Felix Randau on I Is Another and the Stories We Tell About Ourselves

Felix Kersten, Heinrich Himmler’s massage therapist, claimed to have used his influence to save thousands of concentration camp prisoners. When filmmaker Felix Randau began researching a proposed series about Kersten’s heroism, he found a more complicated story.

Randau joins Brian Laffan to discuss I Is Another, starring Claes Bang as Kersten and Valerie Pachner as a journalist determined to challenge his account. Set aboard a train to Oslo, their encounter becomes a psychological struggle over evidence, guilt and reputation.

We explore how Randau’s research transformed the project, why Bang was his first choice, and how the actors helped reshape a crucial confrontation through improvisation. Randau also discusses his decision to portray Himmler without the familiar caricature, and the resistance that approach encountered.

The conversation extends to the stories people construct about themselves, the relationship between fake news and historical memory, and the challenge of bringing independent films to an audience.

In this episode:

I Is Another Trailer

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Ivan Ostrochovský on Only Beautiful Things to Look At

In 1980s Czechoslovakia, a doctor’s comfortable understanding of her work begins to unravel through a friendship with a young Roma colleague.

In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian Laffan speaks with Slovak filmmaker Ivan Ostrochovský about Only Beautiful Things to Look At, starring Aňa Geislerová and Simona Boledovičová. Set against the forced sterilisation of Roma women, the film explores how prejudice becomes institutional practice, and how people rationalise the harm they cause.

Ivan describes meeting doctors who continued to defend their actions decades later, and explains how those encounters shaped the film. We discuss the relationship between its two central characters, his approach to casting, and the striking images and intimate sound that draw us into their world.

Our conversation also covers:

Recorded during the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, shortly after the film’s world premiere.

Since the interview: Only Beautiful Things to Look At won the FIPRESCI international critics’ award at Karlovy Vary and was selected for the 2027 European Film Awards fiction shortlist.

Trailer: Only Beautiful Things To Look At

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In this episode, Brian speaks with director Aung Phyoe and cinematographer and producer Thaiddhi about Fruit Gathering, Aung’s feature debut and the winner of the Grand Prix Crystal Globe at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Set among textile workers in industrial Yangon, the film follows two young women searching for intimacy and escape amid economic uncertainty and social repression. Aung discusses his desire to tell a universal love story about someone who was never properly loved, and the difficulty of loving another person when you have never learned how.

The conversation also explores the film’s evolution from the short Evening Clouds, its nonprofessional cast, the use of silence and a confined 4:3 frame, the meaning behind its title and spirit ceremony, and the realities of making independent cinema under Myanmar’s censorship system. Thaiddhi reflects on his long creative partnership with Aung and their shared ambition to help new voices from Myanmar become part of world cinema.

Trailer: Fruit Gathering

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In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian speaks with Lebanese filmmaker Karim Kassem about his latest feature, Pipes, which premiered in the Crystal Globe Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Set in a remote Lebanese village, Pipes follows Hassan, a solitary farmer whose routine is disrupted when workers arrive in search of a buried water pipe. What begins as a practical task gradually becomes a quiet, humorous and deeply human reflection on isolation, community, migration and the uncertain future of rural life.

Karim discusses the unusual path that led him to filmmaking, including his years living in New York, his early work in photography and music videos, and the influence of growing up with a father who worked as a news cameraman. He also reflects on the experiences that shaped his earlier films, from temporarily losing his sight to returning to Beirut just before the devastating port explosion.

The conversation explores Karim’s preference for working with nonprofessional performers, his instinctive approach to storytelling and the balance between melancholy, absurdity and humour in his work. The episode also considers the understated performance of Ghassan Saad, who received the Crystal Globe for Best Actor for his role as Hassan in Pipes.

Pipes Trailer

Topics include:

Karim’s journey from Beirut to New York and back again

The personal experiences behind his early feature films

Building stories around place, memory and real communities

Working with nonprofessional actors

The importance of silence, landscape and atmosphere

Finding humour within difficult social and political realities

The making of Pipes

Ghassan Saad’s award-winning performance

The role of film festivals in helping independent films reach wider audiences

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In this episode of Stream Close Up, we continue our coverage of the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival with Czech writer and director Šimon Holý.

Šimon joins us to discuss his new film Chica Checa, which had its world premiere in the festival’s main competition. The film follows a woman working in a small-town post office whose dying mother has one final wish: to see a beloved Czech pop icon perform. To make that happen, she calls her son home from France, only to discover that the life he has built for himself is very different from the one she imagined.

