Telling stories through film and conversation.
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WILDsound's The Film Podcast

In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.

Posts in Film of the Day
EP. 1173 - Filmmaker Christie Pawluch (IN BETWEEN)

IN BETWEEN, 14min., Canada
Directed by Christie Pawluch
In Between tells the story of Blake, who lives a happy heteronormative life with her long time partner, Eric. After some vivid unexpected dreams, she gets a visit from a love from her past life, Adeline, who shows up to her home from across the world. If your past showed up on your doorstep… what would you do?

http://chriativeproductions.com/
https://www.instagram.com/chriativeproductions/

Get to know the filmmaker:

Heartbreak. After an intense and passionate love with a person from France, it was left unfinished. Making this film was therapy for me. A creative outlet to let go. There was so much love there so I turned it into a film that means alot to me even personally.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1172 - Filmmaker Christian Wehrle (WORLD WAR II: THE SHIPWRECKS OF TRUK LAGOON)

WORLD WAR II: THE SHIPWRECKS OF TRUK LAGOON, 45min., Germany
Directed by Christian Wehrle
“World War II: The Shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon” is a 45-minute documentary that dives into the haunting underwater world of Chuuk Lagoon, a site of immense historical and ecological significance. Once a formidable fortress for the Japanese Imperial Navy during World War II, this tranquil Pacific lagoon now cradles a ghostly fleet of sunken warships and aircraft, remnants of the devastating Operation Hailstone. Through a blend of captivating underwater footage, historical insights, and expert interviews, the documentary unveils the stories of these submerged relics. It explores the ecological transformation of these wrecks into vibrant marine habitats, while also pondering the ethical considerations of diving in this underwater graveyard. The film invites viewers on a reflective journey, intertwining the lagoon’s war-torn past with its present status as a unique sanctuary for marine life, leaving a lasting impression of the intricate ties between history, humanity, and the natural world.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555290403495

Get to know the filmmaker:

The motivation for creating “World War II: The Shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon” stemmed from my profound passion for scuba diving. Truk Lagoon had been at the pinnacle of my diving destinations list for over a decade. When I finally had the chance to dive there and witness its underwater marvels, I felt compelled to share this unique story with the world.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1171 - Filmmaker Burton Rocks (BURTON ROCKS CALLING)

BURTON ROCKS CALLING, 30min., USA
Directed by Burton Rocks
Burton Rocks’ health left him isolated. So, he started calling some of America’s biggest stars.
They answered.
Forty years later, Burton shares his fascinating collection of interviews for the first time.

Get to know the filmmaker:
Burton Rocks: I wanted to thank my parents for giving me the freedom of expression when I was so ill in my youth in hospitals. Today I am hoping this film inspires others.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1170 - Filmmaker Anita George (THE GIFT OF MAGPIE)

THE GIFT OF MAGPIE, 11min,. USA
Directed by Anita George
It’s carpe diem for a couple of small time grifters on Christmas Eve 1934.

Get to know the filmmaker:
I love the genre and thought it might be interesting to tell a story about expectation and balance of power. I wrote the screenplay a few years before filming actually started. Once that was completed it was about 11 months until the film’s first public screening.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1169 - Filmmaker Andre Joseph (DISMISSAL TIME)

DISMISSAL TIME, 29min,. USA
Directed by Andre Joseph
When a black high school student in a reputable prep school becomes the victim of a vicious form of cyberbullying, his history teacher makes it her mission to bring those responsible to task when the administration fails to act. Inspired by true events

Get to know the filmmaker:

I experienced racially-motivated bullying as a high school freshman where I was one of the few black students in my class. For years, I tried to suppress the trauma privately even though there were times I was uncomfortable in my skin. When the murder of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a national reckoning on race relations in America, I felt motivated to speak about my experience through film and I began to write Dismissal Time that summer inspired by my history.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1168 - Filmmakers Jonathan Gallo, Jeoffrey TC Howe (AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER – SUKI & SOKKA)

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER – SUKI & SOKKA, 4min., USA
Directed by Jeoffrey TC Howe
The lighthearted rivalry between Sokka and Suki unfolds as they engage in a friendly competition, showcasing their respective strengths and weaknesses.

https://www.facebook.com/liveactionavatar
https://instagram.com/officialjaynjay

Get to know producer Jonathan Gallo:

We are big fans of the Avatar the Last Airbender Series, and an actress reached out to our Youtube channel about collaborating on a short about Suki and Sokka. So we wrote the script and got things going. The main goal was to just pay homage to the cartoon.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1167 - Filmmaker Baylee Sinner (WHERE THE ROPE ENDS)

