Salt Lake Dirt

Today I welcome back one of my favorite authors. Megan Abbott joins me to talk about her new book Beware the Woman (May 30, 2023; G.P. Putnam's Sons). We talk the new book, writer's workshops, and photography. Great book, great chat!

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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Beware the Woman Synopsis:

"Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That’s what Jacy’s mom always told her. And Jacy felt like she finally did. Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy and her new husband, Jed, embark on their first road trip together to visit his father, Dr. Ash, in Michigan’s far-flung Upper Peninsula. The moment they arrive at the cottage snug within the lush woods, Jacy feels bathed in love by the warm and hospitable Dr. Ash, if less so by his house manager, the enigmatic Mrs. Brandt.

But their Edenic first days take a turn when Jacy has a health scare. Swiftly, vacation activities are scrapped, and all eyes are on Jacy’s condition. Suddenly, whispers about Jed’s long-dead mother and complicated family history seem to eerily impinge upon the present, and Jacy begins to feel trapped in the cottage, her every move surveilled, her body under the looking glass. But are her fears founded or is it paranoia, or cabin fever, or—as is suggested to her—a stubborn refusal to take necessary precautions? The dense woods surrounding the cottage are full of dangers, but are the greater ones inside? (Source: Penguin Random House)

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Author Bio:

Megan Abbott is the award-winning author of eleven novels, including New York Times bestseller The Turnout, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Give Me Your Hand, You Will Know Me, The Fever, Dare Me, and The End of Everything. She received her PhD in literature from New York University. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Guardian, and The Believer. She's the co-creator and executive producer of USA's adaptation of Dare Me, now on Netflix, and was a staff writer on HBO's David Simon show The Deuce. Abbott lives in New York City.

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Filmmaker and author Greg Sestero joins me for this episode of Salt Lake Dirt. Greg wrote The Disaster Artist which is about his friendship with Tommy Wiseau and their experience making the cult classic film The Room. The book is one of the best film memoirs out there in my opinion. And of course, The Room speaks for itself. There is a reason why after 20 years the film resonates with a worldwide audience.

Greg will make his first Salt Lake City appearance on Saturday May 27, 2023. The Salt Lake Film Society will host a 35mm screening of The Room and a Q & A with Greg as well as some other fun surprises. You can grab tickets at SLFSTIX.com.

Great book, great film, great guy. I look forward to chatting with Greg in the future about his upcoming film projects.

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt we flip the format. Author C.E. Hoffman has an incredible podcast called Scribbles & Spills. I was a guest on the program a few months back. I had such a good time that I thought I would share our episode. So on this episode C.E. interviews me, Kyler Bingham. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Author Bio:

C.E. Hoffman is a recipient of a Silver Honourable Mention from the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award, and winner of the 2022 Defunct May Day Chapbook contest. They’ve been published widely online and in print since 2010, and edited Punk Monk Magazine since 2012.

Current releases include SLUTS AND WHORES (Thurston Howl Publications, 2021), BLOOD, BOOZE, AND OTHER THINGS IN NATURE (Alien Buddha Press, 2022), GHOSTS, TROLLS, AND OTHER THINGS ON THE INTERNET (Bottlecap Press, 2022), and NO ACTUAL SIN (May Day Press/Defunct Magazine, 2023.) LOSERS AND FREAKS is forthcoming from Querencia Press.

Find them online at cehoffman.net, follow them on Twitter @CEHoffman2, and listen to their podcast Scribbles & Spills.

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Today on Salt Lake Dirt I speak with actress Grace Truly. Grace appears in the new film Book Club: The Next Chapter (Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen). Grace has appeared in several short films and has also appeared in Downton Abbey: A New Era.

I had an amazing time talking with Grace about Book Club as well as her interests in vintage clothing, sewing, photography, and classic film. Grace is definitely someone to keep an eye out for. I can't wait to see more of her work in the future!

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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I fortunate enough to have the Bay Area rapper FIFTH join me on Salt Lake Dirt just one day after the release of his album Terrible Twos (Released 5.5.23)

I've been listening to it non-stop. For a literary and film podcast like SLD, the conversation I had with FIFTH fits in perfectly.

Make sure to check out Taking Chances, a short film about FIFTH and the making of Terrible Twos.

Incredible artist! Great chat!

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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I'm absolutely thrilled to welcome Gary Lassin to the show. Gary is the president of the Three Stooges Fan Club and the author of the new book A Tour De Farce: The Complete History of the Three Stooges on the Road. The fan club and ultimately Gary, are responsible for my love of early era comedians and classic Hollywood. I joined the club in my early teens. It was amazing being able to connect with him after nearly all these years.

The book is an epic work of meticulous research (Over 700 pages). It's a complete history of the Stooges' touring life. When they weren't making films they spent huge chunks of the year touring their act around the United States. This book documents it all and has never before seen photos of the comedy trio.

A Tour De Farce is an incredible labor of love and I am extremely grateful that Gary brought it into existence.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Today I welcome author John Derderian to the show. I became aware of John's work through Stephen Jay Schwartz. If Stephen recommends something, I know it's going to be good. That was definitely the case with John's short story collection Starbucks Must Die and Other Stories.

Great book, great chat! I'm looking forward to reading his next collection of short stories entitled Schrödinger Scat and Other Tales.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Author Bio:

"If you're James Cameron or Steven Spielberg looking to pay me millions for the rights to my stories, or if you're anybody else who wants to contact me for any other reason, you can get me here: StarbucksMustDie@gmail.com." SLD Podcast Info:

Today I welcome back Michelle Bossy to the show. I first talked to Michelle back in 2021 when her film Under the Lantern Lit Sky played at the Brooklyn Film Festival. That film was one of my favorites from 2021 so I was thrilled when I heard that she had two short films currently playing the festival circuit. In this episode we discuss Early Retirement and Antisemite - two powerful films that you’ll want to keep on your radar. Great films, great chat! I look forward to having Michelle back on in the future.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

MichelleBossy.com

Director Bio:

Michelle Bossy is a Mexican-American award-winning film, television, and theater director. Recent films Michelle directed include Nobody’s Home (feature), Under the Lantern Lit Sky (feature), Antisemite by Etan Marciano, klutz. by Elizabeth Narciso, Early Retirement by Pete Sabri and Susan-Kate Heaney, Chance of Showers by Julie Craig and Alex Ellis, The Trespassed by Raul Garza, Incurable by Josephine Cashman, Miracle Baby by Steven Fechter, Friendly Neighborhood Coven by Caroline V McGraw, Ladies Lounge by Caroline V. McGraw, 18, written by Courtney Baron, She Grinds Her Own Coffee, written by Cheri Magid, and The New 35 written by Leslie Korein.  Michelle’s films have premiered at the Austin Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, Dances with Films, LA Shorts International Film Festival, and the Female Eye Film Festival, among dozens of others. Michelle directed the series The Broadway Babies Show by Nicole Mangi and Leah Sprecher, and There’s a Special Place in Hell for Fashion Bloggers, written by Amelia Alvarez. Michelle collaborated with Maria Alexandria Beech on TeleMAMAS, a pilot.  She has directed music videos for the band Yassou, and the singer/songwriter Brooke Josephson. Michelle directed for Disney’s Diversity Showcase in 2021 and 2022. (Source: MichelleBossy.com)

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Annette Bochenek joins me to talk about her book Hometowns to Hollywood Volume 1. Annette is a film historian, professor and creator of the Hometowns to Hollywood blog where she travels all over the country to explore the hometowns of Hollywood greats like Ava Gardner, Jimmy Steward, and Orson Welles. Great book, great chat!

