I have a great new chat to start your week off right!

Benjamin Deutscher and Lauren Taggart jumped onto Zoom to record this podcast just one month after their film “The Storm” had its World Premiere at Sherman Oaks Film Festival!                                                                 I could go on and on and on about how amazing The Storm is, but instead I will just share this.                                                                                                                                                                                               This animated film took home the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film – Animation and the Audience Award for Best Featurette. But we do’t stop there.
Individually The Storm also won Richard Larimore the Grand Jury Award for Best Sound Design and Sylvain Kauffman the Grand Jury Award for Best Score.

In other words, this 60 minute animated film is amazing in every way; visually, sonically, and narratively.                                                                                                                                                                                   You cannot watch it yet, but when it becomes available we will do our best to give you a link here.

In the meantime, I should also mention that Ben and Lauren were delightful attendees at Sherman Oaks Film Festival. I enjoyed every opportunity to talk with either of them at the festival.

Please enjoy the interview and…

Follow The Storm at:
Instagram: @the_storm_movie
Website: https://www.thestormmovie.com/

Follow Lauren on Instagram at @thetaggartshow

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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.

Michael May brought his feature horror 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.

I was extremely inspired by our chat (posted Wednesday) and couldn’t wait to see what inspired Michael when we moved on to the 4 Questions.

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

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