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 Independent Film
January 7, 2023 - Producer Brett Langolf (WIN(D) OVER CANCER)

WIN(D) OVER CANCER, 9min., USA
Directed by Andrew Jowett
Last summer the world was closed, but our waters were open. This crew took the opportunity to make a difference – More Kids On Sailboats, a 501(c)(3) organization is proud to present our first short film – WIN(D) OVER CANCER.

https://morekidsonsailboats.org/
https://www.instagram.com/more_kids_on_sailboats/

Get to know the producer Brett Langolf:
The motivation was the desire to do SOMETHING! My wife, Katie, and I were sitting in the dining room both working (pandemic online elementary school teacher and me trying to run a Creative Advertising department remotely) and we started talking. We had just received our 501(c)(3) status for our non-profit More Kids On Sailboats. We decided to find a path to do something with kids and activate them in these crazy times. Andrew was involved in the new non-profit and was one of our new Board Members. In the real world, he and I had been doing TV Commercials, Sailing Shorts, etc but it was the pandemic and this work had taken a pause. Getting a group together outdoors was basically our only option. So we plotted the course, and we got this crew together….we were not sure what would unfold or what may or might not happen. So we hit record and let the story come to us.

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.

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January 5, 2023 - Filmmaker Erik Nelson (THE BOUNDARY WATERS TRAVERSE)

THE BOUNDARY WATERS TRAVERSE, 12min., USA, Documentary
Directed Erik Nelson
The Running for the Boundary Waters project is designed to highlight the issue of potential sulfide-ore copper mining proposals in the watershed of, and directly adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the running community. Trail runners and environmental advocate Alex Falconer ran the Border Route and Kekekabic trail, creating the boundary waters traverse, a 110 mile run, in 38 hrs 15 mins and 3 seconds. This shows his journey.

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/
https://www.instagram.com/savethebwca/

Get to know the filmmaker:
I’ve always been a big fan of the Boundary Waters, having paddled and camped there many times over the years. When the opportunity came to put our filmmaking skills to use and help spread the word of Alex’s run and the fight to protect such a special place, we had to do it.

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.

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January 4, 2023 - Filmmaker Thomas Gilchrist (MONEY TALKS: THE LIMITS OF FINANCIAL INFLUENCE IN POLITICS)

MONEY TALKS: THE LIMITS OF FINANCIAL INFLUENCE IN POLITICS, 10min., USA, Documentary
Directed by Thomas Chen Hui Gilchrist
The history and importance of governmental regulation of money in United States politics.

Get to know teenage filmmaker!

Storytelling is my passion. When choosing topics for films, I often ask myself what story my audience needs to hear. Often, the most impactful stories are those buried behind the headline and as soon as I started research into money in politics, I knew I had to uncover this amazing story.

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.

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January 3, 2023 -- Filmmaker Lyla Ruth (MEMORIAM)

MEMORIAM, 2min,. USA
Directed by Lyla Ruth
My dad passed away recently and I’ll be completely honest here, watching him die slowly from cancer is a hell I would not wish on my worst enemy. Family and friends ask me how I am feeling, or how I am handling it all. In actuality, the emotions are too intense to verbalize.

https://www.lylaruth.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dancelyladance

From filmmaker Lyla Ruth:

Well, here’s the true story. My father had a very rare form of brain cancer called Glioblastoma. It made him extremely confused. My father was a 6’3” Buffalo Fire Chief, who ironically was incredibly claustrophobic. He could not do an MRI. In order to get him to do it, I had to lay in the bed with him for 25 minutes and hold his hand. He had medication to distract from the enclosed space and the sounds, I did not. I noticed a really interesting rhythm with the machine. And in between the rhythm I would breathe to try and slow down his breath. Later that evening I recorded the rhythm in my head in a few different time signatures. I called my friend Buck Snow, a Grammy Award winning sound engineer, and together we created the beat. It’s a reverse heart beat. I needed a place to channel my emotions while handling the daunting task of being the caretaker of my parents. Thus, the video 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.

