Following the success of the Girls On Film podcast and live shows, critic, broadcaster and host Anna Smith takes a female perspective on film to the BFI at Home YouTube channel. Find all shows here.

This episode delves into the impact of activism on film.

We look at the urgent new documentary about climate activist Greta Thunberg and talk to 20 year-old Climate Justice Activist Daze Aghaji, about why she got involved.

Anna welcomes Indian actor Freida Pinto, who has a rich career of thought-provoking films about the female experience under her belt. Freida is heavily involved with humanitarian and feminist causes and we discuss which of her roles inspired her to take action.

Finally, we welcome BFI Director of External Affairs Harriet Finney, to discuss the impact of recent industry news and how this will affect the cinema distribution and production landscape going forward.

This episode dives into the recently announced programme for the BFI London Film Festival 2020 and highlights the incredible range of female filmmaking and talent showcased across the Festival programme. Anna is first joined by inimitable Festival Director, Tricia Tuttle.

We will be spotlighting Herself, Phyllida Lloyd’s stunning film depicting domestic abuse and recovery and speaking to Phyllida, along with actor and co-writer Clare Dunne and actor Harriet Walter.

CW: discussion of domestic abuse.

This episode spotlights the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival programme, which is running screenings at BFI Southbank and Cine Lumiere this month, showcasing diverse independent storytelling and women filmmakers. BBC Asian Network’s Ashanti Omkar explores the programme with us and discusses challenges facing contemporary Indian female filmmakers.

We are also joined by Sona Mohapatra, musician and activist prevalent in the #MeToo movement, to talk about Deepti Gupta’s documentary, Shut Up Sona, which depicts Sona’s inspirational journey over the course of three years, charting her rise as a multi-talented musician while she fights for equal rights for women in the music industry and in society.

• 

• 

Anna Smith speaks to two female directors about their first features. Both films explore isolation, longing and and self-acceptance in very different eras and genres.

Anna speaks to Claire Oakley about Make Up, a coming of age story mixing mystery and body horror with contemporary realism and to Jessica Swale about her engaging period drama, Summerland, set during the Second World War, alongside star Gemma Arterton.

• 

• 

Several new releases have a refreshing, open-hearted and relaxed approach to the complex issues involving the physicality of women’s bodies. Anna speaks to writer and actor Kelly O’Sullivan and critic Rhianna Dhillon about female bodies.

Kelly O’Sullivan discusses her new film Saint Frances, which, on the surface is a light-hearted comedy, but at its heart there is a quiet revolution going on, dealing with previously controversial subjects as the everyday events that they can be: menstruation, abortion, good and bad sex, babies and breastfeeding, inter-racial same-sex couples, and bonding between people of all kinds.

Rhianna and Anna catch up about Michaela Coel’s recent hit series I May Destroy You, focusing on consent and its bold depictions of bodily functions.

• 

• 

Join host Anna Smith to discuss diversity in ability on screen. Our guests, Ruth Madeley and Rachel Griffiths, have both recently made industry headlines with their work around casting actors with disabilities.

Ruth Madeley talks about her recent role in Verisimilitude, in which a wheelchair-using actor teaches an able-bodied actor how to act as if he had disabilities.

Award-winning actor Rachel Griffiths speaks about directing Ride Like a Girl, which is based on the true story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, which features Down’s Syndrome actor Stevie Payne, playing himself, as Michelle’s brother.

• 

• 

Anna Smith speaks to guests about their upcoming releases and reactions to recent world events and the Black Lives Matter movement. Anna is joined by Maxine Peake to discuss her new film Fanny Lye Deliver’d, Rosamund Pike on her role of Marie Curie in Radioactive, Nichola Burley on her turn as Lucy in BFI release Lynn + Lucy and Amma Asante on directing and the barriers she has overcome throughout her career.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Anna Smith marks the release of the epic new documentary, Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema, with writer and director Mark Cousins, followed by conversations with Director Nisha Ganatra (Late Night), actor Monica Dolan (Days of the Bagnold Summer) and actor, writer and director Desiree Akhavan (The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Appropriate Behaviour).

• 

• 

• 

• 

Anna Smith explores the BFI Player collection Female Desire on Screen, giving audiences the chance to hear from collection programmer and author of She Found It at the Movies, Christina Newland, along with actors Billie Piper, Sally Phillips and Ronni Ancona, and the founder of Bechdel Test Fest, Corrina Antrobus.

• 

• 

•