Girls On Film

This special episode of Girls On Film comes to you from Vue West End, Leicester Square. At our Q&A screening of VIRGINIA WOOLF’S NIGHT & DAY host, Anna Smith is joined by the film’s director Tina Gharavi, lead actor Haley Bennett and writer-producer Justine Waddell. Justine talks about her ‘free adaptation’ of Woolf’s 1910 novel and shining a light on Edwardian England’s forgotten female scientist...

This episode of Girls On Film comes to you from the French Riviera. We’re here for the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Anna welcomes five guests who talk about films and feminism amid the glamour that is Cannes. First up, Anna discusses the gender balance in some of the festival’s stand out films with film critic Sucharita Tyagi. Their discussion ranges from feminism and trans rights in...

Anna speaks to three women with different perspectives on the film industry. First up, director Lena Vurma and actor Olivia Vinall discuss their new film Leonora in the Morning Light, a visually glorious exploration of the life and work of artist Leonora Carrington. Lena explains what drew her to make a film about one of surrealism’s lesser-known figures whilst Olivia shares the challenges and rew...

Girls On Film: International Women’s Month – Industry Special To bookend International Women’s Month, here is the second of two Girls On Film episodes this March that feature inspiring conversations with high‑profile industry leaders who shape the screen industries. In this episode, we spotlight producer Pippa Harris and entertainment marketing specialist Julie La’Bassiere. They share where they s...

In this bumper episode, Anna speaks to four film heavyweights from across the globe. From the head of a renowned London film studio to a top Hollywood magazine publisher, these women are leaders in their respective fields and join us to discuss their remarkable career trajectories. Anna catches up with Dea Lawrence, the Publisher and Co-President of Variety, about how she is shaping the iconic pub...

This episode takes you right to the heart of the Girls On Film Awards 2026. The prestigious awards attract a glittering array of guests and shine a light on the remarkable achievements of women and non‑binary creatives across the film industry. Hosted by Girls On Film co‑founders Anna Smith and Hedda Lornie Archbold, the evening unfolds with inspiring speeches, and conversations with standout gues...

In today’s on Girls On Film we’re unpacking The Perfect Neighbor - a powerful Netflix documentary that’s up for an Oscar and a BAFTA. It investigates the shooting of Ajike Owens, a mother of four who was beloved in her tight-knit community in Florida. Owen’s neighbour shot her in 2023, after a years-long campaign of harassment that sewed division in their shared neighbourhood. Using police body-ca...

On today's Girls on Film we’re getting conspiratorial with COVER-UP - a BAFTA-nominated documentary following the career of investigative journalist Seymour Hirsch. He was an expert at exposing government corruption and scandal in the United States, and this documentary has exclusive access to him. Co-director Laura Poitras will be giving Anna the story behind the story of this thrilling film. Lau...

This episode of Girls on Film is all about Frankenstein – and we’re ‘a-live’ onstage from our special Q&A screening of Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation with its Production Designer Tamara Deverell and costume designer Kate Hawley. Our host Anna Smith sits down with these two exceptionally talented female heads of department – both of whom have been BAFTA and Oscar nominated for their work on the fi...

Philippa Lowthorpe, the writer-director behind H is For Hawk, and the film’s star, Claire Foy, join Anna Smith to discuss the moving adaptation of Helen Macdonald’s hit memoir, co-starring Brendan Gleeson, Denise Gough, Lindsay Duncan and Sam Spruell. Philippa speaks frankly to Anna about the film’s poetic embodiment of the experience of grief, which produces a story that is both powerful and insp...

Kate Hudson joins Anna for an exclusive, in-depth conversation about her leading role in the film Song Sung Blue, an inspiring true story about a Neil Diamond tribute act, directed by Craig Brewer and co-starring Hugh Jackman. She shares the joys and challenges of taking on the role of Clare, a complex real-life character who has a dramatic journey. Kate talks frankly about the film’s exploration...

Anna Smith goes behind the scenes on one of the biggest films of the year, and one of the biggest contenders in film awards season: WICKED: FOR GOOD. This sequel to WICKED came to our cinema screens in late November and Anna is thrilled to sit down with four women who helped create both films, which are a key influence in shaping the lives of young viewers today. Anna talks first with Screenwriter...

In this episode of Girls On Film, we speak with Laura Mulvey, British feminist film theorist, filmmaker, and Patron of Girls On Film, who was awarded the prestigious BFI Fellowship in November. Laura has curated a selection of Big Screen Classics running throughout December 2025 at London’s BFI Southbank, featuring titles such as Morocco, Man with a Movie Camera, and Through the Olive Trees. A won...