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January 2, 2023 - Filmmaker John Redlinger (OUR VOICE NOW)

OUR VOICE NOW, 56min., Documentary
Directed by John Redlinger
An in-depth examination of youth incarceration and probation in Los Angeles County. The film highlights organizations such as The Arts for Healing and Justice Network and the Antirecidivism Coalition, as well as testimonials from real victims of the justice system.

From John Redlinger:

My producing partner and I were approached by one of the organizations highlighted in the documentary, AHJN, to create a short film in response to a propaganda piece put out by LA’s probation department. In truth, this issue was not on our radar… but after we watched the probation video (which was utter nonsense) and spent some time researching the current state of affairs, we were moved to action.

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.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

January 1, 2023 - Filmmaker Brian Bowers (REVERIE)

REVERIE, 9min., USA, Dance
Directed by Brian Bowers
The past can be an unreliable narrator, and the future is simply a shifting reflection of where we are right now. Driven by choreographed movement, original music and sound, REVERIE is an experimental visual narrative that seeks to question and explore. An ensemble dance casts guides us through the delicately narrated introspective, inner dialogue that an emerging artist is having with time itself. Is it true, what they say, that life is but a dream?

http://reverie.nabircreative.co/
https://www.facebook.com/nabircreative
https://www.instagram.com/nabircreative

From Brian Bowers:

Without sounding too cliché, it was like a dream state. I didn’t really set out on pursuing this as my first film project, so it was an accident. I was in the middle of developing a production kit for a film based on classical animation, and it became just a massive undertaking. I shelved the project. And by the end of that week, the idea came to me. What it started off as, and what it turned into, are very different.

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.

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December 31, 2022 - Filmmaker Michael Dufek (GOODBYE, SAM)

GOODBYE, SAM, 29mi., USA, Dark Comedy
Directed by Michael Dufek
After being caught up in an unexpected love triangle, Sam must find out who she is on her own.

From Michael Dufek:

I always wanted to make a film like this. I first loved the idea of an extremely flawed protagonist who just can’t seem to do the right thing. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? From writing the first scene to the finished edit, it took me a full year. I actually started writing the first scene on my down time when I was PA on a bunch of sets.

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.

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December 30, 2022 - Writer/Actor Chris Tergliafera (THE SCREENING)

THE SCREENING, 13min., USA
Directed by Orhun Timur

Writer/Actor: Chis Tergliafera
A tale we know all too well; hopeful actor waits to be called into his commercial audition. However, things are not as they appear. Our hopeful young actor is struck with confusion when he is met with an interrogation from a Sag-Aftra Agent. This satire takes a dive into our relationship with rules and regulations, and how we choose to bend them when it is convenient to us.

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.

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December 28, 2022 - Filmmaker Kyle Briot (EXPRESSION)

EXPRESSION, 2min., USA, Drama
Directed by Kyle Briot
A young woman talks to a professional about her past, but all is not as it seems.

From the filmmaker:

I’ve been making films consistently since I graduated college in 2016 both as a director and a crew member on my friends’ films but after COVID hit we took a long break, obviously. So my brother Kevin used the quarantine time to write a feature film called Losers of Eden that we shot in the summer of 2021. And we had such a blast doing it that I didn’t want to keep waiting to do another one, so I started pre-production on Expression while Losers of Eden was in post.

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.

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December 26, 2022 - Filmmaker Antti Suniala (WALLS BENEATH OUR FEET)

WALLS BENEATH OUR FEET, 5min., Finland, Experimental
Directed by Antti Suniala
Circus short film exploring urban life from unexpected angles. Inspired by the Pasila Street Art District in Helsinki. Collaboration between Race Horse Company, music producer RRKK and the Helsinki Urban Art.

https://www.racehorsecompany.fi/shows/walls-beneath-our-feet
https://www.facebook.com/RaceHorseCompany
https://instagram.com/racehorsecompany

From filmmaker Antti Suniala:

I think beneath it all the main motivation was the beauty of circus and how circus skills can be used to express something out of the ordinary. I have been inspired by certain theater shows that included circus artists and while they didn’t perform circus in it’s traditional or even contemporary sense, they still had that quality of physicality where you could tell yeah only a circus artist could do this. I guess I wanted to approach that same area and also create something that could fit some of the amazing world of dance films without it being circus artists trying to actually dance. I mainly work in management and non-artistic production for our contemporary circus group Race Horse Company, but this was a production where I was the artistic director and looked for ways to expand our creative force into film, while still remaining true to our common vision.

