Girls On Film

Anna goes searching for buried treasure with two fascinating creators of The Dig (Moira Buffini and Gabrielle Tana) and brilliant actress Monica Dolan. They unearth the true lives of the film’s female characters, behind-the-scenes stories, and more. First up, Anna and screenwriter Moira discuss why The Dig has been such a popular lockdown watch. Moira delves into the process of adapting the book a...

Anna talks to two British rising stars about their career prospects and what it feels like to be up for a BAFTA Film Award. CW: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault. First up, Saint Maud star Morfydd Clark tells Anna about working with writer-director Rose Glass on her horror hit. Expressing sympathy for her character Maud, she explains the importance of educating young women with AD...

Hear from a host of women who have been working behind the scenes this past year to bring you amazing female-led films… and behold the launch of our 365 days of feminist film recommendations! First up, co-founder of Raising Films, Hope Dickson Leach, updates us on a recent study undertaken by the initiative. She reveals the negative impact that working from home has had on parent and carer filmmak...

Our feminist picks of this year’s Glasgow Film Festival. Anna delves into personal punk rock doc Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché and witty coming-of-age Sweetheart with cast and crew. First, Celeste Bell reveals what it was like to make a film about her mother, the punk icon and X-Ray Spex frontwoman, Poly Styrene. Weaving archive footage with Celeste’s narration, the documentary unpicks Styrene’s ecc...

We are honoured to bring you an extra special episode with legendary activist Mother Akua (formerly known as Deborah Johnson), and the actress who plays her in Judas and the Black Messiah, Dominique Fishback. Directed by Shaka King, this film recounts the true events that unfolded when an FBI informant infiltrated the Illinois Black Panther Party to keep tabs on their leader, Chairman Fred Hampton...

We travel back to 1920s Chicago in this episode that celebrates the Netflix Original film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Starring Viola Davis as Ma, this musical drama tunes into one particular recording session of the famed blues singer. Anna chats to star Taylour Paige, casting director Avy Kaufman and critic Akua Gyamfi. Anna first chats to critic Akua about Viola’s exceptional portrayal of the mus...

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Netflix Original film Pieces of a Woman. This drama stars Vanessa Kirby as Martha, a woman who tragically loses her child after a home birth. Vanessa talks to Anna about how she prepared for the role. She details the research she undertook to learn about pregnancy, giving birth, and the processes of grief. She also describes having a pyjama party with...

Anna Smith has two open, feminist discussions with two great actresses. First up, Rosamund Pike talks about her latest movie, the fast-paced thriller I Care A Lot. She has received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Marla Grayson, a ruthless businesswoman who exploits the care home system. Rosamund sings the praises of Dianne Wiest and reveals her pride in the film’s LGBTQ+ represent...

Joining Anna for a lively Wonder Woman 1984 debate are Empire critic Helen O’Hara and F-Rating’s Holly Tarquini. They first discuss Helen’s new book Women vs. Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Hollywood, which is available from February 18th 2021. Helen shares some surprising facts on women’s roles in silent cinema and celebrates the increasing number of opportunities for women in film toda...

With awards season approaching, we delve into Germany’s Oscar-entry And Tomorrow the Entire World. This urgent political drama follows new Antifa member Luisa (Mala Emde) as she finds her feet in Germany’s anti-fascist organisation. Anna’s first guest is the writer-director Julia von Heinz. Having based the film on personal experience, Julia talks about the terrifying moments she faced as a young...

Join us as we explore Sweden’s Oscar-contender Charter. This moving drama follows Alice as she abducts her two children for a trip to the Canary Islands whilst awaiting the outcome of a custody verdict. Anna talks to writer-director Amanda Kernell and leading actor Ane Dahl Torp about the film’s themes of divorce, motherhood, and kidnapping. Amanda and Ane also consider the dynamics of working wit...

In the latest isolation pod, Anna chats to two creatives who are championing complex female characters in film, including intimate insights into women’s mental health. Anna first chats to Tuppence Middleton, the star of mystery-thriller Disappearance at Clifton Hill. Inspired by the personal experiences of writer-director Albert Shin, the film follows Abby, a young woman haunted by childhood memor...

This episode is a deep dive into the film Bombshell, a dramatic representation of the Fox News sexual harassment scandal that unfolded in the media in 2016. Anna welcomes film critics Udita Jhunjhunwala and Pamela Hutchinson to revisit the movie and the true story it tells. They celebrate the lead performances from Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie, as well as delve into some partic...

We team up with Birds’ Eye View to bring you a female-focused film review of 2020. Despite the knockback the film industry as a whole has faced this year, a record number of films by women were released in cinemas and on digital. Host Anna Smith welcomes Mia Bays, Delphine Lievens and Allison Gardner onto this very special episode to discuss the highlights. Delphine, the Senior Box Office Analyst...

In this lively episode, Anna is first joined by freelance journalist and her regular karaoke companion, Kat Brown. A massive fan of Pitch Perfect, Kat enthusiastically delves into the comedic and authentic female friendships presented on screen. Looking at how the film has aged, they explore both where Pitch Perfect hits the right notes and where it may need a little tuning. Kat mentions some othe...

This episode enters the world of stripping, with a focus on the film Hustlers. Anna’s first guest is Grace Barber-Plentie, a freelance film programmer and writer who recently curated a Barbican film event on Reframing the Fat Body. Grace draws our attention to a particular film in her programme that normalises fat pole dancers: Dangerous Curves. This segues into a celebration of Lizzo’s appearance...

Luxor stars Andrea Riseborough as a British aid worker navigating the Egyptian city as she meets her ex-boyfriend and struggles from recent traumas. Writer-director Zeina Durra (The Imperialists Are Still Alive!) and our first ever cinematographer guest Zelmira Gainza chat to Anna about their film. The friends talk Anna through their careers so far, from their Fame-like experiences at NYU, to the...

This episode dives into Truth Seekers, the new paranormal Prime Video series and latest collaborative effort of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Anna Smith talks to its two female stars: Susan Wokoma (Helen) and Emma D’Arcy (Astrid). First, Susan (Chewing Gum, Year of the Rabbit) tells Anna how she prepared for the role of Helen and enthusiastically recalls what it was like to work with comic icons Simo...

Anna invites writer-director Veena Sud (The Killing, Seven Seconds) and actor Mireille Enos to discuss The Lie, part of Amazon Prime Video’s Welcome To The Blumhouse series. Shot in the snowy suburbs of Toronto, this unsettling crime-drama shows a young girl’s terrible secret unravel in horrifying ways. Beware of minor spoilers. Veena talks to Anna about what drew her to adapting The Lie, and why...

Saoirse-Monica Jackson joins host Anna Smith, along with talented young filmmakers Ruby Phelan and Neeraja Raj. From matriarchs to mishaps, Saoirse delves into the making of Derry Girls. This coming-of-age comedy series follows teenager Erin Quinn (Saoirse) and her friends as they navigate religion and rivalries in 90s Ireland. She also praises Cinemagic as a platform for young people and delivers...

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...

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 Jes...

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-kni...

Critics and superhero fans Mae Abdulbaki and Allison Shoemaker join our host, Anna Smith, for enthused discussions on two Amazon Prime Video series: The Boys and Stargirl. Discovering that, ironically, The Boys has a lot to say about its female characters, the critics examine the diverse, kick-ass women of this darkly funny show and praise its Me-Too-era storyline. Moving onto the more family-frie...

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, Clé...