Where does your desire to express yourself through art come from?
My desire comes from the fact that I really enjoy helping others, even through Christian music, as a way to evangelize and, above all, to inspire feelings of peace and serenity in listeners.
What are your goals as an artist?
The main goal is to help listeners experience inner peace and love for others. Of course, there are also secondary, but still important goals, such as communicating positive messages through music.
What is your opinion on the cultural industry?
I believe the cultural industry has a great mission in conveying very important values, such as respect, tolerance, and a love for the arts.
Do you think that independent artists today have enough opportunities to share their creativity?
I think there could be even more opportunities to help independent artists share their creativity, although I also believe that progress has been made in this area.
What new project are you currently working on?
At the moment, I’m taking a break, but I think I’ll soon begin working on a new project. That said, as always, I’m waiting for the right inspiration to create something meaningful and, above all, effective in support of the mission of evangelization.
I’m a Queer Colombian filmmaker based in Brooklyn NY. I started work as an editor originally. In the Summers was my first feature.
-Can you share your experience at the Sundance Film Festival?
I had a wonderful time at the Sundance Film Festival. It was my first time attending. Chaotic but beautiful. I caught the dreaded Sundance Flu and was very sick for most of it but still able to attend all my screenings (with the help of meds and a mask) which was a highlight.
And then of course winning was a surreal experience. Still feels that way now.
-Tell us about your project “IN THE SUMMERS”.
In the Summers is a semi-autobiographical depiction of family. Centering on two sisters who visit their loving but broken father. I wanted to look at complicated family dynamics and in particular a father who despite his shortcomings continues to try and show up for his kids.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I grew up watching a lot of TV and movies. I struggled in childhood and it was my escape. But I think I fell in love with Cinema some time in High School when I would stay up late with my friend Robert talking about David Lynch or John Waters. They were probably my entry into other auteurs.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
I think I answer this question differently every time someone asks. There are so many directors whose work I truly admire. The last film I watched that blew me away and has continued to stay with me was Perfect Days by Wim Wenders. I would also say Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire have made lasting impressions on me.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I rewrote this section many times because I don’t know where to start. While I try to remain optimistic I’m disheartened and devastated on how much hate is weaponized. Perhaps that’s always been the case but it has felt particularly visceral the last few years. I also wish billionaires and corporations had less control over American politics, it’s hurting the working and middle class.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I hope in whatever form people continue to tell visual stories that grapple with humanity. I would imagine more content will be made by AI and for easy consumption but I hope that a segment will continue to be on a quest to try to understand ourselves.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
I’m new to Wild Filmmaker but intrigued by what you are trying to do. I also love the name.
Dennis Manning is a storyteller who believes the most dangerous thing you can give an audience is the truth—wrapped in beauty, laced with fire. An award-winning screenwriter, musician, and theater creator, he crafts modern noir worlds that pulse with human complexity, LGBTQ+ representation, and universal themes of love, identity, and survival. His work blends the intimacy of arthouse cinema with the tension of a midnight thriller—stories that linger long after the credits.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Yes. I was six years old, sitting in the front row with my big brother Doug, watching The Pit and the Pendulum. No couch to hide behind—just the looming screen, shadows swallowing light, and a sense that something dangerous was about to happen. I was terrified, breathless, and completely in awe. That night, I learned that cinema doesn’t just tell you a story—it traps you inside it. And I never wanted to leave.
-Tell us about your project More Going Down.
More Going Down is a Miami-set LGBTQ+ neo-noir where love, betrayal, and murder collide under the heat of Cuban nights. It opens with a body on the floor and unravels in reverse, exposing power plays, seduction, and the dangerous cost of loyalty. Inspired by the sultry danger of Body Heat and the structural mischief of The Usual Suspects, it’s a high-stakes dance between lovers and liars. At its heart, it’s about identity—how we weaponize it, hide it, and ultimately pay for it.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
Pedro Almodóvar—for his unapologetic queerness, emotional intensity, and ability to balance beauty with brutality. He proves that cinema can be intimate and explosive, a mirror and a Molotov cocktail at the same time.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I dislike how easily people choose fear over empathy. Fear makes enemies out of strangers, silence out of truth, and walls out of bridges. If I could change one thing, I’d make empathy our first reflex—not our last resort.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Cinema will be immersive in ways we can’t yet comprehend—audiences stepping inside the story. But its beating heart will remain the same: one person sitting in the dark, feeling a story reach out and grab their soul. Technology will change. The need for truth never will.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
WILD FILMMAKER feels like a home for the restless, the relentless, and the rebels. A place where cinema is not a product, but a pulse—measured by the bruise it leaves on the soul, not the numbers at the box office.