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.

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December 25, 2022 - Filmmaker Alex Sebastian (LOST AT SEA)

LOST AT SEA, 6min,. Germany, Music Video
Directed by Alex Sebastian
A fairy tale gone wrong: A woman between two men.

http://alexsebastian.de/
https://facebook.com/alexsebastianmuc
https://instagram.com/alexsebastianmuc

From filmmaker Alex Sebastian:

I’m basically a self producing independent rock/pop artist and as such in control of the whole creative process start to finish. First there was the song which was inspired by a friends poem. While I was working on producing song with some great musicians (e.g. drummer Jerry Marotta, who also played for Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and many many more) I had to listen to it over and over again while out running. Images of a drifting abandoned boat came into my head (The starting image and the ending image.) and I crafted the initial plot.

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.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

December 23, 2022 - Filmmaker Max Vadset (I DON’T WANNA GO)

I DON’T WANNA GO, 4min., USA, Drama
Directed by Max Vadset
A kid doesn’t want to go to school because he’s worried about the possibility of a school shooting.

https://www.facebook.com/infinitemonkeyproject/
https://www.instagram.com/infinitemonkeystudiosoffical/

From Filmmaker Max Vadset:

I wanted to make this film because of how much gun violence is permeating the consciousness of kids these days. It’s a fear that I have personally experienced and I’m sad that it’s become a normal part of growing up and going to school.

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.

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December 20, 2022 - Filmmaker Christopher Mack (DIVA)

DIVA, 13min., France, Dramedy
Directed by Christopher Mack
What would you do to be a star? On a film with no budget? Audrey, a working actor, is determined to follow her dreams to shine, but finds herself up against growing challenges. Diva is a timely, comedic, and sharp commentary on working in the film industry as a female actor. It explores victimization and complicity in film making.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21054686/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_5
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085008320591

From filmmaker Chistopher Mack:
I make my living, in part, as an acting coach in Paris, France. I also run workshops coaching directors on how to work with actors. Pretty much all the stories in the film are based on true accounts I have heard from actors about experiences in the industry over the years. And it got me thinking about passion which can sometimes lead to systemic abuse in filmmaking.

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.

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December 17, 2022 - Filmmaker Greg Moran (CULICIDAE)

CULICIDAE, 7min., Australia, Drama
Directed by Greg Moran
A late night intrusion leads to a life and death struggle.

http://www.gregmoran.com.au/

From Greg Moran:

I’ve been a high-level quadriplegic since I was 15 as a result of a rugby accident. I have had many late night, frustrating battles with mosquitoes, and I thought it would be a good concept for a short film as it is high stakes, is a universal subject matter and a window into a world that not many people get to see.

I was also hoping that it would be relatable and give people greater insight into some of the challenges faced by such a disability.

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.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

December 14, 2022 - Writer/Producer/Star Danny Abrahms (THE THIRD)

THE THIRD, 4min., USA, Comedy
Directed by Jonathan Kehoe
Making friends is hard.

From Danny Abrahms:

I wanted to make something fun with my actor friends that we could all add to our reels. I wrote it in January, we filmed it in May, and had a final cut by September. There was plenty of downtime in between, but from start to finish was about eight months. We ran into some technical issues in post that were very annoying and slowed the process down. We probably would’ve finished it a month or two sooner otherwise.


Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service today! 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.

