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PODCAST

We Need to Talk About Oscar

We Need to Talk About Oscar offers in-depth interviews with filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals. Although inspired by titles you expect to be represented at the Oscars, our conversations extend to buzzy indie projects and TV shows, exploring both the technical aspects of filmmaking and the personal stories behind them.

tv & film social sciences

All Episodes

25:00

Visual storytelling and cultural roots: James J....

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/08/07

Filmmaker James J. Robinson joins us to discuss his debut feature 'First Light,' which premieres at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Robinson opens up about his Filipino-Australian identity and how reconnecting with his roots shaped this deeply personal project, exploring themes of cultural heritage, belonging, and authentic representation.We dive into James' transition from still photography to filmmaking, his philosophy of creating breathing room in visual storytelling, and the ethical

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21:43

Sibling Synergy: Ramon Zürcher takes us inside the...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/08/01

Filmmaker Ramon Zürcher joins us to discuss 'The Sparrow in the Chimney,' the final installment in his trilogy with twin brother Silvan that explores family dynamics through a seemingly simple birthday gathering. We dive into how the brothers navigate their creative partnership—sometimes co-directing, other times working solo—while maintaining their unique collaborative relationship.Ramon walks us through the film's exploration of two very different sisters, Karen and Jule, whose contrasting

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19:25

Interpreting the Unfamiliar, with 'Familiar Touch'...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/27

Writer-director Sarah Friedland joins us to discuss 'Familiar Touch,' her debut feature that follows Ruth, an octogenarian woman navigating memory and desire as she transitions into assisted living.We explore how the film reclaims the coming-of-age genre for older characters, with Sarah describing it as a "coming-of-old-age" story that emphasizes how Ruth remains herself even as her world transforms. From the lengthy development process to working with Kathleen Chalfant in the lead role, Sarah

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21:12

Fawzia Mirza transforms personal truth into 'The...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/20

This week, we're joined by Fawzia Mirza, the writer-director behind 'The Queen of My Dreams', a deeply personal film that has garnered multiple award nominations since its TIFF premiere.Fawzia opens up about her artistic evolution from acting to filmmaking, revealing how creating this story became essential for processing her identity as a queer Muslim woman. Her journey into directing wasn't just creative ambition—it was about carving out space for narratives that mainstream cinema consistently

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19:49

From free flights to creative freedom: The trio...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/13

Fresh off their Tribeca premiere, we are joined by the creative team behind 'The Travel Companion' - Alex Mallis, Travis Wood and Wes Auburn. Their latest project brilliantly captures the messy reality of creative ambition through Simon, a struggling documentarian whose desperation for free flights becomes a mirror for every filmmaker's hustle. But this isn't your typical "artist suffers for art" story.In our conversation, Alex, Travis, and Wes pull back the curtain on their collaborative process,

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20:18

Back in the Driver’s Seat with Sarah Adler, star of...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/12

Sarah Adler joins us to discuss her return to the character of Aya in ‘Dead Language’, the feature-length adaptation of the Oscar-nominated short film ‘Aya’.In our conversation, Sarah reflects on revisiting a role after more than a decade, exploring how both she and the character have evolved since the original 2012 short. She shares insights into working again with directors Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun, who made the decision to have her reprise the role despite the time gap—a choice that

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19:06

Flying High: The Journey of 'Kites' and its director...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/11

Walter Thompson-Hernandez joins us to discuss his film ‘Kites’, which premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. In our conversation, Walter reflects on the five and a half year journey that brought ‘Kites’ to life, describing how the project evolved organically rather than following a traditional scripted approach. Working without a strict script, Walter embraced a fluid storytelling method that allowed characters to shape their own narratives—a technique that mirrored the dynamic nature of

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19:02

Cabin Fever: Nora Kirkpatrick on exploring...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/10

Nora Kirkpatrick has burst onto the scene with her debut feature 'A Tree Fell in the Woods', and she joins us for a delightful deep dive into her creative process. With a cast that reads like a who's who of talent—Alexandra Daddario, Daveed Diggs, Josh Gad, and Ashley Park—Kirkpatrick explores her desire to present multiple perspectives on a singular event, ensuring no character becomes the "bad guy".Nora reflects on the painstaking yet exhilarating journey of bringing her vision to life, comparing

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18:52

Scented memories, with 'Fior Di Latte' director...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/09

Charlotte Ercoli joins us to discuss her debut feature 'Fior Di Latte,' a film as rich and layered as its title suggests. Her journey of transforming a personal obsession with perfume into a meditation on memory and identity reveals an artist unafraid to mine her own fascinations for cinematic gold.Charlotte opens up about the intimate process of translating scent into cinema, revealing how she captured the essence of Italy within a demanding filming schedule. We dive into the meticulous production

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22:03

Galloping through life, with 'Horsegirls' director...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/08

What happens when you take a hobby that once seemed outlandish and turn it into a poignant narrative about friendship, acceptance, and personal growth? That's the heart of today's discussion with Lillian Carrier and Lauren Meyering, the creative minds behind 'Horsegirls'.Lillian shares her audition journey and the emotional depth she discovered in Margarita, a character that breaks the mold of typical autistic portrayals in media. Lauren reveals how their collaborative process allowed for richer

