Mekhi Harper - Interview
My name is Mekhi Harper, and I’m a filmmaker, writer, and director focused on character-driven storytelling and emotional realism. My work explores identity, inner conflict, and human vulnerability through a visually grounded cinematic style. With experience in short films and animation, I can craft intimate narratives that emphasize atmosphere, tension, and the power of quiet moments.
When did you realised you wanted to be a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?
I wanted to be a Writer ever since I was a kid.
Do you remember your first time at the Movies?
No, but the genre that I watch when I was a kid is superheroes.
If you should change country where would you like to work?
United States because I was born and raised here.
Two films that have marked your life for better or for worse…
The two films that mark my life for the better is “The X Men” and “The Adventures of Sharkboy and “Lavagirl”.
What do you think about Acting/ filmmaking schools?
I never went to those types of schools. I always wanted to be a writer, so I attended schools that have writing. That was until I was trying to get my bachelors degree for me to develop a liking in film.
Have you ever hated your ambition?
Never.
Francois Truffaut used to think that "Film Lovers are sick people”… was
he right?
It depends on one’s perspective, no matter what people say or do, film lovers will always find love in films.
Close your eyes…if I say “Cinema” what do you see?
I see popcorn, Pepsi, clapperboard and black and white screen.
Who’s the Director\Actor\Writer that taught you the most?
Stan Lee due to him creating a whole bunch of Marvel Characters that I love.
About your job, tell us your biggest dream and your worst nightmare…
My biggest dream is to be a part of either Marvel studios or DC studios or have my own studio that rivals them. My worst nightmare is unable to achieve every dream that I want.
How important is to have a good Cinematographic Culture?
Extremely important because it shows you the raw emotions from the characters in one shot.
What would you like to improve as a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?
I would like to know everything involving film as a filmmaker.
A big producer give you the chance to direct\to play (in) the remake of
one of your favorite black and white Movie (if you have one)… what film do you choose?
I don’t have one.
Film Industry it’s a tough place and sometimes is normal to feel lost
and discouraged… who’s the person that keeps you motivated?
My parents.
Alfred Hitchcock said: "To make a good film you need 3 things: The
script, the script and the script". Do you agree with him?
Yes, because you must always have a plan.
What’s your most ambitious project for the future?
Create a superhero universe that rivals marvel or dc.
Do you think that sadness or at least melancholy let be more creative?
Unsure.
What do you wish to yourself as a Filmmaker\Actor \Writer?
Keep meeting people with same interests, improve your skills, and keep creating.
Enrico R. Famulari Valentino - Interview
Enrico is a London-based film director and composer working primarily in science fiction and music-driven cinema. His work is defined by a precise fusion of image, sound, and design, where narrative, rhythm, and atmosphere are conceived as a single system. Moving seamlessly between futuristic worlds and intimate human moments, he builds films that feel engineered in form yet deeply emotional in impact. With a background spanning cinema, music composition, and advanced production techniques, Enrico approaches filmmaking as a total language — sculpting light, space, movement, and sound to create immersive audiovisual experiences. His films and music videos are marked by strong visual identities, controlled palettes, and soundtracks that drive both structure and emotion. Whether working on speculative sci-fi narratives or performance-led pieces, his focus remains constant: creating cinema that feels timeless, visceral, and unmistakably authored.
The biggest challenge of being an actor\director\ screenplayer is…
The biggest challenge of being an actor, director, and screenwriter is staying true to your vision while remaining open to others. It’s a delicate balance between listening and deciding, between vulnerability and responsibility. Every project asks you to expose yourself, to doubt, and to start again, and it’s exactly in that tension that cinema finds its truth.
Choose an Actor, Choose an Actress...and now choose a story you would like to direct or play with both of them
I would choose Adam Driver and Tilda Swinton.
