Cinemafile

Mike Kaspar
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  • FILM INTERVIEWS

Cinemafile showcases the very best in independent, documentary and foreign films through our conversations with the more than 2,000 filmmakers who made them. Through Cinemafile we will do our best to bring the most interesting and accomplished filmmakers from around the world to your attention.

  1. SHUFFLE - Subject and mother oF Daniel, Laura Helvey

    2 HR AGO

    SHUFFLE - Subject and mother oF Daniel, Laura Helvey

    SHUFFLE unravels a web of public policy and private interest preying on a desperate population for the sake of profit.In the wake of the opioid epidemic, insurance companies were now required to cover addiction and mental health treatment at the same reimbursement rate as other medical conditions, but without any of the regulations, a move that effectively monetized the 40 million Americans struggling with these issues. Shot over the course of three years, Shuffle follows three individuals trapped by the insurance-fueled cycle of treatment fraud spreading across the country. whose future depend not on getting into treatment, but on getting out alive. A journey of discovery and transformation, these personal stories provide the framework for a more public investigation with the help of an FBI informant, an insurance analyst and the former Executive Director of a Philadelphia-based treatment facility shuttered for fraud. About our Guest - Laura Helvey, mother of Daniel joins us for a gripping conversation on the living nightmare of finding out her son was an addict, then watching her son get caught up in the morass of revolving door rehab treatment, clinics that cared more about testing that effective treatment and then getting the worst news a mother can hear. And how she now an advocate to get politicians and community leaders to join her in the fight to hold this multi-billion dollar industry to account for their systemic corruption.

    17 min
  2. Spacewoman - Director by Hannah Berryman & Subject Commander Eileen Collins

    18 HR AGO

    Spacewoman - Director by Hannah Berryman & Subject Commander Eileen Collins

    Astronaut Eileen Collins was the first woman to pilot and command an American spacecraft. SPACEWOMAN beautifully captures Eileen’s journey, from her working-class beginnings in Elmira, NY, to breaking glass ceilings at NASA, commanding four space shuttle missions, and navigating the pressures on her family is awe inspiring. The doc includes archival materials and interviews that highlight both the monumental dangers of spaceflight and the incredible achievements of the shuttle program, including her leadership on STS-114, the first mission after the Columbia tragedy. Based on Eileen’s book Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, the film is directed by Hannah Berryman and produced by award-winning teams Keith Haviland (Haviland Digital) and Natasha Dack Ojumu (Tigerlily Productions). Director Hannah Berryman and Commander Eileen Collins join us to talk about Spacewoman. About the filmmaker - Hannah Berryman is an acclaimed documentary filmmaker known for combining archive footage, inventive animation, and recreation with contemporary narratives and powerful interviews with high-profile figures to uncover the human stories behind defining cultural moments. Her 2025 feature documentary Spacewoman follows astronaut Eileen Collins from a young girl growing up on the wrong side of the tracks with a secret dream of spaceflight to becoming the first woman to pilot and command a spacecraft. Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm, her 2020 BAFTA-nominated feature documentary for the BBC and distributed by Autlook Sales Worldwide, tells the extraordinary story of Welsh farmers who created a world-class recording studio on their land. The film features interviews with artists including Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, Liam Gallagher, and Chris Martin.Other critically acclaimed work includes the two-part Grierson Best Arts–nominated series Banned! The Mary Whitehouse Story (BBC), which examined her campaign against the permissive revolution of the 1970s; the BAFTA-nominated BBC film Miss World: Beauty Queens & Bedlam, exploring the feminist protests surrounding the 1970 Miss World contest; Princess Margaret: The Rebel Royal, a two-part profile whose subject’s life and loves reflected the social and sexual revolutions that transformed Britain during the 20th century (BBC/PBS Worldwide); The Rose D'or nominated 'Can We Live With Robots' with dancer Akram Khan (C4); the Grierson-shortlisted documentary A Very English Education, exploring the emotional legacy of British boarding schools; and the Grierson-nominated High Society Brides, an entertaining and revealing look at the upper-class women featured in Country Life magazine across the decades. Based on Eileen’s book Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, the film is directed by Hannah Berryman and produced by award-winning teams Keith Haviland (Haviland Digital) and Natasha Dack Ojumu (Tigerlily Productions).

