Best Forte Pictures Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 148: PyCon 2025 AI Education Open Space 57:25

16d ago57:25

57:25

In this special episode of Teaching Python, hosts Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes convene an open space discussion at PyCon US 2025 in Pittsburgh. Surrounded by a diverse group of educators, developers, and learners, they hand the mic to the community to answer two key questions: How are you using AI personally, and how do you see AI shaping …

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E54 • Genre Blending: Creating a Hilarious Horror • David Joseph Craig & Brian Crano, dirs. of ‘I Don’t Understand You’ Now in Theaters following SXSW 1:00:28

20d ago1:00:28

1:00:28

Co-Directors David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano share their take on the unique blend of horror and comedy in their latest film, “I Don’t Understand You”, now in theaters following SXSW. Past films discussed include Eugene Levy’s 1992 crime-comedy “Once Upon a Crime”. They share their personal experiences working with producing partners Joel and Nas…

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E53 • Making Films Without Fear • NATESH HEGDE, dir. of ‘Tiger’s Pond’ at Berlinale 37:16

1M ago37:16

37:16

Indian filmmaker Natesh Hegde discusses his journey in filmmaking, from his early inspirations to the challenges and triumphs of creating his latest film, “Tiger’s Pond,” which just world-premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. Past inspo includes Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami's 1990 film “Close Up”. Natesh shares insights on collaborating with…

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E52 • Making a Feature Film Over 52 Years • VIBEKE LØKKEBERG, dir. of ‘The Long Road to the Director’s Chair’ at Berlinale 42:44

1M ago42:44

42:44

This episode explores the journey of filmmaker Vibeke Løkkeberg, who spent 52 years creating her film, “The Long Road to the Director’s Chair,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. Past cinema discussed includes Italian Neorealism and Andrei Tarkovsky. Vibeke’s film highlights the struggles and achievements of women in the film industry, de…

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E51 • Making An AI Feature in 6 Days (On No Sleep) • YIWEN CAO, dir. of ‘What’s Next?’ at Berlinale 40:00

2M ago40:00

40:00

In this conversation, Yiwen Cao discusses her groundbreaking AI-generated film 'What's Next?’, which premiered at the 2025 Berlin Film Festival. Although past films about AI are discussed, including “Her”, “A.I.”, “Ex Machina”, and “The Matrix”, Yiwen’s favorite movie is Billy Wilder’s 1959 comedy/musical “Some Like It Hot”. She shares insights int…

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E50 • Navigating the Film Ecosystem • PHIL COX, co-dir. of ‘Khartoum’ at Berlinale following Sundance 46:10

2M ago46:10

46:10

Phil Cox discusses the importance and challenges of navigating the film ecosystem and festival landscape, and the innovative storytelling techniques used in his documentary “Khartoum”, which just screened at the Berlin Film Festival following its Sundance premiere. Past filmmakers discussed include the films of Frederick Wiseman and Joshua Oppenhei…

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E49 • The Power of Real-Time Documentary • NAYIBE TAVARES-ABEL, dir. of ‘Colossal’ at Berlinale 50:46

2M ago50:46

50:46

Nayibe Tavares-Abel shares her journey from a political science background to becoming a documentary filmmaker. She discusses her film “Colossal”, which just premiered at Berlinale. Past films discussed include “Beyond Utopia” by Madeleine Gavin. Nayibe’s film intertwines her family history with the political landscape of the Dominican Republic, ex…

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E48 • Adapting Literature, and Grief, to Film • DYLAN SOUTHERN, dir. of ‘The Thing With Feathers’ starring Benedict Cumberbatch at Berlinale + Sundance 48:48

2M ago48:48

48:48

Dylan Southern talks about his film “The Thing with Feathers,” based on Max Porter's book and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which delves into themes of loss and family relationships after a mother’s passing. The film made its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, followed by Berlinale. He also references previous films that inspired him, in…

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E47 • Preparation, Meet Adaptability • SARAH MIRO FISCHER, dir. of ‘The Good Sister’ at Berlinale 40:32

3M ago40:32

40:32

Sarah Miro Fischer is the director of “The Good Sister”, which just enjoyed its World premiere in the Panorama section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. Past films discussed include Thomas Vinterburg’s “The Hunt”. Sarah discusses her emotional journey of premiering at Berlin, sharing insights into her filmmaking process which includes a fruitful…

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E46 • Navigating Death and Legacy as Themes • BEN HETHCOAT, dir. of ‘Coroner To The Stars’ - AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER at Slamdance 50:33

3M ago50:33

50:33

Ben Hethcoat opens up about his decade-long journey creating the documentary "Coroner To The Stars," which focuses on Dr. Thomas Noguchi, a well-known coroner famous for his work on high-profile celebrity deaths, including those of Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. Ben draws inspiration from documentary legend Errol Morris. He tackles the difficulti…

