Christian Zyp interviews co-creator Chris Lavis about the stop-motion animated film THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS with Maciek Szczerbowski. It is nominated for the BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM at the 98th Academy Awards ceremony. Watch the short film on Crave in Canada or on the National Film Board website or NFB YouTube channel.

TRHE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS... In Montreal, at the dawn of the 20th century, a poor boy falls in love with a girl whose sorrow turns into pearls. He sells them to a ruthless pawnbroker, who hungers for more. Tempted by greed, the boy must choose between love and fortune. The choice could damn his soul.From the Oscar-nominated team of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (MADAME TUTLI-PUTLI), this meticulously crafted film is a testament to the magic of stop-motion animation. With handmade puppets, mesmerizing narration by Colm Feore and a haunting score by Patrick Watson, THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS is a timeless parable of desire, deception and the price of innocence.

NFB WEBSITE: www.nfb.ca/film/the-girl-who-cried-pearls/
FULL FILM: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zanj0zDKfR8
INSTAGRAM: @clydehenryproductions

Christian Zyp interviews Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm, Alex Lee Williams (directors/writers/actors) about their film DREAM EATER. Stream it on Netflix in Canada and V.O.D. everywhere.

DREAM EATER follows Mallory (Drumm), a documentary filmmaker, who heads to a remote cabin in the mountains with her boyfriend Alex (Williams) to document his violent parasomnia. As his condition worsens, Mallory suspects something more sinister may be at play. As the nightmares escalate, so do the scares, right through the final frame. “What these three filmmakers have pulled is not just remarkable on a low-budget DIY filmmaking level; they achieve the holy grail of horror, which is to make a movie that absolutely terrifies you.” Eli Roth.

HORROR SECTION WEBSITE: horrorsectionstudios.com/movies/
INSTAGRAM: @dreameatermovie
@blindluckpictures
@horrorsectionstudios

Lindsey Campbell from MOVING RADIO connects with Natasha D'Amours & Erika Guavin from SHOUT! FOR LIBRARIES. They are students from the school for library studies from the University of Alberta. They discuss the Guest Programmer Series SHHHH: TALES FROM THE STACKS at Metro Cinema. It highlights the importance of libraries and the many roles libraries play in our communities, and around the world. This film series celebrates intellectual freedom, Freedom to Read, and the work that libraries and librarians do–playing vital roles in their communities and serving as a safe spaces to nourish freedom of expression that is necessary for a diverse and inclusive community and culture.

They discuss the documentary EX LIBRIS: THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. See it Saturday, February 21st, 2026 at 2:45 PM. Director Fredrick Wiseman offers an observational, "fly-on-the-wall" look at the NYPL system. It explores how the library fosters community, lifelong learning, and digital access across its research centers and neighborhood branches, highlighting its role as a vital, democratic institution.

As well, they discuss THE LIBRARIANS screening Friday, February 27th, 2026 at 6:30 PM. Kim A. Snyder's film examines how lawmakers seek to review a list of books and librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians explores the broader implications for education and public life.

FInally they discuss an Emilio Estevez film THE PUBLIC. In the film, a brutal Midwestern cold snap drives homeless library patrons in Cincinnati to stage an Occupy-style sit-in, refusing to leave the library at closing time to avoid freezing. Led by Stuart (Emilio Estevez), a librarian who connects with the patrons, the act of civil disobedience escalates into a standoff with police, a crisis negotiator (Alec Baldwin), and a politically ambitious DA (Christian Slater).

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library TIX INFO: https://metrocinema.org/event/ex-libris-new-york-public-library/

The Librarians TIX INFO: https://metrocinema.org/event/the-librarians

Christian Zyp interviews Brandon Christensen (director/writer) about his feature film BODYCAM. It will screen Wednesday March 4th at 7pm at the Globe Cinema. It is part of the Calgary Underground Film Festival presentation of "Off the CUFF" event, ahead of its release on Shudder. Calgary director Brandon Christensen (NIGHT OF THE REAPER, THE PUPPETMAN, SUPERHOST, Z, STILL/BORN) and local cast & crew will be in attendance.

