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-Who is Ann Huang?

I am a multicultural and multilingual poet, literary translator, visual artist, and filmmaker. My living and working experiences have given me diverse perspectives on world affairs. And through my introspection and retrospection, my perspectives have amplified and unified. When I create, I think out of the box and believe the multi-vocal art media (including poetry, painting, visual art, and film) are in line with each other. Simultaneously, I am univocal about current social geopolitical issues that have to deal with empathy and renewing possibilities of our humanity at large.

-What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

I have always been a fervent student in the direction of time. I believe there is an order/disorder of our time that goes hand-in-hand with our memories of the past, perception of the present, and projection of the future. Therefore, the direction of time has a significant influence on how we look at our lives in phases, or integrally as one, and how we interact with the world at large. Time, in the foresight of our life and fate, has become the one true thing about our identity. And through time, we can reach out to question our existence and relive our experiences. Those are the fascinating facets that prompt me to explore my creative work on the writing page and under the eclectic lenses of cinema.

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

Someone had said: The film mediates the perception of the world. I believe cinema can render kindred humanistic elements to our society. My goal as a filmmaker is to connect the audience with their dream state. By creating Ann Huang Presents, the experimental film/Television series, we offer viewers a way to form a relationship between their dreams and the collective unconscious, advocated by Carl G. Jung, and followed by the surrealists. I believe the power of our films resides in their connectivity to people who view them. They resonate with their audience’s philosophies and beliefs and subsequently allow them to be happier and better individuals in this increasingly disparate and volatile society.

-What would you change in the world?

In today’s digital age of social media and technology, we have been bombarded by outside influences without listening to our true selves about what we need and what will make us complete as human beings. We are losing our grounds to our trivial political leaders, biased social media standards, fast or non-human-centric technological solutions; and fear of embracing one another’s gender, racial and cultural distinctions. Because of my multicultural and multilingual upbringing, I have always resisted the limitations of space and physicality. I have incessantly wished the countries that I have loved and lived in would share the same language and culture, with no borders or discriminations of any kind. And that sense of universality gives me great comfort to explore our commonalities (in addition to our differences), which are our shared physiological and psychological impulses.

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

I have an ambivalent projection about the film industry. On one end, we have these gigantic streaming platforms that make their dark and sassy productions in-house, which are geared towards their own profit-making models. On the other end, however, we have a stack of revolutionary visionaries who are willing to break many rules of the film-making industry and come up with films of true value for the heightened stakes of humanity. We ought to be creating individually and collectively, and nothing is more important than creating films that reflect our current world problems through our lenses. If we keep tuning in our art of being, we have what we need to make something meaningful and thought-provoking for the contemporaries and generations to come.

-Who is Nathan Geering?

I am a multi-award winning director and action designer. I love combining metaphor with striking visuals to give deeper meaning to the films I make. I have a real passion for doing fight choreography and cover everything from bar room brawls to highly stylised martial arts sequences. Recently I have been selected to train with the Jackie Chan Stunt Team in Beijing which I’m really looking forward to. My unique Break-Fu style can be seen on full display in my new film Flaming Assassin. I am particularly proud of this film as it combines fire, breakin and martial arts to create visuals that audiences will have never seen before. With this film I really strived to make sure that the quality of the dialogue matches the quality of the action, so when it won awards for Best Action, Best Martial Arts and Best Thriller at various film festivals I was over the moon. Another thing I specialise in is accessibility innovation for people with disabilities. In 2017 I was the Artistic Director for the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. I also created a unique form of audio description known as the Rationale Method which combines poetry, beatboxing/vocal percussion and sound effects to provide heightened access for both visually impaired and sighted audiences. So when I started making my own films it was important that I incorporated accessibility into elements of my film making. For example I was frustrated with seeing non-disabled people playing disabled roles in films…..especially action films. Because I know what people with disabilities are capable of, I started to create fight choreography with people with disabilities. The reason for this was to give the industry lived examples of people with disabilities doing action to counteract casting directors and others in the industry saying “disabled people can’t do action”. I wanted to prove that not only can people with disabilities do action, but they can do it well! So to sum it up Nathan Geering is a director, fight choreographer and an accessibility innovator.

