The final episode of this season's Norwalk Film Festival is with Brian Russell! Brian has TWO films in the festival this year - "Sit With Me While I Die" and "Rain Was Not in the Forecast." 

Sit With Me While I Die plays March 21st at 2:00pm
Rain Was Not in the Forecast plays March 22nd at 4:00pm

Episode 5 of this season of the podcast features an interview with Hilary Flores, the director of Becoming a Queen. The short documentary that explores the transformative power of drag as a means of self-expression, resilience, and belonging.

We chat with Hilary about drag culture, what she learned, and what she wants to work on next!

Episode 3 of Season 2 of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with the writer & director of The Lake in the Sky, Caleb Reese Paul.  We talk about upping the ante after each project and the magic of sound design.

Synopsis: An isolated teenager explores the past, his late father, and unstable memory through the use of celluloid on his 16th birthday.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 10 - 12, 2025 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/calebreesepaul/

Thelakeinthesky.com

Episode 2 of Season 2 of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with the writer & director of The Interceptors, Jesse Torres Synopsis: A man stumbles upon a cabin in the woods where he meets a group who recruit people to work for them between death and the afterlife.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 10 - 12, 2025 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/iamjessetorres/

Episode One of Season 2 of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with the writer & director of Nana, Hillary Carrigan. Synopsis: A standing Sunday lunch is born after Nana invites herself to her granddaughter’s fifth floor walk-up.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 10 - 12, 2025 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

http://hillarycarrigan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/_hillarycarrigan

Episode Ten of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with the writer & director of Resurgence, Krushan Naik. Synopsis: Ryan De Vries, a professional canyoneer, encounters a near-death experience in the canyons of Southern Utah. Post the accident, his friends and family witness a changed person as Ryan battles with himself due to the trauma caused by it—crippling his everyday life. The documentary highlights Ryan's struggles after losing his identity, along with the disparity in his journey of physical recovery, mental healing, and emotional resurgence, and how they affect one another.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

⁠Film's Website

Krushan's Instagram

Episode Nine of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with the writer & director of Into the Thicket, Devany Greenwood. Synopsis: A young woman struggles with her fractured home life, failing to find common ground with her volatile yet emotionally repressed mother. Longing for a maternal figure, she continues to be haunted by visions of a mystical woman, and soon, dream intertwines with reality as she discovers a deeper connection to the mysterious lady of the woods.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

Film's Instagram

Devany's Instagram

Episode Eight of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with the writer & director of The Librarian, Serkan Aktas. Synopsis: It’s a film about a man named Mazhar, who is obsessed with language, stories, and books. After he loses his job, he finds an unlikely partner to help him move to the next stage in his life.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Episode Seven of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with Katie Goodman (Director & Actor) and Soren Kisiel (Writer) of The Moms. Synopsis: 5 Moms. 7 minutes. One Prius. And 432 opinions they will die for. Welcome to Moms night out.

This film is about parents, and the period of time in which we shouldn’t be allowed to communicate with others.

Parents have opinions. Opinions that they’re willing to lose friends over. Opinions they’re willing to hold life-long grudges with family members about. Opinions that they’re willing to shout at strangers in the baby aisle at Target.

This film is for the parents out there who know they are right.

Because being right is really what this is all about. The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

Katie Goodman

Soren Kisiel

Broad Comedy

Episode Six of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with Writer & Director D. Mitry talk about his film, The Hedgehog. Synopsis: As the war starts in Ukraine, six years old Nina is sent to her grandma’s remote village. In the shack outside, Nina discovers a badly wounded Russian soldier. The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT. Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

The Hedgehog Instagram

Episode Five of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with Writer & Director Sadie Grey Murphy talk about her film, The Audition.

Synopsis:

A casting call goes wrong when a director calls actors in, but they don’t come back out.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

Sadie Grey's Instagram

Episode Three of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with Executive Producer, Writer, & Actor Keaton Morris-Stanto talk about her film, Fractal.

Synopsis:

Grace experiences a miscarriage after a first date leads to an accidental pregnancy. Fractal follows the story of her struggle across three different realities; memory, present-day, and a dream of what could have been. How do you mourn the loss of something that you never had?

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

Keaton's Instagram

Greater Than The Sum Instagram

Squeaky Wheel Entertainment

Episode 4 of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast is with Amir Zargara; the writer/director of "A Good Day Will Come." We chat about the inspiration for the film, his moment of inspiration to make a shift in the story telling, and the importance of telling stories like Navid Afkari, an Iranian wrestler unjustly executed in 2020.