WHERE THE ROPE ENDS, 70min., USA
Directed by Baylee Sinner
In her relentless pursuit of happiness, Nichole found herself drawn to the exhilarating realm of canyoneering. Little did she know that this new daring interest would lead to a life-altering 60-foot fall, during which she would catch a glimpse of the happiness she was chasing.

http://www.wheretheropeends.com/
http://www.facebook.com/wheretheropeends
http://www.twitter.com/wtredocumentary
https://instagram.com/wheretheropeends

Get to know the filmmaker:

I met Nichole in a 6-month yoga teacher training program. At the time, I was destressing from my commercial advertising job and she had just got in the accident and was in a wheelchair, and looking for a way to get outside of her body and connect with others. I learned more about her story and was fascinated with her as a person. Within 10 minutes of our first conversation, we started talking about making a film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1166 - Filmmaker Trevor Motes (THE FABULOUS MISADVENTURES OF PIZZA BOY)

THE FABULOUS MISADVENTURES OF PIZZA BOY, 18min,. USA
Directed by Trevor Motes
Pizza Boy is the town’s most popular and fun-loving Pizza Delivery Boy. After an encounter with a rude customer, a motivational speaker ad on TV motivates him to face his bullies.

https://www.instagram.com/pizzaboymovie/

Get to know the filmmaker:

In 2022, I began my final year at college/film school. I looked back at the previous 3 years of film school and felt unsatisfied with my experience. I wasn’t known for doing anything cool or creative at my school, nobody asked me to be on their sets, and when they did, they only wanted me as an actor, a grip, or to use my truck to tow equipment. I felt unseen and like I wasn’t valued amongst my classmates. I decided for my senior thesis, I wanted to prove everyone wrong, and I ended up writing, producing, directing, acting, producing music for, marketing, editing, and publicly premiering this on my own, and the effect was way bigger than I thought it would be. The hype leading up to this being released became well known at my school. I was underestimated and underused for a long time, but in the end I finally proved my value and worth.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1165 - Actor/Writer Michael Hooper & Director Chase Korzep (THORNWHIP EXPLORATIONS)

THORNWHIP EXPLORATIONS, 7min., USA
Directed by Chase Korzep
In this short comedy film, Australian wilderness expert, Max Thornwhip, takes on the perilous Australian bush with his trusty partner, John Simmons. With danger lurking behind every corner, will Max make it out alive?

https://www.instagram.com/sadurnproductions

Get to know Writer/Producer Michael Hooper:

The idea for this film came when I was watching an Australian wilderness show, and someone got bit by a snake. I remembered that the way people can “stop” snake venom from killing someone is to suck it out before it reaches the bloodstream. I then thought that it would be funny if the person on the show got bit in a more private or intimate area. Then, I thought of how people pee on jellyfish stings to help stop the pain. It suddenly occurred to me that all the ways people can “save your life” in the wild, are somewhat perverted. So I decided to write a short skit about it, but obviously took it up a notch and made it more absurd/unrealistic as the skit went on.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


EP. 1164 - Filmmaker Sangita Iyer (MITTI - Documentary Festival)

MITTI (Discovering Ikigai), 30min., Canada
Directed by Sangita Iyer
Mitti (Discovering Ikigai) is a story of young woman of colour in Canada who chose organic farming as her career choice. Through her story the film highlights the Japanese concept of Ikigai to inspire others, especially youth, to find their passion and purpose in life. The film also highlights environmental and sustainability challenges the world is facing and how ancient cultures considered Mother Earth with gratitude instead of a commodity. The film also attempts to break stereotypes we have about how/what a farmer looks like. The film poster has been conceived and created by at 12 year art enthusiast who seems to have discovered her Ikigai.

http://www.mettlefilms.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mettlefilms

Get to know the filmmaker:

Several reasons actually.
This is one of the topics I am passionate about because culturally I was raised to have a sense of gratitude towards Mother Earth who is considered a life giver, the one who nourishes and sustains us and is worshipped as a Divine Mother. As a mother myself, I believe knowing where our food comes from, learning how to grow our own food and being connected to nature is really important for our future generations because as a society we seem to be getting more and more disconnected from nature. When I formed my production company Mettle Films, it was born with a vision of making films for a cause. Films that are simple, yet thought provoking stories of people, places and things which could also be utilized as a learning resource by schools and parents. I also decided to tell this story to support a local young female farmer, and by showcasing her journey, my hope is to empower others to discover their Ikigai.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


EP. 1158 - Filmmakers Kallie Hu & Madonna Gonzalez (OCD)

OCD, 1min,. Canada
Directed by Madonna Gonzalez
“Amanda, a girl with a debilitating “tick” fights to survive the war raging within her terrifying psyche – all while stuck sitting in a Psych 101 lecture.

https://www.imdb.me/micahkelpin
https://www.instagram.com/iammicahkelpin/

Get to know Kallie Hu Writer & Story Creator:

The film is based on a true story that is very close to me and my family. It’s meant to be a raw look at the reality of its namesake, attempting to demystify the disorder and sharing what success could mean for those living with it.

