In this episode, MediaMaker Spotlight producer Brandon Ferry sits down with two visionary directors whose films were screened at this year’s Ebertfest film festival held at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, Illinois. Brandon first speaks with trailblazing director of the 80s and 90s, Susan Seidelman, best known for directing the cult classic, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN (rapturously received at Ebertfest), as well as the pilot and multiple episodes of SEX AND THE CITY, and the early-90’s Meryl Streep dark comedy, SHE-DEVIL. The conversation explores Susan’s four-decade career directing genre-blending films that reflect her passion for classic Hollywood storytelling, mixed with a playful New Wave spirit– informed by her years living in downtown NYC. Susan also touches upon her recently-released (not to mention sharp-witted) book, titled Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls.
Next, Brandon has an insightful conversation with up-and-coming writer-director, David Fortune, whose moving feature film debut, COLOR BOOK was warmly received by Ebertfest’s audience. COLOR BOOK beautifully tells the story of a devoted single father (William Catlett) embarking on a journey through Metro Atlanta with his 11-year-old son with Down Syndrome (newcomer Jeremiah Daniels) to attend their first baseball game together. Recently named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2025, David financed COLOR BOOK after winning AT&T and Tribeca Film Festival’s $1 million Untold Stories prize in 2024. David dives deep into his journey writing and directing his debut feature, the challenges he encountered, and the incredible success he has achieved getting his film financed, developed, and screened across the country at numerous film festivals. Check out these behind-the-scenes interviews, recorded on location, direct from the festival with producer Brandon!
Learn more about Ebertfest Film Festival: https://www.ebertfest.com/
Check out Susan Seidelman’s book: Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls (which can be found wherever books are sold). https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250328229/desperatelyseekingsomething/
Watch the trailer for David Fortune’s award-winning debut film COLOR BOOK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go9ZqJJq7f0
