Ep 112: Abbi Jacobson + Lindsey Olivares on The Mitchells vs the Machines

In this episode, our host Anna Smith makes a foray into an animated comedy featuring a robot apocalypse full of "delicious sight gags, absurd one-liners and deliriously silly set-pieces" - in the words of our guest, Catherine Bray. Computer-animated science fiction film The Mitchells vs The Machines, nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the British Academy Film Awards and at the Oscars this year, it is the first mainstream animated feature that has a queer heroine at its heart. Katie Mitchell is a feisty teen and aspiring filmmaker whose road trip with her quirky, dysfunctional family of outsiders is interrupted by an army of robots who try to capture all of humanity. They are led by evil AI genius PAL, an ‘Alexa’ or ‘Siri’ equivalent gone rogue, voiced by Olivia Colman. It’s a wild ride and a thought-provoking satire on our over-reliance on technology. First up Anna talks to Abbi Jacobson, who does a brilliant job of voicing Katie, our young protagonist. Abbi previously co-created and co-starred in the TV series Broad City. They are joined by the production designer and lead character designer for The Mitchells vs The Machines, Lindsey Olivares. This conversation on Girls On Film is the first time the two co-creators of the character Katie talk to each other about their work. Next up Anna talks to film critic Catherine Bray about her take on the film’s fabulous feminist sensibility. The Mitchells vs The Machines is available now on Netflix. Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast Follow us on socials: www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z Girls On Film is an HLA production. Host: Anna Smith. Executive Producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio Producer: Benjamin Cook. Assistant Producer: Shanaiya Pithiya. House band: MX Tyrants. This episode was produced in partnership with The Mitchells vs The Machines.