Atom Egoyan

On this special episode, Eric sits down with Atom Egoyan & Amanda Seyfried to discuss their new film Seven Veils.

We go from one end of the spectrum to the other this week as we take a look at writer/director Atom Egoyan’s dramatic new thriller SEVEN VEILS and everyone’s favorite (and looney) pig and duck, Porky and Daffy, in writer/director Peter Browngardt’s feature animated directorial debut LOONEY TUNES: THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP. I love both films and think you will, too - especially LOONEY TUNES! First up today is my exclusive interview with one of my longtime favorite directors - ATOM EGOYAN. I will see anything and everything that Atom does and am thrilled that he now presents us with SEVEN VEILS, an exquisite blend of cinema and theatre, opera to be specific, that will have you mesmerized by the visual beauty and intensity of the film, and leave you breathless with the power of the story which is built around the acclaimed opera, Salome. Written & Directed by Atom, SEVEN VEILS stars Amanda Seyfried who reunites with Atom after their 2015 film CHLOE, as well as Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Mark O'Brien, Vinessa Antoine, Ambur Braid, Michael Kupfer-Radecky Premised on the biblical tale of Salome, which has been told in countless ways over the years, most notably as a 19th-century opera by Richard Strauss and written by Oscar Wilde, Atom has taken his love for the tale which he has directed on the stage numerous times since 1996 and now explores what a production of Salome would mean in our current culture. This led him to write SEVEN VEILS about a remount of Salome that he filmed at the same time the opera was being performed on stage by the Canadian Opera Company in 2023, using the opera singers from Salome in the film. With the opera at its core, Atom wrote a modern tale around the opera production as we meet theater director Jeanine played by Amanda Seyfried, who re-enters the opera world to stage her former mentor’s most famous work. Haunted by dark and disturbing memories from her past, Jeanine allows her repressed trauma to color the present as her personal and professional lives begin to unravel. Visually stunning, seductive, sensual, and even jarring, Atom beautifully blends cinema with theatricality. Take a listen as we break down the SEVEN VEILS...from creation to cinematography to editing to score Switching gears now, we go from the seductive and sensual to sarcasm, satire, slapstick, and pure unadulterated joy with Porky Pig and Daffy Duck in LOONEY TUNES: THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP and my exclusive conversation with writer/director/animator PETER BROWNGARDT. This is everything you could want and more not just in an animated film, a hand-drawn 2D animated film to be precise, but in animation and particularly in the world of LOONEY TUNES. Timeless and iconic, this buddy comedy starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck marks the first fully animated feature-length film in Looney Tunes history! Those legends of Warner Bros Termite Terrace would be so proud of what Peter Browngardt and his team have done with LOONEY TUNES: THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP. Porky Pig and Daffy Duck are unlikely heroes and Earth’s only hope when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!)... that is if they don’t drive each other totally looney in the process. Voice acting is perfection thanks to the work of acclaimed actors Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol, Wayne Knight, and Laraine Newman which help bring the laugh-out-loud gags, vibrant visuals, and beloved characters to life. Listen as Peter talks about animation and dialogue going hand in hand aka what came first the pig or the duck egg and working with 11 writers/animators to develop the emotion through drawing, dialogue and voicing, the classic hand-drawn visuals, paying homage to the past - including many classic films - while adding some contemporary notes, melding g

In this episode, host Marriska Fernandes uncovers the story of Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, celebrated for his diverse contributions to cinema. With internationally acclaimed films like "Exotica," "The Sweet Hereafter," and the upcoming film, "Seven Veils," Egoyan has consistently pushed cinematic boundaries, focusing on themes such as memory, isolation, identity, and more. His work has earned accolades at Cannes, TIFF, and the Oscars, solidifying his reputation as a master storyteller. Beyond filmmaking, Egoyan has also directed several operas, including Salome, Così fan tutte, and Jenůfa, for the Canadian Opera, Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, and elsewhere. Join Marriska in conversation with Atom Egoyan, where they discuss his creative process and recall when Atom and Bruce McDonald screened their short films on a wall during TIFF. They also talk about the best ending he's ever written, and more insights into his incredible journey. ***TW: Atom Egoyan's films often explore the universality of trauma, and in discussing his work, there are mentions of sexual assault, child abuse and violence. Listener discretion is advised. A podcast hosted by Marriska Fernandes, produced by The Brand is Female and powered by Telefilm Canada. Follow Telefilm Canada on Instagram Follow The Brand is Female on Instagram Watch the video of this episode

Film Director Atom Egoyan joins for a discussion about his new and old films.

