Welcome Back, Indie Film Friends!

Michael May brought his feature film “Where Darkness Dwells” to the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in December 2025 and took home two Grand Jury Awards! Michael and his co-writer Alexandra Grunberg took home the award for Best Screenplay – Feature Film while Jordan Wayne Long took home the award for Best Production Design – Feature Film.

“Where Darkness Dwells” is an innovative and entertaining horror feature, made with attention to detail and care for story.                                                                                                                                                          It also features a superb cast!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        This interview will be very eye opening for many, as Michael and his team prove that a dedicated group of collaborators, and it doesn’t hurt if they’re all friends, can outperform far more expensive productions with creativity and grit!

You can learn more about Michael at @Michael_May_official

And, finally… check out Michael’s Podcasts!
A Study of Strange
Fuel for the Future – Americas Automotive Trust

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out.

Renée Veronica Freeman is the actor, writer and producer behind the film “Chromatography” that held its World Premiere at Film Invasion Los Angeles in June, 2025!

We had a fantastic chat and I knew her 4 Questions would be a good one.

RENÉE’S IG: @reneevfreeman

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

HAPPY FILM FRIDAY!

Renée Veronica Freeman is the actor, writer and producer behind the film “Chromatography” that held its World Premiere at Film Invasion Los Angeles in June, 2025!                                                                                     I was fortunate to moderate the in-theater Q&A for Renée’s film and was delighted to see her appear on the podcast schedule.

“Chromatography” is still on the festival circuit and you will have to wait for a link to check it out online.

In the meantime, use these helpful links to learn even more about Renée!

RENÉE’S IG: @reneevfreeman

RENÉE VERONICA FREEMAN IMDB
See Renée in Disney+ & Hulu’s #1 crime drama “Murdaugh: Death in the Family”, starring Patricia Arquette + Jason Clarke, now streaming. @murdaughonhulu
Hear Renée narrate the upcoming “Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All” (Scholastic Audio Books). A children’s picture book by American Activist icon Gloria Steinem and Liberian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee, releasing everywhere on Feb 3, 2026.

~UPCOMING: Official Selection in the 51st Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival – Shorts Program – Feb 12, 2026 – “America’s Longest Running Genre Fest”
~Official Selection in the Brooklyn Sci-Fi Film Festival 2025 – People’s Choice Voted Top 5 Film of 180!
~Semi-Finalist from the Academy Award qualifying 2025 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival – Vortex.

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

What are the 4Qs? (1) Three favorite films. (2) An underrated film. (3) An overrated film. (4) A lesser-known film people should seek out.

Hao Yan & Mandy Chen collaborated to make the short film “Winter Psalm,” a wonderfully touching film that they brought to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Drama.

They make a great team and I was so delighted to have them on together for a chat (posted Monday) and this follow up 4 Questions!

When the film releases online we will add a link here, but in the meantime you can follow both of these filmmakers at: @hao_yan3  and @mmandy.cc

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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film

A case of the Mondays? This chat will surely shake that off.

Hao Yan & Mandy Chen collaborated to make the short film “Winter Psalm,” a wonderfully touching film that they brought to Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025 and took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Writing, Drama. Hao wrote and directed the film while Mandy produced, collaborating from beginning to end.                                                                                                                                                                          This wonderful film always strikes at my heart with its very original story and wonderful filmmaking.

When the film releases online we will add a link here, but in the meantime you can follow both of these filmmakers at: @hao_yan3  and @mmandy.cc
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Discover Indie Film Links
DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky
Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website
Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Film Invasion Los Angeles

Source: Discover Film