In this installment of Women in Film Portraits, Lauren Sowa profiles Joanna Pickering, a New York based filmmaker and activist who has worked in television, film, stage, and radio. Joanna has made over 20 independent films and is currently co-starring in Pelleas. Joanna talks with Sowa about this project and about her many collaborations with inspiring creative women.
In this third installment of The Global Screen, Joe Cruz discusses diasporic and nationalistic contestations emerging in Puerto Rico’s guerrilla cinema. In a way, films belonging to this movement articulate a somewhat transgressive view of Puerto Rico’s national identity. Although the century-old colonial rule continues to draw criticism, no longer is the island territory’s rural past romanticized. Instead, new cinematic discourses concerned with exploring Puerto Ricans’ national identity through the lens of current en masse migration to North American metropolis seem to be taking shape.
In May, LA-based filmmakers, Brett and Drew Pierce, completed filming their third indie horror film, Hag, shot on location in rural northwestern Michigan. The Pierce brothers became aficionados of the genre early on under the influence of their father, Bart, a special effects artist on the 1981 cult classic horror film, The Evil Dead. Rebecca Reynolds draws on conversations with the family in this exploration of Brett’s and Drew’s influences, strategies, and creative talents.
As virtual reality develops into a viable technology for immersive storytelling, today’s filmmakers are witnessing the birth of a new, perhaps more inclusive, form of cinema. Reporting on VR from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, Rebecca M. Alvin, explores how the doors are open for a much more diverse group of creators and a wider range of stories to tell.
Mike Sullivan speaks with 2018 10 to Watch winner Asad J. Malik on the augmented reality (AR) film Terminal 3.
David Pierotti speaks with 2018 10 to Watch winner Christina Raia her new film About a Donkey.
Evan Crean speaks with 2018 10 to Watch Winner Boots Riley on directorial debut Sorry to Bother You
10 to Watch is our annual list of filmmakers who we think you should keep an eye our for that year. In 2018, we are rolling out a new one every day for 10 days. This year’s list reflects filmmakers, nominated from readers and industry colleagues, who remind us of our common humanity, lift alternative voices, and show us multiple perspectives.
For 10 years now The Independent has been tooting the horn for indie filmmakers everywhere with our annual 10 to Watch. Read on about how to help us in our 10 for 10 year by nominating a filmmaker. We want to hear the stories of characters who often hide in the shadows of cinema. We will post our list this spring.