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E45 • The Humanitarian Crisis Through a Filmmaker's Lens • NATHANIEL LEZRA, dir. of ‘Roads of Fire’ - BEST DOC WINNER at the Santa Barbara Int. Film Festival 52:18

3M ago52:18

52:18

In this conversation, Nathaniel Lezra discusses his journey as a documentary filmmaker, focusing on his latest project, “Roads of Fire”, which just won Best Documentary at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Nathaneil’s past inspirations include Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Act of Killing” and “The Look of Silence”. He reflects on the chall…

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Episode 147: The Power of Teaching APIs 40:05

3M ago40:05

40:05

In Episode 147 of Teaching Python, Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes focus on the importance and power of teaching APIs to coding students. They share personal stories and practical strategies for engaging students with APIs, from simple use cases to more complex projects. Join them as they discuss how to make lessons fun and relevant, leveragi…

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E44 • Make It, Move on, Make Another • GABY DELLAL, dir. of ‘Park Avenue’ at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 29:49

3M ago29:49

29:49

Gaby Dellal discusses the journey of creating her latest film “Park Avenue”, which just premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Her past inspirations include “Midnight Cowboy” and “Midnight Express”. She reflects on her transition from acting to directing, the themes of motherhood in her work, and the impact of industry politics…

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E43 • Environmental Awareness Through Cinema • DANIEL & AUSTIN STRAUB, dir. of ‘Out of Plain Sight’ - AUDIENCE WINNER at the Santa Barbara Film Festival + Slamdance + DOC NYC 46:44

3M ago46:44

46:44

Director Daniel Straub and cinematographer (and brother) Austin Straub discuss their film “Out of Plain Sight”, which just won the Audience Award at Santa Barbara, ahead of their LA premiere with Slamdance. Past influences include Alex Garland’s “Annihilation”. The conversation explores the themes of environmental awareness and the legacy of chemic…

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E42 • The Subtle Art of Portraiture • BRIAN CASSIDY & MELANIE SHATZKY, dirs. of ‘A Man Imagined’ at the Rotterdam Int. Film Festival 47:02

4M ago47:02

47:02

Montreal-based Directors Brian Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky delve into the making of their Rotterdam documentary “A Man Imagined”, which focuses on the life of Lloyd, a homeless man with schizophrenia surviving amidst urban detritus and decay. Past inspo includes "Dog Days" by Austrian director Ulrich Seidl. They discuss their unique approach to sto…

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E41 • Embrace The Unforeseen • AARON ROOKUS, dir. of ‘Idyllic’ at the Rotterdam Int. Film Festival 44:05

4M ago44:05

44:05

Netherlands-based director Aaron Rookus explores themes of self-acceptance, mortality, and the quest for fulfillment through the lens of filmmaking ahead of his Rotterdam Film Festival premiere of “Idyllic”. Past inspirations include Tom Tykwer’s “Run Lola Run” and the films of Charlie Kaufman. Aaron speaks on the impact of personal experiences, su…

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E40 • Dreaming Your Sub-Concious Film Into Reality • GALA DEL SOL, dir. of ‘Rains Over Babel’ at Sundance + Rotterdam Film Festival 47:46

4M ago47:46

47:46

Colombian filmmaker Gala Del Sol discusses her debut feature film, “Rains Over Babel”, which just screened at this years Sundance and Rotterdam Film Festivals. Careful not to borrow too heavily, her cinema influences include Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica, who directed “Black Cat, White Cat”, and her favorite film of all time - “Children of Parad…

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E39 • The Burden and Privilege of Legacy • TAD NAKAMURA, dir. of ‘Third Act’ at the Sundance Film Festival 47:44

4M ago47:44

47:44

Tad Nakamura, the director of Sundance-bound "Third Act," reflects on his latest documentary, which centers on his father Robert Nakamura, a distinguished filmmaker frequently recognized as a trailblazer in Asian American media. Tad drew inspiration from his father’s 1974 short doc “Wataridori: Birds of Passage”. Tad shares the unique experience of…

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There are no safe places, not for those who love like us 10:18

4M ago10:18

10:18

The blog post I mentioned - https://proflobotomy.wixsite.com/professor-noorie/post/the-agony-of-loving-someone It's my exploration of the questions I asked myself... did I give myself many answers? I'm not sure. For a little while it did. It was fun to explore stories like this though. _______________ But I'd rather hear what you all think... can p…

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E38 • Meta Absurdism Explored Through Docu-Fiction • PASQUAL GUTIERREZ & BEN MULLINKOSSON, dirs. of ‘Serious People’ at the Sundance Film Festival 51:27

