Author: Dreamate Demo

By Michele Diomà

Alejandro Jodorowsky once said: “When you doubt between acting or staying still, choose the desire to act – create your path, one step at a time.”

Inspired by this quote from the great Chilean poet and filmmaker, WILD FILMMAKER was born five years ago with the mission to give visibility to independent artists around the world.
In the beginning, WILD FILMMAKER was just a magazine, but my dream was to create a platform where filmmakers and screenwriters could participate in events judged by one single criterion: MERITOCRACY.

I never imagined that this revolutionary dream would bring me, in June 2025, to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, to organize two events that saw a record-breaking turnout of over 35,000 independent artists from across the globe.

(San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge)

Reaching California—the heart of both the past and present film industry—and becoming the leading platform for indie cinema is an unprecedented victory for the entire WILD FILMMAKER community.
When I say “past and present,” I mean that California is home to both Hollywood and Netflix. WILD FILMMAKER positions itself somewhere in between these two worlds: with the mission to use the classic cinematic storytelling style—yet through the web.

Today, WILD FILMMAKER is the most globally recognized independent film brand. Just a few days ago, we hosted The New York Times on our pages with an exclusive interview with Glenn Kenny, one of their top film critics. Over the past year, we’ve also appeared in Vogue, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Cinecittà News.

(Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese alongside New York Times film critic Glenn Kenny)

This victory is dedicated to all those who believed—and continue to believe—in the WILD FILMMAKER project.
Our mission is not to ask permission to enter the traditional film circuit, but to create a new way to tell and distribute cinema, and we’re making it happen!

A special thank you to the artists who participated in this PRESS RELEASE dedicated to the San Francisco Film Achievement Awards:

Lesley Ann Albiston – Fractures In Time
BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

Janja Rakuš – Soularis
BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM 2025 & BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR

Emilio Mercanti – Tic Tac
BEST EUROPEAN NARRATIVE SHORT & BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: Arthouse Short Film)

Roger Paradiso – The Lost Village
BEST AMERICAN PRODUCER & BEST INDIE DIRECTOR

Hugo Teugels – Cassandra Venice
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST EUROPEAN PRODUCER

Monte Albers de Leon – Mecca
BEST LGBTQ SCRIPT 2025 & BEST AMERICAN ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER

AnayaMusic Kunst – Sanctuary
BEST MUSIC VIDEO 2025 & BEST ARTHOUSE SINGER

Jamie Sutliff – Black Wolf
BEST FILMMAKER & BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: Indie Short Film)

Mattia Paone – Flashes of Light (Bagliori)
BEST EUROPEAN SCREENPLAY 2025 (Category: Narrative Short), BEST ORIGINAL INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER

Vicentini Gomez – Doctor Hypotheses 2 – The Breakdown
BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SCRIPT 2025 & BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: Comedy)

Andronica Marquis – Medea
BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Short), BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST CAST, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST CASTING DIRECTOR

Chris Ross Leong – NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story
BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE WRITER 2025

Jonathan Fisher – In a Whole New Way
BEST SOCIAL SCREENPLAY, BEST HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT & BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM 2025

Carla Di Bonito – Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE

Michał Kucharski – Heat and Love
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2025, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER

C. Arnold Curry – The Duchess
BEST AMERICAN SCREENPLAY 2025 & BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA

Susan Downs – Something Ain’t Right
BEST DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY 2025

Christopher Pennington – Virulence
BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

Pamela PerryGoulardt – The Girl Made of Earth and Water
BEST SUPER SHORT FILM, BEST EDITING & BEST FILMMAKER

Dean Morgan – Sheldon Mashugana Gets Stooged
BEST AMERICAN ACTOR 2025 & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Comedy)

Kai Fischer – Lambada The Dance Of Fate
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT & BEST EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2025

John Martinez – The Days of Knight: Chapter 1
BEST AMERICAN NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY.

