PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Jake Wachtel, director of the film Karmalink.
A conversation with Jake Wachtel, the director of Karmalink. Described as a Buddhist sci-fi set in Cambodia, the film was this year’s opening film of the International Critics’ Week at the Venice Film Festival. In this interview, Wachtel talks about his interest in Buddhism and neuroscience, and the fascinating way in which he slowly shaped and produced this profound and visionary feature. In the end, he also plays us a classic Cambodian song by Sinn Sisamouth on vocals and ukulele.
Karmalink: In near-future Phnom Penh, a teenage boy teams up with a street-smart girl from his neighborhood to untangle the mystery of his past-life dreams. What begins as a hunt for a Buddhist treasure soon leads to greater discoveries that will either end in digital enlightenment or a total loss of identity.
At the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival 2026, Erin Moriarty on female empowerment, the privilege of choosing and why celebrities don't deserve to be on a pedestal
At the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival 2026, Olga Kurylenko reflects on a journey from a small town to an international career she still finds hard to believe