Cinemafile

A gripping and emotional drama filmed and set in the West Bank of Palestine, THE TEACHER, the debut feature from Oscar-nominated director Farah Nabulsi. The film stars renowned Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (The Band's Visit) — who Farah dubs "the Daniel Day-Lewis of the Arab world" — and the acclaimed British actress Imogen Poots ("Outer Range", The Father, Green Room). Inspired by true events and having won over 18 International Film Festival Awards, THE TEACHER follows Palestinian schoolteacher Basem (Saleh Bakri) faces personal turmoil after a tragic incident involving his son. He finds solace in a deep bond with his student Adam and British social worker Lisa (Imogen Poots). Meanwhile, an American attorney and his wife push for the return of their son, an Israeli soldier held by a Palestinian resistance group, leading to tensions over a potential prisoner exchange. The intertwining stories highlight themes of empathy and conflict, culminating in a powerful narrative marked by unexpected twists. Director, Screenwriter and Executive Producer Farah Nabulsi (Today They Took My Son) joins us to talk about how the short she did with lead actor Saleh Bakri morphed into The Teacher, Working with Imogen Poots and Muhammad Abed El Rahman and the significance of releasing The Teacher in this fraught political environment.
About the filmmaker - Farah Nabulsi is an Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning Palestinian-British filmmaker and human rights advocate. She is the daughter of Palestinians who were fortunate enough to make a home in 1970's Britain — unlike the millions who continue to remain stateless in refugee camps. Born, raised and educated in London, Farah began her career as an institutional equity stockbroker. She ended up with a CFA designation at JP Morgan Chase before moving on to build a children-focused business that she ran for 10 years. Since 2016, she has been writing and producing fiction films inspired by socially relevant themes. Her first short film, Today They Took My Son, was endorsed by British director Ken Loach and screened at the United Nations. The Present, her directorial debut, which she also co-wrote and produced, premiered at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 2020 and won the coveted Audience Award for Best Film. It went on to win over 60 International Film Festival Jury and Audience Awards, a BAFTA award, and it scored an Academy Award nomination. The Present was licensed internationally including to Canal+ and Netflix Worldwide. The Teacher, Farah’s directorial feature-length debut, had its World Premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. It had its MENA Premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where it took home the Best Actor award and the main Jury Prize (the jury was headed by director Baz Lurhmann). The film stars renowned Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri and British actress Imogen Poots and has won over 15 International Film Festival Awards. Farah has been invited to serve as a jury member at numerous festivals and as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Sundance Award winning comedy, The Incomer is a modern folk fairy tale set on a remote Scottish island, where two siblings survive by hunting seabirds, retelling the stories of their ancestors, and defending the isle from dreaded Incomers'. Their world is upended with the arrival of an awkward council worker who has come to uproot them from their homeland on behalf of the government. Director Louis Paxton joins us for a lively conversation the making of his beautiful and heartwarming film.
About the filmmaker - Louis Paxton is a writer and director from Edinburgh, Scotland. After studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he completed an MA in Directing at the National Film and Television School in London. His award-winning short films-spanning comedy, drama, horror, and musical-have screened at festivals including Flickerfest, Glasgow Short Film Festival, LOCO Film Festival, and London Short Film Festival. His debut TV project, the sci-fi comedy The Spare Room, was selected for the BAFTA Rocliffe Drama Forum. In 2021, Louis directed the BBC Three comedy-drama Ladybaby, which was nominated for Best Comedy at the Broadcast Awards. In 2022, he received a BAFTA Scotland nomination for his short film Neville Is Dead, and was also nominated for Best Director at the New Voice Awards. His RTS- and Digital Broadcast-nominated BBC comedy short Calamity James followed in 2024. Louis has since directed episodes of the BBC One prime-time crime drama Shetland, as well as the BBC Three horror-comedy Wreck. He is developing original comedy series including Shearlings with BBC Comedy and Breadwinner with Birdie Pictures. His feature debut, The Incomer-an offbeat comedy supported by BFI and Screen Scotland, starring Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin and Grant O’Rourke, shot in 2025 and will have its premiere in 2026.

