Month: July 2025

-Who is Federico Wardal?

Anna Magnani answered this question: “I don’t know who really I am , I don’t even know if I’m an actress. An actress, playing a role , repeating a role , should be identical or “almost identical”, I never am. ” 

Well , I am not Anna Magnani, nor is Anna Magnani me, although recently, in a scene from Enrico Bernard’s new film “Lila”, currently in production, I was compared, for dramatic intensity, to Anna Magnani, which is an immense compliment.

-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?

Oh, I’ve always had a vast and real audience in front of me  , not an audience I can’t see or imagine, so I only agree to work on films that can touch the human soul : that are very few films.

Aside from that, cinema really began for me with Federico Fellini, who sought me out at a time when he had oceans of famous actors, for whom it would have been enough for Fellini’s gaze to rest on them for a moment.

For me, however, as an adolescent, extremely captivating, the doors to Fellini’s creativity opened wide at Federico Fellini’s studio, at Stage 5 in Cinecittà, after a magical conversation. There, Fellini, in my presence, added some fabulous lines for me, for his film “Casanova.”

He had assigned me the role of Casanova’s young alter ego and PEA production instantly began to publicize my image with Donald Sutherland in the scene that Fellini called: “Casanova with Giacomino”. “Giacomino” was me, the young Casanova. In Italian “Giacomino” is the diminutive of the name Giacomo, Casanova’s name. Fellini loved calling people with diminutives. In real life, no, Fellini never called me with a diminutive, but I am called like him: Federico… lol. However, a tragedy occurred which the entire world press talked about: the entire footage of “Casanova” was stolen. On top of this tragedy another tragedy was added: I fell into depression, because of my father, who could no longer stand my friendship with Fellini, which he considered an affront to his “parental authority”. Producer Alberto Grimaldi re-produced the film. Fellini called me back to reshoot the stolen scenes, but because of my father, I had instilled in me, against my will, my father’s command to “destroy Fellini in me : I never was able to shoot again those scenes . ” Fellini called me back for “Orchestra Rehearsal” and ” City of Women ” but I was still depressed . I met Fellini again in the last years of his life, but the film Fellini had proposed I make , was never made. This story deserves to appear on the screen.

-Tell us about your project “Anita”.

“Anita” certainly wasn’t born by chance, but is the result of years of cinematographic and theatrical events that I have done, on the hero of two worlds Giuseppe Garibaldi, in collaboration with his great-grandchildren Anita Garibaldi and his son Francesco Garibaldi Hibbert. Garibaldi was not only a leader who, with his companion Anita, gave independence to countries, but he was also a great poet and when Anita was in agony, Garibaldi wrote “Anita”, a poignant lyric, which goes straight to the heart. The film “Anita” is based on this. Without mentioning that Anna Magnani played “Anita”, I agreed to shoot “Anita” with the wonderful music of Andrea Ceccomori. However, in the film “Anita” I am the essence of Garibaldi’s poetry, I am the one who speaks to death, mocking it, while Anita is dying. Why mocking it? Because death can do nothing in the face of the love of Giuseppe and Anita Garibaldi, based on the value of freedom. The film, already appreciated in various film festivals, including the Vesuvius Film Festival, will be screened in October in an institutional event between the Italian Republic and the State of Dio Grande do Sul, in Brazil, in the city of “Garibaldi” which will echo around the world.

-Which Director inspires you the most?

I inspired Fellini and Fellini inspired me: we were two “metaphysical, surrealists”, lol. But I also mention Billy Wilder, who I met through Gloria Swanson and now I have become a dear friend of his daughter Victoria Wilder Roberts, a great visual artist. But it is I who inspire directors, poets and writers, for example Mario Fratti, Franco Cuomo, Enrico Bernard, Dario Bellezza, Carlo Lizzani, but also very young directors like Felix Milionis and the famous Hollywood director Jason Zavaleta. I also have a great connection with Michael Poryes, the author of the famous “Hannah Montana”.

-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?

