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-Who is Kami Shefer?

I am a 26-year-old designer and filmmaker from Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel. In 2022, I finished my Bachelor’s degree in visual communication design at the Holon Institute of Technology. Over the last few years, I have been working in the field of animation, advertising and creative, while also trying to develop myself in the field of film and storytelling. Throughout my life, I have managed to travel to many different places around the world, and I feel that every new place I visit helps me enrich my aspirations and personal style. I believe that the best sources for our stories come from the small things that surround us in our everyday lives, as they have the strongest impact on our surroundings. Besides the film and design industries, I also love music, food, and the ocean, and I try to use them in my creations.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

The field of cinema, and the animation field in particular, has always interested me. I am stunned every time by how, even in a few minutes of a movie, you can create a whole new world, reinvent the reality we are living in, and change the way we think. My father is an artist, and I grew up in a house surrounded by art and design. My love for animation comes from him; ever since I was a little girl, he used to sit me down to watch animation movies from festivals all over the world, and this is where I fell in love with the art of motion. Our ability to tell stories to the world and convey ideas and important messages through them is one of the biggest gifts we have. I grew up in a household that encouraged me to pursue my dreams and enrich my creativity and thinking in any way I can, and I hope to continue developing myself in these areas and use them to make the world a better place.

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

The field of film is one of the best platforms to convey an idea and a story in the most touching and precise way. I believe that through films, we have an amazing ability to make people feel different emotions and learn about themselves and the world around them. This way, we can encourage a dialogue that can definitely change the way we look at things and open a platform that gives us the opportunity to relate to more difficult and sensitive things in our lives.

–What would you change in the world?

If I could put all the people in the world in one place for a day and make them engage in civil dialogue with each other, I would. Especially with everything that’s going on in the political field of Israel right now, it feels like our ability to create a conversation and listen to one another is decreasing every day. It feels like the dialogue has turned into a game of who has more power and who can speak the loudest. I hope we will eventually gain the ability to live in this world peacefully and equally.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

Honestly, I have no idea. The whole art world is changing so much right now because every day we have new possibilities for creation that arise. On the one hand, I feel like there is a trend of returning to the more classic world, but on the other hand, all the interactive and technology worlds are starting to seep into the film world. I imagine that the next phase would be to bring in the wonders of technology that are advancing as we speak into the film world to help increase the experience and connection to the creation in front of us.

-Who is Gabriel Womack?

An actor & writer born and raised on a horse ranch near Missoula, Montana.  My father used to play for the Kansas City Chiefs, then was a preacher and high school history teacher for forty years, married to my amazing mother.  I grew up learning the true definition of hard work, hauling hay, chopping wood, the middle of two siblings.  Grounded in God, country, and a family integrated with a sense of humor that binds.  Growing up a cowboy on a ranch, my older sister wanted to do local plays, and I got dragged along landing my first lead as a child.  In high school I focused on excelling in sports like state champion Pole Vaulter, football, and academics.  But ended up shining most with acting scholarships, accepting one to New York School for Film and Television, two year full time, on camera, Meisner technique.  When I graduated, I booked my first audition for Law and Order SVU. After five years in NYC I ended up in Los Angeles on Days of Our Lives, and starring in Syfy Channel movies, getting to film in Bulgaria a couple times. In Los Angeles doing movies and guest spots on TV shows, I kept my acting coaching at Lesly Kahn’s for a few years, and have had the pleasure of working with many talented people along the way. Then I’m 2016 I became I’ll and injured. I have had to learn to walk again, and fight through chemo for a few years. 

-What inspired you to become a screenwriter and actor?

The first time I connected with being an actor was accidentally getting to watch Silence of the Lambs when I was 8 or 9. I remember watching Anthony Hopkins close up monologue towards the end, and feeling that connection. When I got older I felt theater was more performing, and that film was more acting. The fraction of the people on the planet that are able to achieve the goal of succeeding in making it on television or in movies, get to inspire the people they know to take chances.  Movies live on forever, and a good one can imprint on a person. After 15 years of acting I was diagnosed with a rare deadly form of Crohn’s disease, and found unresponsive in L.A.  I was taken home to Montana, having lost over 101 pounds, given two weeks to live. When I didn’t die, I was sent home, and shattered all five lower vertebrae when I fell trying to walk up my front porch.  Bedridden for three years on chemotherapy, Covid hit when I finally started to learn to walk again.  I started writing because I was desperate to be a part of movies again.  With enough school and work on professional sets, I knew how to make a movie, and how to write one. 14 months later I had written my first movie, a modern day western called “Brothers of Babylon.”

