On September 22, 2025, Chef Matthew Biancaniello embarked on one of the greatest challenges of his life: a 21 mile swim from Catalina Island to Palos Verdes, CA. While his journey is inspiring on its own, he didn’t do it just for himself. The swim was a vehicle to raise money and awareness for Indivisible Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching consciousness and creativity to kids.
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What motivated you to make this film?
This is the 2nd film in a documentary series I’m directing called Rhythms, which is all about the unseen rituals of inspiring people. I learned about Matthew Biancaniello’s marathon swim to raise money for Indivisible Arts through Robert Wemischner, who’s both a friend and was the subject for the first Rhythms film.
I was immediately intrigued, but then I spoke to Matthew as well as Rafael McMaster, the founder of Indivisible Arts, and I was so inspired. I knew I had to tell this story in some way, and thankfully everyone was excited to have me involved in this capacity. Indivisible Arts is a remarkable organization, teaching creativity and consciousness to kids. The first time I went to their space in Hermosa Beach I was taken aback. These kids are able to explore their own sense of self in a way that’s rare, as well as build vital mindfulness and emotional intelligence skills. Coupling that story with Matthew’s intense swim, 2 years after major back surgery, was something I felt deeply moved by.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I learned about the September 2025 swim in July. By early September we were confirmed to shoot, with production beginning on September 22. We completed the film and released it online on November 2, so it was about 4 months in total.—
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Our Threatened & Endangered Species: Allegheny Woodrat follows the Pennsylvania Game Commission and partners as they fight to save one of the state’s most elusive mammals. Once common across the Appalachian Mountains, the Allegheny woodrat has declined for decades due to habitat loss, disease, and the disappearance of its ancient ally—the American chestnut tree.
What motivated you to make this film?
Allegheny Woodrats is Episode II in a series on Threatened & Endangered Species. These films aim to educate folks on the challenges surrounding species conservation, and what people can do to get involved and actions they can take at home to help all wildlife. Wildlife conservation and management is complex, involving hard work, creativity, tenacity and human politics. If we tell the story well, we can ensure all of our native species persist into the future—because people will not protect what they don’t understand and they certainly won’t protect what they don’t know.
The efforts surrounding saving the Allegheny woodrat are complex and involve partnerships across state lines, with varying agencies, non-profits, institutions and universities. There are over 15 groups involved in seeing that this species persists into the future. But the challenges the species’ face is multi-faceted: from the effective extinction of the American chestnut, to habitat fragmentation that cascades into genetic isolation, inbreeding and population loss, and finally the increasing raccoon population as a result of habitat fragmentation. To save a species, we must address all of the challenges. The effort, creative thinking and dedication to our wildlife fills me with hope. Despite all the things going wrong with conservation on a bigger scale, these stories are so impactful and clearly state that we can and will affect change if we just act even in small ways.
I am driven to make a difference with the films I produce. Documentary film is a powerful tool that helps change hearts and minds—even for species or issues for which are foreign to many people. This species is a particular challenge because of the stigma in its name: it isn’t ‘just a rat’ and I hope this piece sheds some light on the importance of all wildlife, despite the name we have assigned them.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I started documenting field work with woodrats—actually translocations—in August of 2020. So, shooting took place over five years with the bulk of it taking place in 2024. I began editing full time in late summer 2024, and tried to do re-shoots and all the interviews in early 2025. Altogether the editing process took 18 solid months.
I am one person and do all of the things: from research to writing, shooting and editing, it’s a monumental task of dedication.
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Herve Marcotte is back on the podcast chatting about his next experimental feature documentary. Without getting TOO flaky, Herve and Matthew take a deep dive into the meaning of life and the human psyche.
Along the Threat of the Other synopsis:
After my first long documentary, “Encounter with remarkable souls”, with focus on the meaning of life, I am exploring the concept of self-realization with two 25 years old young adults. The film is a quest for an unknown treasure that cannot be found alone. Like the red thread of a fulfilled life !
A tightrope walker, a physiotherapist, a sculptress, a researcher and several adults take turns talking about the inner life... and their relationship with others. Throughout the film, fictional scenes resonate with their words. The film is constructed in the manner of an adventure.