It was originally written as a submission to Vancouver’s Mighty Asian Movie Making Marathon (MAMM), hosted by the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, which required me to infuse my own heritage into the story while streamlining it into a 1-minute film. I wanted to build empathy by showing how every minute living with OCD can be an intense and terrifying struggle. This struggle is only compounded by the habits of ignoring, misunderstanding, and dismissing mental health issues which are so prevalent amongst Eastern cultural groups. OCD rips back the curtain for those seeking to understand anxiety disorders within the larger context of cultural stigma, while lending a life preserver to those who already know.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1157 - Director Max Sun (FOR PETE'S SAKE)

FOR PETE'S SAKE, 9min., Canada
Directed by Max Sun, Massimo Russo
Based on a true story, For Pete’s Sake is a coming-of-age drama about a boy (LEE) who struggles to defeat his father in an arm wrestling match as he grows up. But when LEE finally achieves victory over his father, he realizes the bittersweet reality of his father’s dismissing strength and time's inevitability.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1156 - Filmmaker Luke Rex (BONDING)

BONDING, 13min., USA
Directed by Luke Rex
A solitary figure at an empty bar, CIA clinical and forensic psychologist, Dr. John Flemington, is planning to visit his girlfriend in Mexico when he is pressured by mysterious underground operatives to join them on a secret mission. He really doesn’t have a choice.

http://www.9livesentertainment.net/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086267809895
https://www.twitter.com/9LivesEntertain
https://www.instagram.com/9_lives_entertainment/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I took 3 months off after graduating with my doctorate in clinical psychology in the summer of 2022. I was wanting to be creative again and challenged myself to direct a short film and do this as thoroughly and professionally as possible (i.e.., form a production company, pay everyone involved, produce, direct, have great sound, compose the music). Having appeared in many shorts as an actor prior to becoming a psychologist I felt both confident and intimated by the process. As a writer, I thought I had a good idea and knew that the difference between backing myself and making the short versus keeping the idea in my head was simply courage – couraage to exercise the confidence to put my idea out there into the world. I also love the spy genre and James Bond, in addition to the spin off creative series we have been seeing with the Mandalorian, Boba Fett. Inspired by Jon Favreau’s passion for alternate universes, I thought it would be fun to explore an alternate Bond Universe, combined with an X-Files style genre. Bonding was born.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1153 - Filmmaker Xuepei Hou (THE ADULTS ARE TALKING)

THE ADULTS ARE TALKING, 9min., USA
Directed by Xuepei Hou
Alex is a young graduate who is struggling to balance her life. She pretends to have it all together and breaks down all of a sudden when her mom tells her the secret she has been hiding for a year.

Get to know the filmmaker:

This is a semi-autobiographical story that happened between me and my mom years ago. It is the first time facing the fear of losing someone that close and the fact that she held that secret from me set off a scary awareness in me that my mother, is also a human who gets sick, makes mistakes, gets scared, and eventually faces the inevitable death. It is silly to acknowledge or make a sane judgment call when it comes to your nearest and dearest. To explore this unsolvable dilemma is what drove me to make this film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1152 - Filmmaker Naomi Silver-Vézina & Vincent Blain (SPACEBOY (A FILM IN SEVEN SONGS))

SPACEBOY (A FILM IN SEVEN SONGS), 27min., Canada
Directed by Naomi Silver-Vézina
Naomi Silver-Vézina weaves the Montreal artist’s L’INDICE seventh album through a short film. At the top of a church tower, a man wakes up weakened and disoriented. He must find the strength to cross this strange place in order to find an exit. SPACEBOY explores loss of autonomy, loneliness and isolation through a quest towards self-acceptance and grief.

https://lindice.ca/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I’ve known Vincent, the film’s composer and star, for a few years since filming a podcast in his studio. When the podcast ended, I approached him about recording music in his studio, and he mentioned he wanted to make a film featuring his latest music project (which became the film’s soundtrack). He told me a little about the music’s inspiration, but left me a lot of space to come back to him with my own impressions and ideas for a concept. I was excited to have the creative space to explore a storyline that wasn’t too closely based on the lyrics, and to integrate different visual concepts throughout the film. We wanted the whole to feel cohesive, but for each song to feel like a tableau, each with its own mood and aesthetic.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1151 - Sonja Grace (SPIRIT TRAVELER: Looking into the Past for a Better Future)