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

I think cinema brings some change, both good and bad, by picking up on trends early on and enforcing it by 1000 fold, because of the amount of content we have now. Especially since cinema now is so integrated with the music industry, fashion industry,  and commercial industry.   The movie isn’t just a movie anymore. It’s a hit song, the new car, the new drink, the new phone, there is so much on the theater screen today. But real change doesn’t come from people abusing cinema to push an agenda, or try to make movies that just try to keep the freak show going with whatever the latest formula is.  Change comes from leaders in cinema who inspire greatness. I think there will always be times when there are films that make people dream, touch our hearts, or inspire a nation. 

–What would you change in the world?

I would just like to see everyone treat each other the way they want to be treated, and start being better examples for our children. Lots of people want to impose their beliefs on the rest of the world, thinking it will make it a better place, but in the process they become intolerant of the rest of those who don’t agree with them. It feels like we have lost a sense of morality, and the world is numbing itself to a new normal of chaos. But we need a reset, just teach our children the golden rule, before we teach them to be activists.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

The possibilities of 100 years is mind bending looking back at where we came from. With A.I. on the horizon, and the amount of devices and content that’s out there, the industry can get so overloaded. But I think after we settle we will find our way with a better way to film, and we will find out that so much of what people are watching is just going in and out of their head. We will start going back to movies and shows that you watch over and over again. We used to make movies that you used to watch at least once a year, or shows that you would binge on every now and again. Now we are just throwing stuff out there to fill up time, but we are catching up and will adapt. I think Hollywood will always be the empire, but over the next hundred years the rest of the world will be participating a lot more than they have been. Camera technology, and special effects are going to take leaps and bounds, but the story and acting will never fool anyone. I bet in 100 years some of the top 100 films will still be on the top 100 list because of the basics. Come on, will The Godfather ever get knocked off the list?

-Who is Marina Sasina?

I’d like to know that too… First of all, I’m a human… However, our topic is cinema, so I’ll focus on it. I am a professional screenwriter. More than 100 hours of feature films and television series have been shot according to my scripts. Some of these works are internationally recognized. In addition, I have two directorial works – the short films “Nobody, Nowhere, Never” and “A Beautiful Woman Dies Twice”. Both films received numerous festival awards.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

I consider myself a storyteller. Directing is another way to tell a story.

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

I think it’s a two way process. Movies are made by people who are influenced by social ideas and authorities. Moods and ideas are born in society. They are then picked up by filmmakers, consciously or unconsciously, and turned into films. But the “seed” falls into the already prepared soil. If the audience accepts “new” ideas, it means that certain social conditions have developed for this.

-What would you change in the world?

The world is big… I would advise people to be kinder to each other.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

I think that new technologies will change the process of filmmaking. Perhaps beyond recognition. I hope that the producers will pay more attention to the plots of the films and their originality. I do not rule out that VR and holograms will try to take the place of cinema. Surely there will be new types of cinema in which the viewer will be directly involved. Something like a quest in a movie, where the choice of the viewer will depend on the next plot twist. There will be fewer professions in the film industry. Some professions will disappear or require the acquisition of other skills. For example, actors are already quite often replaced by graphic characters… Well, of course, there will be filmmakers for whom nothing will change. They will still shoot films on film and assume that this is the only real cinema.

Photos by Andrey Sasin, Anna Zelenina and Polina Dudina

–Who is Emma Balnaves?

Emma Balnaves is an internationally respected teacher of Shadow Yoga, one of the traditional forms and philosophies of Hatha Yoga. She has been teaching since 1998 and is the co-founder of Shadow Yoga. Emma was introduced to yoga in her early teens when she became intrigued by the mystery of the practices and the feelings they evoked inside her. After graduating in visual communication, majoring in photography at the University of Adelaide and working in the creative arts in Sydney, New York, and London, Emma committed herself to a life of teaching yoga. Decades of in-depth study followed with research in yoga, Ayurveda and other internal arts. Emma began incorporating the full spectrum of the yogic process in her teaching. Since 1998 Emma began extensive travel – teaching and training internationally with her husband, Sundernath. In 2019, Emma completed her first film Agniyogana, a documentary inspired by a desire to present a better understanding of all aspects of the practice.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

Since I was young I loved the imagery, taking photos, filming and making theatre with friends to tell a story. I wished to inspire others on the path of life to recognise themselves and from the personal experience of being touched through visual story telling.