What begins as a mission to fulfill a grandmother’s last wish becomes something warmer and more surprising: a mother and son story about rediscovery, drag performance, small-town attitudes, and the possibility of starting again later in life.

Šimon talks about the dream that sparked the idea, the personal connections behind the story, and why he sees the film as both humanistic and quietly political in the current Czech context.

We also discuss working with Paula Tomašovová, casting the mother-son relationship, finding humor without falling into cliché, and why Chica Checa is, in Šimon’s words, almost like an eighties buddy movie.

Topics include:

Šimon Holý’s return to Karlovy Vary

The world premiere of Chica Checa

Drag performance and Czech pop culture

Mother-son relationships on screen

Coming out, family, and the pain of not being known

Casting Paula Tomašovová and Jan Cina

Camp, humor, and avoiding cliché

The political context of contemporary Czech cinema

Hope, change, and starting over after fifty

Trailer: Chica Cheka

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Swiss director Jan-Erik Mack joins Stream Close Up to discuss his new feature film A Happy Family, which premieres at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival as part of the Crystal Globe competition.

The film follows Niki, a single mother working two jobs while trying to keep her family afloat. After an accident brings her into conflict with the authorities, her life begins to spiral as she fights to remain close to her children. Mack describes the film as a story about Switzerland’s working poor, a reality that became more visible during the pandemic when food queues appeared in a country often associated with wealth and stability.

In this conversation, Mack reflects on his path from graphic design to filmmaking, his time at the University of the Arts in Zurich. We also discuss his acclaimed short film Facing Mecca, which won numerous awards and was shortlisted for an Oscar. Mack explains how that success opened the door to television work, including his first series as a co-director and later work on Wilder.

The conversation also explores Mack’s continuing creative partnership with Anna Schinz. She co-wrote Facing Mecca, appeared in Davos 1917, and now co-writes and stars in A Happy Family. Together, Mack and Schinz use an intimate family story to explore poverty, bureaucracy, parenthood, and the limits of institutional care.

We also get into visual storytelling, working with children, the contrast between urban Zurich and the Swiss countryside, and how A Happy Family balances political reality with empathy for everyone caught inside the system.

Trailer: A Happy Family

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In this episode, Brian speaks with Danish filmmaker Mads Mengel about his feature debut The Guest, a tightly controlled family drama built around a deceptively simple event, a naming ceremony for a young couple’s new son. What begins as a celebration soon becomes something much more fragile when Carl’s estranged mother arrives unexpectedly, forcing the family to confront old pain, broken trust and the possibility of reconciliation.

Mads traces the long road to the film, from his childhood discovery that movies were something people actually made, through years of rejection before entering the Danish Film School. He reflects on the privilege of working in a country with strong public support for film, and how his own experience of becoming a father shaped the final version of the story.

The conversation also digs into the film’s remarkable cast. Mads talks about writing the role of Carl with Simon Bennebjerg in mind, discovering Josephine Park through his television work, and building a sibling dynamic that feels lived in rather than explained. He also discusses the importance of collaboration, improvisation and trusting actors to bring small details into the film, including one of the episode’s best anecdotes involving a dog that became part of the character’s emotional life.

At the center of the discussion is the film’s refusal to make things simple. Mads describes wanting the story to exist in “one big pile of grey,” where no character is reduced to a villain or victim. The result is a drama about family, mental illness, generational trauma and the uneasy question of when love becomes responsibility, and when responsibility becomes too much to carry.

“It has to have all of it, and then none of it. It has to be one big pile of grey.” - Mads Mengel

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In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian speaks with Ukrainian filmmaker Roman Liubyi about his latest film, Time Machine Maidan.

Roman is part of the filmmaking collective Babylon’13, which came together during the first days of the Maidan Revolution in 2013. What began as an urgent effort to film, subtitle, and share short videos from inside the protest movement has grown into a larger cinematic archive of modern Ukrainian history.

Time Machine Maidan draws on that archive in a strikingly original way. The film imagines a young soldier from today’s battlefield traveling back ten years to the beginning of the Revolution of Dignity. Using archival footage, voiceover, and experimental visual transitions, Roman and his collaborators turn documentary material into something closer to a time travel story, a memory piece, and a work of political cinema all at once.

