Girls On Film

Director Carol Morley joins Anna Smith to talk about her #FridayFilmClub, the weekly watch party uniting film fans during lockdown. She shares heartwarming stories about the way it’s brought cinema lovers together, and explains how gender and diversity inform her film choices. She also gives an update on her upcoming films and tells how she discovered a young Florence Pugh while casting The Falling, revealing details of the schoolgirl’s incredible audition. Three listeners who responded to our #LittleWomenBookClub invitation join Anna from their homes across the world. From the Netherlands, mother and daughter Lauri and Julia explain how the book has been passed down the generations in their family, and in the UK, 13-year-old Hannah gives her verdict after picking up the book for the first time. Finally, Total Film magazine’s Editor-In-Chief, Jane Crowther, returns to Girls On Film to review three new digital releases: female spy thriller The Rhythm Section starring Blake Lively, erotic psychodrama Who You Think I Am starring Juliette Binoche, and buddy comedy Like A Boss, starring Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne and Salma Hayek. If you’d like to take part in the Little Women Book Club by reading with us, follow us on socials. Hashtag #littlewomen and #littlewomenbookclub and tell us what you’re loving about the book, and any of your reactions to it, whether it’s which character you most relate to or your own feminist analysis. Read it before the film’s digital release on 11th May 2020 so we can all watch it together (you can own a copy from 25th May). Girls On Film is an HLA production, produced by Hedda Archbold and Jane Long. Intern: Heather Dempsey. Thanks to Benjamin Cooke. Follow us on Twitter:
 www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
 www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno @_CarolMorley @totalfilm_jane
 www.twitter.com/sonypicsathome This Isolation Pod was recorded in lockdown, April 2020

Film critic Hanna Flint is joined by her mother, former MP Caroline Flint, to discuss Little Women - the book and the film. The pair chat with host Anna Smith about their personal relationship with Louisa May Alcott’s novel and Greta Gerwig’s adaptation, and the story’s relevance to modern day feminism. In our latest Isolation Pod, Hanna and Caroline also share their recommendations for home viewing. They reveal which films they have watched the most times, and review two new digital releases: Love Wedding Repeat and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Anna also interviews Hollie Fraser, the founder of Books on the Underground, who shares her stories about working with Emma Watson. If you’d like to take part in the Little Women Book Club by reading with us, follow us on socials. Hashtag #littlewomen and #littlewomenbookclub and tell us what you’re loving about the book, and any of your reactions to it, whether it’s which character you most relate to or your own feminist analysis. Read it before the film’s digital release on 11th May 2020 so we can all watch it together (you can own a copy from 25th May). Girls On Film is an HLA production, produced by Hedda Archbold and Jane Long. Intern: Heather Dempsey. Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.twitter.com/sonypicsathome www.twitter.com/BooksUndergrnd www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno www.twitter.com/hannaflint www.twitter.com/CarolineFlint Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

Actors Emily Mortimer and Dolly Wells join Anna Smith for a lively discussion about films, friendship, nostalgia, and the notion of 'strong women'. The pair take us behind the scenes in their TV series Doll & Em, and talk about Good Posture, Dolly's directorial debut starring Emily as a reclusive writer living in New York. Dolly also discusses Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Emily reveals the connection between The Newsroom and Doll & Em. The second of Girls On Film's special 'Isolation Pods', this episode also features Doll and Em's recommendations for home viewing, from family favourites to edgy new gems on streaming. If you've enjoyed this episode, please review and subscribe to Girls On Film and considering supporting us by becoming a patron. www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast Thank you! Share your #homemovieposters created during quarantine at: www.twitter.com/girlsonfilm_pod www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ Girls On Film is an HLA production, exec produced by Hedda Archbold and audio produced by Jane Long. This episode was recorded in April 2020.

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

An International Women's Day special sees host Anna Smith joined by BAFTA-winning Misbehaviour director Philippa Lowthorpe to discuss Misbehaviour, the new film about the infamous Women's Liberation protests at the 1970 Miss World Competition. Anna also welcomes Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis), the Oscar-nominated director of the Marie Curie biopic Radioactive, and actress Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave), currently in Little Joe. Completing the panel is Contributing Editor of Screen International, Wendy Mitchell, to discuss the films Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Military Wives. All this plus surprise special guests in the audience. Girls On Film is an HLA production, exec produced by Hedda Archbold and audio produced by Jane Long. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the AllBright Mayfair. Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

Director Marielle Heller joins host Anna Smith for a special mini-episode devoted to her new film, A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood, starring Matthew Rhys and Tom Hanks. Heller reveals the story behind casting Hanks as legendary children's TV presenter Fred Rogers, and discusses the need for compassionate filmmaking. She also talks about following The Diary Of A Teenage Girl with the Oscar-winning Can You Ever Forgive Me? - and explains why Oscar voters need to change their views on directing. Girls On Film is an HLA production, produced by Hedda Archbold and Jane Long.