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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Episode Links:

HometownsToHollywood.com

FB: @home2hollywood

Twitter: @home2hollywood

PURCHASE Hometowns to Hollywood Volume 1 (Hardback, paperback, ebook)

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ChipJacobs.com

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CLICK HERE for a Full TRANSCRIPT of the Episode

Today I welcome back filmmaker Cameron S. Mitchell. We talk about his new short film Kryptonite which is currently a part of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. I'm a big fan of Cameron's and was thrilled to be able to talk with him so soon after this year's Slamdance Film Festival. Great chat, great film!

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Logline: "Old flames Imani and Alex reconnect after being estranged for over two years. Imani has news that will change Alex’s life forever and together they must come to an acceptance of their new reality."

WATCH Kryptonite on YouTube

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Episode Links: CLICK HERE for a Full TRANSCRIPT of the Episode⁠

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This week I welcome filmmaker Dan Katzir to the show. Dan and Ravit Markus (co-director/producer) brought their documentary film American Pot Story to the Slamdance Film Festival where it won an Audience Award. Great chat, great film!

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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LOGLINE: American Pot Story: Oaksterdam tells the unknown origin story of the underdogs who took a huge risk in order to revolutionize current cannabis policy.

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Today I welcome Brad Listi to the show. His latest novel is called Be Brief and Tell Them Everything. I really connected with this book. It's high on my current recommendation list. Check it out. He is also the host of Otherppl with Brad Listi, which has become one of my favorite literary podcasts as of late.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Book Synopsis:

"A darkly funny meditation on creativity and family, Be Brief and Tell Them Everything tracks the life of a middle-aged author who is struggling to write his next novel while trying to come to grips with his son’s disabilities, set against a backdrop of ecological catastrophe and escalating human insanity in contemporary Los Angeles. A beautiful, powerful, concise work of autofiction that is reminiscent of My Struggle and Grief is the Thing with Feathers, Be Brief documents the stops and starts of adulthood and marriage, and the joys and challenges of parenting, while defining what it means to be a good man, and a good writer." (Source: Ig Publishing)

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Author Bio:

Brad Listi was born in Milwaukee. He is the author of the novel Be Brief and Tell Them Everything (Ig Publishing / May 2022). His other books include the novel Attention. Deficit. Disorder., an LA Times bestseller, and Board, a work of nonfiction collage, co-authored with Justin Benton. He is the founding editor of The Nervous Breakdown, an online literary magazine, and in 2011 he launched the Otherppl podcast, which features in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. He lives in Los Angeles. (Source: BradListi.com)

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Lauren Badillo Milici joins me today to talk about her new book Sad Sexy Catholic. We talk about the Scream franchise, the Mothman of West Virginia, and how she approaches writing poetry. Great chat! I'm a huge fan of Lauren's now.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Book Synopsis: SAD SEXY CATHOLIC follows the journey of a young twenty-something as she navigates the already difficult task of existing made even harder by trauma, body dysmorphia, a personality disorder, and leftover guilt from a religious upbringing. The speaker in these poems strives to find softness, even in the darkest of moments. (ClashBooks.com)

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Author Bio: Lauren Milici is a Jersey-born, Florida-raised poet and writer based in the Midwest. When she isn't crafting sad poems about sex, she's either writing or shouting into the void about film, TV, and all things pop culture.

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Today I welcome bandleader and composer Skip Heller to the show. We talk about his new album Dark Passages by the Hollywood Film Noirchestra (Killer Kern Records) and how the project came into existence. We also chat about Louis Armstrong, Jerry Stahl, and his love for classic film. I had a blast talking to Skip. I was scrambling to write down his recommendations and interests! He is like the cool older brother that turns you onto art that will change your life.

You can find the new album over on Bandcamp.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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"Hollywood -- Bandleader/composer Skip Heller has long enjoyed a diverse career, but one close look at his resume - which includes working with Yma Sumac, Bootsy Collins, NRBQ, Lalo Guerrero, Los Lobos, the Klezmatics, Todd Rundgren, and Joe Bataan - and it becomes clear that film noir is his home base...

Dark Passages (named after a David Goodis novel) takes the listener through the world of noir, largely concentrating on mid century classics (Touch of Evil, The Hustler, Kiss Me Deadly, Riffifi), B movies (Foreign Intrigue, Beat Girl), TV (Twilight Zone, Perry Mason), and two of Heller's noir originals. In addition, the first pressing features a cover by none other than Cal Schenkel, whose album covers for Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, and Tom Waits are (pardon the word) iconic."

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Today I welcome Joseph Fasano to the show. His latest novel The Swallows of Lunetto came out on Maudlin House this past November. It’s the story of a young couple's escape from Italian fascism at the end of the Second World War. An incredible book and beautifully written! If you have a book club this is a novel that I think would spark some fascinating conversations.

If you go to the Maudlin House website to purchase The Swallows of Lunetto, you can enter in the promo code saltlake to get 10% off.

Also, make sure to check out Joseph’s music. The title track from his most recent album The Wind That Knows the Way will play at the end of this episode.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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"From Joseph Fasano, the acclaimed author of The Dark Heart of Every Wild Thing, comes The Swallows of Lunetto, the powerful story of a young couple's escape from Italian fascism at the end of the Second World War.

Alexandra Bianchi lives and works in Lunetto, a provincial village in Italy's Calabria region, which finds itself ravaged by war in the summer of 1945. Leonardo Gemetti, a young man from Lunetto, has been missing for nearly eight years, and all his village knows of him is that he has carried out an atrocity against the Italian partisans in Mussolini's fallen Republic of Salò. When Alexandra meets a masked figure in the streets of Lunetto, she cannot imagine what she will learn about history  and her place in it.

A sweeping love story and historical drama, The Swallows of Lunetto is a timely meditation on the left-right political divide, the reckonings of inherited trauma, and the potential of forgiveness to heal deeply divisive wounds."

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SLD Podcast Info:

Abbey George (director/producer) and Maddie Lucas (producer/actress) join me to talk about their short film Jesus Would Have Loved Punk Rock which will have its world premiere at the 2023 Mammoth Film Festival (March 2-6, 2023). I stumbled upon the film's poster somewhere online and it completely grabbed my attention. I absolutely fell in love with it once I had the chance to see it.