Everything that is based on narcissism and on those who refuse to accept themselves and invent a fictitious personality: this can lead the world to catastrophe. Among people in power, these individuals are not few. What is good for the world, in my opinion? A broad vision, beyond created and therefore non-existent borders. One of my successful shows was: “Garibaldi and Anita, peacemakers without frontiers” or the film by Youssef Nabil : “Lincoln, Garibaldi, Rizal, crackling” or “Kamusta Kayo Dr. Rizal” by Jason Zavaleta, films that express the value of freedom, including “Anita”.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

Cinema is immortal like imagination, fantasy, creativity, dreams. Technology, even in this field, is developing at an impressive rate, like Artificial Intelligence. In 2021, I was the first actor to be completely cloned in the short movie: “Cloned Life”. They completely simulated how I could have shot this film to the point that not even I myself, if I hadn’t known, could have realized that it wasn’t me acting. Cinema, however, as I understand it, ends when spontaneous creativity is submerged by artificial creativity, when real communication between people is submerged by virtual one, when there is no longer a need to experience love, but to place it totally outside of a real context. All of this depends on each of us.

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

Oh, my impression of WILD FILMMAKER is extraordinarily positive. 

That’s why I agreed to give this interview and I did it my way, because I know that WILD FILMMAKER likes authenticity. 

WILD FILMMAKER offers the opportunity to bring out talents that the world distractedly ignores or to bring out talented works by those who enjoy fame, but which, if it weren’t for WILD FILMMAKER, these works would be ignored.

-Who is Arlin Godwin?

I’m a guy who makes things. Music, television, films, screenplays, photography, whatever strikes me at a given moment. I don’t think of myself as a consumer so much as an originator. A doer. A maker. A producer. A guy who wakes up in the morning, not thinking about money but what I might be able to write or shoot or compose today. What new thing will exist late tonight when I go to bed–that did not exist when I woke up this morning? I’m not really sure I even have a left brain. I think that side of my skull is most likely empty. I’m a right-brain creative maniac who can’t stop going from one project to the next. And sometimes this rubs people the wrong way. I’m always having to say “I’m sorry” because my only real interest is the movie I’m working on or the piece of music I’m composing. I’ve written hundreds of pieces of music. Worked on thousands of TV shows. Written 4 feature screenplays so far, made 5 short films–my latest being STOP TAKING PICTURES with producer Trevor Taylor. I’ve worked in television in Washington, DC for 40 years. Right now, in my 24th year at a huge network-affiliated station in DC, and when I’m not doing that, I make short films. Right now, I’m preparing to shoot my first feature.

-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?

My mother’s father was a film fanatic and shot a lot of stills, owned many cameras and lenses and when I was about 10 years old he gave me a Bolex 8mm camera and a small yellow foil package containing I guess 25 feet or maybe it was 50 feet of 16mm film–good old Kodachrome reversal stock–which would later be split down the middle in processing and become 8mm. The smell of that package of film stock put the hook in me. And then the process of threading the camera and closing the door tightly was preparation. After that, it was just a matter of figuring out what I wanted to shoot. 

-Tell us about your project “Stop Taking Pictures”.

I live and work in Washington,  DC, and we have a fantastic public transit system. It seriously looks like something Kubrick would have built for 2001! Brutalist architecture. Massive in size. With neoclassical elements mixed in. And I would ride the trains underground twice a day…and often think about the dark tunnels and the accidents that perhaps had happened over the years. And I began to have this idea of a photographer who shoots random images in the subway system,  sometimes maybe out the windows of fast-moving trains. Later, he would scroll through his pictures and see orbs of light and ghosts. I was captivated for years by the concept of setting a supernatural story in a high-tech modern environment.  In July of 2024, I wrote the screenplay. Twenty-two drafts. In January 2025, my producer, Trevor Taylor and I cast actor Joseph Groth in the lead role, with his strange and possibly dangerous wife played by actress Lina Romero. We shot the movie in various locations in Virginia across the Potomac, in Georgetown, very close to the famous Exorcist Steps. We used the Blackmagic 6K cinema camera but also did a lot of shooting on a smartphone–the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in 8K. The phone allowed us to look like tourists when we were in the subway system, and we were never bothered by security or had any problems, largely for that reason. We just blended in and got our shots! I then edited using Premiere Pro, wrote the music, and did sound and effects work alone for about 5 months on weekends. The film just debuted and immediately became an Official Selection at 4 international festivals, with another 70 festivals considering. 