-What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

As a kid I grew up in the 80s watching old skool kung fu movies. I was obsessed with them. I really loved the artistry of the movement, the slapstick comedy and the philosophical teachings that could be found within them. I never thought that I could become a film maker but it was this early experience which laid the foundation to what would eventually become my career. Fast forward to 2020 and everything that was happening with the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement I decided to hold an artistic peaceful protest in my home city of Sheffield. For that event I made a live performance that used a flaming rope dart as a metaphor for struggle. After the protest I still had so much energy inside me that I decided to make my first short film to further express what myself and many people of colour were feeling…….little did I know that it would go on to have impact that it did.

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

Most definitely. I experienced some of that with my debut film “Still A Slave”. Not only was it a social commentary on what was happening at the time but I also used audio description in a unique way. I made the decision not to only have audio description as a form of accessibility but I utilised it as a storytelling vehicle for the film. This helped to bridge the gap between sighted and visually impaired audiences and meant that everyone experienced the audio description rather than it just being available to visually impaired audiences. Doing this was a risk but it paid off in many ways. Not only did the film win many awards including Best Audio Description and Achievement in Accessibility, it also went on to be used in many university and educational settings to help educate people on issues surrounding equality, diversity and inclusion. On a much broarder scale I feel cinema can definately bring about a change in society as it is a vehicle that can convey powerful messeges to the masses in unique ways. Making a film with a powerful messege by itself is not enough though. It needs to be supported by socially conscious distributors who are willing to help get your film out to the masses. This I believe is best way achieve powerful impact that will help change people’s hearts and minds to make a positive shift in society.

-What would you change in the world?

I think I would change how many people relate to themselves in this world. We are all greater than we could ever imagine. I feel if we acted from a place of self love rather than self preservation then we would relate to ourselves and the rest of the world differently. There wouldn’t be a need to step on other people or hurt eachother, because we would all realise, we are enough. We don’t need to bring other people down to pull ourselves up. Wars wouldn’t be necessary, greed would become obsolete and people’s mental and emotional wellbeing would be in a far better place.

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

I think in the next 100 years it will become more immersive giving people more experiences that blur the line between cinema and reality. I also see more film makers taking agency and finding more innovative ways to distribute their own work to the masses.
Lastly I feel social media will be integrated in more ways. For example today I saw in Australia a social media influencer had over 100 of their tiktok videos turned into a fine art exhibition and showcased on life sized screens at a prestigious museum. I think this is a sign of things to come with film. Whether or not the changes for cinema over the next 100 years will be positive or negative remains to be seen…….but one thing for sure is that, change is coming.

-Who is Helen Eller?

I come from a linguistic/translation background, filmmaking came quite recently, a couple of years ago; academically, I pursued Spanish philology at the University. I was born in Estonia but have lived most of my adult life in Spain, which has probably shaped me as a person. I feel at home in both places, although from time to time I get tired of one place, so I change cities I live in, from Madrid to Tallinn and to Tarragona where I am currently living.

-What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

A few years ago, I was going through a period that I wasn´t very happy and felt that something was missing in my life, I wanted to express myself creatively, so I started first learning screenwriting and a few years later filmmaking by watching many videos on YouTube and doing many short films on my iPhone. Reflecting on this question, I recall some memories from my childhood watching old black and white films from the 50s on TV at 7-8 years old and serious dramas when I was 13-14 years old, so a deeper interest for film has always been there. I have always been quite introverted, so film offers me a channel to connect with the depths of my inner self, the emotions I have transform into film, whether it be sadness, anxiety, frustration or perception. It may sound as a cliché, but sometimes it seems that art is born through pain but it also serves as a liberating force, so in the end it transforms into positive energy. And sometimes I also feel like the creative energy is somehow in connection with the sexual energy. And I feel like I cannot control the creativity, it rather comes out, although there are moments that trigger it to come out.

