In this bonus clips, Gordon& Bernadette discuss films they recently watched.
In this episode, contributors, Gordon Taft & Bernadette Mahoney discuss the movies they've watched recently and current events like the inevitability of the monopolization in the Streaming Wars: Netflix, Warner Bros, HBO and Paramount back-and-forth, Saudi Arabian money going into entertainment.
Enjoy this rapid fire segment with Eileen Level, founder of PaleFO Cinema!
I’m a high-energy cinema professional who’s been working in the film festival industry since 2014. I have experience as a media events manager and short film programmer. I am passionate about teaching the next generation of storytellers about visual and media arts and I'm committed to working with under-resourced youth.
The first experience that introduced me to the magic of film was John Landis and Michael Jackson's THRILLER short film. At the tender age of 5 when Play-Doh and naps at noon were my be-all-end-all, my life took an unexpected turn at the click of the on-button. I stood there in awe as my eyes widened, in fright as my body froze, and enamored as my heart melted. All at once, THRILLER had disrupted the music industry and my understanding of reality. Without my permission, I was teleported into a fantastical nightmare that awakened my thirst for powerful stories beyond any stand-alone book or song, it had to be an amalgamation of it all!
That's the power of film...nothing is left off the table!
Aside from the creative impact film has on one individual, the shared experience of films is unmatched. There's an unexplainable pulse that ripples throughout the cinema making human connections far more important than one could imagine. These connections collectively inspire individuals, expand our basic knowledge of the world around us, and invigorates conversation thus leading us to action and change for the greater good.
As an alumna of The New School Media Management graduate program and Social Impact Entrepreneur Fellow, I plan to couple both my education and commitment to film to create a space that encourages community participation.
My goal is to build a movie theater for an under-financed community, by gathering a tribe of eager creatives from diverse backgrounds with varying skills and experiences. Through this initiative I plan to bring people together for a shared experience, that will maximize self-expression and leverage community involvement, arts education, and other resources.
I'm the creative curator and force behind cinema blog palefocinema.com (pah-leh-fo), spotlighting the importance and uniqueness of movie theaters and film.
The meaning of PaleFO Cinema is derived from my Haitian and French roots and love for the cinema.
Pale means to "speak" and Fo means "up". These words are my essence and speaking up for the importance of storytelling through film and advocating for the existence of movie theaters is the path I was born for!
Interview with Matt Greenberg (quality control specialist at HBO and Warner Bros) stops by to chat about his career, pathways others can follow to do what he does, and some of his favorite movies!
Matt also serves as a board member for the nonprofit Bronx Independent Cinema Center.Make sure you follow Matt on Letterboxd and check out his podcast (2000 Frames Per Second)!
Recorded in October of 2025, our trio of contributors Max De Mazza, Gordon Taft & Bernadette Mahoney discuss Current Events such as Diane Keaton, Paramount/CBS, NYC Mayoral Election, One Battle After Another and More!
Recorded in September of 2025, our trio of contributors Max De Mazza, Gordon Taft & Bernadette Mahoney discuss Current Events such as Robert Redford, Tariffs, Mergers, Boycotts, and More!
In this short clip, Actress Allison Worrell shares her experience during the audition process for Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest.
In this short clip, contributors, Gordon Taft, Max De Mazza, Bernadette Mahoney discuss their favorite Robert Redford films.
Let us know which Robert Redford film is your favorite in the comments!
We welcome back Allison Worrell to discuss her work on Spike Lee's latest film, "Highest 2 Loweest"
Allison Worrell is a New York City-based actor who you can see in Spike Lee’s newest film, “Highest 2 Lowest”. In the Denzel Washington crime thriller, she plays a police technician. It was released in theaters August 15th and is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Allison has had roles on American Horror Story, Law & Order: Organized Crime, and in OFF-Broadway plays.
She graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and English Literature. Allison is a former broadcast journalist— in the TV news realm she has experience writing, producing & has done on air reporting.
Aaron Simms is the founder and executive producer of Inwood Art Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and curating professional performing and visual arts in the Inwood neighborhood and surrounding communities of Northern Manhattan.
Simms established Inwood Art Works to serve as a community hub for local artists and to address the lack of venues for theater, opera, dance, music, and film in the area, which he describes as an "artistic desert".
Inwood Art Works is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create and curate professional performing and visual arts in Inwood and its surrounding community.
Our vision is to establish a dedicated cultural arts destination that fosters a vibrant multicultural community nourished by local connectivity and sustained by artistic equity.