The story I’d love to direct with them is an intimate sci-fi drama about two people living in parallel timelines who can only meet through sound. They don’t see each other at first, they hear each other’s voices, footsteps, breathing, until the boundaries between worlds slowly collapse. It would be a film about connection, isolation, and the way memory and emotion travel beyond space and time, carried as much by silence and music as by dialogue.
Who’s the first Aritst that let you understand you wanted to be an Actor\ director\screenplayer?
The first artist who made me understand that I wanted to become a director and screenwriter was Federico Fellini.
His films showed me that cinema could be personal, emotional, and imaginative at the same time, not just a story, but a world shaped by memory, dreams, and intuition. Watching his work made me realize that filmmaking could be a deeply subjective act, and that was the moment I knew I wanted to express myself through cinema.
What really excites you artistically or emotionally?
What really excites me artistically and emotionally is the moment when emotion becomes visible, when a look, a movement, or a silence says more than words. Because I’m also a composer, I’m deeply drawn to the intimacy between sound and visible emotion, to how music can reveal what an image is holding inside. It’s that alignment between what you see and what you hear that moves me the most.
Marlon Brando said “Never confuse the size of your Paycheck with the size of your talent”. Do you agree?
Yes, I totally agree. A paycheck often reflects timing, access, and the market, not the depth of someone’s talent. Talent is proven over time, through risk, consistency, and the ability to move people, even when the resources are small. Of course success matters and artists deserve to be paid well, but money is not a reliable measure of artistic value. The real measure is what remains when the hype is gone: the work.
Have you ever been discouraged by someone about your life\career choices?
Yes, I have. It happens to everyone at some point. When you choose a creative path, doubt often comes from outside before it comes from within. But over time I learned that discouragement usually says more about other people’s fears than about your own direction. It forced me to clarify why I was doing this in the first place, and in that sense it actually strengthened my commitment rather than weakening it
Do you think is harder for a woman being a Filmmaker?
Yes, I do think it’s harder. Not because of talent or vision, but because the industry still carries structural and cultural biases that women have to navigate every day. Women are often required to prove their authority, competence, and voice more than men, especially in leadership roles like directing. That said, I’m constantly inspired by women filmmakers who turn that pressure into strength, clarity, and originality. Their perspective is not just needed — it’s essential for cinema to truly reflect the world we live in.
Do you think that Fame and money could easily change your own Vision as a Filmmaker\actor\screenplay?
They can, if you let them. Fame and money bring comfort, expectations, and noise, and all of that can slowly pull you away from your original instinct. But they can also offer freedom, the freedom to protect your vision, choose your collaborators, and take creative risks. For me, the challenge is staying grounded and curious, remembering that the vision comes first. If that stays intact, success becomes a tool rather than a distraction.
Who’s the Movie star that made you dream for the first time?
I’d say Marcello Mastroianni and Roger Moore. As a child, Roger Moore represented pure cinematic fantasy — adventure, elegance, and the idea that cinema could be larger than life. He made movies feel like dreams you could step into.
Mastroianni came later and opened a different door: a more intimate, ironic, and human way of being on screen. Together, they shaped both sides of my imagination — the dream and the depth.
Make a wish about your career...
I wish to keep the freedom to choose stories that truly matter to me, and the courage to tell them in my own voice. To grow without losing sensitivity, and to keep building films where image, sound, and emotion remain deeply connected, no matter how the industry around me changes.
Talking about cinema\Showbusiness, how hard is to remain completly honest to yourself as an artist?
It’s very hard. Cinema and show business constantly ask you to adapt to trends, expectations, numbers, and visibility. The pressure isn’t always obvious, but it’s persistent. Remaining honest means learning when to listen and when to protect your inner voice. It’s a daily negotiation. For me, honesty isn’t a fixed state, it’s a choice you have to make again with every project.
The Film you have loved the most?
Cinema Paradiso
And now, don’t be shy….the one that annoyed you the most?
I’d say Transformers.
