Fandor Festival Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

During his teenage years, Lustig avidly watched a huge volume of lowdown trashy exploitation fare at numerous 42nd Street grindhouse theaters in Manhattan and also worked as a movie theater usher in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After graduating from high school, he took a few film classes at New York University.

In 1980, Lustig found himself at the center of a storm of controversy when he made the grim, gory and disturbing slasher sleaze splatter landmark "Maniac," which boasts an incredibly intense performance by the legendary character actor Joe Spinell as a vicious depraved psychopath and plenty of hideously graphic and gruesome make-up effects by genre icon Tom Savini. In 1982, Lustig followed up "Maniac" with the tough, gritty and exciting New York urban revenge opus "Vigilante." In 1988, he delivered another winner with the terrific "Maniac Cop," a violent horror action flick about an undead New York police officer on a killing spree which was the first of several cinematic collaborations with fellow maverick independent filmmaker Larry Cohen.

Lustig followed up with the 1989 stirring action item "Hit List" and the suspenseful serial killer thriller "Relentless," starring Judd Nelson and Robert Loggia. In 1990, Lustig made the favorite of his films, “Maniac Cop 2,” which many consider superior to the popular original. Lustig's last film as a director to date was the nifty and enjoyable 1996 fright flick "Uncle Sam." Recently Lustig produced the well-received remake of “Maniac” starring Elijah Wood, and is now producing the reboot of “Maniac Cop.”

Since 1997, William Lustig went on to initially produce DVDs for Anchor Bay and now currently runs the outstanding home entertainment label Blue Underground, which restores and re-releases popular and little seen cult movies and other grindhouse horror, thriller, action, and western films.

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The team sits down for a discussion with Mark Mills, as part of the Sonoma Valley Authors Festival.

Mark P. Mills is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a faculty fellow at Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science where he co-directs the Institute on Manufacturing Science and Innovation. He is also a strategic partner with Montrose Lane, an energy-tech fund focused on software.

His new book, The Cloud Revolution: How the Convergence of New Technologies Will Unleash the Next Economic Boom and a Roaring 2020s, has risen to #1 in Amazon’s business planning and forecasting rankings. In the book, Mills presents a convincing vision of a coming era of economic prosperity fueled by today’s radical advances in technology, data, and the Cloud. He explains how digital acceleration is changing the value of the physical economy and lays out a common-sense argument for optimism in our ability to grow and innovate, drawing comparisons with the tech revolution that drove the economic expansion of the 20th century and the widespread adoption of telephony, cars, power plants, and plastics.

Mills’ previous books include Digital Cathedrals: The Information Infrastructure Era, and Work In The Age Of Robots, as well as The Bottomless, co-authored with Peter Huber, about which Bill Gates said: “This is the only book I’ve ever seen that really explains energy.”

Mills cofounded Digital Power Capital, which invested in emerging technologies. He has been a technology advisor for Bank of America Securities, and was a director for a preeminent engineering firm that designed power systems for global datacenters. He has testified numerous times before Congress on energy and technology matters.

Early in his career, Mills worked in the White House Science Office under President Reagan and provided science and technology policy counsel to numerous private-sector firms, the Department of Energy, and U.S. research laboratories. Prior to that, Mills was an experimental physicist and development engineer in microprocessors and fiber optics, earning several patents for his work.

Mills holds a degree in physics from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.

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The team sits down with Ásgeir and Anton, the co-directors of "Come to Harm," available exclusively to Fandor this month.

Ásgeir Sigurðsson and Anton Karl Kristensen, the co-directors behind “Come to Harm” started their filmmaking journey early in their lives. Born in 2000 (Ásgeir) and 1998 (Anton), they met when they were little through their parent's friendship. One evening when they were bored at a dinner party, they looked to the laptop to kill their time with iMovie and after some experimentation they quickly found that filmmaking was what they were meant to do. After High School they went different paths. Anton moved to the U.S to study filmmaking at The New York Film Academy whilst Ásgeir went on to make a web series for the National Television in Iceland. While Anton was abroad, Ásgeir wrote “Come to Harm'' and when Anton came back to Iceland the first thing on their minds was finding a way to produce it. Ásgeir looked to his old schoolmates who were more than happy to help work on the film. Even though the budget was low, the cast and crew's passion for the project was immense and is the reason the outcome of the film is beyond what they thought could be.

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The team sits down with Daniel Adams, Director of “The Walk“. This film has its WORLD PREMIERE at the Opening Night (8pm PT) of the 25th annual Dances with Films Festival in Los Angeles. Fandor is a proud sponsor of Dances with Films, a defiantly independent festival. The festival will run from June 9 – 19th, 2022.