We value encouraging positive social engagement, goodwill, and unity through live theater, music, dance, film, new media, and visual arts within accessible proximity at affordable prices or free of charge. We value and champion the craft and cultural diversity of local professional and emerging artists. And we value the education of youth through the arts.
With our Film Works (Inwood Film Festival, Film Works Alfresco), Art Works (Gallery), and Stage Works (Live N’ Local, Back Porch Show, Culture Hub) programs we hope to encourage positive social engagement, goodwill, and unity through live theater, music, dance, film, new media, and visual arts that are easily accessible and affordable — often free of charge.
The Inwood Film Festival celebrates and showcases the Inwood community through the moving image, presenting independent films made in the neighborhood or by Inwood-based filmmakers.
This episode was recorded in April of 2025 at a studio in Port Morris, run by Green Canvas Productions LLC.
Aaron Simms is the founder and executive producer of Inwood Art Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and curating professional performing and visual arts in the Inwood neighborhood and surrounding communities of Northern Manhattan.
Simms established Inwood Art Works to serve as a community hub for local artists and to address the lack of venues for theater, opera, dance, music, and film in the area, which he describes as an "artistic desert".
Inwood Art Works is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create and curate professional performing and visual arts in Inwood and its surrounding community.
Our vision is to establish a dedicated cultural arts destination that fosters a vibrant multicultural community nourished by local connectivity and sustained by artistic equity.
We value encouraging positive social engagement, goodwill, and unity through live theater, music, dance, film, new media, and visual arts within accessible proximity at affordable prices or free of charge. We value and champion the craft and cultural diversity of local professional and emerging artists. And we value the education of youth through the arts.
With our Film Works (Inwood Film Festival, Film Works Alfresco), Art Works (Gallery), and Stage Works (Live N’ Local, Back Porch Show, Culture Hub) programs we hope to encourage positive social engagement, goodwill, and unity through live theater, music, dance, film, new media, and visual arts that are easily accessible and affordable — often free of charge.
The Inwood Film Festival celebrates and showcases the Inwood community through the moving image, presenting independent films made in the neighborhood or by Inwood-based filmmakers.
Aaron Simms is the founder and executive producer of Inwood Art Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and curating professional performing and visual arts in the Inwood neighborhood and surrounding communities of Northern Manhattan.
Simms established Inwood Art Works to serve as a community hub for local artists and to address the lack of venues for theater, opera, dance, music, and film in the area, which he describes as an "artistic desert".
Inwood Art Works is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create and curate professional performing and visual arts in Inwood and its surrounding community.
Our vision is to establish a dedicated cultural arts destination that fosters a vibrant multicultural community nourished by local connectivity and sustained by artistic equity.
We value encouraging positive social engagement, goodwill, and unity through live theater, music, dance, film, new media, and visual arts within accessible proximity at affordable prices or free of charge. We value and champion the craft and cultural diversity of local professional and emerging artists. And we value the education of youth through the arts.
With our Film Works (Inwood Film Festival, Film Works Alfresco), Art Works (Gallery), and Stage Works (Live N’ Local, Back Porch Show, Culture Hub) programs we hope to encourage positive social engagement, goodwill, and unity through live theater, music, dance, film, new media, and visual arts that are easily accessible and affordable — often free of charge.
The Inwood Film Festival celebrates and showcases the Inwood community through the moving image, presenting independent films made in the neighborhood or by Inwood-based filmmakers.
April Hernandez Castillo & Zalo Castillo are a media power couple!
In this short clip, April shares wisdom of understanding your value as in the entertainment business.
She boasts over 2 decades of experience as an actor and producer.
In this live podcast short clip, Zalo Castillo discusses the documentary project by Lion Chaser Media about Joe Conzo
Born and raised in the Bronx, Joe Conzo Jr. acquired a passion for photography as a young boy attending the Agnes Russell School on the campus of Columbia University. He continued his formal artistic education at the School of Visual Arts (NYC).
During his early development, “Joey” bore witness to the volatile state of South Bronx community activism, and to the vanguard world of New York’s Puerto Rican cultural music scene. On any given day, he could find himself at the heels of his grandmother, the late Dr. Evelina López Antonetty (a dynamic leader and passionate activist ), engaged in a defiant act of civil disobedience for the educational rights of minorities in the South Bronx. On another day, he’d find himself clinging to the shirt-tail of his father, Joe Conzo Sr. (longtime confidant and biographer for the legendary orchestra leader and musician the late Tito Puente), behind-the-scenes with the giants of Latin music like Machito, Charlie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco and Ray Barretto. These two vivid realities would have a profound effect on how Joey viewed his environment through the lens of a camera.