5M ago51:27

51:27

Co-directors Pasqual Gutierrez & Ben Mullinkosson blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction with their latest film “Serious People”, which just had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Ben discusses his filmmaking journey from Chicago to Shanghai and Pasqual shares the inspiration behind their film, which stemmed from a vivid drea…

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Episode 146: PSF Education Outreach Workgroup and the Education Summit 52:32

5M ago52:32

52:32

In episode 146 of Teaching Python, hosts Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster Perez delve into the newly established Python Education and Outreach Work Group, featuring guests Cheuk Ting Ho and Keith Murray. The group, aimed at enhancing Python education within the community, outlines its mission to gather feedback on educational resources and support ini…

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E37 • Finding Humanity in Diverse Perspectives • GIANLUCA MATARRESE, dir. of ‘GEN_’ at the Sundance Film Festival 55:41

5M ago55:41

55:41

Italian filmmaker Gianluca Matarrese discusses his documentary project “GEN_”, which is premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Past inspo includes the films of Frederick Wiseman. Gianluca delves into the complexities of his filmmaking philosophy, exploring the therapeutic nature of his creative process, and the importance of community and v…

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Episode 145: The Bigger Picture of Teaching Python 1:02:14

5M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

In episode 145 of Teaching Python, Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes celebrate their six-year podcast anniversary and discuss the shifts within computer science education and the growing influence of AI. They both reflect on the podcast’s journey, their experiences with Blue Sky, and the milestone of over 500,000 downloads. The conversation del…

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Episode 144: Python in Africa with Kudzayi Bamhare 53:18

6M ago53:18

53:18

In episode 144 of Teaching Python, hosts Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes are joined by special guest Kudzayi Bamhare from Zimbabwe. They dive into the important topic of Python education as a driver of innovation in Africa, focusing specifically on the challenges and opportunities in Zimbabwe. The conversation covers how coding communities ar…

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E36 • Story First, Jokes Second • DELANEY BUFFETT, dir. of ‘Adult Best Friends’ - Golden Key Winner at KWFF following Tribeca 1:07:04

6M ago1:07:04

1:07:04

Delaney Buffett, recipient of the Golden Key Award at the Key West Film Festival and director of “Adult Best Friends” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, stresses that when creating comedy, the story comes first. Past films discussed include Mike Nichols’ “The Birdcage” and Paul Feig’s “Bridesmaids. She shares insights on developing her f…

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Episode 143: Computational Thinking 2.0 with Dr. John Chapin 55:59

6M ago55:59

55:59

In Episode 143 of Teaching Python, hosts Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes engage in a compelling conversation with Dr. John Chapin, a renowned computer science educator and presenter at CSTA. As the CS Pathway Leader at the Academies of Loudoun, Dr. Chapin brings over a decade of experience in primary and secondary education, creating and impl…

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Episode 142: Middle School Magic: Integrating AI, Data Science, and Computational Thinking with Kelly Powers 1:00:01

6M ago1:00:01

1:00:01

In Episode 142 of Teaching Python, hosts Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes are joined by Kelly Powers, a fellow middle school educator and curriculum designer, to explore the dynamic world of middle school instruction. As a passionate advocate for computational thinking, Powers shares valuable insights on introducing students to the concepts of…

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E35 • Expand Your Horizon, Stand With the Misfits • WANNES DESTOOP, dir. of ‘Holy Rosita’ - BEST FILM Award at the Torino Film Festival 41:45

6M ago41:45

41:45

Wannes Destoop, director of “Holy Rosita”, which just won the Best Film award at the Torino Film Festival, shares his affinity for misfits and the unique stories they embody. Past films discussed include Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project” and Martin McDonagh’s “In Bruges”. He reflects on his documentary roots, the importance of authenticity in stor…

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Episode 141: Unlocking Python Expertise with Trey Hunner 51:32

6M ago51:32

51:32

Join hosts Kelly Schuster-Paredes and Sean Tibor as they welcome esteemed Python expert Trey Hunner to the show. This episode is a delightful mix of practical insights, engaging stories, and thought-provoking discussions about Python and teaching. Trey shares his experiences with listeners, starting with his recent venture into launching a 10-week …

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E34 • Directing Live-Action VFX: Story Comes First • JEFF FOWLER, dir. of ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures 44:13

7M ago44:13

44:13

“Sonic The Hedgehog 3” director Jeff Fowler shares his filmmaking journey, focusing on his experiences with visual effects, animation, and storytelling, having been influenced at an early age by “Star Wars”, “T2”, and “Jurassic Park”. Jeff emphasizes the importance of hard work and passion in achieving success, recounting his time at Ringling Colle…

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E33 • You Must Fight to Make Your Film • PIA MARAIS, dir. of ‘Transamazonia’ at the New York Film Festival, Chicago International, TIFF 43:45

