Critic and founder of The British Blacklist Akua Gyamfi and BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Victoria Thomas join Anna for a lively episode celebrating Black voices in film.

Focusing on the powerful Queen & Slim, they praise the diversity of Black experiences presented on screen and discuss THAT sex scene. They further commend Melina Matsoukas’ skillful direction, consider Shiona Turini’s iconic costume choices, and explore the complexity of the character Queen, as played by Jodie Turner-Smith and penned by Lena Waithe. This inspires a dive into politics, class, the importance of Black-owned film companies, and the awards season.

Pressing on, Akua shares her intimate connection to the film Farming and Victoria finds a filmmaking masterclass in If Beale Street Could Talk. Finally, they applaud the inspiring Black woman at the centre of the upcoming documentary Time.

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Celebrating our 50th episode, actors Sasha Lane and Ashleigh LaThrop join the party to talk about their roles in Gillian Flynn’s Utopia, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. An intense adaptation of Dennis Kelly’s British television series, the show follows a team of comic book fans as they try to prevent a viral pandemic.

Sasha delves into the twisted psychology of her character, the infamous Jessica Hyde, and hints at the new layers that Gillian has brought to the story. Stay tuned for Sasha’s tips on how to urinate standing up.

Next, Ashleigh LaThrop speaks to Anna about the challenges of her role as Becky, and the nerdy antics that herself and Gillian got up to on set. She also shares her experience working on The Handmaid’s Tale, expresses her love for Meryl Streep, and talks about representation on screen.

Our 50th episode concludes with a special trivia competition, giving you lucky listeners the chance to win a pair of Forbidden Forest cinema tickets!

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Writer and director Channing Godfrey Peoples joins Anna for an eye-opening discussion about her new film, Miss Juneteenth. In UK cinemas from 25th September 2020, this movie is a warm and intimate portrait of former pageant winner Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie), as she prepares her daughter, Kai (Alexis Chikaeze), for the annual Miss Juneteenth pageant and navigates her life within the close-knit Black community of Fort Worth, Texas.

Channing reveals the personal inspiration behind her story, explains the role that the arts can play in the Black Lives Matter movement, and hints at what she is working on next.

Next, Anna welcomes fellow critic Corrina Antrobus back to the show to review the film. They talk about Nicole’s remarkable performance, the nuanced relationships presented onscreen, and the significance of a ‘dream deferred’.

This jam-packed show also includes fantastic film recommendations. Channing provides a detailed watchlist: Killer Of Sheep and My Brother’s Wedding by Charles Burnett, Daughters of the Dust (dir. Julie Dash), Eve’s Bayou (dir. Kasi Lemmons), Beyond The Lights (dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood), and Rachel Getting Married (dir. Jonathan Demme). And Corrina suggests Rocks (dir. Sarah Gavron), Babyteeth (dir. Shannon Murphy), Make Up (dir. Claire Oakley), and In My Room (dir. Mati Diop).

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Critics Wendy Ide and Kate Muir take a deep dive into Tenet and the treatment of its female characters. The first blockbuster release since lockdown delivers an exciting, action-packed, time-twisting spectacle that calls for us to (safely!) return to the big screen, but does it have a problem with women?

Along with host Anna Smith, the critics explore the characters played by Elizabeth Debicki, Clémence Poésy and Dimple Kapadia, and consider them alongside Nolan’s past on-screen constructions of women. Listen now to find out the sinister meaning behind “fridging” and why you should watch Tenet twice. Beware of some moderate spoilers.

The critics also refer to James Bond and Back to the Future, and mention Xavier Dolan’s Matthias & Maxime, Amy Seimetz’s She Dies Tomorrow, and Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth.

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Eliza Scanlen joins Anna for an exclusive interview about her new film Babyteeth, a bitterly funny and moving drama directed by Shannon Murphy. She also talks about working with Greta Gerwig on Little Women, and her hopes for women in the film industry.

Film critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh reviews Babyteeth with Anna, along with two other female-directed films: Summerland and Make Up.

Finally, we talk about an intriguing new test for films: the Clit Test…

Chemical Hearts stars Coral Peña and Kara Young join Anna for a spirited conversation about brown queer love on screen, describing how their characters were developed from Krystal Sutherland’s novel. They talk about their real-life friendship, their support network on set, and share what they’ve been watching at home, from Pose to I May Destroy You. Award-winning Young Adult author Tanya Byrne also shares her passion for LGBTQ+ stories and raises an interesting point about M/M love stories and mainstream success. She also has a top TED talk tip for those keen to bring authenticity to their writing.

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The writers of Legally Blonde join us to spill the inside story on the beloved 2001 comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as perky law student Elle Woods. Kristen “Kiwi” Smith and Karen McCullah talk about adapting Amanda Brown’s novel for the big screen, describing the moment of inspiration for the iconic ‘bend and snap’ move and revealing which cast member was difficult to handle on set… Meanwhile, Empire film critic Helen O’Hara talks about her own legal past and revisits Legally Blonde with host Anna Smith. The pair also discuss other films with female lawyers, from A Time To Kill to On The Basis of Sex. 

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Caitlin Moran and Coky Giedroyc give exclusive interviews about their new film How To Build A Girl, a coming-of-age tale of rock n roll and reinvention amid the male-dominated music press of the 1990s.

The film is based on the Moran’s girlhood in working-class Wolverhampton. Like her heroine Johanna (played by Booksmart star Beanie Feldstein), Moran began her journalistic career as a rock critic aged just 16. She is now a broadcaster, Times columnist, author and contemporary voice on feminism.

Director Coky Giedroyc – sister of Mel – joins us to celebrate sexuality and sanitary towels in cinema, and tells us about working with the marvellous Beanie Feldstein. Sharing her tips on surviving and thriving as a female director, she has high hopes for the future of women in film and the fighting spirit to achieve them.

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Rachel Griffiths (Muriel’s Wedding, Six Feet Under) and Ruth Madeley (Years and Years) give exclusive interviews about their work in this special uncut version of our latest video show on the BFI YouTube.

Actor Ruth Madeley talks to Anna about Diversity In Ability and her latest film, Verisimilitude, in which she plays a wheelchair user training an able bodied actor for a role as a character with disabilities. She talks about the practice of casting able bodied actors and explains her views about the urgent need for change.

Rachel Griffiths shares the inside track on her directorial debut, Ride Like A Girl, and explains how important it is to cast actors with Downs Syndrome. She also shares hilarious stories about filming Muriel’s Wedding, talks about her intense role in Six Feet Under, and brings her French bulldog in for a chat!

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