PODCAST · tv
First Time Go
by Benjamin Duchek
A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.
Episodes
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Filming Your Own War: Alisa Kovalenko, dir. of TRACES (2026), Ukraine's Oscar Nominee
Watch This Episode On YouTube There was intense fighting during America's Global War on Terror era in Iraq and Afghanistan, no question. But it's nothing compared to the sheer horror of what's been going on in Ukraine for years now. Especially with drones playing a ubiquitous role, a better way…
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"I Hate Most Addiction Films": How Director Aaron Strand Broke Almost All Of The Rules
We're so accustomed to the tropes of addiction related films. Recovery is inspiration. There's a happy ending. The story is over when your protagonist comes out of therapy. As I listen to this conversation, it even invades how we talk to the directors of films. But my guest today, Aaron Strand,...
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"It's Actually A Sunny Day In Ireland" Damian McCann, director of AONTAS (2025), Ireland's Oscar Pick for 2027
The most Irish friendly film podcast is back with another Irish guest, director Damian McCann, who brings a host of firsts with him -- first Irish language film made in Northern Ireland; first guy to be doing the laundry when he found out that his film, AONTAS (2025), is Ireland's nominee for the...
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Paula González-Nasser — Six Years Scouting, One Film: THE SCOUT (2025)
Not a pop psychology show, but if it was, I'd explore more with my guest, writer and director Paula González-Nasser of the brilliant film THE SCOUT (2025), how she made her first feature about a job she didn't care for. I can't imagine a scenario where she was working as a location scout, and...
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Mylissa Fitzsimmons On Running Away And The Making of MACKENZIE (2026)
My guest today, director Mylissa Fitzsimmons, previously released two features -- EVERYTHING IN THE END (2021) and THE LONG RUN (2025) -- and never got a premiere. She suffered from burnout of the excruciating process of making these brilliant films. And yet: here she is in 2026 with MACKENZIE...
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Thrilling sci-fi films, parenthood, and acting in your 60s: The Amazing Story of Ace Thor & Glen Steele
Expectations are good in a lot of ways. They hold us to a standard and promote accountability. But they can also be creatively limiting. For actor and executive producer Glen Steele of the film INFINITELY DENSE, who you heard in the intro, he took the shackles off the word expectation and made…
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Indie Film Highlight: RYE LANE (2023)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: RYE LANE (2023) Director: Raine Allen Miller SYNOPSIS Two twenty-somethings reeling from bad breakups spend an eventful day wandering South London,...
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Betting Big On Yourself Through Helping Others: Dylan Mulick and HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Watch This Episode On YouTube When you normally see a series like HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, put together by my guest, filmmaker Dylan Mulick (and the team at World Within Studios), the tendency is to brush it off as do-gooders doing good things. Where is the conflict in that? A lot of great...
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War Zones And Walks To Legendary Romances: Orlando von Einsiedel, director of THE CYCLE OF LOVE (2025)
One of the most fascinating things I've learned about in conducting interviews are how top awards can end up meaning -- nothing. Think back -- can you name who won the Oscar for best documentary short five years ago? Two years ago? So often, it doesn't show a noticeable trajectory change in the...
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Indie Film Highlight: EVELYN (2018)
Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: EVELYN (2018). Director: Orlando von Einsiedel SYNOPSIS When a 22-year-old kills himself, his three siblings try to bury their pain. Ten years later, they go on a hiking trip and…
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Shooting A Coming Of Age Story From A Child's Perspective: Ang Geck Geck Priscilla, dir. of AH GIRL (2026)
Watch This Episode On YouTube If you are staying up till 1030 pm to talk with me from Milan, Italy, well, I'm going to be grateful no matter what. But even better if your film is truly exceptional. My guest, Ang Geck Geck Priscilla, director of AH GIRL (2026), which premiered at Rotterdam and now...
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TWO UGLY PEOPLE (2025), One Exceptional Director: Peter Skinner
It always fascinates me when people with other artistic backgrounds settle on making films. They end up creating an art form that is noticeably different than their peers. My guest, Australian director Peter Skinner, spent five years as a sculptor, and then with the precision that art form...