Sign up for their mailing list to keep up to date.

I'm excited to see more work from Maddie and Abbey in the future!

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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Film Synopsis:

Veronica and Annie are fed up with the oppressive and corrupt nature of their Catholic high school, determined to make authoritarian teachers answer for their crimes and right the moral compass of the student body.

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D.T. Robbins joins me to talk about his new collection of short stories Birds Aren't Real. Absurdist, funny, dark... everything I love in a book. 

Use PROMO Code: saltlake to get 10% off your purchase of Birds Aren't Real on the Maudlin House website.

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Book Synopsis:

"Meeting minutes from a Satanic cult. Werewolves with orgasmic origins.  Homemade puzzles made from human body parts. A family trapped inside  someone’s leg, hurling toward oblivion. Gaslighting birds. Bicycle tours  through hell in search of a lost dog. A fake-your-own-death kit. The  ultimate makeover. A carwash funeral. The end of the world in the back  of an old Chevy Astro. Birds Aren't Real. The absurdist examination of  what awaits us all at the end—for better or for worse."

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Rounding out our coverage for the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival is the film Sweet As. Filmmaker Jub Clerc talked with me about the making of the film and its close autobiographical ties. Wonderful performances from an incredible, young cast! Check it out.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler
@saltlakedirt
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SYNOPSIS: Sweet As (Australia, 2022)

"Everyone and everything is a story, but what about finding the right  words? This is something that fifteen-year-old Murra discovers while  travelling on a photo-excursion for disadvantaged youth through the  ancient natural landscapes of her Aboriginal homeland. In the course of  one eventful week of wild camping and wandering through historic  Indigenous sites, Murra reconnects with her ancestral roots, makes  friends for life, experiences the disappointments of heartbreak but  discovers also her love for photography. As the camera and the images  she creates calibrate her with a fresh point of view to the world, Murra  sees new possibilities for her future. Sweet As  celebrates resilience, growth, hope and love and the importance of  finding one’s very own voice in the process."

Today I speak with filmmaker Zhi Wei Jow. His new film Tomorrow is a Long Time has been playing at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival this past week. I really enjoyed the film. It is visually stunning and hits on some heavy themes including family and survival. Plus, there is a great Bob Dylan Easter Egg! Check it out!

Thanks for listening!
Kyler
@saltlakedirt

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SYNOPSIS: Tomorrow is a Long Time

"Acts of violence bring regret and repercussions for widowed pest  exterminator Chua and his son Meng. But control over their lives is not a  familiar feeling for either of them. The dense cityscape of Singapore  hems them in their precarious existence, offering little tenderness or  space to breathe freely. His father’s long shifts of gruelling work for a  thankless employer coupled with his grandmother’s advancing illness  have left Meng isolated, and susceptible to being pressured into joining  ranks with a group of bullies from school. Compulsory military service  looms near. The unknown world of the jungle holds its own threats, but  also the possibility of bringing Meng closer to understanding his own  nature, and connecting with something bigger."

Today I welcome filmmaker and novelist Sonja Heiss to the show. Her new film When Will it be Again Like it Never Was Before has been playing at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival [Berlinale]. I absolutely loved the film! It's one of the best movies I've seen in awhile (film festival or otherwise) - set your Google alerts! 

Thanks for listening!
Kyler
@saltlakedirt

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FILM SYNOPSIS: When Will it be Again Like it Never Was Before  

"The household Josse grows up in hardly corresponds to the typical  notions of family: his father is the director of a psychiatric clinic,  on the premises of which their family home is located. Josse spends his  childhood and adolescence with two brothers and liberal parents whose  bourgeois life is threatening to break up their marriage. Again and  again, Josse is plagued by fits of anger and sadness. He finds a  sympathetic ear, consolation and the feeling of not being an oddball  primarily among the psychiatric patients. The adaptation of Joachim  Meyerhoff’s bestseller is carried by a well-known cast and tells a  tragicomic tale about growing up in the 1970s. A soulful celebration of  life in all its absurdity and transience."

Today on the show I welcome two incredible writers and artists. They go by the monikers Fortunus Games and Tete DePunk.

Fortunus Games is the host of the podcast The Nuts and Bolts of Writing and is the creator of the graphic novels Sam in New York and The Book of Joel. Both are all available for free online.

Tete DePunk is a writer who has an epic novel in the works called 70 Fierce Years. The novel "follows the life of (as narrated in his own voice) Andrei Danilovich Novokshonov, a Don  Cossack officer who loses his rank and property as a result of the  Soviet De-Cossackization Policies, and now must forge a new identity and  life in the newly formed Soviet Union." (SOURCE: 70 Fierce Years on Tapas)

Fortunus Games and Tete DePunk have an ongoing online conversation about the creative process that I’ve been enjoying in the past few months.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

SALT LAKE DIRT

Tim’s novel is called City of Blows and it just came out on Unnamed Press. It didn’t click with me that Tim was actually the writer of this incredible book until I saw his picture on the promo materials. When I read the synopsis, I knew it was my kind of book. "A sprawling, character-driven depiction of the modern film industry.” (Source: Unnamed Press)

City of Blows is beautifully written and the character development is incredible. It was an honor to talk with Tim about the book and his process for creating.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Book Events:

Today on the show I welcome writer, director and puppeteer Emily Morus-Jones. Her short film Diomysus is playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival. I absolutely loved this film. I've never seen anything like it!

There will be two screenings of Diomysus at the festival. Friday the 20th of January between 3pm and Monday the 23rd at 3pm. If you are not able to get to Park City you can find Diomysus and all of the festival's programming on the Slamdance Channel between January 23 and the 29th.

I had a great time talking with Emily and I look forward to seeing more of her work in the future!

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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For more about Emily and her work check out her website:

www.emilymorusjones.com

Today I welcome filmmaker Brendan Geraghty to the show. His documentary film Motel Drive is playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival and will premiere at the Treasure Mountain Inn Sunday Jan 22 at 1:15PM.

A Second Screening will take place Thursday Jan 26th, 2:45 PM.

Motel Drive is one of my top picks this year from both Slamdance and Sundance - I encourage you to check it out. If you are not able to get to Park City you can find Motel Drive and all of the festival's programming on the Slamdance Channel between January 23 and the 29th.

I had a great time talking to Brendan about the film and about his career. I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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Motel Drive - Logline:

Within a community of motels infamous for illicit activity, the Shaw  Family grapples with housing insecurity and addiction while trying to  raise their young son. When California's High-Speed Rail Project  displaces them, a glimpse of stability appears within reach. A vérité,  street level vantage of post-industrial America, documented over eight  years, on one city block.

Peter’s short film Millstone will be playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival.

Millstone is made with an entirely deaf cast and is shot completely in American Sign Language. One of the most interesting things about it is that the story has absolutely nothing to do with deafness.

The film plays as part of the Slamdance Unstoppable.

