Bond on Cinema

FAULT Short Film with Director Misha Calvert and Actress Coco Jourdana Discuss the Emotional Power of the Primal Scream

The emotionally charged and confrontational short film FAULT, written and directed by Misha Calvert and inspired by the personal experience of its lead actress Coco Jourdana, makes its World Premiere at the 25th Annual Tribeca Festival.
Set within the high-pressure world of elite tennis, the film takes an unflinching look at the complexity of assault and the long-lasting and potentially damaging control coaches have over athletes. 
FAULT follows Steph, a world-renowned tennis champion preparing for the U.S. Open, whose tightly controlled life begins to unravel when her estranged sister Gigi arrives. As their strained reunion gradually flies off the rails, Steph is forced to confront her relationship with her coach and choose between protecting the successful life she's built or potentially losing it all by going public about her coach’s abuse.
At its core, FAULT examines how individuals process trauma in radically different ways. Through the opposing emotional landscapes of Steph and Gigi, the film explores the unseen experience of assault victims, offering a gut-wrenching performance from its two female leads.
Starring alongside Coco Jourdana is Sarah Rich a Steph, whose credits include Purple Hearts on Netflix and #Like on Amazon Prime. Sarah Rich ground sthe film’s emotional intensity in a beautifully layered performance, channeling the fierce competition of women’s tennis alongside an emotional rigidity that finally cracks open in a cathartic final sequence.
There are only a handful of short films that I see each year that leave a lasting impression. Both the storyline and brilliant acting from both Sarah Rich and Coco Jourdana bring the realism that the #MeToo movement is still here.
In the world of the male dominated film industry, female filmmakers are bringing the best stories to the forefront and the short film FAULT is so powerful that this one could easily be a feature film.
#tennis #sports #sexualassaultsurvivor #film #cinema #cinematography #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #actor #actress #bondoncinema #filmfestival #tribeca #amazonprime 

Rosa Brooke's Short Film BIRTHDAY BOY Explores Identity When No One is Paying Attention

Rosa Brooke’s short film BIRTHDAY BOY is about Rae, an artist going through an identity crisis. They’re unsure of their gender, struggling to find success, and starting to feel a little invisible.
It’s Rae’s birthday, and when their father Jeff Culliton comes to visit, along with his troubled wife Mandy, things start to deteriorate. Tragedy strikes the house within minutes, but Jeff insists that they stick to the birthday plan: a family meal at his favorite Mexican restaurant.
As the day goes on, Rae fights to hold the family together, comfort their grieving partner Alice Russell, keep an eye on the increasingly-drunken Mandy, and deal with the non-stop stress of Jeff’s personality, all while being ignored and misunderstood by everyone around them; until the tension bursts and they finally confront their father, with awkward results.
I love how focused this story is in this film, even amongst the chaos. Every scene had a nuance or element that shows us that a person’s identity and presence matters. The cinematography is excellent, but it’s the dialogue and the acting that make this short film shine. It was a joy to watch and contains many life lessons that are brought forth in the most subtle of ways. A must see short film if you are attending a film festival with BIRTHDAY BOY as an official selection.
#shortfilm #gender #identity #empathy #trending #film #cinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmcritic #entertainment #tribecafilmfestival #LGBTQ #bondoncinema #cinematography #screenwriting #storytelling 

Alastair Train's Horror Short PEARLS: Oysters that Go Further than Virility - Film Discussion

Tony and Linda are struggling to start a family. When Tony is confronted with his fertility issues, he turns to Marvin, a mysterious oyster dealer whose products promise virility — but deliver far more than Tony or Linda expected.
Alastair Train’s PEARLS is an out of the box horror short and the big surprise for me is I didn’t know it was a horror film before I watched it. And I loved that as sometimes I won’t read the synopsis so I can watch the film the first time, just like an audience would at a film festival. Then of course I go back to rewatch to find all the cool elements of the storytelling.
The storytelling is excellent, the cinematography is at a high level and the special effects and prosthetics are incredible and gives this film the feel of a feature film.
#horror #horrorshort #horrorfilm #film #cinema #pearls #oysters #fertility #virility #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #desire #bondoncinema 

The Song of Hiawatha: The First Black Hippie Film Documentary - An Interview with the Creators