I am the son of parents who devoted their lives and made great sacrifices for their children. I am a brother who takes pride in and deeply loves his siblings. I come from a family and community of honorable and loyal people. I cherish friendships with men of integrity and respect, and I belong to a great nation unparalleled anywhere in the world — the Arab Republic of Egypt. In my heart also lies a second homeland, the United Arab Emirates, which has generously embraced and supported me.
I see myself as part of a lineage that spans generations of Egyptian filmmakers throughout history. I am grateful to every person and place that has welcomed me—even with just a passing smile. I have endured years of profound personal and cinematic challenges until, by God’s grace, I reached a position that allows me to speak today in a distinguished magazine like this one. Despite what I have accomplished, I firmly believe I am only at the beginning of my journey and have yet to realize my true aspirations.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Indeed, I remember it clearly. It was while watching films on video at my late grandfather’s home, who had an impressive collection of cinematic gems. A pivotal encounter came with a neighbor, director Mohamed El-Khyam, in the warm and inspiring neighborhood of Ain Shams. That meeting was the first ray of light that illuminated my path.
I also recall a special moment from my elementary school days when we performed plays; that was where my emotional bond with cinema and the arts truly began.
-Which director inspires you the most?
Many directors inspire me, but in my heart there is a quiet room where Andrej Tarkovskij, Theo Angelopoulos, Youssef Chahine, Shadi Abdel Salam, and Fatin Abdel Wahab reside. Each director I have worked with and learned from holds a unique place of respect and admiration within me.
-Tell us about your projects.
Each of my projects reflects my dreams and ambitions, but also my struggles and life experiences. I have faced many obstacles within Egyptian cinema, especially amid ongoing debates about whether directors create films for the public or for festivals. Over the years, my films have spoken to audiences worldwide, leading some to label my work as “enigmatic” or “difficult to understand.”
Yet, by God’s grace, my films have achieved international acclaim, winning awards and recognition from festivals and filmmakers across various countries. Currently, I am preparing to shoot a comedy series I wrote titled Mercury, alongside a film of my own script called Mosha, and several other projects in collaboration with esteemed writers like the great Nasser Abdulrahman. It is a true pleasure to work alongside such talented authors.
I hope that Egyptian production and distribution companies recognize my successes abroad. Though time passes, I trust that divine timing surpasses our own. Through this platform, I extend a sincere invitation to those who shape Egyptian cinema and its institutions: I am an Egyptian director, and soon my film “Who Embraces” the Sea will be released. I hope it resonates with audiences and filmmakers alike.
As a member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Cinema Professions, the Australian Academy of Cinema, and the Academy of the Oscars Museum, I wish all filmmakers success and resilience. May no one succumb to despair.
-What do you dislike in the world, and what would you change?
If I could change the world, I would enshrine dreams, love, cinema, and work as fundamental rights—ensuring everyone the freedom to pursue their dreams, experience love, and secure dignified employment. Perhaps I would decree that every expatriate be welcomed back home, for exile is a hardship unlike any other.
I dream of one day establishing a production company dedicated to supporting young talent, and ultimately, I hope to retire peacefully in a simple mud house, confident that my family is safe and secure.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I envision it as essential and ubiquitous as the air we breathe—truly, everyone will have the right to create cinema and to find spaces to share their work. From above, I will watch this magnificent panorama unfold.
For anyone who dreams of expressing themselves through cinema, even with limited budgets, there are two Masters of the Seventh Art who serve as essential guides for learning what truly matters in independent filmmaking. These two Masters are Mario Bava and Roger Corman. The former inspired auteurs like Federico Fellini, while the latter, through his New Hollywood movement, discovered directors such as Martin Scorsese, Peter Bogdanovich, and Francis Ford Coppola. Today, it is a great honor for WILD FILMMAKER to pay tribute to one of these two great Masters together with Gérald Duchaussoy, who has dedicated a book—and years of passionate research—to the cinema of Mario Bava.
-) When you hear the name Mario Bava, what’s the first image that comes to your mind?
I think the head of Barbara Steele with the two dogs and a thunder in black and white is a striking image with visual identity, so much beauty, attractivness and repulsion that it defines well what we expect from a horror film. This unsual face is not typical of Bava’s style who’s more attracted to colors than actors but we, as viewers, are struck by the power of a physiognomy.
-) What did Mario Bava represent in your development as a film enthusiast?