Wed, Jan 25th, 5:10 PM @ The Student Union Theater @ University of Utah

Thu, Jan 26th, 10:00 AM @ Treasure Mountain Inn Ballroom

Between January 23 and the 29th you can watch all Slamdance films on demand if you have a Slamdance channel subscription which is only $7.99 a month.

I had a great time talking with Peter and I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Cameron’s documentary short film Elsa will be playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival. Elsa is about a deafblind fencer and author. It's an incredible film.

I did an interview with Cameron a couple of years ago when his film The Co-Op played Slamdance 2021. The Co-Op was one of my favorite shorts from that year and I was excited to hear that he had another film playing Slamdance. Great chat, great film! Check it out.

Fri, Jan 20th, 7:15 PM @ Treasure Mountain Inn Crescent Room

Wed, Jan 25th, 5:10 PM @ The Student Union Theater @ University of Utah

cameronsmitchell.com

Today I welcome filmmaker Jillian Corsie to the show.

Jillian’s short film Tooth will be playing at the 2023 Slamdance Film Festival. I loved this film even though it gave me nightmares after I watched it. It’s amazing. I even hear there will be human sized teeth walking up and down Main Street in Park City letting people know about the film. Forget the celebrities, come up to Park City to see the teeth!

TOOTH plays Sunday January 22 at 5:30pm and on Wednesday the 25 at 5:30pm. Between January 23 and the 29th you can watch the entire festival on demand if you have a Slamdance Channel subscription which is only $7.99 a month.

Thanks for listening!

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For more on Jillian and her work check out:

Today on the show I talk to the filmmakers behind the incredible documentary The Mad Writer. We have director Zachary Kashkett, producer Jon Webb, and the man himself L’Orange. The film is having its world premiere at Slamdance 2023 on January 20th at 2:45 pm.

The documentary follows the musician L’Orange as he deals with a health condition that jeopardizes his hearing. I love when I find documentaries where I can discover music unknown to me. I’m a fan now. Love the music, love the film. It was great talking to these guys.

A second screening will take place January 24th at 1:00 pm. Between January 23 and the 29th you can watch all Slamdance films on demand if you have a Slamdance Channel subscription.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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For more about The Mad Writer check out:

Today I welcome filmmaker and author Todd Hughes. His new book Lunch with Lizabeth chronicles his friendship with noir movie icon Lizabeth Scott. I loved the book and had a great time talking with Todd. As of this writing there are still signed copies of the book over at Larry Edmunds Bookshop. Check it out and thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Today I welcome Hollywood legend Nancy Olson Livingston to the show. Nancy is probably best known for her role as Betty Schaefer in Billy Wilder's 1950 classic Sunset Boulevard. I was thrilled to speak with Nancy about her new memoir A Front Row Seat: An Intimate Look at Broadway, Hollywood, and the Age of Glamour.

Thanks for listening! Kyler 

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Today on Salt Lake Dirt I welcome one of my favorite non-fiction writers. Sam Quinones joins me to talk about his latest book The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth (out now in paperback). I became a fan of Sam's work after reading Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. His writing is powerful and informative. Check it out. Great conversation, great books, great guy.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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For more on Sam Quinones:

PURCHASE: The Least of Us

SamQuinones.com

IG: @samquinones_author

FB: @samquinonesjournalist

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I talk with the filmmaker Doron Drew Feldman. His new short film Pivot Pals will have its world premiere at Dances with Films in New York City (Sunday December 4, 2023 - Shorts Block #6 at 1:15pm ET). 

Doron has many projects in the works including a tv series adaptation of New York Times best-selling author Yossi Klein HaLevi’s book Like Dreamers. He is also in development for his first feature film, Wolf And Fox Hunt a comedy set during the Gilded Age.

It was great having Doron on the show. I look forward to having him on again for a full length conversation.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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For more about Doron and his work check out:

www.drewfeldman.com

IG: @@dorondrewfeldman

I first heard about him in 2019 when his book The Woman in Black came out on Rare Bird Books. It was one of my favorites from that year. His latest novel is called Tell Me the Truth About Love. I highly recommend it. If you live in San Francisco pick up a copy at Books, Inc. or Pegasus if you are in Berkeley. For our LA listeners, as always, check out Book Soup or Skylight. If you're from my hometown in Salt Lake, Wellerworks is great place - located in downtown Salt Lake.  

Erik was a blast to talk to and I hope we get him back on the show at some point in the future. 

Thanks for listening. Kyler

This week I'm thrilled to welcome Mike Rinder to the podcast. I've been a huge fan and supporter of his work since I read Lawrence Wright's book Going Clear about the history and abuses of the Church of Scientology. Mike co-hosted the A&E documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. He reunited with Remini for the podcast Scientology: Fair Game. 

Mike was kind of enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to talk about his new memoir A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology. I can't recommend this book enough.  

Thanks for listening! Kyler 

For more about Mike and his work check out: 

In this episode Mike mentioned these books: 

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I welcome filmmakers Parker Rawlins and Wil Cowser (The Aud Brothers). Their short film THE CRIMSON BOUNDER has been pulling in awards at various film festivals and will be available on YouTube Sunday October 9, 2022. 

I had a great time talking with this Utah based writer/director duo. We discuss updating classic tropes, keeping your cast and crew happy, and the importance of learning by doing.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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Watch The Crimson Bounder

For more on The Aud Brothers...

IG: @audbros

IG: @thecrimsonbounder

Steve Wiegand joins us today on Salt Lake Dirt. We had a great conversation about his new book 1876: Year of the Gun: The Year Bat, Wyatt, Custer, Jesse, and the Two Bills (Buffalo and Wild) Created the Wild West, and Why It's Still With Us. This fascinating work of non-fiction works on so many levels. Whether you have a deep interest in the American West or not I'm confident you'll find yourself absorbed in its pages.

Thanks for listening,
Kyler

Today I welcome back Gary Lippman. Gary wrote one of my top picks from 2019, Set the Controls for the Heart of Sharon Tate. His new book of short stories is entitled We Loved The World But Could Not Stay and is available through Rare Bird Books. This is a book I fell in love with quickly. Each story is one sentence long, which I'm still trying to figure out how he did this without it sounding forced! Amazing book, amazing guest!

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

For more on Gary Lippman check out:

Gary's Official Website

Twitter: @GLippman_Author

Instagram: @lippmangary

Facebook: @GaryLippmanOfficial

This week on Salt Lake Dirt I welcome author Scott Badler. His new historical fiction/YA crossover JFK & The Muckers of Choate (Bancroft Press) was a great read . I learned a lot about Kennedy from the book and from talking to Scott. This would be a great novel to have in school libraries across the country! Great guy, great chat, great book!

I welcome back writer and filmmaker Duncan Birmingham (Blunt Talk, Maron) on this week's episode of Salt Lake Dirt [click HERE a previous interview with Duncan]. His feature film Who Invited Them is currently streaming on Shudder and AMC+ on Amazon Prime. I've become a big fan of Duncan's over the past couple of years and the new film totally sucked me in. Great film, great chat, great guy!

Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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Grab a copy of Duncan's book The Cult In My Garage.

Skylight Books - Los Angeles

Amazon

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I welcome writer Hannah Sward. We talk about her new memoir Strip (Tortoise Books. 9.6.22), growing up with a poet as a father, and teaching 'writing through trauma' workshops. I fell in love with Strip after just a few pages. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy wherever you get books and to keep an eye out for some of her upcoming author events.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

@saltlakedirt

KPCR.org

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Today on Salt Lake Dirt I welcome Sean Thor Conroe. His novel Fuccboi was released this past January on Little Brown. Laura Albert first recommended Fuccboi to me. She always sends me books that I fall in love with. Fuccboi was an interesting read for me. It took me longer than normal to finish. I took my time with it. After I finished it, the book wouldn't seem to leave my consciousness and I thought about it frequently. I was excited to have some space between finishing Fuccboi and actually talking to Sean. I think it made for a better conversation. I can't wait to read more from Sean in the future. Great conversation, great book, great guy! Make sure to check out his podcast 1STORYPOD.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

@saltlakedirt

KPCR.org

Today I welcome artist and filmmaker Juan Escobedo. I've been wanting to have Juan on the show for awhile so it was great to finally make it happen.

On this episode we talk about finding your artistic niche, his short film Marisol, the upcoming East Los Angeles Film Festival (Sept. 30 & Oct. 1, 2022) and of course the fact that we both have three dogs.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

@saltlakedirt

KPCR.org

On today's episode I welcome artist Dmitry Samarov. His new book Paint By Numbers can be pre-ordered on his website dmitrysamarov.com. It's a fascinating read with incredible visuals based off real events. Dmitry is host of the podcast hu u no and co-host for That Horrorcast with Mallory Smart.

On this episode we chat about Bruce Wagner, quitting social media, and podcasting during the pandemic.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Dmitry Samarov was born in Moscow, USSR in 1970. He immigrated to the US with his family in 1978. He got in trouble in 1st grade for doodling on his Lenin Red Star pin and hasn't stopped doodling since. After a false start at Parsons School of Design in New York, he graduated with a BFA in painting and  printmaking from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1993.

Upon graduation he promptly began driving a cab—first in Boston, then after a time, in Chicago— which eventually led to the publication of his illustrated work  memoirs Hack: Stories from a Chicago Cab (University of Chicago Press, 2011)  and Where To? A Hack Memoir (Curbside Splendor, 2014).

Music to My Eyes (Tortoise Books, 2019) is his first non-cabbie-related book. Soviet Stamps (Pictures&Blather, 2020) is the second.

All Hack (Pictures&Blather, 2020) is a summation of his cabbie-related work. Old Style (Pictures&Blather, 2021) is his first work of fiction.

He has exhibited his work in all manner of bars, coffeeshops, libraries, and even the odd gallery (when he's really hard up).

He writes dog portraits and paints book reviews in Chicago, Illinois. You can see more of his work than you'd ever want to at dmitrysamarov.com.

On today's episode of Salt Lake Dirt I welcome filmmaker Jason Loftus. I first met Jason in Park City, Utah at the 2020 Slamdance Film Festival. His film Ask No Questions was one of the standout documentaries from Sundance/Slamdance that year for me. I was thrilled to hear that he had a new film coming out in 2022. Eternal Spring has been playing the festival circuit all over the world and bringing home several awards. It is such a unique film and I'm glad that I got to talk to Jason about the project.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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For more about the film visit:

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I speak with Patrick O'Neil about his new memoir Anarchy at the Circle K. The book gives his account of touring in the 80s with punk bands like Dead Kennedys and TSOL while trying to maintain an increasingly unmanageable drug addiction.

I first discovered Patrick's work when I read his memoir Gun Needle Spoon and I completely fell in love with his writing. It was a pleasure getting to meet him and an honor to have him on the podcast.

Thanks for listening!

--- Kyler

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On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I welcome back author Liska Jacobs. Liska has been one of my favorite writers from the past few years. Her novel The Pink Hotel will be released July 19th on MCD. The book is incredible and I encourage everyone to pick up a copy. Liska will be in the USA promoting the book and you'll be able to find some of those events if you scroll to the bottom of the page.

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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About The Pink Hotel:

"Newlyweds Keith and Kit Collins can hardly believe their luck when the  general manager of the iconic, opulent Pink Hotel invites them to come  for a luxurious stay as a bid to hire Keith. Kit loves their small-town  life, but Keith has always wanted more, and the glittering, lily-scented  lobby makes him feel right at home.

Soon after their arrival,  wildfires sweep through the surrounding mountains and Los Angeles  becomes a pressure cooker, with riots breaking out across the city amid  rolling blackouts. The Pink Hotel closes its doors to "outsiders," and  Keith and Kit find themselves confined with an anxious, disgruntled  staff and a growing roster of eccentric, ultra-wealthy, dangerously idle  guests who flock to the hotel for sanctuary, company, and  entertainment.

The Pink Hotel exposes a tenuous class  system within its walls, full of insurmountable expectations and  unspoken resentments, which deteriorate as the city burns. In her  barbed, provocative new novel, Liska Jacobs explores the corrosive  nature of greed and interrogates the notion of true love, while hurtling  readers toward certain disaster." (Source: MCD)

About the author:

"Liska Jacobs holds an MFA from the University of California, Riverside. Her essays and short fiction have appeared in The Rumpus, Los Angeles Review of Books, Literary Hub, The Millions, and The Hairpin, among other publications." (Source: LiskaJacobs.com)

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Events:

Liska Jacobs presents The Pink Hotel with Karolina Waclawiak
Skylight Books
1814 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Jul 19, 7:30pm

Arts & Letters: Liska Jacobs
UCR Palm Desert Campus
75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert, CA
Jul 21, 6:00–7:00pm

Liska Jacobs: In conversation with Meg Howrey
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Jul 29, 7:00pm

Smart Summer Reads
Manhattan Beach, CA
Jul 31, 3:00pm

The Pink Hotel : Book Launch with Liska Jacobs
Lettrétage
21 VeteranenstraßeBerlin, BE, 10119 Germany
Aug 28, 8:00pm

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Let your demeanor be always marked by modesty and simplicity; as soon as you become forward ... you have lost  your greatest charm of manner. You  must also be perfectly good-natured and self-sacrificing; ready to play  the smallest parts with the same interest you would throw into the  principal ones. Try to throw out all the good points in the parts taken  by the other members of the company. If you play  an insignificant part, play it well, with all the grace you can, make  the most of it, but do not try to raise it to the first place. Yield  gracefully the prominent position to those who claim it in the plot of  the play, and never try ... to  go beyond the position set down for you.

Florence Hartley advice from The Ladies' Book of Etiquette and Manual of  Politeness promoted as a Complete Handbook for the Use of The Lady in  Polite Society in 1860 should not be the corporate handbook in 2022,  should it?