The conversation explores how the film was shaped by the tenth anniversary of Maidan, the desire to create something Roman could one day show his daughter, and the challenge of making a film about history while that history is still violently unfolding. Roman discusses the role of Babylon’13, the artistic tension behind the film’s structure, the use of new visual technology on decade-old footage, and why he sees Maidan and the current war as part of the same struggle.

They also talk about the personal side of revolution: love stories born during moments of upheaval, the strange sense of community that existed on Maidan, and the responsibility Ukrainian filmmakers feel as they continue to create while living through war.

A powerful conversation about memory, resistance, collective authorship, and the role cinema can play when the present is still fighting with the past.

Trailer: Time Machine Maidan

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In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian speaks with Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi about her documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk.

The film follows Farsi’s remote collaboration with Fatma Hassona, a young Palestinian photographer and poet living in Gaza. Unable to enter Gaza herself, Sepideh began speaking with Fatma through video calls. Those conversations became the heart of the film, creating an intimate record of daily life, fear, resilience, friendship and artistic witness.

Sepideh discusses what first drove her toward the project, her own experience of war, exile and political violence, and why she felt it was essential to move beyond outside commentary and hear directly from someone living inside Gaza.

The conversation also explores the film’s unusual form. Instead of hiding the glitches, frozen images and broken internet connections, Sepideh chose to keep them. Those interruptions become part of the story, allowing the viewer to feel the fragility of the connection and the distance between the filmmaker and her subject.

They also discuss Fatma’s photography, her writing, her remarkable spirit, and the heartbreaking reality that the film now stands as both a collaboration and a memorial.

- Forensic Architecture investigation on the targeted attack on Fatma's house

Trailer: Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk 

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In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian speaks with Swedish actor, writer, and director Malin Barr about her short film Sauna Sickness. The conversation explores Malin's journey from dance and acting into writing and directing, her decision to stay behind the camera for this project, and how her experience as a performer shapes the way she works with actors. They also discuss the film’s tense mix of drama, humor, and psychological unease, its strong cast, and the experience of bringing a Swedish short film to festivals including Gothenburg and Sundance.

Sauna Sickness Trailer

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Dawood Hilmandi, director of Paikar

In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian speaks with Dutch-Afghan filmmaker Dawood Hilmandi about his award-winning feature documentary debut Paikar.

The film is a deeply personal journey through family, exile, memory, and the inheritance of war. Dawood reflects on his relationship with his father, the emotional strength of his mother, and the silence that can exist inside families shaped by displacement and political violence.

The conversation explores Dawood’s path as a storyteller, the role of poetry in his work, the impact of Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban, and why making Paikar changed his relationship to carrying a camera.

A thoughtful conversation about documentary filmmaking, family history, and the difficult work of understanding where we come from.

Paikar Trailer

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Des Lombardo & Badr Mastrouq are the co-creators of the comedy film "Skit" which is a mockumentary set in 2007 that follows three students as they attempt to create an early internet viral video.

Produced by media cartographer Evan Shapiro, "Skit" is a both a love letter to early internet creators as well as a proof of concept for making film in the creator environment. It is a creator led feature debut, produced fast and cheap, and launched with a real distribution story people in the industry actually want to study.

The film is funny and the story behind the production is educational.

Skit Trailer

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In this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian sits down with comedians and creators Sissela Benn and Jonatan Unge to talk about Popular Problems, their sharply observed new comedy series for SVT.

Based on their own former relationship and breakup, the show turns co-parenting, therapy, social services, and modern Swedish anxieties into painfully honest and often hilarious television. Benn and Unge discuss how the project grew out of an earlier Swedish Radio audio series, why they chose to mine their shared history for comedy, and how humor became a way to process a difficult separation. The conversation touches on collaboration after a breakup, drawing comedy from real life experiences, and the fine line between discomfort and truth that gives Popular Problems its bite.

Recorded on site ahead of a Stockholm Film Festival screening, the episode also captures the unpredictable realities of making podcasts outside the studio.

Popular Problemsis set to debut on SVT in January.

It's funny.

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At the Stockholm Film Festival, Brian sits down with Dutch writer director Sven Bresser to talk about his debut feature Reedland, the stunning and meditative drama that has become the Netherlands’ official Oscar submission. Sven reflects on the film’s unusual blend of murder mystery and disappearing rural tradition, the influence of the reed landscape he grew up with, and the central performance by real life reed cutter Gerrit Knobbe. They discuss casting non actors, shaping cinematic language around nature, and how audiences around the world are responding to the film’s quiet exploration of fear, community and change.

