's VHS camera.  He studied at the University College London, he made short films with the UCL Film Society. Working in commercials he is a three-time Clio award winner and won the Gold - Emerging Artist Award at the British Arrows 2022. His short film series Bleeding Art was Official Selection at Slamdance Film Festival 2020. His newest short film, OK/NOTOK is a genre bending sci-fi comedy drama that speaks to our world right now.  Ladies and gentlemen, Pardeep Sahota’s OK/NOTOK short film is a look into our possible dystopian future of life, especially in the area of relationships.  We are connected by social media making our world seem smaller, but also more disconnected than ever.  What if we were able to order a companion and have them programmed with available upgrades. Would you buy into that? Millions of you would, but what you won’t be able to avoid is the emotional attachment that you will have with it.  Smartphone apps are designed to get you in for free and then created to move you to in-app purchases. It’s like a programmed drug habit. You want more, but you have to pay more to get the continued stimulation or that artificially created high.  Before the smartphones and apps, we relied on human connection to be stimulated with conversation, dating, falling in love, giving love and receiving love back.  In all honestly, Pardeep’s film OK/NOTOK shows us we have already been living in a dystopian world and the only true escape is to look up from our phones and see that real life is still there waiting on us to embrace and be an active participate. You can’t program real life and that’s the way it should be.  I loved this film, because it makes us think and we don’t need Chat GPT to do that, at least not me. #dystopian #dystopian #AI #humanoids #robots #shortfilm #shortfilms #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproduction #cinema #cinematography #oscars #academyawards #cinephile #bondoncinema 

Alexander Farah is an Afghan-Canadian director and editor, whose work has screened globally at Berlinale, Telluride, and Clermont-Ferrand.  His first short film “Sahar” premiered at TIFF in 2014. Notably, he directed the narrative music video for “Meet You At The Light” which won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Choice Awards at SXSW in 2022.  Alex also edited the 2024 Canadian Screen Award-winning short film “Motherland” directed by Jasmin Mozaffari.  Alex’s recent project “One Day This Kid” premiered at the TIFF in 2024, and won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short Film at the SXSW in 2025. Ladies and gentlemen, Alexander Farah’s ONE DAY THIS KID is about a young kid growing up under the weight of his father's expectations, Hamed contends with fear, desire and shame, in search of a self unknown. The film is based on the text by David Wojnarowicz. If that text was made into a film, it would break your heart and much has changed in society in the last 35 years.  Alex’s ONE DAY THIS KID is a silent reminder that society still sees people differently. Parents have an idea how they want their children to be when they grow up, but it doesn’t always work out that way.  In many cases, it can take years for acceptance to rise and then it’s too late as many memories could have been made in the presence of love.  ONE DAY THIS KID is a poignant, powerful and emotional film. One I hope shows that we shouldn’t withhold love, just because we disagree. Love is a bridge not to be burned, but to find every opportunity to cross it with arms and heart wide open.  The storytelling is powerful, the acting is stellar and the cinematography and music score are of the highest quality, and has rightly earned to an award winning film.  #shortfilm #film #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #screenwriter #lgbtq #selfawareness #cinema #bondoncinema #cinephile #oscars #academyawards

My guest today is emerging filmmaker  Jada George  making her awarding winning directorial debut with  Where The Children Go To Play, a chilling dystopian short film that forces audiences to question what it means to be “worthy” of survival in a system governed by cold, synthetic judgment.  Produced by Twin Pine Production with producing unit Alex Benton, Joshua Montrel, and AP Julian Thedford, the film is set in a sterile, near-future society and follows  Sevyn Thomas  and  Solana Jackson, two young candidates subjected to a brutal psychological selection process. Inside fluorescent-lit chambers, they face synthetic proctors—hyper-intelligent androids designed to probe their deepest fears and beliefs.  By the end, Sevyn and Solana emerge transformed, branded with tattoos symbolizing their rare passage into humanity’s future.  “With Where The Children Go To Play, I wanted to explore the intersection of power, identity, and survival in a world where worth is determined by a cold, calculated system,” says director  Jada George.  “The story reflects my fascination with dystopian narratives that mirror our own social structures—whether in politics, education, or the workplace. My hope is that audiences see both the characters’ struggles and their own experiences reflected in the film.”  Ladies and gentlemen, the film is set in a sterile, near-future society and follows  Sevyn Thomas  and  Solana Jackson, two young candidates subjected to a brutal psychological selection process.  Inside fluorescent-lit chambers, they face synthetic proctors—hyper-intelligent androids designed to probe their deepest fears and beliefs.  Memories are weaponized, morality is tested, and every answer draws the line between survival and sacrifice. By the end, Sevyn and Solana emerge transformed, branded with tattoos symbolizing their rare passage into humanity’s future.  This film is simple and the point, and an unnerving point it makes. Are we headed to a dystopian world where our every thought and move will be scrutinized by artificial intelligent being? The reality is, it’s already happening, especially in China. What would you do in this situation is the question.  #dystopian #thriller #psychologicalthriller #suspensethriller #mindset #mindgames #reset #film #cinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproduction #bondoncinema #shortfilm #shortfilms #cinephile #storytelling 

My guest today is filmmaker and actor Andrew Vogel, and  co-founder of VP Independent.  In 2023, the company released the action/thriller The Dirty South starring Willa Holland, Shane West, and Dermot Mulroney, which won Best Cinematography at NYC’s Chelsea Film Festival and released worldwide via Cineverse, earning praise from MovieWeb and The New York Times . Andrew’s recent projects include the comedy/thriller Dead Giveaway, winner of “Best Chemistry” at the Philadelphia Film Festival, and his high-concept psychological horror Herman, both set for 2025 release. As an actor, Vogel has appeared in A Walk in the Woods with Robert Redford and  Nick Nolte, CBS’s Under the Dome, ABC’s The Astronaut Wives Club, and the box-office sleeper God’s Not Dead. Andrew is here to talk about his newest film, HERMAN, a film asks the questions How do we face the inner demons that we don't even fully recognize? Will the truth really set us free?  Ladies and gentlemen, HERMAN is a psychological thriller about a man confronting the extremes of his own mind. Living in isolation in the woods, he searches for freedomfrom himself, only to find that the truths he has buried cannot stay hidden.  They resurface, manifesting in strange and unsettling ways, forcing him to confront the weight of guilt he has tried to escape. The film is inspired by the idea — echoed in Joseph Campbell’s work — that the line between mysticism and madness is often perilously thin. In Herman’s journey, we explore whether the truth can set him free, or if the act of uncovering it is itself a form of surrender. At its heart, the story is about living with oneself in the absence of distractions, confronting what is denied, and reckoning with the strange, dark alchemy of guilt anddesire. It is a meditation on isolation, the mind’s capacity for self-deception, and the delicate balance between revelation and ruin. This film keeps you glued to your seat while you slowly see Herman’s life or demons unravel. HERMAN is a heavily character-driven film and the dialogue is focused and poignant to every scene in the film. In an age, where independent filmmakers want to do the slow burn of storytelling, HERMAN doesn’t drag the story out.  It moves freely from scene to scene and you’re waiting to see what will happen next. Add in a couple of nuns, one in particular who is so spiritually in tune, you really want to see more of her.  I’m not going to give any spoilers away here, but there are surprises that await you and that makes for great storytelling and in this case a great film.  #horror #psychologicalthriller #thriller #suspensethriller #haunting #grief #yourpast #film #cinema #bondoncinema #cinematography #specialeffects #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproducer   