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

Yes, through story telling on a creative and inspiration level. it is through our eyes we see form, hear form and are touched deeply through the power of visual story telling. Cinema has the power to send messages into society and tell real stories of the times we live.

-What would you change in the world?

As the world changes, we need to learn how to adapt, this is how we grow as individuals.

–Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

Beyond the screen and the space of one’s dwelling.

-Who is Ivan Mbakop?

I am actually an electrical engineer turned software developer turned actor with a passion for storytelling. However, Google thinks I am a director and producer as well. While I tend to excel in all these seemingly differing fields, the common thread that provides a home for me is the creative outlet they all offer in their unique ways. Let’s see where this boat goes right?

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

Filmmaking is a step further from acting. It offers an incredible freedom into expressing thoughts and feelings in a way that is totally subjective and inimitable, in a way also that can be cathartic because of its opportunity for honesty. It is the only medium that harnesses the power of picture and music all in one, and making of the audiences’ minds and thoughts what it wants for 5, 15, 30 or 90 minutes.

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

Cinema has already transcended society in ways we only once dreamt of. Many instances can be referenced, but I’d simply surface as an example, the early films exploring deep space, including the Startrek saga. This has inspired our minds to think and push in a specific direction, and today companies such as SpaceX have all but trivialized space exploration. At least, they have democratized and modernized the process. While today’s space travels is like the early 80s computer chip, tomorrow’s StarWars like lifestyle will be like today’s AI exploits. In the end, it was all fueled by the human race’s collective imagination, only expressed through cinema!

-What would you change in the world?

I’d make more mirrors. There is an inherent desire to see equity in all that we observe, but its a fallacious idea, because equity and fairness only apply when we perceive ourselves to be victims or to be shortchanged in any way. Given the upper hand, we are generally fine with the world inequalities and inadequacies. I would focus more on reflecting what imperfections society inflicts on itself, and allowing people to live with that discomforting thought long enough to either make a change or dive further off the deep end. At least they wouldn’t pretend not to know that they’ve either made an effort towards reason or completely smitten and slayed their conscience into monsterhood.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

There is unfortunately no half full or half empty glass; it’s both together. The depravity of man’s imagination will continue to permeate through all forms of expression, including the most powerful one ever invented, cinema. However, the next 100 years will also see the rise of emotionally intelligent and ethically responsible filmmakers that will not just be willing but be compelled to hold the mirror up to society’s virtues and offer hope for a brighter tomorrow.

by Carla Di Bonito and Adriana Ellacott

Marcelia Cartaxo is one of the dames of the silver screen in Brazil. Born in Cajazeiras, a small town in the state of Paraiba, this light built in body but of a fierce personality actress ran freely on the streets as a child, where together with a group of friends,  a kid’s theatre, performing for the local residents, was created. This was the start of her path to stardom.

It was playing the part of Macabea in the film The Hour of the Star, directed by Suzana Amaral, that Cartaxo achieved one of the most coveted awards in the world – The Silver Bear, for best actress during the 1986 Berlin International Film Festival. She was the first Brazilian to take such a prestigious foreign award. The film was an adaptation of the Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector’s homonymous masterpiece book.

From this pure and naïve character, Cartaxo jumps to playing Laurita, a prostitute who shares a squalid accommodation with a controversial black transvestite (Lazaro Ramos) in the acclaimed film “Madame Sata”, directed by Karim Ainouz and co-produced by Donald Ranvaud.

Cartaxo went on making other films, but it was in the film Batismo de Sangue, directed by Helvecio Batton, that tells the story of Frei Tito during the dictatorship in Brazil, that she was about to give another dramatic performance.

It was playing Pacarrete that Cartaxo once again won the best actress award in the Festival de Gramado, where the film was awarded 8 Kikitos, including her character. The film was also acclaimed in the Shangai International Film Festival.