R.Scott MacLeay – Noise
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Experimental Film)

Don Pasquale Ferone – Credo
BEST SONG 2025, BEST EUROPEAN SONG WRITER & BEST SPIRITUAL MUSIC VIDEO

Russell Emanuel – Routine
BEST DIRECTOR 2025, BEST PRODUCER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST NARRATIVE SHORT 2025

– The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST ACTING (Category: International Indie Narrative Short Film)

Brooke Wolff – Eye of the Storm
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY 2025, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER, BEST STORYTTELING & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING (Category: Documentary Feature)

Lena Mattsson – Not Without Gloves
BEST POETRY FILM, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: Experimental)

– The Rorschach Test
BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM & BEST SOUND DESIGN

Vincenzo Amoruso – The Arcangel Of Death
BEST EUROPEAN ACTOR 2025 & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Indie Short Film)

Lynn Elliott – Ghost Town, N.M.
BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

– Alta California
BEST WRITING STYLE (Category: Feature Script)

– Borderline Justice
BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE SCREENWRITER

Larry Gene Fortin – The Call Center
BEST INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION SCRIPT & BEST PILOT TV

– Sky Walker
BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA SCRIPT 2025

Sean Gregory Tansey – The Stones of Rome
BEST ARTHOUSE ACTOR, BEST INDIE EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

– The Pathos of Hamlet
BEST HISTORICAL SHORT FILM & BEST ACTING

Suzanne Lutas – The Dead Ringer
BEST WRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Original Feature Script)

Uniqueness Heiress & Azia – Omnipotent Resolution
BEST ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM, BEST SOUNDTRACK, BEST SOUND DESIGN, BEST INDIE MUSICAL & BEST INTERNATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHY

Phoebe von Satis – Hummel
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT 2025, BEST WRITING STYLE & BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER

– K Bender (The Bloody Benders)
BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

– The Insomnia Experiment
BEST ORIGINAL WRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Short Script)

– The Hallmark Couple
BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

– Only in Malibu
BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

– Gold, Glory & Nobility
BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK 2025

Ugrin Vuckovic – Fishbowl
BEST INDIE SUPER SHORT FILM 2025

-Who is Shaun Guzman?

Shaun James Guzman born January 30, 1988 in Los Angeles, California. The child of Mateo Guzman and Santos Guzman. His father is of Mexican descent and his mother born in Texas and raised in California.

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

Shaun’s love for the showbiz is anything beyond outstanding, he has such an incredible love and passion for the entertainment business. Shaun first found his talent through script writing when his brother Jimmy show him a script called Constantine, he read through the script and then it click on him. Shaun soon started to get to understand the basic principle of a script and the meaning of it, he never once went to school for it, he self-taught it by myself. Then growing up watching his first movies that truly attracted him and still does Desperado and Toy Story, those movies presented Shaun in a way that he truly felt connected and magical of the aspect of movies. Shaun felt deep down that showbiz will be his Hollywood dream career.

-Tell us about your project “HOPE!”.

The idea came about when I wanted to showcase what would happen when we all fall down in life and what happens after we fallen from grace; we do our very best to pray for the best and THEN a miracle happens; a prayer of light guides you in for a helping hand to rise from the ground and have another chance of life again.

-Which Director inspire you the most?

Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard & Quentin Tarantino.

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

Too much hate and not enough love & peace in this world of ours. I believe it’s time to care for one another and show love & respect to everyone so this world can keep going, bring back the family values that once was back in the golden era in this day & age because we all need it.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

Hopefully, praying so we keep seeing inspiring stories from all walks of life to be put on film or digital to inspire the next inspiring filmmaker today, now & the future.

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

Outstanding & Glorious!

-Who is Vivian Tsang?