Check out the Reedland Trailer

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Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani on "Reflection in a Dead Diamond"

On this episode of Stream Close Up, Brian sits down at the Stockholm Film Festival with filmmaking duo Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani to talk about their psychedelic spy film "Reflection in a Dead Diamond" The couple discuss twenty five years of working and living together, creating a twisted love letter to James Bond and sixties Italian cinema set on the sun soaked Mediterranean coast.

They break down the film’s surreal visual language, meticulous location scouting on the Cote d Azur, and their highly crafted sound design that draws on classic Italian genre films to create a hypnotic big screen experience. Bond fans and anyone into stylish surreal thrillers will want to seek this one out.

"Reflection in a Dead Diamond" features Fabio Testi, a cornerstone of Italian cinema. We'll hear about how he both inspired the film and ended up in the starring role.

Reflection In A Dead Diamond: Trailer

Reflections In A Dead Diamond will be available to stream on Shudder from December 5th.

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Five years ago Julia Decournau won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for her film “Titane”.  We caught up with her on her recent visit to the Stockholm International Film Festival where she presented her latest work “Alpha”. It’s a multi-layered story of love and fear where a mother must navigate the possible exposure of her daughter to a virus that once killed her brother.  As Julia will tell us, a synopsis can’t describe this or most other films. 

Julia shares insight into some of her filmmaking choices, including the use of Nick Cave’s song “The Mercy Seat” to set the tone for  pivotal scene.

Alpha: Trailer

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Coming to you from the Stockholm International Film Festival.

In this episode Brian is joined by legendary documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee. Known for his deeply personal and quietly funny explorations of family, memory, and the passage of time, Ross has shaped the language of first person documentary for more than four decades. His films include classics like "Sherman’s March", "Time Indefinite", "Bright Leaves" and "Six O Clock News". Each one blends intimate storytelling with cultural reflection in a way that has inspired generations of nonfiction filmmakers.

They discuss his latest work “Remake” which was just awarded the Bronze Horse as best documentary at this year's Stockholm Film Festival. It starts out as a journey to document a Hollywood producer’s attempt to remake “Sherman’s March” as a drama but quickly turns to the passing of his son Adrian who dies of drug overdose involving fentanyl.  Adrian was a filmmaker in his own right and was documenting his lifestyle.  That material in combination with a lifetime of shooting his family, provides Ross with rich source material for his loving tribute.

Congratulations to Ross on a well deserved award.

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Award winning filmmaker and journalist Auberi Edler joins us as we dive into our coverage of the Stockholm Film Festival.

We discuss Auberi's latest film "An American Pastoral" which covers a school board election in Elizabethtown Pennsylvania. What unfolds will surprise and possibly scare you.

It’s an even handed portrayal of a battle that pits right wing MAGA republicans, including a married couple that proudly helped organize and storm the capitol on January 6th, against a coalition of center republicans and democrats in a race that focuses on book bans and a traditional Christian vs secular approach to managing public education.

Everybody involved is honest and passionate which sets up some very dramatic confrontations. 

Auberi is able to win trust and take us into the lives of the candidates and broader community and what she reveals helps explain the growing divide splitting Americans.

The result is sometimes disturbing.

Join us as we meet Auberi Edler.

Trailer: An American Pastoral

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Writer and director Mattias J Skoglund has been traveling the world presenting his latest project the horror film "Hemmet" (The Home) and joins us today to celebrate the Swedish theatrical release.

Based on Mats Strandberg's novel, "Hemmet" tells the story of a young man who returns to his childhood home in order to move his mother into an assisted living facility. Once there, her condition takes a turn for the worse and drama unfolds. Is it a question of deepening dementia or is something more sinister afoot?

With tremendous performance by Anki Lidén and Philip Oros among other notables, "Hemmet" will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Mattias will tell us about his experience writing with Mats, how he went about casting a mix of seasoned pros and unknowns and the eight year journey to bring "Hemmet" to the screen.

You can get a look at "Hemmet" here: Trailer

Sorry about the audio, I think the spirit of Bengt might have been lurking when we recorded.

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We are digging into our coverage of the 36th Annual Stockholm Film Festival.

Ella Rae Rappaport joins us to talk about "Egghead Republic" which will have its European debut on November 8th as part of the festival. "Egghead Republic" is a surreal peek behind the curtain at the machinations of a modern media empire and the madness of power. But as you will learn, this doesn't even begin to describe this wonderful film.

