Film and Television (Audio)

In this enlightening conversation, Ray Santisteban, director and producer of the documentary "Time of the Phoenix: The First Rainbow Coalition," shares his insights on activism, coalition politics, and social change. Santisteban delves into his journey of making the documentary and how it marked the beginning of his filmmaking career. He highlights the unique power of documentary filmmaking which enables him to address important social issues that Hollywood often overlooks. Exploring the historical context of revolutionary movements, including the influential role of the Black Panthers, Santisteban emphasizes the significance of building diverse and uncomfortable coalitions to achieve transformative progress. Don't miss this inspiring dialogue on realizing revolutionary possibilities and the untapped potential of documentary filmmaking. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38821]

Production designer Akin McKenzie joined moderator Mireille Miller-Young (Feminist Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion of his work in visualizing the world of The Woman King. The discussion revolved around McKenzie’s extensive research from out-of-print books, photos, and other archival materials to disentangle complex historical events from colonial revisionism. McKenzie also detailed his collaboration process with director Gina Prince-Bythewood and shared thoughts on Black representation in Hollywood and the future of Black cinema. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38875]

Writer/director Antonio Dikele Distefano and scholar/filmmaker Fred Kuwornu discuss the film Autumn Beat with Claudio Fogu. Distefano details his experiences writing books and magazines and his transition to cinematic work, as well as his experiences growing up as a young Black man in Italy. Kuwornu elaborates on the evolving Black cultural renaissance in Italy and the struggles involved with it. They reflect on the themes of the film, including disability, parenthood, self-expression, and legacies of colonialism, all of which center on a story about the Italian rap scene. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38820]

Moderator Peter Bloom is joined by Kim Knowles and Carrie Noland for a discussion of how contemporary experimental film represents multi-species relationships and dependencies. Together, they consider how experimental cinema can animate alternative understandings of the relations between human and non-human animals. Addressing questions of genre, style, narration, and performance, Knowles, Noland and Bloom highlight the political and aesthetic complexity of the cinematic representation of animals. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38777]

Patrice Petro and E. Ann Kaplan discuss Irving Rapper’s classic 1942 melodrama, Now, Voyager. Together, Petro and Kaplan situate the film historically in the context of the Second World War and the changing dynamics of the domestic and public spheres. They also address the film’s unique depiction of psychiatry and psychoanalysis, and consider its complex representation of mother-daughter relationships. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38776]

Co-writer and co-director Jessica Woodworth joined moderator Stephen N. Borunda (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion of her film Altiplano and the process of developing a film about environmental and indigenous exploitation in Peru. Woodworth reflected on the role of music in shaping the emotional experience of the film. She also shared details of how current ecological issues and the culture of the region contributed to the narrative. Moreover, she discussed the real-life mercury spill and locally produced photography under the TAFOS project in Peru from 1986 to 1998 as key elements that contributed to the development of the film and its ideas. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38775]

Moderator Cristina Venegas joined Chicano and Chicana Studies Professors Gerardo Aldana, Giovanni Batz, and Daina Sanchez to discuss Wakanda Forever and Indigenous Worldbuilding. Professor Gerardo Aldana served as a consultant on the film’s representation of Mesoamerican cultures and played the role of UN assembly chairperson in the film. The panel discussed the politics of representation and the film’s themes of displacement and diaspora. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38744]

Guests Elizabeth Gabler (President, 3000 Pictures) and Marisa Paiva (Executive Vice President, 3000 Pictures) join moderator Emily Zinn (Associate Director, Carsey-Wolf Center) for a post-screening discussion of their 2022 adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s classic, Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Together, Gabler and Paiva discuss how they came to adapt D.H. Lawrence’s classic novel for through a feminist lens for a contemporary audience. They also address the challenges of bringing classic works to the screen through creative collaboration, and the key role of screenwriter David Magee in bringing Lawrence’s language and voice to life. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38719]

Composer and filmmaker Clarence Barlow joined moderator Peter Bloom (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion of Barlow’s pioneering work on composition and experimental film, including: Uccelli Ungheresi (1988), Kuri Suti Bekar (1998), Estudio Siete (1995/2015), )ertur( (2015), Evanescent Evidence (2021), and Zero Crossing (2001). Barlow shared insights on the development of his films and the importance and use of sound, particularly his unique approach to tonality and metricism. He also reflected on his long career and his fascination with mapping sound to visual media. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38717]

Guests Trinankur Banerjee (Film & Media Studies, UCSB) and Bishnupriya Ghosh (Global Studies & English, UCSB) join moderator Bhaskar Sarkar (Film & Media Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion of Satyajit Ray’s The Hero (1966). Together, Ghosh, Sarkar and Banerjee discuss how The Hero became one of Ray’s most iconic films thanks in part to the star power of beloved screen couple Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore. They also consider how Ray deftly explores themes of stardom and celebrity in the contest of the Indian film industry. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38716]