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20:37

A mother-daughter tale of light and dark, with...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/07

What happens when grief meets paradise? Lilian T. Mehrel's 'Honeyjoon' finds profound beauty in this collision, following a mother and daughter whose contrasting responses to loss play out against the stunning backdrop of the Azores. Lilian's debut feature asks whether we can laugh while we mourn, love while we ache.She describes her characters through a yin-yang lens: where one woman chases light and humor as shields against pain, the other surrenders to shadow and sorrow. Their dynamic becomes the

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20:48

Fighting for Love: Gianna Toboni on families vs...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/06

Exploring the emotional landscape of parental love amidst legislative turmoil, our conversation with Gianna Toboni, director of the poignant documentary 'Just Kids,' delves deep into the heart-wrenching choices faced by families in states where gender-affirming care is under siege.In a world where government policies threaten the well-being of transgender minors, Toboni's film follows three families as they navigate the treacherous waters of life-altering decisions. The narrative isn't just a

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21:06

Old school rebels and new age challenges, with 'A...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/05

Lucía Garibaldi's latest film, 'A Bright Future', making its world premiere at Tribeca, offers a compelling exploration of rebellion and belonging through the lens of a South American neighborhood that feels both intimately familiar and strangely otherworldly. Our conversation with the Uruguayan writer-director delves into her distinctive approach to crafting a narrative backdrop that blends reality with surrealism, creating a world that resonates on multiple levels.What's particularly intriguing is

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20:36

'We Are Pat' director Rowan Haber on how a 90s...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/04

Rowan Haber's documentary 'We Are Pat' explores the intricacies of identity and representation in the film industry through the lens of Julia Sweeney's groundbreaking character Pat. As the Tribeca Film Festival premieres approach, we delve into how this character became a cultural touchstone that reflects the evolving conversation around gender non-conformity, examining its unexpected relevance in contemporary discussions of identity.Rowan's approach to the documentary embodies a refreshing blend of

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27:05

Navigating Love and Miscommunication: The Making of...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/06/02

Navigating the choppy waters of modern communication while attempting to craft a film about it can feel like trying to tame a wild goose—an exercise in futility and occasional hilarity. Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig, the duo behind the lens of 'I Don't Understand You,' dive deep into the intricacies of their creative process. Our conversation with the two reveals how they tackled the overwhelming presence of cell phones, a modern-day nemesis that threatens to drown out genuine connection.The

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22:05

Out of place but in control: John Maclean and Robbie...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/05/30

John Maclean and Robbie Ryan take us on an insightful journey through the creative process behind their film 'Tornado', reflecting on their decade-long collaboration that has shaped their artistic identities. We dive deep into the thematic undercurrents of their films, with a keen focus on displacement as a recurring motif.Ryan's cinematographic perspective adds a rich layer to the discussion, as he elucidates how the visual language of 'Tornado' borrows from the stylistic elements of classic

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20:11

Back for More: Julia Max and Ian McDonald talk 'The...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/05/23

We have a delightful treat for you today as we welcome back Julia Max and Ian McDonald to discuss ‘The Surrender,’ which you can now watch on Shudder. This episode is extra special because they are our very first returning guests—yes, you heard that right! Ian joined us last fall to discuss the screenplay for ‘Woman of the Hour,’ while Julia first appeared on the show when ‘The Surrender’ screened at SXSW this March.We explore the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with sharing a deeply personal

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21:56

The Sonic Bridge: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan on...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/05/16

Today, we're diving deep into the world of sound and its uncanny ability to bridge the chasm between humanity and nature with the incredibly talented Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan! We kick off our chat with a thought-provoking observation: nature is not just a backdrop, but an active participant in our emotional narratives.As we unravel the layers of Don's latest project, 'Vox Humana', we explore how he ingeniously intertwines sound design with storytelling, turning scripts into sonic experiences

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21:13

Unlocking Verona: Tim Bogart on modernizing...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/05/09

Our deep dive into the world of 'Juliet & Romeo' brought us face-to-face with the marvels and tribulations of adapting such a revered text. Writer-director Timothy Bogart opened up about the challenges of reimagining Shakespeare's work, and we couldn't help but chuckle at how he navigated the fine line between honoring the original material and injecting new life into it.What's particularly enlightening is the discussion surrounding the modern reinterpretation of characters like Juliet, who Tim

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27:51

We Need to Talk About Emmy #21: Jo Willems breaks...

We Need to Talk About Oscar ·

2025/05/06

In our chat with Jo Willems about the fourth episode of 'Black Mirror' Season 7, 'Plaything', we took a thrilling detour into the minds of those who create the visual magic behind the screen. Jo, an engaging storyteller himself, painted a vivid picture of his long-standing partnership with director David Slade.What's particularly intriguing is how Jo approached the dual timelines of the episode, threading together the past and future with a cohesive visual narrative that captures the emotional

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129 results

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