In the age of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, along with a growing list of content streaming platforms, where does the movie theater fit in? I would argue, it fits in perfectly; in fact, I would insist that patronizing movie theaters is a necessity to the health and endurance of our passion for cinema. Consider this, which of those streaming services really provide the viewer with a sense of community while watching a film? To examine the movie theater industry more closely, Conversations Without Borders sat down with Greg Laemmle, who along with his father Robert Laemmle, runs Los Angeles’ own…

An intimate portrait of a friend who was diagnosed with cancer, CRISTINA is the latest documentary from Academy Award Nominated director Michèle Ohayon. Michele is based in Los Angeles with her company Kavana Entertainment, which is currently engaged with international projects spanning across different genres. CRISTINA will premiere at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival on June 25th at 4:30pm. Born in Casablanca and raised in Israel, Michèle graduated from Tel Aviv University (Film & Television), after serving in the army. She has spent the last thirty years directing and producing documentaries that deal with issues of human conflict,…

Back in 2007, I attended the first Madrid International Film Festival as part of a Hollywood contingent that included the great Hungarian émigré cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, and his wife, writer and director Susan Roether Zsigmond.  Among the many fond memories I have of Vilmos are a few talks we shared over tapas and sangria, and an especially memorable walk through the Prado Museum one summer morning. As we ambled through the galleries of Caravaggios and Goyas, Vilmos would pause every so often in front of a painting, tilt his head, and proceed to offer a running commentary on the character…