Carlos V. Gutierrez is a film and television director whose work has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Emmy Award, and has been featured on HBO and Showtime. In the commercial world, Carlos is a highly sought after director who works on national campaigns for Turbo Tax, Princess Cruises, Exxon / Mobil, Chevy and numerous others. His commercial work for clients includes a Super Bowl commercial and PSA's that have won international recognition.

In a recent interview with Carlos, here is what he had to say:

You started your media career in advertising and won awards in that career. How did you get into advertising?

CARLOS: I was studying to be a doctor and just had one of those epiphanies where you realize you’re meant for something else. I promised my parents I would have a job before graduating from undergrad and found advertising as a great way to create and learn how productions are put together.

How was your experience studying at NYU and how did you go about making your first short films?

CARLOS: I really think film school is a personal experience (especially at the grad level). It’s what you make of it and if you’re willing to subscribe to the fact the first year is a boot camp. The staff and professors want you to vomit out all your inspirations and ideas so that you can start to develop your style so by the time you hit second year your confidence about who you are as a director grows. Not to mention I had Spike Lee mentoring me and I have to say he was instrumental in shaping me into a professional filmmaker. Once I won a few awards, my confidence really went up and I started to feel I could do this, that’s where the school and the staff are critical into helping you understand what it takes to be a professional filmmaker. 

How has your advertising career and your background influenced your filmmaking?

CARLOS: My background as a Cuban American filmmaker started with my parents who always made me feel proud to be Latino and encouraged me to never shut up about it! I really tried to put that in my films when it made sense. Advertising was a great way to learn from masters like Spike Jonze, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and Doug Liman all of whom I watched direct while I was still a producer. 

Do you have a favorite early project you have worked on that you are most proud of?

CARLOS: Yes, that has to be the documentary short I did on my father called Journey Into Exile where it explored his personal battles of leaving Cuba and immigrating to the US. That film won best of fest and gave me some much-needed early confidence.

You are a writer, director and producer now. Can you tell us about projects you are working on now in each role?

CARLOS: I’m always a writer first since that was what I was doing since the age of twelve when I was writing short stories that scared my mom, and before I was twenty, I was a published poet. Writing for me is therapy and is really something I love to do, it’s the only time you have full creative control. As a writer / director I have three films in various stages of casting & financing ready to film in the next twelve months not to mention a docuseries we are taking out to market that will be an umbrella project encompassing the history of Cuba. As a producer, I have two TV series with partners I am really excited about and that we are taking to market this year. 

British Italian film professional Mark Foligno works as a prolific producer and executive producer. He has worked on dozens of high-profile feature films, shorts and TV series. Based in the UK, he is most known for his work on Oscar winning film The King’s Speech (2010), I Am Slave (2010), A Lonely Place to Die (2011) and most recently Freud’s Last Session(2023). 

In an interview with Mark at La Mome Beach in Cannes, here is what he had to say.

Interview by Vanessa McMahon

British Italian film professional Mark Foligno works as a prolific producer and executive producer. He has worked on dozens of high-profile feature films, shorts and TV series. Based in the UK, he is most known for his work on Oscar winning film The King’s Speech (2010), I Am Slave (2010), A Lonely Place to Die (2011) and most recently Freud’s Last Session. 

In an interview with Mark at La Mome Beach in Cannes, here is what he had to say.

Interview by Vanessa McMahon

The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is set to return from June 13 to June 22, bringing ten days of cinematic celebration to the city. Today, organizers unveiled the official selection for the prestigious Golden Goblet Awards, with winners scheduled to be announced later in June.

Photo 26th Awards ceremony courtesy SIFF

Main Competition

AFTER THE FOG

Director: Miriam Heard

Country/Region: Chile,United Kingdom,France

BLACK RED YELLOW

Director: Aktan Arym Kubat

Country/Region: Kyrgyzstan

CYCLONE

Director: Flavia Castro

Country/Region: Brazil

MY FATHER’S SON

Director: QIU Sheng

Country/Region: China, France

LOSS OF BALANCE

Director: Korek Bojanowski

Country/Region: Poland

LUISA

Director: Julia Roesler

Country/Region: Germany

ONE WACKY SUMMER

Director: CAO Baoping

Country/Region: China

ON SUMMER SAND

Director: Shinya Tamada

Country/Region: Japan

THE REBORN

Director: Santiago Esteves

Country/Region: Argentina,Spain,Chile

THE SCENT OF THINGS REMEMBERED

Director: António Ferreira

Country/Region: Portugal,Brazil

WILD NIGHTS, TAMED BEASTS

Director: WANG Tong

Country/Region: China

YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS, MR. DROWAK?

Director: Nicolas Steiner

Country/Region: Germany,Switzerland

Asian New Talent

AS THE WATER FLOWS

Director: BIAN Zhuo

Country/Region: China

BRAND NEW LANDSCAPE

Director: Yuiga Danzuka

Country/Region: Japan

GRACE FOR SALE

Director: Gözde Yetişkin, Emre Sert

Country/Region: Turkey

KANTO

Director: Ensar Altay

Country/Region: Turkey

ODDS BEATER

Director: CHENG Liang

Country/Region: China

RIVERSTONE

Director: Lalith Rathnayake

Country/Region: Sri Lanka

SEVEN DAYS

Director: QIU Yujie

Country/Region: China

THE DAUGHTER

Director: Pourya Kakavand

Country/Region: Iran

THE LAST SUMMER

Director: SHI Renfei

Country/Region: China

VICTORIA

Director: Sivaranjini J

Country/Region: India

WATER CAN GO ANYWHERE

Director: FANG  Liang

Country/Region: China

WHERE THE NIGHT STANDS STILL

Director: r: Liryc Dela Cruz

Country/Region: Italy,Philippines

Documentary

A PART OF THE LAND