    22 min
  3. The Serpent’s Skin - Director Alice Maio Mackay

    20 HR AGO

    The Serpent’s Skin - Director Alice Maio Mackay

    Twentysomething Anna (Alexandra McVicker) leaves her small, transphobic hometown to start a new life in the city with her sister when she quickly finds herself face-to-face with Gen (Avalon Fast), a confident young woman she’d first seen in visions. Gen, Anna learns, has supernatural powers—powers that the two of them share. Their bond of magic and romance is threatened when Gen inadvertently unleashes a demon in Danny (Jordan Dulieu), Anna’s one-time fling and neighbor, and the mysterious evil begins targeting—and feeding on—everyone close to them. About the filmmaker - After writing and directing a string of low-budget horror shorts in her teens, Maio Mackay—who begins every feature with the on-screen evocation of “A Transgender Film”—erupted onto the scene with her 2021 vampire horror-comedy So Vam, starring BenDeLaCreme and Etcetera Etcetera from Drag Race, which was released as a Shudder Original when she was only sixteen years old. Following her breakout, she helmed Bad Girl Boogey (2022), the explosive underground horror T Blockers (2023), which earned her the Emerging Talent Award from Outfest L.A.; musical horror-comedy Satranic Panic (2023); and queer holiday horror Carnage for Christmas (2024), with I Saw the TV Glow’s Jane Schoenbrun executive producing her forthcoming feature Our Effed Up World. The Serpent’s Skin is the 21-years-old trans Australian filmmaker's most ambitious film to date, combining her distinct filmmaking voice—known for channeling genre tropes through a trans lens, her innovative approach to aesthetics, and a unique wit—with a larger scope that leans into a darker storyline and a loving influence of 90s cult television like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed.

    13 min
  4. Wonders of the Wolf - Director Angie Ruiz

    23 HR AGO

    Wonders of the Wolf - Director Angie Ruiz

    WONDERS OF THE WOLF was filmed in Yellowstone National Park primarily in the Lamar Valley. It features the Park's famed wolf Matriarch, 907F. She lived to be 11 years old and died on Christmas Day 2025. She was the oldest wolf in Yellowstone National Park before her death. The film also features the longest running wolf pack called Mollies Pack -- named after Mollie Beatty who was the first female director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Wonders of the Wolfis an award-winning documentary exploring one of the most successful conservation efforts in modern history, The Yellowstone Wolf Project. From their historic recovery in 1995 to today's thriving wolf packs, Yellowstone Wolf Project biologists share inspiring stories about the wolves they study in the park. Using bioacoustic technology, researchers are uncovering how wolves communicate, applying their findings to resolve livestock-wildlife conflicts and protect these majestic creatures. Director Angie Ruiz joins us to tell a very personal connection she experienced during the making of Wonders of the Wolf. About the filmmaker - California native, Angie Ruiz is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. She is the writer, director, and producer of Black Beauty Breed, a film that celebrates the intelligence and inherent working abilities of the Rottweiler breed. She fell in love with the breed after rescuing a Rottweiler in 2007. She created the film to give the Rottweiler a fair and more balanced portrayal in the media. The film screened in multiple cities worldwide and is currently streaming on AppleTV and AmazonPrime. Black Beauty Breed has played an active role in redefining the Rottweiler’s image in the media. Accurate terms such as “working breed” and “intelligent” are now more commonly used when describing them.

    20 min
  5. Jimmy and the Demons - Director Cindy Meehl

    3 DAYS AGO

    Jimmy and the Demons - Director Cindy Meehl

    For six decades, Jimmy Grashow's intricate woodcuts and fantastical sculptures have graced museums and galleries, iconic album covers and over a thousand publications. As Jimmy approaches 80, he is given the commission of a lifetime that proves to be both exhilarating and daunting. As he obsessively carves his magnum opus, Jimmy searches for the meaning behind this profound and sacred piece to which he devotes every moment. But life is full of surprises and Jimmy is faced with a difficult decision. Navigating through the unexpected twists and turns with humor and trepidation, he experiences the true agony and ecstasy of being an artist. JIMMY & THE DEMONS is an unforgettable reminder that life can be a chaotic struggle, but the power of love, kindness and courage is undeniable. Award winning director Cindy Meehl (Buck, The Dog Doc) joins us to talk about getting to know Jimmy Glashow and his beautiful circle of friends, family and his amazing array of talented artists he counts on to make his unforgettable vision come together. About the filmmaker - Oscar short-listed filmmaker Cindy Meehl is an award-winning director and executive producer known for her feature film documentary work. She founded Cedar Creek Productions in 2008 and directed Buck, her debut film about renowned horse whisperer Buck Brannaman. Premiering at Sundance in 2011, Buck won the U.S. Documentary Audience Award and was shortlisted for an Academy Award. Meehl also directed The Dog Doc (2019), about Dr. Marty Goldstein, a veterinarian known for his unconventional healing practices, that premiered at Tribeca and was released in 2020. Her latest directorial venture Jimmy & The Demons, follows celebrated artist James Grashow’s marvelous adventure of creating his magnum opus. The film premiered at Tribeca in 2025 and won several jury awards in festivals around the country.

