Podcast
First Time Go
Hosted by Benjamin Duchek · EN
A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.
80episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Special Tribeca Podcast: David Clancy, dir. of NIO KO BOKK (THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US)
Jun 2200:20:15Tap to summarizeIf you're going to make a film about surfing in Senegal, I assume the viewer expects beautiful shots of surfing and the landscape of Dakar, Senegal's capital city. And man, does my guest, filmmaker and director, David Clancy, of NIO KO BOKK or THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US (2026) deliver.The film is a valentine to so many things: refugees, Senegal, surfing, and documentary filmmaking itself. David's story of creating the film relies so much on his exciting background, and it was a such a joy to hear about it from his spot now in the Canary Islands.In this episode, David and I talk about:why is he now in the Canary Islands and his wild career story;how did this film come into existence;when do documentaries require great cinematography?his path focusing on social impact films and whether that's repeatable for other documentary filmmakers;the requirements for social media as a documentary filmmaker and his advice to getting started;the prism of surfing and refugees for THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US;the logistical challenges of making a surfing film;why Tribeca?;how do we see more films like this in theaters;what's next for him.David's Indie Filmmaker Highlight: Jigar GanatraLinks:Follow David On InstagramFollow David On YouTube
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Indie Film Highlight: STRAIGHT TO HELL (1987)
Jun 2100:01:45Tap to summarizeWatch This Episode On YouTubeWatch STRAIGHT TO HELL On Criterion ChannelEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: STRAIGHT TO HELL (1987)Director: Alex CoxWriters: Dick Rude; Alex CoxStars: Joe Strummer; Dick Rude; Courtney LoveSYNOPSISThree bank robbers (Sy Richardson, Joe Strummer, Dick Rude) and a pregnant woman tear up a desert town.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedIn
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Elisee Junior St. Preux, dir. of THE TROPIC SUN AND HIS EYES (2026)
Jun 1900:16:11Tap to summarizeWhat a last month or so for Haiti and director Elisee Junior St. Preux's debut feature. Upon its release at the Tribeca Film Festival, THE TROPIC SUN AND HIS EYES (2026) received the Special Jury Mention for Best New Narrative Director alongside rave reviews. It is truly stunning filmmaking, offering both a realistic glimpse of Haiti and an expansive view of fatherhood.Let's count the ways in which his month just aligns perfectly for this film: Haiti playing Brazil in its second World Cup today (there's special screenings of this film in Atlanta); Father's Day in the United States; and all of the plaudits received at its world premiere at Tribeca.We only get more Haitian film directors at top festivals if people like Elisee care about elevating other voices, and he does that, too. Have a month, Elisee; I'm here for it.In this conversation, Elisee and I discuss:the vibe of the film and how he made Haiti essentially a character in the film;why the topic of fatherhood for his first feature;his emphasis on shooting in Haiti and the challenge of others trying to take away his deeply personal story;the creation of what is now SOIL Pictures and how he focuses on uplifting Black voices;"labs are very specific about what they want to get across" -- such important advice about going into a lab or a fellowship;why Tribeca?what's next for this electric filmmaker.Elisee's Indie Film Highlights: MY FATHER'S SHADOW (2025) dir. by Akinola Davies, Jr; I LOVE BOOSTERS (2026) dir. by Boots RileyLinks:Follow Elisee On InstagramElisee's Website
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Hannah Peterson, dir. of VIA NEGATIVA (2026)
Jun 1800:16:28Tap to summarizeWatch This Episode On YouTubeVIA NEGATIVA resonated with me on so many different levels -- as a Catholic; as someone who uses firearms; as a veteran (there's a moment in there, if you've seen it); and most importantly, a lover of truly astonishing filmmaking. Director Hannah Peterson achieved something extraordinary with this film by bringing a novel to life in the best possible way and making you think of life's grand questions without pandering.The film's log line: "It follows the story of Father Dan who goes on a mythic road trip with a wounded coyote, a loaded pistol, and a mission to avenge his best friend."If there's justice in this world, this film will be up for numerous awards come that season, but as VIA NEGATIVA shows us, that concept is something that's hard to find.This is brilliant filmmaking and I am so excited to follow Hannah's journey and the roll-out of this film. After hearing this episode, I hope you are, too.In this episode, Hannah and I talk about:how she got involved in filmmaking;the long process of getting VIA NEGATIVA made and what went into its debut;what her thought process is going into her second premiere at Tribeca;the process of adapting a book for film and working with the author on making the film;how much attention should be paid to accurately depicting a religion;the weapon handling in this film and her advice for other directors;distribution for the film;what's next for her.Hannah's Indie Film Highlight: Antigravity AcademyLinks:Follow Hannah On Instagram
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Shan Jiang 姜姗, dir. of EPHEMERA (2026)
Jun 1600:20:56Tap to summarizeIt's one thing to say you're going to create the "Chinese lesbian version of BEFORE SUNRISE (1995)"; it's another thing to actually pull it off.In EPHEMERA (2026), the debut feature for filmmaker Shan Jiang which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, it appears she has done just that. It took global producers, a fantastic team, and a truly extraordinary story in how she found the actors, but the film will stand as wide shoulders for so many people and so many future projects.In this episode, we talk about:how she describes EPHEMERA and whether "unhurried" is an adjective she likes to describe the film;the incredible story of how she got involved in filmmaking;her storytelling philosophy, which has been described as " inhabit[ing] familiar narrative tropes and bends them from within to allow new perspectives to emerge" (an amazing quote);the global producers that made EPHEMERA and the concept of China as an entity reacting to a lesbian-focused film; what she took away from this experience for her next feature;finding the incredible actors in this film;what she learned from rehearsals with the actors in a film that is very dependent on them;her direction philosophy in this film and what she views as her job in regarding to structure;why Tribeca ("it's coming home for this film") and the Chinese film festival market;what's next for her.Shan Jiang's Indie Filmmaker Highlight: Celine Sciamma; Peter GreenwayLinks:Follow Shan JiangFollow EPHEMERA On Instagram
