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by Michele Diomà

For nearly ten years now, I have been producing my films exclusively in the United States, and I consider New York the most fitting backdrop for the stories I want to tell. I make independent films in English, with Oscar winners and major figures in cinema works intended for an international audience.

This was an artistic choice, but also born from a practical difficulty: making films in Italy. Unfortunately, for many years now, the Italian film industry has been run by a kind of “clan,” where about ten people maybe even fewer make all the important decisions. The result is that unless you become friends with those individuals who are, incidentally, paid with public funds you essentially have no right to exist.

Since I’m a free man, I chose to leave Italy. But I would love to one day help restore Italian cinema to a healthy environment where art, creativity, and pluralism can thrive. After all, we also have a responsibility Italy has produced the most original cinema in the world and is the country of Federico Fellini.

That’s why I enthusiastically welcomed ESPERIA’s proposal to Giorgia Meloni’s government to establish a parliamentary inquiry commission on Italian cinema.

Here is the exclusive interview with ESPERIA’s Editorial Director, Gino Zavalani.

-Who is Gino Zavalani?

First and foremost, I’m a curious person someone who doesn’t settle for official versions. My compass has always been a passion for communication and information. Today, I serve as the Editorial Director of Esperia, a media project born on social media with a clear ambition: to carve out a role in the Italian news landscape by offering an alternative perspective, free from stale rhetoric and convenient dogmas.

-Tell us about your proposal to create a parliamentary inquiry into Italian cinema

Between 2017 and 2025, Italy invested €7.26 billion in the film sector. Public money taxpayers’ money was too often used to finance films with little success, questionable artistic value, and worse still, to feed the same narrow radical-chic circuit. The scandal that recently came to light is even more serious: hundreds of millions of euros were funneled into projects for films that never even existed created solely to cash in on film tax credits. It’s fraud at the expense of the Italian people.

The most outrageous case is that of Francis Kaufmann, known to the public for the double homicide at Villa Pamphili, who in 2020 under the alias Rexal Ford, a self-proclaimed American director received one million euros for a phantom film.

For these reasons, Esperia has strongly called for the establishment of a parliamentary commission of inquiry. We want to know where that money went, who profited, who turned a blind eye and, above all, who will pay it back. Italy deserves a vibrant, honest film industry freed from the parasites that have drained it for decades.

-Why are the same people always rewarded in Italian cinema?

Because there’s a System behind it with a capital “S.” A mechanism that took root at least twenty years ago, one that anyone living in Italy knows all too well: a closed circle the so-called “radical-chic clique” made up of actors, directors, and producers from a self-proclaimed leftist elite, protected for years by politics and the mainstream press. It’s not an ecosystem based on merit or talent, but on friendships and favoritism.

The result? Truly talented young people flee abroad to pursue their careers, while here in Italy it’s always the same names getting the work and the awards regardless of box office performance or artistic quality. It’s a system that impoverishes Italian cinema while enriching the usual few.

-Does the media bear any responsibility?

Absolutely. The media, along with politics, has always been the main safety net for this system. For years, it remained silent or downplayed the issues but now something is beginning to shift. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has broken a taboo by publicly denouncing this waste. Even internationally renowned actors like Michele Morrone have had the courage to speak out against this untouchable clique.

And then there’s us Esperia: a free voice, followed by millions, exposing scandals and telling uncomfortable truths that, until recently, no one dared to address.

(ACTOR MICHELE MORRONE WITH ESPERIA’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GINO ZAVALANI)

–What’s your opinion on the work done by WILD FILMMAKER?

I think WILD FILMMAKER is a bold and necessary project. In an era when the cultural industry tends to close in on itself, this magazine opens up space: it gives a voice to those creating outside the mainstream, to those who have no powerful backers but do have something to say.It’s exactly what the world of cinema and not just cinema needs right now: freedom, openness, passion. Telling art as it is, without filters, without censorship, without allegiance. In that sense, WILD FILMMAKER and Esperia share the same mission: breaking down barriers and letting fresh air in.

-Who is AJ Bucci?

I’m AJ Bucci, a storyteller, filmmaker, and entrepreneur from New Jersey. I was raised on Superman, Star Wars, comic books, and action figures. I’m the kind of guy who still watches movies on VHS, plays Super Nintendo, and gathers with my friends for long nights of HeroQuest. I’m obsessed with the mythological
power of story, especially the kind that mixes nostalgia, emotion, and epic stakes.
I graduated from Rowan University with a B.A. in Radio/Television/Film, with concentrations in production and film studies, and a minor in Creative Writing.
But truthfully, I’ve been making movies since I was four and telling stories since I could speak. I founded AB3 Productions to bring my visions to life and most recently, we completed our first feature film, Phantom and Percepter. What began as a childhood legend passed down from my dad has now become an indie film that’s been honored at multiple festivals. I’m beyond humbled by the response but more than that, I’m grateful. Grateful that audiences are connecting with something deeply personal, mythic, and handmade. That’s what filmmaking is to me, not just cinema, but legacy.

