I’m a Queer Colombian filmmaker based in Brooklyn NY. I started work as an editor originally. In the Summers was my first feature.
-Can you share your experience at the Sundance Film Festival?
I had a wonderful time at the Sundance Film Festival. It was my first time attending. Chaotic but beautiful. I caught the dreaded Sundance Flu and was very sick for most of it but still able to attend all my screenings (with the help of meds and a mask) which was a highlight.
And then of course winning was a surreal experience. Still feels that way now.
-Tell us about your project “IN THE SUMMERS”.
In the Summers is a semi-autobiographical depiction of family. Centering on two sisters who visit their loving but broken father. I wanted to look at complicated family dynamics and in particular a father who despite his shortcomings continues to try and show up for his kids.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I grew up watching a lot of TV and movies. I struggled in childhood and it was my escape. But I think I fell in love with Cinema some time in High School when I would stay up late with my friend Robert talking about David Lynch or John Waters. They were probably my entry into other auteurs.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
I think I answer this question differently every time someone asks. There are so many directors whose work I truly admire. The last film I watched that blew me away and has continued to stay with me was Perfect Days by Wim Wenders. I would also say Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire have made lasting impressions on me.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I rewrote this section many times because I don’t know where to start. While I try to remain optimistic I’m disheartened and devastated on how much hate is weaponized. Perhaps that’s always been the case but it has felt particularly visceral the last few years. I also wish billionaires and corporations had less control over American politics, it’s hurting the working and middle class.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I hope in whatever form people continue to tell visual stories that grapple with humanity. I would imagine more content will be made by AI and for easy consumption but I hope that a segment will continue to be on a quest to try to understand ourselves.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
I’m new to Wild Filmmaker but intrigued by what you are trying to do. I also love the name.
Dennis Manning is a storyteller who believes the most dangerous thing you can give an audience is the truth—wrapped in beauty, laced with fire. An award-winning screenwriter, musician, and theater creator, he crafts modern noir worlds that pulse with human complexity, LGBTQ+ representation, and universal themes of love, identity, and survival. His work blends the intimacy of arthouse cinema with the tension of a midnight thriller—stories that linger long after the credits.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Yes. I was six years old, sitting in the front row with my big brother Doug, watching The Pit and the Pendulum. No couch to hide behind—just the looming screen, shadows swallowing light, and a sense that something dangerous was about to happen. I was terrified, breathless, and completely in awe. That night, I learned that cinema doesn’t just tell you a story—it traps you inside it. And I never wanted to leave.
-Tell us about your project More Going Down.
More Going Down is a Miami-set LGBTQ+ neo-noir where love, betrayal, and murder collide under the heat of Cuban nights. It opens with a body on the floor and unravels in reverse, exposing power plays, seduction, and the dangerous cost of loyalty. Inspired by the sultry danger of Body Heat and the structural mischief of The Usual Suspects, it’s a high-stakes dance between lovers and liars. At its heart, it’s about identity—how we weaponize it, hide it, and ultimately pay for it.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
Pedro Almodóvar—for his unapologetic queerness, emotional intensity, and ability to balance beauty with brutality. He proves that cinema can be intimate and explosive, a mirror and a Molotov cocktail at the same time.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I dislike how easily people choose fear over empathy. Fear makes enemies out of strangers, silence out of truth, and walls out of bridges. If I could change one thing, I’d make empathy our first reflex—not our last resort.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Cinema will be immersive in ways we can’t yet comprehend—audiences stepping inside the story. But its beating heart will remain the same: one person sitting in the dark, feeling a story reach out and grab their soul. Technology will change. The need for truth never will.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
WILD FILMMAKER feels like a home for the restless, the relentless, and the rebels. A place where cinema is not a product, but a pulse—measured by the bruise it leaves on the soul, not the numbers at the box office.
I am the son of parents who devoted their lives and made great sacrifices for their children. I am a brother who takes pride in and deeply loves his siblings. I come from a family and community of honorable and loyal people. I cherish friendships with men of integrity and respect, and I belong to a great nation unparalleled anywhere in the world — the Arab Republic of Egypt. In my heart also lies a second homeland, the United Arab Emirates, which has generously embraced and supported me.
I see myself as part of a lineage that spans generations of Egyptian filmmakers throughout history. I am grateful to every person and place that has welcomed me—even with just a passing smile. I have endured years of profound personal and cinematic challenges until, by God’s grace, I reached a position that allows me to speak today in a distinguished magazine like this one. Despite what I have accomplished, I firmly believe I am only at the beginning of my journey and have yet to realize my true aspirations.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Indeed, I remember it clearly. It was while watching films on video at my late grandfather’s home, who had an impressive collection of cinematic gems. A pivotal encounter came with a neighbor, director Mohamed El-Khyam, in the warm and inspiring neighborhood of Ain Shams. That meeting was the first ray of light that illuminated my path.