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December 11, 2022 - Filmmaker Brent Lambert-Zaffino & Subject Adrian Drepaul (COOKING INSIDE: THE PRISON TO HOME)

COOKING INSIDE: FROM PRISON TO HOME, 23min., USA
Directed by Brent Lambert-Zaffino
Two men who were formerly incarcerated together recreate a prison meal exactly as they made it inside. Cooking Inside explores America’s cruel and broken prison system through the humanity of food.

https://southerndocumentaryfund.org/cooking-inside-from-prison-to-home/
https://instagram.com/brentlzfilms

From director Brent Lambert-Zaffino:

Adrian, our producer and one of the subjects of the documentary said, “I want to be able to talk about my time inside without depressing everybody.” Telling that story through the crazy MacGuyver-like methods he had to utilize to have a decent meal kind of sprouted from there.

Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. 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.

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December 9, 2022 - Filmmaker Chuck Johnson (ALMOST THERE)

ALMOST THERE, 5min,. Japan, Action
Directed by Chuck Johnson
Two refugees from a broken land have to fight their way into civilization.

http://www.quietflame.org/almost-there

From Chuck Johnson:

The original concept for “Almost There” came about when I had found that bridge. At the time, I was taking a lessons for a motorcycle license at a driving school and I saw it in the distance. I walked over to it to take a look and the look and feel of the location itself was the original spark for the idea of the film. It stayed in the back of my head for a while; but after seeing what was happening in the Ukraine and the number of people that were becoming displaced; I wanted to make it a story about refugees. And given that I am an immigrant to Japan myself, it was already a topic that was close to my heart.

Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. 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.

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December 8, 2022 - Filmmaker Robbie Kruithoff (THINGS WE SHOULDN’T TALK ABOUT)

THINGS WE SHOULDN’T TALK ABOUT, 11min,. USA, Documentary
Directed by Robbie Kruithoff
The mental health impact of religion on the LGBTQIA+ community is unchecked and misunderstood. Alone and largely ignored, queer individuals from conservative, religious communities commit suicide at alarming rates. How many must die before we start talking about it?

https://thingsweshouldnttalkabout.com/

From Robbie Kruithoff:

This film first started when I was doing research for my memoir. Growing up the gay son of two Pentecostal Pastors from a small town in Australia, I know first hand the mental health struggles that religious trauma and suicide survivors face in the religious world. What I didn’t know was how prevalent suicide among religious queer individuals is in today’s society. This spurred me to find other survivors to understand the issues a little better.


Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. 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.

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December 6, 2022 - Ladies in Film team chat about their short film THE FIRST

THE FIRST, 14min., USA, Crime/Thriller
Directed by Emily McDougall
When her teenage sister starts showing interest in a much older, more dangerous man, Rowan must decide between getting involved, or keeping her sisters secret.

https://www.cwuladiesoffilm.com/
https://www.instagram.com/the_first_short_film

Conversation with:

Director: Emily McDougall

Producer: Diana Jacobsen

Cinematographer: Phoebe Mcgarry

Sound Mixer & Score: Alyssa Morris-Hatch


From Emily McDougall:

This film was the product of an all female crew of senior filmmakers from Central Washington University. Since I wrote the script, my main motivation was to see my words brought to life on screen. I was super fortunate to be working alongside extremely talented filmmakers Emily McDougall, Diana Jacobsen, Phoebe Mcgarry, and Alyssa Morris-Hatch. They are the reason I was so excited to make this film, and the reason why it turned out beyond my wildest dreams.


Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. 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.

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December 5, 2022 - Filmmaker Richard Van Kleeck (GURGLE: PULLING WATER)

GURGLE: PULLING WATER, 57min., USA, Documentary
Directed by Richard Van Kleeck
A documentary featuring courage, teamwork, adventure, and life lessons explored through the lens of the sport of rowing. Featuring Tori Murden McClure, the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic; archeologist, author, and rower John Hale; the amazing story of Oksana Masters, the world’s most decorated paralympic athlete; and a host of other interesting characters that inhabit the world of rowing. Directed by Richard Van Kleeck.

From Richard Van Kleeck:

I have always been intrigued by the sport of rowing and knew that there is a wide diversity of very interesting people involved in this sport. Little did I know how many incredible people I would meet while making this film.

Interview conducted by Matthew Toffolo

Playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. 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.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook