Ep 29 – Isolation Pod: The Perfect Candidate with Haifaa al-Mansour + home viewing recommendations

In the first of a series of ‘Isolation Pods’ recorded online in our virtual studio, our host Anna Smith is joined by pioneering Saudi director Haifaa al-Mansour and Managing Director of Modern Films Eve Gabereau for a special discussion of al-Mansour’s new feature The Perfect Candidate – set for digital release this Friday 27 March. We’re also joined by British-Bahraini trumpet player and composer Yazz Ahmed, who dedicated an original piece to al-Mansour, to discuss the power of music in the feature. Our guest critic is Linda Marric, writer and broadcaster, regular contributor to The Jewish Chronicle, and reviews editor for HeyUGuys. Linda, Eve and Anna review new digital releases The Truth and Vivarium, as well as discussing the newly adapted BFI Flare LGBTIQ+ film festival. The panel also discuss the challenges and adaptations facing the film industry, and how you can continue to support it from your sofa through these difficult times. Plus, our guests share their isolation movie recommendations to provide comfort, entertainment, and community through this unsettling period. Girls On Film is an HLA production, exec produced by Hedda Archbold and audio produced by Jane Long. Modern Films are launching a new streaming platform with The Perfect Candidate. Head to modernfilms.com to support indie films and watch Happy as Lazzaro (dir Alice Rohrwacher), Dirty God (dir Sacha Polak) and Yuli: The Carlos Acosta Story (dir. Iciar Bollain). Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast