The powerful doc Dying to Divorce reports on the fight against domestic violence in Turkey. Filmed over five years, it tells the story of women who have both faced and are campaigning against domestic violence in Turkey. We review the film with Observer critic Simran Hans, who delves into the reputation and function of documentaries, and also the process of filmmaking as a means of activism. 
Anna then speaks to director Chloe Fairweather and lawyer Ipek Bozkurt, who appears in the film. Ipek emphasises that while the documentary is about Turkish women, it is the beginning of a global discussion and fight for ending violence against women everywhere. Chloe highlights how the story of these women remains compelling because there is such profound hope within the darkness of their reality. 
This is a rally cry for everyone who wants to put an end to gender-based violence – and who realises the power of film in spreading the message.
Dying to Divorce is the UK’s official Oscars entry for ‘Best International Feature Film’ and ‘Best Documentary’ Academy Awards and it’s submitted in the BAFTA ‘Best Documentary’ and ‘Film Not in the English Language’ categories dyingtodivorce.com/
If any of the issues discussed in this episode affect you, contact www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ 

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Will James Bond ever be a woman? Non binary? A person of colour? The producer of the Bond series reveals all in the 100th episode of Girls On Film, an industry special in partnership with No Time to Die. Powerhouse Barbara Broccoli joins Anna to discuss her work on the franchise, talking about the importance of cinema and community, the exciting roles for women in No Time to Die and Barbara’s love of Daniel Craig as a Bond who shows emotional vulnerability. Barbara also explains why she thinks women make particularly excellent producers, the structures that Eon Productions have in place to support women, and the advances in the industry that have come about as a result of Time’s Up. 
Following Barbara’s amazing insights, Anna sits in the guest chair for the first time and is interviewed by the super Sally Phillips and Ronni Ancona. Anna talks about the shifts she has seen in the film criticism world both over her career and Girls On Film’s lifetime and reveals a very special announcement! Sally and Ronni also give an overview of what they have been working on and how the last couple of years have influenced their bravery with screenwriting. Stay tuned for episode 101. 
You can own the No Time to Die 2-disc collectors edition on DVD, blu-ray and 4k ultra-HD from the 20th of December 2021. There is bonus content about the action, stunts, location, sets and costumes. 

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In this very special episode recorded live from Bvlgari Hotel London on the 17th of November, Girls On Film pull back the curtain and celebrate the women in film PR and distribution, who bring the buzz to all your favourite flicks! Anna interviews three panels of women in the industry. First, Anna Whelan, Publicity Manager at Sony and Anne Gartside, Vice President of Publicity at STX Entertainment. Both give an overview of their career trajectories, highlights and recent projects including Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Spencer. Next up, Vicky Tupper of DDA and Caragh Cook from Organic discuss the differences between agency and in-house publicity work, diversity issues in the business, and how campaigns have changed with the advent of social media. Caragh details one of her favourite campaigns to work on, Disney’s, Raya and the Last Dragon. Co-founders of WDW Entertainment, Amy Dowd and Jo Whitehead then join Anna on stage and give a fascinating insight into the conversations and ideas that built their all-female agency. They also talk about some of the fab initiatives they have established with clients, such as Bumble’s Female Film Force and Netflix’s Documentary Talent Fund. The episode finishes with a brilliant Q&A where even more expert opinions are shared.

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This week on Girls On Film, we are celebrating the Russian Film Festival 2021, a month-long online festival in collaboration with ROSKINO. First, critic Hanna Flint joins Anna to discuss two of the female-directed films in the festival, Doctor Liza and Masha. Anna and Hanna ponder the clever use of levity and humour alongside harrowing subjects, and the stark realism in both of the films. They also talk about how exciting it is to see depictions of post-Soviet Russia on screen, in contrast to the period pieces we are accustomed to. Next, Anna talks to Evgenia Markova, the CEO of Roskino. Evgenia and Anna discuss the specific selection for RFF in London, how online platforms are opening up opportunities for female filmmakers in Russia, and the particular experiences that women creators bring into filmmaking. Evgenia gives a brilliant overview of how modern Russian film has been shaped by wider societal changes, and Roskino’s excitement for sharing Russian film internationally. The Russian Film Festival is showing online until the 10th of December 2021. Ten notable contemporary Russian films across various genres are available to watch on BFI Player Subscription with English subtitles. 