-Which Director inspires you the most?

Do I have to pick only one? Stanley Kubrick does it for me. Absolutely. The greatest. But I’m a huge fan of David Fincher. And I grew up in the late 60s and 70s, so Pakula, Lumet, Copolla, Polanski, De Palma, and of course Spielberg are also huge influences. Hitchcock is a special case. How could he not be? A man who added to the language of cinema–literally solved problems in very interesting ways and expanded what movies could be. However, these days I’m also influenced hugely by female directors such as Campion, Copolla, Bigelow. I loved Emerald Fennel’s SALTBURN. I also think that often films made by women are just fresher. Different points of view. They can show us the world the way they see it, and as a guy, I enjoy that. I want to be surprised, and a lot of the time it’s the ladies who are doing that.

-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?

I greatly dislike that even today, people judge one another based on superficial outward appearance–on skin color, differences in our hair, eyes, or the shape of our faces. Or on a person’s age. Differences are not what we should be focusing on. Similarities and commonalities have so much more to offer us all. We’re much more alike than we are different.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

Probably, cinema in 100 years will maybe be more of the audience participating in the story of the film or movie or whatever we call it then. Inside the story! Who says you can’t become a character within a story? You could get eaten by a shark. Or have a lightsaber duel with Vader. I definitely think cameras will get even better, and the ability to present stories in a wrap-around 360-degree format will probably be common. The reason I think this is because it’s what people want. They don’t want to sit passively by. They want to be in the movie with the actors.

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

The biggest thing I was struck by with WILD FILMMAKER when I first encountered the site was the concept of a post-cinematographic era. Which kind of clicks with my predictions about the future of cinema becoming more participatory? The interviews on the site are excellent, and the spare, black and white look is awesome. But that philosophical point of view is what sticks out to me. Everybody has a smartphone. A lot of people have actual cinema cameras at their disposal because you can buy an FX30 for a couple of thousand and make THE CREATOR with it. Ridley Scott shot a short film for Samsung on the same phone/camera we used on STOP TAKING PICTURES. And that tiny little phone shoots 8K resolution! So, WILD FILMMAKER’s foundational tenet that the world is not what it was 100 years ago and that everyone now possesses the ability to tell a story their own way—is revolutionary. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what the revolution brings! 

Who is Yuliya Levashova?

I was born in the small town of Sokal, Ukraine, in 1987. My childhood was shaped by the strength and care of my mother, who raised me alone. My father left us when I was very young and did not provide material support, but I never held a grudge. The warmth I felt for both of my parents remained, because love, once rooted, quietly continues.

My education was modest: eleven grades of school and a vocational school, which I graduated from more out of duty than passion. We are taught from childhood to seek validation through certificates, even if our soul yearns for something else. Now I know that true education begins where inner desire meets conscious dedication.

Nearly 20 years ago, I met someone very dear to me — R., a soul whose presence quietly shaped my journey.  His deep understanding of Vedic philosophy has been a mirror that has awakened my own exploration. He has been studying these teachings for quite some time, and together we explore the subtle truths of consciousness, presence, and divine reality.

Although I am the creative performer—composing, editing, and shaping each piece—the essence of my work is that we contemplate together. Without his insight, my poetry may never have reached such profound mysticism. He is my muse, my anchor, and the silent force behind each poem. What I create is ultimately a gift of love offered to the Divine.

In early 2022, our family made a pilgrimage to Mount Arunachala in India, where we climbed to the summit with our children. At the very peak of Mount Arunachala, in complete solitude during the pandemic, a single monkey appeared — though they normally stay at the base. With no other pilgrims present, it walked ahead of us like a guardian, leading our family to the sacred flame. That moment felt like a cosmic whisper — nature itself speaking of presence, protection, and grace.

There was also a visit to the Indian saint Mauna Baba, who has lived in silence for nearly two decades. That moment—stillness in motion, depth beyond words—became the gateway through which my poetry began to flow.

