Fancy watching a fantastic documentary? This episode is full of recommendations, as we celebrate the world-renowned British documentary festival, Sheffield DocFest.

First up, Anna talks with Festival Director Cíntia Gil about how this year’s Sheffield DocFest has come together. Cíntia selects a few of her favourite female-focused docs, that include everything from polyamorous weddings to weight lifting! Anna and Cíntia reflect on the surge of feminist reformative histories and new wave of female-directed docs. Is there a gendered gaze?

Next up, critic Simran Hans tells Anna why Sheffield DocFest is a special place for her. Together, they review the tumultuous personal portrait Charm Circle and the coming-of-age trans story If God Were a Woman. Simran recommends the clever and impactful short film, They Won’t Call It Murder.

Anna’s final guest is the director, producer and cinematographer of This Stained Dawn, Anam Abbas. This thoughtful doc explores the feminist movement in Pakistan. Anam details the important impact of marching and hopes her film will connect feminists across borders. She talks sisterhood, shocking moments, and what it means to be a part of Sheffield DocFest.

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Feminism, faith and ferries to France… actor Joanna Scanlan tells Anna all about her new leading role in the film After Love. Written and directed by Aleem Khan, this tense, personal drama follows Mary (Joanna) as she uncovers her late husband’s secret. When questioned on the feminist angle of the film, Joanna makes an interesting point about our double standards on male and female bodies when it comes to a particular scene. Anna and Joanna also discuss the complex clash between the central female characters, what it was like preparing for the role, and their favourite scenes. Listen to the end to find out how Joanna’s been shaking off sexual shame in lockdown!

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Anna takes a deep dive into Disney’s recent projects, exploring how far they’ve come in terms of female representation and diversity.

Critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh feels right at home discussing all things Disney and Pixar. She tracks the evolution of Disney princesses and celebrates the multiple complex female characters of Raya and the Last Dragon. From warriors to wretches, the discussion turns to Cruella. Anna and Larushka share their thoughts on the new villainous origin story, the female rivalry at the centre of the film, and the brilliant performances from Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, and a cast of canines! Larushka also gives a review of the new horror film A Quiet Place Part II.

Next up, screenwriters Adele Lim and Osnat Shurer explain what it means to them to create Disney’s first Southeast Asian warrior-princess. They talk about developing the movie with positive gender representation in mind, including the decision to have multiple leading female characters. They also pinpoint why representation behind the scenes is so important to onscreen diversity.

Finally, the Director of Disney’s new Launchpad initiative, Mahin Ibrahim, joins Anna to offer an exclusive insight into how this new programme is aiming to bring to light underrepresented stories. American listeners stay tuned for some exciting opportunities!

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Mental health, gender disparities, beastly characters, and musicals. Billie Piper joins Anna Smith to talk about her bold writer-director debut Rare Beasts. The film sees single mother Mandy (played by Billie) pursue a relationship with an openly misogynistic man (Leo Bill). From insecurities to inspirations, Billie shares the process of building this bleakly comic story. She also raves about working with friend-of-the-pod Kerry Fox, and reflects on her first experience of directing men.

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Anna delves into Channel 4’s urgent new documentary Sex, Myths and the Menopause with director Linda Sands and producer Kate Muir. Presented by Davina McCall, this show dispels the taboo surrounding menopause and demands that we start to have open conversations on the subject. Kate shares the personal experiences that compelled her to write a book and produce the film. Linda describes working with Davina and how she set the tone for the doc. They then explore the limited – and often terrible – representations of menopause in the movies.

Next, Anna is joined by GP and women’s health expert Dr Nighat Arif to discuss the mental and physical wellbeing of women before, during and after menopause. Dr Nighat discusses the part she played in the Channel 4 doc and explains the importance of recognising the intersectionality of menopause – it is not just a ‘white woman problem’. She reveals she is a bit of a film buff and picks out some on screen menopause moments with Anna. This discussion is jam-packed with useful medical tips and uplifting messages for all!

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Discover the unsung female pioneers of electronic music in our Sisters With Transistors special. This one’s a real treat for your ears!

First up, Anna is joined by collaborators on the doc: writer-director Lisa Rovner and pioneer Suzanne Ciani. Lisa explains the process of finding archive footage and constructing the ‘herstory’. From Buchla concerts to making music for the movies, Suzanne recalls her experience of being a female composer in the 70s and 80s. She remembers being one of the first women to solo score a Hollywood movie, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, in 1981. Keep listening for Suzanne’s discovery of a female film composer working in the 40s! And stay tuned for advice if you’re keen to follow in her footsteps.

Next, Anna chats to contemporary electronic composers Shiva Feshareki and Elizabeth Bernholz (aka Gazelle Twin). They recount their careers so far and talk about the unexpected positives of working in a male-dominated industry. Shiva explains how she got involved with Sisters With Transistors, and Elizabeth describes her powerful emotions when watching it. Together, they discuss the pioneers they look up to and those they have discovered through the doc.

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We bring you a dark comedy double bill with the women behind new releases Black Bear and I Blame Society.