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: THE FIRST CORAL REEFERS is a feature documentary that journeys back to the 1970s and early 1980s to tell the origin story of Jimmy Buffett’s original Coral Reefer Band. Set against the creative backdrop of Key West, the film explores the musicians, friendships, touring years, and studio sessions that helped shape Buffett’s legendary sound. Through rare, never-before-seen archival footage and deeply personal interviews with founding members, tour managers, producers and music legends, OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD captures the camaraderie, chaos, and magic of an era that thrived on freedom and lived without a rulebook. Narrated by Academy-award winner Jeff Bridges, OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD offers fans a deeper look at the people behind the music and the era that helped define Jimmy Buffett’s lasting legacy. Directed by John H. Cunningham, award-winning festival favorite OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: THE FIRST CORAL REEFERS features Kenny Chesney, Mac McAnally, songwriter Keith Sykes, and The Coral Reefer Band.
About the filmmaker - John H. Cunningham is a filmmaker and USA TODAY bestselling author of the twelve- book Buck Reilly adventure series and The Last Raft, a reimagining of the Cuban embargo. Before film and fiction, he spent 35 years in commercial real estate, serving as an Executive Vice President and Regional Director in New York City for Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE symbol ARE), where he was pivotal in developing a multi- billion dollar portfolio and establishing the city’s life science industry. Now splitting his time between Virginia, and Key West, John is focused on producing, directing, and writing. His unique background brings a fresh perspective to film, combining business acumen with a passion for compelling storytelling.

Set in 1991 in upstate New York, Teenage Wasteland follows a group of teenage misfits, inspired by a renegade English teacher, who embark on a student film project and uncover a vast conspiracy that is poisoning the ground beneath their feet. Banding together to confront the indifferent adults, corrupt politicians and a violent criminal organization threatening their small town, they produce an investigative documentary that causes shockwaves in their community. Teenage Wasteland is a coming-of-age story based on exclusive access to hundreds of hours of candid, humorous and nostalgic video outtakes, and the cooperation of Fred Isseks and his intrepid students as they reckon – thirty years later – with a defining event in their lives and a remarkable story of civic courage. Co-director Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine stop by to talk about their harrowing true story of teenagers growing into fearless truth tellers. Teenage Wasteland is now available on NETFLIX.
About the filmmaker - Director, Producer, Writer Jesse Moss’ directing work includes Girls State and Boys State (winner, 2020 Sundance Grand Jury Prize), both with Amanda McBaine, War Game (with Tony Gerber), The Overnighters (winner of the Sundance Special Jury Prize), The Mission and Mayor Pete. He won Primetime Emmy® Awards for Girls State (directing) and Boys State (Outstanding Documentary). He has twice been nominated by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for his work, and twice shortlisted for the Academy Award for Feature Documentary.
About the filmmaker - Director, Producer, Writer Amanda McBaine’s directing work includes Girls State, Boys State (winner, 2020 Sundance Grand Jury Prize) and The Mission, with Jesse Moss. She produced The Overnighters, winner of the Sundance Special Jury Prize, Mayor Pete and The Bandit. She won Primetime Emmy® Awards for Girls State (directing) and Boys State (Outstanding Documentary). She is a Directors Guild of America (DGA) nominee for Boys State and twice shortlisted for the Academy Award for Feature Documentary.

Orlando von Einsiedel's THE CYCLE OF LOVE begins in 1977, PK, with a 23-year-old street artist from a marginalized “untouchable” family in Delhi as he sets out on an extraordinary 6,000-mile journey across continents with little more than a handful of paintbrushes and a secondhand bicycle. Driven by an unwavering desire to reunite with Lotta, the Swedish woman who had captured his heart, he travels through unfamiliar landscapes, navigating borders, language barriers, and the limits imposed by class and circumstance. What begins as a deeply personal quest unfolds into a remarkable story of resilience, chance, and human connection. Along the way, PK encounters strangers who offer kindness, skepticism, and support, revealing the unpredictable ways in which lives intersect across cultures. Director Director Orlando von Einsiedel joins us for a spirited conversation on his own journey and what the story of P.K. and Lotta taught him about the power of love.
About the filmmaker - The Cycle of Love Director Orlando von Einsiedel is an Academy Award–winning director and founder of the UK-based creative studio Grain Media. His work includes the Academy Award–winning THE WHITE HELMETS and the Academy Award–nominated VIRUNGA, as well as the BIFA-winning EVELYN, the Emmy-nominated LOST AND FOUND and CONVERGENCE: COURAGE IN A CRISIS, the Platino-nominated THE LOST CHILDREN, and the critically acclaimed Netflix series HEART OF INVICTUS. His latest project, THE CYCLE OF LOVE, is forthcoming. As an executive producer, his credits include the Academy Award–winning LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL), the Emmy-nominated SCOUTS HONOR, and the Emmy Award–winning BUY NOW!.