Interview with Filmmaker Kurtulus Ozgen (8 POEMS OF EMIGRATION)

8 POEMS OF EMIGRATION played to rave reviews at the May 2020 Documentary Short Film Festival. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? Kurtulus Ozgen: Both my grandparent’s families were refugees. They were forced to migrate from Crete Island (Greece) and Kardzhali (Bulgaria) to Anatolia during Balkan Wars (1912-13). As a descendant of… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Kurtulus Ozgen (8 POEMS OF EMIGRATION)

Interview with Filmmaker Qiyu Mary Zhou (THE KOI)

THE KOI played to rave reviews at the Action/Crime/Thriller Festival in May 2020. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? How did you come up with the idea for this short film? Qiyu Mary Zhou: “The Koi” is a romantic crime drama that is about a juvenile delinquent who falls deeply into a… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Qiyu Mary Zhou (THE KOI)

Interview with Filmmaker Marnie Baxter & Nicola Stuart-Hill (BAD MOTHER)

BAD MOTHER played to rave reviews at the May 2020 Female Film Festival. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? Nicola: Well Marnie told me a story of a woman she met on a beach a few years a back. This film is based on that true story. which we then dramatised. In… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Marnie Baxter & Nicola Stuart-Hill (BAD MOTHER)

Interview with Filmmaker Nora Jaenicke (PROOF)

PROOF played to rave reviews at the May 2020 Female Film Festival. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? Nora Jaenicke: The film is, in part, biographical. In order to receive my American Green Card I had to go through a series of very intrusive interviews. Because there were some bureaucratical issues with… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Nora Jaenicke (PROOF)

Interview with Filmmaker Marina Ziolkowski (19)

19 was the winner of BEST FILM at the May 2020 Female Film Festival. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? Marina Ziolkowski: I wanted to talk about how psychological violence can lead to physical violence 2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Marina Ziolkowski (19)

Interview with Filmmaker Edouard Paquet (REMOTE)

REMOTE was voted BEST DOC CHARACTERS at the May 2020 DOCUMENTARY Film Festival. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? Edouard Paquet: I’ve always been an avid traveler. Both my parents found it very important to see as much as possible of the world and see the differences between places and cultures. Those… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Edouard Paquet (REMOTE)

Interview with Filmmaker Jake Michael Shannon (SAMMY THE SALMON)

SAMMY THE SALMON played to rave reviews at the April 2020 LGBT Film Festival. Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film? Jake Michael Shannon: We made this film during the Australian plebiscite vote for same-sex marriage. During this time there were a lot of negative messages in the media coming from both sides… Continue reading Interview with Filmmaker Jake Michael Shannon (SAMMY THE SALMON)