film essay

Daniela De Carlo, writer-director of The Blackout, on how her childhood idol, Brazilian pop star Xuxa, magically came into her life, for good.

Filmmaker Enid Zentelis on making her non-fiction podcast series How My Grandmother Won WWII, and how we tell historical stories.

Julia Marchese looks ahead to the time when watching a film will once again be a communal and transformative experience.

David Wexler, director of the SXSW documentary Disintegration Loops, on the way music has shaped all his cinematic visions.

Writer-director Jessie Barr on the personal story of death, grief and family that underpins her debut feature, Sophie Jones.

Director Brielle Brilliant on the very particular backstory of their new film Firstness, and what that word means to them.

Acclaimed writer-director Nicholas Jarecki on why his debut, Arbitrage, and new film Crisis both focus on societal systems in collapse.

Sarah Sherman ponders concepts of art and achievement after she and her brother Zach co-directed their debut feature, Young Hearts.

As Marjoun and the Flying Headscarf vies for Oscar contention, director Susan Youssef charts how Islamophobia has impacted her creative career.

Elizabeth Lo, whose debut documentary feature Stray is out tomorrow, on the most difficult situation she faced making the film.

Canadian filmmaker Mark Cira traces his long, complicated relationship with May's famously derided comedy back to his anarchist teen years.

Dante Bellini, director of Ken Burns: Here & There, on how the documentary icon helped him make a late-career leap to filmmaking.