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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

61:23

3.102-King of Jazz with Matthew Brady

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/19

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film King of Jazz. I'm joined by Matthew Brady from the Warren Peace newsletter and we talk about the use of color in this film that sets it apart for many other films of the time, the relative success of various comedy bits throughout the film, and how many of the sequences throughout are reminiscent of the vaudeville days. You can watch King of Jazz online for yourself or pick up the Criterion release of the film, and be sur...

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36:02

3.101-Filmmaker Interview with Alex Thompson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/16

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Alex Thompson, director of the short film "Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting," the story of a mother and daughter faced with difficult choices as they take part in a coming-of-age hunt set in a fictional 1930s America. Listen to hear about how Alex's world building for the film began with the characters, the process of casting the main characters of the film to ensure they had the right level of humanity for the story, and the challenge of creati...

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57:05

3.100-Sarah and Son with Matthew Carlson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/12

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Sarah and Son. I'm joined by Matthew Carlson from the What Am I Making newsletter and we talk about whether the film would even survive today if not for Chatterton's Academy Award nomination for her performance as Sarah, compare lost films to what it would be like if our music catalog was missing dozens of Elvis or Beatles recordings, and learn about interesting familial connections and an actress who was a bit of a daredev...

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16:18

3.99-Filmmaker Interview with Christoffer Stenbakken

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/09

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Christoffer Stenbakken, director of the short film "The Thief," which follows a boy in a remote town in East Greenland as he looks for his dog that has gone missing. Listen to hear about the challenges of filming with a small crew in a remote location, trying to find the film's lead actors around town when they didn't have phones, and the story's foundation in the personal life of the lead actor. Books mentioned in this episode include: Annihila...

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45:22

3.98-Anna Christie with Swabreen Bakr

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/05

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Anna Christie. I'm joined by Swabreen Bakr from the Anti-Brain Rot newsletter and we talk about Greta Garbo's first words heard on screen, how the film addresses women's issues at a time when that was not a topic of conversation in film, and how the film looks at characters of lower social status in a time when many movies focused on the rich and well off. You can watch Anna Christie online for yourself and be sure to chec...

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11:29

3.97-Filmmaker Interview with Liz Rao

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/02

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Liz Rao, director of the short film "The Truck," which explores the story of a teenage girl and her boyfriend seeking out the morning-after pill in a small town. Listen to hear about Liz's need to tell this story following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, how she made a film with a strict script that still allowed for improvisation from her actors, and some perfect behavior from the weather when it came to shooting the pivotal scene in the film. ...

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38:17

3.96-The Vagabond King with Rebecca Deniston

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/12/01

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Vagabond King. I'm joined by Rebecca Deniston from the Taking Up Room blog and Taking Up More Room newsletter and we talk about how movie musicals continue to be very stagey, try to come up with other films where a character changes identity and is unrecognized by his friends, and look at some great performances from several actors early on in their careers. You can watch The Vagabond King online for yourself and be s...

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26:28

3.95-Filmmaker Interview with Salvatore Scarpa, Max...

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/25

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Salvatore Scarpa, Max Burgoyne-Moore, and Rachid Sabitri, the directors and producer of the short film "Largo," a look at the refugee experience through the eyes of a young child. Listen to hear about knowing that they had the right actor to play their young lead, a very ambitious script which turned out to be easier to write than to film, and one sure fire way to test and see if a boat actually floats. Books mentioned in this episode include: B...

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40:55

3.94-The Green Goddess with Murray Mintz

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/21

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Green Goddess. I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the CineVibeZ Fanzine newsletter and we talk about how much fun George Arliss clearly has playing this role, the differences between the silent version and talkie version of the film, and we try to unravel a twisted knot of a love quadrangle. You can watch The Green Goddess online for yourself and be sure to check out Murray's newsletter. Other films mentioned in this ep...

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20:03

3.93-Filmmaker Interview with Phil Mazo

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/18

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Phil Mazo, director of the short film "Replay," a short docucomedy that explores a memory from his own past. Listen to hear about the challenges of making a documentary film about yourself, how Phil went about reaching out to the original interviewer to involve him in the project, and how certain memories can become lasting images in your mind even decades later. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace:...