I also recall a special moment from my elementary school days when we performed plays; that was where my emotional bond with cinema and the arts truly began.
-Which director inspires you the most?
Many directors inspire me, but in my heart there is a quiet room where Andrej Tarkovskij, Theo Angelopoulos, Youssef Chahine, Shadi Abdel Salam, and Fatin Abdel Wahab reside. Each director I have worked with and learned from holds a unique place of respect and admiration within me.
-Tell us about your projects.
Each of my projects reflects my dreams and ambitions, but also my struggles and life experiences. I have faced many obstacles within Egyptian cinema, especially amid ongoing debates about whether directors create films for the public or for festivals. Over the years, my films have spoken to audiences worldwide, leading some to label my work as “enigmatic” or “difficult to understand.”
Yet, by God’s grace, my films have achieved international acclaim, winning awards and recognition from festivals and filmmakers across various countries. Currently, I am preparing to shoot a comedy series I wrote titled Mercury, alongside a film of my own script called Mosha, and several other projects in collaboration with esteemed writers like the great Nasser Abdulrahman. It is a true pleasure to work alongside such talented authors.
I hope that Egyptian production and distribution companies recognize my successes abroad. Though time passes, I trust that divine timing surpasses our own. Through this platform, I extend a sincere invitation to those who shape Egyptian cinema and its institutions: I am an Egyptian director, and soon my film “Who Embraces” the Sea will be released. I hope it resonates with audiences and filmmakers alike.
As a member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Cinema Professions, the Australian Academy of Cinema, and the Academy of the Oscars Museum, I wish all filmmakers success and resilience. May no one succumb to despair.
-What do you dislike in the world, and what would you change?
If I could change the world, I would enshrine dreams, love, cinema, and work as fundamental rights—ensuring everyone the freedom to pursue their dreams, experience love, and secure dignified employment. Perhaps I would decree that every expatriate be welcomed back home, for exile is a hardship unlike any other.
I dream of one day establishing a production company dedicated to supporting young talent, and ultimately, I hope to retire peacefully in a simple mud house, confident that my family is safe and secure.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I envision it as essential and ubiquitous as the air we breathe—truly, everyone will have the right to create cinema and to find spaces to share their work. From above, I will watch this magnificent panorama unfold.
For anyone who dreams of expressing themselves through cinema, even with limited budgets, there are two Masters of the Seventh Art who serve as essential guides for learning what truly matters in independent filmmaking. These two Masters are Mario Bava and Roger Corman. The former inspired auteurs like Federico Fellini, while the latter, through his New Hollywood movement, discovered directors such as Martin Scorsese, Peter Bogdanovich, and Francis Ford Coppola. Today, it is a great honor for WILD FILMMAKER to pay tribute to one of these two great Masters together with Gérald Duchaussoy, who has dedicated a book—and years of passionate research—to the cinema of Mario Bava.
-) When you hear the name Mario Bava, what’s the first image that comes to your mind?
I think the head of Barbara Steele with the two dogs and a thunder in black and white is a striking image with visual identity, so much beauty, attractivness and repulsion that it defines well what we expect from a horror film. This unsual face is not typical of Bava’s style who’s more attracted to colors than actors but we, as viewers, are struck by the power of a physiognomy.
-) What did Mario Bava represent in your development as a film enthusiast?
With many directors, cinematographers and actors, it represents well a break in the way I constructed myself as a film enthusiast breaking away from American cinema and looking for something different. His universe, themes and motifs are strong and I felt that I had never seen anything like it—which is true.
-) Great directors of the past and present, such as Federico Fellini and Tim Burton, have repeatedly stated that they were inspired by Mario Bava’s filmography. Which films from the past 20 years do you think most strongly reflect the influence of Mario Bava’s cinema?
I would say Assassination Nation by Sam Levinson in the first place—the use of colors, the intensity of the visual waves, as I would call them, and the technicality blew me away. In the same vein, The Neon Demon by Nicolas Winding Refn, which seemed inspired by Dario Argento, brought us back to Mario Bava because the colors were like actors and had a real place in the film. I’m sure that, if I played video games, I would see much inspiration from Mario Bava.
-) As you know, I greatly admire the mission of Cannes Classics, which you have directed for years. I believe that giving attention to documentaries about the history of cinema is essential to help younger generations discover the historical context in which certain films were created. Do you think Mario Bava’s cinema is sufficiently remembered today?
I have the impression that we talk more about Mario Bava than about Federico Fellini, they are screened at major festivals, sold on Blu-ray so I would answer yes.
