Épisodes

  • Ai Weiwei’s Turandot: Art, Activism, and the Power of Opera

    Ai Weiwei’s Turandot: Art, Activism, and the Power of Opera
    Oct 24 2025
    On this episode of Center Stage with Mark Gordon, filmmaker Christine La Monte discusses her new documentary Ai Weiwei’s Turandot, which follows artist and activist Ai Weiwei as he makes his operatic directorial debut at the Rome Opera House. Known for his fearless art and political engagement, Ai Weiwei reimagines Puccini’s classic opera Turandot as a reflection of today’s world, where freedom, identity, and resistance collide. La Monte shares insights about working with Ai Weiwei, navigating the impact of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, and creating a film that explores how art can challenge, provoke, and inspire. 🎧 Center Stage with Mark Gordon is produced in Los Angeles and features conversations with the filmmakers, artists, and storytellers shaping culture today.
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    9 min
  • 🎙️ Yvonne Russo – Viva Verdi! The Power of Music, Mentorship, and Legacy

    🎙️ Yvonne Russo – Viva Verdi! The Power of Music, Mentorship, and Legacy
    Oct 9 2025
    Filmmaker Yvonne Russo joins Center Stage with Mark Gordon to discuss Viva Verdi!, a powerful documentary that celebrates composer Giuseppe Verdi’s home for aging musicians and the enduring power of music, mentorship, and creativity. 🎬 Viva Verdi! is currently screening across the U.S., including Laemmle Theatres, Lincoln Center, and Sarasota Opera House. 🎧 Hosted by Mark Gordon 🎙️ Produced by Center Stage with Mark Gordon 🌐 Visit stageandscreen.com
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    15 min
  • Michael Pierro on the Dark Roads of Self Driver

    Michael Pierro on the Dark Roads of Self Driver
    Aug 14 2025
    "One ride changes everything…" Filmmaker Michael Pierro joins Center Stage to talk about Self Driver, a dark thriller where a cab driver’s morals are tested in the dead of night. Self Driver is currently available for streaming https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/self-driver Share your thoughts in the comments: Would you trust a self-driving car with your life?
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    10 min
  • Lisa D’Apolito: Bringing Shari & Lamb Chop Back to Center Stage

    Lisa D’Apolito: Bringing Shari & Lamb Chop Back to Center Stage
    Aug 8 2025
    Filmmaker Lisa D’Apolito joins Mark Gordon Center Stage to discuss her new documentary Shari & Lamb Chop, exploring the life, career, and lasting legacy of beloved ventriloquist Shari Lewis and her iconic sock puppet sidekick.
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    17 min
  • "Aliens, Angst & Araki: Inside the World of Nowhere"

    "Aliens, Angst & Araki: Inside the World of Nowhere"
    Mar 21 2025
    In this episode of Center Stage, Mark Gordon sat down with provocative indie filmmaker Gregg Araki to talk about his cult classic Nowhere. Released in 1997 as the final chapter of his so-called “Teen Apocalypse Trilogy,” Nowhere is a bold, kaleidoscopic ride through the chaos of L.A. youth culture—complete with alien abductions, surreal encounters, and razor-sharp social commentary. In our conversation, Araki opens up about the film’s psychedelic aesthetic, its fearless exploration of identity and desire, and why Nowhere remains a strangely prophetic time capsule of pre-millennial angst. Nowhere might be nearly three decades old, but its fearless energy and raw honesty still feel electrifying today. Gregg Araki’s vision—equal parts absurd, emotional, and unapologetically weird—captures a moment in time that speaks across generations.
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    21 min
  • No Wire Hangers, No Regrets: Christina Crawford Reflects on Her Memoir

    No Wire Hangers, No Regrets: Christina Crawford Reflects on Her Memoir
    Mar 13 2025
    In 1978, Christina Crawford shook Hollywood to its core with the publication of Mommie Dearest, a raw and unflinching memoir detailing the abuse she endured at the hands of her adoptive mother, screen legend Joan Crawford. The book became an instant sensation, igniting a firestorm of debate and inspiring a cult-favorite film that would etch the phrase “No wire hangers!” into pop culture history. Twenty years later, in 1998, Mark Gordon sat down with Crawford for a deeply personal conversation about the legacy of her memoir. In the interview, she reflected on the backlash of writing the book, the healing process, and how telling the truth became her most significant act of courage. Two decades after the release of Mommie Dearest, Christina Crawford stood by her story with clarity, conviction, and resilience. The conversation was not just about a Hollywood scandal but survival, truth-telling, and reclaiming one’s voice. In revisiting that 1998 interview, we’re reminded that behind the headlines was a woman determined to break the silence and spark change.
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    18 min
  • When the Killer Is Family: A Conversation with Filmmaker John Kastner

    When the Killer Is Family: A Conversation with Filmmaker John Kastner
    Jan 3 2025
    In this episode, Mark Gordon talks with acclaimed filmmaker John Kastner about his gripping documentary Life with Murder. The film unpacks the devastating real-life story of the Jenkins family in Chatham, Ontario, whose world was shattered when 18-year-old Jennifer Jenkins was found shot to death in their home. Her brother, Mason, quickly became the prime suspect—and was ultimately convicted of her murder. But Life with Murder is not just a crime story. It’s a powerful exploration of grief, denial, and the unfathomable complexities of familial love in the face of tragedy. In the interview, Kastner offers rare insight into the making of the documentary and the emotional toll it took, not just on the subjects but on the storyteller himself.
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    8 min
  • Making Hippo: A Twisted Take on the American Family

    Making Hippo: A Twisted Take on the American Family
    Nov 25 2024
    On this episode of Center Stage, Mark Gordon sat down with filmmakers Mark H. Rapaport and Kimball Farley to talk about their offbeat and unforgettable new film, Hippo. Quirky, funny, and deeply unsettling, Hippo offers a surreal yet sharply observed portrait of an American family teetering on the edge of dysfunction. In our conversation, Rapaport and Farley pull back the curtain on their creative process, the inspirations behind the film’s bizarre world, and the challenges of balancing absurdity with emotional truth. If you love bold storytelling that dares to get weird—and real—this is one you won’t want to miss.
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    6 min