Marcelia also worked behind the cameras and directed four of her own short films, expressing in them a sensitive vision and similar essence to the characters she played in the past and a nod to the place she was born in the Northeast of Brazil.  The latest work of Cartaxo was in 2021 where she plays Helen, a film by Andre Meirelles, that tells the true story of a young girl and her grandmother living a hard reality in one of the first Quilombos of Sao Paulo. Her most recent film include a leading role in the feature Lispectoriano, directed by Renata Pinheiro and Sergio Oliveira. Her up and coming projects include Cangaco Novo, a television series produced by Globo. Furthermore , Marcelia has been invited to play the part of Raquel in the film Luzinete e eu, written and directed by Carla Di Bonito and produced by Boto Films and Underdogs Filmes – Brasil. The film is a feature developed from the award-winning short film Luzinete, telling the true story of two sisters and the different paths they led.

-Who is Cherie Kerr? 

Cherie is an award-winning indie filmmaker. She was a founding member of the legendary  comedy organization, the L.A. Groundlings whose many performers went on to major shows, most notably “Saturday Night Live.” Kerr went on to found her own comedy organization 33 years ago, The Orange County Crazies, which has received rave reviews for both its sketch work and improvisational comedy shows. Over the past forty years, Kerr has written 450 sketches, 5 original screenplays, one Broadway musical and two of the three films she produced were all improvised (according to a strict storyline/scriptment). Two of her films–“We’ve Got Balls,” a quirky family-firendly bowling cult movie, and “The Show Can’t Go On!” are available on many streaming platforms. The sequel to “The Show Can’t Go On!” “The 3rd Annual Matricher Falls Internationel Film Festival,” is currently seeking distribution. In sum, her films have recieved 19 awards along the film festival circuit. Kerr co-stars in her latter two movies–the first about a failed sketch comedy show’s director’s angst when the show encounters one disaster after another–the second, a sequel, which sees the three main characters making a valiant effort to cobble together surveillance tape from the sketch show and fashion it into an indie feature. Both films are mockumentaries. Kerr also founded and still heads KerrPR, an “all things communication”  publicity firm that has continued to garner accolades for its work and awards.

Kerr has also written 15 books, 11 of which accompany her public speaking and communication skills training company, ExecuProv (for Fortune 100 companies); three of her books are how-to books on comedy. They are sold around the world in17 languages. Kerr also starred in her own one woman show, “Out of her Mind,” where she played several original characters. She also authored “Charlie’s Notes” a memoir about her father’s life as a jazz musician. She hopes to raise funding to adapt the book into a film.  Her film company, Ree-invent Films founded in 2013, has a mission statement: “Provide a satirical look at the world in which we live and to leave audiences with a strong moral messsage long after the laughter subsides.” Kerr is also the mother of Drake Doremus, a filmmaker who won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2011 for “Like Crazy.” Doremus grew up on Kerr’s stage studying and performing improv most of his young life before attending AFI at age 19. He has since gone on to make a number of indie films with actors well known.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?   

I loved the work we were doing on stage, but with the advent and ease of making indie films, I wanted to parlay my expertise into the film format. It seemed like a natural progression in my comedy career.

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society? 

Absolutely. People are profoundly influenced by visual storytelling and I think with more humor and more reminders that we are all in this together, we might spark a greater interest in peace with our fellow man around the globe. I believe there is nothing more bonding that humor, except love. Humor is universal. And, it’s so healing. When engaged in it, it even changes your brain chemistry, in a most positive way!

-What would you change in the world?  

I would like to find a way to bring harmony to all mankind. No more wars, no more illness, no more strife, just efforts to make the planet the home base for more spirituality. I also would make sure that people had a ample dose of humor in their every day life.

–Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

There will always be films, but I think we will watch most things digitally in time. We’re certainly headed that way. While I love the big screen, I’m not so sure theaters will be in existence in the next 20-30 years. But stories and interesting characters always will be. That will never change.

-Who is Federica Alice Carlino?

Federica Alice Carlino was born in 1991 not far from Milan, Italy. She showed her love and passion for movies at the age of 3. Her family moved around Europe for work, so she had the opportunity to meet new cultures. She grew up in the Netherlands until she was 6, then moved back to Italy for most of her education, she also studied in London at Richmond Upon Thames College. She studied filmmaking, photography, and makeup in Milan and makeup prosthetics in Rome with Dario Argento’s makeup artist, Sergio Stivaletti. She is a New York Film Academy BFA graduate. She worked with Warner Brothers and Netflix. She has experience in directing, casting, writing, and acting. She works in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Milan, and Los Angeles.

