Good Reads: A24 zine gives a glimpse into the creative talent behind its films

The latest issue of the cult production company’s magazine has been created by Ramy Youssef of Hulu comedy Ramy, and features interviews with everyone from Moonlight actor Mahershala Ali to The Office’s Rainn Wilson

A24 seems to be unstoppable at the moment. The production company is behind some of best-loved indie films of the last decade, including Moonlight, Lady Bird and Ex Machina, earning it 25 Academy Award nominations in the process, as well as producing a spate of cult TV shows like Euphoria.

Best known for its uncompromising and offbeat approach to storytelling, the production company hasn’t been afraid to venture into ucharted waters either. Scroll through through its online shop and you’ll find everything from a blinged out furby pendant from Uncut Gems to a psychedelic poster for folk horror flick Midsommar, part of its ongoing artist-created poster series.

Publishing in particular has become something of an A24 speciality; it has released a series of books exploring its movie releases in greater detail, with full screenplays and a range of stills chosen by directors. One of the company’s longest-running publishing endeavours is its self-titled zine, which was first released in 2016 with an issue guest edited by 20th Century Women writer and director Mike Mills.

The quarterly zine has followed a similar format ever since, enlisting the help of the actors, directors and other creative talent behind its cult productions to bring it to life, but each issue typically ends up with wildly different results.

Issue eight, for instance, was guest edited by Mid90s writer and director Jonah Hill, who asked 12 people who he admires the same question: what is a snapshot for you? “They turned into some of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had,” Hill said of the project.

More recently the Gems Uncut issue went behind the intense world of the Safdie Brothers’ latest film Uncut Gems, featuring an exclusive interview with Alberto Safdie about his time in the Diamond District and the stories that started it all, and a series of original comics by Sammy Harkham.

In its latest issue, Ramy Youssef – the star of Hulu’s dark comedy series Ramy – takes the reins with Keeping the Faith, an exploration of how some of Hollywood’s best known figures incorporate their various faith practices into their daily lives.

Put together during Ramadan, the interviews are brilliantly diverse and thought-provoking, featuring Mahershala Ali, arguably the most prominent Muslim actor in Hollywood; Michael Imperioli from The Sopranos, who is both Buddhist and Catholic; Mindy Kaling, who is Hindu; and Rainn Wilson from The Office, who has spent much of his life practising Baha’I, a religion teaching the essential worth of all religions.

“For a long, long time there was this dichotomy of like, I’m Rainn the comedic actor who plays Dwight,” Wilson reveals in the issue. “And then I have this kind of secret spiritual life, and I belong to this weird sounding religion that no one’s ever heard of before.”

Issue 12 of A24 zine is available from shop.a24films.com