film essay
Nothing to Prove and No Deadlines to Meet
G. Anthony Svatek, whose debut feature Humboldt USA plays First Look this weekend, on how collaging has made him a better filmmaker.
Don’t Ask Me for a Release: The Challenge of Depicting Real Lives in Film
Lynne Sachs, who this week will be presented the Pesistence of Vision Award, on making her new film Every Contact Leaves a Trace.
City Wide Beaver
Josh Heaps on the personal journey behind his no-budget giallo homage City Wide Fever, which is out now through Factory 25.
We Blew Up Our High School Car
As Redux Redux hits digital, Kevin McManus on the many filmmaking adventures he and his brother Matthew had with their beloved Saturn Ion.
Standing Room Only
Drew Denny, director of the new documentary Second Nature, on a transformative decade spent telling a story that truly matters.
Between the Takes
Actress and writer Freya Adams, best known for her lead role in Jennifer Phang’s Advantageous, shares a poem on how life and acting intersect.
A Crucifixion in Brooklyn, or: Filming the Oldest Special Effect
Director Caroline Golum on filming a solar eclipse for her low-budget historical epic, Revelations of Divine Love, which is in theaters now.
Battlestar Fantasy
Matthew Shear’s path to directing his first feature, Fantasy Life, through the lens of his favorite TV show, Battlestar Galactica.
Nonna
Petra Volpe, whose new feature Late Shift opens tomorrow, on how her Italian grandmother set her on the path to becoming a filmmaker.
A Rare Alignment of Friendship: Notes on Last Ride
Writer-director Cinqué Lee reveals the deeply personal story that inspired his new film, the coming-of-age survival drama Last Ride.
I Don’t Know What I’m Doing, Except for When I Do
Amandine Thomas, writer-director of the Sundance 2026 short Albatross, on how her superpower of learning has got her to where she is now.
Why I’m Not Suing Corey Feldman for Defamation
Director Marcie Hume on how she responded to her subject's attacks on her new documentary, Corey Feldman Vs. the World.











