The Screen Podcast

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the biggest talking points kicking off awards season. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by awards and box office editor Charles to discuss how Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s documentary You Can See Everything has exploded the awards race, quickly becoming a top contender. The duo also unpack what other films are emerging in the b...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the CEO of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), David Austin, discusses new research into how audiences view horror, tiered fees, and working with streamers. Senior reporter Ben Dalton chats to Austin about the latest BBFC polling which delved into how horror films should be rated in 2026. ”Sexual violence was the number one issue and peopl...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, we hear from the head of the UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF) and round up the latest from the BFI London Film Festival (LFF). First, host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen reporters Ellie Calnan, Mona Tabbara and Ben Dalton to discuss the industry highlights from the LFF. Then Tabbara is joined by UKGSF director Denitsa Yordanova to delve into the £18m-...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team looks ahead to the BFI London Film Festival, which kicked off last night (October 7) and runs until October 18. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by awards and box office editor Charles Gant to discuss his interview with festival director Kristy Matheson, which covered landing world premieres, how the event fits into the awards circuit, and what r...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team looks back on Screen International’s ‘Financing the Future of UK Film’ summit, which brought together major industry figures to discuss the state of the UK indie sector. Host and Screen’s editor-in-chief Matt Mueller is joined by deputy editor Louise Tutt and senior reporter, UK & international Ben Dalton to discuss what themes emerged fro...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team reveals how Screen’s UK & Ireland Stars of Tomorrow are chosen, and we hear the latest from the San Sebastian film festival. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen editor-in-chief Matt Mueller and box office and awards editor Charles Gant to discuss this year’s Stars of Tomorrow cohort and go behind-the-scenes of the selection process. Th...

In this bonus episode of The Screen Podcast, the team focus on the San Sebastian Film Festival, which kicked off last week and runs until September 26, and explores the Spanish screen sector’s production boom. Screen’s deputy editor Louise Tutt is joined by Spain correspondent Elisabeth Cabeza, who talks about which films are going down well with festival audiences, particularly their reaction to...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team reflects on TIFF: The Market and picks out some festival highlights.    Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen ’s Americas editor Jeremy Kay and senior US critic Tim Grierson to delve into the Toronto Film Festival, which launched its inaugural market this year.   Grierson picked out a few highlights from the programme so far i...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, a leading buyer and seller share their thoughts on the first ever edition of TIFF: The Market, which kicks off as part of the Toronto International Film Festival this week.   Screen’s Americas editor Jeremy Kay is joined by Arianna Bocco, SVP global distribution and acquisitions at Mubi, and Zach Glueck, co-founder of the international sales agenc...

In the sixth episode of The Screen Podcast at the Venice Film Festival, we look at some of the strong early contenders for the event’s top award, the Golden Lion. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s senior US critic Tim Grierson, who reveals a trio of titles that have impressed him so far on the Lido. One is May el-Toukhy’s post-Second World War drama Woman Unknown, the only title in competi...

In the fifth episode of The Screen Podcast at the Venice Film Festival, we delve into the press conferences for Primetime and the Oasis doc, and find out which Italian titles could make their mark this year.  Host Wendy Mitchell is first joined by Screen’s senior UK and international reporter Ben Dalton to take us through the latest press conference highlights, including Robert Pattinson’s re...

In the fourth episode of The Screen Podcast at the Venice Film Festival, one of our critics picks her early competition highlights while we hear what George Clooney had to say about AI. First, host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s Europe editor Tim Dams to delve into CAA and Finch & Partners’ The Future of… Creativity forum, which focused on AI and included George Clooney, Venice artistic...

In the third episode of The Screen Podcast at the Venice Film Festival, the team looks at what awards contenders could emerge from the event. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s box office and awards editor Charles Gant to discuss the Venice lineup’s Oscar and Bafta chances - from Martin McDonagh’s 'Wild Horse Nine' to Lee Chang-Dong’s 'Possible Love'. The Screen Podcast is running daily epi...

In the second episode of The Screen Podcast at the Venice Film Festival, the team breaks down the real cost of attending the event and delves into the first of the press conferences.  First host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s Europe editor Tim Dams, who unpacks why mega costs might be behind the absence of studios on the Lido this year.  Then, Mitchell is joined by senior UK and in...

In the first episode of The Screen Podcast at the Venice Film Festival, the team picks out ten acquisition titles to look out for on the Lido. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s senior UK and international reporter Ben Dalton to discuss the buzzy English-language and European titles that could tempt buyers. The Screen Podcast will be running daily episodes during the Venice Film Festival, d...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, two Gen Z cinemagoers share their thoughts on everything from Steven Spielberg to social media marketing.  Screen’s reporter and video producer Ellie Calnan is joined by Dylan Taylor, 18, and Olivia Lawson, 23. The duo debated whether premium formats are worth the pricier ticket, if bad reviews make any difference, and what social media marketing...

Screen rounds up the key industry talking points from the late summer film festivals.   First host Wendy Mitchell talks to Ben Dalton, senior UK and international reporter, about their time at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). The duo discuss how the event interacts with the Fringe, Claire Binns’ “interrogation” of BFI CEO Ben Roberts and why the festival’s Trainspotting event...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the future of horror films, from YouTubers to the rising talents from the UK and Ireland.   Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s reviews editor Nikki Baughan to discuss what the success of YouTuber horror films Backrooms and Obsession earlier this summer says about the future of the genre and why there is a lack of f...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team behind new UK indie Sunny Dancer reveal how they made the tricky jump to a second feature and discuss the film’s pre-sales, budget manoeuvres and festival launch.  Filmmaker and producer George Jaques, a 2022 Screen Star Of Tomorrow , and producer Ken Petrie talk to Screen ’s senior UK and international reporter Ben Dalton about making th...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the appointment of Isabel Davis as the new head of the BFI Filmmaking Funds and what it means for the future of the UK independent film sector. First, Screen’s editor Matt Mueller checks in with senior UK and Ireland reporter Mona Tabbara, who spoke to the industry this week about the appointment. Mueller is then joined by producer...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the lineup for the 2026 Venice Film Festival, which was announced earlier today.  Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s editor Matt Mueller and senior international critic Wendy Ide to discuss what themes emerged from this year’s programme, including the absence of Hollywood studios once again, the lengthy documentary sect...

On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, we hear about why the early summer film festivals of Transilvania, Munich, Galway and Karlovy Vary are must-attend, fun and lively events for savvy international execs. First host Wendy Mitchell talks to senior UK and Ireland reporter Mona Tabbara about her time at the Transilvania and the Galway Film Fleadh.  Mitchell is then joined by senior UK...

Razor Film co-founder Roman Paul and Komplizen Film co-founder Janine Jackowski explain why the German film sector is undergoing a major transition. Host Wendy Mitchell talks to Jackowski and Paul about some of the challenges facing production in Germany at the moment and the advantages of European co-production. Paul co-founded Razor in 2002 with Gerhard Meixner, and their credits include Waltz W...

In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the talking points from European exhibition convention CineEurope, which took place in Barcelona last week (June 22-25).Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s box office and awards editor Charles Gant, who takes us through all the studio presentations at CineEurope, and picks out some of the key titles. He picks out Zach Cregger...

In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team debates why open letters have become so popular in the film industry and what kind of impact they can have. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s deputy editor Louise Tutt and Europe editor Tim Dams to discuss the latest in a growing trend of open letters - this time, two in support of Israeli-born filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who was forced to...