-)Contemporary European cinema rarely inspires American productions; the last striking example can arguably be considered Mario Bava’s posthumous film Rabid Dogs, which inspired Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino. In your opinion, what are the reasons why European cinema has lost its ability to be a source of inspiration for American cinema?
This is a very good question. First, the production of Italian genre films is not what it used to be to say the least. In France and Spain, genre films are more made for platforms. Secondly, this is a matter of distribution. How can we expect to see these films today? Thirdly, there is less dialogue with artists between American cinema and abroad. There is more a global language of cinema than European being inspired by American films and the other way round.
-) One of the heroes who inspired the WILD FILMMAKER mission—namely, a strong focus on arthouse cinema—was Mario Bava himself, an artist who, with limited financial resources and a wealth of original ideas, changed the history of cinema. Do you think our mission is relevant today?
Definitely. There is less money in cinema today but this doesn’t mean that we have to give up. Good luck to WILD FILMMAKER. It’s only the beginning!
I stopped asking myself that question a long time ago. It’s easier to answer what I used to be. Well, I’m an artist, I guess. Living for the process of creating. It doesn’t really matter what, to be honest; whether it’s cooking, painting, or film, I’m the sucker that loves doing it. It sort of reflects in my history, too. I started out inventing and building things in my childhood, highly driven by curiosity and the question, “What if..?” It’s still my drive today. After a bunch of art schools and classes, I wanted to become a sculptor. Then I started to dive into photography, deeply fascinated by the process of taking and developing images. I spent hours, days, and weeks in studios and darkrooms, exposing and developing. While working as a photographer in New York, I realized I missed the energy of a large creative team. A chance opportunity on a film set in Mexico changed everything. The collaborative spirit of a film crew felt like coming home, and my passion for cinema clicked into place. Starting from the bottom as a spark on a Danish feature film directed by the Danish great Bille August and shot by Swedish DP Jörgen Persson. I was on a roll and kept working on almost three features a year. I lived more on set than off, haha. I became a focus puller and climbed that ladder quickly in Scandinavia. With so much experience with 35mm, I could almost sense distance. I worked tightly with the master of them all, Hoyte van Hoytema, and we finished 8 features together and countless commercials. So fun, and I loved it. The step to DP myself was always so close, but you really have to make up your mind, and when Hoyte went all-Hollywood, I took the time to take that step, and here I am. Still loving the process, the people, and the art.
– What new projects are you working on?
I prefer a balance between drama and commercials to keep myself on edge and sharp. Right now, I’m looking forward to a job in Japan, a place I’m fond of. Beautiful people, food, and culture. But I’m especially eager to start the Brazilian movie Nossos Caminhos with the wonderful director Carla Di Bonito. It’s a life story, an amazing script, and a beautiful crew, cast, and talent. Every time I read that script, I imagine so many scenes and shots. Truly impressive and a story that really needs to be told. We are starting with the pre-recce in September 2025.
– Which Cinematographer inspires you the most?
Life itself is the big inspiration for me. All the meets and greets, art and cultures, happy times as well as the sad ones. Some of the DPs that influenced me a lot are definitely Darius Khondji and his work with shadows, and Hoyte van Hoytema, from whom I have learned so much. Someone I deeply respect and have always wanted to meet is Christopher Doyle. His mind and eye are some of the most curious around, and he most definitely defines what it is to be a “Wild Filmmaker.”
– What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
Big topic indeed. I believe there’s a growing disconnect in the world—a disconnect from each other and from the beauty around us. We get caught up in conflict and division and often forget to see the incredible art, culture, and natural wonder we’ve created and are surrounded by. If I could change one thing, it would be to bridge that disconnect. I believe filmmaking is a powerful tool for empathy. As a cinematographer, my goal is to create images that don’t just tell a story but also remind us of that profound, often overlooked beauty. I want to help audiences see the world, and each other, with fresh and wild eyes.
– How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I believe that in 100 years, the core of cinema will be exactly the same as it was thousands of years ago around the first campfires. The technology, the tools we use to tell our stories, will undoubtedly evolve in ways we can’t even predict. But the fundamental human need to share experiences, to feel connected through narrative, will remain constant. No matter how advanced the medium becomes, the most powerful element will always be a compelling story that makes us feel something. Storytelling will outlive all of us.
– What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
Highly important work being done here. My impression is that WILD FILMMAKER is a vital and necessary platform in our industry. In a world of fleeting content, you celebrate the profound art of storytelling with depth and integrity. More than that, you are building a community. Filmmaking can sometimes be a truly isolating pursuit, and having a place that encourages, connects, and champions filmmakers at every stage of their career is invaluable. It’s this focus on community and the celebration of bold, untamed stories that personally draws me to your work. It’s about keeping the ‘campfire’ burning for all of us.