Guests Pujita Guha (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) and Bishnupriya Ghosh (Global Studies & English, UCSB) join moderator Bhaskar Sarkar (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion of Satyajit Ray’s The Golden Fortress (1974). Together, Guha, Ghosh, and Sarkar discuss the literary origins of Ray’s film, its popular appeal in the 1970s in India, and how it helps us to better understand Ray as a maker of popular genre film. They also discuss how Ray channeled influences from science fiction, detective fiction, travelogues, and other popular genres to create a distinctive and iconic body of cinematic work. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38715]

Director James Hayman joins moderator Patrice Petro, (Dick Wolf Director of the Carsey-Wolf Center) for a post-screening discussion of episode 51 of The Sopranos. Together, they explore how Hayman created a riveting, nuanced portrait of mafia and family life. Hayman offers insights into matching the darkly comedic style of the series, and how his education in film and media studies has shaped his work. He also addresses the relationship between cinematography, direction, and storytelling, and how these elements work together in the penultimate conclusion to season four. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38734]

Moderator Ben Olguín joined filmmaker Ellie Walton and poet Sami Miranda for a post-screening discussion of the documentary La Manplesa: An Uprising Remembered. Together, they discussed the importance of artistic collaboration and community, the relationship between art and activism, and current events that echo the story of injustice in DC’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood. Walton reflected on the experiences that compelled her to create this documentary, and Miranda shared his personal discovery of his grandfather’s old photographs, which helped him better understand his own artistic practice. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38621]

Moderator Mireille Miller-Young joined Diversity in Cannes founder Yolonda Brinkley and filmmaker Wendy Eley Jackson to discuss this important initiative and to celebrate the achievements of global Black women in film. Collectively, they outlined the background and impact of the initiative and strategies for Black women and their allies to create global change. They also reflected on the serious representation gaps in the international film industry and their own experiences breaking barriers. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38549]

Screenwriter Katie Silberman discusses the writing process for the hit coming-of-age film “Booksmart” with moderator Matt Ryan. Silberman reflects on her work with director Olivia Wilde and the creation of key scenes and themes in the film. Breaking down the script, Silberman explores the importance of pacing, character development, and emotional authenticity and examines the challenge of developing unique characters and overcoming high school stereotypes. She also explains how the cast worked collaboratively to make this high school comedy stand out and faithfully represent a modern generation of youth. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38382]

Adapted from the 1998 short story “Story of Your Life” by acclaimed science fiction author Ted Chiang, “Arrival” (2016) centers on communicating with tentacular alien visitors, whose language changes one’s experience of time. Introspective and immersive, “Arrival” imagines a fantastical calligraphy alongside questions of alienation, race, and motherhood. Professor Jennifer Rhee joins Melody Jue to discuss the film and explore the dynamics of free will, determinism, disorientation, communication, language, and temporal nonlinearity, as well as the similarities and differences between the film and the original short story. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38161]

Paul Espinosa, an award-winning filmmaker and producer, is the President/CEO of Espinosa Productions, specializing in films focused on the U.S.-Mexico border region. He has been involved with producing films for over 35 years and is professor emeritus in the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University. He has worked with public television stations in San Diego and Dallas as a Senior Producer and Executive Producer and has produced, directed, written and hosted numerous programs for PBS. Espinosa received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in Anthropology. Series: "Critically Human" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 38288]

Writer/director Oualid Mouaness discusses his film 1982 with moderator Paul Amar (Global Studies, UCSB). Mouaness details the development of the film and the importance of depicting an honest representation of the war in Lebanon, especially as a means to bridge gaps between older and younger generations. He explains the significance of telling 1982’s story through a child’s perspective and the unique point-of-view they have in experiencing war and history. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38159]

Acclaimed co-writer/director Abderrahmane Sissako discusses his film Timbuktu with moderators Richard Watts and Peter Bloom. Sissako details the development of the script and its connection to real-world news stories from Mali. He also recalls the political and logistical challenges during the film production. Watts and Bloom discuss the poetic qualities of the film, and in his own words, Sissako describes his artistic objectives with landscape and setting. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38160]

Professor Stephanie Malia Hom (French and Italian Studies, UCSB) joins moderator Anna Brusutti (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) to discuss Italian series Inspector Montalbano to conclude a yearlong screening series on global television. Brusutti provides a thorough breakdown of the history of Italian television broadcasting and distinguishes it from other national contexts. Hom explores the show’s Sicilian setting and ties contemporary discrimination towards migrants from abroad within a broader history of regional and global flows. Hom and Brusutti also examine the regional dialects of the show, as well as the structure of organized crime in Italy. They discuss the prolific work of author Andrea Camilleri and the long history of Inspector Montalbano in Italian television broadcasting. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 38156]