With many directors, cinematographers and actors, it represents well a break in the way I constructed myself as a film enthusiast breaking away from American cinema and looking for something different. His universe, themes and motifs are strong and I felt that I had never seen anything like it—which is true.
-) Great directors of the past and present, such as Federico Fellini and Tim Burton, have repeatedly stated that they were inspired by Mario Bava’s filmography. Which films from the past 20 years do you think most strongly reflect the influence of Mario Bava’s cinema?
I would say Assassination Nation by Sam Levinson in the first place—the use of colors, the intensity of the visual waves, as I would call them, and the technicality blew me away. In the same vein, The Neon Demon by Nicolas Winding Refn, which seemed inspired by Dario Argento, brought us back to Mario Bava because the colors were like actors and had a real place in the film. I’m sure that, if I played video games, I would see much inspiration from Mario Bava.
-) As you know, I greatly admire the mission of Cannes Classics, which you have directed for years. I believe that giving attention to documentaries about the history of cinema is essential to help younger generations discover the historical context in which certain films were created. Do you think Mario Bava’s cinema is sufficiently remembered today?
I have the impression that we talk more about Mario Bava than about Federico Fellini, they are screened at major festivals, sold on Blu-ray so I would answer yes.
-)Contemporary European cinema rarely inspires American productions; the last striking example can arguably be considered Mario Bava’s posthumous film Rabid Dogs, which inspired Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino. In your opinion, what are the reasons why European cinema has lost its ability to be a source of inspiration for American cinema?
This is a very good question. First, the production of Italian genre films is not what it used to be to say the least. In France and Spain, genre films are more made for platforms. Secondly, this is a matter of distribution. How can we expect to see these films today? Thirdly, there is less dialogue with artists between American cinema and abroad. There is more a global language of cinema than European being inspired by American films and the other way round.
-) One of the heroes who inspired the WILD FILMMAKER mission—namely, a strong focus on arthouse cinema—was Mario Bava himself, an artist who, with limited financial resources and a wealth of original ideas, changed the history of cinema. Do you think our mission is relevant today?
Definitely. There is less money in cinema today but this doesn’t mean that we have to give up. Good luck to WILD FILMMAKER. It’s only the beginning!
I stopped asking myself that question a long time ago. It’s easier to answer what I used to be. Well, I’m an artist, I guess. Living for the process of creating. It doesn’t really matter what, to be honest; whether it’s cooking, painting, or film, I’m the sucker that loves doing it. It sort of reflects in my history, too. I started out inventing and building things in my childhood, highly driven by curiosity and the question, “What if..?” It’s still my drive today. After a bunch of art schools and classes, I wanted to become a sculptor. Then I started to dive into photography, deeply fascinated by the process of taking and developing images. I spent hours, days, and weeks in studios and darkrooms, exposing and developing. While working as a photographer in New York, I realized I missed the energy of a large creative team. A chance opportunity on a film set in Mexico changed everything. The collaborative spirit of a film crew felt like coming home, and my passion for cinema clicked into place. Starting from the bottom as a spark on a Danish feature film directed by the Danish great Bille August and shot by Swedish DP Jörgen Persson. I was on a roll and kept working on almost three features a year. I lived more on set than off, haha. I became a focus puller and climbed that ladder quickly in Scandinavia. With so much experience with 35mm, I could almost sense distance. I worked tightly with the master of them all, Hoyte van Hoytema, and we finished 8 features together and countless commercials. So fun, and I loved it. The step to DP myself was always so close, but you really have to make up your mind, and when Hoyte went all-Hollywood, I took the time to take that step, and here I am. Still loving the process, the people, and the art.
– What new projects are you working on?
I prefer a balance between drama and commercials to keep myself on edge and sharp. Right now, I’m looking forward to a job in Japan, a place I’m fond of. Beautiful people, food, and culture. But I’m especially eager to start the Brazilian movie Nossos Caminhos with the wonderful director Carla Di Bonito. It’s a life story, an amazing script, and a beautiful crew, cast, and talent. Every time I read that script, I imagine so many scenes and shots. Truly impressive and a story that really needs to be told. We are starting with the pre-recce in September 2025.
– Which Cinematographer inspires you the most?
Life itself is the big inspiration for me. All the meets and greets, art and cultures, happy times as well as the sad ones. Some of the DPs that influenced me a lot are definitely Darius Khondji and his work with shadows, and Hoyte van Hoytema, from whom I have learned so much. Someone I deeply respect and have always wanted to meet is Christopher Doyle. His mind and eye are some of the most curious around, and he most definitely defines what it is to be a “Wild Filmmaker.”
