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Artistic Differences returns with an atmospheric conversation with filmmaker Tyler Taormina (Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point, Ham on Rye)! Hosts Cíntia Gil and Christopher Allen sit down with Taormina to discuss his haunting second feature, Happer’s Comet, a film that explores the emotional architecture of suburbia and the strange nocturnal magic of the eventide hours.
The discussion weaves through memory, midnight wanderings, and the unseen forces that shape suburban life. Taormina reflects on how his teenage years—sneaking across car-centric landscapes in search of intimacy—laid the foundation for a cinematic style he calls the "ecosystem film.” In Happer’s Comet, he crafts a dreamlike mosaic of people moving through a shared space, rarely together, but instead connected through glances, surveillance, and a palpable sense of disquiet.
The conversation delves into the delicate tension between control and spontaneity in Taormina's filmmaking. He reflects on the unpredictability of casting, where discovery often outweighs intention, and how his creative process thrives in the uncharted spaces between light, color, and the unsaid connections between people.
Taormina also touches on the tension between tradition and innovation in cinema, sharing how he blends American pop culture with European arthouse and East Asian slow cinema influences. His films resist conventional resolutions, instead leaving viewers with a sense of mystery and unresolved emotions. Tune in for a conversation that moves from the personal to the philosophical, from quiet suburban streets to the intimate corners of cinematic form. Listen in, and don't forget, Happer’s Comet is streaming now on the UnionDocs Membership platform—best watched on a big screen, loud speakers, and of course, in the dark!And considering joining next month’s cineclub on the first Saturday, as always. Sign up!
Thanks to our incredible team!
Editor: Alison RodgersMixer: Pedro Castro
Music: Andres Simoes
Production support: Tara Kesavan
Additional UnionDocs support provided by A.S.M Kobayashi & Scott Limbacher
This is a production of UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art.
ARTISTIC DIFFERENCES is co-curated and co-organized by Cíntia Gil, Christopher Allen & Jenny Miller.