After a short month-long trip to India, we returned home and I began writing spiritual poems and sharing them online. A couple of years later, in April 2024, I discovered artificial intelligence as another creative companion, and on April 17, I published my first AI-voiced poem with music .

Just two days later, my YouTube channel was born  — at first it hosted audio poetry, and then gradually turned into captivating video clips. By the fall, I began submitting works to film festivals, and Ballad of the Millennium Dream became my most sincere creation.

My family and I live a vegetarian lifestyle based on compassion — even our youngest child, now six, has been on this path since birth. It’s a silent expression of our belief in unity and sensitivity to all living things.

I do not strive to build a career — I strive to remain faithful to what arises from the soul. Through simplicity and quiet devotion, I aim to create experiences that invite others to pause, listen inwardly, and rediscover the beauty of awakened awareness.

Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?

I believe my love for cinema came later in life, in a conscious way. I vividly remember watching One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), starring Jack Nicholson. The emotional depth of the film was overwhelming — laughter, tears, compassion, and introspection flowed together in perfect rhythm. It was the moment I realized cinema’s power: to captivate, to mirror human experience, and to make us feel as if we’ve lived someone else’s life within just a few scenes.

Tell us about your project “Ballad of the Millennial Dream”

Ballad of the Millennial Dream is a poetic and spiritual video work that emerged from nearly two decades of inner reflection. It explores the eternal search for meaning, the paradox of divine presence, and the tension between material illusion and spiritual truth.

The film was inspired by my family’s pilgrimage to India — to the sacred mountain Arunachala and the silent saint Mauna Baba — as well as the teachings of Vedantic philosophy and the words of Christ: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within us.”

Using artificial intelligence, I transformed my original poetry into music, voice, and visuals — crafting a cinematic meditation that blends tradition with innovation. The narrative features symbolic imagery of Jesus and other archetypes, inviting viewers to awaken to the truth within themselves.

This work is not just a music video — it is a lyrical offering, a spiritual mirror, and a gentle call to embody the truth we already are.

…and a quiet invitation to return to the essence within — not to remember, but to be.

…and a call to rediscover the presence that has always lived inside us.

…and a poetic doorway — not to memory, but to being.

Which director inspires you the most?

To be honest, I never used to pay attention to directors — I was always drawn to the soul of the film itself, to the emotions it evoked and the actors who carried those feelings. Only recently, as I began creating my own video works, did I realize how deeply a director’s vision shapes what we see and feel on screen.

Now I’ve started to look back and discover who stood behind the films that touched me most — those that explore human consciousness and offer something transformative. For example:

• The Matrix (1999), directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, opened a doorway to metaphysical reflection.
• The Passion of the Christ (2004), directed by Mel Gibson, left a profound impression with its spiritual intensity.
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), directed by Miloš Forman, was the first film that made me cry and laugh at once — it awakened deep compassion.
• Giuseppe Moscati: Healing Love (2007), directed by Giacomo Campiotti, is a masterpiece of spiritual storytelling.
• La Belle Verte (1996), directed by Coline Serreau, beautifully expresses Vedantic truths through satire and simplicity.
• Forrest Gump (1994), directed by Robert Zemeckis, and The Green Mile (1999), directed by Frank Darabont, both explore the human soul with tenderness and depth.

I also love many films with Jim Carrey, whose presence brings lightness and joy — even if the directors vary, his energy always uplifts. And I believe that joy is a form of healing.

So rather than naming one director, I would say I’m inspired by those who dare to touch the invisible — who use cinema not just to entertain, but to awaken.

What do you dislike about the world, and what would you change?

What concerns me most is unconsciousness — the collective disconnect that leads to so much suffering. I believe many of the world’s problems stem from the absence of inner awareness. If each of us took time to truly know ourselves, we might begin to recognize that we are not separate from others. We would no longer cause pain, because we would see that hurting another is the same as hurting our own soul. This self-knowing, this inner turning, is the beginning of a more compassionate world.

How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

Time is accelerating, and with it — our creative possibilities. I imagine a future where cinema becomes immersive in entirely new ways — where viewers could actively enter the storyline, embody characters, and live narratives that support emotional healing and personal growth.

