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PODCAST

First Time Go

Benjamin Duchek

A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.

tv & film film interviews

All Episodes

35:20

Brett Story

First Time Go ·

2025/11/14

If your documentary films were entered into the Criterion Collection, you barely need an introduction, but let me give one to my guest, filmmaker Brett Story, by saying this: her films expand what's possible through visual styling and extensive preparation work. What I mean by that is if you take a look at her work, the story that she is telling can only be said through film. So Brett gives us both something to appreciate and something to strive for. What a thrill it was to talk with her for the

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50:18

Geoff Ryan

First Time Go ·

2025/11/11

Happy Veterans Day! For this special episode, I talk with filmmaker Geoff Ryan about his 2012 film, FRAY. For me, FRAY is one of the more authentic "return from war" stories in a usually bad genre of overwrought films. I wanted to find out more about the making of the film, how the lead actor was cast, and what made Geoff the best person -- a non-veteran -- to tell this story.I'm looking to support more veteran actors, producers, directors...filmmakers. And we need more filmmakers like

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2:11

Indie Film Highlight: THE HOTTEST AUGUST (2019)

First Time Go ·

2025/11/09

Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: THE HOTTEST AUGUST (2019)Director: Brett StorySYNOPSISA complex portrait of a city and its inhabitants dealing with climate change, disguised as a portrait of collective anxiety.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedInSupport this podcast at —

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32:56

Louise Zenker & Daood Alabdulaa

First Time Go ·

2025/11/07

In so many films like WALUD (2025), which depicts the life of an ISIS fighter and his relationship with his two wives, the women are given very little agency. They have things happen to them and deal with the consequences rather than decide their own story. WALUD isn't that type of film.It's the work of co-directors Louise Zenker and Daood Alabdulaa, film students who made a visually stunning and culturally relevant film about unexplored lives. If there's justice in the world, we'll

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30:21

Pierre Saint-Martin

First Time Go ·

2025/11/04

What's it like being accepted into Mexican film school and later direct a film that the country chooses to represent its filmmaking at the Academy Awards? My guest, Pierre Saint-Martin, can speak to that as well as a love for sound design and film noir cinematography.The podcast begins its highlighting of international films nominated for the 98th Academy Awards with WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED (2024), Mexico's selection. The film was directed by an artist who is by turns thoughtful and proud of

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35:39

Contessa Gayles

First Time Go ·

2025/10/28

Occasionally, I'll watch a film so stunning -- visually, musically -- and so important, in terms of cultural relevancy and the issues that it raises, I'll know within a few minutes that I'd love for the director to be on the podcast. It's a blessing that my guest today, filmmaker Contessa Gayles, is here to talk about her journey from CNN to making groundbreaking documentaries.It's not to say that the topics are easy. Making a documentary visual album about an incarcerated

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1:23

Indie Film Highlight: THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE (2023)

First Time Go ·

2025/10/26

Watch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE (2023)Director: Chris CottamWriter: Wally Marzano-LesnevichCast: Paul Reiser; Colm Meaney; Jane LevySYNOPSISThings don't go as planned when two distant cousins -- one from New York City, the other from Ireland -- come together to finally put an end to a generations-long family feud.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow

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33:05

Rachel Noll James

First Time Go ·

2025/10/24

I wouldn’t be surprised if people thought this was a director-only podcast; it’s usually who I host. My guest today, Rachel Noll James, has directed films, of course, but she didn’t direct her last one, INHERITANCE (2024), which is the subject of a lot of discussion in this episode. What I’m really getting at is finding guests who make films happen, whose force of personality in a variety of different disciplines — acting, producing, writing, directing — brought the images at your theater or on your

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26:35

David Goldblum

First Time Go ·

2025/10/21

Some documentaries are too urgent to wait for normal distribution. BIG ROCK BURNING (2025), David Goldblum’s directorial debut, certainly qualifies. The film covers the aftermath of the California wildfires this year in Big Rock from a man who lost his home in the fires.The film is still embarking on a festival run but because of the immediacy of the story, it is now available for streaming on Vimeo. Alongside this film, David has tackled some of the most pressing topics facing our country today,

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49:52

Diana Schemo

First Time Go ·

2025/10/14

If you could highlight one person standing at the intersection of journalism and filmmaking, it would be my guest today, Diana Schemo. 11 years ago, she co-founded the Double Exposure Film Festival as a way to reach people, alongside journalism, and it’s been extraordinarily successful, in both the quality of films and its importance in the larger filmmaking and journalistic communities.This year’s edition takes place October 30th - November 2nd, in Washington, DC, and it not only includes films but