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

I think it can help to bring a change, but my preference is for it to remain rooted in the artistic realm, not become too political. For me the purpose of cinema is to inspire, provoke thought and evoke emotions, also it is an aesthetic pleasure. As Tarkovski once said: “the artist exists because the world is not perfect. Art would be useless if the world were perfect, as man wouldn’t look for harmony but would simply live in it. Art is born out of an ill-designed world.”

-What would you change in the world?

I would like the world to be a more equal place, the chasm between the affluent and lower socio-economic strata is growing; the increasing cost of living poses challenges in affording basic necessities. Additionally, I advocate for a heightened environmental consciousness, aiming to preserve and maintain a clean world for the well-being of present and future generations.

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

I think AI will make many changes in most sectors in the next 100 years, I cannot predict how far it will go, but I imagine that it will be involved in the process of filmmaking more and more. Now you can brainstorm ideas with Chat GPT for a screenplay, even though at the moment film is too complex so that AI could substitute humans, since AI does not understand the concepts as a human at the moment, there is no emotion either, no human judgement, or an original perspective of an individual, not so sure about it in a 100 years, maybe humans will merge with AI eventually, inspiring potential scenarios akin to a sci-fi narrative. On the other hand, thanks to new technologies filmmaking will become probably more affordable and accessible.

-Who is Louis Mouchet?

Louis Mouchet is the name of my grandfather, an ancestor I never met because he died long before I was born and my parents said almost nothing about him. As I testified in my films The Jodorowksy Constellation and The Family Forest, it took a lot of genealogical introspection and a lot of transgenerational analysis to become the Louis Mouchet I am today: a filmmaker who has made a few pictures but still has much to do.

-What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

I spent my early childhood in Tunisia, which was and still is a lost paradise for me. Returning to Switzerland was difficult, so I sought refuge in the dreamy comfort of the movies. This was the birth of my passion for cinema. The step behind the camera was something special. I was asked to work as an apprentice on a movie based on a book by my father, the poet Charles Mouchet. Naturally, I had a special relationship with the actor playing my father. He asked me for advice and tips, which I gave him from the depth of my heart. We became friends and he inspired me to make the movie Visionary of the Invisible.

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

Everything changes. Everything you do, big or small, changes the world if you truly express yourself and do not repeat what others have done or tell you to do. The silver screen is a mirror, so it amplifies the changes.

-What would you change in the world?

The first thing you have to accept is that the world, everything, is as it is and not as you want it to be. From there you can contribute to this constant change by identifying your calling and expressing it in the best manner you can. This is the best way to make your contribution to the world: To identify and accept your difference in order to make a difference.

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

The art of vision has been around since at least the Stone Age, when people painted hunting scenes frame by frame in their caves. I remember being particularly impressed by the vision of a priest traditionally moving objects in front of an idol on a Kali temple. To me that was clearly a motion picture. For the next 100 years, the art of vision will always be there. It has changed and it will continue to change. I am very excited to have new tools to expand my expression and reach, as I have begun to do with my new project, INTELLIGENCE·S.

-Who is Ehasaas Kanjilal?

Ehasaas Kanjilal is a 22-year-old cinephile and workaholic entrepreneur. With a background in journalism, she’s currently pursuing a master’s in English literature, balancing her passion for film with academic pursuits and entrepreneurial endeavors. International cinema has always been a gateway of unlimited possibilities for her. It is the place where magic meets reality.

-What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

I was inspired to become a filmmaker by my deep love for storytelling and the power of visual narratives to evoke emotions and provoke thought. Growing up I was either surrounded by cinema or theatre or literary crafts, all thanks to mother, Sumana Kanjilal, who is a renowned journalist, writer and runs a production house enriching the love for cinema in the household, and my father, Anjan Kanjilal, who’s a renowned theatre and film director nationally. Which eventually fueled my true passion for the art form, I was driven to pursue filmmaking as a means of expressing my creativity and sharing my unique perspective and my team’s collective effort with the world so that just how world cinema has taught me, one impactful scene on the screen, could eventually bring the biggest change in the society. Michael Moore, Werner Herzog, Alex Gibney, Anand Patwardhan, Ritwik Ghatak, their documentary films are my motivation to start my film career as documentary film director.