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Corporate  Command + Control + Eject is a depiction of the stark  differences between publicized corporate initiatives and stern internal  borders defining a woman's place as limited and fixed.

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About the Author

Dori Molla came to NYC as a 17-year-old on a Greyhound bus from a  blue-collar New England town forgotten and ignored by elite circles. A  year earlier she graduated high school as a straight A student in a  small town in the Midwest.  At 16, she had escaped a  country broken apart by armed conflict. Her parents sacrificed a lot to  give Dori a lifeline in the USA. She was an alien - a legal immigrant  waiting for a green card - for nine years. During that time, Dori  attended Hudson Community College in Jersey City  studying computer science. She graduated with a bachelor degree from  Hunter College. Later Dori earned a master degree from the New School.  She enjoys reading Voltaire in French; Umberto Eco in Italian and Ismail  Kadare in Albanian. Toni Morrison is one of  her idols. The little girl who grew up during times of food shortages  and black markets of forbidden literary works is a busy mom raising her  children with her partner between Brooklyn and the Berkshires.

Dori Molla is mostly known across North America for her two decades of  experience in the art scene mostly focused on music making endeavors.

On today's episode of Salt Lake Dirt I speak with filmmaker and actress Genevieve Adams. Her film Simchas and Sorrows is about an atheist actress who attempts to convert to Judaism to marry the man she loves. It will play this week at the Bentonville Film Festival. Genevieve wrote, directed, produced and starred in the film. I really loved this project and I look forward to it reaching a larger audience at some point. Great chat, great film! Thanks for listening.

-

Purchase tickets for the in person or virtual screening HERE.

IN PERSON: Wed, Jun 22 2022 1:00pm CST

Thaden School Theater, 800 Southeast C Street, Bentonville, AR 72712

VIRTUAL SCREENING: Wed, Jun 22 2022 12:00am CST

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For about the film check out:

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I talk with Ben Hosking. Ben wrote and directed the short film And I Miss You Like A Little Kid which will have its world premiere at Dances with Films. Great film, great chat! Thanks for listening.

PURCHASE Tickets: SAT. June 11 @12:30PM

For more about the film visit:

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I talk with documentary filmmaker Melissa Gregory Rue. Her new film Live Out Loud will premiere the last day of Dances with Films. I loved this film and its nuance about the need for creative expression along with the many challenges that face those who do not have a home.

PURCHASE Tickets: Sun. June 19th @12:30PM - TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA.

For more on Melissa and Live Out Loud check out:

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I talk with the creative team behind Desert Sky. David Hartsone (writer/director/producer) and Lexa Gluck (actress/producer) join me to talk about how the project was born and the film's upcoming world premiere at Dances with Films.

PURCHASE Tickets: Sat. June 18th @ 3:45PM - TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA.

Check out the following IG profiles for more about the film:

@desertskyofficial

@seventhhousepro

@davehartstone

@lexagluck

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt I welcome author Elle Nash. I recently found her novel Animals Eat Each Other (Dzanc Books) and she has quickly become one of my favorite new writers. We had a great a chat about growing up in Colorado, her recent move to Scotland, and her upcoming book Gag Reflex (out June 21 on Clash Books). Make sure to check out her other books and her Patreon!

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

On today's episode of Salt Lake Dirt I welcome actress and producer Mary Kate Wiles. You've seen her in the Emmy Award winning webseries The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and she currently stars as Vicky in the new Fairly OddParents reboot out now on Paramount+. I had a blast talking with Mary Kate! Make sure to check out her projects over at Shipwrecked Comedy!

Thanks for listening!
Kyler

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For more on Mary Kate visit her Social Media/Links:

Instagram

Twitter

Tumblr

Facebook

YouTube

Patreon

Shipwrecked Comedy

Instagram: @wewerehyphy

Website: www.wewerehyphy.com

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PRESS RELEASE:

WE WERE HYPHY is delighted to announce its World Premiere as part of the prestigious Cinequest 2022 Film Festival. The music documentary captures the hugely kinetic Hyphy movement, and brings the sights and sounds of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most influential musical movement of the past 30 years to life on the screen.

This music documentary feature traces Hyphy’s genesis on Bay Area streets and examines its influence with interviews from legendary figures such as Keak da Sneak and Mistah FAB to modern day artists such as Kamaiyah, Rafael Casal, P-Lo, and G-Eazy who grew up during the movement and were deeply influenced by it. Historical context is provided by columnists and academics such as Pendarvis Harshaw and Dr. Andrea L.S. Moore.

“Hyphy had a massive influence on me as a teenager,” says Laurence Madrigal, director of WE WERE HYPHY. “I grew up in Antioch and Hyphy was everywhere. It was on the streets, in our cars, in the clothes we wore, and in the way we spoke. I’ve always wanted to share my love of Hyphy with the world and this film is a love song to the era!”

On this episode of The Salt Lake Dirt Podcast C.E. Hoffman (Sluts and Whores) and Winston Rowntree (Subnormality, People Watching) join us to talk about their new short film GTFO.

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Artist Bios:

C. E. Hoffman is a writer of NA Urban Fantasy who has been published widely since 2010. A grant winner and member of the Writer's Union of Canada, they wrote their first novel at eleven years old, and have continued writing ever since. Find more weirdness at https://cehoffman.net/ 

Winston Rowntree is an artist, author, and filmmaker, who has illustrated for Cracked, Random House, and many others. Their webcomic Subnormality has been active since 2007, and their animated series People Watching has aired on Cracked and CBC. Find more at https://viruscomix.com/

On today's episode of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast I speak with author Joe Ide. Joe is best known for writing the IQ crime series. His most recent book is The Goodbye Coast. The novel places Raymond Chandler's iconic character Philip Marlowe into modern day Los Angeles. Great book, great conversation!

Thanks for listening.
Kyler

On today's episode of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast I speak with actor, writer, and director Alison Rich. Her short film TRAINING WHEELS played at Sundance last month and was one of my favorites from the festival. Thanks for listening!

"Alison can currently be seen in the new seasons of The Other Two on HBO Max, Tuca and Bertie on Adult Swim and The Goldbergs on ABC. Previous acting credits include Drunk History, Angie Tribeca, The Lonely Island's Popstar, 2 Broke Girls, Life in Pieces, and more. She was also a series regular on The Lonely Island's Fox sketch show Party Over Here. Alison has staffed on Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, and Billy on the Street. She’s sold and developed shows for Comedy Central and TBS. Alison also wrote and directed a digital series called The MacMillan Genius Grant. She's directed viral videos for CollegeHumor as well as Ego Nwodim's sol show Great Black Women and Then There's Me.  Alison appeared as a New Face for the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival." (Source: AlisonRich.com)

On today's episode of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast I speak with composer David Schwartz. David scored the new documentary film Lucy and Desi which was directed by Amy Poehler and had its world premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

David is a three-time Emmy-nominated whose credits include Arrested Development, Deadwood, and Northern Exposure. He is currently scoring season 2 of Peacock's comedy series Rutherford Falls.