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Indie Film Highlight: MOON (2009)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: MOON (2009) Director: Duncan Jones Cast: Sam Rockwell; Kevin Spacey; Dominique McElligott; Kaya Scodelario SYNOPSIS Astronaut Sam Bell's (Sam Rockwell)...
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The Best Film I've Watched All Year (Part 2): Cinematographer Tom Ford of URCHINS (2026
At the risk of sounding corny (and real in a world of AI slop podcast descriptions), let me add a fourth F: Ford. As in Tom Ford. No, not that one -- the cinematographer Tom Ford, who made my favorite film of the year absolutely shine through his work years ago. What do I mean by that? As we talk...
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The Best Film I've Watched All Year (Part 1): Director Adam Rioux of URCHINS (2026)
The story behind URCHINS (2026), a coming of age tale set in the waterways of Florida, distills what is best and what is worst about the modern state of independent film. URCHINS is a dazzling display of cinematography and storytelling at its most compelling: it shows Florida like you've never…
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Indie Film Highlight: JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (2011)
Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (2011) Director: David Gelb Cast: Jiro Ono; Masuhiro Yamamoto; Daisuke Nakazama; Harutaki Takahashi SYNOPSIS A documentary about an octogenarian sushi master…
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Shih-Ching Tsou, dir. of LEFT-HANDED GIRL (2025)
Watch This Episode On YouTube From the looks of it, LEFT-HANDED GIRL (2025) has everything going for it. Fantastic film. Taiwan's 2025 Oscar submission (and widely expected to be a nominee.) Edited and co-written by Sean Baker. A Netflix rollout. But the reality is much more complicated. This was…
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Lee Kirk, dir. of NIMRODS (2025)
I talk to filmmakers all the time who say things like, I'm reviving the romcom. Or my film is a homage to 1950s Westerns. The statements encompass so many genres but the truth is, most of the time they don't work. It ends up being a facsimile of something great, which isn't good at all. This is a...
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Indie Film Highlight: OVERNIGHT (2003)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: OVERNIGHT (2003) Directors: Tony Montana; Mark Brian Smith Cast: Troy Duffy; Harvey Weinstein; Chris Brinker SYNOPSIS This documentary follows Troy...
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Yiru Deng, dir. of TUNNEL VISION (2026)
I'm always on the lookout for original filmmaking to highlight, so if you just look at the objective facts of my guest Yiru Deng's film, TUNNEL VISION (2026), which premiered at LA Shorts International Film Festival on August 4th, 2026, you'll be impressed: 4 minute run time. Animation with just...
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The Funniest (NSFW) Film Of The Year: Elliot Connors of I'M GOING FULL FRONTAL (2026), now on NoBudge
Watch This Episode On YouTube I couldn't stop laughing during the funniest film of the year, directed by my guest, Elliot Connors. It's called FULL FRONTAL, or if you want to use the full title (and you should), it's I’M GOING FULL FRONTAL FOR MY NYU STUDENT SHORT FILM (2026), streaming today,...
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Indie Film Highlight: RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (2008)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (2008) Director: Jonathan Demme Screenplay: Jenny Lumet Stars: Anne Hathaway; Rosemarie DeWitt; Bill Irwin; Debra Winger…
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Anthony Argento, Festival Director Of Greenpoint Film Festival
Watch This Episode On YouTube There's something especially New York about the sentiment of my guest, Anthony Argento, saying, "we're only going to give you what you give us" about film promotion. And in the best possible sense, that kind of New Yorker attitude is at the heart of the Greenpoint…
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Writer/Producer Kate Radcliffe Of STILL LIFE (2026)
Watch This Episode On YouTube I imagine there's not a lot of debate out there but here's what I believe: there's nothing worse in the human experience than losing a son or daughter. It violates our understanding of the cycle of life and it forces a unyielding loss amongst the living that can…
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Indie Film Highlight: SHOT CALLER (2017)
Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: SHOT CALLER (2017) Director: Ric Roman Waugh Written By: Ric Roman Waugh Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau; Omari Hardwick; Lake Bell; Jon Bernthal SYNOPSIS A California stockbroker is...
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Zoe Zhou of WE ARE HAPPY FISH (2025)
Director Zoe Zhou's film, WE ARE HAPPY FISH (2025), is described as "a nihilistic girl escapes from her family with a robot boy to revive a dead fish", which by itself is interesting and accurate. But it only nibbles at how wild, zany, carefree the film is. Zoe also pushes back at the idea that...
