To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the acclaimed stop-motion epic Coraline, Laura Gommans had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Henry Selick about his illustrious career and lifelong love for cinema. From scary tales at Aunt Lib's house to being terrified by the cyclops in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Henry reveals the origins of his eerie yet tender storytelling style. His obsession with stop-motion animation has not only pushed the boundaries of filmmaking but also reimagined what children's narratives can be. Henry passionately explains why it's crucial for children to experience a touch of fear in films, believing it helps them navigate and understand the complexities of the world.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Book your tickets for Coraline @ LAB111

From screwball comedies to the golden age of 90s and early 00s romcoms, our love for romance remains strong. In this episode, entertainment journalist Laura Gommans joins us to discuss our favorite romantic comedies and what makes them so special. What appears to be a straightforward genre leads us to question whether the familiar clichés define a romcom or if there's more to it. As our values of love and romance have evolved, it seems the essence of romcoms has stagnated. Could the decline of mid-budget movies be a factor? Despite shifts in the industry, the audience's appetite for love stories will never fade. So, what does the future hold for romantic comedies?

Book tickets to When Harry Met Sally @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Amidst the abundance of parodies, memes, and impersonations, there exists an undeniable uniqueness to the American actor Nicolas Cage. It’s easy to dismiss him as an over-the-top actor, yet beneath the surface lies a talent that positions him among the greatest actors of our time. With an unconventional, almost avant-garde approach to acting that defies the conventions of naturalism prevalent in most mainstream cinema, Cage's body of work invites a deeper exploration.

On this episode of Celebrating Cinema we open the Cage and analyze the eclectic performances, the larger than life persona, and how in recent years Cage has become more and more aware of his oddball status.

Book tickets to Nicolas Uncaged @ LAB111

⁠Show Notes & Films Mentioned

If you don’t know already, Molly Manning Walker’s feature debut How To Have Sex (2023) has taken the world by storm. This coming-of-age drama follows Tara (a mesmerizing performance by Mia Mckenna-Bruce) and her two best friends on a rites-of-passage holiday in Malia that slowly derails.

Speaking with host Elliot, Molly shares how our stereotypical view of Gen-Z is limiting discussions on consent and why cinema can help reframe these conversations, especially when we watch films communally.

Book your tickets here

After a steamy winter featuring Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, the internet was sent into a frenzy over - a fairly mediocre - erotic murder drama, that had copious amounts of sex. Naturally, Laura Gommans, friend of the podcast, was left questioning what happened to all the sex scenes in cinema today.

The 90s marked an era of iconic scenes of intimacy in films like Wild Things, Cruel Intentions, Eyes Wide Shut, Indecent Proposal, Risky Business, Basic Instinct, it was a horny time. In contrast, studios like A24 are currently showcasing some truly jarring sex scenes. How did we get here? And why are blockbuster movies like Avatar deleting their sex scenes?

Intrigued by these cinematic shifts, seasoned entertainment editor Laura joins the discussion to unpack the significance of sex in film while getting to the bottom of just exactly why desire on screen has become so contentious.

CONFESSION: We had not seen All of Us Strangers OR Poor Things before recording, otherwise this would've featured in our discussion. We never need an excuse to talk about Paul Mescal.

TRIGGER WARNING: Please note this episode contains references to explicit sexual content including sexual assault and violence that may be triggering for some.

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⁠Show Notes & Films Mentioned

"Obviously Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl." (Cecilia, Virgin Suicides)

Affectionately known as cinema's favorite 'Nepo Baby', Sofia Coppola has come a long way from her initial appearance in her father's iconic trilogy, The Godfather. Now standing as a unique auteur truly shaping the narrative of the 'girl era.'

With pitch-perfect precision, Coppola translates the fabric of girlhood, revealing the heartaches and struggles of her characters as they journey into adulthood. These dreamy personas are stuck in a patriarchal society, always yearning for something more, a taste of authenticity and freedom beyond their current lives.

Joined by Sacha Gertsik, film producer and Coppola-fanatic shares both tales from her interview with Coppola at the Venice Film Festival last year, and her rich archive of Coppola-soaked memories, discussing how this American director continues to elevate the essence of girl-fabrication.

Book tickets to Lost in Coppola @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

“I would like to make a film to tell children "it's good to be alive".”
― Hayao Miyazaki

It's hard to find someone who doesn't love Hayao Miyazaki's films. Regardless of age, there is something profound to be gained from watching any of this Japanese animator's masterpieces. In this celebration of Miyazaki and the wonders he has created, we delve deep into the nostalgic yet fictional universe of Studio Ghibli. For many of us, our earliest film memories are of the Totoro, Kiki the Witch, Princess Mononoke, or Spirited Away. But how have his films shaped our worldview? We explore Miyazaki's process and discuss why his animations remain just as relevant today.