My guests today are writer/actress Bella Zoe Martinez and writer/director Sue Ann Pien and their short film ONCE MORE, LIKE RAIN MAN. Ladies and gentlemen, Bella Zoe Martinez put her advocacy into into practice, where in Once More, Like Rain Man, nearly 40% of the cast and crew are neurodivergent or are differently abled, demonstrating accommodations aren't a handicap.  After watching this film so many times, Bella has a superpower and it’s writing and acting. She’s a born natural when it comes to everything the film industry has to offer.  Sue Ann Pien brings her talented directing skills to this film. Literally, in the midst of dark, dramatic short films we see every year, ONCE MORE LIKE RAIN MAN is a breath of fresh air.  It is humorous, it is heartfelt, but it’s also inspiring to all of us. This film should change the way Hollywood thinks, about actors who are neurodivergent, or have Downs Syndrome, or cerebral palsy for that matter.  ONCE MORE LIKE RAIN MAN should be in my opinion on the Oscar Shortlist and it should be a new streaming series, so Netflix, Paramount and the rest of you. Turn your eyes to this incredible film and make it happen.  Everything about this film is spot on perfect and I want more!! #shortfilm #shortfilms #autism #neurodivergency #disability #acting #audition #film #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #cinema #cinephile #oscars #academyawards   

My guest today is director Giulia Louise Steigerwalt, who  made her acting debut in Gabriele Muccino’s film But Forever in My Mind, continuing her career in other films and television series.  Among her screenwriting credits are: Husband and Wife, The Champion, An Almost Ordinary Family and many others. In 2019, she won the Nastro d’Argento Award for Best Screenplay for The Champon and Cross and Delight. September, her directorial debut, received several accolades, including the David di Donatello Award for Best New Director. Giulia’s newest feature film, DIVA FUTURA, which will be known as SEX DIVA in its American release. The new feature film about the rise and fall of Italy’s first adult talent agency and the revolutionary family at its center will release globally on November 11 from Breaking Glass Pictures.  Ladies and gentlemen, DIVA FUTURA or SEX DIVA as it will be titled for its American release, is about Italian Riccardo Schicchi's agency Diva Futura turns free love into porn, making stars of Ilona Staller Chi-cho-lina, Moana Pozzi and others. Their fame leads to Cicciolina's election and Pozzi's mayoral run. The film dives deep into the studio that redefined notions of celebrity in Italy, spotlighting the unlikely blend of sexuality, politics, and cultural change that emerged from the Diva Futura studio in the 1980s and 1990s. Giulia Louise Steigerwalt’s directing is one of absolute brilliance. The intertwining the multiple storylines keeps the audience’s eyes glued to the silver screen.  The cast is absolute perfection with each actor perfect for their role. The audience will hang on every scene because the acting is authentic, emotional and draws you in like true cinema should do.  One of the things I kept noticing was how incredible the cinematography was in DIVA FUTURA. While the acting was perfect, so too was the camera movements, which enhances the actor’s parts and I don’t mean body parts, but their acting parts.  I could watch this film just for the cinematography, as Vladan Radovic’s camera work is simply stunning. If you want to know how to tell a story with a camera, this is the film to see.  #italy #italiancinema #lovestory #sexdiva #divafutura #cinematography #sextrade #filmmaker #bondoncinema #movie #film

My guests today are filmmakers J. Markus Anderson and Boyd Robert Anderson and their new feature film IF YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE ME.  The Andersons are Chumash brothers who grew up in Idaho and moved back to their ancestral lands of southern California for one reason: to make great films.  The two have worked together as a writer/director duo on projects of their own for over a decade. From web series like "For The Win" and "Food Quest" to their award winning short film "Limbo".  In 2023 the Andersons started their production company Chiefs over Kings through which they produced their debut feature film "If You Should Leave Before Me". Their film had a world wide premiere at "Raindance Film Festival" this year.   It is a a touching story of love and loss, so let’s welcome filmmakers J. Markus Anderson and Boyd Robert Anderson to the show. Ladies and gentlemen, the feature film, IF YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE ME, is about a devastating loss that drives a rift between Mark and Joshua after many years of marital bliss.  To avoid coping with their grief they immerse themselves in their work … which just so happens to be guiding the recently deceased to the afterlife. A touching story of love and loss. There are multiple storylines in the film, almost like miniature chapters in a way. The filming is contained within Mark and Joshua’s home, but with doors that lead to others trying to navigate their way from this life to the next.  When you have the chance to see this film, you will understand that love isn’t always full of roses and joy, but love is also about patience, kindness and overlooking the flaws in others as well as ourselves. And love never comes to end. With grief and as the most famous saying has told us, Grief is just love looking for a place to go, and this film IF YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE ME. Explains it perfectly.  #grief #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #screenwriter #loveandloss #cinema #bondoncinema #fantasy #cinematography #marriage #lovestory 