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Will Niava of JAZZ INFERNAL (2025)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Director Will Niava's film, JAZZ INFERNAL (2025), is showing on July 23rd at the Future of Film Showcase in Toronto. If you're reading this before the date and can go, what are you waiting for? Buy tickets! It's that incredible, one of the best films I've seen all...
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Hazel McKibbin Of LAST MAN UP (2026)
My guest, Hazel McKibbin, directs films that make top festivals. She edits films that make top festivals. And she makes commercials for brands at the Met Gala. And yet: Here's Hazel taking on a project about masculinity called LAST MAN UP (2026). Last episode, I praised writer and actor Robert R....
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Indie Film Highlight: LEFT-HANDED GIRL (2025)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: LEFT-HANDED GIRL (2025) Director: Shih-Ching Tsou Writers: Shih-Ching Tsou; Sean Baker Stars: Janel Tsai; Shih-Yuan Ma; Nina Ye SYNOPSIS After a single...
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Actor/Writer Robert R. Palmer Of LAST MAN UP (2026)
This is a director's podcast, but the truth is I don't talk with enough actors on here about the struggle they face in indie film. It offers a different lens on how difficult it is to get things made. That's why I'm so happy to be joined by Robert R. Palmer, actor/writer in the film LAST MAN UP...
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Daniel Bogran Of THE KILLING MOON (2025)
Director Daniel Bogran made a film that could be spoiled with just a few words and it would change the entire dynamic of how you watch it. So I'm not going to do that. But the "how" behind him filming THE KILLING MOON ("A wealthy couple's lake vacation takes a sinister, seductive turn when an...
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Benny Chen Of HAND (2026)
How many Gen Z filmmakers say, nah, the story I'm feeling is a middle aged undocumented Chinese immigrant cook worried about survival in America. And it's 23 minutes long. You'll hear in almost every professional film course or, ahem, podcast, short films are hard to make or make your film…
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Third Anniversary Pod: Gar O'Rourke Of THE SIEGE OF PARADISE (2026)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Happy third anniversary to the pod and I'm so happy to be spending it with Irish filmmaker -- and award-winning ad maker -- Gar O'Rourke. When people ask about the podcast, the usual first question is, what are your favorite episodes? And I respond with, well, they…
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Indie Film Highlight: PAYING FOR IT (2024)
Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: PAYING FOR IT (2024) Director: Sook-Yin Lee Story by: Chester Brown Stars: Emily Lê; Andrea Werhun; Dan Beirne SYNOPSIS When an introverted cartoonist's girlfriend wants to redefine...
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Why Film In Minnesota? Deputy Director Of Explore Minnesota Film, Nell Lawrenz-Wareham
I love Minnesota; in fact, on June 29th, there I'll be, beside one of its 10,000 lakes, ready for America's 250th birthday. (It's the best place to spend the Fourth.) It's also a great place for filmmaking so I talk about that with deputy director of Explore Minnesota Film, Nell Lawrenz-Wareham....
