Vanessa Hope

vHopeful Conversations Podcast

Society EN ↓ 34 episodes

vHopeful Conversations is a video interview series where director Vanessa Hope sits down with bold, visionary filmmakers and authors whose work confronts conflict, power, and injustice while still making space for nuance, empathy, and hope. Each episode offers an intimate, craft‑focused conversation that goes beyond loglines, headlines, and blurbs, inviting listeners into the creative process and the ethical, political, and emotional questions behind urgent films and books. Expect thoughtful, unhurried dialogues that challenge easy narratives, foreground art’s potential to shift public imagina...

Author

Vanessa Hope

Episodes

The Perfect Neighbor: "that street shows the best and worst of us. We’re in a deeply polarized time, and we’ve been polarized on purpose. Manufactured fear is a tool of authoritarian politics." 09.02.2026 33:57

In this conversation, filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir delves into her documentary The Perfect Neighbor, an unflinching exploration of gun violence, racialized fear, and the complex fabric of community. She reflects on her personal connection to the story and the ethical and emotional challenges of working with police body camera footage. Gandbhir describes how the film seeks to invert the usual narrative...

CONGRATULATIONS to 3 superstars: Kaouther Ben Hania & her team on Oscar and BAFTA nominations for 'The Voice of Hind Rajab'; my brother, Andrew Guest, whose new series 'Wonder Man' airs tonight; ... 27.01.2026 0:55

Director Kaouther Ben Hania in less than one minute speaks to why she made her now Oscar and BAFTA nominated international feature film, THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB. Get full access to Dream of a Better World at vanessahope.substack.com/subscribe

Apocalypse In The Tropics: "not only am I scared of losing my democracy & seeing it become an authoritarian government, but a theocratic authoritarian government. That is the shadow hanging not just.. 27.01.2026 27:50

In this conversation, Vanessa Hope interviews Petra Costa, director of 'Apocalypse in the Tropics,' the feature documentary which was Oscar-shortlisted and has now been BAFTA nominated and the Oscar nominated 'The Edge of Democracy.' They discuss the themes of democracy, theocracy, and the intertwining of personal narratives with political realities in Brazil. Petra shares her journey in filmmakin...

Sound of Falling: "this is the “unpitchable” film, because it’s about memory itself and how eruptive, associative, and non‑linear memory is." 26.01.2026 27:24

In this conversation with Vanessa Hope, Mascha Schilinski discusses her Oscar-shortlisted film, 'Sound of Falling,' exploring themes of memory, trauma, and the unique visual language of the film. She shares insights into the casting process, particularly working with young actors, and the significance of the film's title. Masha also reflects on the collaborative process with her cinematographer an...

Holding Liat: "the guiding light... in telling this story has been to confront fear, because the amount of fear that has been communicated to us throughout this whole process...has not been realized." 26.01.2026 32:16

In this conversation, Vanessa Hope and Brandon Kramer explore how Holding Liat follows Brandon Kramer’s own relatives after Israeli-American teacher Liat Beinin Atzili and her husband are kidnapped on October 7, tracing the family’s frantic advocacy in Washington, D.C., and their emotional fractures over politics, grief, and the weaponization of victimhood narratives. Brandon discusses the ethical...

The Voice Of Hind Rajab: "I kept asking myself what it means to be a filmmaker when the unthinkable is happening...I remember the exact feeling—anger, sadness, helplessness. And I hate helplessness." 26.01.2026 26:45

In this conversation, director Kaouther Ben Hania discusses her film 'The Voice of Hind Rajab,' which centers on the urgent and emotional story of a young girl trapped under fire in Gaza. The film explores themes of ethical filmmaking, the role of women in conflict, and the power of cinema as a tool for change. Ben Hania reflects on her creative process, the importance of real recordings, and the...

Extremist: "Sometimes a work of art can reach people more deeply than a news report or a clip on social media because it gets into their subconscious." 26.01.2026 28:13

In this conversation with Vanessa Hope, Sasha Molochnikov discusses his Oscar‑shortlisted short film 'Extremist,' which dramatizes the real‑life case of Russian artist and political prisoner Sasha Skochilenko, jailed for replacing supermarket price tags with anti‑war messages about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He reflects on shooting in exile in Riga for safety, portraying the absurd brutality of...

Invisible Nation: for China to "take (Taiwan), you’d need the largest amphibious invasion in human history...The idea that China can just flip a switch and do this is a fantasy." 25.01.2026 57:33

Our next panel is this Sunday, February 1st: Watch The Film: Jan 28th - Feb 1st RSVP: https://watch.eventive.org/togetherfilmsus/play/68ed0fc3eb1ac02b56e6f2fd Global governance is at a crossroads. This conversation will imagine what a more representative international order could look like — one that includes Taiwan and other marginalized countries. Experts will debate pathways for reform. This is...

Fun, Live 15 minute radio interview on The Drive with Steve Jaxon 30.07.2024 14:22

Thank you to all the movie theaters in the Bay Area and San Francisco screening our film INVISIBLE NATION starting THIS Thursday, July 31st through August 4th! Ted and I are attending as many as we can as if we're an indie rock band with a new album in release! Please join us and help us spread the word to your friends and family! Our film is not only continuing its momentum, traveling around the...