Author

About the Author /

James is DN’s resident horror fan and is inspired by all academic, formal and Ethan Hawke-related aspects of filmmaking. When he isn’t writing for DN you’ll most likely find him on Bluesky, reading a graphic novel or and being sat on by his cat Peanut.

Live Action, Premiere

A High Schooler Has an Unusual Request for His Classmate in Christian Meola’s Drama ‘The Expanding Horizon’

Christian Meola opens up about discovering new narrative territory and a widely diverse range of responses to his emotionally intense coming of age drama.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Dubious Pair With Ulterior Motives Spin an Unbelievable Yarn in Sean Lyons’ Political Satire ‘Smoking Dolphins’

Sean Lyons unpacks the on point comedic tone and tension-structured shooting style of his smoky comedy calling out the self-serving doublespeak of politicians.

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Live Action

Screenwriter Colby Day on Penning Netflix’s Adam Sandler Starring Sci-Fi Drama ‘Spaceman’

Colby Day walks DN through the process of adapting the novel 'Spaceman of Bohemia' for his Netflix No. 1 Ranking Adam Sandler science-fiction feature.

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Live Action

Lies of Optimism Weigh on a Struggling Father in Remi R.M. Moses’ Heartfelt Graduate Short ‘Saving Art’

Remi R.M. Moses explains the alternate directorial approaches used for the adult and child actors in his intimate drama about a father struggling to find hope.

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Documentary, Premiere

Henry Behel Chronicles the Life-Affirming Perspective of a Daredevil Pilot in Documentary Short ‘26,000 Days’

Henry Behel deconstructs the ambitious mix of plane and FPV drone aerial photography choreographed for his contemplative doc about Airshow Pilot Eric Tucker.

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Live Action, Premiere

An Embittered Son Plots His Revenge on the Football Hooligans Who Attacked His Father in Greg Cruttwell’s ‘Animals’

Greg Cruttwell explains how his disgust about the horrific violence of football hooliganism galvanised the creation of his blistering monologue revenge short.

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Art & Fashion, Premiere

Liliya Syvytska Traverses the Emotional Stages of War Displacement in Her Stunning Experimental Dance Film ‘ROOTS’

Liliya Syvytska unpacks how her team achieved the astonishing black and white cinematography and striking symbolic choreography of her movement-based short.

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Documentary, Premiere

Nick Aldridge Initiates a Critical Mental Health Conversation in ‘The Men And The Chair In Front Of My Window’

Nick Aldridge walks through the genesis of his doc which takes a poignant look at male mental health struggles through a series of intimate conversations.

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Documentary, Premiere

Nicholas Woytuk’s ‘The Alchemy of David’ Finds a Renowned Artist Reflecting on His Place in the Digital Age

Nicholas Woytuk discusses the organic Black & White 16mm shooting process he employed for his documentary about veteran photographer David Michael Kennedy.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Vulnerable Man Attends a Self-Help Class to Address His Declining Mental State in Ned Donohoe’s Drama ‘The Forum’

Ned Donohoe delves into the delicate balance of critique and empathy he sought to strike in his short about the shady world of personal development forums.

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Live Action

Maegan Houang Depicts the Genesis of America’s Asian Exploitation in Drama ‘Astonishing Little Feet’

Maegan Houang returns to DN and explains how she used confronting POV shots to challenge the viewer in her potent historical drama short.

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Animation, Awards

An Iranian Schoolgirl Weaves Stories Into the Fabric of Her Clothes in Yegane Moghaddam’s Oscar Short ‘Our Uniform’

Yegane Moghaddam reveals the profound real-life anecdotes from Iranian schoolgirls that informed her film which began life as an animated documentary.

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