    17 min
  6. The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist - Co-directors: Charlie Tyrell (Daniel Roher) & Producer Ted

    4 DAYS AGO

    The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist - Co-directors: Charlie Tyrell (Daniel Roher) & Producer Ted

    From the Academy Award-winning filmmakers behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny; a father-to-be (Daniel Roher) tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created... and what's at stake if we get it wrong. Co-director Charlie Tyrell and Producer Ted Tremper join us for a spirited conversation on this inevitable technology that is the most hopeful and most fraught technology in the history of mankind. About the filmmaker - Charlie Tyrell is a Canadian filmmaker whose work has screened at major international festivals including the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, and the Toronto International Film Festival. His films have been featured by The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vimeo Staff Picks, and the CBC. His debut feature, The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, premiered at Sundance in 2026 and received a nationwide theatrical release from Focus Features. Previously, Tyrell directed the Academy Award–shortlisted My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes, winner of both a Canadian Screen Awards and a Cinema Eye Honors award. His follow-up film, Broken Orchestra, also premiered at Sundance. He later served as Director of Visual Segments on Amanda Mustard’s HBO documentary Great Photo, Lovely Life. He lives in Toronto with his wife and son and has taken an oath not to eat another hot dog until the Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series. About the filmmaker - Ted Tremper is a showrunner, director, and writer whose credits include the sequel to Borat, The Daily Show w/ Trevor Noah, Robert Smigel's FOX puppet show Let's Be Real, and I Love You America! w/ Sarah Silverman. He is also the co-creator of SHRINK on Peacock starring Tim Baltz, (Righteous Gemstones). In his spare time he makes bespoke fountain pens which he sells and donates the profits to far-left liberal charities hellbent on destroying America. - IMDb mini biography by: Ted Tremper

    18 min
  7. Esta Isla (This Island) - Co-directors Cristian Carretero & Lorraine Jones Molina

    26 MAR

    Esta Isla (This Island) - Co-directors Cristian Carretero & Lorraine Jones Molina

    Winner of Best New Narrative Directors and Best Cinematography in a Narrative Film at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, Esta Isla (This Island) follows Bebo, a teenager from a coastal Puerto Rican town, living with his brother in a public housing complex. They fish for a living, but their growing desperation drives them to illegal dealings that promise easy money. When a job goes wrong and blood is spilled, Bebo flees with Lola, a wealthy girl seeking to escape her troubled reality. As they navigate the labyrinthine mountains, they encounter remnants of a fading way of life, contrasting with the violence that follows them. As hitmen close in, Bebo must confront his choices and decide if redemption is possible, or if the sea will be their final escape. About the filmmaker - Raising awareness about issues pertaining to women, sexuality, and spirituality within the Caribbean, Lorraine Jones Molina is a Puerto Rican filmmaker who strives to use the medium as a tool for activism and healing. Winner of two Suncoast EMMY awards for a documentary feature film and a science television show, she has also produced several award winning short films throughout the Caribbean and New York. Lorraine is the Co- Founder of the art film production company Experimento Lúdico. About the filmmaker - Cristian Carretero, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, earned his B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and studied film at FAMU before obtaining an MFA from New York University in 2015. His films, primarily social dramas, explore contemporary issues in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, focusing on social and environmental challenges. His works have been featured and awarded internationally at venues such as BAM Cinematek, Anthology Film Archives, and the Montreal Film Festival. Co-founder of Experimento Lúdico, Carretero collaborates with clients like National Geographic and The Intercept, and teaches workshops at the University of Puerto Rico.

    18 min
  8. TOW - Director Stephanie Laing

    26 MAR

    TOW - Director Stephanie Laing

    TOW is based on the shockingly true underdog story of Amanda Ogle, a homeless woman who one day wakes up to find that the 1991 Toyota Camry she’d been sleeping in has been towed, along with all her worldly possessions. ll due to a belligerent tug of war over a car valued at less than a grand. Think - a more modern-day ERIN BROCKOVICH. Along the way, she creates a heartwarming support network of struggling women like herself (Octavia Spencer, Demi Lovato, Ariana DeBose) and teams up with a burgeoning young lawyer, played by Dominic Sessa (THE HOLDOVERS), to fight the powers that be. The film is a heartwarming and hilarious story of justice, scrappiness, and a shining testament to never giving up. We're joined by director Stephanie Laing

    18 min
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About

Cinemafile showcases the very best in independent, documentary and foreign films through our conversations with the more than 2,000 filmmakers who made them. Through Cinemafile we will do our best to bring the most interesting and accomplished filmmakers from around the world to your attention.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Kaspar
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    175
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Mike Kaspar
  • Show Website
    Cinemafile

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