–What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

I was 3 and I asked my dad how they get to have dinosaurs in Jurassic Park if they were forever gone. He told me it was cinema magic, the next day he found a VHS with extras and we watched it, I finally understood what was behind it. I told him that I wanted to do this when I grew up and both my parents thought it was just a phase, but here I am today. I guess it’s exactly it, the fact that with movies you can make everything happen, even if it would be impossible in real life. Achieving the impossible is what drives my perseverance, for sure. As an adult I’d say being relatable to your audience, we have different lives, we grow up in different settings, but we happen to live the same emotions, what is even crazier, is that we happen to meet the same people, the toxic friend, that horrible teacher, a great mentor, a narcissist relative, the goofy and funny friend, first loves, first kiss, a fight with a parent, a sudden death, we grieve, we cry, we celebrate… If you use these elements to hold your audience’s hands and to bring them into your world, telling them your story through familiar emotions is already 80% of the work done there. I also tend to take inspiration from what happened to me and I then create a fictional world around it, if I have a real input to start from I feel like I can tell my story in an authentic way. It works with your characters as well. Think about that weird uncle you have or a good friend of yours, or your first love, what about that old lady you see every day at the bus stop? Think about real people in your life, start from there, and then create a new person, give them a zodiac sign, a hobby, a favorite Spotify playlist, you can truly use little things you already have around you to create a good movie. If your character is not perfect it is even better.

-Do you think cinema can bring a change in society?

I guess it did somehow in the past and it still is, but I see it more as a trendsetter and it has the power to bring people together, to create communities, and with that, I can confidently say that it does. Pop culture especially comes from music and movies, I can bond with a stranger in the streets about my Harry Potter house anytime if you know what I mean by that. My personal goal is not necessarily to change society, I want to spread my messages and tell everyone they are not alone in this ride. To create a community. This world is very individualistic, it’s a solo ride, and if people put some effort into knowing someone better, they would know they have so much in common with so many individuals.

-What would you change in the world?

So many things, especially the way women are still treated nowadays. We are not owners of our bodies, we still don’t have the same power that men have. I’m not someone who hates men, I just want equality. I still see it on some sets, if I’m in a powerful position, it’s still hard to be respected and seen as an authority and I’m doing my best to create a name for myself and create a brand to identify with. I’m glad so many women are stepping in to be directors, cinematographers, and producers.. Something is changing and I hope for the best. My goal for the future is to also give an opportunity to young filmmakers, young people that love the craft and want to be part of it.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

I hope for more emotions, and fewer visual effects, don’t get me wrong, I love a good movie with visual effects. I see less plot and more attention for films to be pretty. I am afraid cinema will become vertical one day, which would be cool to see on few occasions, for special projects and events designed for that, but I hope it won’t become the new definite way to make movies, we worked so much to evolve from that little square to panoramic shots.

-Who is Colette Standish?

I am an English painter, filmmaker, and photographer based in San Francisco.

Although a multi–disciplinary artist, I am fundamentally a painter with a painter’s sensibility that extends to other mediums depending on what I am working on. But I always come back to painting. I received my painting degree at St Martins School of Art in London and went on to exhibit extensively throughout Europe and the US. I then returned to school to do my MFA in Studio Art and Film at the San Francisco Art Institute. Over time I have worked with many bands and musicians as a photographer and a cinematographer. I also contribute frequently to, A Cafe in Space: Anais, a Literary Journal, an annual journal based on the writer Anais Nin. My poem,”A Letter,” published in volume 8, was made into a music video entitled, I Was in Love… Still Am, by the avant-garde collective EPI based in Manchester, UK, and Florence, Italy. Last year I completed a semi–autobiographical film called Viaggio: A Journey, and where it is now gathering momentum around the festivals in Europe. My film has been awarded Best Experimental film by the Naples Film Festival, Paris Film Festival, and the New York Neo-Realism Festival. I am currently working on a film project based on the silencing of women’s voices.

–What inspired you to become a photographer, painter and experimental filmmaker?

As a painter, I was significantly influenced by artists who extended their vision into films, such as the Surrealists and Jean Cocteau. I was also Influenced by the transgressive and erotic prose of Anais Nin, which lends itself to film. But it was the films of Philip Kaufman, notably, The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Henry and June, that inspired me towards film, and after seeing Blue Velvet by David Lynch, I bought my first camera. Last but by no means least, the most important – my mother, who painted, drew, and wrote every day of her life. An early feminist that communicated and installed in me the importance of women’s rights from an early age. Thanks, mum!

