Episode 31

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Published on:

2nd Sep 2025

A Savage Art: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant - Director Bill Banowsky

Patrick Oliphant was a giant slayer. In addition to being a fearless stunt pilot, executing dangerous maneuvers just to blow off a little steam, he bravely took on presidents, popes and the American corporate class with his mighty pen. An Australian transplant, Oliphant was America’s most renowned and feared political cartoonist for five decades. With his biting wit and masterful drawing skills he attacked individual and institutional corruption, collusion, greed, hypocrisy and arrogance, no matter the size or status of his enemies. We sit down with director Bill Banowsky to talk about why impactful political cartoonists have been throughout the ages and how, in our current climate of political partisanship and corporate control of the media, political cartoonists like Oliphant are critical to checking the powers that be.

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About the Podcast

Cinemafile
Cinemafile showcases the very best in independent, documentary and foreign films through our conversations with the more than 2,000 filmmakers who made them. Through Cinemafile we will do our best to bring the most interesting and accomplished filmmakers from around the world to your attention.

About your host

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Michael Kaspar

Mike Kaspar is a life-long film fan who has worked as a projectionist at an art house theatre, college radio station general manager as well as a radio show host and producer for over 18 years.