Episode 5: Julia Verdin
Podcast Art for Season 2 Episode 5 with Julia Verdin
MAYA is opening in several theaters and VOD on January 26th, so I thought it would be fun to re-release this episode. Social impact films are increasingly more common, something I imagine that I'll highlight more as we go through season 2, and MAYA is a good example of a film touching on an important issue. You can here for more information on screenings: Artists for Change
Enjoy and see you on Tuesday, January 23rd.
Ben
I talk with Julia Verdin, the multi-hyphenate writer and director of the new film MAYA.
When you think of a social impact film, you may think school project. But in your her new film MAYA, Julia put in the research and the dedication to her craft to make sure you'll learn something and be deeply entertained. MAYA had its world premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London in October, and opens in select theaters and video in demand in late January, 2024. It deals gently with the topic of sex trafficking, and some of the acting performances, especially Rumer Willis, has stuck with me, along with the score and certainly the direction.
We discuss her career, how to break into social impact filmmaking, the challenges of casting real-life, say, police officers, and the importance of keeping a positive attitude. As you'll hear from Julia, changing the world for the better is certainly difficult, but it doesn't mean it can't be fun.
Links:
The cover art depicts a generative AI image based on a description of the film or career highlights. (Yes, season two is cats.)
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