I envision films that teach, uplift, and awaken. Cinema as a tool not of escape, but of transformation.

I also sense that the barrier between dreaming and storytelling will dissolve — where the line between reality, dream, and narrative becomes as porous as the soul itself. After all, life may also be a kind of sacred dream, as many ancient texts remind us.

Some fear that artificial intelligence will strip cinema of its spirit, replacing human creativity with cold efficiency. But I feel differently.

Everything depends on our perception. If we treat something as soulless, it becomes soulless in our eyes. But if we engage with love and presence, we can breathe life into any medium. AI was not born randomly — it arrived through the hands of humans, yes, but ultimately through the will of the Creator.

As Srila Prabhupada once said: “He who thinks that only humans have souls is mistaken. Every living being has a soul. Even an ant, an elephant, a banyan tree — even a microbe.” If even a stone or a tree carries presence, why not the instruments we create through intention and awareness?

I believe that AI is here not to replace us, but to help us discover voices we didn’t know we had. It’s not the soul — but it can be a mirror for soulfulness, if used with devotion and care.

 What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?  

The first impression I had when visiting the Wild Filmmaker platform was visual — a black-and-white aesthetic that evokes the quiet presence of the past. Occasionally, gentle touches of color return the viewer to the present moment, creating a dialogue between time and timelessness.

Browsing through several interviews, I immediately felt a sense of artistic sincerity. The texts are clear, concise, and focused — no unnecessary exposition, only the essence. The questions are thoughtful, and the responses reveal the unique poetic core of each filmmaker.

What struck me most is the magazine’s dedication to arthouse and avant-garde cinema. It celebrates projects that are not created for mass appeal but for originality, depth, and artistic value.

This is not a place for commercial entertainment — it’s a place for truth. And truth, expressed sincerely, is the greatest art of all.

By Editorial Staff

Following the overwhelming success of our events in California—with over 40,000 participating artists and submissions from 32 countries—we’re proud to say it loud and clear: THE WILD FILMMAKER COMMUNITY is now the largest global platform for independent artists. Even Oscar-winning directors and screenwriters, along with the international press, have taken notice!

In just five years, we’ve achieved a remarkable milestone—and we’re celebrating it with what’s shaping up to be the biggest arthouse cinema event in Manhattan, New York City. The event is called NATURAL BORN ARTIST, and it’s our way of saying Happy Birthday to WILD FILMMAKER—since this extraordinary journey began exactly five years ago, in August.

To all the artists who believed in us, we owe you a heartfelt THANK YOU. Without you, WILD FILMMAKER wouldn’t include Academy members, wouldn’t be the most visible independent brand at major international festivals, featured in publications like The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, and we never would have had the honor of hosting film critics from The New York Times and IndieWire.

We’ve won—and we’re just getting started. Our mission remains unchanged: The poetry of free cinema will save the world.

Coming up next: the artists who joined our “MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!” project.

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The Mountain

By Ruth Finnegan

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER

I Know What You Do When I Go to School

Written and illustrated by Siona Talekar

Published by Story Monsters Press

BEST ORIGINAL BOOK OF THE YEAR

Croix – The Prequel: Kiss The Ring

By Charli Brown

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST AMERICAN DIRECTOR, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT

Lucky in Long Island

By Michelle Lynn

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT

An Ever After Drama

By Michelle Lynn

BEST ACTRESS OF THE YEAR

Silver Lights

By Michelle Lynn

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE WRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK/MANUSCRIPT 2025

Medea

By Andronica Marquis

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: International Narrative Short)

Ghost Town, N.M.