I am the same girl who grew up on the streets of Napoli dreaming about becoming a cinematographer. I have been able to transcend to a creative level of modern cinema in the craft of cinematography where emotions could be shown by visuals in a genuine approach and a distinctive style.
I love to explore, create, and move towards a versatile, visual style that best translates each story’s unique concept into breathtaking moving images that unravel the character’s site of mind throughout the progression of the storytelling.
As a cinematographer I show a concept of beauty that goes beyond the aesthetic aspects. Something more intense that supports, follows, and enhances the story where the camera can capture and show through the eyes and heart of human sensibility behind it, the transparency and the awareness of visuals drawn by emotions
Light is everything. The absence of darkness will not allow us to shine the light.
As a woman in film I walk on the journey of life to move toward an immense feeling of gratitude while I face challenges with grace, courage, laugh and determination and the ability to see the best in every moment in our existence.
I filmed many feature films (premiered at Sundance, Cannes, Berlin,Venice film festivals) TV series commercials (Netflix, HBO, Paramount, Amazon Prime, Hulu) commercials and brand contents (Pukka, Dove, British Airways, Ford, Nike, Novomatic, Altec, Planned Parenthood), music videos (The Roots, Aesop Rock, Elen Levon and Amana Melome’. I feel a great pleasure and gratitude to collaborate with all kinds of directors, producers, actors (Juliette Lewis, Spike Lee, Deborah Kampmeier, Randy Wilkins, Richard Ledes, Elliot Gould, Naomi Watts, Ann Dowd, David Chase) to work together as a team.
When I am not on a project as a cinematographer, I am also a director, writer, still photographer and make video arts.
-What was your reaction when the Academy invited you to become an official member?
I felt deeply honored and grateful to be invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is an incredible institution with so many talents involved, the ones who inspired me so much and contributed to be the reason why I am a cinematographer. In my opinion, this is the light that shines on the visual emotions that we create to have people dream, breathe and live through the movies.”
-Your journey as a cinematographer began in Naples, Italy and your art brought you to LA — what has this journey been like?
My path started when I left Napoli to go to London for two years where I received a scholarship to land in New York and Los Angeles. My journey was hard and long. I was constantly breathing with the desire to make it for the love and passion I had. I started as a war photographer in the Middle East and Africa to then shift into narratives where I could tell stories. Since early age my dad showed movies and retrospectives of all different directors; the most famous and the independent ones where I could explore avant-garde cinema.
-Which cinematographers from film history have inspired you the most?
I would say all of them inspired me in how they lensed various stories in unique ways. I was mainly inspired by classical and modern paintings though.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Yes, I was 9 and I saw a movie called The Conformist. I thought that each frame was like a painting and I wanted to be involved in that process.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I dislike wars, silence, indifference, towards violence and fake, abuse towards all. I would change it with a serum that would inject love, kindness, and gratitude in the brains of the people.
– How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I imagine Cinema like a container of memories where people can choose it anytime to play and see the past, present and future.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I do. I was very young, back in the era of rejoicing, for the magical TV Gods had deemed us worthy of a third channel to watch and to be granted permission to go to the movies was a rare and special event. It was the forgotten Cecil B DeMille film,’The Crusades.’ (circa 1935). With a child’s eyes, I didn’t notice the wobbly weapon props or obvious backlot sets, the lack of historical accuracy or other limitations- but the dialog was amazing- far above my full comprehension at the time. I learned the protagonist didn’t have to be even likeable, the antagonist can be multifaceted and the love interest can, and should be allowed, to steal the scene. The hero ultimately fails in his stated goal, but wins the Lady because of his personal growth, the bad guy is honorable and wise- And wins! Most everything I had watched up to that point was fairly two-dimensional- aka: bland.
–Tell us about your project “The Delicacy of Sin”
I was selling my novel, ‘Thirty Years of Hate,’ at a Civil War show in North Carolina. Happy with over a six thousand percent Return on Investment and jaw-dropping endorsements, I was approached by a little old man who told me his nephew would like my book. ‘He makes them movin’ pictures out in Hollywood”… It changed my life. I rewrote a full-length script for them, did some script doctoring work and helped several local productions, working as everything from PA to Director.