Ella Rae is nominated for the Rising Star Award at this year's festival for her performance as Sonja, a Swedish club kid with big dreams who joins a road trip through a post-apocalyptic landscape that may or may not include mutant centaurs.

It was a pleasure to meet Ella Rae, but I have to say I did feel a little old when she didn't get any of my cultural references ;-)

You can get a little taste of Egghead Republic here: Trailer

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Beatrice Karlsson is the Program Director of the Stockholm International Film Festival. Beatrice and her team are the architects of the schedule and are responsible for sorting through the over 3000 titles submitted for consideration this year.  

Last week they finalized and presented the impressive lineup of over 130 films from 60 countries for this year's festival where Isabella Rossellini will be the guest of honor

In the midst of this frenzy of activity Beatrice was kind enough to join us to talk about what goes into organizing a festival, what criteria they apply when curating the final list of films and what we can expect in the coming weeks.

We catch her three weeks ahead of the start of festivities and just 48 hours after announcing this year's lineup.

For more information: Stockholm Film Festival

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Norwegian-based Swedish director Fanny Ovesen joins us to talk about her debut* feature Live A Little / Leva Lite.The film is a thoughtfully written coming of age story about friends Laura and Alex who are taking a long planned girls’ trip. Along the way there is a night of partying and blackout sex. The story follows them as they couch surf across Europe and try to unravel what happened. Was it simply a drunken fling, or something darker?

In this episode we take the opportunity to walk through Live A Little in detail with Fanny. We also take a few minutes to get into her wonderful short film She-Pack (link below).

Fanny is just one more example of the amazing young filmmaking talent emerging in Scandinavia. It was a pleasure to meet her and have the chance to explore her work.

Live A Little was just released in North America. Look for it wherever you find quality films.

Live a Little Trailer

She-Pack

*That is if we discount her childhood work with her brother ;-)  

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Hampus Linder, known for his documentary film "Gudrun Konsten Att Vara Människa" (The Feminist) joins us to talk about his latest work "Confessions of a Swedish Man" which takes viewers on a journey through parts of the manosphere that you normally only see when you are doom scrolling. The film provides a very interesting counterpoint to “Gudrun” both in subject as well as style.  

“Confessions of a Swedish Man” takes a surprising twist when Hampus must agree to participate in the ceremonies of the European Men’s Gathering. As a result the camera is now taken out of his hands and ultimately turned on him adding a surprisingly personal layer to the story. The twist also gives viewers a glimpse into the challenges of documentary filmmaking as Hampus and his subject Paul maintain a tenuous relationship.

It was a pleasure to meet Hampus and discuss “Confessions of a Swedish Man”

You can find a trailer and more about the film here: https://confessionsofaswedishman.com/

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🎙 Stream Close Up — Wrap-Up: The Crystal Globe Competition at KVIFF 59

After nine in-depth conversations with filmmakers from around the world, we’re closing the curtain on the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. This wrap-up episode connects the threads that ran through this year’s Crystal Globe competition from Lisbon to Kabul, from the Carpathians to New York.

Across fiction, documentary, and hybrid storytelling, certain themes emerged again and again:

We also reflect on the miracle (and struggle) of filmmaking itself, from funding battles to filming under Taliban rule, from children on set to directors juggling multiple roles.

🎬 Highlights:

This episode isn’t just about cinema as art. It’s about cinema as dialogue, care, and courage.

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Catalan filmmaker Pere Vilà Barceló joins us as we continue our coverage of the Crystal Globe Competition at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.  We talk about his latest film “When The River Becomes A Sea” starring Claud Hernández.

The curators at Karlovy Vary describe it as “ An uncompromising, introspective probe into the soul of a girl who is sexually abused. The heroine of his sixth film is Gaia, a young archaeology student, whose relationship with herself, and with those around her, is forever marked by a traumatic event. Initially, Gaia cannot find the words to describe her situation, let alone the courage to speak about it. Eventually, however – like an archaeological excavation – she begins to uncover fragments of the past in order to piece her life together. The Catalan filmmaker was able to provide a realistic depiction of her situation by choosing to emphasize the actual process of coping with the trauma, a process which can't be rushed.”  

Pere is willing to take some interesting risks as a director including a six plus minute scene shot entirely in darkness.  The result is stunning.

