Bond on Cinema

Oscar-Qualified Short ENDLING by Writer/Director Kelly Yu: Interview and Film Breakdown

Ladies and gentlemen, the short film ENDLING is told in a fictional documentary style, this charming film follows a documentary crew as they interview Richard (Dennis Dun), the man responsible for taking care of Pao Pao, the last surviving goldfish on earth.
I love short films like ENDLING. They don’t follow any rules and the level of creativity is off the charts fun and endearing. This film is so enjoyable to watch, because we all know it’s fiction without having to be dramatic, sad, gut-wrenching or make us feel heartbroken.
We can sit back and enjoy a film that just makes our day a little bit brighter, even if our day is lacking goldfish.
Kelly Yu is a Swedish-born, New Orleans raised, Chinese-American writer and director. Her work is driven by a deep fascination with finding humanity in the absurd, as well as exploring complex familial relationships and cultural identity often through an "east-meets-west" lens.
Her short films have screened at film festivals around the world, with her first short PLUM TOWN winning the Grand Jury Award at Boston Independent Film Festival, the NFFTY New Talent Award for 'Best Director Under 25.”
Her second short film ENDLING was executive produced by Emmy award winning actress Lena Waithe and premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. 
Kelly Yu tells a profound story of mortality in her absurdist new short film. Told in a fictional documentary style, this charming film follows a documentary crew as they interview Richard played by actor Dennis Dun, the man responsible for taking care of Pao Pao, the last surviving goldfish on Earth.
This incredible short film has qualified to be considered for the 2025 Oscars.
#oscars #interview #filmbreakdown #endling #goldfish #documentary #film #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #animation #cinema #cinematography #storytelling #emmyawards #tribeca #hollyshorts #filmfestival #shortfilms #shortfilm 

Oscar-Qualified Short HAMDARI: Interview/Film Breakdown with Writer/Co-Director Ashley Tabatabai

Ladies and gentlemen, HAMDARDI is a thrilling masterpiece of a short film. It’s longer than most at 25 minutes, but every minute mattered. Ashley Tabatabai tells the story of Ethan, a bereaved immigration officer struggling with his role in the system after meeting a young Iranian brother and sister detained during the travel ban.
This short film has the feel of a high quality feature film. This film has the story, the acting, perfect casting and the cinematography is so good, nothing was missed. The camera  movements helped tell the story without a word being spoken. Sometimes when there are language barriers, the look upon one’s face or in one’s eyes tells the story, it brings a scene or a moment to life.
When one hears the phrase, “Trust the system”, if feels more like one has lost all control. No one will listen, because people today don’t treat each other like humans, just a file number.
We live in a world that is beyond borders, but those borders need to be bound by compassion.
writer/director/producer Ashley Tabatabai an award-winning international actor and filmmaker from a culturally diverse background. He has appeared in various series and independent films, including HBO’s AVENUE 5 and Netflix’s BANK OF DAVE 2: THE LOAN RANGER.
He produced, wrote and starred in the award-winning short film FALSIFIED which was long-listed for the 2018 Oscars.
#oscars #hamdardi #interview #film #filmbreakdown #writer #screenwriter #filmdirector #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmfestival #travelban #compassion #cinema #cinematography

Director Pitof talks Special Effects, Future of AI in Film and the 20th Anniversary of Catwoman

Pitof (Comar) started his career in 1976 as photographer, assistant director and editor for films and commercials. He then branched out into musical scoring, software design and graphic design for television, music videos and commercials.
He is a pioneer of digital imaging in France, Pitof made his debut in visual effects in 1986. And a co-founder of Duran Duboi the digital post production company leader in France.
Pitof then achieved the first French software for digital visual effects used in feature films.
In 1994, Pitof won the Technical Grand Prize for visual effects at the Cannes Film Festival for his work in "Dead Tired".
He went on to direct commercials and short films, most notably the award winning " A Tribute to Jessie Owens and Carl Lewis” in 1996.
A year later he took on the role of second unit director for Jean-Pierre Jeune’'s "Alien: Resurrection".
In 2001, "Vidocq", starring Gerard Depardieu, premiered in France. It was Pitof's feature film directorial debut and the first feature film ever made in High Definition.
And this year marks the 20th anniversary of the film "Catwoman" for Warner Brothers, starring Halle Berry and Sharon Stone.
#specialeffects #AI #film #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #france #visualeffects #catwoman #dccomics #halleberry #sharonstone #batman #olympics #cinema #frenchcinema #cinematography #alien #cannesfilmfestival 

Oscar-Qualifying Short UNSER KIND with Writer/Director Samuel Fluckiger - The Brilliant Compelling Film on Surrogacy

