Episode 37 - Scott Calonico & Sandy Wieding - “C’est Si Bon”
Photo Credit: Scott Calonico
[Image Description: Scott, a bald white man, is pictured from the torso. He wears a white t-shirt, a blue and white patterned shirt, and a black jacket with an upturned color. He holds a pair of black glasses in his hand as they rest against his chin. He looks to the left.]
In this episode, I speak with film director Scott Calonico and archival researcher and producer Sandy Weeding. During our conversation, we chat about our first meeting at the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, Sandy’s experiences of Berlin before the wall came down, unique German archives, and their latest documentary short, Catwoman vs. the White House. The film which will screen on The New Yorker website for Black History Month celebrates a little-known moment in history when Eartha Kitt confronts Lyndon Baynes and Lady Bird Johnson with their performative initiatives for Black folks in the inner city and the problems of the Vietnam War. Soon after this encounter Earth Kitt was unofficially blacklisted in the U.S. She was fortunately embraced by Europe and the people of Franc specifically, so this week’s song is her rendition of the classic, “C’est si Bon.” Our conversation was recorded in February 2022.
Episode 36 - Emma Francis Snyder - “Pa’lante” & “Que Bonita Bandera”
Photo Credit: Brian Galderisi
[Image Description: Emma is pictured from the torso up against a black background. She has shoulder-length brownish, blonde hair and wears black glasses and red lipstick. She wears a black long-sleeved top.]
In the first full episode of 2022, I chat with the filmmaker and activist Emma Francis-Snyder about her Oscar-shortlisted short Takeover! We talk about her journey as a white person and the obligation to uncover and celebrate these hidden histories and all things Takeover! Including the history of the Young Lords, her many interactions with journalist and Democracy Now! co-host Juan Gonzalez. This week’s episode has not one but two songs! The first is the resistance anthem “Pa’lante” by Hurray for the Riff Raff. From 1948 to 1957, flying the Puerto Rican flag was illegal and so was singing patriotic tunes. The second song for this episode, “Que Bonita Bandera” by Pepe Y Flora, directly responded to that bigotry. Here is our conversation, which was recorded in January 2022.
Episode 30 - Ina Fichman - “Hallelujah”
Photo Credit: Ina Fichman
[Image Description: Ina is pictured from the neck up. She has shoulder-length dirty blond hair and wears a white v-neck top with a black jacket. She wears gold and diamond earrings and a gold necklace with black and gold accents.]
In this episode, I speak with Canadian producer extraordinaire, Ina Fichman. During our conversation, we chat the nuts, bolts, and knowledge needed to be a great international co-production partner, her work with the Documentary Organization of Canada, and the specific steps the organization took to ease some of the stress of pandemic for Canadian filmmakers. We also discuss some of her most recent work on the films such as Laila at the Bridge, Stray, and The Gig Is Up, and her ongoing support of Palestinian filmmakers. For this episode, Ina chose a masterpiece written by her fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah.” Regarding the meaning of the song, Leonard Cohen said:
“This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can… reconcile and embrace the whole mess, and that’s what I mean by ‘Hallelujah’.
The song explains that many kinds of hallelujahs do exist, and all the perfect and broken hallelujahs have equal value. It’s a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.”
When one looks at Ina’s body of work, it is clear that documentary is the medium she has chosen to find meaning and reconcile the many contradictions that we face in life.
Episode 24 - Abby Sun - “I Want to Break Free”
Photo Credit: the DocYard, Leah Astore
[Image Description: B&W photo. Abby stands on stage holding a microphone and book in front of an audience of onlookers in an auditorium. She wears dark shoes and a dark dress. There are two chairs and a screen behind her.]
In this episode, I speak with curator, Abby Sun about her work with the DocYard, an award-winning film and discussion series at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge. We also chat about her work with Distribution Advocates, an organization committed to demystifying and transparency in distribution with the goal of creating a more ethical and equitable framework. Because ethical and equitable practices are rooted in liberation and require us to take actions that break us from the things that seem safe and stable, this episode’s song is Queen’s “I Want to Break Free.”
Episode 12 - Bo McGuire - “Fancy”
Photo Credit: Carl Conway Maguire
[Image Description: Bo McGuire is pictured from the chest up. He wears a black hat, pink blazer, navy blue and white patterned shirt, and a bolo tie. He holds the blazer by the lapels as he looks into the camera.]
In this episode, I speak with the writer, director, and producer of Socks on Fire, Bo McGuire, winner of the Best Documentary Feature Award at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival. Since Bo is a country boy at heart and Reba McEntire is one of his favorite artists, this episode’s song is the country classic, “Fancy.”
Episode 5 - Ani Mercedes - “Money”
Photo Credit: Aymeé Cruzalegui
[Image description: Ani Mercedes smiles. She wears a black top.]
In this week’s episode, I speak with Ani Mercedes, CEO, Founder, & Impact Producer at Looky Looky Pictures. Because she’s a fearless hustler, this episode’s song is Cardi B’s “Money.”