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

I can actually remember the exact moment I fell in love with cinema. A bit of context first; in the 90s and early 2000s, my uncle was going to film school and trying to break into the industry. I distinctly remember him and my dad working on a movie when I was four. They were shooting a scene in the basement. I didn’t totally understand what was going on. Why was my uncle holding a camera and filming my dad fake-punching someone?
Why was it so dark? Why did my dad start talking differently when the camera was rolling? I sat on the basement stairs and just watched, totally locked in. And then it happened the moment that changed everything. My uncle Anthony popped the tape out of the camera, loaded it onto the TV, and suddenly there it was. My dad is on screen in a movie. One I had just watched them make. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My dad was in a movie. A real movie. Okay, maybe it wasn’t really a movie, just something
fun they were doing but to my four-year-old brain, it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I didn’t understand how it was any different from anything else I had seen on TV. I was four, what do you want from me? I finally worked up the nerve to ask about it and that’s when everything cracked open. They didn’t just shoot that one scene, they had years of characters, stories, and mythologies they’d built together.That was it. My life changed that day. I know it. How many people can say they knew what they wanted to do with their life at age four? They dug out this old Panasonic VHS camcorder that had to be plugged into the wall and handed me a couple of blank tapes. The first movie I ever made was a Godzilla movie where I set the camera on the floor and smashed action figures together. That was the whole plot. But when we played the tape back on the old CRT and those words popped up handwritten on a piece of notebook paper “An AJ Bucci Film”…Well, the spark was ignited. It’s a high I’ve chased ever since.

-Tell us about your project “Phantom and Percepter”.

Phantom and Percepter is a story that’s been a lifetime in the making. It’s steeped in family legacy and rooted in my love for mythological storytelling. To really understand what this project means not just to me, but to my dad ;I need to take you back to the 1980s.
My dad, Andrew Bucci, and his best friend, Stefan Squires, grew up in the Marion section of Jersey City. They had that classic North Jersey Italian upbringing, but they also came of age during the golden era of comics, cartoons, and over-the-top action figures. Think Batman ’89, GI Joe, Ninja Turtles, Transformers all that iconic ‘80s magic. Out of that energy and imagination, they created two characters: Phantom, a ninja vigilante, and Percepter, a super soldier from the future. They kitbashed action figures, made comics, and built an entire mythos never thinking it would go anywhere beyond their bedrooms.
But then, flash forward to the 2000s when I’m a kid, and they show me these old toys and drawings. My little brain couldn’t handle it. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world that my dad and his best friend had their own superheroes.
That idea never left me. In film school, I worked on some smaller projects, but one night during a film club meeting, everything changed. Our advisor came in and gave us a much-needed wake-up call. Productions were down, attendance was low, morale was worse. I don’t know what came over me, but all I could think
about was Phantom and Percepter. I pitched it, made a ten-minute student film, and something clicked. The premiere broke attendance records. Film club morale soared. And that little short kind of scrappy, kind of silly sparked something.
Especially Taylor Forte, who played Percepter. He got it. He saw the same world I saw as a kid. He believed in it as much as I did. He pushed me to go all in. And from that day on, we didn’t stop. Just months
after graduation, we began principal photography on Phantom and Percepter: The Feature. We self-funded the whole thing with no investors, no backing, just passion, friendship, and stubborn determination. And the best part? My dad got to play Phantom.
After three years of blood, sweat, and actual tears it’s finally done. It’s ready for the world.
Now, for the story itself: Phantom and Percepter is a mythological superhero film that deconstructs the myth just to rebuild it. Phantom is a washed-up ninja vigilante from the ‘80s jaded, drunk, and long past his prime. On the night he’s killed by his arch-nemesis Warbaron, Percepter, a super soldier from a dystopian future, comes back in time to save him, believing Phantom is the key to saving the world. It’s got the neon-soaked, synth-scored, VHS-warped action of your wildest ‘80s fever dream but beneath all that, the heart of the story is something much deeper. It’s about fathers and sons. About regret and redemption. About the journey from selfishness to selflessness. And most of all, about what it really
means to be a hero. At the emotional core is Phantom’s relationship with Mia, his long-lost love. I won’t spoil anything but the choice Phantom faces because of her is where the soul of the film lives. The movie you’ll see is just a glimpse into a larger world, a superhero universe shaped by both nostalgia and new mythology, where the past and the future are always colliding.

-What director inspires you most?