Not because of its scale or technical achievement, which are impressive, but because it represents a kind of cinema where spectacle overwhelms emotion. For me, when noise replaces intimacy and everything is pushed to excess, I lose the connection. It’s a reminder that bigger isn’t always deeper, and that cinema needs emotion as much as impact.
Your biggest artistic goal is…
My biggest artistic goal is to create films that feel timeless, works where image, sound, and emotion are inseparable, and where technology serves sensitivity rather than replacing it. I want to build a body of work that stays with people quietly, like a memory, and continues to resonate long after the film has ended.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
If I weren’t a filmmaker, I’d want to focus entirely on music, specifically composing soundtracks. I’m fascinated by how sound can shape emotion, memory, and perception without being seen. Writing music for films, theatre, or even imagined worlds would still allow me to tell stories, just through rhythm, texture, and silence instead of images.
How important is to be rewarded as an Artist?
Being rewarded is meaningful, it’s a form of recognition and encouragement, a sign that the work has reached someone. But it’s not what defines an artist or the value of the work. Awards come and go; what matters more is staying honest to your vision and continuing to create, even when there’s no external validation. In the end, the most important reward is knowing the work is true to who you are.
Do you have regrets?
I sometimes wish I had started earlier. But at the same time, I know I wouldn’t have had the same depth, patience, or sensitivity. Everything I lived before cinema fed the way I see and feel stories today. So rather than a regret, it feels more like an awareness, that timing shapes the work as much as intention.
What’s the messagge you wanna express through your art?
The message I want to express is that emotion is a form of truth. That beneath noise, speed, and surface, there is something fragile and human that connects us all. Through my work, I try to remind people to slow down, to feel, and to listen — because in that space, we recognize ourselves in others.
Laura Beth Berry - Interview
Laura Beth Berry is an actor, dancer and educator living in Columbus, Mississippi. She studied English Literature at The University of the South, Sewanee. She has been a regular player in the Tennessee Williams Tribute Festival, held in his birthplace and her hometown. Her goal is that all her work would honor her Creator.
When did you decide you wanted to be an actor/director/ screenplayer?
My mother can tell you the exact day she realized she was raising a performer. I was two years old. I picked up one of those red mesh bags that had previously held super-market oranges and pulled it over my head. It was tight enough to push my nose and lips in and make my eyes squinty. Immediately, I was someone else, and I realized I had the freedom to behave differently. The delighted reaction I received from my family must have made a deep impression on me, as I have been seeking applause ever since. My own decision to act came much later. While I enjoyed acting in some high school and college plays, I doubted my abilities. It wasn’t until I was an adult, when I played M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias, that I knew I had a knack for acting. I realized that I had enough life experiences from which to pull the various emotions needed to become a character. The freedom that comes from wearing someone else’s skin was intoxicating to me.
How did your family react?
The first time my husband and most of the rest of my family saw me act on stage was during the run of Steel Magnolias. A friend in the audience leaned over to my husband and said, “I didn’t know Laura Beth could act!” My husband’s eyes got wide as he considered all the implications and he replied, “I didn’t either!!” We still laugh about that to this day.
My family has been very supportive. And when they tell me that they didn’t see me in a role, but only saw the character, then I know I have succeeded.
Do you have a Muse or a Role Model?
I don’t have a particular muse, but I do admire the work of Meryl Streep, Debra Winger, and Renee Zellweger. I wish could be as funny as Steve Martin.
Who's your biggest fan?
While I have to say my husband loves me the most, it’s my siblings and my aunt who get the most excited about my acting gigs. I’ve worked with a few other actors and directors who have been really encouraging,
too.
What brings you inspiration the most?
I get most inspired by the characterization in a script or screenplay. I love people. I love humans and all the messiness that is humanity. When a writer is able to depict through dialogue a complete and believable person, that inspires me. Tennessee Williams was a master at this, and I have learned a lot about the emotions that motivate my own behavior by playing some of his characters. When I am in the process of becoming a character, I think a lot about her motivations. If no back story is given, I will create my own so that the character is a complete person with a history and goals.
