Bond on Cinema

Sarah Solemani's Beautiful Short MASHHAD: Film Discussion on the Endearing Personal Friendship of Two Young Girls in Iran

My guest today is writer/director/actor Sarah Solemani. Her debut short film MASHHAD premieres at the 2025 Hollyshorts Film Festival.
Her film credits include the Bridget Jones franchise, Barry on HBO, Ridley Road on BBC and Chivalry on the Network.
Her new five part show The Party shoots later this year for ITV and she is directing her feature debut with Renee Zellweger and Tiffany Haddish attached to star.
Sarah Solemani is here to discuss her beautiful short film, MASHHAD. Set in the holy Islamic city of Mashhad in Iran, the film follows a spirited young ghetto girl, naive to the great lengths her family must go to keep their identity a secret. Unbeknownst to her, an innocent day of play with a neighborhood friend puts her and her family's life in jeopardy. What unfolds is an extraordinary story of religion as oppression, and faith as survival, and a retelling of Iran's long lost ethnic group. 
I have the honor to interview filmmakers from all over the world. Many from Middle Eastern countries and others from Israel, Europe and of course the UK and the USA.
One thing I know is we are all masterpieces in the Creator’s eyes. Films like MASHHAD is a stern reminder that we need to embrace our differences, form friendships, listen to each other and expand our hearts and our minds. #shortfilm #movie #filmmaker #film #filmdirector #filmmaking #cinephile #cinema #bondoncinema #filmfestival #hollyshorts #friendship #friends

ADO Film Wins Big! Jenifer Lewis Stars in Oscar-Qualified Short by Sam Henderson: In-Depth Film Discussion

My guest today is Samy Henderson, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Film at Baylor University and has been recognized for his outstanding teaching and research over the last decade. 
He is an award-winning film director and writer, named one of the 25 Screenwriters to Watch by the Austin Film Festival and MovieMaker Magazine. 
Sam’s most recent short film, ADO, starring the beloved Hollywood veteran, Jenifer Lewis, won the HBO Short Film Showcase at the American Black Film Festival, making it Oscar-qualified for the 2026 Academy Award Best Live Action Short. 
ADO made its World Premiere at the Oscar-qualifying Flickerfest in Syndey, Australia and went on to screen at several other Oscar-qualifying fests, including the Cleveland International, where it won the FilmSlam Student Choice Award, Florida Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard, Hollyshorts, and the Dallas International Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Texas Short. And it became Oscar-qualified again at Indy Shorts. 
Ladies and gentlemen, Sammy Ray Henderson’s ADO is a timely film. Ms. Hopkins, an aging African American woman, is a middle school drama teacher on the verge of retirement. 
However, while finishing up her final notes to a group of students who are about to perform Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, she’s confronted by a new challenge that threatens her life and the lives of her students. Her only hope lies within the memory of the language of love.
The greatest thing in the world is love. Many people don’t experience simple things in their lifetime like praise, gratitude, encouragement or a simple thank you. 
Many others never have someone to talk too, even more so they don’t have someone who will listen to them. 
ADO is about humanity, it’s about human decency. This film is a lesson to put the smartphone down and start looking at the people around you. Your words can save a life, steer a career or make someone feel appreciated. 
If you are teacher or a parent, your students or kids are fertile soil to plant the best into them. Sometimes one kind word will make the world of difference. Even tossing a baseball with your kid will go a long way. 
In 1999, since the Columbine High School shooting, we have lost 203 children to school shooters and the issue isn’t going away.
Today, I want you all do something for me and I’ll do it too. When you are out and about, tell someone that you appreciate them. Maybe the checkout lady or the waiter or the barista making your coffee. Or tell your teacher, your preacher or professor that you appreciate their hard work and if they have made a difference in your life, tell them. 
I can go on and on, but Sam Henderson’s short ADO is about to make a beeline to the Oscars. Keep your eyes on this one. 
#oscars #academyawards #hollyshorts #cinema #film #shortfilm #bondoncinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #actor #actress #cinephile #filmcritic #filmreview #cinematography #storytelling 

Guy Trevellyan's Short PLASTIC SURGERY: A Matter of Life and Death of our Planet - Film Breakdown