Director Statement
In my films, there's a symbiosis between the "actors" (not in the traditional sense) and the director, creating an authentic truth that would otherwise remain undiscovered by them.
I enjoy incorporating elements such as animation, improvisation, experiments, games, self-thoughts. For examples, in "Encounter with Remarkable Souls," I incorporate scenes inspired by the emperor Marcus Aurelius, in "Fraternity is Contagious !" improvisational segments, in “Along the Thread of the OTHER" fictional scenes shot in black & white. Philosophical says constellate my films. I am meticulous in ensuring these elements resonate harmoniously with the documentary's themes, which originate from my thoughts but are never told during filming.
My films, directly or indirectly, revolve around universal love, portrayed by young characters (either in age or spirit), who offer viewers another perspective. I plan to give even more space to the Divine in my future works.
I film alone.
All my documentaries, under small budgets, are of cinematic quality, edited with the assistance of a professional team, including professional editing, music composition, sound design, and mixing.
Last but not least, all my films are films of faith.
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Heal avec Delphine, 30min., USA
Directed by Delphine Breyne
Heal avec Delphine is a deeply personal docuseries that follows individuals navigating life after cancer, trauma, alopecia, and other challenges. Each episode invites viewers into a powerful journey of reconnection and renewal—beginning with an intimate look at the person’s world, followed by a transformative beauty restoration at Delphine’s atelier, and ending with a meaningful surprise to mark their new beginning. Through heartfelt storytelling, emotional connection, and light-touch artistry, the series introduces a new era of beauty and healing, where feeling truly seen becomes the start of renewed self-confidence, emotional healing, and personal transformation.
https://www.instagram.com/delphineeyebrowcouture/
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The Call is a powerful documentary that breaks the silence around firefighter mental health, offering an unflinching look at the trauma, PTSD, and suicide crisis facing first responders. Through raw interviews, real-life stories, and behind-the-scenes access to firehouses in New Mexico, the film explores the emotional toll of a profession associated with bravery, but rarely with vulnerability.
http://thecalldocumentary.com/
Conversation with directors Laura Boyd Owen, Charles Edwin English.
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Interview with the filmmaking team of the feature documentary.
Director: Daniel Matmor. Producer: Jody Glover. Historian: Tom White.
HIDDEN – The Kati Preston Story is a powerful journey seen through the eyes of a child—a firsthand account of a society’s slow and insidious descent into authoritarianism, dictatorship, and tyranny. Kati Preston’s joyful childhood in Hungary came to an end in 1944. Bit by bit, law by law, action by action, her world was dismantled. Everything she knew and loved was stripped away.
https://www.hiddenkatiprestonstory.com/
https://www.instagram.com/freespiritprods
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Jamaica Story is a documentary made to inspire Jamaicans worldwide to invest their time as well as their money to help create a brighter and stronger Jamaica!
https://instagram.com/jamaicastory/
Director Statement
I was born in NY to Jamaican parents, but spent a pivotal time in Little London, Westmoreland, Jamaica. This time created a love and affinity for Jamaica I barley understand sometimes. In 2018 I had the crazy idea to film a feature length documentary about Jamaica talking to any and everyone who said yes. I reached out to anyone I could through many mediums. I spent my own money going back and forth between Jamaica and the US. People told me I was crazy, but here I am today still following my dream of creating a documentary to help change a country and a people.
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Bill W Conscious Contact, 58min, USA
Directed by Kevin Hanlon
Conscious Contact explores the personal spiritual quest of Bill W and his thirst for transcendence.
www.instagram.com/billwconsciouscontent
http://www.billwconsciouscontact.com/
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FIELD REPORT | FLACK FAMILY FARM, 15min., USA
Directed by Travis Limoge
Nestled in the hills of Enosburg Falls, Vermont Flack Family Farm has been contributing to the vibrance of their community through their symbiotic work in the soil for nearly a half a century.
https://www.instagram.com/underblkflag/
https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-field-report
What motivated you to make this film?