In this live episode of Girls On Film, host Anna Smith sits down with the extraordinary women behind THE THING WITH FEATHERS, a moving new feature film adapted from Max Porter’s award-winning novel. Recorded at an exclusive Girls On Film screening of the film on 18 November at Vue West End in London, Anna speaks with: Lucy Sullivan: artist, author, and comic book creator Nicola Hicks: acclaimed sc...

In this episode of Girls On Film, Anna Smith takes you out of the studio and straight to the sunny shores of Mallorca! Recorded live at the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival, Anna hosts a Girls On Film panel on Women in Leadership, featuring a talented group of women shaping the industry with creativity and vision. Joining Anna on stage are filmmaker Alex Burunova, whose psychological...

In this episode of Girls On Film, host Anna Smith speaks with two phenomenal women whose new films explore resilience, justice, and the power of female storytelling. First, Anna catches up with acclaimed actor Samantha Morton, known for her unforgettable performances in In America, Movern Callar, and She Said. Samantha discusses her role as Nessa in ANEMONE, a haunting drama following two estrange...

In this special live episode of Girls On Film, host Anna Smith sits down with the creative team behind HEDDA, the daring new film from acclaimed director Nia DaCosta, also known for CANDYMAN and THE MARVELS. Recorded live on 13 October 2025 at Picturehouse Central, this Q&A follows a screening of HEDDA - a bold and contemporary reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play Hedda Gabler. The film foll...

In this episode of Girls On Film, we bring you a live-recorded Q&A from our Girls On Film BFI LFF For Free panel, recorded on Thursday, 16 October at 2:00 PM at BFI Southbank. Host Anna Smith speaks with: - Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, directors and co-screenwriters on BROKEN ENGLISH, an inventive and soulful documentary portrait of cultural icon Marianne Faithfull. - Shih-Ching Tsou, director a...

This episode of Girls On Film is dedicated to BAFTA and Oscar contender, THE SECOND TIME AROUND. The film tells a complex, sensitive, universal story, and you can watch it on Channel 4 now. Anna talks to the two stars of the film: Caroline Goodall, best known for films like The Princess Diaries with Anne Hathaway, and her two collaborations with Steven Spielberg, in Hook alongside Robin WIlliams -...

On this episode of Girls On Film, Anna Smith sits down with the creative team behind the British-Italian film BRIDES, which is the directorial debut of Nadia Fall. They discuss teenage friendship, the inspirations and themes that shaped the story, and they touch on the international collaboration behind the production. BRIDES follows two British Muslim teenagers, Doe and Muna, as they leave the UK...

On this episode of Girls On Film, Anna Smith speaks with the creative teams behind two strikingly different films, both exploring relationships, emotion, and identity. First, she sits down with Emma Thompson to discuss DEAD OF WINTER, a tense new thriller directed by Brian Kirk. Thompson stars as Barb, a widow caught in a deadly snowstorm in northern Minnesota. They talk about stepping into this h...

For its landmark 200th episode, Girls On Film celebrates with a very special discussion on the future of film criticism and the vital role of diverse voices. The episode begins with heartfelt, celebratory words from listeners, past guests, and colleagues, reflecting on the journey of the podcast since its launch. Host Anna Smith then unveils The Critical Gap, a ground-breaking new survey commissio...

Host Anna Smith is joined by PAST LIVES director Celine Song to talk about her new star-studded film, MATERIALISTS. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) works as a match-maker struggling to balance financial expectations with love. Celine discusses being a feminist filmmaker, her own match-making career, and the struggle of universal loneliness. She also gives some personal advice to young women in film. Anna th...

For its 198th episode, Girls On Film returns to Latitude Festival, where host Anna Smith chairs a panel with four brilliant women in film and television. This is the third live Girls On Film podcast recording from the festival, and it’s absolutely fabulous! First up, Anna is joined by actor Jane Horrocks, who talks about her work on Absolutely Fabulous, on Life Is Sweet with director Mike Leigh, a...

We switch from movies to the stage to talk about SING STREET: THE MUSICAL. Anna speaks with iconic producer Barbara Broccoli about her approach in adapting the film into a stage show. Barbara came on our 100th episode of Girls On Film to talk about her work, the Time's Up movement, and No Time To Die. As well as producing the Bond films at Eon Productions, she has produced female-led movies such a...