Pere is walking a fine line using cinema to illicit a discussion on sexual assault.  He navigates the challenge with grace and delivers a beautiful and thoughtful film.

You can check out the trailer here: When A River Becomes The Sea

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Magic is the word I keep coming back to when I try to describe “Better Go Mad In The Wild”, the latest film from director Miro Remo. Apparently I am not the only one who feels this way.  He was just awarded the Crystal Globe for Best Film at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where the jury called it, “a funny valentine to the fading art of being true to yourself".

Miro joins us to talk about the genesis of his film and a little about what it was like to develop a relationship and work with his primary characters,

real-life twins Franta and Ondřej. It is a pure examination of their lives and struggles including original art, poetry and blues music. And if that’s not enough, there’s a talking bull. 

Miro uses a mix of filmmaking techniques that result in a truly unique story that will make you fall in love with the brothers. 

He didn’t want to do it, but I’m so glad he joined us.

Trailer: Better Go Mad In The Wild

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Welcome to a warm chat with a serious filmmaker. 

Wunderkind, screenwriter, director Nathan Ambrosioni joins us to talk about his latest film Out of Love (Les enfants vont bien) which recently earned him a Crystal Globe award for Best Director at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Nathan is one of cinema's most promising young voices. In addition to exploring Out of Love we will touch on his remarkable journey in filmmaking. At just 25 years old, Ambrosioni has already established himself as a director with a distinctive eye for complex family dynamics and emotionally nuanced storytelling.

Nathan's latest feature is a gripping French family drama starring Camille Cottin, Juliette Armanet, and Monia Chokri. The film follows Jeanne, whose life is suddenly turned upside down when her sister Suzanne arrives unexpectedly with her two children only to disappear again, leaving Jeanne to care for kids she barely knows.

This was a fun.

Out of Love (Les enfants vont bien) will be in French theaters December 3rd.

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Filmmaker Gözde Kural joins us to discuss her latest work "Cinema Jazireh".  It is her second feature set and shot in Afghanistan. It depicts the journey and struggles of a young mother attempting to track down her missing son. Moving solo as a woman in a world controlled by the Taliban is not an option so she dresses as a man. At the same time we are introduced to a young man who was groomed as a boy to act as a woman. The contrasting and intersecting stories raise hard questions about culture. The film explores longing, hope and the roles we are forced to take on as a result of social pressure. We will examine the amazingly well formed characters depicted and get into the themes of her work as well as touch on some of the challenges of filming in Afghanistan.

In our chat, Gözde reveals the same passion that comes through in her films and we learn some interesting news about a case currently making its way through the Turkish justice system where a colleague of hers is facing politically motivated charges. She arrived for our interview after having spent the day in court supporting her friend, and we appreciate that she was able to switch gears and talk about her film and plans for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Here's a link to the trailer for: "Cinema Jazireh"

If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review, or better yet share the link with your friends.

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Director João Rosas joins us to talk about his work with a focus on his feature debut “The Luminous Life”. It's a beautiful exploration of youth that evolved in a very particular way from three of his earlier shorts. We’ll dive into those connections, examine the role of Lisbon in his movies and explore the current climate for filmmaking in Portugal.

We will also take a few moments to discuss his documentary “Death Of A City”. It is a very personal film that chronicles the demolition of a building and the men doing the work. It is a layered analysis of the exploitation of individuals and a city.

Perhaps most interestingly, we will get into the particular role that film festivals play as gatekeepers at the same time as we discuss João’s work as a festival jury member and the challenges that come with that responsibility.

During our chat João mentioned the American reviews of “The Luminous Life” you can find them here:  Variety  Hollywood Reporter

If you enjoy Stream Close Up…like, share, rate, jada jada jada….

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Winner of the Crystal Globe for Best Director at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Lithuanian filmmaker Vytautas Katkus joins us to talk about his feature debut “The Visitor” (Svečias).

Here’s what the Jury had to say about his film. 

“In his feature debut, Vytautas Katkus truly exploits the creative freedom that a director perhaps only ever properly enjoys with their first film, displaying an uncompromised, idiosyncratic vision that is both dazzlingly precise in its detail and dreamily peculiar as whole.”

“The Visitor” evolved from his earlier short films ”Community Gardens” and “Cherries” which touched on some similar themes. We will talk about that evolution and his experience on the film festival circuit among other topics.