Coming of age as a young man and as a budding photographer, in the mid 70s, proved to be baptism by fire, during an unprecedented chapter of New York City urban decay. Joey was a part of a generation that had refused to be erased by corrupt politicians and a disparaging educational system. His talents had found their niche within the collective acts of defiance that boldly re-invented the very world that left them for dead. This socio-cultural movement would eventually be recognized in American History books as Hip Hop.
This live podcast was recorded at the Dugout Bar in The Bronx near Yankee Stadium.
April Hernandez Castillo & Zalo Castillo are the founders of LionChaser Media
LionChaser Media specializes in creating promotional media assets for businesses looking to elevate their online presence and increase their customer base. Through LCM's unique approach producing quality content, we partner with our clients to conceptualize ideas, collaborate on strategies, and create digital assets designed to capture the attention of the relevant target audience.
Check out this short clip for Episode 43
April Hernandez Castillo:
As an actress, April reached critical heights in her portrayal of Eva Benitez in the award-winning movie, Freedom Writers. She has garnered roles in Showtime's Nurse Jackie, Person of Interest, ER, 30 Rock, Elementary, Law&Order SVU, and The Following. April received a SAG Award nomination for best ensemble cast in the hit show Dexter. She had a recurring role on NBC's New Amsterdam.
April now travels across the United States sharing her story of perseverance and survival, using examples of how the power of her voice has made her a courageous leader. She facilitates workshops for youth groups, students organizations, women events, school administrators in how to deal with the epidemic of intimate partner violence.
April alongside her husband and business partner Zalo Castillo are the cofounders of Parental Voices Matter. A workshop/program created to ignite, educate, and support parental communities.
A format created by parents for parents/guardians. We realized how under served parents are and they need to be informed and motivated just as much as our children do. We facilitate the workshop together which is so exciting.
Zalo Castillo:
Experienced Principal Owner of LionChaser Films, Inc., with a demonstrated history of working in the film making and photography industries. Skilled in Photography, Web Video, Documentaries, Video Editing, and Video Production. Strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Science - BS focused in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services from College of Mount Saint Vincent.
Full episode featuring Kyra Peters
Kyra is a Writer/ Director born and raised in The Bronx, New York. Raised in a 3 generation Caribbean household, she spent most of her time afterschool listening to her Grandmother’s tales, her words serving as portals to far-away worlds. Kyra’s storytelling journey focused on screenwriting during her time at The Ghetto Film School, through the NYC Fellows program. Growing up with a brother 15 years younger than her, gave her a firsthand look at the impact media could have on shaping a child’s perception of the world. This guided her studies at NYU where she earned a BFA in Film & Television with a minor in Childhood Mental Health Studies. Just like her Grandmother, Kyra wants to catapult people into new worlds, conversations, and encourage kids (and those of us who are kids at heart) to expand their imaginations past the world’s limitations .
In this clip, Kyra Peters discusses NYU not being her first choice of school after graduation from the Cinema School and taking part in the Ghetto Film School.
Kyra Peters is a Writer/ Director born and raised in The Bronx, New York. Raised in a 3 generation Caribbean household, she spent most of her time afterschool listening to her Grandmother’s tales, her words serving as portals to far-away worlds. Kyra’s storytelling journey focused on screenwriting during her time at The Ghetto Film School, through the NYC Fellows program. Growing up with a brother 15 years younger than her, gave her a firsthand look at the impact media could have on shaping a child’s perception of the world. This guided her studies at NYU where she earned a BFA in Film & Television with a minor in Childhood Mental Health Studies. Just like her Grandmother, Kyra wants to catapult people into new worlds, conversations, and encourage kids (and those of us who are kids at heart) to expand their imaginations past the world’s limitations .
In this clip, Kyra Peters the importance of visual imagery of the Bronx, where she grew up in her film work. Her approach is to treat the Bronx like a character.
Kyra Peters is a Writer/ Director born and raised in The Bronx, New York. Raised in a 3 generation Caribbean household, she spent most of her time afterschool listening to her Grandmother’s tales, her words serving as portals to far-away worlds. Kyra’s storytelling journey focused on screenwriting during her time at The Ghetto Film School, through the NYC Fellows program. Growing up with a brother 15 years younger than her, gave her a firsthand look at the impact media could have on shaping a child’s perception of the world. This guided her studies at NYU where she earned a BFA in Film & Television with a minor in Childhood Mental Health Studies. Just like her Grandmother, Kyra wants to catapult people into new worlds, conversations, and encourage kids (and those of us who are kids at heart) to expand their imaginations past the world’s limitations .