She is a filmmaker, animator based in Manchester. She was born and raised in Hong Kong and moved to Manchester three years ago. In 2018, she completed a Bachelor’s degree with a major in animation and a minor in photography, film and television, studying in both Hong Kong and the United States. Currently, she is pursuing an MA in Filmmaking, with a focus on documentary film. During her master’s program, she completed two documentary shorts, including Andrea’s experience with Yoga practice, and my latest project, The New Immigrants- Hong Kongers. She is eager to explore different types of films to further develop her directing and technical skills, and to present more work to audiences.

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

When I was around 19 years old and studying for my Bachelor’s degree, I rented movies from the school library. The first time I watched My Fair Lady on DVD, I fell in love with it.

-Tell us about your project “The New Immigrants – Hong Kongers”.

This documentary explores hidden places in Manchester, revealing how Hong Kongers are integrating into British culture and lifestyle through conversations with parents and friends. By capturing authentic experiences, it aims to provide newly arrived Hong Kongers with insights into adapting to life in the UK, while highlighting the unique and meaningful aspects of British life. Through these real-life examples, viewers will gain an understanding of why many Hong Kongers choose to immigrate, viewed from both Hong Kong and British perspectives. The film also seeks to foster empathy among British viewers, helping them appreciate the emotions Hong Kongers experience upon arrival and promoting mutual understanding and acceptance.

-Which Director inspires you the most?

Shunji Iwai, a famous Japanese director, has deeply inspired me through his poetic films. Some of my favorites include Love Letter, April Story, Rainbow Song, The Forgotten Bride, and Last Letter.

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

I dislike bullying, racism, and discrimination. I believe change should start with education, guidance, and awareness to help others understand different races, so we can learn to accept and respect one another—because we all share the same humanity and live together in this world.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

I imagine a future where cinema is experienced through VR, with 3D image models appearing right in front of you—like in Minority Report—or even through direct connections to the brain that allow you to watch movies as real-time dreams, much like Matrix and Inception in the tomorrow’s world. 

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

An influential digital film magazine, it inspires countless filmmakers, cast and crew members, and film lovers, all of whom feel honored to be featured in its pages. The magazine upholds the timeless appeal of classic cinema while also embracing and shaping new trends for the 21st century. 

Homeless Street Artist

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2025

A Mystery Woman: The Message – The main one, in the STORM Trilogy

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE (Category: Drama) 2025

The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands

BEST AMERICAN ORIGINAL SHORT FILM, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST CASTING DIRECTOR

Routine

BEST ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM 2025, BEST EDITING, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Narrative Short)

Museum, or The Marble Statue

BEST INDIE EUROPEAN FILMMAKER

Wave Man

BEST ITALIAN FEATURE SCRIP 2025

Something ain’t right

BEST DIRECTOR 2025 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Documentary)

Sundown In Beaver Creek

BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT/TV & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE

Sonnets (Words in despair)

BEST ORIGINAL IDEA 2025

Monument to Love

BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR & BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2025

Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2025

Prodigio

BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG WRITER, BEST INDIE SINGER & BEST SOUND DESIGN

Katabasis

BEST FILM 2025 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS

The Days of Knight: Chapter 3

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Arthouse Short Film), BEST MOVIEMAKER & BEST INDIE PRODUCTION COMPANY

The Arcangel Of Death

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR 2025

The Demon

BEST EUROPEAN EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM

Thankful

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIP 2025

Le disubbidienti del San Zaccaria

BEST EUROPEAN SCRIPT 2025

The Duchess

BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA 2025

Doctor Hyphoteses

BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDIAN & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER

Alta California

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST HISTORICAL SCRIPT

Pirandello’s Wife

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT

Ghost Town, N.M.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER

Eye of the Storm

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY 2025

The Stones of Rome

BEST INTERNATIONAL HISTORICAL SHORT FILM

The Pathos of Hamlet

BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT 2025 & BEST ORIGINAL ACTING

Planetary Rebellion

BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Music Video) & BEST EUROPEAN MUSIC VIDEO 2025