"The Visitor" follows Danielius, a 30-year-old new father who returns from Norway to Lithuania to sell his father's apartment, exploring themes of homecoming, displacement, and the complex emotions that arise when familiar places feel foreign. This Lithuanian production serves as a cinematic meditation on solitude, marking a significant milestone in Katkus's career transition from cinematographer to director.

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Czech director Ondřej Provazník stops by for his Stream Close Up. His film Broken Voices recently premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it was nominated for a Crystal Globe award.

Loosely based on a true events, Broken Voices is a nuanced story about an elite girls’ choir and how a young woman must navigate the competitive nature of her peers and manage the advances of a controlling and less than honorable choirmaster. Featuring amazing debut performances, the film provides a fresh take on an all too familiar subject.

Ondřej joins us as part of our continued coverage of the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. We'll discuss his somewhat unique approach to tackling this sensitive subject and hear about his source of inspiration for making the film.

Also worth noting, since we recorded this, Kateřina Falbrová who has the lead role in the film received a special mention from the festival jury for her debut performance.

Here's the link to the song that we discussed: Sbirka Zvadlejch Ruzi https://open.spotify.com/track/63RXRPKS1HnF63iPe5eeq5?si=6fe125edf7e045a6

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Director Nina Knag joins us to talk about her feature debut Don’t Call Me Mama which is about to have its world premier at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

We’ll talk about how Nina has explored some similar themes in earlier works and have an interesting discussion about deliberate choices regarding what was left out of the film. We’ll also get into the impact and importance of having Norway's first certified intimacy coordinator on the project.

A drama about forbidden love, Don’t Call Me Mama confronts its protagonists with a moral test while provocatively exploring how hypocrisy can masquerade as generosity.

Note: Since we recorded this, Pia Tjelta, who has the lead role in the film, was awarded the Crystal Globe as best actress for her portrayal of Eva.

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We are kicking off this season with a look at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. We will be putting particular focus on the main competition category, The Crystal Globe.

In this episode Brian meets documentary filmmaker Dmytro Hreshko . His latest work Diviais a dark and beautiful exploration of the impact of the Russian invasion on nature in Ukraine. Scored by Grammy award winning composer Sam Slater, this film is filled with drama and scenes of horrible destruction as well as magical regeneration.

Dmytro is currently serving in the Ukrainian armed forces and used his small window of daily free time to speak with us about his film and his current service. He has some interesting observations on transitioning from telling his own stories to working on a collective mission.

And here is a link to the Sam Slater album, I Don't Wish To Be Known As A Vandal that Dymtro was looking for but never found:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1y6k3rkIQncY41rJNuzf0m?si=8njIwKQqSBuSCDFvdySH6Q

This is the first in a series of episodes that will focus on filmmakers competing for the Crystal Globe at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

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Director Lisa Ohlin joins Brian to discuss her career including her experience at NYU Film School and her journey in film and TV. They cover Lisa's work from feature films Vernada för en Tenor and Simon and the Oaks(Simon och Ekarna) to the latest instalment of the long running and much beloved Beck franchise Beck 45 - 58 Minuter.

Among other topics, they explore Lisa's successful approach to working with performers such as Krister Henriksson and Liv Mjönes and how her work as a writer supports her in her role as director.

Titles covered:

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This week Walter Iuzzolino joins Brian to discuss the origins of Walter Presents and the launch of the service in Scandinavia. Walter may have the best job in the world. Join us as he tells us all bout the joys and challenges of curating the best of European television. Walter Iuzzolino might just have the answer to that eternal question...."What should we watch tonight?"

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Producer Mikael Cross (Alex, Vitt Skräp, Bröderna Salazar....)joins Brian to discuss his career and 

what's required to take a TV show or film from idea to reality. He also shares a scary story of life imitating art in the most serious manner.

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Actor Jens Hultén joins us as our guest on the latest episode of the Stream Close Up Podcast.Jens is well known for various roles in iconic Swedish detective classics including Johan Falk, Wallander, Beck and Hassel among othersHe has appeared in films as diverse as The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared and Lilla Jönssonligan. And speaking of film, Jens may well be the only actor to have performed in both the James Bond and Mission Impossible franchises with his roles in Rogue Nation and Skyfall.He joins us today to talk about all of this, and the debut of his latest project A Conspiracy of Silence.Follow us on Twitter: @StreamCloseUp

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We are back with a new season of The Stream Close Up podcast. This week Brian meets producer Susann Billberg-Rydholm. If you don’t know her name, you almost certainly know her work. Among other feature films, Susann was responsible for producing the original Swedish version of Stig Larsson’s Millennium trilogy.Her most recent project is the runaway hit costume drama Vår Tid Är Nu / The Restaurant. Susann generously shares the story of her journey from New Zealand based Jillaroo to award winning creator of film and television.