Book tickets to Studio Ghibli @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

“Hope is political. If you have hope then you have confidence you can change things”

After 60 years of filmmaking, British filmmaker and icon Ken Loach offers what may well be his most urgent message yet, calling for solidarity and the power that hope can instil in his latest film The Old Oak (2023).

Speaking with our host Elliot, Ken reveals how he never runs out of stories to tell when it comes to championing the everyday people. He says, these are the very stories and people that can pave the way for change.

At 87 years old, we hear the films of the 1960s Ken still returns to and how he still carries the spirit of filmmaking during these revolutionary times with him today.

If there was ever a time to be reminded of hope and solidarity it is now. 

Movies have always been a way to understand the world around us, and so, confronted with the brutal horrors of both Hamas’s attacks on October 7th and Israel’s disproportionate slaughtering of thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians, we question if cinema can try to make sense of such atrocities.

For this episode of Celebrating Cinema, we focus on Gillo Pontecorvo’s seminal classic The Battle of Algiers, a brutally candid exposé of the French colonial mindset, which recounts a similar bloody struggle for the liberation of the Algerian people in the 1950s. Ultimately, this film both humanises and complicates the reality of violence between the oppressor and the oppressed.

As we discuss public oppression, organised resistance, how violence begets violence, as well as the media’s power in ‘selling’ a colonial occupation and the consequences for the civilian people caught in the middle of all this. But most importantly we focus on how a film like The Battle Of Algiers can offer hope for freedom in these tragic times.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

For this edition of Future Frames, you can hear from our rising filmmakers who we’ll be screening at Volk’s Hotel Sunday Shorts on 10th Dec. You can buy tickets here.

Bram Ruiter is a filmmaker of a different kind. He has a unique ability to extract the poetry of the mundane, experimenting as much as he can within the realms of the moving-image. Not tied to traditional narrative structures, Bram’s obsessed with the inner-mechanics of filmmaking, taking film elements apart and seeing how they work - often breaking the ‘rules’ to do so.

But strangely it’s the mechanics of big blockbusters he finds beauty in, citing Steven Spielberg and Tony Scott as heavy inspirations. But how does this influence a non-narrative filmmaker who’s much more experimental with their films? Bram shares how he’s led by the practical process of filmmaking in creating his films.

From the use of digital, analogue, phones & video games to the scratching and experiments with film emulsions - Bram takes us down a rabbit-hole of a whole other realm of filmmaking.

You can watch his tender film Here & Elsewhere at Volks Sunday Shorts or visit his website to discover more.

For this edition of Future Frames, you can hear from our rising filmmakers who we’ll be screening at Volk’s Hotel Sunday Shorts on 10th Dec. You can buy tickets here.

Rafik Opti is a filmmaker fascinated by playing with reality & the beauty they can find with their camera out on the streets. Candidly chatting with friend & host Kiriko, Rafik shares how the influences of joyous films like Step Up and She’s The Man as well as music videos like Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation gave them the freedom to be their self. With a desire to extend the legacy of TV series Pose and seminal film Paris Is Burning, and create more images of queer liberation and independence, Rafik focuses on the intersections of Black bodies in public spaces, shedding light on the collective experiences of Black trans and queer individuals, celebrating their universal journey.

Watch Black Joy Chapter One, at Volks Hotel on 10 Dec. A captivating short film, serving as the prequel to the acclaimed "Black Joy (Blaka Koloku)." Follow filmmaker Rafik as they venture into the heart of Amsterdam for the first time, unveiling the beauty in life's simplest moments.

You can also watch Rafik’s Black Joy here.

Passages (2023) by Ira Sachs sets the tone for the cold change in seasons  - a people’s favourite that has got us all up in our feels.

In conversation with Sophie, writer-director Ira Sachs candidly shares how his personal experiences of living in Paris & the mesmerising Franz Rogowski helped shape such a poignant film. From obsessively watching 3 films a day to falling in love with the works of Japanese icon Yasujirō Ozu - Ira reveals the ecstasy & risk in filmmaking. 

If you missed the chance to watch it in cinema, it's available still on https://mubi.com/en/lab111.