Mystic Sonja Grace looks at the breaking point of two ancient cultures on opposite sides of the world and how their history can help us today. Her ability to Spirit Travel back in time gives a new perspective on the Hopi Indians from Northern Arizona and the Celtic people of England, Ireland, and Scotland. She examines why circular chambers like kivas and stone circles such as Stonehenge were built, the portals that are marked by these sites and the Demi Gods and aliens who influenced them. From the ancient past Sonja brings back hope for the future.

https://sonjagrace.com/
https://www.facebook.com/spiritualpsychicsonjagrace
https://twitter.com/sonjagraceguide
https://instagram.com/therealsonjagrace

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1149 - Filmmaker Melissa Hubert (BEATINGS ARE IN THE BODY)

BEATINGS ARE IN THE BODY, 16min., Canada
Directed by Melissa Hubert
Beatings Are in the Body is an artful exploration of how memories, pain, and a spectrum of emotions are stored in and continue to be carried by our physical bodies. Borrowing the project’s name from a work by Canadian poet Meaghan McAneeley, Beatings Are in the Body is a bracingly beautiful music collaboration between Montreal’s Erika Angell (Thus Owls) on voice/electronics, Róisín Adams (Hildegard’s Ghost) on piano/wurlitzer/voice, and acclaimed Vancouver cellist Peggy Lee. Together with multimedia visual artist Melissa Hubert, they represent an abstract narrative through four selections from their debut album premiering in the Spring 2023. Melissa Hubert is often mixing a variety of analog and digital mediums and her work encompasses a strong emphasis on the visual connection in combination with music, exploring unconventional methods of digital animation using organic materials to create a feeling of ‘supernatural awe’ within a digital landscape.

https://linktr.ee/beatingsareinthebody
https://instagram.com/beatingsareinthebody

Get to know the filmmaker:
When I was approached by the group ‘Beatings Are in the Body’ to create the visuals to their new self titled album, I was thrilled to work with multiple tracks. I now had an abundance of screen time to work with and was inspired to expand upon an earlier concept established in our first collaboration for the music video “No Not This No” which was the beginning of this idea of an abstracted internal pill-cam experience. Having more time, I was able to add to the story of what came before the internal portrait, a more elaborate view of the emotional and mental reach of this imagined tech, and to then show it was all just a dream – I was driven to make a ‘Wizard of Oz’ dream like experience of traversing the inner body, and waking with a new perspective.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1148 - Filmmaker Matthew Ellis (PRIVILEGE)

PRIVILEGE, 13min., USA
Directed by Matthew Ellis
An amateur white male actor is finally given a shot at making it in Hollywood by an established Casting Director but in order to get the role he has to fulfill a deal made by his ancestors thousands of years ago.

https://www.instagram.com/matthewellisofficial/

Get to know the filmmaker:

I was doing a stand up comedy gig as one of my characters, Pistachio. I was presenting a PowerPoint on the true History of Thanksgiving and came up with this idea of the first white male making a deal with demons for more privilege. Once I heard the audience die over the “But white people had to give up the ability to dance or season their food properly” I knew I was onto something. From there ideas just kept coming to me until I knew I had to make this no matter what.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1147 - Filmmaker Mark Schoen (STIGMA)

STIGMA, 3min., USA
Directed by Mark Schoen
The three-minute film STIGMA demonstrates that no matter what your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity all human beings ae basically the same.
The three-minute film STIGMA demonstrates that no matter what your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity all human beings ae basically the same.



https://www.sexsmartfilms.com/company/

Get to know the filmmaker:

The motivation for this film came from a telephone conversation I had with Liana Zhou, Head of Collections at The Kinsey Institute. We were talking about discrimination and how so many people are stigmatized because of superficial factors when we both agreed that basically all people are the same!

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1146 - Filmmaker Kevin Hart (FIELD DAY)

FIELD DAY, 22min., USA
Directed by Kevin Hart
Tom is a lonely widower who awakens one day…

Get to know the filmmaker:
Several things motivated me. First, while driving across the country and loving the fields and pastures on either side of me. I was constantly wishing I could stop and walk in them – but I couldn’t because I had to get to Michigan to see my family. I was struck with the idea of how we live in lines and spaces. So, I wanted my character to finally get off the line and walk in the spaces he had always day-dreamed about. Also, I liked the idea of a loop-structure, which wound up taking the shape of a purgatorial cycle.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.