As a Chef I have spent the last decade of my career dedicated to researching and implementing community based solutions to the industrial food complex. I have made many impactful relationships with farmers who are working hard to revitalize their local food sheds and felt inspired to share their stories as the majority of the documentaries currently available on food and food production are either glossy or focused on a specific problem rather than demonstrating the collaboration between farmer, soil, and community, the struggles they face and the actions of resilience they take on a daily basis.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
We had a good idea of the message we were trying to relay in the film and when we set out on the farm to shoot the story unfolded chronologically as we were working hand in hand from harvest to production of the fermented products, when we got to post it was quick work as we were smitten with the story we had captured, all told the whole film from start to finish took a month.
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Thought Provoking
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The organic nature of the production didn't really come with obstacles, just lessons, Flack Family Farm welcomed us in and took the reins, we just followed along.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was wonderful to receive feedback from the audience, it was touching that they were able to really connect with the message and the feedback let us know that we had captured the story we were trying to tell.
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The Line We Crossed, 110min., US
Directed by Liz Smith
A British story of dissent, drawn from the frontlines of climate resistance. Through the experiences of those who stood in defiance, it traces the quiet unraveling of our protest rights. The film challenges audiences to question what makes dissent effective and where the line of acceptability is.
http://www.thelinewecrossed.com/
https://www.instagram.com/p75investigates/
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Beat Keepers: The Next Chapter, 43min., Canada
Directed by Cindy Goldberg
A powerful and inspiring documentary that follows a group of talented female drummers as they unite for a life-changing three-day retreat in Dallas, Texas. Through the raw energy of rhythm, unwavering mutual support, and a shared passion for music, these women forge deep, lasting connections and celebrate the transformative power of music to heal, empower, and unite.
https://www.instagram.com/cindygoldbergdrummer
https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-beat-keepers
Get to know the filmmaker;
What motivated you to make this film?
I wanted to spotlight female drummers—many of whom are breast cancer survivors—who lift each other up through rhythm and resilience. Their stories deserved a stage, and I wanted to give them one.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Just under a year. It’s a sequel to my 2019 film, building on that foundation with a new chapter, new faces, and a deeper focus on community.
How would you describe your film in two words!?
Bold. Uplifting.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Staying true to a tight indie budget.
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Beehold, 18min., USA
Directed by Ben Berry
From his work with local nuns looking for answers about their barren apple trees to his consulting with golf courses in natural habitat management to classrooms, and his own design workshop – he is a true beeliever in the good story – the gospel of abundance as taught by bees and he’s helping protect Wisconsin’s beloved pollinators. It’s called Behold and our story starts here. Humm Productions, in collaboration with Mtn Craft Productions, has pioneered a new media format called DocuPod™. It combines the power of short, immersive documentaries with engaging podcast audio to create a captivating 360-degree experience for audiences.
https://www.hummproductions.org/episodes/
https://www.instagram.com/impactually_show/?hl=en
Get to know Director Ben Berry & Producer Brooke Bechtold:
What motivated you to make this film?
Brooke: Our team wanted our proof-of-concept DocuPodTM to be of a very special person serving his community at large with dignity and focus. We had just finished our Beehold podcast, and we knew that if listeners had the opportunity to see Charlie and feel connected to him that a short video documentary would be the perfect complement. We hoped audiences would adore and respect Charlie’s work protecting pollinators as much as we do.
Ben: As Brooke mentioned, we wanted to shoot a proof of concept for our DocuPodTM. Once Brooke found Charlie, it was off to the races. Our goal is to approach every DocuPodTM we do thoughtfully—with a certain slowness. We want to allow the audience to be with the character and walk a mile in their shoes. Once Charlie agreed, our motivation became about showing Charlie’s passion and how that passion is lived out day to day.