My guests today are film director Dmytro Hresko and film producers Polina Herman and Glib Lukianets and their beautifully haunting film documentary DIVIA.  Since 2021, Dmytro Hresko has created the full-length documentary films "Mountains and heaven in between" about the workers of the ambulance station and the life of the villagers in the mountain village of Kolochava in Transcarpathia, as well as the documentary "King Lear: How We Looked for Love During the War", about the life of migrants and their participation in amateur theater in the west of Ukraine. Dmytro Hresko is a Member of Ukrainian Association of Cinematographers and Ukrainian Film Academy.  Polina Herman is a film producer with over 10 years of experience in the film and television industry. She is the founder and CEO of the production companies UP UA Studio (founded in 2016, Kyiv, Ukraine) and UP USA Studio (founded in 2023, Los Angeles, USA), which specialize in the production and promotion of fiction and documentary films, as well as in the development of international co-productions.  Under her leadership, the studio has produced over 20 films, including international co-productions with Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  Glib Lukiahnets is Ukrainian-Polish film producer and writer, the owner of Gogol Film and Gogol Vertigo production houses, that focus on social and national issues by creative storytelling and new art forms.  He earned his Master's Degree in Economics from Kyiv National Economic University and Master's Degree in Arts from Leon Schiller National Film School - one of leading film academies according to The Hollywood Reporter's numerous ratings.  In 2025, this filmmaking team finished the documentary DIVIA about the impact of society and war on the state of ecology and nature in Ukraine.  The film premiered at the The 60th Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Crystal Globe Competition program, also participated in the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, and is currently continuing its film festival journey.  Ladies and gentlemen, the film documentary DIVIA, film explores the catastrophic influence of Russian invasion on nature in Ukraine. This is a journey from the harmonious life of nature to the fiery whirl of war which burns out the earth, forests and all flesh. As the spring comes, nature revives and brings new life among animals despite the irreversible damage. Yet the tremendous scope of the tragedy deprives us of hope for immediate natural recovery and cleaning of the remains of war. This film shows us the devastation from the ground up as well as giving us a God’s eye view of the destruction to nature, wildlife, and the human existence. The images will not leave you mind quickly, but they will stay with you to help you remember that war is damaging to every living thing.  Nature is a powerful force. It doesn’t stop growing. It doesn’t stop regenerating, but it adapts to what man does to it.  DIVIA is a very powerful, emotional film documentary that needs no words to convey its haunting message to the world. The combination of the cinematography and the music score helps to tell the whole story.  #ukraine #russia #ecology #ecosystem #film #filmdocumentary #documentary #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproducer #filmproduction #war #landmines #wildlife #nature #farms #farming #farmland #waterways #humanitarian   

