INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE: Oscar Inside & Indie Cinema Discussions

CAN ARTISTS AFFORD SILENCE? — BERNSTEIN'S WALL With Director Douglas Tirola

In this episode of Inside the Arthouse, we explore Bernstein's Wall with director Douglas Tirola, the powerful documentary examining the life, legacy, and contradictions of Leonard Bernstein. Going beyond Bernstein's extraordinary musical career, the film reveals the personal and political tensions that shaped one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century — in his own words.

Together we discuss what artists owe the public in times of upheaval, whether art can actually change the world, and why Bernstein's questions feel more urgent than ever.

More than a music documentary, Bernstein's Wall is a provocation: what happens when artists refuse to stay silent?

Inside the Arthouse is an insider's conversation with the filmmakers behind arthouse cinema across the US. Hosted by Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge. Also available on YouTube.
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What does it take to build power—and the people who wield it?

In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, filmmaker Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper, Carlos) joins hosts Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge to discuss his latest film, The Wizard of the Kremlin — starring Paul Dano and Jude Law as Vladimir Putin.

We explore:
– Political power and influence on screen
– Storytelling and the shaping of public perception
– The craft behind building complex, real-world characters
– Why films about power resonate so deeply right now

For cinephiles and filmmakers, this is a deep dive into how cinema reflects — and shapes — the world around us.

Featuring: Olivier Assayas, Director
Film: The Wizard of the Kremlin

INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE is a digital series and podcast featuring in-depth conversations with filmmakers across independent and arthouse cinema. Hosted by Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge in partnership with Laemmle Theatres, the series explores film distribution, the creative process, and the evolving landscape of cinema.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to build power—and the people who wield it?

In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, filmmaker Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper, Carlos) joins hosts Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge to discuss his latest film, The Wizard of the Kremlin — starring Paul Dano and Jude Law as Vladimir Putin.

We explore:
– Political power and influence on screen
– Storytelling and the shaping of public perception
– The craft behind building complex, real-world characters
– Why films about power resonate so deeply right now

For cinephiles and filmmakers, this is a deep dive into how cinema reflects — and shapes — the world around us.

Featuring: Olivier Assayas, Director
Film: The Wizard of the Kremlin

INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE is a digital series and podcast featuring in-depth conversations with filmmakers across independent and arthouse cinema. Hosted by Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge in partnership with Laemmle Theatres, the series explores film distribution, the creative process, and the evolving landscape of cinema.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to remake a film no one can see?

The 1922 silent horror A Blind Bargain, starring Lon Chaney, is one of cinema’s great lost works—destroyed, surviving only in fragments and memory. And yet, over a century later, director Paul Bunnell set out to bring it back.

In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, Bunnell discusses the strange challenge of rebuilding a film from absence—reimagining its story in the 1970s, and confronting themes of obsession, sacrifice, and transformation.

With Crispin Glover stepping into one of Chaney’s roles, the film becomes something more than a remake—it’s an act of interpretation, speculation, and cinematic resurrection.

How do you honor something that’s gone? And how far can you push it into something new?
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A haunting Māori Gothic ghost story — director Taratoa Stappard breaks down Mārama and the history, identity, and trauma behind the film.

What is Mārama—and why does it feel unlike anything else in cinema right now?

In this episode of Inside the Arthouse, hosts Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge sit down with New Zealand filmmaker Taratoa Stappard to explore his haunting new film — a self-described “Māori Gothic ghost story” that blends psychological horror with a powerful historical reckoning.

Set in 1859, Mārama follows a young Māori woman who travels to England in search of her past, only to uncover a devastating truth shaped by colonial violence, cultural erasure, and a legacy that refuses to stay buried.

At the center is a fearless breakout performance by Ariāna Osborne, grounding a film that builds toward something both unsettling and deeply cathartic.

Drawing from his own Māori and English heritage — and a lifetime of living between two worlds — Stappard crafts a story where history isn’t distant. It’s alive, unresolved, and deeply personal.

In this conversation, we explore the origins of Mārama, the risks of blending genre with cultural trauma, and what it means to tell stories that challenge both audiences and the industry.

In this episode:
• What “Māori Gothic” means — and why it matters now
• How Stappard’s whakapapa (heritage) shaped the film
• The risks of confronting colonial trauma through horror
• Ariāna Osborne’s extraordinary breakout performance
• Why Mārama is resonating with audiences worldwide

Official Selections: TIFF 2025, AFI Fest, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Sitges & moreDistributed by: Watermelon Pictures & Dark Sky Films

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