Youssef Guezoum is a Moroccan-American composer, orchestrator, and sound designer based in Los Angeles. Born in Marrakech, Morocco, he blends cinematic orchestral music with modern electronic elements and influences from his North African heritage. He began as a guitarist, later studying classical piano and composition in Brussels and sound design at the Vancouver Film School.

Guezoum has composed music for films and television, including projects such as Power Rangers and Full Love, and his work has been featured by major studios and streaming platforms. He has received nominations from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards and is a member of professional organizations including the Recording Academy and the Television Academy.

In this episode, Youssef discusses his projects, his accolades and his favourite moments in his film career.

A Christmas Party (2025) is a holiday ensemble comedy-drama about a college freshman, Adam, who returns home for Christmas and finds himself navigating a chaotic house full of relatives, strangers, and rising tensions. As he tries to reconnect with his childhood friend Ally—who now arrives with a new British boyfriend—the night spirals into awkward encounters, political clashes, and heartfelt moments. The film blends humor, nostalgia, and emotional family dynamics to capture the messy, funny, and warm reality of real holiday gatherings.

In this episode we’re joined by director Alex Helmer and cast members Sarah Grace Donnelly and Jaxon Keller for a behind-the-scenes look at their new holiday film, A Christmas Party.

In this episode, we sit down with Meadowlarks director Tasha Hubbard and actor Michael Greyeyes for a thoughtful conversation about their powerful new film, Meadowlarks. They share the creative spark behind the project, the themes that guided their storytelling, and the collaborative process that shaped the film’s emotional core.

From community to memory, from responsibility to representation, Hubbard and Greyeyes open up about what Meadowlarks means to them—both on screen and beyond it.

Whether you’re a film lover, a storyteller, or someone curious about the deeper impact of Indigenous cinema, this short interview offers a meaningful glimpse into the heart of Meadowlarks.

In this episode, we sit down with Elijah Guess, the cinematographer behind Violent Ends, the 2025 Southern crime-thriller that blends gritty realism with haunting Ozark atmosphere. Elijah shares how he crafted the film’s moody visual language — from capturing the tension of backwoods family feuds to shaping the film’s dark, Gothic tone. We dive into his creative process, the challenges of shooting in the rugged Ozark landscape, and how visual storytelling helps amplify themes of violence, legacy, and redemption. A must-listen for film lovers and anyone curious about the craft behind compelling cinematography.

Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji is an Iraqi-Dutch filmmaker. He completed two master’s degrees in cinematography and directing at the Northern Film School in Leeds.

Set in the heart of post-war Baghdad, Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream follows the emotional journey of Chum-Chum, an eight-year-old homeless boy living with diabetes. Orphaned and forgotten by the world, he survives in a crumbling city, clinging to ancient myths for comfort. He believes the Tigris River is a passage to Irkalla - the Mesopotamian underworld - where he hopes to reunite with his lost parents. Guided by dreams, stories, and imagination, Chum-Chum sets out on a quest that mixes myth and reality.

As his only friend begins to fall into the trap of violence and street crime, Chum-Chum chooses a different path. He embarks on a symbolic journey through Baghdad - a city at once real and mythological - searching for hope, memory, and purpose. Along the way, he encounters visions of ancient figures like Gilgamesh and winged bulls. The city transforms into a surreal playground of history, trauma, and dreams, where every alley and ruin carries echoes of forgotten legends.

The film is a powerful blend of magical realism and neorealism. It captures both the physical destruction of modern Iraq and the emotional landscape of its youngest survivors. Through rich visuals and poetic storytelling, director Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji shows how myth can become a lifeline. Chum-Chum is not just a passive victim - he is a storyteller, a seeker, a child-hero recreating the epic of Gilgamesh in his own way.

Irkalla is a meditation on grief, memory, and resilience. It reflects on how children process trauma, and how ancient myths can give shape to unimaginable pain. The film reframes childhood not as something broken by war, but as something brave enough to reimagine the world. Chum-Chum's journey reminds us that even in a city torn apart, a child's dream can light the way forward.

A quiet, black-and-white story set on Christmas Eve, 1998. The film follows a weary taxi driver and the strangers who drift in and out of his cab as he waits for a glimpse of the newly launched International Space Station. Blending gentle humor, melancholy, and cosmic wonder, it’s a meditation on loneliness, connection, and the small moments that hold us together.

On this episode, Director, Daniel Masciari discusses all of the behind the scenes on the making of the film, its characters and creative choices.

Stationed at Home is now available to own or rent on digital download

Lesbian Space Princess is a 2025 Australian adult animated science fiction comedy film written and directed by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese in their directorial debut. It features the voices of Shabana Azeez, Bernie Van Tiel, Gemma Chua-Tran, Richard Roxburgh, Kween Kong, and comedy troupe Aunty Donna.

The story, inspired by the filmmakers' own lives, includes themes that relate to LGBTQI people, and themes include the importance of self-worth and self-love, feeling free to take up space, and being comfortable with your own company.

This week on the podcast, Directors, Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese join us for a long format interview in person while in Toronto.

We share lots of laughs and get to play some fun game as well.

Lesbian Space Princess is in theatres now

Shelby Oaks is a 2024 American supernatural horror mystery film produced, written, and directed by Chris Stuckmann in his feature directorial debut, with Mike Flanagan as an executive producer.

A continuation of an online series of fictional found footage videos about a paranormal investigative team named the Paranormal Paranoids, which also starred Durn, the film follows a woman determined to find her sister, who went missing while investigating the mysterious abandoned town of Shelby Oaks.

Chris Stuckmann joins us in Toronto for a special screening of his directorial debut and to discuss the film in this weeks episode.

Shelby Oaks is in theatres October 24th