Which actor or director would you like to work with?
Robin Williams is my all-time favorite actor and I would have loved to work with him. Steven Speilberg’s creativity is genius and I hear he is a nice guy too. Mostly, I just like to work!
Have you ever seen a film that was better than the book?
Is it even possible for a film to be better than a book? The films that play in my head when I read a novel are always pretty amazing! Nevertheless, there are many terrific adaptations out there. I was especially impressed with Like Water for Chocolate. I loved that book and I was amazed at how the film adaptation stayed true to the fantastical element without getting cheesy.
What's the movie that taught you the most?
This a difficult question to answer. Some films are timely and have spoken to my current personal situation. I am so grateful that I saw The War of the Roses at the perfect time in my life. I had been dating a guy for five years. When I saw how Kathleen Turner reacted to the news that her husband was dying, I saw my future. That film encouraged me to make a course correction that has greatly improved my life! I’m sure it saved me a great deal of heartache.
Some films teach timeless truths. Babe, Schindler’s List, Good Will Hunting, The Fisher King all had good lessons about perseverance and the conquering power of love. There’s even a line from one of the Star Wars that I say to myself sometimes. I’m paraphrasing, but Luke Skywalker says something like this: we don’t fight against what we hate, we fight for what we love. That idea can apply to many areas of our lives.
About your artistic career, have you ever had the desire to quit everything?
The focus of my artistic career has changed from time to time, as have my priorities, but I’m sure I will always be excited about the next opportunity.
On set what excites you the most?
I get most excited about becoming my character and interacting with the other actors and the drama that we create together. I love when everyone is really in sync with their roles and something amazing happens. I love to be able to depict real life in a way that is sometimes even more clear, more distilled, than real life.
And what scares you the most?
When the exact opposite happens. When there is no chemistry or the other actors are unprepared, and give me nothing to interact with. I have to imagine what they should be giving me and work with that instead.
To me, that is pretending instead of acting.
What's your next project?
I hope to work with Randy Skinner on a film about an impoverished track star who overcomes lots of obstacles on her way to success. I’m currently planning and choreographing a dance piece based on the book of Thessalonians.
You can steal the career of an artist you really admire, who do you choose?
If stealing someone’s career meant I am them and not myself, then forget it. But if I would love to have the breadth and depth of roles that Meryl Streep has had.
An actor/director/screenplayer is made of....
An actor is made of grit, patience, humor and self-awareness. Our job is to act as a microscope or a telescope, focusing our audience on some aspect of the human existence which might otherwise get lost in the busy-ness of life.
For you Cinema is....
For me, Cinema is storytelling. Storytelling has played an important role since the dawn of humanity. Stories help us define who we are and what we stand for. Stories are important for shared experiences within a community or people group. When you want to understand a culture, look to the folktales of that society. Even stories that are primarily meant to be entertaining have some level of instruction. Movies today not only reflect our culture, but also shape the direction in which we are going – which is a pretty heavy responsibility.
Do you think Black and white movies have a powerful impact?
Yes, color and the lack thereof can be an important tool for setting the tone in a movie. Black and white forces the viewer to see things differently. The director is able to better control the emphasis in a scene. Schindler’s List was masterfully done in black and white and I will never forget the impact of the one spot of color in that movie. Seeing the little red coat was heart-wrenching.
Have you ever dreamed of winning an Oscar?
Haven’t we all dreamed of winning an Oscar? Haven’t we all written an acceptance speech in our heads? I certainly did many years ago.
Do you think you're gonna win it?
At this point in my life I think it is highly unlikely, and I am very okay with that.
I have made a positive difference in the lives of enough people in my world that I do not need a golden statue for validation. . . . .but I wouldn’t turn it down!!!