Daniel Adams grew up in Boston and worked in politics, including two gubernatorial campaigns, a race for attorney general, and a presidential campaign. He also garnered valuable film production experience directing television commercials for a Boston advertising agency. He then co-wrote (w/ Michael Mailer) and directed his first feature film in 1989, “A Fool and His Money” which starred Sandra Bullock, Jonathan Penner, George Plimpton and Jerzy Kosinski, released through Trimark Pictures (now LionsGate). He then went on to write and direct his second feature, the critically acclaimed “Primary Motive,” for Twentieth Century Fox which starred Judd Nelson, Justine Bateman, Richard Jordan, John Savage and Sally Kirkland, produced by Don Carmody. His third feature, which he also wrote and directed, a comedy entitled, “The Mouse,” starring Rip Torn and John Savage, released through Strand Releasing, also received positive reviews. “The Golden Boys,” which he wrote and directed, starring David Carradine, Rip Torn, Bruce Dern and Mariel Hemingway, had a very successful release through Roadside Attractions and Lions Gate Films in 2009. His next film, which he wrote and directed, released in 2010 through New Films Cinema, was “The Lightkeepers” which starred Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner. “Lightkeepers” has been the recipient of many awards, including Best Musical Score for a Comedy in 2010 (Int’l Film Music Critics Assoc), Best Supporting Actor (Bruce Dern, Methodfest), and Best Film (“Golden Angel” award at the CAFF in Los Angeles). It was chosen as the closing night film at the prestigious Palm Springs International Film Festival and opening night film at the Boulder International Film Festival.

He directed and co-wrote (with legendary National Lampoon editor Larry “Ratso” Sloman) the satire, “An L.A. Minute” starring Gabriel Byrne, Kiersey Clemons, and Bob Balaban, which was released in theaters through Strand in August 2018. And he wrote the script for the upcoming feature film “Panama” starring Mel Gibson and Cole Hauser.

“The Walk” which he directed and co-wrote (with George Powell) has already won many film festival awards including “Best Picture” and “Best Director” and has been chosen as the opening night film at the Boston International Film Festival and Dances with Films.

He is currently writing a biography of American patriot James Otis and developing the book into a limited series to be co-written and produced by multi-Emmy winner Jay Kogen.

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LESLEE SCALLON & MICHAEL TRENT are the Co-Founders of DANCES WITH FILMS, a tremendous indie film festival now in its 25th year!

Fandor is a proud sponsor of this festival. Both Turducken and The Huntsman and the Hound were selected for the Fandor service at this festival last year - both available to watch now on Fandor!

A Regent Scholar at New York University, Michael Trent began his career as one of the youngest stage managers to receive an Equity production contract with Broadway and touring credits including the Julliard based Acting Company (touring arm of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.) and Lee Theodore’s American Dancemachine. He has written, directed and produced a multitude of projects around the globe – from Sacramento to Singapore including numerous years helming the MOVIEGUIDE® Awards which airs on the Hallmark Channel. He lives in Washington, DC with his his lovely wife and their amazing dog, Zoe.

Leslee Scallon got her start by moving to Hollywood at nineteen from a small town, where she literally went to a three room schoolhouse. After that small start, she did receive a DramaLogue Best Actress Award, as well as the honor of accepting that award on the same stage as Shirley MacLaine. Similar to Michael, however, she found producing and writing to be a true love, especially after the sage advice of the late Carrie Fisher, “get behind the camera, it’s more fun there.” 

Together Leslee and Michael have produced and directed many shows, including the THALIANS, working with amazing legends such as the late Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher; Dick Van Dyke; Shirley MacLaine amongst others. Their first feature INDEMNITY was the catalyst for DWF and has made for tremendous opportunities of working with amazing creative minds and visionaries. 

Leslee has been the key moderator of the Industry Panels and “Chats With” series of talks done at the festival, as well as asked to be on panels for her expertise in navigating the film festival world. She lives in Studio City with her lovely daughter, Jocelyn. 

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The team sits down with Program Director for the Mendocino Film Festival, Herb Stratford!

Herb Stratford is the program director for the Mendocino Film Festival and Film Fest Tucson. He was previously the program director for the Napa Valley Film Festival and a guest programmer at the Sonoma International Film Festival. He is also a documentary filmmaker, film critic and historic theatre consultant.

Fandor is a proud sponsor of the Mendocino Film Festival where the first "Fandor Independent Vision Award" will be presented to a filmmaker in 2022. The Film Festival runs June 2-5th.