My guest today is Guy Trevellyan and this newest short film PLASTIC SURGERY marks his directing debut and something very close to his heart. Tackling the issue of plastic pollution and its effect on the planet and our health.
Since graduating from the MetFilm School Guy’s unique style has been shaped by working alongside directors such as Wes Anderson, Michael Sarnoski, Shawn Levy and more as an Assistant Director. Learning from these creative titans in the industry has given Guy a window into all forms of filmmaking.
He founded Nice Guy Pictures in 2024 and aims to raise awareness about social and human issues. Stories about family, belonging and truth.
Plastic Surgery is now BAFTA and BIFA qualified having been selected to Hollyshorts, Bolton International and Women X Film Festival amongst others.
Ladies and gentlemen, Guy Trevellyn’s PLASTIC SURGERY is a powerful and again, “Metaphorically Cinematic”. You cannot miss its meaning and more importantly its message. In 2022, microplastics were discovered in human blood for the first time.
Microplastics have been proven to significantly damage cells in the human body. Leading to serious health conditions, cancer, lung disease and birth defects. Plastic is in the food we eat. The water we drink and the air we breathe. Plastic is in you.
We are now living in a world where the real danger to our health is…man himself. Nature has never been a danger to us, as nature has been telling us for centuries what we’ve been doing it wrong.
Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden for disobedience and God gave them a shovel. Since then, man has slowly sinned against the Earth and now in 2025, we are paying the price. Recycling plastics is not actually going to save us as every one of us has Microplastics in our blood, our organs, our brains, our liver and more. So what are we going to do about it. We may have just created a catch-22 with no way out.
This short film PLASTIC SURGERY has a message we need to heed too and hopefully this message makes it all the way to the Oscars or the BAFTAs to reach the multitudes. #plastic #plasticpollution #microplastics #filmmaker #movie #film #shortfilm #filmdirector #cinephile #filmfestival #bondoncinema #filmmaking #hollyshorts

CRAZY LUCKY: Remarkable Stories from Inside the World of Celebrity Icons with John Mason

Entertainment lawyer John Mason and his new book, CRAZY LUCKY: Remarkable Stories from Inside the World of Celebrity Icons. Includes his clients Brian Wilson, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Roy Orbison, Eddie Rabbitt, Kenny Rogers, Olivia Newton-John, Gloria Estafan, Donna Summer and more! 
He was named “Entertainment Lawyer of the Year” by Billboard Magazine, and has represented a variety of icons in the entertainment industry throughout his career, including notable names in film, television and music and top talent in literary and music publishing and more. 
He has served as the chairman of the Nevada Film Commission and as a member of the President’s Committee on The Arts and Humanities. 
Get ready for an enlightening interview today as we’re going to reveal some of the biggest names in entertainment and the stories behind them.
#michaeljackson #kennyrogers #olivianewtonjohn #gloriaestafan #royorbison #quincyjones #reba #randytravis #kennyrogers #thejacksons #celebrities #celebrity #entertainment #entertainmentlawyer 

Can TO KILL A WOLF Film Really Help Us HEAL From Trauma? Film Discussion with Director Kelsey Taylor

Filmmaker Kelsey Taylor’s breakthrough sci-fi short film, “Alien: Specimen”, was created through an initiative with 20th Century and has accumulated over 7 million views.
As a DGA commercial director, Kelsey has worked with brands like Volkswagen, Walmart, and Verizon and her work ranges from comedy to dark world building.
Southwest Airlines tapped Kelsey to direct their branded short film, “Alone In Tombstone”, a modern Western that further proved Kelsey’s ability to work in any genre. 
Drawn to stories that live in the gray and allow for shining perspectives, Kelsey's feature film, “To Kill A Wolf,” which she wrote, directed and produced, is a modern reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood told through the lens of sexual grooming. Which is our discussion for today. 
Ladies and gentlemen, TO KILL A WOLF is a powerful and emotional feature film. In a modern re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood, a social pariah discovers a teenage runaway in the Oregon Wilderness and does his best to help her find a way home – a troubling exploration of trauma and redemption.
TO KILL A WOLF is mysteriously tense, but Kelsey Taylor handles the tough subject matter with grace. The audience will not only be engaged with the story, but learn some things in the process. The film will resonate with those who have had such experiences, and I believe the narrative will lead to a better understanding of this topic for a broader audience. 
#featurefilm #film #cinema #cinematographer #cinema #movies #newmovie #theatrical #trauma #abuse 
 
 

Laura Quinn Geyer's Delightful Animated Short LOST MARBLE: Film Discussion and Breakdown

