Friendship Archives - Directors Notes

Bianca Poletti’s Meta Comedy ‘Ultra Low’ Pokes Fun at the Farcical Battle of Indie Filmmaking on a Shoestring

Bianca Poletti explains why she leaned into a grounded comedic style for her short about the self-inflicted mishaps of low budget filmmaking friends.

Live Action

An Imbalanced Friendship Plays Out Through a Series of Bizarre Flashbacks in Nathan de Paz Habib’s ‘La Bicicletta’

Nathan De Paz Habib discusses experimenting with the form of the distinctive scenes representing a series of emotive flashbacks in his surreal debut short.

Live Action, Premiere

Two Drunk Best Friends Demonstrate the Depths of Their Love for One Another in Joel Jay Blacker’s ‘Shoes Off’

Joel Jay Blacker details the careful balance of humour and strangeness he sought to navigate through his bizarre male friendship comedy short.

Live Action

A Dangerous Hazing Ritual Tests a Friendship in Sam & David Cutler-Kreutz’ Intense Drama ‘Flounder’

Sam & David Cutler-Kreutz detail how they adapted to the challenge of shooting the pivotal murky underwater sequence for their tense toxic masculinity drama.

Live Action, Premiere

Sarah Meital Benjamin’s Israeli Road Trip Short ‘Arava’ Eloquently Captures the Confusion of Youth

Sarah Meital Benjamin shares how she created a fresh look at Israel through non-professional casting and improvisation in her stirring road trip short.

Live Action, Premiere

A Young Woman’s Longing for Intimate Fellowship Reverberates Through Julia Ponce Díaz’s Evocative Debut ‘Soredia’

Julia Ponce Díaz shares how personal & observed experiences inspired her fish-out-of-water drama about a self-conscious girl's desperate need for belonging.

Live Action

How “Being Trapped in a Perpetual Dick Joke” Inspired Nick Roney’s SXSW Award Winning Short ‘The Flute’

Dir. Nick Roney returns to DN to discuss prosthetic skin flutes and taking inspiration from the classic monster movie for his unforgettable dark comedy.

Live Action

Nathan Engelhardt’s ‘Senti L’Energia’ Explores the Blurring Relationship Lines Between Friendship and Love

Nathan Engelhardt reveals the rewarding process of retooling his feature script into an emotive short about love as an all-encompassing energy.

Live Action

A Filmmaker Asks His Roommate to Watch His Short in Frank Mosley & Hugo De Sousa’s Comedy ‘The Event’

Co-Directors Frank Mosley & Hugo De Sousa break down the comedic implications of the still camerawork in their uncomfortable conversation friendship short.

Live Action

Unexpected Revelations Strengthen the Bonds of Friendship in Leonard Rääf’s Comedy Drama ‘Hiding Behind Masks’

Leonard Rääf talks to DN about crafting the story of a friendship strengthened by the discovery of well-kept secrets in his new coming-of-age drama comedy.

Live Action

Kathy Mitrani Captures the Excitement and Turmoil of Peer Pressure in Evocative 16mm Short ‘Buzzkill’

Kathy Mitrani reveals the creativity that came from embracing a lack of structure for her authentic exploration of the stakes of youthful pressure.

Live Action, Music

Waley Wang’s ‘Teen Troubles in Dirty Jersey’ Captures the Thrums of Punk, Toxic Masculinity & Disaffected Angst

Waley Wang discusses combining 16mm & Hi8 home video style footage to fully embody the nostalgic memories of The Black Skirts' New Jersey punk roots.

Friendship Tag Archive