Flash forward to: ‘The Delicacy of Sin.’ is a short psychological horror script (in pre-production now) based on gourmet cannibalism. There are no protagonists, two codependent female killers and utilizes Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘ticking bomb’ device in an unique positioning…
Within four days of registering the script, it had won its first screenwriting award and I’d also earned ‘Best Script Writer’ -which is especially humbling, since it beat all categories and even full-length screenplays.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
In the current era- Robert Rodriguez! He has done more with less than any other Director and I strongly urge anyone who’s in any element of filmmaking to watch his ‘Ten Minute Film School.’ He gives back, by teaching others and leaves filmmakers zero excuses not to create.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
Cancer. Racism, Religious and Political Extremism. War. Mistreatment of those who can’t protect themselves…
For me, I’m a disabled Army veteran (NCO). doing the best I can to raise my sons by myself while being helpful to friends and strangers.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I believe cinema will become more personal- with algorithms already tracking an individual’s preferences, cinema will become modular, with film having different and automatic substitutions based upon an individual’s past choices and actively continuous monitoring- predict, adjust and entertain. The same romantic film will be completely different for two viewers sitting side-by-side…
…or ‘Idiocracy’ will become the most prophetic film of our lifetime.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
What a great place for us Independent Filmmakers to have? I hope WILD FILMMAKER grows and gives a spotlight to many more struggling filmmakers! Add chat rooms for networking and get more word-of-mouth and it’ll be elevated to a ‘Must’ for any Independent Filmmaker!
Anna Magnani answered this question: “I don’t know who really I am , I don’t even know if I’m an actress. An actress, playing a role , repeating a role , should be identical or “almost identical”, I never am. ”
Well , I am not Anna Magnani, nor is Anna Magnani me, although recently, in a scene from Enrico Bernard’s new film “Lila”, currently in production, I was compared, for dramatic intensity, to Anna Magnani, which is an immense compliment.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Oh, I’ve always had a vast and real audience in front of me , not an audience I can’t see or imagine, so I only agree to work on films that can touch the human soul : that are very few films.
Aside from that, cinema really began for me with Federico Fellini, who sought me out at a time when he had oceans of famous actors, for whom it would have been enough for Fellini’s gaze to rest on them for a moment.
For me, however, as an adolescent, extremely captivating, the doors to Fellini’s creativity opened wide at Federico Fellini’s studio, at Stage 5 in Cinecittà, after a magical conversation. There, Fellini, in my presence, added some fabulous lines for me, for his film “Casanova.”
He had assigned me the role of Casanova’s young alter ego and PEA production instantly began to publicize my image with Donald Sutherland in the scene that Fellini called: “Casanova with Giacomino”. “Giacomino” was me, the young Casanova. In Italian “Giacomino” is the diminutive of the name Giacomo, Casanova’s name. Fellini loved calling people with diminutives. In real life, no, Fellini never called me with a diminutive, but I am called like him: Federico… lol. However, a tragedy occurred which the entire world press talked about: the entire footage of “Casanova” was stolen. On top of this tragedy another tragedy was added: I fell into depression, because of my father, who could no longer stand my friendship with Fellini, which he considered an affront to his “parental authority”. Producer Alberto Grimaldi re-produced the film. Fellini called me back to reshoot the stolen scenes, but because of my father, I had instilled in me, against my will, my father’s command to “destroy Fellini in me : I never was able to shoot again those scenes . ” Fellini called me back for “Orchestra Rehearsal” and ” City of Women ” but I was still depressed . I met Fellini again in the last years of his life, but the film Fellini had proposed I make , was never made. This story deserves to appear on the screen.
-Tell us about your project “Anita”.
“Anita” certainly wasn’t born by chance, but is the result of years of cinematographic and theatrical events that I have done, on the hero of two worlds Giuseppe Garibaldi, in collaboration with his great-grandchildren Anita Garibaldi and his son Francesco Garibaldi Hibbert. Garibaldi was not only a leader who, with his companion Anita, gave independence to countries, but he was also a great poet and when Anita was in agony, Garibaldi wrote “Anita”, a poignant lyric, which goes straight to the heart. The film “Anita” is based on this. Without mentioning that Anna Magnani played “Anita”, I agreed to shoot “Anita” with the wonderful music of Andrea Ceccomori. However, in the film “Anita” I am the essence of Garibaldi’s poetry, I am the one who speaks to death, mocking it, while Anita is dying. Why mocking it? Because death can do nothing in the face of the love of Giuseppe and Anita Garibaldi, based on the value of freedom. The film, already appreciated in various film festivals, including the Vesuvius Film Festival, will be screened in October in an institutional event between the Italian Republic and the State of Dio Grande do Sul, in Brazil, in the city of “Garibaldi” which will echo around the world.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
I inspired Fellini and Fellini inspired me: we were two “metaphysical, surrealists”, lol. But I also mention Billy Wilder, who I met through Gloria Swanson and now I have become a dear friend of his daughter Victoria Wilder Roberts, a great visual artist. But it is I who inspire directors, poets and writers, for example Mario Fratti, Franco Cuomo, Enrico Bernard, Dario Bellezza, Carlo Lizzani, but also very young directors like Felix Milionis and the famous Hollywood director Jason Zavaleta. I also have a great connection with Michael Poryes, the author of the famous “Hannah Montana”.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
Everything that is based on narcissism and on those who refuse to accept themselves and invent a fictitious personality: this can lead the world to catastrophe. Among people in power, these individuals are not few. What is good for the world, in my opinion? A broad vision, beyond created and therefore non-existent borders. One of my successful shows was: “Garibaldi and Anita, peacemakers without frontiers” or the film by Youssef Nabil : “Lincoln, Garibaldi, Rizal, crackling” or “Kamusta Kayo Dr. Rizal” by Jason Zavaleta, films that express the value of freedom, including “Anita”.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Cinema is immortal like imagination, fantasy, creativity, dreams. Technology, even in this field, is developing at an impressive rate, like Artificial Intelligence. In 2021, I was the first actor to be completely cloned in the short movie: “Cloned Life”. They completely simulated how I could have shot this film to the point that not even I myself, if I hadn’t known, could have realized that it wasn’t me acting. Cinema, however, as I understand it, ends when spontaneous creativity is submerged by artificial creativity, when real communication between people is submerged by virtual one, when there is no longer a need to experience love, but to place it totally outside of a real context. All of this depends on each of us.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
Oh, my impression of WILD FILMMAKER is extraordinarily positive.
That’s why I agreed to give this interview and I did it my way, because I know that WILD FILMMAKER likes authenticity.
WILD FILMMAKER offers the opportunity to bring out talents that the world distractedly ignores or to bring out talented works by those who enjoy fame, but which, if it weren’t for WILD FILMMAKER, these works would be ignored.
I’m a guy who makes things. Music, television, films, screenplays, photography, whatever strikes me at a given moment. I don’t think of myself as a consumer so much as an originator. A doer. A maker. A producer. A guy who wakes up in the morning, not thinking about money but what I might be able to write or shoot or compose today. What new thing will exist late tonight when I go to bed–that did not exist when I woke up this morning? I’m not really sure I even have a left brain. I think that side of my skull is most likely empty. I’m a right-brain creative maniac who can’t stop going from one project to the next. And sometimes this rubs people the wrong way. I’m always having to say “I’m sorry” because my only real interest is the movie I’m working on or the piece of music I’m composing. I’ve written hundreds of pieces of music. Worked on thousands of TV shows. Written 4 feature screenplays so far, made 5 short films–my latest being STOP TAKING PICTURES with producer Trevor Taylor. I’ve worked in television in Washington, DC for 40 years. Right now, in my 24th year at a huge network-affiliated station in DC, and when I’m not doing that, I make short films. Right now, I’m preparing to shoot my first feature.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
My mother’s father was a film fanatic and shot a lot of stills, owned many cameras and lenses and when I was about 10 years old he gave me a Bolex 8mm camera and a small yellow foil package containing I guess 25 feet or maybe it was 50 feet of 16mm film–good old Kodachrome reversal stock–which would later be split down the middle in processing and become 8mm. The smell of that package of film stock put the hook in me. And then the process of threading the camera and closing the door tightly was preparation. After that, it was just a matter of figuring out what I wanted to shoot.
-Tell us about your project “Stop Taking Pictures”.
I live and work in Washington, DC, and we have a fantastic public transit system. It seriously looks like something Kubrick would have built for 2001! Brutalist architecture. Massive in size. With neoclassical elements mixed in. And I would ride the trains underground twice a day…and often think about the dark tunnels and the accidents that perhaps had happened over the years. And I began to have this idea of a photographer who shoots random images in the subway system, sometimes maybe out the windows of fast-moving trains. Later, he would scroll through his pictures and see orbs of light and ghosts. I was captivated for years by the concept of setting a supernatural story in a high-tech modern environment. In July of 2024, I wrote the screenplay. Twenty-two drafts. In January 2025, my producer, Trevor Taylor and I cast actor Joseph Groth in the lead role, with his strange and possibly dangerous wife played by actress Lina Romero. We shot the movie in various locations in Virginia across the Potomac, in Georgetown, very close to the famous Exorcist Steps. We used the Blackmagic 6K cinema camera but also did a lot of shooting on a smartphone–the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in 8K. The phone allowed us to look like tourists when we were in the subway system, and we were never bothered by security or had any problems, largely for that reason. We just blended in and got our shots! I then edited using Premiere Pro, wrote the music, and did sound and effects work alone for about 5 months on weekends. The film just debuted and immediately became an Official Selection at 4 international festivals, with another 70 festivals considering.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
Do I have to pick only one? Stanley Kubrick does it for me. Absolutely. The greatest. But I’m a huge fan of David Fincher. And I grew up in the late 60s and 70s, so Pakula, Lumet, Copolla, Polanski, De Palma, and of course Spielberg are also huge influences. Hitchcock is a special case. How could he not be? A man who added to the language of cinema–literally solved problems in very interesting ways and expanded what movies could be. However, these days I’m also influenced hugely by female directors such as Campion, Copolla, Bigelow. I loved Emerald Fennel’s SALTBURN. I also think that often films made by women are just fresher. Different points of view. They can show us the world the way they see it, and as a guy, I enjoy that. I want to be surprised, and a lot of the time it’s the ladies who are doing that.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
