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Talkhouse

Jamie Sisley is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who wrote and directed Stay Awake, a narrative feature film starring Chrissy Metz, Wyatt Oleff and Fin Argus which is out in theaters from May 19. Stay Awake had its world premiere at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival, where it won the AG Kino Gilde Auteur Award and was Honorable Mention for the Crystal Bear. Jamie received an Emmy Nomination for his feature documentary, Farewell Ferris Wheel, which also won the Creative Promise Award from the Tribeca Film Institute, received an Imagen nomination for the positive portrayal of Latinos in entertainment, and was nationally broadcast on PBS and Netflix. Prior to film, Jamie was a manager in the music industry, working with artists such as Tim McGraw. He currently lives just outside Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Eze Amos.)

Jamie Sisley

Film

The Film Festival Therapist

Ryan Lacen is an award-winning filmmaker whose secod feature, All the World is Sleeping, won Best Film at the HBO New York Latino Film Festival and is in theaters nationwide from March 17 through Gravitas Ventures. He studied under the famed directors Kevin Smith and Michel Gondry before going on to direct his own feature film, The Dust Storm. Made on a shoe-string budget, the film initially sold to Hulu in the United States and Flix Premiere in the UK, before moving to Amazon Prime. He’s since directed commercials and branded spots for companies like Disney, Fender and Amazon. He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he runs his production company <a href="http://www.normal.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Normal TV</a>.

Ryan Lacen

Smiling Back Through the Darkness

Darren Foster is an award-winning director and producer. His latest film, <a href="https://cnncreativemarketing.com/project/american-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Pain</a>, which explores the origins of the opioid epidemic through the rise and fall of twins from Florida who became the kingpins of America’s largest prescription drug trafficking network, airs on CNN on February 5. Darren’s first feature documentary, Science Fair, won the Festival Favorite Award at Sundance 2018, the Audience Award at SXSW, a Critic’s Choice Award and an Emmy, and is currently being adapted into a narrative feature by Elizabeth Banks and Universal Pictures. Darren also recently directed Own the Room, a feature documentary about five international students competing in one of the world’s most prestigious business pitch competitions. He previously won a duPont Award for Death by Fentanyl and a Peabody Award, a Television Academy Honor and an Emmy nomination for The OxyContin Express, both of which also focus on the opioid crisis.

Darren Foster

Pill Mills and Car Chases: The Story Behind American Pain

Born to hippie artists, Jeremiah Zagar grew up in South Philly spending most afternoons in a dark movie theater or wandering the aisles of his local TLA video store. Later, on trips home from Emerson College, he started filming his parents, resulting in the documentary, In A Dream, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and screened theatrically across the US and in film festivals around the world. It was broadcast on HBO, shortlisted for an Academy Award and received two Emmy nominations, including Best Documentary. His next feature-length documentary, Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart, premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival and aired on HBO to much fanfare in 2014. He directed and co-wrote the feature We The Animals – based on Justin Torres&#8217; best-selling novel of the same name – which was selected for the Sundance Directing and Screenwriting Lab fellowships and premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. His latest work, the documentary series <a href="https://bit.ly/3qMu0my" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Fix</a>, based on Johann Hari&#8217;s book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, is now streaming on Roku.j

Jeremiah Zagar

For My Brother

Entering the film world only four years ago, Hasan Oswald has quickly established a unique ability to capture the human experience through vérité cinema. His unfettered access to and intimacy with his characters creates a seamless veneer between the filmmaker and subject. His work first caught the eye of award-winning filmmakers Nick Quested and Sebastian Junger (Restrepo) and he started his professional career as a cameraman for National Geographic’s film Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS. He has since covered the water crisis in Flint, drug trafficking in Philadelphia, and his current project on the Yazidi Genocide in Iraq. His directorial debut, <a href="https://www.higherlovefilm.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Higher Love</a>, the Slamdance Grand Jury-winning documentary about drug addiction in Camden, New Jersey, is out now on VOD.

Hasan Oswald

A World Below the Brine

Director and producer Spencer T. Folmar grew up in Central Pennsylvania in Clearfield. His time there brewed a passion and love for the area. Though he is based in Los Angeles, California, he attempts to pay homage to his home state when he can. He sees his latest film, Shooting Heroin, out on VOD April 3, as a way to help raise awareness of the opioid epidemic that is ravaging not only his home community, but others around the United States. Folmar is a member of the Producers Guild and Directors Guild of America, has directed four feature films, and has produced seven. His love for filmmaking and tackling real-world issues can be seen in the types of films and projects he has worked on. Folmar also has a passion for training and equipping the next generation of storytellers through his company Veritas Arts, which owns and operates a movie theater, and runs an international film festival.

Spencer T. Folmar

Telling Stories That Liberate

Pat McGee is an award-winning showrunner and director in both film and television. His latest film, <a href="https://www.vicetv.com/en_us/video/bernie-blackout-trailer/5eb03836214bfc544c1ddf95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bernie Blackout: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised</a>, premieres in VICE&#8217;s &#8220;VICE Versa&#8221; series on May 13. McGee’s feature documentary American Relapse, which he directed with Adam Linkenhelt, won awards at film festivals across the country and was released by Gravitas Ventures. In 2018, Viceland Network picked up McGee&#8217;s original series, Dopesick Nation, a docudrama about the opioid epidemic in Florida. Simultaneous to producing Dopesick Nation, Pat executive produced and directed the YouTube Original feature documentary The Deported, set to premiere in the spring of 2019. In 2017, he sold a feature documentary film to National Geographic Channel, World of Sound, about retinitis pigmentosa, while wrapping up the second season of Pat McGee Pictures’ 24 to Life, which aired on Lifetime, LMN and A&amp;E. Pat’s focus has been on producing “stories worth telling.” He’s grateful for all those who let him into their world to assist in telling their story. He keeps pushing to give a voice to the voiceless, while respecting the art of storytelling.

Pat McGee

Staring Death in the Face: On the Challenges of Making American Relapse

Donovan Melero—along with bandmates Aric Garcia (guitar), John Stirrat (bass), and Shane Gann (guitar)—manage both the creative and business sides of Hail The Sun as they continue to grow into one of the most revered acts in their genre. Melero has also developed into one of the most respected booking agents in rock due to his incomparable work ethic. Somehow he even manages to find time to advance his side project, the progressive rock supergroup Sianvar, which has developed a sizeable cult following of its own. On Hail The Sun’s latest full-length, Mental Knife, Melero tackles that constant need for self improvement and his obsession with making up for lost time in a way that is both unabashedly honest and artistically innovative. Mental Knife will be released September 28th on Equal Vision Records.

Donovan Melero

Music

Donovan Melero: To Myself, on the First Day of Sobriety

Kentucker Audley is a filmmaker, film programmer, actor and (former) Movies hat salesman. His debut album, <a href="https://kentuckeraudley.bandcamp.com/album/old-amateur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Old Amateur</a>, is now out. His latest film, Strawberry Mansion (co-directed with Albert Birney), premiered at Sundance 2021. His previous directorial effort, Sylvio (also co-directed with Albert Birney), debuted at SXSW and was named one of the Best 10 Movies of the Year by The New Yorker. As an actor, he&#8217;s starred in indie films such as Christmas, Again and Sun Don&#8217;t Shine. He also founded <a href="http://nobudge.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NoBudge</a> and <a href="https://www.moviesbrand.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Movies Brand</a>.

Kentucker Audley

Kentucker Audley (Open Five) Talks Brent Hodge and Derik Murray’s I Am Chris Farley

Eddie Mullins was the film critic at BlackBook for eight years where he penned a monthly print column and a daily blog. He has also contributed to Films in Review, Filmmaker, Slant, and Hustler. His debut film, <a href="http://doomsdaysmovie.com/" target="_blank">Doomsdays</a>, will be released theatrically and digitally on June 5th.

drug addiction