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In this episode, Anna hears from Eva Husson and Odessa Young, the director and star of Mothering Sunday. They discuss the quiet radicalism of a period drama that tells a woman’s story without the primary focus of female struggle, and how mesmerising it is to watch a female creator come into her own. Anna, Eva and Odessa also chat about the teething problems around the burgeoning role of intimacy coordinators on set, how the industry is (or isn’t) changing for women, and battling grey weather and gales to make England look sunny on screen. Next, Anna speaks to the co-directors of Rebel Dykes, Harri Shanahan and Sian A. Williams. Telling the story of a community of lesbians who met in the 1980s “doing art, music, politics and sex”, Rebel Dykes was recently nominated for the BIFA Discovery Award, and is a firm favourite of Girls On Film. Harri and Sian discuss the process of collecting their Rebel Dykes archive, the stories they wanted to tell (spoiler: this is definitely not “another sad lesbian film”), and the unique tone they managed to strike with Rebel Dykes — humour and queer joy at the forefront of an important documentary. 
Mothering Sunday is out in cinemas now and is produced by Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley. 

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This episode of Girls On Film is live from the Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People, on stage in Belfast in 2021. BBC Radio 6 Music film critic and Harry Potter super fan Rhianna Dhillon joins Anna on stage to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The pair journey into the world of Hogwarts and explore the heroic and evil female characters in the franchise. From Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood to Bellatrix Lestrange and Dolores Umbridge, they discuss the significance of each from a feminist perspective, before exploring the films’ racial representation. We hear from the brilliant Natalia Tena, who plays Harry Potter’s very own ‘Tonks’. Natalia shares her favourite memories of filming and being part of the franchise. Lastly, she offers some advice for young people with aspirations to be in the film industry.

The magic does not end there as Anna and Rhianna reveal other spooky film favourites. The episode finishes with a Q&A featuring thoughtful Potter-related questions from the Cinemagic audience.

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Sarah Solemani joins Girls On Film to talk to us about Ridley Road, which she wrote. She shares with us how she becomes inspired by projects, and her hope that Ridley Road will “help Britain to see itself”. We hear Sarah’s insightful analysis about the need for increased sex workers’ rights, and how her activism has influenced her creative work. Sarah also talks about the psychology of being on set, where the need to be uninhibited can leave one vulnerable. She explains how glad she is to have the structures and support systems in place that have derived from #MeToo, as well as her experience of sisterhood among cast and crew members that has developed in recent years. Top critics Leslie Felperin and Beth Webb join Anna for an overview of the London Film Festival, followed by reviews of two very different new female-directed releases: I Am Belmaya and Never Gonna Snow Again. They discuss a breadth of topics from the joy of seeing a film about female empowerment through filmmaking, to the subtleties of satire and varied portrayals of motherhood.

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No Time to Die star Lashana Lynch returns to Girls on Film and lets us in on the state secrets surrounding the first female 007. She shares what her character, Nomi, means to both the Bond franchise and James Bond himself, as well as how sisterhood might have been the key ingredient needed to push the needle forward for the franchise…

Lashana’s upcoming projects include ear for eye – out later this month – written and directed by debbie tucker green and produced by No Time to Die producer, Barbara Broccoli. We hear about Lynch’s part as Miss Honey in the upcoming remake of Matilda, and her training for The Woman King, a film about all-female warriors.

Next, Anna dissects No Time to Die from a feminist perspective, through a discussion with Girls on Film regular, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, and a rare male guest, The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw. Peter gave No Time to Die a glowing five-star review, while Larushka had more of a lukewarm response, especially when it came to female representation. We discuss the input of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, nods to Roger Moore’s costumes, and how the Bond franchise is a bit like ABBA.

After the Bond chat, Anna gives a brief overview of London Film Festival highlights. LFF opens on the 6th of October 2021.

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Respect director Liesl Tommy and Gunpowder Milkshake star Karen Gillan hit the Girls On Film airwaves this week — two more fabulous women making female-focused films.

Liesl Tommy, director of new Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, joins us to talk about the making of the finger-snapping musical flick. She shares the process of putting the queen of soul on screen, and reveals how the movie’s singing star Jennifer Hudson really does belt out those vocals live. Plus, we hear how she paid her personal respects to Aretha with a heart-warming cameo — keep your eyes peeled…

Next up, Anna chats to Karen Gillan about her starring role in glossy new action-thriller Gunpowder Milkshake. The star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — beloved to many as former companion Amy Pond in Doctor Who — shares the fun of playing an action heroine sans skimpy outfit. She tells Anna how it felt to work with an all-female central cast in a movie that serves sisterhood with its shootouts, and how they became a badass crew onscreen and off.

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