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Rescuing Japan’s 1930s Paper Films: A Hidden Home-Cinema History Preserved
Japanese paper films are a rare, little-known home-cinema format made in the 1930s by three main manufacturers—two in Tokyo and one in Osaka. The films are short (often one to four minutes), and typically come in a 27mm gauge with perforations at the top and bottom of each frame. Unlike standard film, the back surface…
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Who Gets to Tell the Story? Lessons from the 1950s CBS Blacklist
In the 1950s, fear and suspicion gripped the airwaves. Anti-communist fervor swept across the United States, and the entertainment industry found itself caught in the crossfire. At the center of it all was CBS, pressured by the FBI and swayed by public accusations, quietly compiling a list of artists, writers, and intellectuals accused of having…
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Inside “The Old Man”: Jeff Bridges and Amy Brenneman Reflect on Aging, Identity, and Connection
Acclaimed actors Jeff Bridges and Amy Brenneman joined a live audience at UC Santa Barbara to talk about their work on FX’s gripping psychological thriller, The Old Man. The series, which premiered in 2022, follows Dan Chase (Bridges), a former CIA operative who’s been living off the grid for decades. When an assassin tries to…
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Afro Italians on Screen: Stories of Resistance, Renaissance, and Community
Filmmakers Daphne Di Cinto and Medhin Paolos joins UCSB’s Stephanie Malia Hom to explore the history and lived experiences of Black African communities in Italy. Their discussion centers on two short films: Il Moro by Di Cinto and Asmarina by Paolos, each providing meaningful insights into Black identity, belonging, and resilience within Italian society. Di…
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Fancy Dance: A Journey Through Culture, Language, and Identity
Fancy Dance is a heartfelt story about a Native American woman who faces the challenges of caring for her niece after her sister goes missing. Set on the Seneca-Cayuga Nation Reservation, the film explores themes of family, resilience, and cultural identity. Through the lens of a deeply personal story, Fancy Dance sheds light on the…
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A Conversation with Meg Ryan: Revisiting When Harry Met Sally
During a recent event at UC Santa Barbara, actress Meg Ryan sat down with moderator Brad Silberling to discuss her career and the timeless charm of the classic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. Their conversation provided a unique opportunity to explore the making of the film, its enduring legacy, and the nuances that have…
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Dance Music: The Multicultural Story Cumbia
At UC Santa Barbara’s Carsey-Wolf Center, filmmakers Joyce García and Alvaro Parra joined moderator and DJ, Alexandra Lippman, to talk about their two documentaries on cumbia sonidera, or Colombia-inspired dance music, in Mexico City and Los Angeles, “Yo No Soy Guapo” and “Sonidero Metropolis.” García and Parra have explored the world of Sonidero extensively in…
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The Making of Timbuktu with Abderrahmane Sissako
In this Carsey-Wolf Center Global presentation, acclaimed co-writer/director Abderrahmane Sissako discusses his film “Timbuktu” with moderators Richard Watts and Peter Bloom. “Timbuktu” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and in 2016 was voted as one of the top 50 films of the 21st century. Sissako details the development of the…
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Bringing Dinosaurs to Life: How a Best-Selling Novel Became a Major Motion Picture
Screenwriter David Koepp had only six motion picture screenplay credits to his name when he was tapped to help best-selling author Michael Crichton adapt one of his novels for the silver screen. Even as a novel, “Jurassic Park” was ahead of its time – using futuristic DNA cloning techniques to return dinosaurs to the planet…