Thursday, March 24, 2016

Beautifying the Beast: A Conversation With Ido Mizrahy (GORED)

I first became aware of “Gored,” Ido Mizrahy’s complicated portrait of Antonio Barrera, a.k.a. “the most gored bullfighter in history,” at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Premiering in the ESPN Sports Film Festival section, the stunningly shot doc – complete with heart-pounding close-ups from inside the ring – follows Barrera as he prepares for his (conflicted) retirement. Which entails the passionate matador not only giving up a life devoted to facing death, but of also laying his dreams of greatness to final rest.

I was fortunate enough to speak with the philosophical Mizrahy a few days after “Gored” hit Netflix (and Amazon and iTunes).



To read my interview visit Hammer to Nail.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Director Van Neistat on "A Space Program" and Collaborating With Tom Sachs

“Filmmaking really messes with your space-time continuum”: Van Neistat on “A Space Program”

Matt Damon’s space-stranded botanist ain’t got nothing on world-renowned artist Tom Sachs. Back in the early summer of 2012 the self-proclaimed bricoleur (DIY projects are second nature to Neistat) took visitors to the Park Avenue Armory on a trip to Mars – or at least a handmade version via the artist’s immersive installation “Space Program 2.0: MARS.” And now, director Van Neistat, costar of HBO’s “The Neistat Brothers” and a frequent collaborator with Sachs, has created his own lovingly crafted documentation of that unique event. I spoke with the unconventional filmmaker prior to the March 18 Metrograph theater premiere of "A Space Program" (which will be followed by Sachs’ latest space-inspired project, “Tom Sachs: Tea Ceremony” at The Noguchi Musuem in Long Island City March 23-July 24).


To read my interview visit Global Comment.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Tech on The Beach: The FilmGate Interactive Creative Conference 2016

“Tech Up, Make Stories, Get a Tan” was the accurate tagline of this year’s cutting edge FilmGate Interactive Conference (which ironically took place at a ’50s-era throwback, the Deauville Beach Resort Miami this past February 20-28). Now in its third year, the event boasts of being “the first conference in the USA to focus solely on interactive and immersive content.” While this might conjure up images of gear heads discussing the latest drone technology – and there was indeed a Tech Playground for those so inclined – most events were not only free but, refreshingly, open and quite welcoming to the lay public.


To read the rest visit Filmmaker magazine.