Episode Four of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with writer, director, and actor Simon Magnifico to talk about his film, Is That It?

Synopsis:

A young writer looks for inspiration in all the wrong places.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Episode One of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with director JD Freda to talk about his film, Tough For a Girl.

Synopsis:

A new generation of female athletes is taking shape in Norwalk Public Schools - this time on the wrestling mats. National Champion Callie Gilchrist and High School All-American Rylee Donohue are looking to lead that next charge out of Norwalk.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Episode Two of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast features an interview with writer & director Taylor Becker to talk about her film, PTO.

Synopsis:

After receiving news that his vacation request had been denied, a burned-out employee deals with the repercussions of having the audacity to ask his manager for some time off.

The Norwalk Film Festival will be held January 19 - 21, 2024 in Norwalk, CT.

Visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org for ticketing and scheduling info.

Links:

⁠Taylor's Instagram⁠

Episode 3 of this season of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast is with Harrison Browne! Harrison is the writer/director of "Pink Light." We chat about shifting careers from hockey to acting, trans representation, and whether he'll direct himself in his next project!

The next episode of this season of the Norwalk Film Festival Podcast is with two people who brought "But I'm a Shoe" to life! Writer/Director Chen Drachman and actor Alexander Ferguson. We chat about different upbringings, wacky animatics, and finding the character when voice acting.

Civil Ants can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Civil-Ants-Book-Alexander-Ferguson/dp/B0GHPH1313

Today's episode features an interview with Katie Colwell; writer and director of Being Here. We talk about her journey in filmmaking and the difficulties of filming on a sailboat.
 
Logline: Before leaving for Brooklyn, Valerie must navigate one last boat day with her sister.

Episode 2.07 features the Executive Producer, Writer, and Lead Actor of Shoudler Season, Anna Clare Kerr. We talk about understanding your weakness and writing what seem like the best ideas of all time in your notes app.

Film Synopsis: Mayellen, a lost and recently divorced woman in her 30s, has been tasked with packing up her late grandmother's beach cottage before it is listed for sale. When a neighbor with dementia brings up old memories, Mayellen has no choice but to confront her grief directly.

Shoulder Season screens Sunday, Jan 12, 2025 at 4:00pm in Norwalk, CT.

For full schedule and tickets visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org

Links:

Instagram: @annaclarekerr

@shoulderseasonfilm

https://www.annaclarekerr.com/

Episode 2.06 features the Writer/Director of Tea, Blake Winston Rice. We talk about the importance of seeing films as part of a film festival (belly fire) and how your career can(nes) change with a trip to France.

Film Synopsis: While rehearsing asking out the girl of his dreams, a lonely and highly allergic Circuit-Shack employee gets stung in the throat by a hornet.

Tea screens Saturday, Jan 11, 2025 at 4:00pm in Norwalk, CT.

For full schedule and tickets visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org

Links:

Blake:

FB: www.facebook.com/blakewrice

IG: www.instagram.com/blakewrice

x: www.x.com/blakewrice

website: www.blakewinstonrice.com

TEA: 

FB: www.facebook.com/teathemovie

IG: www.instagram.com/teathemovie

X: www.x.com/teathemovie

website: www.teathemovie.com 

Episode 2.05 has the Writer/Director Joey LaFrance & DP Brenden Mascherino joining us to talk about their film, The Next Bells. We talk about deciding to shoot a musical short film and choosing the right film to honor the classic musical films.

Film Synopsis: In this musical, Lily is waiting for an important phone call and navigates life assuming the worst, leading her down a dance-filled, spiraling path of self-discovery.

The Next Bells screens Saturday, Jan 11, 2025 at 10:00am in Norwalk, CT.

For full schedule and tickets visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org

Joey's socials:

Instagram
LinkedIn
Brenden's socials:

https://www.brendenmascherino.com/
Instagram

Episode 2.04 features an interview with Karen Turner, talking about her film, Even the Women Must Fight. We talk about her experience in Vietnam and the importance of telling the stories from these Vietnamese women.

Film Synopsis: Even the Women Must Fight, brings to film for the first time the voices of Vietnamese women who took up arms to support Ho Chi Minh’s armies after the US bombed their northern villages. These women’s narratives of war and homecoming and the rare historical footage from Northern Vietnamese combat photographers that documents their courage and competence under fire, challenge stereotypes of Vietnamese women as passive victims in the image of Miss Saigon.

Even the Women Must Fight screens Saturday, Jan 11, 2025 at 2:00pm in Norwalk, CT.

For full schedule and tickets visit NorwalkFilmFestival.org