There are three directors who have inspired me most: Akira Kurosawa, George Lucas, and Zack Snyder. There’s a clear pattern with them, each one influencing the next. They all speak the same mythological language, that visual vernacular where storytelling isn’t just told, it’s shown. I think they each understand something crucial: every story has already been told just not by them. The connection between Kurosawa and Lucas is especially obvious if you watch The Hidden Fortress and A New Hope back to back. George Lucas shaped my childhood and yeah, I know that’s been said a thousand times, but for me, it’s not just about Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It’s about how Lucas redefined what movies could be. He pioneered
blockbusters, invented new ways of making movies, and built ILM from scratch. That kind of bold, myth-making spirit is what I chase. I remember being in college, listening to the Blockbuster podcast that tells the cinematic origin stories of Lucas and Spielberg. There’s this moment where everything’s falling apart, no one believes in Lucas, ILM is barely functional, and he’s on the edge of collapse. Then he hears John Williams’ music for the first time. The Star Wars theme swells and he tears up. I was working a job on campus with my headphones in, and I had to excuse myself to the bathroom because I was crying too. I’d heard that music a thousand times, but in that moment, with all the context and struggle laid bare, I saw myself in George. I’ve been called crazy more than once for trying to pursue film. But in that moment, it was like destiny was whispering: “Keep going. One day it’ll be worth it.” Zack Snyder, to me, is one of the most underrated auteurs working today. I was thirteen when Man of Steel came out, and that movie absolutely blew my mind. The scope, the visuals, the symbolism hit me like a lightning bolt. His love of
mythology, his command of the visual medium, and his unapologetic commitment to tone and scale are a massive influence on how I shoot and direct. I think people often miss the depth in his work because they’re expecting something else. But I see a director who, like Kurosawa and Lucas, believes in visual myth as a language. And that’s the language I want to speak, too.

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

Oh boy. How do you even pick just one thing? I’ll keep it focused on cinema. The thing that bothers me most right now is the way big movies have regressed into these corporate-made, checkbox-assembled products. It feels like so many blockbusters today aren’t made because someone had a story they needed to tell. They’re made because a room full of executives looked at a list of IPs and said “yeah, let’s make this one next.” No passion. No vision. No urgency to say something new. I’m not going to name names if I ever want to work in this industry, but I’m sure you can imagine the examples. It’s not that big movies are
bad, it’s that they could be so much more. Movies should blow your mind. They should make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel something. But too often now, you leave the theater thinking about how good it could have been if they had just focused on the story and let filmmakers actually tell one. What happened with Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a perfect example. Whether you liked the film or not, the way the studio mishandled it and the way fans fought to let an artist share his full vision that’s the core of the problem. That film was meant to mean something. It had heart. It had ideas. It took risks. Thankfully, there are still studios like A24 out there where story and voice still matter. But they’re rare. If I could change anything, I’d make it about one thing; story. Is this story worth telling? What are you trying to say, and should you say it? Not what demographics are we hitting, not how we maximize market share. Who cares?
You should make a movie for one person; yourself. And if other people connect with it, that’s the bonus. That’s the magic. I’m not naive. I get that it’s a business. Budgets matter. People need to make money. I understand all of that. I just wish the storyteller came first. Not the checklist.

-How do you imagine cinema in the next 100 years?

If you look at the past 100 years of cinema and then try to imagine the next 100, it’s honestly kind of insane. People used to run screaming out of theaters when a train came toward the screen, and now we have CGI explosions so massive and over-the-top that audiences just yawn. Something that would’ve caused a mental breakdown in the 1920s barely gets a head turn today. Predicting the future is tricky.

No one in 1925 could have imagined Star Wars or The Matrix. And yet here we are. But there is something happening right now that I think will shape cinema’s future in a major way. AI. Everyone’s got an opinion on it. Some people are relying on it too much. Others think it’s the beginning of the end. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. AI is already changing how we make and view content. You’ve got AI-generated videos of people cutting glass fruit that are pulling in more views than movie trailers. It’s fast, it’s weird, and it’s happening whether we like it or not. Personally, I think AI is an incredible tool. It can help with editing, idea generation, maybe even workflows we haven’t dreamed up yet.
But using it to fully replace artists? That’s where the line is. Writing is an art. Drawing is an art. These things take time and come from people. I love silly AI art as much as the next guy, but it doesn’t replace the feeling of seeing something handcrafted by another human being. It’s man-made, and that matters. Every generation panics when new tech arrives. We saw it when we switched from practical effects to CGI, from film to digital, from horses to cars. AI will definitely change everything, and yeah, we need to be careful. But if we treat it like what it is; a tool, not a replacement it could push cinema into incredible new places.
What we can’t lose is the human element. The soul. Movies are stories, and storytelling is one of the oldest things we do as people. That spark should never be handed over entirely to a machine. I’m hopeful, though. I think most people who get into filmmaking do it because they need to tell stories. I don’t think that gets replaced. In a perfect world, AI helps us tell stories better. It doesn’t tell them
for us. That being said, who knows what movies will look like in 2125? Maybe people will be watching them through the chips in their brains. Hopefully they still get popcorn.