I greatly dislike that even today, people judge one another based on superficial outward appearance–on skin color, differences in our hair, eyes, or the shape of our faces. Or on a person’s age. Differences are not what we should be focusing on. Similarities and commonalities have so much more to offer us all. We’re much more alike than we are different.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Probably, cinema in 100 years will maybe be more of the audience participating in the story of the film or movie or whatever we call it then. Inside the story! Who says you can’t become a character within a story? You could get eaten by a shark. Or have a lightsaber duel with Vader. I definitely think cameras will get even better, and the ability to present stories in a wrap-around 360-degree format will probably be common. The reason I think this is because it’s what people want. They don’t want to sit passively by. They want to be in the movie with the actors.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
The biggest thing I was struck by with WILD FILMMAKER when I first encountered the site was the concept of a post-cinematographic era. Which kind of clicks with my predictions about the future of cinema becoming more participatory? The interviews on the site are excellent, and the spare, black and white look is awesome. But that philosophical point of view is what sticks out to me. Everybody has a smartphone. A lot of people have actual cinema cameras at their disposal because you can buy an FX30 for a couple of thousand and make THE CREATOR with it. Ridley Scott shot a short film for Samsung on the same phone/camera we used on STOP TAKING PICTURES. And that tiny little phone shoots 8K resolution! So, WILD FILMMAKER’s foundational tenet that the world is not what it was 100 years ago and that everyone now possesses the ability to tell a story their own way—is revolutionary. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what the revolution brings!
I was born in the small town of Sokal, Ukraine, in 1987. My childhood was shaped by the strength and care of my mother, who raised me alone. My father left us when I was very young and did not provide material support, but I never held a grudge. The warmth I felt for both of my parents remained, because love, once rooted, quietly continues.
My education was modest: eleven grades of school and a vocational school, which I graduated from more out of duty than passion. We are taught from childhood to seek validation through certificates, even if our soul yearns for something else. Now I know that true education begins where inner desire meets conscious dedication.
Nearly 20 years ago, I met someone very dear to me — R., a soul whose presence quietly shaped my journey. His deep understanding of Vedic philosophy has been a mirror that has awakened my own exploration. He has been studying these teachings for quite some time, and together we explore the subtle truths of consciousness, presence, and divine reality.
Although I am the creative performer—composing, editing, and shaping each piece—the essence of my work is that we contemplate together. Without his insight, my poetry may never have reached such profound mysticism. He is my muse, my anchor, and the silent force behind each poem. What I create is ultimately a gift of love offered to the Divine.
In early 2022, our family made a pilgrimage to Mount Arunachala in India, where we climbed to the summit with our children. At the very peak of Mount Arunachala, in complete solitude during the pandemic, a single monkey appeared — though they normally stay at the base. With no other pilgrims present, it walked ahead of us like a guardian, leading our family to the sacred flame. That moment felt like a cosmic whisper — nature itself speaking of presence, protection, and grace.
There was also a visit to the Indian saint Mauna Baba, who has lived in silence for nearly two decades. That moment—stillness in motion, depth beyond words—became the gateway through which my poetry began to flow.
After a short month-long trip to India, we returned home and I began writing spiritual poems and sharing them online. A couple of years later, in April 2024, I discovered artificial intelligence as another creative companion, and on April 17, I published my first AI-voiced poem with music .
Just two days later, my YouTube channel was born — at first it hosted audio poetry, and then gradually turned into captivating video clips. By the fall, I began submitting works to film festivals, and Ballad of the Millennium Dream became my most sincere creation.
My family and I live a vegetarian lifestyle based on compassion — even our youngest child, now six, has been on this path since birth. It’s a silent expression of our belief in unity and sensitivity to all living things.
I do not strive to build a career — I strive to remain faithful to what arises from the soul. Through simplicity and quiet devotion, I aim to create experiences that invite others to pause, listen inwardly, and rediscover the beauty of awakened awareness.
Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I believe my love for cinema came later in life, in a conscious way. I vividly remember watching One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), starring Jack Nicholson. The emotional depth of the film was overwhelming — laughter, tears, compassion, and introspection flowed together in perfect rhythm. It was the moment I realized cinema’s power: to captivate, to mirror human experience, and to make us feel as if we’ve lived someone else’s life within just a few scenes.