Ladies and gentlemen, UNSER KIND is an Oscar-qualifying short film about a Swiss couple who are expecting a child through surrogacy in The Republic of Georgia when questions about their baby's health arise.
There are many couples around the world who can’t have children. If you desire to know about surrogacy and if it’s right for you. You need to do your homework and learn everything about it. The legalities as well as the emotional toll it could be on both the parents and the surrogate.
Samuel Fluckiger’s UNSER KIND is a brilliant short with incredible storytelling. It is emotionally charged with great acting from Lucy Wirth, Jurg Pluss and Gano Gerliani. The cinematography is beautiful and brings to life the subject of surrogacy. I can see why this film is an award winner, you can’t ignore that all the elements of excellent filmmaking which are very apparent in this film.
#oscars #shortfilm #shortiflms #surrogacy #infertility #Switzerland #RepublicofGeorgia #film #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #cinema #cinematography #relationships 

The Morgan Brothers Discuss their Oscar-qualifying Short Film THE BOAT & the Mission to End Leprosy

My guests today are Irish filmmakers Luke and Jake Morgan.
Their films have screened at festivals all over the world - from South Africa and Japan, the USA to Ireland's premiere festivals.
Luke was the winner of the "Best Director" award at Worcester Film Festival for 2021 and 2022, nominated for the Discovery Award at the Dublin International Film Festival in 2020. He is also an award-winning published poet.
Jake Morgan is a composer, conductor and producer from Ireland who specializes in creating original music and audio for film, theatre, and video games.
Jake was the producer and composer of the multi award-winning short film THE BOAT which has qualified for an Academy Award. He is the co-founder of Morgan Brothers and is based in Galway, Ireland.
Their newest short film THE BOAT is based on a true story. When a young girl named Dhuckia grows up, she wants to be a boat maker, like her father. But when he discovers that she is showing the early symptoms of leprosy, he must make a devastating choice.
#shortfilm #oscars #shortfilms #leprosy #nepal #filmmakers #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmscore #cinema #cinematography #health #theboat #ireland 

Legendary Documentary Filmmaker Francis Whately Talks about His Extraordinary Career (David Bowie, Dolly Parton, Billie Eilish)

Multi Award Winning Producer/Director and Series Producer Francis Whately, who has over 30 years’ experience in high-end & award-winning documentaries for major TV broadcasters on both sides of the Atlantic, including the BBC, HBO, Netflix, A&E, Showtime, Discovery and PBS.  
His hugely diverse range of films cover Music, Arts, History, Current Affairs, Sports, Science and Business. 
Highlights include the award winning and highly acclaimed feature trilogy ‘David Bowie – Five Years’, ‘Power and the World’s Women with Hillary Clinton’, the feature length ‘Dolly Parton – Here I am’, ‘Glastonbury at 50’, the drama documentary series ‘His Most Intimate Betrayal’ about the spy Kim Philby and Andrew Marr’s multi award winning ‘History of Britain’ and ‘History of Modern Britain’.
Francis has interviewed and worked with among others: Billie Eilish, Dame Judi Dench, Twiggy, His Royal Highness the late Duke of Edinburgh, Dolly Parton, Kate Moss, David Bowie, and Chris Martin to name a few.
#documentaryfilm #filmdocumentary #davidbowie #dollyparton #Glastonbury #andywarhol #judidench #BillieEilish #royalfamily #BBC #JellyRoll #coldplay #britian

Palme d'Or Cannes Winner Nebojsa Slijepcevic discusses his Dramatic Short THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT

We discuss his Oscar-qualified, Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winning short film THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT.
Ladies and gentlemen, Nebosha Slijepčević’s Oscar-qualified, Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winning short film THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT is based on a true story that happened in 1993 of a passenger train traveling from Belgrade to Bar when it is stopped by paramilitary forces in an ethnic cleansing operation. There we meet the man who quite literally could remain silent and stands for his rights as well as others on board, leaving witness to this horrific form of treatment in shock. Only one man out of 500 passengers dares to stand up to them. This is the true story of a man who could not remain silent. 
This film brings us an unassuming hero, Tomo Buzov who stood up for his fellow passengers and paid the ultimate price.
This film is a cinematic beauty and deserves being Oscar-qualified. This film is what winning a possible Oscar is all about. A compelling story, acting that grips the heart and stirs your emotions. The cinematography at this level is very rare in cinema and when you get the chance to see THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT you will be like me and not remain silent about how incredible this short film truly is. I believe we call it a masterpiece.
#palmedor #cannesfilmfestival #serbia #croatia #cinema #cinematic #shortfilm #shortfilms #film #filmmakers #filmmaking #filmdirector #screenwriter #truestory #tomobuzov 
 