My guest today is animation director Laura Quinn Geyer, whose love of mixed media and bold colors, versatile style, but loves sharing hopeful stories to delight the whole family. She grew up on the family farm in Cornwall UK, making home videos and building bale forts.
A love of art and math led her to study Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design, before working on animations and live action in NYC and currently London. Collaborating closely with directors and supervisors to visualize films and commercials has been invaluable experience, as she now directs. 
Laura's recent journey into motherhood has been bumpy and beautiful, a tension she explores in her work.
Ladies and gentlemen, Laura Quinn Geyer’s 2 minute and 20 second animated short film LOST MARBLE is such a delight to watch, you want to watch it over and over again.
As the log line says, ‘I love to go with the flow, as long as the flow goes directly to the finish line’ thinks the marble, upon starting their first ever marble run. But when has life ever been a smooth ride?’ This film is a big film in so many ways.
I see so many life lessons in this film that both children and adults will take something positive from it. And we need more positivity in our lives and animation is the perfect medium to put a smile on our faces.
I want to see this film get Oscar-qualified as it deserves it so much. #animation #aninatedshort #cinema #shortfilm #filmmaker #film #filmdirector #cinephile #filmfestival #bondoncinema #hollyshorts

LARGO Short Film Discussion with Salvatore Scarpa and Max Burgoyne-Moore - A Syrian child builds a boat to find his parents

My guests today are writer/directors Salvatore Scarpa & Max Burgoyne-Moore. Salvatore Scarpa, a Sardinian filmmaker and actor, and Max Burgoyne-Moore, a British filmmaker who also works in children's education, have been collaborators since middle school. Together they founded Studio Goodluck.
They are here today to talk about their emotionally moving short film LARGO. A film I have waited a year to see and I am honored to have both of them on the show today. LARGO has its Los Angeles premiere at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, following its world premiere at Indy Shorts International Film Festival, another Academy Award-qualifying event.
The film has a star-studded cast and produced by the Oscar winning production company Slick Films. Ladies and gentlemen, LARGO is a short film that follows Musa, a young Syrian refugee living in the UK, who sets out to build a boat and sail back home in search of his missing parents.
Through Musa's story, LARGO explores the themes of displacement and grief, refracted through the lens of a child's enduring hope. All over the world, millions of people are seeking freedom, better opportunities. But they soon find that their arrival is unwelcome and judged by the color of their skin, their culture or religion.
What gets lost in the translation is every person is a human, made in the likeness of the Creator. Which simply means that each man, woman and child is a masterpiece.
LARGO is a film that reminds us of how fragile life can be. Whether you are chasing a dream, a new land or freedom, when you arrive how would like to be received. We need to take the poignant message that LARGO delivers to us. Love one another.
Extend your hand just like Grace did to Musa in this film. We need to be more like Grace and show grace to others, especially if they don’t look like you, speak like you or believe like you.
LARGO is a film to keep your eye on. A very powerful, emotionally moving film that reaches into the depths of your heart. #shortfilm #shortfilms #film #movies #cinema #cinephile #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #grief #refugees

VOICES FROM THE ABYSS Documentary Short: The Story Behind the La Quebrada Cliff Divers

My guest today is co-writer/director Irving Serrano and the documentary short film VOICES FROM THE ABYSS. Irving Serrano studied the Film Production Course at Centro de Capacitción Cinematográfica and a Bachelor's Degree in Cinematography at Centro.
In 2021, his short film A Charming Man obtained an honorable mention in Shorts México.He produced the short film ¡Beso de Lengua! that won as best Mexican short film in Guanajuato International Film Festival and was selected in Tribeca 2024.
VOICES FROM THE ABYSS, a short documentary film about La Quebrada Cliff Divers with the support of the Mexican Institute of Cinematography official selection at many international film festivals and winner of best documentary short in Cine Las Americas 26 and winner of the best Ibero-American Film at Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Ladies and gentlemen, La Quebrada Cliff Divers in Acapulco, Guerrero, earn their living by diving 100 feet into the sea from a dangerous cliff as part of a thrilling show at La Quebrada. In Voices from the Abyss, we explore the nature of their dives through slow-motion footage, personal testimonies, and an original poem recited by the divers themselves.
VOICE FROM THE ABYSS is a beautiful film showcasing the beauty of cliff diving, but also the dangers. You will be amazed at how young some of these divers are, but there is a spirituality to their diving that only they have experienced.
I remember watching these cliff divers from American television back in the 1970s and 80s and it is still as awe inspiring today. #cliffdiving #cliffdivers #documentary #shortfilm #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #acapulco #mexico #cinema #film #movie #freemovies #youtubemovies #moviestowatch

