Filmmaker Magazine has released their list of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” The list is always an interesting read and as a filmmaker, I find it be motivation to get working on my own projects.
But what made the list totally awesome this year was the inclusion of the great Jesse Epstein! Jesse’s work mainly deals with body image and perceptions of beauty - a subject that definitely needs more discussion. Her film Wet Dreams and False Images takes us inside a barber shop where the patrons admire glossy pictures of famous women in little clothing and then to an airbrushing studio where we learn the truth about the ladies in the pictures.
One of my personal favorites, The Guarantee, is a hand drawn, animated story of a male dancer who is forced to make a decision regarding his nose and plastic surgery. It’s funny, poignant and the pacing is such that you have time to think about the issue at hand whilst simultaneously being entertained.
Another thing that makes Jesse super cool is that she works for Shooting People, an awesome group that works to connect and help promote independent filmmakers and their work! (You can even watch the film Wendy and I made with Meerkat Media on their site :
Katie Halper:
Nicole Hughes: 
Andy Kondrat:
Jon Popham: 
Giulia Rozzi:
Gina Telaroli: 
It was Heath Ledger’s decision to join The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus that gave director Terry Gilliam both the green light and his budget. So when Ledger passed in the middle of filming Parnassus, the fate of the movie didn’t look so great.