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

Yes completely. Film is art reflecting back on society, good and bad, but always open to interpretation, and cinema is the tool, the mirror that holds it up. But it is also a place to dream. Ask anyone who has sat in a dark auditorium in anticipation and excitement about a film they are about to experience. There is this magical belief that anything can happen, and for that limited amount of time, you get pulled into a world where everything is possible.

-What would you change in the world?

It would be easy to say more peace love and understanding, but I believe the world and nature tell us what it needs at specific times. As humans we are too absorbed in living and existing, and I mean that with all good intentions. At times we are either too sensitive or not sensitive enough depending on cause and survival.  We still have a lot to learn, and I believe that nature and the world will still be around in some form or another after humankind has gone. So, I wouldn’t really know what to change in the world, but to humankind, I would say slow down, be a filmmaker or an artist and enjoy the time you have here because the world is a pretty cool place.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

I see films being more interactive with their audience. For example, audiences will have the option of playing alongside holograms of actors. Reality and fantasy become intertwined. There will be no central film industry it will all be independent. Everyone will have their 15 seconds of fame at a push of a button or a click on a screen. Who knows, but my imagination is having a lot of fun thinking about it.

-Who is Terry Podnar?

I am a graduate of Kent State and a screenwriter who currently lives in Akron, Ohio, U.S.A.; however, I do have the flexibility and luxury to move. My passion for films started at a young age when I wrote and filmed many independent films. During that time, I had a full time job, went to college at night, had a family to support and wrote and made films. Something had to give: I was forced to make a living. An opportunity was offered to me to become the founder and CEO of a successful business that distributed metal throughout the globe. Eventually, I returned to my first love: writing screenplays, and now, I’m in it for the duration. In the past year, I have written eight award-winning screenplays: four feature length screenplays and four short scripts. One of my feature screenplays, The Red Zone, was placed on Coverfly’s The Red List in January of this year. My newest script, Richard Spong, won Best Feature Script at the 8 & Halfilm Awards, which was its first festival submission.  Many of these disparate experiences, influences and education formed the person I am today.  

-What inspired you to become a screenwriter?

My inspiration for screenwriting began when I was assisting a friend who was making a movie. I was fascinated by the manipulation of images, scenes, editing, dialogue, etc. in a purposeful manner to move a reader or an audience. To create your own world where a story is conveyed in your own way is an exciting challenge. I strive to take an inchoate idea and develop it through a writing process. When a reader grasps and appreciates what I’m trying to convey, it gives me deep satisfaction. It feeds the inspiration and encourages me to create something greater and different. 

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

Absolutely. But the change can be good or bad. There is no question of the influence of cinema that affects all of us. A good example is when people often quote dialogue or describe scenes in movies. That person has been impacted in some way, good or bad. I agree with British empiricist, David Hume, who said people constantly change imperceptibly every moment. The experience of cinema compacts or accelerates that change in a two hour period. The experience leaves the audience indelibly affected whether they like the film or not. After the movie experience, the person is not the same as the person who went into the theatre. An extreme example is when Hinkley shot U.S. President Reagan because of his obsession with Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. The effect of cinema on society is irrefutable.

-What would you change in the world?

It’s my wish to see peace achieved by tolerance. There is some hope as the world becomes smaller through technological advances. Several years ago, for example, I never would have thought to submit a screenplay to 8 & Halfilm Awards because of the distance and communication; however, the world has become a global society. I frequently text and communicate to people all over the world. It’s unfathomable to think that someone who befriends you will also hurt you because you’re different. I may never see the merging of societies, cultures, beliefs, etc. in my lifetime, but I’m hopeful of the future. Most of my scripts always end looking toward a better future.

-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?

The film industry constantly evolves into something impossible to predict. It’s in a state of constant flux where new developments happen every year. No one in the silent era could imagine what would transpire now and that was only 100 years ago. Unpredictable catastrophes, wars, trends, technology… transform the journey forward. I believe moving forward and looking to the future unafraid is uncertain and exciting. Writers and filmmakers in the future will inevitably face the same problems we face today: find new ways of telling well-worn stories. I believe the unique and innovative people in the film industry will adapt and write and make movies accordingly. We always do.