7M ago43:45

43:45

Pia Marais shares insights from her filmmaking journey, including the making of her atmospheric new film “Transamazonia,” which just screened at the New York Film Festival following a Locarno world premiere. Past inspirations include Werner Herzog’s “Wings of Hope” and Asif Kapadia’s “Amy”. Pia’s latest film explores themes of faith and family dyna…

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Episode 140: Girls Programming Network with Renee Noble 1:00:54

7M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

In this episode of Teaching Python, Sean and Kelly are joined by Renee Noble, a dynamic Microsoft Cloud Advocate and CEO of a nonprofit dedicated to helping women and gender-diverse individuals learn to code. The discussion delves into Renee's inspiring journey from chemical engineering to tech advocacy, her role in the Girls Programming Network (G…

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E32 • Inspiring Action Through Activist Filmmaking • BEN RUSSELL, co-dir. of ‘Direct Action’ at the New York Film Festival + Berlinale 44:19

7M ago44:19

44:19

Ben Russell delves into the concept of observational cinema, sharing insights on his latest co-directing effort “Direct Action” (with Guillaume Cailleau), which portrays a radical activist community in France. It debuted at Berinale and just screened at the New York Film Festival. Past films discussed include Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson” and th…

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Episode 139: Code Your Dreams with Brianne Caplan 44:41

7M ago44:41

44:41

In Episode 139 of Teaching Python, hosts Sean Tibor and Kelly Schuster-Paredes welcome back Brianne Caplan, the dynamic founder of Code Your Dreams. The conversation explores the exciting advancements in coding education since Brianne's last appearance in 2019. They delve into the importance of blending play and learning, the impact of generative A…

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E31 • The Serious Business of Effective Comedy • EGIL PEDERSEN, dir. of ‘My Father’s Daughter’ at TIFF + Reykjavik Int. Film Festival 44:46

7M ago44:46

44:46

In this conversation, Egil Pedersen reflects on his experiences growing up in a small Norwegian village and how he transitioned from short films to his first feature film, “My Father's Daughter,” the first-ever Sámi-language premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. His cinema inspirations include David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks” and “Show Me …

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E30 • Creating Controversial Characters • ERIK POPPE, dir. of ‘Quisling - The Final Days’ at TIFF following the Norwegian Film Festival 47:10

7M ago47:10

47:10

In this conversation, Erik Poppe - the director of “Quisling - The Final Days”, which just premiered at TIFF following the Norwegian Film Festival, discusses his journey from photojournalism to filmmaking, emphasizing the role of art in raising questions and engaging audiences. He reflects on his influences, including Francois Truffaut’s 1970 film …

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E29 • Shoot First, Ask Questions Later • AFOLABI OLALEKAN, dir. of ‘Freedom Way’ at the Toronto Int. Film Festival 33:39

8M ago33:39

33:39

In this episode, Afolabi Olalekan discusses the vibrant Nigerian film industry, dubbed Nollywood, and his latest film, Freedom Way, which premiered at the Toronto Int. Film Festival. His past inspirations include Cary Fukunaga’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’ and ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’, directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Afolabi shares the challenges h…

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E28 • The Healing Power of Film • SUBHADRA MAHAJAN, dir. of ‘Second Chance’ at AFI following Busan + Karlovy Vary 52:29

8M ago52:29

52:29

Mumbai-based director Subhadra Mahajan discusses her debut feature film ‘Second Chance’ which just had its Hollywood premiere at AFI, following a World premiere at Karlovy Vary earlier this year. Past inspirations include her love for the Iranian New Wave and Andrea Arnold’s ‘Fish Tank’. She speaks on her filmmaking journey, influenced by classic H…

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E27 • Navigating Cultural Sensitivity Through Magical Realism • JASON JACOBS & DEVON DELMAR, dirs. of ‘Carissa’, Best Film Nom at the Venice Film Festival 29:12

8M ago29:12

29:12

Today’s episode features Devon Delmar, Jason Jacobs, and their feature film, “Carissa”, which just enjoyed its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and was nominated for the Venice Horizon’s Award for Best Film. They are also joined by Producer Deidré Jantjies. Past inspirations include Benh Zeitlin’s ’Beasts of the Southern Wild’. Th…

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E26 • Leveraging Life’s Limitations • VOJTĚCH STRAKATÝ, dir. of ‘After Party’ at the Venice Int. Film Festival 37:33

8M ago37:33

37:33

Vojtĕch Strakatý, director of ‘After Party’, which just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, speaks on how real-life experiences can inspire unique storytelling. His past cinema inspirations include the Brazilian films ‘Neighboring Sounds’ and ‘Aquarius’, by Kleber Mendonça Filho. He discusses the emotional core of his film, inspired by real-life…

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