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RISING TIDES, 103min,. USA
Directed by Charlie Spickler
Rising Tides is the story of how climate change is affecting the fishing communities on the East Coast, the Coral in the Keys and the domino effect it has on the various regions. We are looking at the Science of Climate change and the politics of what is and what is not being done in Congress.
http://www.risingtidesfilm.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
I read an article in the New York Times about the Peconic Bay Scallops dying before they could be harvested. I grew up out on Long Island, so this became personal for me. That led me to looking at the Blue Crabs down in Maryland and the bleaching coral down in Miami and the Keys and next thing you know, – Climate Change doc.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was overwhelmed. Especially some of the comments that were made that literally mimicked my reasons for making the film, I wanted this film to be accessible and understandable for people with no experience with climate change and or the science of global warming. I wanted to present this information in a way that was understandable, Based on the comments I think I succeeded in doing that.
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GROCERY SHOPPING, 38min., USA
Directed by Harry Roseman
I am at the grocery store three to five times a week. It has become a ritual, picking out the items, going over the shopping list, interacting with the same people year after year. It seems to me, an important aspect of my and many other people’s lives. Something utterly familiar. Though filmed it becomes somewhat mysterious, seen anew, to be rethought about.
Harry Roseman is a sculptor, photographer, draftsman, practitioner of web based works, and professor of art at Vassar College where he currently chairs the Department of Art. In addition to having had many solo exhibitions, Roseman has produced a number of major commissioned public sculptures.
For more info, go to his Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Roseman
https://www.instagram.com/harryroseman/
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
My work takes many forms. An aspect of some of my work in photography, installation, and film centers on my interactions with people in my community as I go about doing errands. I had done some shorter film focused on checking out at the register with my purchases. These interactions are important to me because of the frequent interactions I have with the same people over months and years. They are specific kinds of relationships, These exchanges have an aspect of friendship, though bracketed by the relatively brief interchanges but enlarged by time and repetition. This film stems from those interactions, but also a way of showing a frequent and mundane activity as being worthy and possibly interesting as art. Possibly giving the viewer a new take on their own regular day to day activities, In addition I found aspects of the visual possibilities rather beautiful, as still lives, such as piles of fruits and vegetables. The added addition of bits of conversation that either I had with people or overheard was also interesting to me.
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VOICES FOR MADIDI, 24min., Canada
Directed by Jonathan Derksen
Bolivia’s Madidi National Park is considered to be the most biodiverse place on planet earth. The Uchupiamonas people, who call the park home, are in a constant battle against forces eager to exploit the protected area for its hydroelectric potential, hardwoods and gold. In this documentary, we hear from of the eco-warriors at the front lines.
https://www.instagram.com/jonathanderksen/
Get to know the filmmaker:
The Madidi area of the Bolivian Amazon is perhaps the most biodiverse place on earth. I first visited the area in 1982 as a teenager, when a group of friends and I ventured down the Beni River in a motorized dugout canoe during the rainy season, only to almost meet our fate in deadly rapids, whirl pools and a maze of giant tree snags. Fortunately, we were taken in by some Moseten hunters, who fed us and gave us shelter until the rains abated and we could carry on.
I returned to the area in the nineties as a photojournalist on a national parks beat, then, in 2007 as an expedition leader. In 2008, I filmed with National Geographic on Bolivia’s infamous “Death Road” traversing the Andes to the Amazon. In 2016 and 2017, I worked on a coffee table book “Madidi: an uncertain future” with photographer Sergio Ballivian.
On each expedition, I interacted with the extraordinary Uchupiamonas people, who taught me the ways of the jungle and the profound importance of protecting such unparalleled biodiversity. They also educated me about the various existential threats to the region and its indigenous people. This lit a fire under me.
In 2023, I returned with a film crew in hopes of bringing their story to the rest of the world, culminating in “Voices for Madidi”, a bilingual expression of the eco-warriors serving the front lives of a little-publicized battle.
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CATHY & HARRY, 40min., USA
Directed by Marta Renzi, Daniel Wolff
A revealing and humorous double-portrait of Catherine Murphy and Harry Roseman whose work is in collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Metropolitan Transit Authority. “Cathy & Harry” documents how their lives revolve in joyous, dizzying intensity around work, food, friends, and each other.
Get to know the filmmakers:
What motivated you to make this film?
We thought these two were special people, whose work and relationship should be documented.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
We were pleased that the message came across – and a little surprised that the message seemed to be so much about their relationship.