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Meriem Sakrouhi, dir. of MON TAXI (2026)
Jun 1500:13:57Tap to summarizeMON TAXI (2026), which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, is a "love letter to the filmmaker's dad." Architect + filmmaker Meriem Sakrouhi created a film that is part New York, part Moroccan, and altogether touching cinema, and we talk about how she did it for the podcast.Along with directing, she edited and produced the first Moroccan entry at Tribeca in 20 years. Given that she pitched a project at Cannes Docs this year and beautifully describes what Moroccan influence looks like, we shouldn't have to wait that long for another.In this episode, Meriem and I discuss:why Tribeca for this particular film;growing up in Morocco and how she got involved in filmmaking;how architecture informs her filmmaking;how she describes MON TAXI and what she wants viewers to feel -- "the film is about communication about my dad after he passed";editing, producing, shooting the film -- how did she make it all work?what is the Moroccan influence on the film?what's next for her and what she pitched at Cannes Docs.Meriem's Indie Film Highlight: BOUCHRA (2025) dir. by Orian Barki; Meriem BennaniLinks:Follow Meriem On InstagramMON TAXI Website
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Indie Film Highlight: LURKER (2025)
Jun 1400:01:27Tap to summarizeWatch This Episode On YouTubeEvery Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: LURKER (2025)Director: Alex RussellWriter: Alex RussellStars: Théodore Pellerin; Archie Madekwe; Havana Rose Liu;SYNOPSISA retail employee infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom. As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.Subscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on LetterboxdFollow us on InstagramFollow us on XFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TikTokFollow us on LinkedIn
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Rob Rice, dir. of PONDEROSA (2026)
Jun 1200:17:41Tap to summarizeThe career path -- M.S. in Neuroscience to filmmaking -- is a wholly original one and so is his filmmaking. His second feature, PONDEROSA (2026), is a comedy-horror film that looks at American masculinity in a way I've never seen before. It is a gift to watch -- beginning to end -- not because I understood everything going on, but because I didn't.The best type of filmmaking should challenge you and make you think differently about the world around you. Mission accomplished here by Rob, with brilliant actors by his side. I'm texting my friend with a neuroscience degree, telling him to get on over to Tribeca and make a film!In this episode, Rob and I talk about:going from CRISPR engineer to filmmaking;how PONDEROSA came about and the trickiness of describing the film;what his experiences at prominent film festivals taught him;how he got some of the best actors out there -- Bill Camp; Alexis Bledel -- to work on his film;how he did the score and music FIRST and then edited accordingly;how he balances directing and producing;what's next for him.Rob's Indie Film Highlight: THE MISCONCEIVED (2026) dir. by James N. Kienitz WilkinsLinks:Follow Rob On Instagram
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Lyle Lindgren, dir. of MOUTH FULL OF GOLDS (2026)
Jun 1000:27:08Tap to summarizeVery rarely, you'll watch a documentary, and think...how did he get that all on film? That was the case for me and the film MOUTH FULL OF GOLDS (2026) premiering this week at the Tribeca Film Festival. It's about "grillz" -- the teeth attachments/implants and their cultural connection in New York City, Miami, Atlanta, and Paris.If that description sounds incredible, that's because the film is incredible. Director Lyle Lindgren joins for me the pod and traces his history from car salesman to his first film festival here in New York City.Grillz or not, you'll want to be on this ride.In this episode, Lyle and I talk about:the insular community of "grillz" and how he was able to make this film;how did he get into filmmaking -- it's an absolutely crazy story ("I always thought I'd be a car salesman");what his previous films taught him about making MOUTH FULL OF GOLDS;his many jobs on this set -- what jobs did he like the most and least?how they casted for this film and their philosophy for re-enactments;why Tribeca and what New York City means to him;how he approaches going to the festival as a producer versus coming from a working class background to his first film festival!;what's next for him.Indie Artist Highlight: Pouria KhojastehpayLinks:Follow Lyle On InstagramMONOMANIA Production Company
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Branislav Jankic dir. of WHITE BELT (2026)
Jun 900:13:57Tap to summarizeThe journey from Yugoslavia to New York City is a wild one, and filmmaker Branislav Jankic has been a keen observer along the way. Coming off a debut feature that was released at the height of COVID, Branislav is now at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival with a story about his wife called WHITE BELT (2026). The film traces the journey of supermodel Monika "Jac" Jagaciak from the runway to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). It's a tight, accomplished film that shows what he's learned about the process, and it was so cool for him to explain how he made such an exciting and personal film.In this episode, Branislav and I discuss:the tight runtime for this film and how he was able to condense so much into the film;how he got involved in filmmaking -- going from Yugoslavia, Germany, all the way to Tribeca;why he's able to tackle topics like " addiction, fetishism, and the complexities of identity";his debut feature, THE WITCH'S CAULDRON (2020), and what he learned from it;what WHITE BELT is about, in his words;why he didn't mention himself in the film and his advice for filming when you're married to the subject;why Tribeca and what's next for him.Links:Follow Monika On Instagram
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