Tell us about your project “Ballad of the Millennial Dream”
Ballad of the Millennial Dream is a poetic and spiritual video work that emerged from nearly two decades of inner reflection. It explores the eternal search for meaning, the paradox of divine presence, and the tension between material illusion and spiritual truth.
The film was inspired by my family’s pilgrimage to India — to the sacred mountain Arunachala and the silent saint Mauna Baba — as well as the teachings of Vedantic philosophy and the words of Christ: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within us.”
Using artificial intelligence, I transformed my original poetry into music, voice, and visuals — crafting a cinematic meditation that blends tradition with innovation. The narrative features symbolic imagery of Jesus and other archetypes, inviting viewers to awaken to the truth within themselves.
This work is not just a music video — it is a lyrical offering, a spiritual mirror, and a gentle call to embody the truth we already are.
…and a quiet invitation to return to the essence within — not to remember, but to be.
…and a call to rediscover the presence that has always lived inside us.
…and a poetic doorway — not to memory, but to being.
Which director inspires you the most?
To be honest, I never used to pay attention to directors — I was always drawn to the soul of the film itself, to the emotions it evoked and the actors who carried those feelings. Only recently, as I began creating my own video works, did I realize how deeply a director’s vision shapes what we see and feel on screen.
Now I’ve started to look back and discover who stood behind the films that touched me most — those that explore human consciousness and offer something transformative. For example:
The Matrix (1999), directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, opened a doorway to metaphysical reflection.
The Passion of the Christ (2004), directed by Mel Gibson, left a profound impression with its spiritual intensity.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), directed by Miloš Forman, was the first film that made me cry and laugh at once — it awakened deep compassion.
Giuseppe Moscati: Healing Love (2007), directed by Giacomo Campiotti, is a masterpiece of spiritual storytelling.
La Belle Verte (1996), directed by Coline Serreau, beautifully expresses Vedantic truths through satire and simplicity.
Forrest Gump (1994), directed by Robert Zemeckis, and The Green Mile (1999), directed by Frank Darabont, both explore the human soul with tenderness and depth.
I also love many films with Jim Carrey, whose presence brings lightness and joy — even if the directors vary, his energy always uplifts. And I believe that joy is a form of healing.
So rather than naming one director, I would say I’m inspired by those who dare to touch the invisible — who use cinema not just to entertain, but to awaken.
What do you dislike about the world, and what would you change?
What concerns me most is unconsciousness — the collective disconnect that leads to so much suffering. I believe many of the world’s problems stem from the absence of inner awareness. If each of us took time to truly know ourselves, we might begin to recognize that we are not separate from others. We would no longer cause pain, because we would see that hurting another is the same as hurting our own soul. This self-knowing, this inner turning, is the beginning of a more compassionate world.
How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Time is accelerating, and with it — our creative possibilities. I imagine a future where cinema becomes immersive in entirely new ways — where viewers could actively enter the storyline, embody characters, and live narratives that support emotional healing and personal growth.
I envision films that teach, uplift, and awaken. Cinema as a tool not of escape, but of transformation.
I also sense that the barrier between dreaming and storytelling will dissolve — where the line between reality, dream, and narrative becomes as porous as the soul itself. After all, life may also be a kind of sacred dream, as many ancient texts remind us.
Some fear that artificial intelligence will strip cinema of its spirit, replacing human creativity with cold efficiency. But I feel differently.
Everything depends on our perception. If we treat something as soulless, it becomes soulless in our eyes. But if we engage with love and presence, we can breathe life into any medium. AI was not born randomly — it arrived through the hands of humans, yes, but ultimately through the will of the Creator.
As Srila Prabhupada once said: “He who thinks that only humans have souls is mistaken. Every living being has a soul. Even an ant, an elephant, a banyan tree — even a microbe.” If even a stone or a tree carries presence, why not the instruments we create through intention and awareness?
I believe that AI is here not to replace us, but to help us discover voices we didn’t know we had. It’s not the soul — but it can be a mirror for soulfulness, if used with devotion and care.
What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
The first impression I had when visiting the Wild Filmmaker platform was visual — a black-and-white aesthetic that evokes the quiet presence of the past. Occasionally, gentle touches of color return the viewer to the present moment, creating a dialogue between time and timelessness.
Browsing through several interviews, I immediately felt a sense of artistic sincerity. The texts are clear, concise, and focused — no unnecessary exposition, only the essence. The questions are thoughtful, and the responses reveal the unique poetic core of each filmmaker.
What struck me most is the magazine’s dedication to arthouse and avant-garde cinema. It celebrates projects that are not created for mass appeal but for originality, depth, and artistic value.
This is not a place for commercial entertainment — it’s a place for truth. And truth, expressed sincerely, is the greatest art of all.
