Action! Magazine The Podcast

What does it take to revolutionize an entire generation of comedy, satire, and popular culture?In this episode of ACTION! Magazine The Podcast, we sit down with award-winning filmmaker Bart Simpson, director of The MAD World of Harvey Kurtzman, a new documentary celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of the visionary cartoonist who created MAD Magazine.From the comic-book industry of the 1940s to the birth of a cultural phenomenon, the documentary explores how Harvey Kurtzman's bold creativity, rebellious humor, and relentless perfectionism transformed American satire and influenced generations of artists.Featuring rare archival footage, handcrafted animation, an original jazz score, and contributions from cultural icons including Matt Groening, Terry Gilliam, Robert Crumb, and Art Spiegelman, the film brings Kurtzman's remarkable world to life.We speak with Bart Simpson about bringing this influential artist's story to the screen, the creative process behind the documentary, and why Kurtzman's legacy remains relevant today.🎬 The MAD World of Harvey Kurtzman makes its North American premiere at DOC NYC 2026, with screenings on November 13 and 14.

What does it take to capture an extraordinary human story on the world’s tallest mountain? ACTION! Magazine welcomes Oscar-winning directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi for an interview about Everest: The Other Side.The documentary follows ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson’s shared dream of climbing and skiing Everest’s direct North Face, unfolding into a powerful story of love, loss, and resilience. Join us for a conversation about the filmmaking behind this breathtaking journey and the deeply human story at its heart.

What happens when couples therapy takes an unexpected turn and the truth becomes impossible to hide?In this episode of ACTION! Magazine The Podcast, we sit down with director Nacho Arenas to discuss his new film, Blow the Horn, a gripping exploration of relationships, trust, deception, and the consequences of revealing our darkest secrets.Starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Ken Leung, Lake Bell, Josh Boone, Dallas Roberts, and Wrenn Schmidt, the film follows three couples who arrive at an industrial artist’s studio in Brooklyn expecting a private therapy session. Instead, they discover their psychologist is absent, leaving behind a letter and eight envelopes designed to push them into an unconventional group therapy experiment.As secrets unravel and tensions rise, what begins as an exercise in honesty takes a dark and potentially irreversible turn.Join us as we go behind the scenes with Nacho Arenas to explore the film’s story, characters, creative vision, and the complexities of bringing such an emotionally charged narrative to the screen.

On this episode of ACTION! Magazine The Podcast, we sit down with producer Benjamin de Menil to discuss a documentary that explores bachata beyond the dance floors and into the heart of Dominican culture.Filmed over five years in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, director Frank Pavich (Jodorowsky’s Dune) follows a group of young musicians as they navigate growing up, discover their identities, and find their place in a tradition passed down through generations. With mentorship from Mártires de León, guitarist for Romeo Santos and teacher at Academia de Bachata, the film offers an intimate look at the music, culture, and community shaping these young artists’ lives.Join us as we talk with Benjamin about the making of the documentary, the importance of preserving bachata’s cultural roots, and the power of music to connect generations.

Join Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, with moderator Colman Domingo, for a conversation about the challenges facing independent filmmaking and how a groundbreaking parity model helped bring Jockey (TIFF ’21) and Sing Sing (TIFF ’23) to life. Discover how this approach creates opportunities for every artist, creative, and stakeholder to contribute, thrive, and share in a film’s success.

In this episode of ACTION! Magazine The Podcast, we sit down with directors Sneha Krishnaswami and Luiza Nunes Aguiar to talk about The Invisible Season, a documentary that takes us behind the scenes of the NHL off-season and the people who help elite athletes reach their full potential.From movement and strength training to nutrition and recovery, the film explores the systems, discipline, and preparation that happen away from the spotlight and how they can shape longevity in the modern game.We talk with Sneha and Luiza about bringing this world to the screen, the people behind the athletes, and what inspired them to tell a story about the season that fans rarely get to see.Directed by: Sneha Krishnaswami & Luiza Nunes Aguiar Produced by: CasaTaara & Fairfield Productions

James Quattrochi joins ACTION! Magazine The Podcast for an exciting conversation about his career, his work on the hit Paramount+ series Tulsa King, and the major projects on his horizon.Fresh off his third season of Tulsa King, James discusses being part of the acclaimed series starring Sylvester Stallone, as the show continues to earn recognition and anticipation builds for what’s next.We also dive into his leading role as Marco Tirelli in Playing the Float, a powerful legal drama based on a true story, as well as his pivotal role as “Big Bob” in That’s Amore, the upcoming romantic comedy directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Nick Vallelonga and starring John Travolta and Mira Sorvino.From television to independent film and major studio productions, James shares insights into his journey as an actor and the exciting projects keeping him busier than ever.Tune in for a great conversation with James Quattrochi!

Podcast Episode DescriptionIn this episode, we sit down for an inspiring conversation with faith-based filmmaker Henrique about two exciting new projects that are bringing powerful stories of faith, forgiveness, and transformation to the screen.First, Henrique shares about Forgiving the Nightmare, a new short film that he directed and premieres this week. We talk about the heart behind the story, the filmmaking process, and the powerful message of forgiveness at its center.We also dive into Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul, a Sony Pictures film and Kendrick Brothers production, where Henrique served as an associate producer. We explore what it was like to be part of this project and the impact faith-based storytelling can have on audiences.It’s a conversation about faith, filmmaking, purpose, and using creativity to tell stories that inspire people and point them toward hope.

In this episode of ACTION! Magazine The Podcast, we sit down with writer-director Alessio Cappelletti to discuss WHITENESS, an ambitious feature-length cinematic event that blends satire, horror, animation, historical film restoration, drama, and experimental storytelling to explore how narratives of race are created, inherited, challenged, and remembered.Selected for its World Premiere at the 34th Raindance Film Festival, WHITENESS brings together four interconnected works and features more than 1,000 visual effects shots, a full orchestral score, and a groundbreaking custom infrared black-and-white cinematic process. In our conversation, Alessio shares the creative vision behind the project, the importance of leaving room for interpretation and discussion, and how combining vastly different cinematic forms can challenge audiences to reconsider history, perception, mythology, and cultural memory.Listen now for an in-depth conversation about the making of WHITENESS and the power of cinema to question the stories we inherit.

In this episode of ACTION! Magazine The Podcast, we sit down with director Lucca Vieira to talk about his film The Midway Point, a moving story about connection, perception, and seeing the world in a different way.The film follows Jake, a high school student on the autism spectrum who feels increasingly disillusioned with the world around him. When he meets Alice, he begins to experience life from a new perspective. But as their connection grows, Jake discovers that Alice may share more with him than he ever expected.Lucca Vieira takes us behind the film, discussing the inspiration behind The Midway Point, its characters, themes of identity and connection, and the creative process of bringing this story to the screen.Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about filmmaking, representation, and the power of human connection.