BODYCAM... When a routine domestic disturbance spirals into tragedy, two police officers find themselves trapped in a relentless nightmare. Over the course of one harrowing night, their bodycams capture a descent into pure terror—where every moment feels inescapably real. Delivering a bold reinvention of the found footage genre, BODYCAM isn’t just another shaky handheld horror—it transforms the audience into unwilling partners on the most terrifying ride-along imaginable, with no way of knowing how, or if, it will end.

TIX: www.calgaryundergroundfilm.org/year-roun…-bodycam/
INSTAGRAM: @thebrandonchristensen

Christian Zyp interviews Akash Sherman (director) and Shane Fennessey (producer) about the documentary SINGHS IN THE RING. See it streaming now on Crave or VOD.

SINGHS IN THE RING is an exuberant, heart-forward dive into the legacy and impact of Gama Singh, the Canadian Stampede Wrestling icon who turned prejudice into power, and the trials of his son, Raj, in carrying on the family name. Featuring WWE superstars Bret Hart, Chelsea Green, and Jinder Mahal, this doc is an action-packed, joyous homage to the wild, high-flying bygone era—while wrestling with the hard truths of identity, culture, and the challenging echoes of the past that still linger today.

Website: www.singhsinthering.com/
Instagram: @singhsinthering
X: @singhsinthering

Christian Zyp interviews Courtney Montour (director/writer/associate producer) and Sherry Bontkes (Sour Cherry) the Captain of Team Indigenous Rising about the documentary RISING THROUGH THE FRAY. See the film 's Edmonton Premiere at Metro Cinema Friday January 30th at 7 pm.Both Courtney and Cherry will be at the screening for a Q&A following the film.

RISISNG THROUGH THE FRAY offers a poignant exploration of resiliency, healing and reconnection of a roller derby family with a bond that goes beyond sport. Uniting from across continents to bring representation to the sport they love, Indigenous Rising laces up their skates to claim their space on the roller derby track. Indigenous Rising is the first team in roller derby history to break the barriers of representing a single country at the Roller Derby World Cup – igniting a movement that pulsates throughout the sport and within each other. Rising Through the Fray follows the team as it welcomes a new generation of players set on changing the face of roller derby – a sport that champions female empowerment and inclusivity but lacks diversity.

WEBSITE: www.risingthemovie.com/
INSTAGRAM: @courtneymontour

Christian Zyp interviews Dominique Keller (director) about her short film SEND & RECEIVE. It screens at Metro Cinema Saturday January 10th at 3PM and is presented by the Broad View International Film Festival. It screens with another documentary short film. Dominique will be in attendance for a post screening Q&A.

SEND & RECEIVE took Dominique around the globe after she read an article about initiatives in different countries that has postal workers check in on senior citizens on their route. The film focuses on the importance of the relationship between these community members. SEND & RECEIVE won the Best Documentary Production Under 30 Minutes at the 2025 Rosies (the Alberta Oscars presented by Alberta Media Production Industries Association).

TIX: ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/98…yv313wkqpkw
WEBSITE: www.dominiquekeller.com/
NFB LINK TO WATCH DOMINIQUE'S FILMS: www.nfb.ca/directors/dominique-keller/?language=en
INSTAGRAM: @domkeller

Christian Zyp interviews Clare Mullen (director) about her documentary short THE EDMONTON STORYTELLER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TONY CASHMAN. The World Premiere takes place Saturday January 10th at 3PM at the Metro Cinema. It's presented by the Broad View Film Festival as a double bill with another short film. There will be a Q&A following the screening.

THE EDMONTON STORYTELLER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TONY CASHMAN is an uplifting documentary that follows the remarkable 100-year journey of Tony Cashman, an Edmonton historian, writer, and eternal optimist. From his childhood filled with storytelling to surviving the trials of World War II, and later becoming a celebrated author, Tony’s life is a testament to the promise and hope that thrives in the city of Edmonton.

TIX: ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/98…yv313wkqpkw
WEBSITE: www.scenicrouteentertainment.ca/team-1
INSTAGRAM: @clare_mullen_geikiestreet
FACEBOOK: Clare Mullen