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

Yes, cinema has the power to bring about change in society by raising awareness, challenging norms, and countering power. Through storytelling and the portrayal of diverse perspectives, cinema can address social issues, promote empathy, and spark important conversations, ultimately influencing attitudes and behavior. Which successfully has been portrayed and promoted by many international Film directors in world cinema.

-What would you change in the world?

If you asked me what I could change in the world, that would be a very wide and lengthy answer but If asked in the aspect of Cinema, I think Cinema should strive to challenge stereotypes, promote inclusivity, and amplify marginalized voices. By depicting diverse narratives authentically and sensitively, filmmakers can foster empathy and understanding across cultures and identities. Additionally, cinema should address pressing global issues such as climate change, social injustice, and inequality, inspiring audiences to reflect, engage, and take action for a more equitable and sustainable world.

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

In the next 100 years, cinema will continue to evolve and innovate, leveraging advanced technologies like virtual reality and artificial intelligence to create immersive and interactive experiences. Storytelling will remain at the heart of cinema, but the boundaries between reality and fiction will blur as audiences become active participants in narratives. Furthermore, global collaboration such as this and cultural exchange will shape a diverse landscape of cinematic expression, reflecting the richness of human experience and existence. But we must realize and remember that filmmaking is not only a technological reproduction but also a socio-political & philosophical outcome in a visual language to archive history & counter history of mankinds.

–Who is Florian Lejal?

I’m a film director based in the North of France, specialized in drama, thriller, and Science fiction but I already have driven comedy and horror films. What I especially likes is to make an impression with modern issues that concern us or could concern us in the years to come. Answering the big questions of our world and our interactions in society to bring new avenues of reflection, new theories about past facts all while carrying a strong emotional wave.  
A lot of this questions obsess me, such as that linked to our beginning and the ultimate question: why do we exist/live? Could we have a special goal on Earth, undiscovered at present?
I am keen to develop a new approach with my point of view, on pure fiction, or on films with a preponderant part of truth. I always try to entertain, but by bringing that little extra that keep you sit at the end of a film watching the people you came with. 
My dream since I was little has always been to make others dream, to escape them by telling stories rich in meaning.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

Since as young as I am capable, I see films. Cinema has this own way of telling stories in such a versatile and unique way who has always fascinated me. 
It’s a bit like a painter who materializes his own reality, and each director is a bit of a painter of visual stories. He/ She is the conductor of a new dream reality. When i first start to discover the art of filming in studies, i fast realised the artistic potential way for telling stories, and the incredible power that animated images have to generate new sensations, emotions…  My references in terms of favorite films, everything I love about cinema made me curious to know more and more, this is how I discovered the big names in cinema like Nolan, Spielberg, Burton, McTeigue, Noyce, Snider, Niccol, Besson, Scott, Columbus, Zemeckis, Kubrick, Lynch, Villeneuve, Vaughn, Wiseman, Demeusy and so many others who were precursors of their own style and who inspire me everydays. The 7th art is a big liberty of expression and i see it like a mission. The mission of open our minds and experience a unique moment that will stay in people’s minds. Change the world on our scale, for the better. Just as important is the team. Cinema is teamwork and I find it incredible the number of different professions to allow the general public to share a good time on the big screen.

Color grading – Short Film Crashendo by Florian Lejal

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

Cinema has already changed society. And it will continue to do so. Often a precursor to many subjects, I firmly believe that it is one of the most powerful ways to convey messages in a subtle way. I remember the release of Interstellar, Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece, which was at the time the best video materialization of a black hole. Obviously each film has its share of monitoring and documentation to be carried out, especially if the film in question has its share of reality. I think the realism of this film left a lasting impression. Beyond that, this film has raised awareness in the sense that the subject of astronomy and our place in the universe has once again become a subject of interest for part of the population. Instilling one more link between scientific hypotheses and modern society. More recently, even if there are happier stories, which doesn’t stop me from being a total fan (probably because it’s my universe), the Black Mirror series. This series describes the potential excesses of society, and some of the concepts highlighted in the series are (unfortunately) no longer fiction. Then  But we can clearly identify with the protagonists of these stories, which makes them very powerful and impactful. Perhaps if there had not been an episode on, for example, the concept of social note, currently applied in China, it would not have been so visible and criticized in the press in the West.

