Tag: Raphael Sbarge

Roads of Fire

Posted on by raphaelsbarge_lf2krp

The question of illegal immigration is all over the news these days. But in a media environment where journalists are trying to either make you angry or afraid, it’s not always easy to see the actual people beyond the headlines.

In his new documentary ROADS OF FIRE, filmmaker Nathaniel Lezra turns down the volume, providing a nuanced look at three sides of this complicated situation.

One thread follows a group of immigrants making their way from Venezuela to Colombia, where they start the dangerous overland hike through Panama’s Darién Gap.

Another thread introduces us to the advocates, religious leaders, and community volunteers working in and around New York City who are trying to house, feed, and guide the immigrants who have been granted temporary asylum.

And finally, we spend time getting to know one asylum seeker who is trying to make a new life in the United States for herself and her children as she flees an abusive situation in her home country.

Whatever you believe about the policies around the issue of immigration, there is much to learn and appreciate in this timely film, and we hope that our discussion with Nathaniel Lezra is a worthy accompaniment.

So join us for our conversation on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.

KÖLN 75

Posted on by raphaelsbarge_lf2krp

Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert is the best-selling solo album in jazz history — a live recording of his extraordinary January 24, 1975, performance at the Cologne Opera House. Earlier this year, the album was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry, cementing its place as one of the most iconic moments in modern music.

 

In KÖLN 75, filmmaker Ido Fluk turns the familiar music-biopic formula on its head, reframing the story through the eyes of Vera Brandes, the 18-year-old promoter who made the concert happen. With a spirit that owes more to punk rock than free jazz, Brandes is brought vividly to life by Mala Emde, while John Magaro delivers a mesmerizing portrayal of the mercurial Jarrett.

 

You don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to love this film. KÖLN 75is a vibrant, unconventional look at creativity, youth, and artistic risk — and anyone who appreciates original arthouse cinema will find something to connect with here.

 

Join us for our conversation with filmmaker Ido Fluk, on Inside the Arthouse — starting now.

Inside the Arthouse: THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD?

Posted on by Team Sbarge

One has to wonder what Miguel de Cervantes would make of Patrick McCullum. As we meet Patrick at the start of Gabe Polsky’s documentary THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD?, we aren’t quite sure what to make of him. And, frankly, filmmaker Polsky isn’t sure either.

Is Patrick, a self-proclaimed healer and mystic, truly the person who will fulfill a prophecy and bring unity and protection to the indigenous people of the Amazon? Or, like the hero of Cervantes’s novel Don Quixote, is he just a crazy kook tilting at windmills?

With filmmaker Polsky as our Sancho Panza, and with a question mark hanging at the end of the film’s title, we are along for the ride as we try to figure out whether Patrick – or anyone else – can truly save the world.  

By the nature of the word, we have come to expect that documentaries will deal in certainty. But THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD? reminds us that sometimes, it pays to recognize and respect that there are things we don’t — or perhaps can’t — fully know.

The film also features an appearance by Dr. Jane Goodall, whose lifelong commitment to compassion, science, and the natural world continues to inspire generations. In light of her recent passing, we honor her extraordinary life and the wisdom she shared with such grace — both in this film and throughout her remarkable journey.

To learn more about this fascinating film, join us for our conversation with Gabe Polsky on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.

Inside the Arthouse: The Usual Suspects

Posted on by Raphael Sbarge

You’ve probably never heard of PUBLIC ACCESS — the 1993 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) winner — but you’ve almost certainly heard of Keyser Soze, the enigmatic villain at the heart of the 1995 Oscar-winning THE USUAL SUSPECTS. So what connects these two films?

On this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we sit down with Ken Kokin, the producer of both of these films, and discuss how the same creative team – director Bryan Singer, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, editor/composer John Ottman, and producer Kokin – went from making an obscure festival prize winner to creating one of the great mystery crime thrillers of all time.

Marking the 30th anniversary of THE USUAL SUSPECTS, this conversation is fun, candid, and illuminating: the origin of Keyser Soze, building the creative collaboration, the leap from festival buzz to Academy Award glory, and the producing lessons behind a legendary twist ending. If you love behind-the-scenes stories, neo-noir thrillers, or the making of cult classics, you’re in the right place.

Join us as we discuss one of our favorite arthouse favorites, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, with producer Ken Kokin, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.  

Inside the Arthouse: The New York Film Festival

Posted on by Team Sbarge

The New York Film Festival (NYFF) may not be the oldest film festival in the United States, but for more than 60 years, it has been one of the most influential, premiering some of the most important films and filmmakers in the history of cinema.  

 

From Luis Buñuel’s  THE EXTERMINATING ANGELthe opening night selection in 1963, to RaMell Ross’s NICKEL BOYS in 2024, the festival has consistently set the stage for awards season and marked the beginning of the race to the Oscars.

In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we sit down with Dennis Lim, the festival’s Artistic Director and former film critic at the Village Voice, to discuss how the NYFF program is curated, what makes this event unique, and what audiences can expect from the 2025 New York Film Festival. Lim also shares insights on the broader programming of Film at Lincoln Center, one of the most vital institutions for independent and international cinema in the U.S.

Join us as we sit down with festival director Dennis Lim on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.

 

Inside the Arthouse: ELIE WIESEL: SOUL ON FIRE

Posted on by Team Sbarge

The world could use Elie Wiesel right now. A voice with the moral integrity and courage to speak truth to power—no matter the cost.