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Irish actress Catherine Walker, currently starring in Rig 45, joins Brian to discuss the project and walk through her experiences in theatre, film and TV. Catherine’s story runs from the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon to a screen near you. No spoilers for Rig 45 fans! Host: Brian LaffanProducer: Jose Fernandez AlamedaTwitter: @streamcloseup

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Gary Lewis has worked with film directors Martin Scorsese, Ken Loach, Nicolas Winding Refn & Jon S. Baird among others. You may recognize him from his extensive TV career which includes key roles on Outlander, Retribution and The Level. He has starred opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York and burst on to the worldwide scene when he was cast as the dad in the massive hit Billy Elliot. Gary joins Brian to discuss all of this, plus his latest project the Scandinavian noir thriller Rig 45.Host: Brian LaffanProducer: Jose Fernandez Alameda@streamcloseup on Twitter

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On the latest episode of Stream Close Up actress Liv Mjönes joins Brian to share some breaking news regarding her new project Stockholm Requiem based on Kristina Ohlsson’s books where she will take on the leading role of Fredrika Bergman. As usual, they also go on deep dive discussing Liv’s origin story.Liv is the third guest from the hit series Advokaten to visit the podcast. They talk about that show plus her experience on Torpederna, a show that was brought back from the dead by popular demand, and Hotel Seger a show that put the final nail in the coffin for soap operas in Sweden.We also explore her work on films like Miffo & All Inclusive and her experience working in both the film and stage versions of The Serious Game among other topics.

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More for Advokaten fans. In for her Stream Close Up, Malin Buska. Malin is currently co-starring in Advokaten opposite recent podcast guest Alexander Karim. Malin burst on the scene via her role as Katrine in Björn Runge’s Happy End. Among other TV and film projects, she played the lead in the feature film the Girl King, a retake of the 1930’s classic that originally starred Greta Garbo. Listen in as Brian tries to learn a little more about Malin’s journey and her fascination with filmmaking.Host: Brian LaffanProducer: Jose Fernandez Alameda@streamcloseup on Twitter

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In for his Stream Close Up Alexander Karim. Alex is currently the co-staring in the Swedish-Danish drama Advokaten and has a background working with film and TV around the world. He tells Brian how he went from growing up in Helsingborg to Hollywood and back. He talks about his unusual "method" and the difference between working on American vs Scandinavian productions.Host: Brian LaffanProducer: Jose Fernandez Alameda@streamcloseup on Twitter

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Peter Stormare is our guest this time. Peter joins Brian to discuss among other topics, working with the Cohen Brothers, his decision to leave the Royal Dramatic Theater, life as struggling actor in NYC and of course Season 2 of Swedish Dicks.

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In this episode Brian goes deep with writer, creator, director Erik Skjoldbjaerg the man responsible for the hit series Occupied as well as films like Insomnia and Prozac Nation. Among other topics, they discuss Erik's process and how working in Scandinavia differs from his experience in Hollywood.Host: Brian LaffanProducer: Jose Fernandez Alameda@streamcloseup on Twitter

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In this episode Brian meets beloved children’s TV-host, Benjamin “Beppe” Singer. Beppe is fresh off of his win at the Kristallen Awards (Emmy/BAFTA) where his program The Great Experiment was named Best Children’s Program of 2017. It marks the first time ever that a streaming program, that is a show from a non-traditional broadcaster, has won the distinguished award. Beppe will tell us how he went from high school drop-out to the teacher of a nation and the unique responsibilities that go with that role.

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In this episode Brian meets actor, producer and elite athlete Dragomir “ Gago” Mrsic. Gago, is famous for his roles in films such as Snabba Cash (Easy Money) and Edge of Tomorrow among others, and infamous for his participation in the biggest bank heist in Swedish history. Gago joins us to talk about his career and his latest project the police drama Alex.Host: Brian LaffanProducer: Jose Fernandez@streamcloseup on twitter

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Our guest musician and director Amir Chamdin. Amir will discuss his experience as the front man for the iconic hip hop group Infinite Mass and how it lead him to a career as a director working with music videos, commercials, feature films and most recently the TV series Hassel.

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