Hummel

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT 2025

Only in Malibu

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Gold Glory & Nobility

BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER

Malibu Madam

BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL IDEA

K Bender (The Bloody Benders)

BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER 2025

Adelaide’s Magic Sunglasses

BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Short Script)

The Insomnia Experiment

BEST ORIGINAL WRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Short Script)

The Mint

BEST AMERICAN WRITER

Sheldon Mashugana gets Stooged

BEST COMEDY 2025 & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Comedy)

Not Without Gloves

BEST EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR 2025  

The Rorschach Test

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE INSPIRATIONAL FILM

Mind over Matter

BEST SUPER SHORT FILM 2025

Omnipotent Resolution

BEST DANCE FILM 2025, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST POETRY SHORT FILM

-Who is Brian McDermott?

When I was five or six, I would lie in bed at night and ask myself why there is something rather than nothing at all. I think I did this every night for a while, or until I became scared by the question. So I guess at heart I am a philosopher – as I later majored in philosophy in college and found out that’s a question many philosophers grapple with at some point in their lives. Later, after I saw The Matrix, I realized I could take all the philosophical thoughts I was having and make movies out of them! I eventually pursued an MFA in Film and Media Arts, made some fiction films, and also started a documentary film production company. Now, I teach filmmaking, and also enjoy making films with my students.

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

Well, I remember the first moment I was so shocked by a film that I had nightmares. My parents used to take me – along with my brother and sister – to see every film that came to the theaters where we lived. I grew up in the 70s, and the one film that altered my mind was the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Donald Sutherland was in that film, and there’s a moment where he’s fallen asleep outside and a pod person (spoiler alert if you haven’t seen it) suddenly starts getting birthed by a pod, and Sutherland wakes up and takes a shovel and chops his own fetal, webbed-faced, pod head in half. That image and that film gave me nightmares for 20 years. I think I had just turned eight when it came out. Still to this day, I believe I owe my interest in film, sci-fi, and in becoming a filmmaker to that film, and also to the less traumatic coming-of-age bicycling film, Breaking Away, which has stayed in my subconscious for many years. 

-Tell us about your project “Her Own Skin”.

The idea for Her Own Skin came to me from a past experience where I noticed just how controlling men can be. I observed a very controlling relationship where the man was acting as if he owned his girlfriend, and years later I thought, what if he actually did? What would that look like? And how would she regain her freedom? I then realized he could own her if she was an android. Luckily, I found a great actor (Giovanna Baccini) to play the role of the android. She has that ability to magically transform into any character right in front of your eyes.

Even though there are other sci-fi films about androids out there, I knew this was going to be different because it wasn’t about showing the audience how an android is being developed, or that it’s possible to create one some day in the future, etc., but rather my focus was on the couple’s already existing relationship, and that neither Gia (the android) nor the audience know that she’s not human. That last piece became a hook, and also made me more excited to write the story back in 2022. 

-Which Director inspires you the most?

Wow, there are so many amazing directors out there. I saw Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance a few months ago and was blown away. I thought the directing in the first hour of that film was incredible. The second hour brought me back to the days where my nightmares come from – so it was harder for me to process it, and I couldn’t sleep after seeing it. 

In terms of sci-fi film inspiration, I rewatch a number films each year: Tarkovsky’s Solaris, Close Encounters, Alien, Inception, Truman Show, Contact, District 9, Children of Men and the list goes on!

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

This is a big question, and I have approached it through the documentaries I make – which focus on climate change, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and overall, by challenging oppression through creating awareness.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

It’s hard to imagine beyond the next ten years. I’m worried about AI taking over everyone’s jobs in the film industry, and there being completely AI-produced films watched by mindless humans. Hopefully, AI will be ethically incorporated into the filmmaking process (though there’s the question if even using it is environmentally ethical and also doesn’t constitute some form of copyright infringement). 

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

I think it’s great. I remember when I graduated film school in 2005, film festivals prided themselves in stating that they were “independent festivals” made for independent filmmakers. Nowadays, after you receive a rejection from a festival that used to be considered “independent,” you see all these famous Hollywood folks populating the festival. Not everyone has a few million dollars to put into making their films, but that doesn’t mean the world shouldn’t know about all the great art that’s being made by indie filmmakers!

Cassandra Venice

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST INDIE PRODUCER (Category: Experimental Film) & BEST EUROPEAN EXPERIMENTAL FILM

Walking In Memphis

BEST PILOT TV 2025 & BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER (Category: Television Script)

The Taste Of Rain

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER

Nossos Caminhos

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

Routine

BEST PRODUCER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST NARRATIVE SHORT 2025

The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands

BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST ACTING (Category: International Indie Narrative Short Film)

A Fable Before Apocalypse

BES INTERNATIONAL YOUNG FILMMAKER

Marabu’

BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Stalker Hair Twirl

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR

In a Whole New Way

BEST INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL FILM, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

Revisited – Life is Short

BEST DIRECTOR (Category; International Music Video) & BEST ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

The Victims of Sundarbans

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST INDIE PRODUCTION COMPANY & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: Documentary Short)

The Musgrave Ritual

BEST ARTHOUSE FILM, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST SOUND DESIGN & BEST CAST

On My Special Day

BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM, BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT

Aunt Tilly’s Last Hurrah

BEST PRODUCER, BEST SCREENWRITER & BEST SOUND LOCATION (Category: International Narrative Short Film)

Dragul and Forbes

BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

Attack Of The Snowbirds

BEST FEATURE SCRIPT (Category: Comedy) & BEST AMERICAN ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER 2025

Mind Network

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 2025

Pantaneiro

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2025

The Days of Knight: Chapter 1

BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SOUND DESIGN, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: International Short Film)

Lido Cimber

BEST EUROPEAN SHORT SCRIPT

Urban Eats MTL

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

Wacko

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE OF THE YEAR, BEST INDIE FILMMAKER, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST AMERICAN PRODUCTION COMPANY

Homeless Street Artist

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT, BEST SOCIAL DOCUMENTARY & BEST INTERNATIONAL MOVIEMAKER

2 Million Bro

BEST EUROPEAN COMEDY OF THE YEAR

Into LA Art Show

BEST EDITING

Shout It Out

BEST DIRECTOR & BEST EDITING (Category: International Music Video)

Not a thing

BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR

Cock Robin

BEST FILMMAKER, BEST EDITING & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Indie Comedy 2025)

The Priory of Sion and the treasure of Abbey Sauniere of Rennes the Castle France

BEST EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2025

Etnoragù

BEST EUROPEAN INDIE SHORT FILM, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST INDIE EUROPEAN MOVIEMAKER

America Boxed In

BEST ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY & BEST FILMMAKER 2025 (Category: Documentary Feature)

An Ever After Drama

BEST AMERICAN SHORT FILM OF YEAR & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER

Omnipotent Resolution

BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL SHORT FILM, BEST ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY, BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST PRODUCER

2020: life and death of a virus

BEST EUROPEAN PRODUCER, BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER & BEST ARTHOUSE EDITOR (Category: Indie Experimental Film)

Walking With God

BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Indie Film)

Virulence

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER 2025

Ambrogio The First Vampire

BEST INDIE ACTOR & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

Phoebe’s Echo

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST SCREENWRITER, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST CASTING DIRECTOR

All My Tomorrows

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE DRAMA 2025, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST CAST (Category: International Drama)

YOU ARE HERE – a dylan brody project

BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

Errata in blue

BEST EDITING & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: EXPERIMENTAL FILM)

Because We Are Too Many

BEST ARTHOUSE DRAMA 2025 & BEST FILMMAKER (Category: International Drama)

Artists & Aliens

BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST SOUNDTRACK & BEST SOUND DESIGN

Soularis

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Medea

BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER, BEST CAST & BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SCREENWRITER

GODFORSAKEN: A Story Of Three Marys

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT

PAULA’S DAD and the right button in his head

BEST INDIE SHORT FILM 2025

Seasoning of the Soul

BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Short)

Chateau De Tarot

BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER 2025

Colombano & La 21Esima Fetta

BEST EUROPEAN NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR         

A Fable Before Apocalypse

BEST FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING (Category: Short Film)

Thankful

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE SCREENWRITER    

Bitter Brownies

BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER (Category: International Narrative Short)

Prodigio

BEST INDIE MUSIC VIDEO & BEST ORIGINAL SINGER

Fortezza

BEST SONG WRITER 2025 & BEST EUROPEAN SPIRITUAL SONG

Monument to Love

BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER 2025, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST ARTHOUSE EDITING (Category: Documentary Feature)

Katabasis

BEST ARTHOUSE FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST ACTRESS, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Film)

Black Wolf

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SHORT FILM & BEST ORIGINAL MOVIEMAKER

The way of Mizoguchi

BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST EUROPEAN PRODUCTION COMPANY (Category: Documentary Feature)

The Rorschach Test

BEST DIRECTOR & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: International Experimental Film)

Not Without Gloves

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM OF THE YEAR

NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

Out Of Control

BEST EXPERIMENTAL ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Riding on Duke’s Train

BEST INTERNATIONAL VIDEO POETRY, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST SOUND DESIGN (Category: Video Poetry)

Sheldon Mashugana gets Stooged

BEST ARTHOUSE COMEDY, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST CAST (Category: International Comedy)

Mind over Matter

BEST FILMMAKER, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER (Category: Super Short Film)

The Dead Ringer

BEST WRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

L’Amour est temps de reflets

BEST ORIGINAL EUROPEAN FILMMAKER & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY SHORT

The Duchess

BEST DRAMA 2025, DIRECTOR, BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST SCEENPLAY (Category: International Arthouse Drama)

Lambada The Dance of Fate

BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT

Eye of the Storm

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING (Category: Documentary) BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY & BEST ARARTHOUSE PRODUCER

The Arcangel Of Death

BEST ACTING & BEST EUROPEAN YOUNG DIRECTOR

Alta California

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST HUMAN RIGHTS SCRIPT OF THE YEAR

Ghost Town, N.M.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER

Only in Malibu

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER (Category: International Indie Feature Script)

Gold Glory & Nobility

BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK

Malibu Madam

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Something ain’t right

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Planetary Rebellion

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Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?

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The Stones of Rome

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The Pathos of Hamlet

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Antiquarius

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Belles paroles

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Room Available

BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER (Category: Short Film)

In a Whole New Way

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Hiding in Holland: A Resistance Memoir By Max Rothschild and Dr. Shulamit Reinharz

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE BOOK

A Taco

BEST INDIE SUPER SHORT FILM & BEST EDITING

-Who is Iazua Larios?

I suppose I am a collage of experiences, like everyone. So I’ll tell you some: I grew up by the sea, skipping class to go to the beach close by the school with my bicycle. At the time I was living on a small island with no television at home, so I was doing my own story tales playing with nature, books, and toys . To go to the closest cinema we had to take a ferry to cross the ocean to the big city. There, I watched for the first time the big screen that left me breathless and full of emotions. Maybe that´s the beginning of this. And maybe the theater group who was rehearsing at my living room  with my parents was an influence too. Today I am a mother and an artist.

-You’ve worked with great actors. Let’s start with the cast of Milarepa — what was it like working with Oscar winner Murray Abraham and Harvey Keitel?

With Mr. Keitel I had 2 or 3 scenes and it was a dream come true working with him,  I have been a huge fan of his work since I was a teenager. I liked his way of working, he has a special mood to deliver words and emotions, I basically  learn from him. 

And Mr. Murray, well, he is my father in the movie and I found him to be such an amazing actor, very focused on the work, his presence was a lot already. His energy was something incredible to play with during the scenes, with an energy like that you can definitely be creative in the present moment playing with characters. I was obviously a little nervous to work with two incredible actors like them.

-How did you meet Louis Nero?

I didn’t know him. He ask me for a casting (a very long one in fact haha)

I was on vacation in Italy (Elba Island) and a request for a casting arrived, I made a selftape. I normally do a lot of castings (like every actor), But this one was special, I loved the texts, those words made my imagination fly. I was really hoping to get the character because I was already enchanted with the story I knew only from the extracts of the casting, and fortunately I did get it.  And then I met him in a video call before the shooting of the movie.

-What was it like working with Tim Roth?

Tim Roth has been an incredible colleague from whom I learn so much.

His humanity while working has left a mark on me forever. He is fun, and down to earth. I have seen that true artists are very down to earth. He has worked with every director I admire in films, so his conversations about work were delightful.

-What would you change about the world?

Right now the world is going crazy. Bombs, hunger, injustice, are horrible. Nothing of that comes from a good place, you can watch that with my character in Milarepa, Daka is sick of sadness, hate and revenge. From those feelings is where racism and wars come from. I would change so many things.  But I can only start with myself and the people who surround me, live with peace and conscience. Be aware of what’s happening in the world and not in a little bubble of privilege, and do something about it at least with little steps, films can be one of those little steps.

-How do you imagine cinema 100 years from now?

Good question, to be honest i Have never thought about that. I won’t be here for sure.

The other day I watched a chapter of a TV series where an actor was going inside an old movie with the help of technology, so the actor was living for real inside that old movie interacting with the old actors and the fictional reality. It made me think.

Or maybe movies will be projected in strange places, like the clouds, and you fly in aerostatic balloons to watch. Who knows.

-What’s your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

It is an important platform to connect visions in the language of cinema, to share creative experiences. To give space for independent voices coming from every corner of the process of doing a film. I am happy to do this interview in such a cool magazine, thanks for the space. 

Joanna’s Kitchen

BEST INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

Lobby Card Pilot: Some Fabulous

BEST ORIGINAL TELEVISION SCRIPT 2025 & BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: Pilot TV/Television Script)

Because We Are Too Many

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Doctor Hypotheses 2 – The Breakdown

BEST NEW FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

Medea

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SOUNDTRACK & BEST EDITING (Category: International Narrative Short)

Man in a Can

BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION

Elevation to the Depths II & III

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The Arcangel Of Death

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Planetary Rebellion

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Omnipotent Resolution

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Mind Over Matter

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Atlas of Uncertainty

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Darker Realities

BEST SCREENWRITER 2025 (Category: Arthouse Feature Script)

Not Without Gloves

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Brothers of Babylon

BEST AMERICAN SCREENPLAY 2025

Remnant

BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL SCRIPT

Gold, Gloves & Glory

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Hummel

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The Hallmark Couple

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Malibu Madam

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Lucky in Long Island

BEST ORIGINAL SCRIPT

The Stones of Rome

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The Pathos of Hamlet

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The Duchess

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RETHINK – a Philosophical Web Series

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The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands

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Routine

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The Great Animal Escape by Linda Harkey and illustrated by Jeff Yesh

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Katabasis

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The Priory of Sion

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Can’t Figure It Out

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Experimental Film)

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Alta California

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

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Fortezza

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Lacrime di Vento

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Min

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The Quest for Camelot

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Walking In Memphis

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The Days of Knight: Chapter 3

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Colombano & La 21esima Fetta

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NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story

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Thankful

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French Broad

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Am I a painter?Czy jestem malarzem?

