On this episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with writer/director Michael Cusumano and actor/producer Charity Schubert about their acclaimed short film Last Minute, his memories of growing up before the internet, and the unexpected journey that has taken the film from Tribeca to Academy Award qualification. Cusumano discusses the inspiration behind the story and his desire to explore a time when solving everyday problems required ingenuity, persistence, and help from the people around you.
Set in 1989, Last Minute follows Jackie, a resourceful single mother played by Charity Schubert, whose evening spirals into chaos when her 12-year-old son waits until the night before a major school assignment to begin his work. What begins as a frantic race against the clock becomes a funny and heartfelt story about parenthood, responsibility, community, and the human connections that can emerge when technology isn’t available to provide an instant solution.
Sounds of Film with Tom Needham is a long-running film, music, and ideas podcast and radio program that has featured conversations with filmmakers, actors, musicians, authors, and other leading voices in the arts and culture. Recent guests have included Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, director Michael Pack, Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, director Ash Mayfair, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Josh Fox, and Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia and director Maria Diane Ventura.
Sounds of Film has aired for more than 30 years on WUSB and is available as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
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