“On Set of The experiment – short film by Florian Lejal”

-What would you change in the world?

In connection with my previous answers, I would like to provide new avenues for reflection and a questioning of our current world in order to bring about positive changes. Coming from the world of communications, I know how much storytelling works. I am sad to see that where the biggest budgets deployed are in communication and especially advertising, to work on product storytelling, to induce a logic of consumption. We could change so much more if thoughts were focused on films that allow an open mind. A new point of view that encourages positive change. The answer is in the question : for me, making films can change the world.

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

I think there are going to be many revolutions. We are at the dawn of a new era with artificial intelligence (generative and others). There is an element of fear in the collective consciousness, but everything new or unknown has been scary at some point. From a technological point of view there will still be change, smartphones are witness to this. Fortunately, we still understand the interest in large equipment for cinema films, but maybe one day, that will change. Jobs will surely have to reinvent themselves. In any case, one thing is certain, the best story told will remain deeply human.

-Who is Henry Chebaane?

I’m a curious ape on a spinning rock, orbiting the sun at a speed of 30 kms per second, while travelling back and forth in time. This dizzying trip makes me anxious to use each day creatively to optimise every precious second. So, I try to transcend normative boundaries and explore ideas through a variety of artistic media. I’m a fiction author with a first graphic novel published and two more on the way through my production studio Supanova Media, with which I also write songs and produce electronic music under the alias LX8. Beside this, I’m also a lighting, product, graphic and interior designer with over 20 years of experience through my experiential branding agency Blue Sky Hospitality. I’ve worked on numerous projects worldwide from Alaska to Korea, Iceland to India, Tuscany to Kazakhstan. That being said, I’m just a humble philosophy student, privileged to be able to observe, think, feel, manifest, and share ideas and emotions with the public by using a large variety of creative media. I take constant inspiration from the diversity of people on our amazing planet and the wondrous energy that forms the substrate of our reality.

-What inspired you to become a Filmmaker?

It’s been a gradual process. I was born and grew up in Paris, where I watched a myriad of arthouse movies and ‘films d’auteur’. Many were French but also Italian, Spanish, and German. This diet combined with reading a stream of relevant books piqued my interest in intimate drama and characterisation, not just of people but also of places and buildings. When I moved to London almost 40 years ago, I was fortunate to learn more, by being exposed to a completely different type of storytelling. The Anglo-American approach tends to favour a more formalised structure, driven by the writing of luminaries like Aristotle, Robert Mc Kee, and Joseph Campbell. I’m self-taught in architecture and set design so was able to apply immediately my own theatrical vision to each commercial project. For example, in 2002, my first restaurant design in Warsaw was inspired by the work of playwright Witold Gombrowicz. More recently, my design for the Parisi Udvar restaurant Budapest was used as set in the American horror thriller ‘The Invitation’ (2022); and my designs for the Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid were used throughout the eight episodes of the Netflix Sci-Fi spy thriller ‘In from the cold’ (2022).

But the tipping point into filmmaking might have been the recent creation of a London boutique hotel called The Gyle. It is a conversion of 19th century heritage-listed townhouses in King’s Cross, Camden. During my research into the history of the area, a story formed in my mind. I took screenwriting classes and wrote a TV pilot. During the same period, I started reading more graphic novels as research into storyboarding. And then, one night, inspiration struck me in a way I didn’t expect. An entire, epic novel came fully formed in dream, with plot, casting, dialogues, wardrobe, locations, props, even the soundtrack! This story wanted to come out. So, I commissioned a very experienced comic artist called Stephen Baskerville and produced the first volume. It’s now published as The Panharmonion Chronicles: Times of London. The story is about a multi-cultural female music composer who struggles with a conflicted identity, a traumatic past and repressed supernatural abilities while fighting a violent supremacist cult through Time. Because the hero is a music composer, I wanted to try another creative experiment by learning music production and making several tracks under the same artist alias as the story protagonist: LX8. Then, I wrote the script for a music video, directed, and acted in it. I play the role of the author wandering in his own imagination, inside the world of the novel. By shooting the music video in The Gyle, which is the main plot location for my novel, I close a narrative loop and open another one into an infinitively recursive universe. Although it is an experimental short film, The Panharmonion Chronicles: Times of London has already received several awards, for which I’m grateful.

