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PODCAST

The Oscar Project Podcast

Jonathan Ytreberg

A discussion of all the films nominated for Oscars, starting in 1929, plus interviews with filmmakers and authors writing about the film industry.

tv & film film history

All Episodes

12:53

3.63-Filmmaker Interview with Hannah Rose Ammon

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/08/05

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Hannah Rose Ammon, director of the new short film "We Do Our Best," a tender, true-to-life portrait of motherhood, girlhood and growing up in New York. Listen to hear about the real life event that inspired the film, what it was like filming in a small bar environment in New York City, and the importance of music in telling a story like this. Books mentioned in this episode include: Just Kids by Patti SmithFilms and TV shows mentioned in this ep...

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32:45

3.62-The Last of Mrs. Cheyney with Shawna Carroll

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/08/01

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Last of Mrs. Cheyney. I'm joined by Shawna Carroll from the "Notes From Post" newsletter and we talk about some interesting visual choices from the director and cinematographer throughout the film, incredible costumes (especially on Norma Shearer's Fay Cheyney), and how the plot of the film doesn't quite land in the third act. You can watch The Last of Mrs. Cheyney on YouTube and be sure to check out Shawna's new...

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17:30

3.61-Filmmaker Interview with Aizzah Fatima

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/29

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Aizzah Fatima, writer, producer, and star of the feature film Americanish, a look at several young Pakistani-American women living in Queens as they chase their American dreams. Listen to hear about the roots of the story in Aizzah's one woman show she was performing in New York, the importance of portraying young Muslim women with agency and abilities on screen, and what went into building an ensemble cast for the film. Books mentioned in this ...

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43:08

3.60-Thunderbolt with Jake Myshrall

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/25

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Thunderbolt. I'm joined by Jake Myshrall from the "Film Runner" newsletter and we talk about the innovative ways von Sternberg used sound even in this early sound film, the prevalence of gallows humor throughout the second half of the film, and how various actors are adjusting to the use of sound in film. You can watch Thunderbolt on YouTube and be sure to check out Jake's newsletter. Other films mentioned in this e...

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19:56

3.59-Filmmaker Interview with Frank Sun

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/22

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Frank Sun, whose latest film "We Are Kings" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year and will be playing at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival this August. Listen to hear about how Frank's immigrant background informed the way he looked at the world even from a young age, the benefit of discovering his characters through a feature length version of the script, and how Frank's own mother supported him in achieving his dreams. Book...

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34:08

3.58-The Hollywood Revue of 1929 with Chris Mann

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/18

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Hollywood Revue of 1929. I'm joined by Chris Mann from the "Daily Movie Question" newsletter and we talk about how the film truly feels like watching a stage revue like those that were popular at the time, some interesting visual effects that the film employed at various points, and the propensity for women to be physically carried off stage by a group of several men throughout the film. You can watch The Hollywood Re...

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20:46

3.57-Filmmaker Interview with Nicola Rose

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/15

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Nicola Rose, whose latest film Magnetosphere is playing at ComicCon and the San Diego Children's Film Festival this summer. Listen to hear about the challenges of bringing a character with synesthesia to the screen in a realistic way, realizing that life is a combination of funny moments and emotionally challenging moments, and the experience of working with a young cast that felt like they all naturally belonged together. Books mentioned in thi...

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48:55

3.56-The Valiant with Matthew Carlson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/11

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Valiant. I'm joined by Matthew Carlson from the "What Am I Making" newsletter and we talk about an unexpected prison jazz band, how the limitations of the film technology of the time impacted how stories were told on film, and how a very short play was adapted into a substantially longer film for this story. You can watch The Valiant on YouTube and be sure to check out Matthew's newsletter. Other films mentioned ...

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26:02

3.55-Filmmaker Interview with Amalie Atkins

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/08

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Amalie Atkins, whose film Agatha's Almanac is playing at the Galway Film Fleadh this July. Listen to hear about the force that Amalie's aunt Agatha was in her life, the importance of being present in one's life, and the inherent challenges of shooting on film, especially when some of your film goes missing. Books mentioned in this episode include: Fight Night by Miriam ToewsBeauty: The Invisible Embrace by John O'DonohueThe Garden Against Time: ...

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42:02

3.54-Alibi with Jeff Kramer

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/04

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Alibi. I'm joined by Jeff Kramer from the "Death Star Human Resources Department" newsletter and we talk about the innovative uses of the new sound technology to accompany the film images, the portrayal of both the police and gangsters in the film, and some of the interesting camera shots that the film employs to keep up the visual end of the story. You can watch Alibi on YouTube and be sure to check out Jeff's newsl...

