Hugh Welchman, an Oxford University graduate in Philosophy, Politics and Economy, has always had his eyes on film-making. Subsequently, he worked hard by doing almost everything, from teaching history to selling fish, just to support himself while working on film corporates in London. After a few calamitous encounters, Hugh came to a decision that training at…
Category: In Conversation with
The 2nd London East Asia Film Festival: In Conversation with Jeon Hye-jung, the Festival Director
Jeon Hye-jung – who was once a lecturer at a prestigious university in Korea with a background in performing arts – left South Korea many years ago and settled in London. At the beginning of her UK ‘adventure’, she took a position at London Korean Cultural Centre UK, heading government projects and festivals to promote…
The 25th Raindance Film Festival: In Conversation with Matan Yair, Director of ‘Scaffolding’
Matan Yair had been teaching literature in Israel for almost a decade before he made his feature debut Scaffolding. While teaching the subject, he came across individuals from various backgrounds – including challenging youngsters. Matan Yair believed that he could inspire his pupils by letting them follow their own path of self-awareness, by reading poetry and…
The 25th Raindance Film Festival: In Conversation with Rade and Danilo Šerbedžija, Directors of ‘The Liberation of Skopje’
Rade Šerbedžija, born in Bunić, Yugoslavia (now Croatia), is a well-established actor with over 180 (!) film credits. He began his career after graduating from the Academy of Dramatic Arts of the University of Zagreb. He started to perform in films while he was a student, while he also performed at the Gavella Drama Theatre and at…
The 74 Venice International Film Festival: In Conversation with Francois Troukens, Director of ‘Above the Law’
Imagine how hard your life can get sometimes… Can you imagine just how much more difficult it can get for ex-criminals? They face insurmountable challenges if they want to get their lives back on track. Even so, Francois Troukens managed to defy the odds and proved that nothing is impossible. He is now a reformed ex-convict-turned-writer-director…
In Conversation with Mori Yoshitaka and Matsuyama Kenichi
This year’s Udine Far East Film Festival offered a great selection of truly excellent films, and among those, some packed an especially powerful emotional charge; in this grouping, there is no doubt that Satoshi: A Move for Tomorrow was among the very best. The film’s screening was accompanied by director Mori Yoshitaka, known best for his Space…
19th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Naoko Ogigami, the director of ‘Close-Knit’
While LGBT characters seem to be present in almost every Japanese drama or film, the reality is far from that in fiction; the members of the LGBT minority more often than not face scorn and are often shunned in their everyday lives. This is what makes Naoko Ogigami’s newest feature, Close-Knit (2017), that much more…
19th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Tae-yoon, the director of ‘New Trial’
Kim Tae-yoon appears to be a fairly ‘new’ director on the South Korean cinematic scene, given that he only has three director credits under his belt (with him also being the screenwriter for all of his projects), even though his debut feature, A Cruel Attendance, dates all the way back to 2006. 3 features in…
In Conversation with Alexis Jacknow
Alexis Jacknow is an LA-based, award-winning stage director whose passion for new challenges made her venture into the world of filmmaking; she joined hands with Bekah Brunstetter, the author of the award winning play Hey Brother that Alexis directed and developed, to create Again, a short film that received its world premiere at the 2017…
Q&A Session with Ian Paice of Deep Purple
Revered rockers Deep Purple are back with their new album Infinite and an ambitious world tour. As the only remaining original member, drummer Ian Paice, 68, has witnessed every incredible moment of the band’s 50-year career, including the death of his dear friend and co-founder of Deep Purple, John Lord, in 2012. The legendary musician…
In Conversation with Catherine Bailey
Catherine Bailey, a charming British actress, is often recognised for her superb performance in The 39 Steps at the Criterion Theatre. She was also part of The Country Wife at Theatre Royal Haymarket and ‘Tis a Pity She’s a Whore at the Young Vic. Catherine always shines on stage, in small or big roles; she is…
In Conversation with Kelly Reichardt, director of ‘Certain Women’
“They are really full characters who have everyday kind of problems” American filmmaker Kelly Reichardt says of the characters that lead her new film Certain Women. Played by Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and Lily Gladstone respectively, these women are our window into an intriguing yet isolated life in the American North West. They’re…
In Conversation with Stephen Kijak, director of ‘We Are X’
Stephen Kijak is an American filmmaker who created the cult classic Cinemania (2002), which dealt with the lives of cinephiles in New York; after that, his docu-making took on a decidedly musical trajectory. He worked with none other than David Bowie to create Scott Walker – 30 Century Man (2006), then followed it up with The…
In Conversation with Emrhys Cooper
Emrhys Cooper is an ambitious actor whose extensive experience of playing a broad range of roles for musical theatre, television and film makes him one of truly versatile young British actors. Cooper is best known for the Emmy nominated drama series Vanity (2015), the award winning indie feature Till We Meet Again (2015), sci-fi drama Altered…