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

Yes, it does and has done so many times already. Like literature, cinema is a powerful medium. It enables the audience to test and experience facets of reality that might not always be familiar, possible, or comfortable. Cinema allows society to explore and interrogate its own consciousness, ethics, and behaviours by placing the viewer in a hypothetical situation: what if…? This is the reason why cinema (and books) are often the targets for censorship from special-interest groups and state-control.

-What would you change in the world?

Well, this is a vast subject perhaps beyond the scope of this interview, but I will try to give a short answer. If I could change one thing, I would make access to universal knowledge free and unlimited to all humans. Knowledge brings insights, context, awareness and therefore empathy. It puzzles me that 5,000 years since the ability to share complex thoughts in writing, humanity has not developed a common understanding of the world. Reality is causality. This is why stories are so essential to being human. We live in a complex, entangled web of reciprocity with other beings. We must cooperate to live a peaceful existence, by listening, watching, and respecting other people. Everyone, not just humans. Maybe filmmaking is the ideal tool for this as it is a medium that transcends linguistic barriers.

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

Naturally, there are many possible branches in the road ahead. We can all speculate wildly but I personally think that, like books, cinema is an irreplaceable art form and storytelling instrument. I feel very grateful that streamers like Netflix have opened channels for us to access filmmaking from an increasingly large proportion of the world. If no catastrophic event put a stop to it, the spread of global filmmaking can only make humanity more enlightened and benevolent as it progresses into the future.

-Who is Victoria Napolitano?

I am a person who loves old movies and films…where glitz and refinement filled every scene. I really miss when Hollywood stars dazzled on the big screen, looking their best in lavish outfits, conveying so much with a simple looking their eyes. I’d was captured by those tough, silent leading men and sexy women who just oozed intrigue. I would really let my imagination go wild. I’d stare up at the screen, trying to figure out what made those men and femme fatales tick. Getting lost in those old black-and-white movies was the best escape.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

There are two films from my childhood that I revisit annually. One is the 1939 film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights. The Gothic romanticism and emotional turmoil depicted in this cinematic rendering of the literary classic continues to profoundly affect me years later. For those with a passion for cinematic films, this film provides an experience well-suited to cozy viewing. Another influential work altering my perspective on the craft of filmmaking was the 1956 French picture The Red Balloon, winner of an Academy Award. With sparing use of dialogue-mere sentences at most-I found myself enthralled by the emotional responses elicited.

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

I think change begins when filmmakers move away from preaching and imitating the work of other filmmakers. Over the years, I have interviewed numerous individuals, but recently I have found that the idea of educating and entertaining the audience has become extremely stale. Producing 50 remakes of the same successful movie will not guarantee its success again. Statistics show that people are watching more of the older shows than the newer ones. As I mentioned before, it’s because at that time things were fresh, new, and original.

-What would you change in the world?

I am confident that we can overcome the current divisiveness we are facing. In my childhood, I was exposed to a multitude of cultures and nationalities, and I recall people being more collaborative and supportive of one another. I held onto the belief that the world would continue to improve, and I was hopeful for the future. However, today’s atmosphere is characterized by anger and hostility towards differing viewpoints, which is detrimental to society. Ultimately, if we do not unite, no one wins in the long run.

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

The concept of film as we currently understand it will undergo a significant transformation in the future. It is certain that filmmakers will be extensively examined and scrutinized in order to better understand the passion that they possess and the incredible creativity that some filmmakers (as well as writers) exhibit in our contemporary society. Future generations will thank you for the shards of beauty and bridges of understanding you leave behind. So, day by day, scene by scene, pour your passion onto the page, into the camera lens, onto film. Not for awards or achievements

to collect, but for the love of the craft itself. For now, is the time you have to create. The fruits of your dedication will ripple into the future in ways you cannot yet imagine. But carry on with faith that your unique voice and vision matter. Let this be your mark.

