WILDsound's The Film Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/lochnesslegendsproductions/

film and television, Film Festival, Film of the Day, filmmaking, magazine, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloDecember 12, 2025Director Aline Jewell. Stars: Katharina Gerlich, Alex Crockford, choices short film, matthew toffolo, Female film festival

EP. 1633: Creative team of JUMPING AT SHADOWS: ARMAGEDDON (Locky Boaretto, Loki Acciarito, Tom Simpson)

Director Locky Boaretto, Co-Writer Loki Acciarito, & Actor Tom Simpson join the podcast to talk about their “Jumping at Shadows” series.

In a world secretly at war with an ancient alien race, a teenage girl discovers a crash landed alien, and uncovers shocking truths about her estranged father… After teaming up with a pair of rebel brothers, she uncovers a galaxy-wide conspiracy and an impending alien invasion. When one of the brothers is captured, the team must risk everything to rescue him from the alien mothership before it can begin its invasion of Earth. Amidst explosive battles and impossible odds, she must face her family’s dark past and rewrite their legacy in order to save the future.

http://www.youtube.com/@lochnesslegends

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Film Festival, Film of the Day, filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloDecember 9, 2025JUMPING AT SHADOWS: ARMAGEDDON, Locky Boaretto, Loki Acciarito, Tom Simpson, matthew toffolo, filmmaker, australia filmmakers

EP. 1629: John M. O’Leary & John W. McMullen (THE TRIAL OF ROMAN WEINZAPFEL)

In Indiana in 1842, an unhappily married woman accuses a young, immigrant priest of raping her in the confessional. His vow to keep the Seal of Confession prevents him from speaking in his own defense. A climate of xenophobia and anti-Catholicism fuels a sensational trial and violent, shameful events that ultimately prove redemptive. Based on a true story.

Get to know the writers:

What is your screenplay about?

A young, German seminarian comes to America to finish his preparation for the priesthood and enter the mission field. Upon ordination, the bishop assigns him to assist a pastor in southwest Indiana. An anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant climate poses challenges to his ministry. These come to a head when an unhappily married woman accuses him or sexually assaulting her in the confessional booth. The screenplay essays the accusation, the resulting trial, his conviction, incarceration, and ultimately his pardon and release from prison.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Historical Drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

O’Leary: This is a fascinating true story of how xenophobia, religious bigotry, racism, and misogyny plant deep roots in America’s cultural fabric. These forces combine and erupt in a gross miscarriage of justice in antebellum Indiana—a state that less than a century later would become the stronghold of the KKK.

McMullen: It reveals an often forgotten era of 19th-century American history, making it a compelling series for a general audience, while also exploring the depths of religion, law, and society in early American history.

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https://instagram.com/americasinging

Matthew Toffolo, Screenplay WritingMatthew ToffoloDecember 4, 2025John M. O’Leary & John W. McMullen, screernwriter, writing, Matthew toffolo, THE TRIAL OF ROMAN WEINZAPFEL

EP. 1628: Filmmaker/Musician Daron Hagen (I HEAR AMERICA SINGING)

The conventions of documentary, musical theater, and magical realism are combined and subverted to address issues of personal, national, and artistic identity through the eyes of a composer desperate to pull off one final backer’s audition whilst hounded by a disdainful documentarian named Charon.

Feature Film: Musical, Meta-modernist, Documentary, Meta-fiction, Bardo, Opera, Musical Theater

https://www.americasinging.art/

Director Statement

This film is the final installment of a project called "The Bardo Trilogy," which begins with "Orson Rehearsed," and continues with "9/10: Love Before the Fall." In the trilogy of features I explore, from the stance of an auteur composer-director-screenwriter-editor, the concept of "operafilm" -- a fusing of the procedures and tropes of lyric theater and cinema in a comprehensively correlative fashion in order to achieve a new form of "gesamtkunstwerk.,

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Directing, filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew Toffolo, Musical, proof of concept filmMatthew ToffoloDecember 3, 2025Daron Hagen (I HEAR AMERICA SINGING), Filmmaker, matthew toffolo, film festival

EP. 1622: Filmmaker Nadav Embon (The Planet That Doesn't Exist)

“The Planet That Doesn’t Exist” is an 8-minute Animation film from Israel, based on the Graphic Novel by Navy Bird Revital Bronshtein.

Navy Bird passed away at the age of 24 last year, caught in the midst of a terrorist attack. Her mother, Liora Bronshtein, brought a team of artists to make this film.