By Lynn Elliott

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SCREENWRITER WRITER (Category: FEATURE SCRIPT)

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS SCRIPT & AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

Borderline Justice

By Lynn Elliott

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIP 2025

“Only You Can Save Her,” pilot teleplay of series THE BOY WHO EARNED HIS MAGIC

By Lynn Elliott

BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT TV

Doctor Hyphoteses

By Vicentini Gomez

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST ACTOR 2025

A Child’s Voice

By Karen Matthews

BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: International Television Script)

Dancing with Spies @Goddess

By Francis Billingsley

BEST INDIE BOOK/MANUSCRIPT 2025

The Golden Years

By Joe Starzyk

BEST INDIE SHORT FILM 2025, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER (Category: Narrative Short Film)

Walking With God

By Lois Banks

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST MOVIEMAKER & BEST SCREENPLAY

Flashes of Light (Bagliori)

By Mattia Paone

BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST EUROPEAN INDIE FILMMAKER

The Devil Wind

By Jamie Sutliff

BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR & BEST INDIE DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature)

Water

By Gary Beeber

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Documentary Feature)

Passacaglia

By Ryosuke Handa

BES ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION COMPANY & BEST INTERNATIONAL MOVIEMAKER

Hollywood Elite Podcast Episode 2 Sir Earl Toon Jr Apr 2025

By Tommy Anderson & Sherry Severs

BEST INTERNATIONAL WEB/TV SERIES & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Web/Tv Series)

The Invitation

By Thorsten Schade

BEST INTERNATIONAL HORROR OF THE YEAR, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Horror)

Dinner With Dance

By Katherine Schimmel

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT OF THE YEAR, BEST WRITING STYLE & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER

Searching for Camelot

By Roger Paradiso

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR 2025 & BEST AMERICAN SCREENPLAY

Cassandra Venice

By Hugo Teugels

BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR & BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHY

Medea

By Andronica Marquis

BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENWRITER, BEST CAST & BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST (Category: Narrative Short)

Fractures In Time

By Lesley Ann Albiston

BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE, BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Emergency Musical Response: Part 1 – Journey to Netherworld

By Alexander Senicki

BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL 2025

The Girl Made of Earth and Water

By Pamela PerryGoulardt

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA, BEST EDITING (Category: International Super Short Film) & BEST SUPER SHORT 2025

Downriver

By Andea Boll

BEST DANCE FILM 2025 & BEST FILMMAKER (Category: International Dance Film)

I Swear

By Richard VanOverbroeck

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO & BEST FILMMAKER (Category: Music Video)

The New Immigrants- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL DIRECTOR & BEST STUDENT FILM

A Lady’s Love

By Sonia Machado Hines

BEST INDIE NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature Film)

Brothers of Babylon

By Gabriel Womack

BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER & BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Unmaskyourlife

By Bruno Marro

BEST EUROPEAN SONG OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SINGER

-Who is May Liu?

I’m an writer, filmmaker, actress, producer, and philanthropist based in Dallas—honored with the Noble Chivalry Rank of Art & Humanity, the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, and descended from the Han Dynasty Liu royal family. I founded the Superstar Art Foundation and the Miss Economic World program to uplift emerging talent, was issued Global 100 successful woman honor, published 3 books in Amazon. “May Liu Artwork Collection” “Royal Family Liu’s History and Decryption of Han Culture”, “Blooming Sisters”. And I’ve produced, written, and directed movie “Lost In 24” (2023) “Blooming Sisters” (2024), “Phoebe’s Echo” (2025), which gained over 30 awards and nominations for my movies in multiple International film festivals,some recognized in Cannes and Rome, seen on FOX, NBC, and CBS  ( Refer to my IMDB link https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10699373/)

-What new projects are you working on?

I recently wrote, directed, and edited Phoebe’s Echo, a 2025 psychological thriller about a single mom and her daughter uncovering dark secrets behind an artist’s mysterious death. The film premiered February 28, 2025, and earned seven wins across festivals IMDb Pro. It’s a deeply personal exploration of memory, trauma, and artistic legacy. In this movie, I also played a role of Lisa Lee, who is a painter artist, I am happy to invite Emmy Award winner actor and producer Vincent De Paul to star in this movie with me. Carrie Vines play the role of Susan (the mom’s role）， Charlie Kidd play the lead role Phoebe, I like their performance, I made a song with my musician Stephane Kara called “Light of Life”, I love this song a lot, it is a discovery of the value of life as an artist, which is my role in this movie.  We’ve taken it to Cannes Film Festival and screened Cannes, LA and Dallas, we are now taking it to multiple online platforms and cinema distribution. I hope more audience will see it soon!