– What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
Big topic indeed. I believe there’s a growing disconnect in the world—a disconnect from each other and from the beauty around us. We get caught up in conflict and division and often forget to see the incredible art, culture, and natural wonder we’ve created and are surrounded by. If I could change one thing, it would be to bridge that disconnect. I believe filmmaking is a powerful tool for empathy. As a cinematographer, my goal is to create images that don’t just tell a story but also remind us of that profound, often overlooked beauty. I want to help audiences see the world, and each other, with fresh and wild eyes.
– How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I believe that in 100 years, the core of cinema will be exactly the same as it was thousands of years ago around the first campfires. The technology, the tools we use to tell our stories, will undoubtedly evolve in ways we can’t even predict. But the fundamental human need to share experiences, to feel connected through narrative, will remain constant. No matter how advanced the medium becomes, the most powerful element will always be a compelling story that makes us feel something. Storytelling will outlive all of us.
– What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
Highly important work being done here. My impression is that WILD FILMMAKER is a vital and necessary platform in our industry. In a world of fleeting content, you celebrate the profound art of storytelling with depth and integrity. More than that, you are building a community. Filmmaking can sometimes be a truly isolating pursuit, and having a place that encourages, connects, and champions filmmakers at every stage of their career is invaluable. It’s this focus on community and the celebration of bold, untamed stories that personally draws me to your work. It’s about keeping the ‘campfire’ burning for all of us.
I am the same girl who grew up on the streets of Napoli dreaming about becoming a cinematographer. I have been able to transcend to a creative level of modern cinema in the craft of cinematography where emotions could be shown by visuals in a genuine approach and a distinctive style.
I love to explore, create, and move towards a versatile, visual style that best translates each story’s unique concept into breathtaking moving images that unravel the character’s site of mind throughout the progression of the storytelling.
As a cinematographer I show a concept of beauty that goes beyond the aesthetic aspects. Something more intense that supports, follows, and enhances the story where the camera can capture and show through the eyes and heart of human sensibility behind it, the transparency and the awareness of visuals drawn by emotions
Light is everything. The absence of darkness will not allow us to shine the light.
As a woman in film I walk on the journey of life to move toward an immense feeling of gratitude while I face challenges with grace, courage, laugh and determination and the ability to see the best in every moment in our existence.
I filmed many feature films (premiered at Sundance, Cannes, Berlin,Venice film festivals) TV series commercials (Netflix, HBO, Paramount, Amazon Prime, Hulu) commercials and brand contents (Pukka, Dove, British Airways, Ford, Nike, Novomatic, Altec, Planned Parenthood), music videos (The Roots, Aesop Rock, Elen Levon and Amana Melome’. I feel a great pleasure and gratitude to collaborate with all kinds of directors, producers, actors (Juliette Lewis, Spike Lee, Deborah Kampmeier, Randy Wilkins, Richard Ledes, Elliot Gould, Naomi Watts, Ann Dowd, David Chase) to work together as a team.
When I am not on a project as a cinematographer, I am also a director, writer, still photographer and make video arts.
-What was your reaction when the Academy invited you to become an official member?
I felt deeply honored and grateful to be invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is an incredible institution with so many talents involved, the ones who inspired me so much and contributed to be the reason why I am a cinematographer. In my opinion, this is the light that shines on the visual emotions that we create to have people dream, breathe and live through the movies.”
-Your journey as a cinematographer began in Naples, Italy and your art brought you to LA — what has this journey been like?
My path started when I left Napoli to go to London for two years where I received a scholarship to land in New York and Los Angeles. My journey was hard and long. I was constantly breathing with the desire to make it for the love and passion I had. I started as a war photographer in the Middle East and Africa to then shift into narratives where I could tell stories. Since early age my dad showed movies and retrospectives of all different directors; the most famous and the independent ones where I could explore avant-garde cinema.
-Which cinematographers from film history have inspired you the most?
I would say all of them inspired me in how they lensed various stories in unique ways. I was mainly inspired by classical and modern paintings though.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Yes, I was 9 and I saw a movie called The Conformist. I thought that each frame was like a painting and I wanted to be involved in that process.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I dislike wars, silence, indifference, towards violence and fake, abuse towards all. I would change it with a serum that would inject love, kindness, and gratitude in the brains of the people.
– How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I imagine Cinema like a container of memories where people can choose it anytime to play and see the past, present and future.
