Director Talks: Petri Kotwica talks "Rat King"

Petri Kotwica is a Finnish film director and screenwriter, best known for his feature film directorial efforts in Black Ice (2007) and Homesickness (2005). This year, Kotwica's feature film title Rat King (2012) was selected for the Tribeca Film Festival Cinemania section which offers a small selection of thrilling, largely international, narrative films. Rat King tells the story of Juri, a hardcore gamer who is always looking for the next virtual challenge. One day he loses track of his online gaming friends Mordred and Jossi, and stumbles his way into the most sinister game he'll ever play... (more)

Five Questions with "The Playroom" Director Julia Dyer

It's hard to write about Julia Dyer's The Playroom without writing about the passage of time. It's been sixteen-years since Dyer's previous (and first) film, the Sundance hit Late Bloomers, and Dyer has finally crafted a proper follow-up. But beyond that, the film itself is quite concerned with the changes in attitude and perspective that time renders. Set in 1970s suburbia, The Playroom tells the story of a dysfunctional, alcohol-fueled dinner party, while also showing the same night through the eyes of a group of kids upstairs in the house's attic. Premiering this week in Tribeca's Spotlight section, the film features an especially strong ensemble that includes John Hawkes, Molly Parker, and Olivia Harris... (more)

Director Talks: Adam Christian Clark of "Caroline and Jackie"

After two screenings of his first feature film Caroline and Jackie, we spoke with Adam Christian Clark to get a unique look at the themes of Caroline and Jackie as well as his feelings on his feature debut at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Clark has worked in Television and Film, creating a host of short films as well as directing on the popular reality series Big Brother while still a student. Clark's ambition is proven, and he pushes the envelope with this intense look into an intervention gone wrong. Caroline and Jackie is a dark tale of two sisters. Caroline, concerned for her sister's well-being, stages an intervention under the guise of a birthday party dinner and the events quickly spiral out of control... (more)

SFF: Interview w/ Devyn Waitt of "Not Waving But Drowning"

Not Waving But Drowning had its world premiere at the Sarasota Film Festival, not too far from Bartow, FL where the film begins. Broken into a short and a feature length segment, the short piece The Most Girl Part of You tells the story of 'Big Guy' and Amy as they explore the Big Guy's mother's suicide and how life can move in reverse and suddenly, unexpectedly, accelerate out of control forcing you to grow up or deal with the consequences of not catching up. The feature length film, Not Waving But Drowning, is about growing out as opposed to growing up. Growing out of old friendships, growing out of your skin and growing out of who you thought you wanted to be... (more)

A Conversation with "Cabin in the Woods" Director Drew Goddard

They say you have to know the rules to break them. And Drew Goddard is a man very familiar with how to write for genre, collaborating over the last decade with some of the biggest names in American horror and sci-fi. In 2008 Goddard penned the screenplay to J.J. Abram's found-footage monster movie Cloverfield, and before that he served as a series writer on television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lost, and Alias. So it should come as no surprise that his directorial debut, Cabin in the Woods, not only pays homage to the genre tropes implied in the film's title, but expertly subverts them as well.... (more)

FREE Screening @ Awareness FF: The Soil Solution!

Check out the free screening of the film The Soul Solution, coming to the Awareness Film Festival! The film screens Friday, May 04, 2012 at 10:00 AM. More about the film: What if an answer to climate change was found beneath your feet? The Soil Solution explores the fascinating world of soil and documents the ranchers, farmers, and scientists who conserve, protect, and regenerate this valuable natural resource. Healthy soil, as vital to our survival as healthy air and water, may provide a biologically-based, low cost solution to global climate change.... (more)