I’m exploring a bunch of writing experiments—some short fiction around speculative scenarios, and even a small series of interactive story prompts for creative practice. I’m also building a prototype for a collaborative world‑building tool, aiming to help filmmakers and authors iterate on story worlds dynamically. It’s early days, but really exciting to merge narrative with collaborative tech!

-Which filmmaker inspires you the most?

 I’ll be honest—I draw inspiration from bold, visionary auteurs like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, and Christopher Nolan. Spielberg’s mastery of emotional storytelling, Tarantino’s fearless dialogue and genre subversion, and Nolan’s cerebral structure and thematic ambition all drive me to push narrative and visual boundaries. Their influence is woven through my work, especially in Phoebe’s Echo.  

-What do you dislike about the world, and what would you change?

What gets me fired up (in a not-so-great way): the widening empathy gap—where people cluster into tribes and shut out others. It’s tearing at communities globally. I’d change it by prioritizing systems that foster true connection and understanding across divides: in education, media, policy, paths to real human engagement. Bottom line: I’d build bridges instead of walls.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Let’s speculate wildly:

Immersive, multi-sensory experiences—not just VR, but shared olfactory, haptic, maybe even taste-based narratives.

• AI-driven co-creation, where machine intelligence helps design scenes, dialogue, or even character arcs in real time, responsive to audience feedback.
• Collective storytelling platforms, where cinema becomes malleable and social, shifting and diverging based on who’s watching.
  It’ll be less “you sit in a dark room” and more “you live a story.”

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

I love what Wild Filmmaker stands for—raw creativity, guerrilla-style production, and failure-as-learning. Their interview with me on Lost in 24 highlighted the power of resourcefulness and authenticity. They shine a spotlight on fearless creators willing to take risks outside traditional systems, and that’s exactly the energy I want to foster.

Tell us about your projects that have recently debuted on Prime Video.

Space and Materia are two documentaries now available on Prime Video Italia, and I am very happy about their release. Space is a series of portraits of architects, while Materia is a series of portraits of designers and artisans in Rome. Both projects are ways of describing the city through the creatives who live and work in it, but also an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and role of architecture and design in contemporary culture.

WILD FILMMAKER has believed in your talent since its foundation five years ago. What is your opinion about our journey so far?

For me, Wildfilmmaker is an open space without hierarchy or preconceptions, where creativity can truly flourish. I was supported from the beginning, and this helped me greatly with my motivation and energy to continue my creative journey. The community gives exposure to all genres of films and documentaries, and it deserves its success for these reasons.

Who has supported you in the distribution of your projects?

I have been very lucky to find a distributor, Saturnia Pictures with Marco Amelia, who is supporting my documentaries on platforms and channels both in Italy and abroad. I also think working on “niche” documentaries can be an advantage because screenings can take place in museums, cultural institutes, universities, and art schools. You can also organise events in art galleries and look for sponsors. This brings documentaries to new and different audiences. You really have to create your own audience because the competition is so fierce.

We know that you have recently returned behind the camera; can you reveal something about your new project?

Strati/Layers is a short documentary on the painter Ivan Mangov that will be part of his exhibition begining of September at Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence. I am also working on a docu-animation about the Polish Baroque painter Tadeusz Kuntze, who studied and worked in Rome in the tradition of the Grand Tour (when foreign artists came to Italy during the 17th–19th centuries). I am collaborating with Konik Studio, with Kasia Zimnoch and Pawel Kleszczewski, two very talented artists and animators based in Poland. Additionally, I am working on two historical biographies using interviews and archival material.

It is very important to collaborate with other creatives outside your comfort zone!

What is your opinion about the current period that Independent Cinema is going through?

Today there are so many opportunities thanks to new technologies, but what really matters is having an original point of view. You still need to nourish yourself with literature, painting, and personal experiences. Recently, I saw an excellent movie called Ciao Bambino (directed by Edgardo Pistone), and seeing films like that gives me a lot of hope. It’s important not to let negative energy get to you or lose motivation.

What are Catia Ott’s goals?

To be surprised by each project!