You can watch the film here: https://youtu.be/2fKOtua6s1I?si=bvEzOPU1Afe2Sq0n

Conversation with the director of the piece, Nadav Embon, on the making of the film.

Synopsis:

Professor Star l'Etoile set at her desk, her notes, were packed into spiral leather bound notebooks, stacked one atop of the other. They contained years and years of calculations, which sprung from her notebooks and rose up in a spiral, covering hundreds of desks and antique gold plated wooden boards, that covered the entire room.

BIO:

Nadav Embon is an Israeli director, animator, and multidisciplinary creator. His graduation film Talk About Samson screened at festivals in Japan, Russia, Romania, and Israel, and is taught in both academia and high schools as a tool for biblical studies. He later became Creative Director at Kan, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, and co-founded the global commemoration initiative Zikaron Basalon. Today he lectures at Bezalel Academy and Minshar College, leads a new digital content house at NMC United, and directs In Your Face, a portrait-drawing talk-show blending performance and illustration. His latest work is the animated short The Planet That Wasn’t There, adapted from Navy Bird’s graphic novel.

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Animation, Fantasy, Film Festival, filmmaking, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloNovember 23, 2025Nadav Embon (The Planet That Doesn't Exist), Navy Bird Revital Bronshtein, animation, Israeli short film, filmmaker, animation festival

EP. 1619: Filmmaker/Artist Meredith Adelaide (CHANGE - KRAMON Music Video)

Change - Kramon - Music Video.

The unconscious self and conscious self meet.

Website
Instagram
Interview with star/director Meredith Adelaide on the making of the video.
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Experimental, filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloNovember 15, 2025Meredith Adelaide (CHANGE - KRAMON Music Video), experimenta, music video, Matthew Tofoflo, Matthew Toffolo, wildsound

EP. 1615: Filmmaker Ted Clark (ALL EYES ON YOU)

ALL EYES ON YOU, min., UK

Directed by Ted Clarke

Paranoid couple Adam and Claire move to the peaceful countryside for a fresh start, but quickly become unsettled by a series of sinister interactions with their new neighbours, putting their trust - and relationship - to the test…

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Film of the Day, filmmaking, Horror, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloNovember 11, 2025filmmaker, Ted Clark (ALL EYES ON YOU), matthew toffolo, thriller festival, horror

EP. 1611: Filmmaker Amy Louise Pemberton (FOR LUCIE)

FOR LUCIE, 12min,. UK
Directed by Amy Louise Pemberton
When a devastating family secret comes to light, Nick and Liz must confront painful truths that will change their lives forever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Pemberton

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.https://www.instagram.com/daniele_catini21

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filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloNovember 2, 2025Amy Louise Pemberton (FOR LUCIE), Matthew Toffolo, filmmaker, short film

EP. 1610: Filmmaker Daniele Catini (DIFFERENTLY WATER)

Differently Water, 8min., Italy
Directed by Daniele Catini
Two Arab women meet underwater to express their love. The sea becomes an accomplice to a secret in which their eyes reveal that desire hidden from a world that cannot understand

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-differently-water

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Film of the Day, filmmaking, Film Festival, Independent Film, how to make a film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloOctober 31, 2025daniele catini, Differently Water, Matthew Toffolo, filmmaker

EP. 1605: Filmmaker Daniella Meggoe & Benson Jackson (TALE & BONES – DARK PRINCESS)

Tale & Bones – Dark Princess, 3min., USA
Directed by Daniella Meggoe, Benson Jackson
Dark Princess is a psychological short highlighting the unique relationship between a grandmother and her grandchild. The innocent yet menacing ques are overlooked as something mysteriously dark is brewing.

http://www.sistastalk.org/talebones
https://instagram.com/Nellamovieproduction

Get to know filmmaker Daniella Meggoe:

What motivated you to make this film?
I love horror and creating. I enjoy being challenged, after creating my first short film in 2021 I decided to a horror film.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
2 years

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Thriller Suspenseful

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Understanding angles and finding the right filming crew

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Excitement and joy, it’s interesting to see different perspectives on the film.

When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
Since I was 8 years old, my vision and creativity is pretty broad. I grew up watching movies from various genres and wondered “how did they do that” how did they make that look so real? I’m an avid story teller so I’m developing my creative side.