Rosie May Bird Smith, an emerging British comedy director renowned for her distinctive style that seamlessly blends humor with heart. Working across film and commercials and specializing in script writing, film craft and comedy - over the past 5 years she has produced a range of high-profile films for some of the world's largest and most influential brands. Rosie won the Young Directors Award in Cannes 2023 and Best New Director at Creative Circle 2024. Rosie’s new short film, the hilarious dark comedy EGG TIMER has an incredible cast, including Kerry Godliman and Lauren O’Rourke - featured wearing giant ovarian egg costumes! - and Ella Bruccoleri (from Bridgeton and Paddington 3) who plays the lead. The film Executive Produced from Academy Award-winning Slick Films and British Arrow-winning Biscuit Filmworks with Associate Producers from female led company Bridget Productions. Ladies and gentlemen, BAFTA & BIFA qualifying EGG TIMER, the latest dark comedy short film from award-winning director Rosie May Bird Smith. EGG TIMER is a witty, dark comedy centered around the societal pressure on women to have children by a certain age. As Megan approaches her 30th birthday, the expectation to take the “next step” in life starts to feel overwhelming. But just as she’s grappling with opinions from family and friends, her own outspoken ovarian eggs start weighing in - unfiltered, relentless, and impossible to ignore. Caught between external pressures and the hilariously brutal commentary from within, Megan must decide whose voice to listen to.  This short film is laugh out loud funny and we need more of that in short films. But EGG TIMER is truly a poignant film for all women who enter the stage in their life when the biological clock starts to count down. The pressures of being a woman are often being ignored by society today. We don’t live in the 1950s anymore where people got married when they were 18-19 years old and had a kid the next year. Our world today is full of independence and we see the spark of independence in Meghan in EGG TIMER. Her clock is ticking, but I feel her real clock was not a biological one, but a clock where you find your real self. The only alarm we need to listen too is the one that goes off in our heart. #biologicalclock #fertility #shortfilm #darkcomedy #film #cinema #filmmaker #movie #shortfilm #bondoncinema #film #interview #filmdirector #filmmaking #cinematography

My guest today is actor James Pickens, Jr. who many of you know as as Dr. Richard Webber for 22 Seasons on the hit series Grey’s Anatomy.  He is a Co-Executive Producer on the series which continues its amazing run winning SAG-AFTRA Screen Actors Guild Awards, multiple People’s Choice Awards, and close to his heart, the NAACP Image Award. James stars in the emotional short film “Albert’s Flower”, a powerfully emotional short film.  Ladies and gentlemen, “Albert’s Flower” is an intimate and moving short film, drawn back to his childhood home, a man returns to confront the weight of his past and finally turn the page on long buried pain. What do we do with – what do we do about – the maddening, ungainly, exhausting, and sometimes ridiculous baggage we carry around with us, that hurts with every step we take; and at the same time makes us, for good and bad and in-between, who we actually are?  Albert's Flower is a taut, heartfelt journey into a present relentlessly haunted by the past, andthe courage required to face uncomfortable, unexpected truths about who we are and wherewe come from...those "flowers" that go untended in our lives. James Pickens, Jr and Eilis Cahill give stellar performances. You feel each characters emotions, as their cinematic synergy radiates onscreen. This a must see short film. #shortfilm #greysanatomy #childhoodtrauma #memories #lifelessons #forgiveness #healing #film #cinema #bondoncinema #filmmaking #filmmaker #cinephile   

My guest today is Jonny Durgan, a double-Cannes Lion-winning Writer-Director for his work in commercials.  Spending almost fifteen years working at some of the world’s best advertising agencies, creating work for some of the biggest brands such as Audi, Adidas, KFC and Sipsmith Gin.  He made his first short film as Writer-Director called “Somewhere I’ve Been”, it stars Sheila Reid, Lindsey Coulson and John Love, it showed at festivals here and abroad, and now he’s back with his second effort - “G.S.W.”  GSW is a heart pounding 7 minute short film, so let’s welcome award winning filmmaker Jonny Durgan to the show. Ladies and gentlemen, Jonny Durgan’s short film, GSW is about Beth, a paramedic dealing with a victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. However, the situation escalates when news comes over the radio of a school shooting nearby, the same school her son attends. The shooter is still on the loose, and he matches the description of the man on their stretcher.  GSW gives us multiple things to consider. Do we uphold our duty, possibly an oath we have made, do we show mercy, grace or do we show judgement?  GSW is a fast paced 7 minute short film that seems like you are watching a feature film and I love that.  Actresses Genevieve O’Reilly and Kya Brame give absolutely brilliant performances as paramedics with different degrees of experience. Basically a veteran versus a rookie. I see this short film going a long way during its film festival run. If you are attending a film festival and GSW is going to be shown. You have to be in the audience to experience the tension, the emotion, the moral dilemma of two people who feel they are justified in their actions.  This film will leave the audience thinking about their own morality, which is a good thing. How many of us actually think about “What Would We Do” if placed in a similar position? #gsw #medical #paramedic #hippocraticoath #shortfilm #shortfilms #thriller #suspensethriller #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #cinephile #bondoncinema #cinematography #cinematographer 