First, Anna welcomes seasoned guest, film & tv critic Rhianna Dhillon, to catch up on the awards season. They share their thoughts about this year’s EE British Academy Film Awards winners, from Promising Young Woman to Nomadland, and place their bets for the Oscars. Are more diverse filmmakers and actors being recognised this year?

Next up, actress and producer Aubrey Plaza joins Anna to talk about her role as Allison in Black Bear. This artistic comedy-drama centres an actress on a difficult film shoot in a remote location. Delving into the themes of the film, Aubrey considers the harmful myth of the ‘genius’ director and why it’s important for actors to feel safe on set. She further describes her relationship with feminism and recalls a time she spoke up for a poorly written female character. Keep listening for an exclusive insight into Aubrey’s upcoming projects!

Finally, writer-director and actress Gillian Wallace Horvat tells Anna how her short doc evolved into the murder mockumentary I Blame Society. Another film-within-a-film, this funny thriller sees a struggling director decide filmmaking and killing are not so dissimilar. Gillian reveals the personal experiences that inspired her to make the film and speaks her mind on the term “strong female lead”. She also reflects on how female horror directors are sometimes treated differently to their male counterparts.

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In this episode, we chat to two awards-nominated filmmakers about their very different female-focused films.

Anna’s first guest is Shannon Murphy, director of Girls On Film favourite, Babyteeth. This darkly comedic drama finds seriously ill teenager Milla (Eliza Scanlan) falling in love with drug dealer Moses (Toby Wallace). Shannon describes her initial reaction to the script, delves into the complex relationship between mother Anna (Essie Davis) and daughter Milla, and unpicks THAT dinner scene. She also celebrates her female Heads of Department, including production designer Sherree Phillips, costumer designer Amelia Gebler, and hair and makeup designer Angela Conte. Don’t miss out on an exclusive insight into Shannon’s work on the exciting TV adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s The Power.

Next, Anna dives into My Octopus Teacher with co-writer and co-director Pippa Ehrlich. This wildlife documentary follows diver Craig Foster as he forms an unlikely friendship with a female octopus. Pippa recalls first meeting Craig and explains why his octopus story resonated with her. They discuss some surprising animal encounters and how this story has an unexpected feminist angle. Keep listening for Pippa’s great advice for young filmmakers!

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AaaaWoooo! Anna goes running with the wolves in this episode as she talks to some of the team behind magical animation Wolfwalkers, which has been nominated for Animated Film at the EEBAFTA Film Awards 2021.

In 1650s Ireland, an unlikely friendship forms between apprentice hunter Robyn (Honor) and free-spirited girl Mebh (Eva), who comes from a mysterious tribe rumoured to transform into wolves by night.

Anna first delves behind the scenes with producer Nora Twomey. Nora recounts her route into filmmaking and the genesis of Cartoon Saloon, the animation studio she co-founded. They discuss the power and responsibility of family animation, narrowing in on the important messages that Wolfwalkers highlights. From the process of voice casting the two female leads, to the unique animation style that veers away from the “princess image”, there is lots of inspiring feminist chat to wrap your ears around!

Next up, young voice actors Honor Kneafsey and Eva Whittaker join Anna for a fun chat about their characters Robyn and Mebh. They talk about female friendship, how their characters are positive role models for young girls, and the actresses that inspire them. They further give us an insight into the world of voice acting and how they juggle acting with school work. Keep listening for tips on how to be a wolf!

Other movie and TV mentions: Big Hero 6, Stranger Things, The Secret of Kells, From Darkness, The Breadwinner.

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In this episode, we mark the release of revenge thriller Promising Young Woman by discussing the important debates on sexual harassment taking place in the UK.

CW: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault.

Anna is first joined by film critic and broadcaster Leila Latif to delve into Promising Young Woman and talk about some of the relevant issues it raises. She discusses her brilliant article on ‘Nice Guys’ in the movies and recommends a thought-provoking documentary to accompany your viewing of Promising Young Woman. Anna and Leila think about past depictions of sexual assault on screen and how our understanding is slowly changing for the better.

Next, Ammaarah Zayna talks to Anna about her activism and experience as a frontline gender-based violence worker. She discusses the Sarah Everard vigil and the importance of calling out all forms of gender-based violence. As a woman of colour, Ammaarah shares her thoughts on police brutality and the frustrations of not feeling heard until more privileged women speak up. She points out that film is a tool that can not only change perceptions, but that filmmaking can be a healing process for survivors.

Finally, ex-police officer and campaigner Susannah Fish opens up to Anna about the shocking sexist obstacles she faced when joining the police force in the 80s. Considering the proposal to place undercover cops in bars, Susannah recounts a horrifying history of undercover policing. She further discusses her campaign for misogyny to be recognised as a hate crime and why we must transform the education of our boys and men.

Other Movie and TV mentions: I Care A Lot, The Accused, Red Roll Red, Violation, Saint Maud, Sex and the City, Nomadland & Chloe Zhaó’s previous works, the works of Ousmane Sembène, I May Destroy You, Big Mouth.

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