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Directing, Director of Photography, Film of the Day, filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloOctober 21, 2025TALE & BONES – DARK PRINCESS, Daniella Meggoe & Benson Jackson, matthew toffolo

EP. 1604: Filmmaker Brandon Katcher (Resonance in the Castle)

Resonance in the Castle, 17min., USA

Directed by Brandon Katcher

A mysterious castle breathes with light and color, drawing all who enter into its shifting embrace. Stained glass spills vivid hues across ancient stone, golden reflections dance over strange artifacts, and ethereal performances flare up like living paintings. Surreal, electric, and unbound by space or time. Musicians, dancers, and performance artists bring their visions to life, each performance casting a ripple, before fading into the ether. A place of mystery and spectacle, this living museum exists only in the moment it is seen, leaving behind only echoes. Here, the castle is not a place but a state of mind, a dream in motion, inviting us to lose ourselves within its walls.

https://www.lostsummitfilms.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

The opportunity to make Resonance in the Castle came at a key moment in my life, when I felt directionless and depleted. I had just wrapped a grueling, two-year documentary production, and like so many filmmakers, I found myself in that fog of burnout and uncertainty. What’s next? And then, pure coincidence gave me the opportunity to join an artist residency in a century-old castle in Italy. I traveled there with only a few basic ideas, the glimmer of a story. But through collaboration with musicians, dancers, sculptors, and actors from around the world, a film was born through the freedom of creating without expectation.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Not knowing what to expect from the location or the artists involved, I arrived in Italy with only basic ideas and visuals in my head. Once I was able to see the castle in person and meet the artists, those ideas became collaborations, and the scenes took shape. Each artist had a plan for their live performance, which we adapted for each room and scene. The actual filming took place over two days and became an improvisation as I learned to “dance” with each performer. During the week in the castle, we also performed live in front of an audience and filmed a documentary of the event. Once I returned home, the editing process took about two months.

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Film of the Day, filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloOctober 20, 2025Brandon Katcher (Resonance in the Castle), filmmaker, matthew toffolo

EP. 1603: Screenwriter Amy Kolquist (BEASTIES)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORLXdXShdAk

Desperate to escape her abusive, Christian Nationalist family, a teenage girl finds an unlikely ally when a female werewolf from a pack dead set on killing her family lands in her home, and the attraction they develop for each other forces them into a fight for their very survival.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
Beasties is a coming of age, horror story, about Mara, a late teen girl living on a remote ranch in Montana with her abusive, Christian nationalist family with dreams, but no means, of escaping. Her life changes when Lilly, the daughter of an equally toxic werewolf clan traveling through Montana, ends up saving Mara’s life and consequently lands in Mara’s family’s home during an extreme winter storm. As Lilly’s family descends on the farm to retrieve Lilly, Mara’s family realizes that Lilly and Mara have formed a romantic connection, going against the very roots of their family moral system. With Lilly’s family hell bent on destroying Mara’s, and Mara’s family hell bent on destroying Mara and Lilly, the two girls find themselves in a desperate battle for survival that forces them to each question their own moral compass if they are to win.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Horror and coming of age

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
This movie works with current and relevant themes that are being questioned in our current political climate. The idea of “beasts” is examined in the film superficially as the werewolves, but more authentically of how we have characterized people as beasts within our society based on our morale beliefs. While Mara’s mom tries to initially save Lilly because it is the Christian thing to do, once she realizes that Mara and Lilly have connected romantically, she moves to kill not just Lilly, but also Mara, as her religious beliefs are so compromised by the thought of her daughter being a lesbian. The script also explores the hypocrisy of using our beliefs to defend our actions. In spite of his strong religious beliefs, Mara’s father kills Lilly’s father early in the script because he feels that Lilly’s father is morally beneath him. The script also explores themes of toxic masculinity and the difference in the rules in our society depending on gender. It’s also a fun horror movie set in a remote, barren setting, that has some good old fashioned fun horror scenes.

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Independent Film, Matthew Toffolo, Screenplay WritingMatthew ToffoloOctober 19, 2025Amy Kolquist (BEASTIES), screenwriter, writer

EP. 1601: MARIPOSA film team (DigiPen Institute of Technology)

Mariposa, 5min,. USA
Directed by Brook Vitovsky
Mariposa’s world begins to unravel around her when she finds a mysterious butterfly.

Conversation with director: Brook Vitovsky. producer: Cambria Cheney. composer: Chase Miller. artist/writer: EmmaLeigh Fleck. artist: Kiera Vermeal

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
Growing up, I, Brook Vitovsky, watched my great-grandmother struggle with dementia. From the time I was a toddler until I was thirteen, I saw how the disease slowly affected her mind and spirit. Witnessing that experience firsthand made me realize how deeply dementia impacts not only those who live with it but also their families. My motivation for making this film comes from a desire to honor that experience — to reach people’s hearts and create a sense of shared understanding and connection.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
My team and I worked on this film for over a year.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Heartfelt and bittersweet

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest challenge we faced was definitely the layout. Matching the perspective from the storyboards to the 3D model in Maya proved difficult, especially when it came to controlling the camera.