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The way of Mizoguchi

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Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)

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Eye of the Storm

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Innovation in Connecticut

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The Hallmark Couple

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Iriso

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The Woman and the Cross

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Gold, Glory & Nobility

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The Esteemed Priority

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La sposa nel vento

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Who is Luca De Giorgi?

“I see myself as a very ordinary person, full of dreams, desires, and a deep inspiration derived from everyday life. I have a strong inclination to convey my feelings and observations, hoping to illuminate the inherent beauty in life. Simultaneously, I recognize the importance of personal growth and feel a profound sense of responsibility to support those who have been affected by misfortune and illness.

Since 2006, my passion for social support has materialized in my role as President of Associazione Vita, an Italian non-profit organization committed to offering comprehensive solutions for the health, social, and psychological needs of individuals. Professionally, I work in a bank, where I focus on understanding and addressing the needs of both individuals and companies, primarily in the area of credit solutions. I’ve found that the soft skills I’ve developed in both my professional and voluntary roles have uniquely positioned me to undertake ambitious projects such as producing a movie.”

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

“As for the moment I fell in love with cinema, I remember dreaming of owning a video camera from a young age. That dream became a reality when I purchased my first one at nineteen, using my very first paycheck. Since then, I’ve continuously used cameras for both video and photos. For ‘Queen: Checkmate for the King,’ my focus was initially on production, and I really delved into the film during the editing phase. This was because we used freelance cameramen, and all the recording was done live, without the possibility of replays. This methodology made the editing process a crucial and intimate engagement with the material.”

Tell us about your project “Queen: Checkmate for the King.”

“The title ‘Queen: Checkmate for the King’ is inspired by the chess game, where the queen puts the king in check, switching from defense to attack. This metaphor extends to life, and the project truly began as a vision following the theatrical event in Palermo in May 2023. While editing the recordings of the show, I was struck by the raw emotion and profound depth of the experience, realizing its potential as a film. Furthermore, I had made a promise to one of the individuals I interviewed, a lady whose story deeply moved me, to share her narrative. It was this commitment, combined with the original vision, that gave birth to the movie.

I am very proud of the movie, not so much for the awards received, but for having believed that it was possible, for having reached a dream even if some others told me it was impossible and would be embarrassing. It’s a testament to just trusting in yourself and your dreams.”

Which Director inspires you the most?

“Well, to tell the truth, I had no idea how to edit the movie. I didn’t consciously think about any particular director, but simply followed the emotion and what I felt watching the files. I followed the speeches and kept the message’s core meaning in mind, imagining the viewer in the cinema. I recognized the need to approach this project unconventionally to truly capture the public’s attention. I wanted to create something dynamic that would demonstrate how extraordinary moments can be found within the fabric of ordinary life.”

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

“I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world – not extensively, but enough to observe and hear what people say and do. I believe there are many people who truly have a global, holistic vision for the world. They care about environmental justice, social equality, and work to evolve, feeling a responsibility to leave a better Earth for their children than the one they inherited. Then there are others who are more insular, who believe money is the ultimate path to success and satisfaction in life. But there’s more to it; there’s a humanity and happiness in every day we live in, and I would want people to know that if everyone did their best for their communities, everyone could live better. We should stop building walls and open doors; stop closing our fists and open our hands towards the next person. It would be enough to encourage everyone to do their best.”

How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

“I like both old movies and modern action films, and I hope that in future productions, care will still be taken with dialogue. I think that AI will be a part of movies more than it is now, but I hope that the human element remains the core of the film, as the storytelling.”

What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

“I’m deeply impressed by WILD FILMMAKER and its mission. I believe initiatives like this are crucial for giving a voice to unique and authentic stories that might otherwise go unheard. I particularly appreciate their commitment to diverse narratives and their role in fostering a community for independent filmmakers.

I value their focus on innovation and their ability to connect audiences with thought-provoking content; its dedication to showcasing high-quality, impactful cinema is evident, and I admire their ability to catalyze change and inspiration within the filmmaking community. They truly represent a beacon for films that explore new perspectives.