Articles

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2016: Damon Davis and Sabaah Folayan

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2016: Damon Davis and Sabaah Folayan

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Whose Streets, a documentary from filmmakers Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis currently in post-production, chronicles the lives of activists in Ferguson, Missouri and the surrounding St. Louis area following the controversial killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by white police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014. Folayan and Davis focus on the aftermath of the incident and the evolving social movement surrounding it. Their hope is to bring awareness and clarity to this racially-charged, constantly unfolding narrative. The directing duo make our 10 filmmakers to watch list for 2016.

From Bosnia to Berlin: Sarajevo at Berlinale 2016

From Bosnia to Berlin: Sarajevo at Berlinale 2016

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The film industries of the countries of former Yugoslavia continue to evolve and adapt to changing environments, both on the industry level in the broader European landscape, and in the political and economic contexts of their respective countries. At this year’s Berlinale, the region’s continued ability to punch above its weight was proven by Bosnian director Danis Tanović’s Silver Bear win Death in Sarajevo. 

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2016: Paisley Smith

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2016: Paisley Smith

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Paisley Smith first found her niche in Virtual Reality working with the “Godmother of VR” Nonny de la Peña and the Emblematic Group. Smith now makes The Independent’s 10 to Watch list for her most recent project, an animated Virtual Reality documentary Taro’s World based on the story of Taro, an exchange student from Japan who lived with Smith and her family for his teenage years, but at age 17, took his own life.

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2016

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2016

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The Independent‘s 10 to Filmmakers Watch is our annual shout out to filmmakers, working in documentary, narrative, new media and virtual reality, whose work we think you should see. Now in its 8th year, our list celebrates filmmakers who are taking risks, promoting change, and speaking their minds. And their work, all which will be out this year, shows it.

A man looking in the mirror in a still from the movie Spa Night.

10 Filmmakers to Watch: Andrew Ahn

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In each of his short films, Andrew Ahn explores the dynamics of an Asian American family living in the United States and the very nature of family itself. Now, he makes our 10 Filmmakers to Watch list for his debut feature film, Spa Night, a film that continues to explore these themes and recently premiered at Sundance 2016 in US Dramatic Competition.

Documentarian Gina Abatemarco
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Island on the Edge: Gina Abatemarco’s Kivalina

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Abatemarco, who spent nearly seven years making Kivalina, advises first-time documentarians to recognize that some of the hardest work of making a film is not technical or financial, but interpersonal. “It’s about your relationship with your subjects over time. That is the real work and the real difficulty. Somehow you’ll find the money but the most difficult work is to carry the story for however long you have to carry it, because these are heavy subject matters.”

Nikolaus Geyrhalter confronts “Homo Sapiens”

Nikolaus Geyrhalter confronts “Homo Sapiens”

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There was some judgment in some way by the choice of the locations. By the facts we wanted to stress in our narration. None of the locations were there just for fun, they should all tell something for those who want to read between the lines, so there is some criticism of mankind. But besides that it’s true, the audience is very much invited to basically see their own film.