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32:02

Guillaume Campanacci

First Time Go ·

2025/10/10

My guest, writer, director, and actor Guillaume Campanacci made a film, THE SILENT SINNER (2025), for $2000 and then released it at his favorite film festival, the Oldenburg Film Festival. That topic alone would make for a great podcast. But then add in his rich sense of humor and ability to critique everything -- including himself -- and you've got an all-time episode.It'll help if you read this Hollywood Reporter article before listening. In this episode, Guillaume and I talk about:What

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26:03

Ömer Sami

First Time Go ·

2025/10/07

At the end of each episode, I ask my guest if they’d like to highlight someone else, given how hard indie filmmaking is. It’s called the indie film highlight. And of course they do. My guest today, Ömer Sami, is the only person who was nominated on two separate occasions and that speaks to both how well respected he is amongst his peers but how groundbreaking his filmmaking is. In this conversation, I get to find out why that is, and I think it’s partially due to his interest in psychology. His

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20:24

Zoe Eisenberg

First Time Go ·

2025/10/03

You expect a first feature to show its stripes a bit. And be a little bit excusable. As in, well, this is my guest, Zoe Eisenberg’s first feature, so give her a little credit for just getting it done. Zoe said hell no — let’s just jump to fantastic filmmaking. The best way I’d describe CHAPERONE (2024) is a slow burn that builds into a bonfire. The film’s logline: “Alienated by friends and family for her lack of ambition, 29 year old Misha finds a dangerous acceptance in a bright 18 year old athlete

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27:15

Peter Callahan

First Time Go ·

2025/09/30

My guest today, Peter Callahan, made such a fun film called OUT AND ABOUT (2022) that explores the life of a middle age suburban white guy walking around his neighborhood. That’s the film. I watched half of it before going out on my birthday a few weeks ago, and came home, buzzed, ready to watch more of a guy walking around filmmaking. And through meeting his neighbors and other characters, we get a deeper understanding of his life. And today, we do that with the director Peter Callahan. His

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38:45

Lauren Melinda

First Time Go ·

2025/09/26

In the atmosphere we live in in the United States, putting up a title card for your film's first shot that says "in solidarity with Planned Parenthood" and then screening it in red states is brave. That's just the reality. But when you hear from my guest, Lauren Melinda, about her film BEFORE YOU (2025), she tells you this was not her intent. She was not trying to make a political film or send a message on the issue of abortion. In some ways, that would be the easier thing to

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45:43

Irving Franco

First Time Go ·

2025/09/23

“Criminally underrated” is what one Letterboxd critic called Irving Franco’s second feature, ADAM THE FIRST (2024). The film stunned me. The logline: “after finding a list of names and addresses, 14-year-old Adam sets out across the country to meet a series of men who could be his father.” It’s a hero’s journey, well-acted, and the last few scenes will crush you. Irving also scored the film, which you don’t see very often. So why is it misunderstood? We talk about it in this episode with this two

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1:17

Indie Film Highlight: BACK TO BURGUNDY (2017)

First Time Go ·

2025/09/21

Watch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: BACK TO BURGUNDY (2017).Director: Cédric KlapischWriters: Cédric Klapisch; Santiago Amigorena; Jean-Marc RoulotCast: Pio Marmaï; Ana Girardot; François CivilSYNOPSISAfter a ten year absence, Jean returns to his hometown when his father falls ill. Reuniting with his sister Juliette and his brother Jérémie, they have to rebuild their relationship and

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39:27

Hope Lawson

First Time Go ·

2025/09/16

This conversation could have gone on for another few hours. I felt so blessed to chat with a kindred spirit about raising the profile of independent filmmakers, Hope Lawson. Hope founded Takeout LA after finding herself in the filmmaking business. She also works for Gersh so this episode opens up discussions I’ve been dying to have on the podcast. Takeout LA is a film screening series and it’s also a party, which come to think of it, is what this episode is like. In this episode, Hope and I

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35:30

Lee Knight

First Time Go ·

2025/09/12

My guest, Lee Knight, won Best Director at 2025's HollyShorts for his stunning film, A FRIEND OF DOROTHY (2025), but you wouldn't know it because as you just heard, his thoughts are with the indie filmmakers still out there struggling. That sounds exactly like my type of filmmaker to host on the podcast.A FRIEND OF DOROTHY could be described as "a lonely widow's quiet life is upended when a teenage boy accidentally kicks his football into her garden", but that doesn't do

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63:09

Charles Frank

First Time Go ·

2025/09/09

His feature film, SOMEWHERE WITH NO BRIDGES (2020)? Too short, he was told. His award winning short film, SHANTI RIDES SHOTGUN (2025)? Also -- too short! What the world is telling my guest, filmmaker Charles Frank, is that we need to see more of his lyrical vision of the world in the documentary space. His awards and credits in the indie space -- an incredible 10 Vimeo Staff picks, New York Times and New Yorker films, he runs his own production company called Voyager -- only serve to cement this

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210 results

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