film essay Archives

Extra Lives

May 7, 2026

Extra Lives

Screenwriter Jeremy Slater on his late father, videogames and his new movie, Mortal Kombat II, which hits theaters tomorrow.

From Slashers to Downers

Film

By Josh Ethier | May 6, 2026

From Slashers to Downers

Editor turned writer-director Josh Ethier on his joint love of horror movies and bleak, confrontational European cinema.

Why I Stopped Running Away (and Made a Documentary About It)

Film

By Benjamin Wagner | May 4, 2026

Why I Stopped Running Away (and Made a Documentary About It)

Benjamin Wagner on directly addressing his mental health struggles and leaning into vulnerability in his new documentary Friends & Neighbors.

Nothing to Prove and No Deadlines to Meet

Film

By G. Anthony Svatek | May 1, 2026

Nothing to Prove and No Deadlines to Meet

G. Anthony Svatek, whose debut feature Humboldt USA plays First Look this weekend, on how collaging has made him a better filmmaker.

Don’t Ask Me for a Release: The Challenge of Depicting Real Lives in Film

Film

By Lynne Sachs | April 28, 2026

Don’t Ask Me for a Release: The Challenge of Depicting Real Lives in Film

Lynne Sachs, who this week will be presented the Pesistence of Vision Award, on making her new film Every Contact Leaves a Trace.

City Wide Beaver

Film

By Josh Heaps | April 16, 2026

City Wide Beaver

Josh Heaps on the personal journey behind his no-budget giallo homage City Wide Fever, which is out now through Factory 25.

We Blew Up Our High School Car

Film

By Kevin McManus | April 15, 2026

We Blew Up Our High School Car

As Redux Redux hits digital, Kevin McManus on the many filmmaking adventures he and his brother Matthew had with their beloved Saturn Ion.

Standing Room Only

Film

By Drew Denny | April 13, 2026

Standing Room Only

Drew Denny, director of the new documentary Second Nature, on a transformative decade spent telling a story that truly matters.

Between the Takes

Film

By Freya Adams | April 9, 2026

Between the Takes

Actress and writer Freya Adams, best known for her lead role in Jennifer Phang’s Advantageous, shares a poem on how life and acting intersect.

A Crucifixion in Brooklyn, or: Filming the Oldest Special Effect

Film

By Caroline Golum | March 26, 2026

A Crucifixion in Brooklyn, or: Filming the Oldest Special Effect

Director Caroline Golum on filming a solar eclipse for her low-budget historical epic, Revelations of Divine Love, which is in theaters now.