The Song of Hiawatha tells the story of the life and (high) times of the first black hippie. It includes original music, never seen photos, an FBI file, a letter from J. Edgar Hoover, and testimonials from Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Wayne Kramer, Niagara, John Sinclair, and others.
The documentary traces Hiawatha Bailey’s path as part of the African-American “great migration” from the Deep South to Detroit in the 1950s, to “turning on” to LSD and joining a commune in 1965, and becoming the only Black member of the leftist revolutionary cadre known as the White Panthers in 1968. He served a four-year prison term, and then formed the Cult Heroes, a seminal Detroit punk rock band, in 1978. True to the time, the film floats along in a psychedelic haze as it touches on sensitive issues of race, rock, radicalism, sexual identity, prison life, and antiquated drug laws.
Documents featured in the film include a letter from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, an FBI report, a landmark Supreme Court decision, a contract signed by John Lennon, previously unreleased music by Hiawatha with the Cult Heroes (including a live performance), and many never before seen photos.
#punkrock #documentary #filmdocumentar #hiawathabailey #film #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #punkrockscene #LSD #popculture 

Director James Keach Discusses His Documentary: Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul

Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul traces Allman’s journey through profound personal tragedy and hard-won redemption, revealing how his raw honesty and blues-soaked power permanently reshaped American music.
Told through never-before-seen interviews and rare performance archives, the film weaves an intimate portrait of Allman, candidly reflecting on the death of his brother and bandmate Duane, his battles with addiction, and the personal demons that shaped both his life and his music.
The documentary is anchored by electrifying, rarely seen concert footage that captures the Allman Brothers at their creative peak, offering audiences an immersive, front-row view of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most powerful live bands.
Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul is a 2026 feature-length documentary directed by James Keach that chronicles the life, music, and struggles of the Allman Brothers Band co-founder.
Releasing in theaters on June 17, 2026, it features never-before-seen footage and interviews focusing on his Southern rock legacy, addiction battles, and path to sobriety.
#greggallman #allmanbrothers #allmanbrothersband #rockmusic #southernrock #blues #film #cinema #bondoncinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #documentary #documentaries 

Director Harald Swinkels Reveals the Horrific Truth Hidden in Plain Sight in His Film ODESSA

Our guest today is Harold Swinkels, a Dutch writer and director, whose shortfilm "ODESSA" has garnered significant international acclaim. This unique movie, stands as a testament to his innovative film making style. We discuss his journey and the creative process behind his award-winning work, which has been recognized at numerous film festival events.
In the wake of WWII, a devoted father guides his fleeing family across the Dolomites. He is gentle with his son. And running for a reason.
Odessa follows a fleeing family navigating a fractured and dangerous world, as Josef, his wife Irene, and their young son Rolf journey across rugged terrain in search of safety. What begins as a tense and emotional survival story gradually transforms into something far more complex and unsettling.
As moments of kindness and sanctuary give way to suspicion and pursuit, the film quietly destabilizes the audience’s sense of trust, culminating in a powerful and disquieting revelation that reframes everything that came before.At its core, Odessa interrogates the nature of empathy and the dangers of surface-level judgment.
The film invites audiences to confront their own instincts: who we choose to trust, why we extend compassion, and how easily those instincts can be manipulated. By aligning viewers with a family in crisis, Odessa deliberately draws them into an emotional perspective that becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile.
ODESSA is a haunting film. On the outside, just a family fleeing to another country for a better life. But on the inside, the father carries with him one of the most horrific secrets and crimes known to mankind. And yet, he is a father who wants the best for his wife and son. But he never considered the use of empathy when he was sending others to the crematories or firing squads or his medical experiments.
ODESSA shows how complex human nature is and what we see is brilliant storytelling and filmmaking. As Harald has stated, monsters don’t come dressed as monsters and by the time we realize who they are, it’s usually too late.#film #cinema #filmmaking #filmdirector #interview #bondoncinema #movie #filmmaker #friendship #wwii #wwiihistory #josefmengele #auschwitz #austria #italy #dolomites #alps #odessa #ssofficial #concentrationcamps

Director Paige Morrow Kimball Discusses Her Powerful Short WAIT: Hope and Healing after Shame & Guilt

Paige Morrow Kimball’s WAIT is a powerful short film. When the main character Evie agrees to meet Matt, a guy from her past, Evie, 23, harbors a deep trauma. She agrees to meet Matt, 25, the guy who sexually assaulted her in high school, for an apology seven years in the making.
Bubbling just beneath is a rawer version of Evie, her 16 year old self, who says what adult Evie is too afraid to say. Matt doesn’t remember what he did, only that “something happened.”
Once a rising musician, Matt was derailed by drugs, alcohol, and a guilt he couldn’t name. Evie takes him back to that night and as past and present blur, she confronts her rage, and misplaced shame, as the 16 year old Evie urges her to speak the truth that might set her free.
At its core, WAIT is about silence, shame, and what happens when those things stay buried. But it’s also about hope and the possibility of healing. I want audiences to walk away feeling that even the hardest experiences can be spoken, and that when they are, something begins to shift.
Silence prevents healing in the victim. The silence is multi-facet from no one believing you or just trying to hide the fact that it happened.
#film #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmmaking #cinema #bondoncinema #cinematography #storytelling #sexualassaultsurvivor #intimacycoordinator 

