A Tale with Tails: Ali Cook on The Pearl Comb Making Oscar Waves

Ali Cook’s new short film The Pearl Comb has officially earned its place on the Oscar-qualifying stage, marking a significant milestone in the actor-turned-filmmaker’s career. Blending nuanced performances with striking visual storytelling, the film has quickly become a standout on the festival circuit. In our conversation, Cook discusses how the project began, the creative risks […]

From Vision to Oscar Contender: Christoffer Rizvanovic Stenbakken on Anngeerdardardor (The Thief)

Christoffer Rizvanovic Stenbakken’s Oscar-qualifying short film, Anngeerdardardor (The Thief), is a deeply personal and authentic portrait of life in East Greenland. Drawing on real-life experiences and local communities, Stenbakken crafts a story that feels both intimately rooted in its setting and universally resonant. In this interview, he opens up about the origins of the film, […]

Behind the Wheel of The Truck: Liz Rao on Her Oscar-Qualifying Short Produced by Spike Lee and Joan Chen

Acclaimed director Liz Rao is making waves with her new Oscar-qualifying short film, The Truck, produced by Spike Lee and Joan Chen. The film follows a Chinese American teen and her boyfriend as they navigate the challenges of trying to buy the morning-after pill in post-Roe America, blending tension, humour, and sharp social insight. In […]

Inside Snipped: Director Alexander Saul and Producer Rebecca Pruzan on Their Oscar-Qualifying Short Film

Danish director Alexander Saul and producer Rebecca Pruzan return to the festival scene with Snipped, a sharply observed and emotionally resonant new short film that examines the fragile tensions of modern parenthood. Blending intimate character work with a quietly unsettling tone, Snipped showcases the duo’s keen eye for human complexity and the small moments that […]

Simon Panay On His New Oscar-Qualifying Short Film- The Boy With White Skin

French filmmaker Simon Panay has built a reputation for compassionate, visually arresting storytelling, often shining a light on communities and experiences overlooked by mainstream cinema. His latest film, The Boy With White Skin, continues that commitment with a sensitive and compelling exploration of identity, resilience, and what it means to be seen. As a director […]

Iain Forbes on his Oscar-Qualifying Short Film- After Dark and his Career so far

Emerging filmmaker Iain Forbes brings a striking new voice to the short-film landscape with After Dark, a brooding and imaginative work that blurs the line between the intimate and the uncanny. Known for his meticulous visual style and instinctive feel for human vulnerability, Forbes crafts films that linger long after the final frame. With After […]

Jack Howard on his new Oscar- Qualifying short film- The Second Time Around

I recently sat down with filmmaker and online-trailblazer Jack Howard — the British YouTube personality who first rose to prominence through his comedy duo Jack & Dean (whose channel amassed over 73 million views). After honing his craft in sketches and commercials, Jack has now made a bold leap into the festival circuit with his […]

David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz on their new short film Trapped and previous Oscar nominated short A Lien

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Oscar-nominated directors Sam and David Cutler-Kruetz to discuss their latest short film, Trapped (2025). Our conversation was nothing short of delightful. The film tells the story of a school janitor who, due to childcare struggles, is forced to bring his young son to work. As the night […]