-Who is Peter Hartwig?
Born in Brisbane Australia, I’m currently 38 years old at the time of this interview. My fascination with art began early; I excelled in oil painting classes at the age of 9 but eventually set it aside for school and sports. Yet, my passion for creating never waned—I’ve explored various art forms.  I’ve explored various art forms, from performing in plays and musicals to writing comedy skits for burlesque shows. My professional life as a bodybuilder and coach even blended athletic performance with artistic expression, crafting routines that merge martial arts with interpretive dance.

I have always had a passion for storytelling. Although I returned to painting sporadically in my 20s, it was in my 30s that my artistic endeavours truly deepened, leading to the creation of the ‘Beneath the Soil’ art series. This series inspired my experimental film of the same name, which was honoured with the Best Super-Short Film award at the 8 & Halfilm Awards—a pivotal achievement for me.

At 35, I made the challenging decision to pause my career and attend film school for a year, a choice that impacted my finances and professional trajectory. However, my commitment to art and storytelling is unwavering. It’s an integral part of who I am, and something that will shape aspects of my work and life in the future.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
Amongst the different forms of creative expression, I gravitated towards film-making because of the impact that many films have had on me. The accessibility of filmmaking today, where compelling narratives can be brought to life on a shoestring budget, further fueled my interest. My initial inspiration for film-making came from an idea I had that I originally wanted to write as a play. However, as I fleshed out the concept, I realized the potential for a more expansive and unrestricted storytelling medium. Film, with its fewer limitations, offered the perfect canvas to bring my vision to life. This is currently the next film project I’m working on.

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

Firmly believe in film’s capacity to drive societal change, a phenomenon well-supported by historical evidence. In film’s early days, when resources were limited, many films primarily served to propagate the agendas of the political parties who funded them, showcasing film’s direct role in fostering social transformation. Advertising also demonstrates film’s power to shape societal norms, influencing consumer behaviour and perceptions of status.

Emotionally compelling films subtly yet significantly impact society and culture. They present archetypes that mirror human existence, offering insights into our relationships and inner selves. Through these emotional journeys, films convey nuanced messages that resonate with audiences, potentially shaping societal values.

I think it’s important to highlight important issues within society. However, I don’t like it when it’s completely ‘on the nose’, and it feels like propaganda is being rammed down our throats. I advocate for a nuanced approach over overt didacticism, which risks alienating viewers. When messages are delivered too directly, it can strip audiences of their sense of autonomy, leading to resistance rather than engagement. Conversely, presenting themes through subtle, artful storytelling invites audiences to form their own interpretations. This method fosters a more organic acceptance of ideas, avoiding the pitfalls of feeling coerced or demeaned into adopting a particular viewpoint.

-What would you change in the world?

If I could change anything in the world, I think it would be that everyone had shelter and enough to eat. There is so much disparity in the world. According to experts, there seems to be enough resources to do this, but greed and politics prevent it from being so. It seems simple but obviously a very complex problem.

It’s human nature that if someone obtains something without the mechanisms of defending it, other humans will often take it, so you end up with greed and gluttony ruling over a lot of things.  In my art series ‘Beneath the Soil,’ the inaugural piece, ‘Torn,’ touches on these themes. The poem intertwined with the artwork delves into these issues with duality as the central theme. Sometimes it is easy to see what is happening in the world, but I don’t have a magic wand to solve issues like this. If I did, it would be one of the first things I changed first.

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

I think that Artificial Intelligence will have a huge influence over film in the next 100 years. It is already becoming prominent in it’s early stages within every aspect that involves technology. I think this makes it hard to predict what films will be like in 100 years, but I do believe that they will likely be significantly different to today. Combining this with Virtual reality, who knows where we will end up.

-Who is Bruno Marro?