Director Marcellus Cox's Short JAMARCUS ROSE & DA 5 BULLET HOLES Film Discussion: Based on a True Story

We sit down with award-winning writer-director Marcellus Cox, whose extensive work in filmmaking has graced over 200 international film festivals. His independent film projects have garnered more than 150 international awards, showcasing his talent as a movie director. This segment highlights his significant contributions to film production, including his acclaimed short film works.
JAMARCUS ROSE & DA 5 BULLET HOLES, a film inspired by true events about a talented high school MLB prospect who spends the day with his newly minted mentor from the Big Brothers of America program.
This is a powerful film that will resonate with young and old audiences across the nation. A much needed film about not only the importance of mentorship, but also to help youth today to realize no matter what race or creed they are, not let their what others think about them hold them back. #film #truestory #filmdirector #interview #moviedirector #bondoncinema #movie #cinema #filmmaking #filmmaker #MLB #baseball #bigbrother

Director Kendra Monet Discusses Her Short Film ATTACHED - A Psychological Thriller

Kendra Monet’s psychological short film ATTACHED, centers around a woman in her mid to late twenties named Draya.
She is a struggling actress and recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend Davon. She deals with the anxieties of everyday life and healing from a relationship that continues to haunt her.
The film opens with a flashback of Draya killing her ex-boyfriend Davon after an argument that ends their relationship.
A dark metaphor for Draya's complex emotions of love and loss. Davon continues to haunt her throughout the film as an eerie reminder of the past. At the same time, Draya faces the harsh reality of rejection from acting auditions and the uncertainty of her own future.
The possibility of eviction looms over her as she tries to pick up the pieces of her life and cope with how she can move forward to create the life that she has always dreamed of.
Attached chronicles the journey of a young woman seeking to discover herself and heal from the constant rejection and reclaim the lack of control that she constantly feels over her own life.
The complex emotional landscape of Draya provides audiences a mirror into their experiences with a horrifying twist that elevates and heightens our own insecurities, fears and anxieties about our own unknown reality.
ATTACHED has a wonderful and relatable storyline. The cinematography looks and feels like a feature film which I love. The acting is on point in every scene and the music score and choice of songs fit the vibe of the whole film.
#suspensethriller #psychologicalthriller #thriller #shortfilm #film #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #filmproduction #bondoncinema #cinema #cinematography

Actress Eva Birthistle & Director Colin McIvor Discuss the Northern Irish Feature Film NO ORDINARY HEIST

We sit down with director Colin McIvor and actress Eva Birthistle to discuss their exciting new film, "No Ordinary Heist." This new film is based on the true story of the 2004 Northern Bank robbery, offering a fresh take on a notorious bank heist.
Get ready for a thrilling cinematic experience! Anchored by a quietly commanding turn from Eddie Marsan and guided with a steady, assured hand by Colin McIvor, NO ORDINARY HEIST proves to be far more than a retelling of a notorious crime—it’s a deeply human story wrapped in tension and restraint. Eddie Marsan brings a layered vulnerability to Richard Murray, capturing the silent unraveling of a man caught in unimaginable circumstances, while Colin McIvor resists spectacle in favor of authenticity and emotional truth.
What emerges is a gripping, character-driven drama that lingers long after the credits roll. It’s not just about the heist itself, but the unseen cost—the weight of fear, responsibility, and survival. For audiences seeking a crime film with substance, nuance, and a powerful central performance, NO ORDINARY HEIST is well worth the watch. Actress Eva Birthistle, recently starred in Series 2 of Bad Sisters for Apple TV, opposite Anne Marie Duff, Sharon Horgan, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson.
The show won Best Drama Series and Best Supporting Actress at the 2023 BAFTA awards. She is best known for her role in Ken Loach’s A Fond Kiss which saw her win a London Critics Circle Film Award.
She also starred in the Oscar nominated Brooklyn for John Crowley. She can be seen in the hit Netflix show The Last Kingdom. #bankobbery #northernireland #filmdirector #interview #moviedirector #bondoncinema #movie #cinema #filmmaking #filmmaker