A Conversation With Poulomi Basu (Maya: The Birth of a Superhero)

Who knew knocking down taboos could be so much fun? With Maya: The Birth of a Superhero, a VR piece that exhibited in the Immersive Competition, first edition at Cannes, and is currently available on Meta Quest, the UK-based Indian neurodiverse artist Poulomi Basu, along with her collaborator CJ Clarke, have crafted a coming of age tale that playfully tackles a topic usually discussed behind closed doors (if at all): menstruation. Indeed, with the titular, South Asian teen as our guide, we’re taken to a threatening land (contemporary London) filled with emotional minefields, forced to navigate everything from bullying classmates to a conservative mom for whom shaming comes easier than any expressions of love. Fortunately, Maya’s got some kickass girl moves – able to hurl tampons with Herculean strength! – which allow her (and us) to ultimately overcome insidious patriarchal stigma, the greatest hurdle of all.

To read my interview visit Hammer to Nail.

“Stereotypes Help People Delegitimize Other People and Ideas They Want to Distance Themselves From”: Michael Premo on Homegrown

While the eruption of violence at the US Capitol on January 6th left most Americans dazed and confused — and too many journalists and talking heads scrambling to dissect the psyche of the rioters as if they were extraterrestrial beings and not our actual next-door neighbors — multimedia artist Michael Premo had been listening and filming throughout the summer of 2020 with open ears and eyes all along. His Venice-debuting Homegrown follows three diverse (yes, diverse) Trump-supporting “patriots”: an excited young father-to-be (to a biracial child) in New Jersey, an Air Force vet and rightwing organizer in “liberal” NYC, and the only person of color and red state resident of the trio, an activist in Texas who finds common cause with BLM. It’s an up close study in how movements get built by true believers seeking camaraderie and connection. Albeit ones whose passion and enthusiasm can sometimes reach a dangerous tipping point, spiraling beyond any single individual’s control. Just prior to the DCTV Firehouse Cinema theatrical premiere of Homegrown (December 6th, with Amy Goodman moderating the Q&A), Filmmaker caught up with the award-winning director, whose past co-creations, with his longtime collaborator and producer Rachel Falcone, include the participatory documentary Sandy Storyline (recipient of the Jury Award at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival), the site-specific performance Sanctuary (for the Working Theater), and the multiplatform exhibit 28th Amendment.

To read my interview visit Filmmaker magazine.