Mark Your Calendar: Wednesday, March 26th

It's Stony Brook University's One Day Giving Campaign, and WUSB needs your support!

We're aiming to raise $5000 in just one day, and every donation, big or small, brings us closer to our goal.

Donate directly to WUSB at https://tinyurl.com/WUSBradio

As a thank you, anyone who donates through the link above on March 26th will be entered into a special WUSB raffle! Prizes include a private tour of the WUSB studios and the chance to put together your very own music show.

With your support, WUSB can keep delivering unique programming and continue serving as a trusted source of creativity, connection, and culture.

From Captain Phil:

WUSB made history as the first station in the ’90s, and now it’s the first station with a DJ in his 90s!

Congratulations to WUSB DJ Bill McNulty, who entered his 9th decade on this planet on March 7, 2025! Bill hosts Lunch on Thursdays with Bill McNulty, airing every Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.

To honor Bill, a special edition of Captain Phil’s Planet will air on Thursday, March 20, at 4 p.m. The show will feature stories about Bill’s journey to WUSB, heartfelt testimonials from friends and family, and the legendary Bill vs. the WUSB Squirrel story.

Always a bright presence on our airwaves, Bill continues to bring his energy and passion to WUSB every Thursday at noon. Don’t miss this special celebration!

On this episode of SOUNDS OF FIlM, host Tom Needham welcomes award-winning director and activist Catherine Gund to discuss her latest film, MEANWHILE, a docu-poem in six verses that captures artists creating in the midst of chaos.

Featuring an extraordinary collaboration between Jacqueline Woodson, Meshell Ndegeocello, and a cast of visionary artists, the film weaves together historical and observational footage to explore identity, race, resistance, and resilience.

Rooted in the upheavals of 2020, MEANWHILE uses breath as a symbol of survival and transformation, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the creative process rather than a fixed outcome.

Gund shares insights into the film’s unique structure, the importance of centering artists’ voices, and how MEANWHILE challenges traditional documentary storytelling.

Founder and Director of Aubin Pictures, Catherine Gund is an Emmy-nominated and
Academy-shortlisted producer, director, writer, and activist. Her media work focuses on strategic and sustainable social transformation, arts and culture, HIV/AIDS and racial, reproductive and environmental justice. Her films have screened around the world in festivals, theaters, museums, and schools; on PBS, HBO, Paramount+, the Discovery Channel, Sundance Channel, Free Speech TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. She won the 2023 Gracie Award for Documentary Producer. Her films include: Paint Me a Road Out of Here, Meanwhile, Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices From a Plantation Prison, Primera, Aggie, Chavela, and Born to Fly.

Also, on the next SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham is special guest, director Olivia Serafini-Sauli, who is here to discuss her new documentary, Endless Calls for Fame: The Story of the New Rising Sons.

The film takes us back to the gritty streets of 1990s New York City, when punk and indie rock were breaking into the mainstream. It tells the story of The New Rising Sons, a band that seemed destined for stardom after signing a million-dollar record deal—only to have their dreams unravel as the music industry shifted at the turn of the millennium.

Featuring rare footage from iconic venues like CBGB and The Bowery Ballroom, along with interviews from key figures of the era, the documentary is an intimate look at the fleeting nature of fame, the challenges of the industry, and the lasting impact of that time in music history

On the next episode of SOUNDS OF FILM, host Tom Needham speaks with actor and activist Billy Baldwin, the narrator of Fentanyl: Death Incorporated, the most comprehensive documentary ever made on the fentanyl crisis.

Produced by Zackito Productions and 3Gates Films, and directed by Stephen Wollwerth, the film exposes the devastating impact of fentanyl—the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45.

Through interviews with law enforcement, medical experts, policymakers, and affected families, the documentary uncovers the global supply chain fueling the epidemic and the failures of current harm reduction strategies.

Also on this episode of SOUNDS OF FILM, we’re looking into Reeling, a powerful new drama making its world premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival.

Joining Tom Needham are writer-director Yana Alliata, lead actors Ryan Wuestewald, Hans Christopher, and Nikki DeParis, and composer Michael MacAllister.

Executive produced by the legendary Werner Herzog, Reeling follows Ryan, a man struggling with memory loss after a life-altering accident. As he gathers with family and friends at a birthday luau on his Hawaiian homestead, long-buried memories begin to resurface—until one revelation changes everything.

Yana Alliata, known for her work with Herzog, Alexander Payne, and Phillip Noyce, makes her feature directorial debut with this deeply moving film.

With emotionally charged performances from Wuestewald, Christopher, and DeParis, and a haunting score by Michael MacAllister, Reeling promises to leave a lasting impact.

Sunday, April 13, 5:00 PM at the Long Island Museum.

On the SOUNDS OF FILM, we have Terry Masear, the extraordinary hummingbird rescuer at the heart of the new documentary Every Little Thing.

Directed by Sally Aitken, the film captures Masear’s lifelong dedication to rehabilitating these fragile, breathtaking creatures, offering audiences a window into a world of patience, perseverance, and quiet compassion.

With its stunning cinematography, deeply moving storytelling, and an intimate look at Masear’s work, Every Little Thing is far more than just a nature documentary—it’s an exploration of resilience, hope, and the profound connections we can forge with the tiniest creatures.

In advance of the film’s screening at the Port Jefferson Documentary Film Series, Terry Masear joins us to discuss her incredible journey, and the unexpected ways in which these tiny, high-speed birds help people heal.

Award-winning filmmaker Abby Ginzberg joins SOUNDS with Tom Needham to discuss her latest documentary, Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter.

Co-directed with Christy Carpenter, the film explores the groundbreaking career of Liz Carpenter—an outspoken journalist, White House press secretary, and advocate for equality who played a key role in shaping American politics and media.

Ginzberg shares insights into Carpenter’s legacy, the filmmaking process, and the importance of telling her story.

This episode coincides with the film’s screening and Q&A at the Port Jefferson Documentary Series on March 6th.

For more information, visit soundsoffilm.com