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The team sits down with Aaron Hillis, Director of Programming at Cinedigm.

Aaron Hillis is the Director of Programming (VOD) at Cinedigm. As a film curator with an eclectic career from exhibition to distribution to owning a video store, he was praised by Brooklyn Magazine as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Culture" alongside Lena Dunham and Spike Lee. His writing has appeared in The Village Voice, VICE, Variety, Vanity Fair, and other outlets that don't begin with V. During the pandemic, he hosted a private Zoom screening series with guests like Paul Schrader, Robert Townsend, Nina Menkes, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Sticky Fingaz, Alice Cooper, and Sparks.

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The team sits down with Lori Shockley, Producer and Director.

Lori is a seasoned, multifaceted independent writer, producer, and director. Her most recent project, Corked, an award-winning short film, follows a young woman and her struggle to enter the male-dominated wine industry in the early 70s. Corked also serves as a proof of concept for the feature script of the same name. Having won multiple screenplay awards, the feature script is based on a true story. 

Over the years, Lori has worked in physical and creative production for Disney, Pixar, HBO, and Warner Bros on feature films, episodic tv, and documentaries. Lori has had the pleasure of working with noted actors such as Reese Witherspoon, Kevin Costner, Mark Ruffalo, and Tony Shalhoub.

A passionate storyteller, Lori was selected to attend the Mediterranean Film Institute in Greece in 2021 to develop one of her original screenplays. Lori has served as an Advisor and Executive Producer to The Friends of the San Francisco Film Commission and the Robin Williams Award for Excellence in Entertainment. She is a current member of the Producers Guild of America and Women in Film and Television. Lori is based in San Francisco and New York.

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MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU. Special episode of the Fandor Festival Podcast releases today with guest, Steve Harms, Professional Opera Singer!

Steven A Harms was classically trained as a professional opera singer and has been performing nationally and internationally for two decades. He has shared stages with well-known greats such as Placido Domingo and Andrea Bocelli.  While spending the last two decades singing, speaking, and teaching, he has developed expert-level breathing techniques that enhance personal health and allow anyone to train their bodies to live healthier with the advantage of defying age and having longevity of life. 

Steven has appeared in 50 productions with the Los Angeles Opera and starred in dozens of lead and supporting roles. Steven is a frequently sought-after singer for independent projects, film, and television. He has also worked within the film industry with IMDB credits that include “Star Wars”, “The Hangover”, “Despicable Me”, and Disney’s “Frozen”. As his global impact continues to expand, Steven is proud to serve today as a world-class speaker, trainer, and coach to provide understanding to the ever-popular and growing phenomena of how to easily optimize your voice, increase your influence and impact to command boardrooms, stages and everyday conversations while leading a healthy lifestyle.

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The team sits down with Sunnie McFadden-Curtis, Director of Broken Vows.

Sunnie McFadden-Curtis is a multi-award-winning independent filmmaker, director, producer, actor, educator, social advocate for women and children, and above all a devoted mother. 

Before she included independent filmmaker to her repertoire of titles, Sunnie was an actor for over twenty years, including the soap opera “Family Passions”. After taking a hiatus she went back to acting concurrently with filmmaking and can be seen in the soon-to-be-released Netflix Sci-Fi film ”Code 8-2” . 

While also raising her three children, Sunnie took a leap of faith and started a production company, benchboy productions inc. Along with producing her first feature documentary Bullying: A Culture of Silence she also produced the films; short-Cyber-Bullying: Where are we going wrong? and the short; non-fiction, Shane r u there? 

With her outspoken advocacy for the disenfranchised, she was invited along with Congresswoman Speier to be part of the campaign 24/7. 24/7 gave Sunnie internationally speaking status on anti-bullying education to help make schools safer for children and teens. So she took Bullying: A Culture of Silence on the road to the US while presenting. 

Sunnie recognized she needed to get involved in the political arena to continue to make real change in anti-bullying education which took her from Queen’s Park, Toronto all the way to the US Senate. In 2010 Sunnie, 2 anti-bullying coalitions and the help of MPP Elizabeth Witmer they were all instrumental in having a resolution introduced and passed to officially recognize the 3rd week of November as “Bullying Awareness & Prevention week” across Ontario. The same year Sunnie and her son Brennan were honored to be invited by the United States Senate to take part in roundtable discussions, pertaining to ways to make schools safer through anti-bullying education. 

Sunnie has recently completed her second feature-length, multi-award-winning documentary BROKEN VOWS: Stories of Separation, and a six-volume digital companion resource to help women move forward upon separation. 

Now showing on Fandor

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