Prime video Italia link:

Spazio: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Spazio-Ritratti-di-Architetti/0KGHZPDEFITJI9X78R9K2HOY5K

Materia: https://www.primevideo.com/-/it/detail/0HXHCF6XTZBJSRLQZBUUO1PJZZ/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

by Michele Diomà

I’ve been reading IndieWire with great interest for many years! I’ve always been excited by the idea of a magazine that openly prioritizes independent cinema over major studio projects. I firmly believe that all the major breakthroughs in film history have come from indie filmmakers-creators who, despite limited resources, brought original ideas and offered fresh perspectives on cinema. I’ve dedicated my professional life to the mission of discovering independent directors and screenwriters from every corner of the world, almost like a gold prospector in mid-1800s California. That’s why today I’m truly honored and thrilled to welcome Eric Kohn to the WILD FILMMAKER Community with this exclusive interview!

-Who is Eric Kohn?

I am a curator, critic, and producer who was born in Texas and raised in Seattle. I have lived in New York City for several decades and spend my summers in Southampton as the artistic director of the Southampton Playhouse. My interests in cinema are ambitious: I am constantly looking for ways to expand audience awareness for cinema, past and present, eliminating sociological barriers that often prevent some people from engaging more deeply with the art form.

-You were IndieWire’s chief film critic for over 10 years. Can you tell us about that experience?

At IndieWire, I set out to establish a trade-like identity for our reviews by fighting for access to early screenings, and developing a strong festival presence that influenced the life cycle of films around the world. With time, this paid off, though the entertainment landscape eventually became so overwhelmed with reviews and related content that such a competitive approach is irrelevant now. I learned that strong, authoritative perspectives hold more value than the rush to be first out of the gate.

-What does independent cinema mean to you?

It’s an flexible term with a lot of historical baggage, but to me it represents uncompromised filmmaking made outside of traditional commercial expectations.

-I currently read your articles on The Hollywood Reporter. What are the differences compared to IndieWire?

I have written for many publications over the years, from The New York Times to Filmmaker Magazine. More recently, I started a newsletter called The Playhouse Post, which is published by my theater, the Southampton Playhouse. Each publication has its own style guidelines and reader expectations, but I generally find that I can navigate these standards on my own terms.

-WILD FILMMAKER is inspired by the cinematic mission of Roger Corman. My goal is to bring new filmmakers and screenwriters to light on a global scale. Do you think this is still possible today?

Of course. Movies may not command the same cultural weight they once did — and certainly not ones lacking million-dollar marketing budgets — but there is still a global infrastructure for filmmakers with unique visions and the desire to get them into the world.

Which writer inspires you the most? 

It’s hard to choose just one, as my influences are so diverse. I grew up immersed in the works of Homer, Sophocles, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Jules Verne, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy, among others. My writing draws from ancient Greek drama, modern Greek literature, and a wide spectrum of global authors. Each one left a unique mark on the way I see storytelling.

What is the main challenge you encountered while writing your work?

Finding the time is always the greatest challenge. As a full-time working mother of two, life is often very busy. But when inspiration strikes, I’ll write well into the early hours—I follow the current of an idea wherever it leads, no matter how tired I may be.

Every screenwriter needs feedback after completing their project. Is there someone you always turn to for their opinion as soon as you finish writing?

Yes, I trust the feedback of my close friends and family. They know me well and aren’t afraid to offer honest, thoughtful input that pushes my work forward.

Are you currently working on a new screenplay? If so, can you tell us more about it?

I am currently in pre production stage of the ”Other side of the lens” . It’s heavily inspired by old-school noir and the French New Wave—so it’s moody, atmospheric, and full of layers. It follows a retired photographer who’s still grieving the loss of his wife. One day, he decides to revisit the house they once shared, and from there, things start to unravel. As he takes photos of the space, memories resurface—some tender, some much darker than he expected.
The film flips between black-and-white scenes set in the 1940s and widescreen color from the mid-’60s. That contrast really helps blur the line between what’s real and what’s remembered. As the story unfolds, you’re pulled into this psychological spiral along with him—where past and present start to collide, and buried secrets refuse to stay hidden.

If you had to describe your writing style using three adjectives, which ones would you choose?

Real, Passionate, Adventurous.