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KIDS OCEAN DAY / A LOVE PROJECT, 9min., USA
Directed by David Creech
A behind the scenes look at the the educational philosophy of Kids Ocean Day founder, Michael Klubock.
https://www.kidsoceanday.org/
https://www.facebook.com/kidsoceanday
https://twitter.com/kidsoceanday
https://www.instagram.com/kidsoceanday/
Get to know filmmaker David Kreech & Featured Cast Michael Klubock
What motivated you to make this film?
David: I participated in several KOD events and I felt compelled to tell the story of Michael and the volunteers and kids
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
David: I felt the comments were accurate
Michael: I appreciated the time and effort to review the film and the kind words of support,
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THE BRIDGE, 85min., USA
Directed by Evan Jackson Leong
Fifty years ago, our country grappled with widespread discrimination. In Los Angeles, neighborhood leaders challenged these barriers by establishing a community-focused bank, aiming to deliver the American dream to all. The East West Bank Foundation commissioned director Evan Leong to create The Bridge, which explores the struggles, perseverance, and successes of this remarkable journey.
http://www.thebridge-film.com/
Get to know the filmmaker:
As a 6th generation Chinese American I've been fortunate to tell the stories of my community. The Bridge is a story about a humble Chinatown bank that not only grew the community but became a global influence furthering our place in society. For me, I'd be happy to tell these stories for the rest of my career. I was not only inspired but blessed to collaborate with the East West Foundation and Dominic Ng.
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LAST STAND: SAVING THE ELWHA RIVER’S LEGACY FORESTS, 23min., USA
Directed by Dan Herz
When a large, ecologically sensitive legacy forest in the heart of the Elwha River Watershed was identified for harvest, the Earth Law Center, Keystone Species Alliance, and Center for Whale Research began using all legal means possible against the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in an attempt to halt the impending clear-cut. Through breathtaking cinematography and intimate interviews, witness the profound beauty and ecological significance of the watershed, as well as the dire consequences of unchecked deforestation.
Get to know director Dan Herz & Star Elizabeth Dunne
Dan: I met a woman named, Missy Lahren, at an event in San Francisco and she told me about the legacy forests up in Washington state and how she and the law firm where she worked – Earth Law Center, were trying to prevent the state from auctioning off legacy forests for timber harvest. After she explained about the Elwha River, the undamming, the healing of the watershed, the salmon coming back, etc., and how logging could damage the watershed, after spending hundreds of millions of dollars to remove the dams, I felt that it was a story that needed to be told.
Elizabeth: I want people to understand the imminent risk to our last remaining older legacy forests in the Elwha Watershed and Washington state, and really throughout the Cascadia Bioregion. My hope is that through watching the film people will understand what is happening to our forests and why it is important; that they will take action – including by voting for Dave Upthegrove, who was featured in the film, to be the next WA Public Lands Commissioner; and will feel empowered to bring people together in their own communities to protect the places they love.
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MITOTE – SMOKEY MIRROR, 9min,. South Korea
Directed by Jana Sturmheit
In today’s world us humans have developed a complex social system of rules and expectations. Children are taught from the day they are born on how they are expected to behave. They are told what is right and wrong, what is possible and what not. That is, by the standards of the children’s parents and other people in their surroundings, in other words the society they grow up in.
https://instagram.com/jaystorm24.mov
Get to know the filmmaker:
It was not a graduate requirement to make a film in my department of video content design, but I felt like it would be the perfect opportunity to create my first work as director and choreographer. I have choreographed stage performances before but never a video and I wanted to portray the vision that I had inspired by the opening excerpt from the book “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz talking about Mitote – the smokey mirror.
When I have a dance vision, it plays like a movie in my head, rather than a stage performance. Often I find dance visuals intensely focused on the movement rather than the cinematic aesthetics and depth that different camera angles, movement and shot size and cuts add on the final film. I find one of the decisive factors are the intimate closeness that you can create through a camera that is impossible in a stage performance. A second factor is that the camera can move in between the dancers, which a spectator of a stage performance can’t either in most cases.
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