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Lindsay Calleran, dir. of CAITY (2026)
I conclude Tribeca special coverage with one of my favorite films at the festival, CAITY (2026). To say Lindsay Calleran has been through some things to get her debut feature made is underselling it by a lot. Please read this First Person IndieWire article that Lindsay wrote; it gives a lot of...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Lily Weisberg, dir. of RARE BIRDS (2026) & Maria Sofia Hernandez, dir. of LA LUCHA DE LUCÍA (2026)
The Tribeca Film Festival helped organize this tremendous in-person panel with two New York filmmakers: Lily Weisberg, dir of RARE BIRDS (2026) and Maria Sofia Hernandez, dir of LA LUCHA DE LUCÍA (2026). Recorded on June 9th at Spring Studios, we talk about their incredible films; the challenges…
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Special Tribeca Podcast: David Clancy, dir. of NIO KO BOKK (THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US)
If you're going to make a film about surfing in Senegal, I assume the viewer expects beautiful shots of surfing and the landscape of Dakar, Senegal's capital city. And man, does my guest, filmmaker and director, David Clancy, of NIO KO BOKK or THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US (2026) deliver. The film is…
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Indie Film Highlight: STRAIGHT TO HELL (1987)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Watch STRAIGHT TO HELL On Criterion Channel Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: STRAIGHT TO HELL (1987) Director: Alex Cox Writers: Dick Rude; Alex Cox Stars: Joe Strummer; Dick Rude;...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Elisee Junior St. Preux, dir. of THE TROPIC SUN AND HIS EYES (2026)
What a last month or so for Haiti and director Elisee Junior St. Preux's debut feature. Upon its release at the Tribeca Film Festival, THE TROPIC SUN AND HIS EYES (2026) received the Special Jury Mention for Best New Narrative Director alongside rave reviews. It is truly stunning filmmaking,...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Hannah Peterson, dir. of VIA NEGATIVA (2026)
Watch This Episode On YouTube VIA NEGATIVA resonated with me on so many different levels -- as a Catholic; as someone who uses firearms; as a veteran (there's a moment in there, if you've seen it); and most importantly, a lover of truly astonishing filmmaking. Director Hannah Peterson achieved...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Shan Jiang 姜姗, dir. of EPHEMERA (2026)
It's one thing to say you're going to create the "Chinese lesbian version of BEFORE SUNRISE (1995)"; it's another thing to actually pull it off. In EPHEMERA (2026), the debut feature for filmmaker Shan Jiang which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, it appears she has done just that. It...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Meriem Sakrouhi, dir. of MON TAXI (2026)
MON TAXI (2026), which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, is a "love letter to the filmmaker's dad." Architect + filmmaker Meriem Sakrouhi created a film that is part New York, part Moroccan, and altogether touching cinema, and we talk about how she did it for the podcast. Along with...
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Indie Film Highlight: LURKER (2025)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: LURKER (2025) Director: Alex Russell Writer: Alex Russell Stars: Théodore Pellerin; Archie Madekwe; Havana Rose Liu; SYNOPSIS A retail employee...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Rob Rice, dir. of PONDEROSA (2026)
The career path -- M.S. in Neuroscience to filmmaking -- is a wholly original one and so is his filmmaking. His second feature, PONDEROSA (2026), is a comedy-horror film that looks at American masculinity in a way I've never seen before. It is a gift to watch -- beginning to end -- not because I...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Lyle Lindgren, dir. of MOUTH FULL OF GOLDS (2026)
Very rarely, you'll watch a documentary, and think...how did he get that all on film? That was the case for me and the film MOUTH FULL OF GOLDS (2026) premiering this week at the Tribeca Film Festival. It's about "grillz" -- the teeth attachments/implants and their cultural connection in New York...
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Special Tribeca Podcast: Branislav Jankic dir. of WHITE BELT (2026)
The journey from Yugoslavia to New York City is a wild one, and filmmaker Branislav Jankic has been a keen observer along the way. Coming off a debut feature that was released at the height of COVID, Branislav is now at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival with a story about his wife called WHITE BELT...
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Indie Film Highlight: OUT OF LOVE (2025)
Watch This Episode On YouTube Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: OUT OF LOVE (2025) Director: Nathan Ambrosioni Writer: Nathan Ambrosioni Stars: Camille Cottin; Monia Chokri; Juliette Armanet SYNOPSIS A woman is…
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Special Cannes Podcast: Anna Berthollet of Lightdox
The podcast concludes this unreal Cannes Film Festival series with Lightdox founder and CEO, Anne Berthollet. Lightdox has consistently championed stunning documentaries, like GABIN (2026); FLOPHOUSE (2025) and so much more. How is the company able to find such amazing documentaries? What happens...
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Special Cannes Podcast: Nguyễn Phan Linh Đan
I'd argue the Pierre Angénieux Tribute is the best thing going at the Cannes Film Festival. Why? Two reasons: they elevate one filmmaker -- this year, it was Japanese cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa -- by way of tribute. If you haven't seen her work, now is your opportunity. But they don't stop...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.
HOSTED BY
Benjamin Duchek
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does First Time Go have?
First Time Go currently has 166 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is First Time Go about?
A weekly podcast highlighting the creators of independent film and the business behind it. Hosted by Ben Duchek.
How often does First Time Go release new episodes?
First Time Go publishes regularly with 166 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts First Time Go?
First Time Go is created and hosted by Benjamin Duchek.
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