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Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloOctober 16, 2025MARIPOSA film team (DigiPen Institute of Technology), matthew toffolo, brook vitovsky, cambria cheney, chase miller, emmaleigh fleck, kiera vermeal

EP. 1597: Screenwriter A.E. Guaaker (THE VILLAGE PHANTOM)

Watch the Best Scene Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew4yxfT2YUA

Fiona Haegerbergh, a journalist for The Metro Standard, arrives in a rural Norwegian town to investigate rising drug use. Officially, she’s there to produce a webcast— but Fiona has her own agenda: uncovering the truth behind the recent suspicious death of a local drug dealer. Fiona’s editor urges her to stay on task, as much is riding on the Metro Standard’s survival—now largely dependent on the recent success of its popular web series.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about a journalist Fiona Haegerbergh, who travels to a remote Norwegian town to cover rising drug use for her paper’s popular web series, but she’s secretly investigating the suspicious death of a local dealer. She’s met with hostility from townsfolk and a wary sheriff, but she gradually earns his reluctant trust as she digs into the community’s hidden drug network. Her search leads to Jenny, a young mine worker with ties to Fiona’s brother, who may have inherited the operation. When Jenny is suddenly found drowned, Fiona’s investigation takes a darker turn and she is faced with a devastating choice: expose what she’s uncovered and risk her own secret being revealed—or stay silent and let the town’s shadows close in.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Thriller, Mystery

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it has a good mystery, loveable characters and an unexpected twist.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Powerful forces

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https://www.instagram.com/planetaeric

Female Film Festival, feature screenplay, Film Festival, film and television, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloOctober 12, 2025A.E. Guaaker (THE VILLAGE PHANTOM), screenwriter, writer, Matthew Toffolo, filmmaker

EP. 1595: Screenwriter Eric A Vasallo (A Polar Bear’s Nightmare)

Watch the Best Scene Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl_qNRmmZSs

A grizzly bear and a polar bear mate as a result of climate change and in an attempt to find food for their “grolar bear” cub the male polar bear must leave the safety of their ice cave to hunt and find sustenance for his new family in a harsh and increasingly difficult environment. He encounters humans and gets himself into a bit of trouble while simply trying to survive and provide for his family.

Get to know the writer:

It is a story about the Canary in the coal mine of climate change – Grolar bears. Grolar bears are a new hybrid species, a mutation resulting from the union of a polar bear and a grizzly due to habitat overlap caused by climate change.
This is a comical, yet heartfelt story of one father’s mission to feed his young grolar bear cub or face starvation. His nightmare begins when he encounters humans. Will he survive a nightmare lost among humans and get back safely to his family and save his cub? Or will his family be another casualty of our greed and exploitation of our planet’s resources?

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Matthew Toffolo, Screenplay Writing, screenplay contestsMatthew ToffoloOctober 9, 2025screeenwriter, screenwritter, Eric A Vasallo (A Polar Bear’s Nightmare), Matthew Toffolo, Environmental Festival

EP. 1594: Filmmaker/Musician Donna Weng Friedman (A SILENT CRY)

“A Silent Cry” is a two-and-a-half-minute microfilm set in the Himalayan Mountains—one of the world’s most vital and fragile ecosystems. The film uses evocative visuals and music to highlight the urgent need to sustain and protect this unique environment, which is essential for countless species and provides life-sustaining resources for millions of people.

Project Links

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Film Festival, Film of the Day, filmmaking, Independent Film, Matthew ToffoloMatthew ToffoloOctober 8, 2025Donna Weng Friedman (A SILENT CRY), musician, pianist, matthew toffolo, filmmaker, music video

EP. 1592: Screenwriter Nancy Franklin (ALL THE KING’S HORSES)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgCnQQd1mmY

In a 1960s rural community, a young girl navigates her coming-of-age only to discover family secrets of mental illness, love, and loss that change the course of her life.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl trying to find her place in the turbulent 1960s, a time of women’s rights, civil rights, and gay rights. But what she sees in herself and what others see in her are at odds, and she must navigate mental illness, loss, and the redemptive power of love to find her true self.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama and coming-of-age

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The most compelling aspect of this movie is its strong connection to “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The story parallels the turbulent ’60s with our political climate today, showing us how far we’ve come and the dangers that await us today if we go back.

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