I had such a blast talking with David. It was an honor speaking to such an accomplished composer and all-around great guy!

Thanks for listening!

Kyler
SLD

On today's episode of The Salt Lake Dirt Podcast we have Joe Escalante joining us. Joe is in one of my favorite bands of all time The Vandals. He also plays bass in the Smiths and Morrissey tribute band Sweet and Tender Hooligans (New EP -  Querído Esteban). Make sure to check out his iHeartRadio program Joe Escalante, Live from Hollywood as well as his Fox Nation series Monsters Across America.

It dawned on me while preparing for this interview that The Vandals are the only band from my teenage years that I still listen to on a regular basis. It's incredible when people that you looked up to in your youth end up exceeding your expectations when you are able to meet them in person. Thanks for a fascinating conversation Joe. My teenage self would have lost his mind!

For a 2019 interview we did with Joe click HERE.

On this episode of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast we have author Mike DeCapite. His latest novel Jacket Weather (Soft Skull Press) is definitely one of my top picks for 2021. A big thanks to Tony DuShane for introducing me to Mike's work. Thanks for listening.

SYNOPSIS:

"Nick Hornby meets Patti Smith, Mean Streets meets A Visit From the Goon Squad in  this quintessential New York City story about two people who knew each  other in the downtown music scene in the 1980s, meet again in the  present day, and fall in love."

Mike knew June in New York’s downtown music scene in the eighties.  Back then, he thought she was “the living night—all the glamour and  potential of a New York night when you’re 25.” Now he’s twice divorced  and happy to be alone—so happy he’s writing a book about it. Then he  meets June again. “And here she was with a raincoat over the back of the  chair talking about getting a divorce and saying she’s done with  relationships. Her ice-calm eyes are the same, the same her glory of  curls.”

Jacket Weather is about awakening to love—dizzying,  all-consuming, worldview-shaking love—when it’s least expected. It’s  also about remaining alert to today’s pleasures—exploring the city,  observing the seasons, listening to the guys at the gym—while time is  slipping away. Told in fragments of narrative, reveries, recipes, bits  of conversation and snatches of weather, the book collapses a decade in  Mike and June’s life and shifts a reader to a glowing nostalgia for the  present. (Soft Skull Press)

On today's episode of the podcast we have author Paul Haddad. I came across his new novel Paradise Palms and absolutely loved it. Late 1950s Hollywood couldn't be more interesting with this mob-centered noir. Definitely check it out. Paul also has a new non-fiction book entitled Freewaytopia, about how the freeways of Los Angeles shaped the city itself. Sounds like a fascinating read!

Thanks for listening!

Paul's Website

Instagram: @la_dorkout

Twitter: @la_dorkout

Facebook: @paulhaddadbooks

Today on the show we have the creators and stars of the dramedy short/pilot Last Chance Moms. It was great speaking with Heather Olt and Sarah Chaney about their incredible project! Make sure to follow them on Instagram to find out what the future holds for Last Chance Moms! Thanks for listening.

Logline: "Two best friends in their 40s, one pregnant and unexpectedly dumped by her man-child boyfriend, the other unable to get pregnant despite countless efforts, decide to raise a baby together."

On today's episode we have author (Speakers of the Dead) and filmmaker Aaron Sanders.  I was thrilled to find out that Aaron grew up in Salt Lake City.  Whenever I meet someone originally from SLC, I immediately feel like I'm  visiting with an old friend. It was a blast talking to him about his  career.

His short film GARAGE recently played at Dances with Films and is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit. For those  in the Atlanta area you can screen the film on Sunday September 19 at  the 2021 Atlanta Underground Film Festival. Click HERE for tickets.

For more information about Aaron and the film:

I was very excited to have author Megan Abbott on the podcast - even a bit nervous because I loved this latest book of hers so much. I am new to her work but now I am thrilled to go back and read all of her past novels. Her latest,The Turnout kind of blew my mind. It is definitely one of my top picks for 2021. Thanks for listening!

Synopsis: "Ballet flows through their veins. Dara and Marie Durant were dancers since birth, with their long necks and matching buns and pink tights, homeschooled and trained by their mother. Decades later the Durant School of Dance is theirs. The two sisters, together with Charlie, Dara’s husband and once their mother’s prize student, inherited the school after their parents died in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago. Marie, warm and soft, teaches the younger students; Dara, with her precision, trains the older ones; and Charlie, back broken after years of injuries, rules over the back office. Circling around  each other, the three have perfected a dance, six days a week, that keeps the studio thriving. But when a suspicious accident occurs, just  at the onset of the school’s annual performance of The Nutcracker,  a season of competition, anxiety, and exhilaration, an interloper arrives and threatens the delicate balance of everything they’ve worked for.

Taut and unnerving, The Turnout is Megan Abbott a  the height of her game. With uncanny insight and hypnotic writing, it is a sharp and strange dissection of family ties and sexuality, femininity  and power, and a tale that is both alarming and irresistible." (MeganAbbott.com)

Today we talk to the filmmakers of Stealing Chaplin (Now available on Amazon Prime). Paul Tanter and Simon Phillips discuss their film that was inspired by the true story of Charlie Chaplin's body being dug up and held for ransom in late 1970s Switzerland. Truth is definitely stranger than fiction in this case. Great chat, great film! Thanks for listening.

Salt Lake Dirt with Kyler Bingham

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For more about the film:

Our continued coverage of DANCES WITH FILMS has led me to some incredible short films. One in particular has stayed with me ever since I saw it about a week ago. I don't want to give any spoilers but I'll just say that Oh Baby! had my laughing out loud by myself. After I watched it I couldn't stop thinking about all of the important issues and themes it brought up. Brooke Trantor and Kate Morgan Chadwick are the creators of this incredibly well made short film. I absolutely loved having these two on the podcast. Thanks for listening!

***Purchase Tickets for the 1:30 PT screening of Oh Baby! on Saturday 9/4***

For updates about future screenings follow:

IG: @ohbabyfilm

Our continued coverage of DANCES WITH FILMS has led me to some incredible short films. One in particular scratched my itch for old Hollywood. I was very excited to talk with Nate Barlow, the filmmaker behind A Brief History of Hollywood (Purchase tickets for September 7th screening HERE). We had a great conversation about the making of the film in this episode of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast. Thanks for listening!

Website: cehoffman.net

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CEHoffman2

Youtube: http://youtube.com/c/CEHoffman

Indie buy link (Astoria)

Non-indie (Barnes and Noble)

"An artist is driven to a homicidal rage by a world gone mad..." That is the premise for the film we will be discussing this week on the Salt  Lake Dirt Podcast. On Saturday we'll be joined by the creators of the film RUST BELT DRILLER. The film is part of the Dances With Films Midnight series and will screen in person at the world famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood this Friday Sept. 27 @11:55pm

Thanks for listening.