Patrick McNerney - Interview
Patrick McNerney is a Houston-based filmmaker, director, producer, and editor with a creative background spanning music, radio, and film. He began his career as a lead guitarist in multiple signed bands, earning Top 40 and rock-format radio singles and nationwide CD distribution, and later produced music and voiceover for commercial radio. By age 20, McNerney had worked professionally in the radio and music industry. In 2012, he transitioned to film full-time, directing, producing, and editing multiple short films and web series. His latest short film, The Sanguine, is earning awards and laurels on the international film festival circuit.
Do you prefer Comedy or Drama?
I’m drawn to any genre that genuinely resonates with an audience. If the story is well written and emotionally honest, the format becomes secondary.
Life imitates Art or Art imitates Life?
Both feed each other. Life provides the raw material, but art distills it into something more focused—something that can be felt, remembered, and shared.
Which is the best Moment on set?
The best moments on set are the ones where you can feel the “lighting in the bottle.” You know the actors, choreography, lighting and camera work are all coming together perfectly to capture something magical.
Did anyone ever tell you weren't good enough?
I’m sure it’s happened, but I’ve never let outside opinions dictate my direction. I’m driven more by internal standards than external validation.
How can you stay focused on your goal?
Clear visualization and deliberate goal-setting. If you know what you’re building toward, distractions tend to fall away on their own.
Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job?
No. Filmmaking is demanding, but losing perspective is counterproductive. Pressure is part of the process—you either learn to manage it or it manages you.
Talent is a blessing or a curse?
Talent is a blessing. The real curse is wasting it through complacency or fear.
What would you like to improve about yourself as an
actor/director/screenplayer?
Like most independent filmmakers, I’m always wishing for more time, more resources, and a larger crew. Learning how to maximize limitations while still elevating the work is an ongoing pursuit.
What's the worst critic you have received?
That something I wanted to create was not possible given the available resources. I think “The Sanguine” is a great example of a success in this category.
If you weren't an actor/director/screenplayer what would you like to be?
I’m already a business owner, and I genuinely enjoy it. Creativity isn’t limited to art—you can apply it to problem-solving, leadership, and building things that didn’t exist before.
If Cinema was a color what would it be?
Deep crimson—something rich, timeless, and capable of conveying both beauty and danger.
A day without a movie is...
Perfectly fine. But a day with a great movie can be unforgettable.
If someone offered you to play/direct/write in/a movie that you despice
but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?
No. If I’m not passionate about a project, I wouldn’t do it justice—and that wouldn’t be fair to the audience or the collaborators.
What's your greatest ambition?
To stay honest in my work and give my full effort to whatever I choose to create.
What's your biggest fear?
Knowing I could have done better and choosing not to. I strive to ensure that never happens.
Does music helps you to play/direct, write?
Absolutely. I was a full-time musician before film, and rhythm often comes first for me. Music usually shapes the emotional core of a project before the visuals are fully formed.
You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the
audience?
That emotion doesn’t require dialogue. If the images are honest enough, the audience will understand everything that matters.
Share your speech if you should win an Oscar.....
I’d thank the collaborators who trusted me, the audience who gave the film their time, and the independent filmmakers who keep creating without permission. Stories survive because people refuse to stop telling them.
Frédéric Astruc - Interview
I directed short films produced in the late 1990s, some of which were broadcast in France and Great Britain (Channel 4). In the early 2000s, I worked for five years on a self-produced feature film, Odessa, which I unfortunately couldn't continue working on once it was finished. Subsequently, my work as a film professor and researcher took precedence over filmmaking, at least until the mid-2010s. Since 2016, I have directed three museum documentaries and four new short films: Lichen, The Great Nowhere, Metropole, and Under a Cloud, my most recent. The Great Nowhere and Metropole have received several awards at festivals and positive critical reception.
When did you decide you wanted to be an actor/director/screenwriter?
It's funny because I remember very well when and even where it happened. I was 17, in high school. I'd been a regular at the movies for several years. I kept the ticket from every film and wrote them all down in a notebook. One day, while we were in a history/geography class in a small lecture hall, I had this epiphany: I realized I loved cinema and that it would be my life.
