Olivia Smith

Olivia Smith is a contributing writer and a Massachusetts native. She is an undergraduate student at Emerson College majoring in producing for TV/film and media socio-psychology. In her free time, she enjoys trying out new music and TV shows, developing ideas for new media projects, and walking her dog.

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    Caught Between Tragedy and Utopia: A Review of Liz Sargent’s ‘Take Me Home’

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    Within minutes of the feature, L. Sargent’s intention to shift away from her proof-of-concept 2023 short becomes obvious. Though captured by different cinematographers, both films share similar documentary-style camera work and capture a tone of devastating and tender social realism. A striking difference, however, is the father’s, Bob’s (Victor Slezak), absence in the short and significant presence in the feature, in which he almost completely replaces Anna’s fellow adoptee sister, Emily (Ali Ahn). This drastically shifts the film from a depiction of sisterhood to one of parenthood complimented by sisterhood. 

  • Directing Under Dictators: Shin Sang-ok, the Prince of Korean Cinema

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    In 1978, the South Korean Park Chung-hee regime shut down a film studio that defined the country’s postwar film industry after the release of a forbidden kiss scene. Six months later, the studio’s head was abducted by the North Korean Kim Jong Il regime. The head was a South-Korean director and producer, Shin Sang-ok, who directed the film that caused the controversy: “Rose and Wild Dog.” Shin’s career survived two authoritarian governments, as well as an abduction and imprisonment. Through these constricting experiences, he continued to make films — whether under surveillance, direct orders or freely, proving that systems of censorship and political warfare will fail in their efforts to squash creativity and passion.