Ep 26: Live from International Film Festival Rotterdam: Bombshell, Parasite, Oscars 2020 + Rocks director Sarah Gavron and guests Director Sarah Gavron (Suffragette) joins Anna Smith on stage in Rotterdam for an inspiring conversation about female film collaborations and her gritty new teen movie, Rocks. Her associate director, Anu Henriques, reveals a new initiative supporting industry newcomers, and top Dutch film critics Dana Linssen and Lauren Murphy review three new releases with Anna. First up is Bombshell, starring Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie and Nicole Kidman. How does it represent the Time's Up cause, and would it have been different directed by a woman? Next up is The Long Walk, an atmospheric genre film from Mattie Do, the first female filmmaker to come from Laos. Finally, the critics dodge spoilers while dissecting the cult hit Parasite from director Bong Joon Ho. All this plus a stimulating discussion about the lack of female directors in contention at Oscars 2020... No wonder the audience had plenty of questions and comments: add yours via https://twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod. Thanks to our wonderful hosts IFFR, to our house band, MX Tyrants, and to our intern, Heather Dempsey. Girls On Film is an HLA production, Exec produced by Hedda Archbold and audio produced by Jane Long.

Live in the last of our series of six episodes from HOME Manchester, Anna reviews a vintage year of stellar guests and compelling conversation for Girls On Film, and looks ahead at what 2020 has in store. With Sight & Sound's 50 films of the year topped by Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir, and initiatives from the F-Rating to Bumble's Female Film Force going from strength to strength, we're here to help drive the vanguard of female filmmaking into the new year. We sit down with BIFA-winning and BAFTA-nominated director Harry Wootliff to discuss her strikingly intimate debut feature Only You. Joined too by Doctor Who screenwriter and playwright Joy Wilkinson, the panel discusses the challenges writer-directors still face in bringing complex women to the screen. Clarisse Loughrey, chief film critic at The Independent, also joins Anna to review new releases Charlie's Angels, Judy & Punch, and Marriage Story as we approach awards season. In a festive film twist, our three guests bring their picks of classic Christmas cinema to the table for scrutiny through a gendered lens ̶ from high-risers The Apartment and Die Hard, to the spiky Edward Scissorhands, via the yellow brick road of The Wizard Of Oz. A big thank you to HOME Manchester for a wonderful six-episode partnership, to MUBI and Cameo Productions for their support in 2019, and to our house band, MX Tyrants. Girls On Film is an HLA production, Exec produced by Hedda Archbold and audio produced by Jane Long.

Aislinn Clarke and Bronagh Taggart join host Anna Smith in episode 24 of Girls On Film, recorded in front of a live audience at the 30th Cinemagic Festival in Belfast. Actress and writer Bronagh Taggart talks about her short film Guard, her love of sports movies, and about her BBC TV series Millie Inbetween and Flatmates, now on BBC iPlayer. She also talks about her very first ever acting role – with Daniel Day-Lewis. Writer-director Aislinn Clarke has just received the second Academy Gold Fellowship for Women for her horror film The Devil’s Doorway. She joins us fresh from Los Angeles to talk about her film and about her view of horror as a means of addressing social trauma. She gives encouragement to women who want to work in the industry by drawing on her own experience of starting out as a 17-year old single working class Belfast mum. Aislinn talks about two of her upcoming horror projects, Cunning Folk which she directs, and Slow Burn which she pens and is produced by Marianne Maddalena, who also produced all of Wes Craven’s films including Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street. We review current releases Maleficent: Mistress of Evil with Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfeiffer, discussing its design, its gender stereotyping and what it says about motherhood. We also review Home, by Sarah Outen, who undertook the mammoth task of travelling the circumference of the world powered only by herself. We also discuss some favourite classic movies, including In The Name Of The Father, Bridesmaids, The Craft and All About Eve. Girls On Film is an HLA production produced by Hedda Archbold and Jane Long

Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis and Natalia Reyes join host Anna Smith for an exclusive interview about Terminator: Dark Fate, discussing everything from action women on film to race, nudity and time travel. On stage at HOME in Manchester, Anna celebrates Girls On Film’s first birthday with guests Pamela Hutchinson and Anna Bogutskaya. They assess the new film Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix, plus female desire in films including Magic Mike, The Last Seduction and Thelma & Louise. The panel also give their tips for awards season 2020, debating which movies meet the ‘three cry’ test and which film is ’near-perfect’. Finally the audience at HOME have pressing questions about Joker, awards categories and how best to champion female-focused cinema. Full list of films referenced: Joker Taxi Driver To Die For Terminator: Dark Fate The Diary of a Teenaged Girl Elle Magic Mike The Last Seduction Thelma & Louise Judy Marriage Story Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Ad Astra American Woman Hustlers A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood Little Women Queen & Slim Portrait Of A Lady On Fire The Farewell More about this episode’s guests: Pamela Hutchinson is a freelance writer, critic and film historian who contributes regularly to Sight & Sound, The Guardian, Criterion, Indicator and the BBC, specialising in silent cinema and women in film. Follow her @PamHutch Anna Bogutskaya is a film programmer, writer, event producer and podcaster. She is Head of Arts and Culture at DICE, Festival Director of BAFTA-recognised Underwire Festival, co-host of The Bigger Picture podcast and co-founder of horror film collective The Final Girls. Follow her @annabdemented She Found It At The Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire and Cinema launches March 2020 https://redpress.co.uk/products/she-found-it-at-the-movies Anna Smith is a film critic, broadcaster and Chair of the London Film Critics' Circle. Follow her @annasmithjourno www.annasmithjourno.com Join Girls On Film live at HOME in Manchester on December 3rd 2019. homemcr.org Girls On Film is an HLA Production produced by Hedda Archbold and Tom Whalley.