How did your family react?
They weren't against it, but they wanted to rationalize my path. When I got my baccalaureate, I wasted two years studying hard sciences. It's worth noting that at that time, there weren't any film studies programs at the university level. After two years of failure, I made my mother understand that I needed to pursue an education that interested me in order to succeed. She understood perfectly, and everything fell into place after that.
Do you have a muse or a role model?
Today, without hesitation, David Lynch. For me, he is the greatest contemporary filmmaker. He is also a complete artist who practiced photography, painting, and music, and who managed to lead the life of an artist he had always dreamed of. I greatly admire his career, especially his early years when he never gave up. When you work for five years on a film (Eraserhead) in very precarious conditions without making the slightest compromise on your creative vision, I believe you deserve to make a living from your art.
Who is your biggest fan?
Confession: I'm my own biggest (secret) fan.
What inspires you the most?
In a way, everything is potentially a source of inspiration: everyday life, yourself, the world we live in. To be receptive to these vibes, all you have to do is put down your cell phone, lift your head and look around you, observe, listen, feel... Some ideas emerge "magically" without us understanding what triggered them, but we can also predispose ourselves to creation. You just have to avoid wanting to create at all costs.
Art is another source of inspiration.
Which actor or director would you like to work with?
Oh, there are too many, but let's say Scarlett Johansson and Ralph Fiennes for actors. I would also have loved to work with Gaspard Ulliel, who is sadly no longer with us… As for directors, Jonathan Glazer and Dario Argento, the maestro, for Italy. Or Antonioni, if he were still with us.
Have you ever seen a film better than the book?
The first one that comes to mind is Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, which is thematically much richer and far more compelling than the novella written by Cornell Woolrich.
Which film has taught you the most?
That's a difficult question because we're not always aware of what a film teaches us. I'll mention two, which are among my favorites and which helped sharpen my eye: Brian De Palma's Body Double and Paul Brickman's Risky Business, which continue to fascinate me.
Regarding your artistic career, have you ever wanted to give it all up?
It's crossed my mind sometimes, but never seriously, and perhaps not "all" in the sense that, whatever happens, I'll continue to create in one way or another.
On set, what excites you the most?
Working with the actors, when the final acting directions, the last exchanges shape and complete the performance. I love the quality of listening and the extreme concentration of that moment when the director and the actors become one.
And what scares you the most?
Insurmountable technical problems, particularly bad weather, missing a take for various reasons and not having the opportunity to improve it due to timing issues.
What is your next project?
I'd like to write and direct a feature film. I've started working on it.
You can steal the career of an artist you truly admire, but who would you choose?
I don't want to steal anything from anyone.
An actor/director/screenwriter is made of...
Doubts and moments of blissful optimism. You often swing between underestimating and overestimating your films. With time, you learn to see through both. The only key is hard work. You also need a bit of luck.
For you, cinema is…
…an alchemy of the arts, because it encompasses them all (literature, music, theater, decorative arts, sculpture, photography, painting…). Each filmmaker creates their own alchemy according to their natural inclination; some place more importance on the screenplay, others on the image, and so on. But we all work from the same heritage.
Do you think black and white films have a powerful impact?
I wish I could say yes because I love them, but I'm not so sure today. On the one hand, "heritage" cinema is becoming less and less visible (look at what's happening on streaming platforms), and on the other hand, I haven't yet seen a contemporary black and white film break box office records. But the aesthetics of black and white are sublime; it's important to preserve and promote them, just as it's vital to defend film stock. My second-to-last film was shot on Super 16 black and white. The image is simply incredible. Sometimes, digital technology just can't compete.
Have you ever dreamed of winning an Oscar?
Yes, but it's not the be-all and end-all. Besides, there are other awards (Palme d'Or, Golden Lion, etc.), and the greatest reward one can receive is being able to make a living from their work.
Do you think you'll win it?
Of course ;)