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35:52

3.92-Street of Chance with Amanda Kusek

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/14

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Street of Chance. I'm joined by Amanda Kusek from The 90-Minute Movie newsletter and we talk about how the gambling murder in the film ands up being front page news, how it is sometimes easier to follow a silent film than a sound film with poor sound quality, and how many of the stars of this film had just started acting in films after having successful Broadway careers. You can watch Street of Chance online for yourself ...

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21:32

3.91-Filmmaker Interview with Alexandra Bahíyyih Wain

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/11

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Alexandra Bahíyyih Wain, director of the short film "In the Clouds," a story of a family of Iranian refugees and the struggles they face in contemporary London. Listen to hear about the inspiration for the story based on anti-immigration sentiment, how the shooting location became a bit of a character unto itself, and the challenges of finding actors to play her lead roles that fit a very specific set of skills. Books mentioned in this episode i...

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48:51

3.90-The Rogue Song with Helen Cox

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/07

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Rogue Song. I'm joined by Helen Cox from the Movies of Note newsletter and we talk about how MGM could let a momentous film like this end up lost over the years, the incredible work put in by YouTuber Unreeled8 to recreate the film from what we do have remaining, and how MGM marketed the film as a Laurel and Hardy production rather than relying on the relatively new stars that featured more prominently in the film. Yo...

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12:03

3.89-Filmmaker Interview with Tobias Eckerlin

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/11/04

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Tobias Eckerlin, director of the short film "A Sparrow's Song," a story of a widowed air raid warden in the midst of World War II struggles to overcome grief and rediscover joy in her life. Listen to hear about the challenges of creating a consistent look and feel in an animated virtual world, the importance of using sound and music to support and enhance the visual world, and what the experience of the Student Academy Awards was like. Books men...

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47:19

3.88-Their Own Desire with Maria Banson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/10/31

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Their Own Desire. I'm joined by Maria Banson from the Brunello Bombshell newsletter and we talk about Norma Shearer's place as an inspiration for women in Hollywood of the time, the portrayal of a young athletic woman on screen, and a special bond between father and daughter that is a throughline in the film. You can watch Their Own Desire on YouTube or rent it from Amazon and be sure to check out Maria's newsletter....

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23:06

3.87-Filmmaker Interview with David and Sam...

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/10/28

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz, the duo over brother directors behind the film "A Lien" which was nominated for Best Live Action Short at the 97th Academy Awards last March. Their latest short film "Trapped" is also qualified for the 98th Academy Awards. Listen to hear about the inspiration for the story based on their own childhood as sons of a teacher, a creative effects solution that solved the central problem of their film, and the story of shoo...

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53:08

3.86-Sally with Dan Pal

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/10/24

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Sally. I'm joined by Dan Pal from the PalCinema, Television, & Music newsletter and we talk about the use and re-use of popular songs in movies even in the 1930s and 40s, the innovative use of early Technicolor in the film, and how the film might have been much different if made a few years later once the production code was in place. You can watch Sally on Tubi and be sure to check out Dan's newsletter. Other f...

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15:34

3.85-Filmmaker Interview with Elham Ehsas

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/10/21

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Elham Ehsas, director of the short film "There Will Come Soft Rains," a story of a young woman confronting the personal implications of rising sea levels resulting from global warming. Listen to hear about the importance of understanding the personal stories of people impacted by climate change, the importance of layered identities in creating a complex character, and the poem that inspired the film's title. Books mentioned in this episode inclu...

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44:33

3.84-The Love Parade with Enrico Banson

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/10/19

Send us a text Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Love Parade. I'm joined by Enrico Banson from the Director's Notes newsletter and we talk about some uses of editing we haven't seen much in early sound films, how gender roles and class differences are portrayed in the film, and what people mean when they talk about "Lubitsch Land" in the director's films. You can watch The Love Parade on YouTube and be sure to check out Enrico's newsletter. Other films mention...

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18:01

3.83-Filmmaker Interview with Daniel Persitz

The Oscar Project Podcast ·

2025/10/14

Send us a text In today's episode, I interview Daniel Persitz, director of the short film "Key of Genius," a story of a young blind autistic savant and the teacher determined to unlock his genius through music. Listen to hear about the process of casting such a specific character, a brief communication with royalty, and the task of picking which music to feature in a film that focuses so much on playing music. Books mentioned in this episode include: In the Key of Genius: The Extraordinary L...

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188 results

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