First of all I’m a musician, a guitarist. I spent my whole life in music.
My father was a trumpeter. He made me listen to all kinds of music from Duke Ellingtone to Chet Baker, through Beatles, Bach or Rossini. He was a great father who always helped and encouraged me in my artistic career.
In my life I have had the good fortune to work with many artists, who have always been very inspiring. Working in the recording industry, I got to know and see many famous musicians at work.
When I left the recording industry, I started my solo career as a musician. I wrote music for cartoons and background for television broadcasts. Over the years I have produced some of my own records, and I have collaborated with many musicians.
In music, I have certainly been influenced by Hendrix, Beatles, Jeff Beck, Bowie and in recent years by Mark Knopfler.
Music is my life and I hope it will go with me to the end.

-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

Making music for many years, it brought me closer to music videos. So I started writing and directing my own music videos.
I was lucky enough to collaborate with professionals, who like me shared my own ideas to achieve the goal.
I love the stories you can wrap up in a few minutes. Two music videos definitely impressed me: “Such a shame” by Talk Talk and “Every Breath you take” by Police
I love this type of narrative, essential but straight to the point you want to get to.
In the movie industry my preferences go to directors like: Billy Wilder, Black Edwards, Ridley Scott, Ken Loach and Tim Burton. I recently saw an exhibition about Tim Burton and it was a fantastic experience.
Music and images are two arts that unite together, arouse strong emotions. But the music can walk on its own, the video without the music, does not have the same shock force.

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

Well… not sure. Certainly movies can give signals, expose certain situations and reveal uncomfortable things.
The problem remains that independent cinema, the denunciation cinema, the cinema which can provoke changes,  is not properly supported. Because for Hollywood, for “big business”, it doesn’t produce money and it’s inconvenient for the topics it deals with. I remember: “Missing” by Costa Gavras. A film that was quite successful. But Hollywood should have awarded Jack Lemmond best actor. But he didn’t, because history was uncomfortable for the United States.
But we must not lose hope that Cinema, can help people to think differently. To open your eyes and see, what is kept hidden.
There are many actors and directors of a certain fame, who have made excellent denunciation films. Only last year, it was released: “Sound of freedom” by Mel Gibson, with Jim Caviezel.
The film was boycotted in all possible ways, but it managed to reach a large part of the audience.
Cinema can bring a change in the society? Let’s not give up and try to make films, that tell the truth. Let’s make people, after seeing a movie, stop and think.

-What would you change in the world?

Funny question. I’m not a baby, not a teenager and I’m not young. I like to define my age in one world: “TeenAged”. I am still a passionate and dreamy guy and I always try to deal with the things in life, with the same spirit as when I was a kid. I often repeat to my son: “Never forget that you were a child”. We must all find that spirit, that wonder in discovering things, that disenchanted way of living the events of our life. Life isn’t as serious as they want us to believe.
In this very difficult period, where the change that we are facing, seems to lead us towards a worse world, without feelings, without humanity, without mercy. We must regain the courage and strength to fight. We must return as children, rediscover the good feelings and the wonder that enveloped our lives back then, and find the courage to fight for humanity.
This I would like to change in the world.
I would like that all peoples, to rediscover the courage to fight for humanity.

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

Well very hard to predict. The film industry has changed a lot in the last 10 years, can you imagine in the next 100?. IA, thecnology, resources etc can open new frontiers, but creativity, good ideas, will be as always the ones that will make the difference. It doesn’t matter “where the film industry goes” in the next 100 years. The important thing is that we make good films. Films that convey values. Film that tell the truth, that make people dream and think. Charlie Chaplin didn’t have technology, he didn’t have IA, he didn’t have special effects, but his movies hit everyone at heart. The same for music. The Beatles didn’t have “plugins” that played any sound. They had no midi recorders, but normal 4-track recorders. Yet the music of those years remained in the heart of everyone. Wherever the cinema goes, the important thing is that it strikes people’s hearts with good feelings. What matters is that it gets to people’s brains and makes them think, always telling the truth.

(Picture by: Alberto Alaggio – Art Director: Roberto Da Pozzo)