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23:52

3.53-Filmmaker Interview with Jake Wachtel

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/07/01

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Jake Wachtel, whose film "The Sentry" recently screened at SXSW London, Raindance, and the Palm Springs International ShortFest. Listen to hear about the idea for the film that came from wanting to get to know one of the anonymous henchmen from an action film like James Bond, the challenges of filming in the former residence of a king, and how visual effects and sound combined to create a ghostly character. Books mentioned in this episode includ...

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50:02

3.52-The Letter with Lewis Beer

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/27

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Letter. I'm joined by Lewis Beer from the "Slow Moving Pictures" newsletter and we talk about the importance of sound right from the beginning of the film, the structural differences between the play and the film versions of the story, and the force that was Jeanne Eagles in this film that was sadly lost not long after its release. You can watch The Letter on YouTube and be sure to check out Lewis's newsletter. O...

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19:12

3.51-Author Interview with John DiLeo

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/24

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview John DiLeo, a film writer whose most recent book Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performances, was published in 2024. Listen to hear about the process for picking actors and films for this book, some things the Academy might be able to do to revamp the acting categories at the Oscars, and a movie character dinner party for the ages. Books mentioned in this episode include: And You Thought You Knew Classic Movies: 200 Q...

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35:37

3.50-Coquette with Maria Banson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/20

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Coquette. I'm joined by Maria Banson from the "Brunello Bombshell" newsletter and we talk about how the filmmakers used light and darkness to highlight aspects of Norma's personality, a technical snafu that derailed an early showing of the film with sound, and the way the entire film centers around Mary Pickford. You can watch Coquette on YouTube and be sure to check out Maria's newsletter. Other films mentioned in t...

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17:46

3.49-Filmmaker Interview with Nina Gantz

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/17

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Nina Gantz, whose film "Wander to Wonder" was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards. Listen to hear about the original even darker version of the story that never made it to the screen, some thoughts about how you can tell stories in animation that you can't tell anywhere else, and how eyelids can become one of the biggest challenges on a film set. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Expanded Earth: PREPARE T...

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48:33

3.48-The Divine Lady with Janelle Miley

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/13

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Divine Lady. I'm joined by Janelle Miley from the "Right Now, You Like Me" newsletter and we talk about how closely the film aligns with the real life story of Emma Hamilton, some incredible naval battle sequences for the time period, and compare this film to some other Frank Lloyd directed films of the time that we have seen. You can watch The Divine Lady on YouTube and be sure to check out Janelle's newsletter. ...

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18:34

3.47-Filmmaker Interview with Radha Mehta

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/10

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Radha Mehta, who co-directed the short film "Witness" with Saif Jaan. The film tells the story of an Imam of a small town mosque who is faced with choosing between upholding the values of his mosque or protecting the safety and spiritual belonging of a trans man congregant. Listen to hear about the story's basis in Saif Jaan's real experience, how difficult it was to find a working mosque willing to allow a story about a trans character to be fil...

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36:21

3.46-The Leatherneck with Gareth Bradwick

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/06

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Leatherneck. I'm joined by Gareth Bradwick from the "Popped" newsletter and we talk about the uneasy balance in the film between comedy and drama, how the film effectively uses the framing device of a military trial to tell its story, and how both filmmakers and theaters were dealing with the transition from silent to sound films. You can watch The Leatherneck on YouTube and be sure to check out Gareth's newslette...

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21:48

3.45-Filmmaker Interview with Aaron Blaise

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/06/03

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Aaron Blaise, director of the animated short film "Snow Bear," a story of a lonely polar bear navigating a rapidly changing Arctic in search of connection. Listen to hear about how Aaron found his way into animation, what he learned from his many years as an animator at Disney, and the emotional inspiration for the story of this new film. Books mentioned in this episode include: Lullaby by Chuck PalahniukFight Club by Chuck PalahniukFilms ...

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39:21

3.44-Weary River with Jonathan Hammond

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/05/30

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Weary River. Director Jonathan Hammond returns to the podcast to discuss the film and we talk about possibly the most compassionate prison warden character in film history, a theme song that gets played way too much in one film, and whether or not the film works as a part silent and part talking film. You can watch Weary River on YouTube or purchase a copy for your collection and be sure to follow Jonathan on Instagr...

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229 results

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