Rising Filmmaker Urvashi Pathania's SKIN The SHOCKING Short Film and the Truth About Colorism and Beauty Standards

My guest today is writer-director Urvashi Pathania, who makes a striking return to the short film landscape with SKIN’s that makes its U.S. premiere at the prestigious 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival following its world premiere at the renowned Fantasia Festival in Montreal. 
Urvashi, a 2024 Sundance Screenwriters Lab fellow and rising voice in independent film, is known for fusing genre with deep emotional insight. Her previous work includes the Tribeca-premiering short BEAST, and UNMOTHERED, which was acquired by HBO Max.
Her new short film, SKIN is a bold new entry in the evolving conversation around identity, beauty, and self-worth.
Let’s welcome filmmaker Urvashi Pathania and her short film SKIN to the show. 
Ladies and gentlemen, Urvashi Pathania’s short film SKINS is a psychological thriller rooted in personal history and cultural critique, SKIN explores the corrosive impact of colorism and beauty standards through the story of a young Indian American woman’s visit to a mysterious skin-lightening clinic.
Inspired by her own experiences with skin bleaching, SKIN is a surreal and emotionally resonant tale of two sisters caught in a seductive but dangerous pursuit of transformation. 
With unsettling precision, the film confronts the toxic pressures imposed on women of color to conform to Eurocentric ideals, posing the question: how far would you go to be seen as “enough”?
I loved this film, because the message is powerful and it will resonate with many if they are willing to listen and answer honestly. 
Urvashi, thank you for sharing your wonderful film with me today and much success to you at HollyShorts and beyond. 
Ladies and gentlemen, you can catch all of the Bond on Cinema interviews at BondonCinema dot com. Check out our Prime Show, our YouTube Channel and you can listen to us on your way to work on Spotify and more. 
You’ll either see me at the movies or on the red carpet.
#shortfilm #shortfilms #hollyshorts #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #cinema #bondoncinema #filmfestival #beauty #selfesteem #colorism #skinbleaching #cinematography 

Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker Sam Davis Brings an Ambitious Short Film - THE SINGERS: The Interview!

My guest today is Sam Davis, an Oscar-nominated multi-hyphenate filmmaker with a foundation in cinematography. 
After graduating from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, he produced, shot, and edited the Academy Award-winning Netflix short Period. End of Sentence. Since then, his films have gone on to receive honors at Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW among others.
In 2023, Sam was nominated for an Emmy for his cinematography work on the SXSW-winning New York Times Op-Doc Long Line of Ladies, which he also produced under his banner Junk Drawer. 
He later produced and shot the Disney+ short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2024. 
Most recently Sam collaborated with Sean Wang as the cinematographer on the 2024 Sundance Film Festival breakout, Dìdi, which won the Audience Award. 
He is here today to discuss the much talked about short film THE SINGERS! Let’s welcome Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sam Davis and his short film THE SINGERS to the show.
Ladies and gentlemen, The Singers is a short film adaptation of a 19th-century short story written by Ivan Turgenev, in which a lowly pub full of downtrodden patrons connect unexpectedly through an impromptu sing-off. 
With a cast comprised of viral video singing talents and other one-of-a-kind personalities from the unlikeliest corners of the internet, the film is an experimental docu-musical hybrid crafted like an improvisational play.
Sam Davis is a visionary filmmaker bringing a story to life with no script, first time actors and placing it on 35mm film. 
Everything about this short film is beautiful. The story, the setting, the characters, the songs and the cinematography. 
Everyone is talking about this film. The expectations are high when a film keeps getting selected at every top film festival and yes, it’s early, but there is already an Oscar buzz about THE SINGERS. Does it have the magic formula? Yes, but I’m not going to tell you what that formula is, but I see in THE SINGERS. 
For all of you out there you desire to sing, act, dance or play a musical instrument. The world is waiting on you. Step out of your comfort zone and bless the world with what you have. We’ll be happy to applaud you and you’ll be happy to set your talent free, because you got the whole world in your hands. 
Thank you Sam for sharing one of the most incredible short films I’ve seen this year and much success to you on your run up to the Oscars. 
Ladies and gentlemen, you can catch all of the Bond on Cinema interviews at BondonCinema dot com. Check out our Prime Show, our YouTube Channel and you can listen to us on your way to work on Spotify and more. 
You’ll either see me at the movies or on the red carpet.
#shortfilm #shortfilms #cinema #film #hollyshorts #oscars #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmdirector #35mm #filmproduction #singer #singers #pub #impromptu #bondoncinema #cinematography