My guests today are director Jan Saska, illustrator Marek Pokorny and Kamila Dohnalova and their animated short film HURIKAN. Jan Saska is a Czech director of animated films and author of several comics. After obtaining a diploma in classical animation from the University of Tomá? He continued his studies at the Faculty of Cinema and Television of the Academy of Arts of the Prague show (FAMU). The previous film, Assault, won prizes at festivals in Portugal and Russia. Happy End, his license film, was nominated this year for the Czech Lion - Magnesia Prize for the best student film. Marek Pokorný is an illustrator, comics author and 2D animator currently based in Praha, Czech Republic. He drew two comics that were published. One won the Czech comics award Muriel (for the best book and art) and got nominated for Czech Grand Design award for illustrations. Kamila Dohnalová is an independent film producer based in Prague, Czech Republic. Besides brining to life animated and live action projects within her production company Last Films, she is in charge of the industry program at Anifilm IFAF. Kamila has produced more than twenty films including Happy End in 2015, an Academy Awards-shortlisted animated black comedy that premiered at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, and Peacock, also in  2015, a Sundance-awarded short fiction. Ladies and gentlemen, in the animated short film, HURIKAN, Hurikán rushes to save his favorite beer stand from closure by fetching a new keg to impress the bartender he crushes on. In a wild Prague district, he faces robbers, cops, and his own thirst. HURIKAN is one of the best short films I’ve seen in the last couple of years. It keeps your attention, the story moves fast, but actually seems longer than its 13 minute run time. The black and white animation is a joy to look at and mixed with one of the best sound mixes I’ve ever heard, I expect this animated short film to go a long way this award season. #animation #prague #czech #oscars #filmmaker #shortfilm #interview #bondoncinema #film #filmdirector #filmmaking #cinematography #berr #beerlover

My guest today is restaurateur Lisa Dahl who leads an empire of exquisite restaurants in beautiful Sedona, AZ that are ranked among the best dining destinations in the world.  A self-taught chef who began her culinary journey in Sedona following the tragic death of her beloved son Justin.  Lisa inspires those who have suffered their own hardships by bringing them joy and nourishment one dish at a time. For nearly 30 years, Lisa Dahl has been among the upper echelon of women chefs/restauranteurs leading a revolution in organic farm-to-fork food ways while showing the culinary industry that dreams do come true through grit, innovation, and top-shelf hospitality.  Her fine dining flagship Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill has garnered global recognition since its opening in 2015, and her first restaurant venture Dahl & Di Luca was just ranked 7th in the country in TripAdvisor’s "Travelers' Choice Awards" of "Best of the Best" Date Night restaurants.  Dahl Restaurant Group is one of the largest employers in Northern Arizona with its 300 employees. Her two cookbooks, Elixir of Life and A Romance With Food, have collectively sold over 25,000 copies.  On March 1, 2025, the documentary short film, Lisa Dahl: Blessed By Grace premiered at the Sedona International Film Festival to a sold-out crowd with notable celebrities in attendance. Ladies and gentlemen, LISA DAHL: BLESSED BY GRACE is not just a film documentary about Lisa and her variety of restaurants. It is a film that anyone can overcome adversity and become a blessing to the others and form a community around the very thing we all love…food and fellowship.  Lisa Dahl is an inspiration, but gives all of us the encouragement that we can overcome anything. Either drawing from a higher power for those who left before us.  It is the super natural spirit that lives in each one of us that when you tap into it, we can do amazing things. Not just for ourselves, but for others as well.  #film #documentaryfilm #restaurantuer #sedone #arizona #finedining #filmmaker #filmmaking #cinema #italianfood #latinfood #pizzeria