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Writer and director Asghar Farhadi preserves the feeling of real life in ‘A Hero’

January 7, 2022

Rahim (Amir Jadidi) holds a lost purse full of gold coins in his hands after his girlfriend Farkhondeh (Sahar Goldust) brings it to him as a saving grace — his ticket out of prison, where he ends up after his business partner runs off with their loan...

William Monahan talks adapting the beloved 'The Tender Bar'

January 7, 2022

In his latest directorial endeavor, George Clooney takes on The Tender Bar, J.R. Moehringer's beloved memoir of the same name. The book pays tribute to Moehringer's Uncle Charlie (played here by a pitch-perfect Ben Affleck), and screenwriter William ...

Filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar on creating ‘Jockey’ and the joys of collaboration

January 5, 2022

Jockey premiered at Sundance 2021, where Clifton Collins Jr.’s turn as horse jockey Jackson took the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Actor. The intimate portrait of an aging athlete faced with transitions in both his personal and profession...

Equipped, Part I: Comedy writer-producer Dan O'Shannon

January 5, 2022

Welcome to "Equipped," a biweekly interview series picking the brains of your favorite showrunners, show creators, EPs, and all-around legends. What makes a successful writer tick? How do they handle bad news? How have others changed their lives and ...

How Asif Akbar created ‘The Commando’ with speed and collaboration

January 5, 2022

“I always knew I wanted to be a director,” says Asif Akbar, director of the 2022 film The Commando regarding his experience at film school Columbia College – Hollywood. “The school let every student get experience in every aspect of production. I wen...

How creator and showrunner Sascha Penn ensures ‘Raising Kanan’ sticks to its roots as a family drama

January 4, 2022

Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis) sits at a diner table along with his friends and family, joking around and smiling. As they step outside, a car slows down and gunshots fire. Just as quickly as they could smile inside, they duck.

Rising Through the Ranks: Sam Pavich on becoming a writer’s assistant on '4400'

January 3, 2022

Sam Pavich accumulated plenty of experience as an assistant throughout four years in the Echo Lake Entertainment offices before getting staffed as a writer's assistant on 4400 last March.

Auntyland Film Festival's founder and director Sylvia Wong Lewis on flipping the script

January 3, 2022

The new Auntyland Film Festival (AFF) is accepting short-length indie films by and for women and BIPOC artists for its inaugural film festival now through January 30, 2022. The film festival touts itself as the only film festival that "embraces matur...

Ragged Heart' is a haunting and engrossing look at regret

December 30, 2021

Ragged Heart is a raw journey through the heart of a grieving musician who loses his gifted daughter after an unexpected phone call. Filmmaker Evan McNary has crafted a haunting narrative, which drifts through the secret lives of the artists of Athen...