We have a special treat this week. The Critic and the Referee conducted their first interview with award-winning and Oscar-nominated director/screenwriter, Atom Egoyan, whose new movie, "Remember," is being released in the U.S. on Friday, March 11, 2016. It stars Academy Award winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau, both giving riveting performances in this drama/thriller. Atom gives us inside details about what it’s like to work with Plummer, Landau, and first-time screenwriter Benjamin August in this unexpected tale of a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor suffering from memory loss. Listen as Egoyan walks us through how he developed his phenomenal storytelling chops, as well as his technique in working with the industry’s most talented actors and actresses. Finally, Atom shares what he’s watching, as well as what you should be watching. Yes, he ultimately takes the Critic and the Referee back to school—film school, that is. We told you it was a special treat! Show Notes Here some fun facts about Atom Egoyan ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000382/ & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_Egoyan ): Attended Film School : Nope (Hitchcock/Truffaut Conversation was his film school.) Break Out Feature : "Exotica" Most Notable Work : "The Sweet Hereafter" (received tons of awards including two Oscar nominations) Other Big Wig Stars He’s Directed : Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Reynolds, Colin Firth, Victor Garber, Rosario Dawson and…wait for it…Kevin Bacon. (Yes, we at Why Watch That were officially one degree away from Kevin Bacon. Major accomplishment, folks!) Current Small Screen Favorites : "Ray Donavan," "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men" Current Big Screen Favorite : "Tangerine" What to Watch : "Vertigo," "The Conversation," "Taxi Driver," "The Godfather," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" Remember (A24) http://a24films.com/films/remember/ Rating: R Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes Synopsis: "Remember" tells the story of Zev Guttman (Academy Award® Winner Christopher Plummer), a 90-year-old struggling with memory loss who is living out his final years in a serene retirement home. A week following the death of his beloved wife Ruth, he suddenly gets a mysterious package from his close friend Max (Academy Award® Winner Martin Landau), containing a stack of money and a letter detailing a shocking plan. Both Zev and Max were prisoners in Auschwitz, and the same sadistic guard was responsible for the death of both their families – a guard who, immediately after the war, escaped Germany and has been living in the U.S. ever since, under an assumed identity. Max is wheelchair-bound but in full command of his mental faculties; with his guidance, Zev will embark on a cross-continental road-trip to bring justice once and for all to the man who destroyed both of their lives. Pick of the Week : "The Conversation" by Francis Ford Coppola http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071360/

We have a special treat this week. The Critic and the Referee conducted their first interview with award-winning and Oscar-nominated director/screenwriter, Atom Egoyan, whose new movie, "Remember," is being released in the U.S. on Friday, March 11, 2016. It stars Academy Award winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau, both giving riveting performances in this drama/thriller. Atom gives us inside details about what it’s like to work with Plummer, Landau, and first-time screenwriter Benjamin August in this unexpected tale of a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor suffering from memory loss. Listen as Egoyan walks us through how he developed his phenomenal storytelling chops, as well as his technique in working with the industry’s most talented actors and actresses. Finally, Atom shares what he’s watching, as well as what you should be watching. Yes, he ultimately takes the Critic and the Referee back to school—film school, that is. We told you it was a special treat! Show Notes Here some fun facts about Atom Egoyan ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000382/ & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_Egoyan ): Attended Film School : Nope (Hitchcock/Truffaut Conversation was his film school.) Break Out Feature : "Exotica" Most Notable Work : "The Sweet Hereafter" (received tons of awards including two Oscar nominations) Other Big Wig Stars He’s Directed : Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Reynolds, Colin Firth, Victor Garber, Rosario Dawson and…wait for it…Kevin Bacon. (Yes, we at Why Watch That were officially one degree away from Kevin Bacon. Major accomplishment, folks!) Current Small Screen Favorites : "Ray Donavan," "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men" Current Big Screen Favorite : "Tangerine" What to Watch : "Vertigo," "The Conversation," "Taxi Driver," "The Godfather," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" Remember (A24) http://a24films.com/films/remember/ Rating: R Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes Synopsis: "Remember" tells the story of Zev Guttman (Academy Award® Winner Christopher Plummer), a 90-year-old struggling with memory loss who is living out his final years in a serene retirement home. A week following the death of his beloved wife Ruth, he suddenly gets a mysterious package from his close friend Max (Academy Award® Winner Martin Landau), containing a stack of money and a letter detailing a shocking plan. Both Zev and Max were prisoners in Auschwitz, and the same sadistic guard was responsible for the death of both their families – a guard who, immediately after the war, escaped Germany and has been living in the U.S. ever since, under an assumed identity. Max is wheelchair-bound but in full command of his mental faculties; with his guidance, Zev will embark on a cross-continental road-trip to bring justice once and for all to the man who destroyed both of their lives. Pick of the Week : "The Conversation" by Francis Ford Coppola http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071360/