The Film Situation

Actor Chris Camaj joins Zef Cota for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up Albanian-American in Queens, old-school New York, and the unconventional path that eventually led him into acting.

Chris talks about his early years around the independent hip-hop scene, appearing in Spike Lee’s 25TH HOUR, and later deciding to seriously pursue acting, including his role in THE W...

Today's guests are Paul Wagner, an Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning independent filmmaker who has produced and directed more than fifty films across a remarkable fifty-year career, and his wife and creative partner, Ellen Casey Wagner.

Together, they directed the outstanding documentary GEORGIA O'KEEFFE: THE BRIGHTNESS OF LIGHT, a fascinating portrait of one of America's most influential artists. We discuss the years of researc...

Jonathan Yunger returns to THE FILM SITUATION for an in-person conversation following the Washington, D.C. premiere of his latest film, LUCKY STRIKE.

Jonathan discusses producing the World War II survival thriller starring Scott Eastwood, collaborating once again with director Rod Lurie, and the importance of authenticity in historical filmmaking. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from the production, explains the fascinating rea...

Acclaimed casting director and intimacy coordinator Marci Liroff joins THE FILM SITUATION for a wide-ranging conversation about her extraordinary career working on films including E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, FOOTLOOSE, and FREAKY FRIDAY.

We talk about casting iconic films, working with actors, and her important work as an intimacy coordinator. Marci also shares two of her favorite movie scenes: the heartbreaking goodbye in E.T. THE...

Janek Ambros is a filmmaker, producer, writer, and founder of Assembly Line Entertainment whose work has screened in connection with major festivals including Sundance, Venice, SXSW, and TIFF. As both a producer and director, he has built a career balancing the creative and business sides of independent filmmaking while helping bring a wide range of projects to life.

In this episode, we discuss Janek's unconventional path from stud...

Episode Description

Cannes 2026 just wrapped, and Zef is joined by producer Cole Howard to break down the films, winners, distributors, and festival buzz coming out of the world’s most prestigious film festival.

They discuss this year’s Palme d’Or winner FJORD, Christian Mungiu’s new family drama starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, along with some of the biggest films on their watchlists, including J...

Alex Braverman is a filmmaker who has directed and produced acclaimed documentaries, including the 2023 film THANK YOU VERY MUCH, a fascinating portrait of the great Andy Kaufman.

I first discovered Alex’s work through THANK YOU VERY MUCH, which is currently on MUBI, and immediately wanted to talk to him about Kaufman, documentary filmmaking, and the strange blurred line between performance, truth, comedy, and reality.

We tal...

Chicago-based director Jared Isaac recently directed his debut feature film AN AUTUMN SUMMER, which releases next month.

A great conversation about the joys of shooting an indie film in the hidden cinematic gem of Northern Michigan. We spoke about the personal nature of this film and how it's based on some of his closest friends...and the fascinating story of how he was able to, against-all-odds, cast Tony Horton as the father. Hor...

Ross Brodar joins The Film Situation for a wide-ranging conversation about filmmaking, New York stories, and the strange overlap between cinema and real life.

Ross has worked as a locations manager on acclaimed films including ANORA, MARTY SUPREME, and projects with directors such as Sean Baker, James Gray, and Josh Safdie. In this episode, Ross breaks down the art and logistics of location scouting, transforming real-world environ...

In Episode 79 of THE FILM SITUATION, Zef Cota sits down with producer, writer, and director Sean A. Reid for a grounded conversation about what it actually takes to get an independent film made.

Sean breaks down his experience raising money, structuring deals, and navigating today’s distribution landscape. From MGs and tax incentives to the surprising revenue potential of niche films on platforms like Tubi and YouTube, this e...

Jeff Deverett joins The Film Situation for a deep dive into the business side of filmmaking, from his decades in distribution to ultimately stepping behind the camera to direct his own films.

We get into how movies are actually financed, why most indie films struggle to make money, and the realities of selling a film in today’s market. Jeff breaks down the myth of pre-sales, explains how high net worth individuals fund indepe...

Writer and director Richard Schenkman joins THE FILM SITUATION for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from the earliest days of MTV to the making of his cult classic THE MAN FROM EARTH.

Richard shares how he became one of the first people hired at MTV before it even launched, what it was like building something from scratch, and how a James Bond fan club unexpectedly helped him land the job. From there, we get into his path as ...

Director Nick Gomez joins us for a deep dive into his path from punk and underground art into filmmaking, and how that raw energy shaped his early features. We talk about making LAWS OF GRAVITY on a shoestring, the rise of The Shooting Gallery in pre-gentrified Williamsburg, and what it took to build momentum as an indie director before stepping into high-pressure episodic television such as The Sopranos, Dexter, Ray Donovan, Dared...

In this episode of THE FILM SITUATION, Zef Cota is joined by Cole Howard for a tribute to the legendary Robert Duvall. They dig into what made Duvall such a singular screen presence, from quiet restraint to explosive intensity, and why he remains one of the great American character actors. The conversation highlights key performances including TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE GODFATHER, FALLING DOWN, APOCALYPSE NOW, and TENDER MERCIES, p...

Actress and acting coach Bethany Lauren James stops by The Film Situation Podcast for a wide-ranging talk that lives at the intersection of craft, career, and the daily discipline of staying in motion. We revisit how we first met through my early scene-work sessions, then zoom out into Bethany’s philosophy of presence in performance, where listening is the whole game.

From there we get concrete: building accountability syste...

On this episode of THE FILM SITUATION, Zef sits down with intern Cole Howard to react to the 2026 Academy Award nominations (announced January 22, 2026) and talk through what the Best Picture lineup says about where cinema is right now. They get into the love hate relationship filmmakers have with awards season, how the “race” can feel like sports, and why it still matters even when it drives you crazy.

Zef and Cole run...

Actor, writer, translator, and founder of Bronx World Film Walter Krochmal joins me to talk about his incredible journey, from studying theater on a scholarship in New England, to performing, translating, and building one of New York’s most quietly essential film organizations.

We discuss how Bronx World Film was born in the basement of Cannes’ Short Film Corner, the post World War II European idea of cinema as a tool f...

Real talk with indie film producer producer Richie Doyle on the making of A24’s IF I HAD LEGS, I’D KICK YOU (dir. Mary Bronstein), starring Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, and A$AP Rocky. We talk about what a producer actually does, living at the intersection of art and commerce and protecting the artists while getting the film into the world. Richie also shares his road in, from a New Line Cinema internship and early ...