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

I’m blown away by Wild Filmmaker. It’s such a unique platform, a true space for cinema appreciation, where real stories and real voices are given the spotlight. For anyone who calls themselves a cinephile or just loves the world of film, this is a must. I’m truly honored to share my story here. It’s both humbling and incredibly exciting to be part of something that values passion, originality, and the heart of filmmaking.

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

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER

The Hallmark Couple

BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER 2025

The Insomnia Experiment

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT 2025

Something ain’t right

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL INDIE FILMMAKER

Planetary Rebellion

BEST PRODUCER & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Music Video)

Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?

BEST ORIGINAL ANIMATION, BEST POETRY SHORT FILM & BEST NARRATIVE SHORT OF THE YEAR (Category: Animation)

The Stones of Rome

BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTOR & BEST INDIE PRODUCER 2025

The Pathos of Hamlet

BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM, BEST EXPERIMENTAL EDITING & BEST POETRY SHORT FILM

Antiquarius

BEST EUROPEAN NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST INDIE FILMMAKER, BEST INDIE CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST EUROPEAN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT

Belles paroles

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS INDIE PROJECT

Room Available

BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER (Category: Short Film)

In a Whole New Way

BEST SOCIAL FILM, BEST INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL FILM, BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER, BEST EDITING & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Educational Film)

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

BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA 2025

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

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Original Feature Script)

The Arcangel Of Death

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR

Planetary Rebellion

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

Omnipotent Resolution

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY, BEST INTERNATIONAL SINGER & BEST ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO

Mind Over Matter

BEST INTERNATIONAL SUPER SHORT FILM

Atlas of Uncertainty

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Darker Realities

BEST SCREENWRITER 2025 (Category: Arthouse Feature Script)

Not Without Gloves

BEST POETRY SHORT FILM, BEST BLACK & WHITE CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST PRODUCER (Category: Experimental Film)

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

BEST AMERICAN INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

Hummel

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT

The Hallmark Couple

BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

Malibu Madam

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Lucky in Long Island

BEST ORIGINAL SCRIPT

The Stones of Rome

BEST HISTORICAL SHORT FILM, BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE ACTOR & BEST AMERICAN NARRATIVE SHORT

The Pathos of Hamlet

BEST ACTING (Category: Narrative Short) & BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER

The Duchess

BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA, BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

RETHINK – a Philosophical Web Series

BEST INTERNATIONAL WEB SERIES & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

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

BEST AMERICAN NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST CAST & BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER

Routine

BEST INDIE PRODUCER, BEST INDIE SHORT FILM & BEST SOUND DESIGN

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

BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK 2025

Katabasis

BEST PICTURE, BEST CAST, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature)

The Priory of Sion

BEST EUROPEAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST HISTORICAL SCRIPT

Can’t Figure It Out

BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST EDITING (Category: International

Experimental Film)

Déjà Vu On The Ledge

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2025

Lambada The Dance Of Fate

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER

Monument to Love

BEST DIRECTOR & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY 2025 (Category: Documentary Feature)

Alta California

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER

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

BEST ORIGINAL TELEVISION SCRIPT 2025

Fortezza

BEST ARTHOUSE SONG WRITER

Lacrime di Vento

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Educational Film)

Min

BEST DIRECTOR & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Super Short Film)

The Quest for Camelot

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FILMMAKER

Corn Bread Dressing

BEST FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST AMERICAN ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER

Walking In Memphis

BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT/TV SCRIPT

The Days of Knight: Chapter 3

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST TRAILER & BEST INDIE PRODUCTION COMPANY

Colombano & La 21esima Fetta

BEST EUROPEAN INDIE FILM 2025

NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story

BEST ARTHOUSE SCREEWNWRITER OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT

Mashuga Wedding and Sheldon’s Jewish Christmas

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Category: International Comedy)

Thankful

BEST INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

French Broad

BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOTV TV & BEST WRITER (Category: Television Script)

Am I a painter?Czy jestem malarzem?

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER & BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER (Category: International Animated Short Film)

The way of Mizoguchi

BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR

Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

Eye of the Storm

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY & BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR

The Dead Ringer

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Innovation in Connecticut

BEST INDIE EDUCATIONAL FILM

The Hallmark Couple

BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT

Iriso

BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST EDITING (Category: International Drama)

The Woman and the Cross

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST INDIE CINEMATOGRAPHER

Gold, Glory & Nobility

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Indie Feature Script)

The Esteemed Priority

BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATED SHORT FILM & BEST POETRY SHORT FILM

La sposa nel vento

BEST EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL FILM