Animator Michael Hirsh discusses Animation Nation: How We Built a Cartoon Empire

Award-winning creator of some of the most popular animated TV series of our time, including Babar, Little Bear, The Adventures of Tintin, Berenstain Bears, Franklin, The Magic School Bus, Beetlejuice, Inspector Gadget, and Arthur to name a few.
Michael Hirsh has written a tell-all book Animation Nation: How We Built A Cartoon Empire, featuring untold stories of the making of some of the most cherished cartoons of all time.
All in all, Michael Hirsh produced and created over 6,000 episodes of children’s TV programming. These programs ran on every children’s network and cable channel around the world -- PBS, Cartoon Network, CBS, FOX, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, to name just a few. He understood the secret ingredient needed to captivate children with entertaining shows that parents would wholeheartedly endorse and enjoy.
 In his book, Animation Nation: How We Built A Cartoon Empire is not just a memoir; it's a celebration of the power of creativity and perseverance. Packed with humor and hard-won wisdom, Hirsh's narrative is a testament to how passion and entrepreneurial zeal can build a global empire from humble beginnings. This book also contains some nuggets that every entrepreneur should learn when it comes to hiring the right people.
#Babar #Little Bear #TheAdventuresofTintin #BerenstainBears #Franklin #The Magic School Bus #Beetlejuice #InspectorGadget #Arthur #donkeykong #animation #animator #cartoon #comics #Disney #FOX #ABC #CBS #NBC #BBC #ITV #newbook #starwars #georgelucas #stevenspielberg 

4th Dementia: A Comedic Short about Alzheimer's with Writers/Actors Ally Condrath and Jake Mann

My guests today are Ally Condrath and Jake Mann. They are part of Dinner for One, a comedy collective and writing team along with Ian Wexler and Kyle Miller. 
The team writes and produces all projects in-house ranging from indie television to short films, digital content and live sketch comedy. They've performed at the TBS New York Comedy Festival, Upright Citizen's Brigade and headlined sketch festivals across the US.  Dinner for One has been praised as "the funniest, most inventive sketch troupe in the NY Comedy scene." 
Their newest short, 4th DEMENTIA, received the Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay at Flicker's Rhode Island Festival and continues its run, screening at Oscar-qualifying festivals, like HollyShorts, all over the country. 
Ladies and gentlemen, the short film 4TH DEMENTIA is In this multiverse comedy about Alzheimer’s. Nellie, the lead character travels through alternate dimensions in search of her husband.
This film breaks comedy out of the politically correct box we have placed it in. We need to learn to laugh and how to laugh at life’s most challenging situations. Laughter is the best medicine and we can’t keep that type of medicine locked away.
4TH DEMENTIA is a wonderful film. Very high quality cinematography, stellar acting that creates a mixture of emotions in the audience. From laughter to sadness to heartbreak.
We have to learn to laugh in the face of many challenges or we’ll go crazy. 4TH DEMENTIA is not only a film worth seeing, it’s worth remembering.
#dementia #alzheimers #comedy #shortfilm #shortfilms #screenwriter #actor #comedytroupe #cinema #cinematography #film #filmfestival #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector 

Legendary Hollywood Talent Agent Harry Abrams: Let's Do Launch: A Hollywood Agent Dishes on How to Make Your Business and Career Take Off

Founder and former Chairman/CEO of Abrams Artists Agency, Harry Abrams, who always knew that he wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry as a talent agent.
In 1958, he joined MCA Artists, which was then a talent agency. Started in the mailroom for forty dollars a week and quickly rose through the ranks.
He remained at MCA until 1962, it was at this time that Mr. Abrams and an MCA co-worker decided to start their own specialized talent agency named Abrams-Rubaloff & Associates in Los Angeles.
By 1977, Abrams-Rubaloff & Associates had risen to become the top talent agency of its kind throughout the country.
Mr. Abrams, being the driving force behind the agency, he and his partner went their separate ways and Mr. Abrams went onto form what we now know as Abrams Artists Agency.
He made unknown stars into superstars. Carl Weathers, Jaclyn Smith, Liam Neeson, Jason Alexander, Jennifer Lopez, William H. Macy, Sterling K. Brown, Michael B. Jordan, Chandra Wilson and so many others. We can literally name drop all day.
Mr. Abrams is here with his new book, LET’S DO LAUNCH: A HOLLYWOOD AGENT DISHES ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS AND CAREER TAKE OFF.
#hollywood #talentagent #jenniferlopez #carlweathers #jaclynsmith #michaelbjordan #chandrawilson #williamhmacy #sterlingkbrown #liamneesom #jasonalexander #seinfeld #hollywood #film #movies #commercials #TVshows #TVseries #charliesangels