Whether it was challenging Ronald Reagan over his decision to visit the Bitburg Cemetery, where SS soldiers were buried, or confronting Bill Clinton about America’s inaction during the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, Wiesel never wavered in his fight against injustice and his relentless pursuit of a world free of the kind of genocide that scarred his youth.

Wiesel is no longer here to provide that kind of prophetic guidance. But in Oren Rudavsky’s film, ELIE WIESEL: SOUL ON FIRE, we do have the rare opportunity to spend time with Wiesel, with his wife and children, and with the teachers and students who continue to carry on his work.

Told in his own words and eloquent voice, the film captures Wiesel’s conflicts, memories, and enduring legacy as one of the most public survivors to the Holocaust.

Whether you know Wiesel’s story or are discovering it for the first time, ELIE WIESEL: SOUL ON FIRE is a moving, deeply inspirational portrait. We hope our conversation with the filmmaker encourages you to seek out this remarkable film.

Join us for our conversation with director Oren Rudavsky on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.

Inside the Arthouse: Democracy Noir

Posted on by Team Sbarge

Writer and philosopher George Santayana wrote in 1905: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

That idea has clearly inspired filmmaker Connie Field. Her award-winning documentaries on politics, history, and social change help us understand today’s world by drawing vital lessons from the past.

When women from the Baby Boom generation were entering the workforce, her groundbreaking film The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter revealed the powerful stories of women who worked in World War II factories.

As voter suppression became a growing issue in parts of the U.S., her Oscar-nominated Freedom on My Mind reminded us of the importance of voting rights by documenting voter registration struggles in Mississippi during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

Now, Connie Field turns her lens to Europe—examining the election, defeat, and return to power of Viktor Orbán in Hungary.

The result is DEMOCRACY NOIR — a timely and chilling look at how democratic institutions can be weakened and reshaped into tools of authoritarian rule.

Democracy Noir is an urgent, important film. And we’re honored to share our conversation with Connie Field about the film—and about the state of democracy— on Inside the Arthouse, starting now…

 

Inside the Arthouse: The American Southwest

Posted on by Raphael Sbarge

Thank God for nature filmmakers. Sure, we could try to get ourselves out to some breathtaking wilderness. But would we really have the time—or the patience—to wait for a herd of elk to appear? Or the equipment to capture a shy family of beavers building a dam? And don’t even get me started on the vertigo that would stop me from watching a young condor soar above the Grand Canyon.

Thankfully, filmmaker Ben Masters and his team of cinematographers have done all of that for us. They’ve spent countless hours in the field, so that we can experience these wonders in under two hours—and for the price of a ticket.

THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST is Masters’ third feature documentary, and it’s a stunning addition to his body of work. This time, he takes us along the mighty Colorado River, from its headwaters in the Rockies, through the Grand Canyon, and down to the Gulf of California. Along the way, we meet the signature species that call the river home, and we come to understand the delicate balance of this vital ecosystem.

The film not only helps us appreciate these creatures and landscapes, but also explores the impact we humans have on the river—and how we might become better stewards of our environment.

It’s a beautiful, meaningful film with something for audiences of all ages.

Join us now for our conversation with Ben Masters, Inside the Arthouse, starting now.

Inside the Arthouse: I know Catherine, The Log Lady

Posted on by Team Sbarge

For so many of us who grew up captivated by the strange, haunting world of Twin Peaks, the Log Lady was a mystery, a messenger, and somehow—comforting. But what we didn’t always know was that the actress who played her, Catherine Coulson, was so much more than her role. She was a beloved collaborator of David Lynch, one of the earliest female camera assistants in Hollywood, and someone whose quiet presence left a deep impression on everyone she worked with.

A new documentary titledI KNOW CATHERINE, THE LOG LADY is more than a portrait of a beloved character—it’s a revealing and heartfelt exploration of the woman behind the legend. Through rare archival footage, intimate interviews, and stories from those who knew her best, this film traces Coulson’s singular journey from the sets of avant-garde student films, her prolific career as a stage actress, to the heart of one of television’s most enigmatic creations.

At once a celebration and an act of remembrance, this documentary captures the spirit of a true original—someone who, like her famous counterpart, saw things most of us couldn’t and never stopped quietly guiding us toward something deeper, stranger, and more profound.

Join us with director Richard Green as we sit down with him to discuss his film, I KNOW CATHERINE, THE LOG LADY, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now…

Inside the Arthouse: Film Forum

Posted on by Team Sbarge

At INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we love discovering bold new voices and emerging filmmakers. But there’s something uniquely rewarding about revisiting a classic—whether it’s an old favorite or a legendary film you’ve always meant to watch. And seeing these films on the big screen in a real movie theater is the way they were meant to be experienced.

Repertory cinema in the U.S. has faced its share of challenges, from the rise of home video and streaming to rising urban real estate costs. Many iconic rep theaters have closed. But in recent years, there’s been a revival of interest in classic and cult films, shown theatrically in new restorations and 35mm prints.

One of the most influential figures in this movement is Bruce Goldstein, longtime repertory programmer at Film Forum in New York City and founder of Rialto Pictures. For over 50 years, Bruce has been a champion of film history—curating, restoring, and re-releasing cinematic landmarks. In early 2025, Rialto re-released Claude Lelouch’s A Man and a Woman, and coming soon is a brand-new 4K restoration of Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Diva.

We sat down with Bruce Goldstein in New York to talk about the past, present, and future of repertory film programming in the U.S.—and how he’s helped shape what American audiences get to see on the big screen.