FB: Rust Belt Driller

On today's show we are joined by underwater cinematographer Ian Seabrook. Ian was the underwater director of photography for the Disney blockbuster film Jungle Cruise. He also worked on M. Night Shyamalan's Old, and as of this posting you can still see it in theaters. Check out his IMDB page to see what other projects he has worked on - I was completely blown away by the scope of his work. It was great speaking with him about his incredible career and I have a new appreciation for underwater photography. Thanks for listening!

I was very excited to have Duncan Birmingham on the show for this week's episode. He is a writer, producer, filmmaker and his new book of short stories, The Cult in My Garage was released today on Maudlin House. Duncan was a writer and executive producer on the IFC series Maron starring Marc Maron. He also wrote on the Jonathan Ames Starz series Blunt Talk starring Patrick Stewart. Two amazing shows if you have not had the change to see them. I absolutely love Duncan's book and I highly recommend that you pick up a copy at Skylight Books in Los Feliz. I'm confident you'll love it too. Thanks for listening!

One of the stand out films of the Berlin International Film Festival this past spring was without a doubt Fred Baillif's LA MIF. Fred is our guest today and it was incredible speaking with him about filmmaking, social work, and 90s American basketball! Enjoy.

LA MIF synopsis:

A group of teenage girls have been placed in a residential care home with social workers. This forced "family" experience creates unexpected tensions and intimacies. An incident triggers a chain of over-reactions. They live under the same roof but they haven't chosen each other, just like a family.

On episode 34 of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast I speak with the wonderful filmmaker and artist Gretl Claggett. Her film Stormchaser has played all over the world this past year in over 50 film festivals and has won numerous awards. This episodic film really grabbed my attention and I hope to see more from this anthology series in the future! Thanks for listening.

For more on Gretl:

https://gretlclaggett.com/
https://stormchaser.film/

On today's episode we are joined by cinematographer David McFarland. He was the DP for 12 Mighty Orphans (starring Luke Wilson). The film premiered at Tribeca earlier this month and is now in wide release. I had such a great time talking with David about his work and I can't wait to see what projects he has in store for us in the future. Thanks for listening!

One of my favorite cinematic experiences from the past few months was the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. This was the first time I had covered the festival and I was completely blown away. The staggering amount of beautiful films there is an understatement. One of my favorite documentaries there was My Rembetika Blues. Remebetika is a form of music I had never heard of before but instantly feel in love with it. It was amazing to be able to talk with filmmaker Mary Zournazi about the project. Thanks for listening!

On Episode 30 of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast we talk with filmmaker Michelle Bossy. She directed UNDER THE LANTERN LIT SKY which recently had its world premiere at the 2021 Brooklyn Film Festival. If you are a fan of A Streetcar Named Desire, this is a film you don't want to miss. 

Great chat! Thanks for listening!

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FILM SYNOPSIS: Under the Lantern Lit Sky explores the new marriage of a young couple in 1930s Mississippi who in different ways are coming to terms with their sexuality. (Source: michellebossy.com)

On this episode of the Salt Lake Dirt Podcast, we talk to Scott Aharoni & Dennis Latos of Duo Entertainment about their short film LEYLAK which recently played in-person at the Tribeca Film Festival. The festival is running their shorts selection online through June 23, 2021 so there is still time to catch this incredible film. Thanks for listening!

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"In present-day Queens, a Turkish gravedigger (Nadir Saribacak) is unable to face a shattering truth and risks losing the dearest connection left in his life." (Source: Duo Entertainment)

One of the stand out films of this year's Brooklyn Film Festival was American Desert. On this episode of the podcast I spoke with Adrian Bartol (writer/director) and Will Brandt (lead actor) about their process for developing this incredibly important film. 

Thanks for listening!

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FILM SYNOPSIS: It's 2010, Matt Benning (Will Brandt) 24, has returned from Afghanistan  to a wrecked economy. Demons of war haunt him, a romance blossoms, all  as he drags his unwilling soul to normalcy. But for him, destiny is no  cookie  cutter house. A vortex of drug use and violence corners him into  working for a psychopathic meth dealer. His only escape then becomes  surrendering to the majestic and unforgiving isolation of the American  Desert... (Source: american-desert.com)

"Echoing satirical muckraking efforts such as Michael Moore’s Roger and Me, New York’s Worst Landlords began as an attempt to interview the worst offenders on the New York City Advocate’s Office annual Worst Landlord Watchlist, which catalogs the worst repeat landlord offenders in New York City’s cutthroat and unaffordable rental market. The filmmakers were inspired in part by the Unsheltered series of articles in the NY Times about vulnerable New Yorkers being forced out of their rent-stabilized apartments by unscrupulous landlords." (SOURCE: Shark Party Media - Press Release)

The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival runs through May 30th. One of the films that stood out to me was Witchin'. I absolutely loved this film and was thrilled when I was able to speak with the filmmaker Christina Diamantara. Keep an eye for her future work! 

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Christina Recommends:

Seven Minutes of Soul
Ballad for a Pierced Heart

Kyler Recommends:

My Rembetika Blues

Alicia Robbins lighting tutorial (Grey's Anatomy)

I was thrilled when Howard Paar agreed to talk with me about his new novel Top Rankin' (out May 11, 2021 on Rare Bird). Howard has had (and continues to have) an incredible career in the music business. He primarily works as a music supervisor for major motion pictures. Click HERE to learn more about Howard's amazing work in music.

Top Rankin' is a ska noir novel. I've never read anything quite like it and I loved it for that. It combines so many things that I have a passion for (noir, ska & punk music, etc.) and does it well!

When you read Top Rankin' make sure you play it's accompanying Spotify playlist. Fantastic music that follows the narrative of the book!

Thanks for listening! Kyler Bingham @saltlakedirt

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"Howard Paar is an award winning music supervisor who was born and raised in London before continuing his career in Los Angeles. He has won Guild Of Music Supervisors Awards in 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2020 respectively for Diary Of A Teenage Girl, 20th Century Women, Before I Fall and Native Son. He is a proud member of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Class of 2017." (HowardPaar.com)

On this episode of the podcast we have stand-up comedian Jessica Watkins. Jessica self-produced the documentary film SPECIALish (available now on VOD) about her experience walking across America performing stand-up gigs along the way.  It won Best Film at Broad Humor Festival and at New Filmmakers Festival NYC. I loved the film! It packs a powerful punch -- hilarious, personal, and moving. I had a blast talking with Jessica and I look forward to seeing more from her in the future.

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On today's episode we have an incredible director of photography. Jayson Crothers (Chicago Fire, Force of Nature) has had a pretty remarkable career of consistent and varied work. Cruel Summer is his most recent show and it premieres on Freeform and Hulu this week. Make sure to check it out, especially if you were a teen in the 90s - I think you'll dig it.

Thanks for listening!