On 20th Dec join us for our screening & live show of Princess Mononoke - buy tickets here

Lukas Moodysson shares with Hugo his experiences of making Fucking Åmål, how a story close to his heart has taken on a life of its own and evolved into a queer classic. Reflecting on his journey as a filmmaker, the Swedish director discusses his career and the recurring themes at the core of his films: rebellion, loneliness, sincerity, and humor.

Get your tickets for Fucking Åmål @ LAB111.

"What's the first rule of Fight Club?" -- "We do not talk about Mank."

Refusing to be called an auteur, David Fincher has certainly crafted his own style to become the master of the psychological thriller. But what exactly makes a Fincher classic? From his deftly choreographed camera movements, to his relentless number of takes and a fixation of grim colour schemes - we dive deep into world of the American director.

Much like his protagonists, Fincher is an obsessive perfectionist driven by the search for the truth. As if they're carrying the burden of the world, can we view his characters as martyrs? Despite the overwhelming pessimism in Fincher's films, we ask ourselves why do we still find a sense of hope in his filmography?

On 20th Dec join us for our screening & live show of Princess Mononoke - buy tickets ⁠here⁠

Book tickets for ⁠Fincher Favourites @ LAB111

⁠Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Widely regarded as one of the most influential directors of our time, Martin Scorsese has made some of the most exciting cinema classics of the past 50 years.

Moving through Scorsese's filmography, we reflect on how his own existential inquiries on faith, redemption, obsession and cinema itself lie at the heart of his kinetic films. Why does he return time and time again to the same narrative of the self-absorbed, Jesus-complex man come from?

A true lover film film, championing cinema’s rich history, and a tireless supporter of film preservation, we also discuss how his the boy who once wanted to become a priest, is now a missionary of the gospel of cinema.

Book tickets for Scorsese Selected @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

A rare cultural moment in cinema, the release and aftermath of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie certainly had us all talking. Sharing our experiences of watching the candy-colored ‘battle of the sexes’, we question why Barbie was set different standards compared to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and where big studio movies can go from here. Did we place too much expectation on what might feel like a frivolous show-stopper of pink-drenched fun? Whether it’s the end of something old or the start of something new, Barbenheimer has no doubt made its mark. Take a listen as we try to make sense of it all.

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Set against the rise of Russia's authoritarian regime, filmmaker Marusya Syroechkovskaya paints an homage to both a silenced generation and her lover and best friend Kimi. How to Save a Dead Friend (2022), is a whirlwind of emotions capturing a unique intimacy of an anxious youth, a relationship tellingly universal that brings hope still in death. Speaking with Hugo, Marusya reveals the toils and vulnerabilities of crafting a story from a catalogue of documented memories.

With the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise in cinemas now, we pose the question if Tom Cruise, the enigmatic star of classics like Top Gun (1986), Magnolia (1999), Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and so many others, is singlehandedly trying to save a dying breed of visceral (action) cinema.

Is Cruise the last of the genuine movie stars? How do his on and offscreen antics relate to his persona? Does he fit into a long-standing tradition of mavericks like Buster Keaton and other risk-it-all icons of the silver screen? And is he, as he recently claims, really doing it 'for us', the audience?

In this episode, we dive deep into his illustrious body of work as well as his infamous image to see what really lies behind the mask of the Cruise.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

With an oeuvre-spanning exhibition in Eye Filmmuseum, and multiple classics like Fitzcarraldo (1982) and Aguirre, Wrath Of God (1972) returning to the big screens of LAB111, we sit down to discuss the ‘ecstatic truths’ and brilliant fictions of German film auteur par excellence: Werner Herzog.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

With the multidisciplinary film program Witch Way Now: Recasting A Feminist Icon heading into its second month of film screenings, talks, workshops, and performances at LAB111 and Paradiso, we invite Witch Way Now co-curator Helena Castro to discuss in-depth the depiction of the witch and witchcraft in cinema. Is the witch a feminist icon? How has the image and interpretation of the witch changed over the decades? And what can we learn about representation through these cinematic perspectives? This and more on this very open-hearted and therefore hour-long episode of Celebrating Cinema.

The Witch Way Now film program — a collaboration of LAB111 and Paradiso — will run until the end of June and features such films as La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc (1928), The Wizard Of Oz (1939), The Love Witch (2016), Suspiria (1977), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) and Belladonna Of Sadness (1973), alongside various in-depth talks, introductions by experts, a Häxan live score performance by ambient duo Wanderwelle, a wicked season closing party and much more. For more information and tickets: www.lab111.nl/witch.

Show notes & Films Mentioned

For the final Future Frames episode, filmmaker Kiriko Mechanicus talks with fellow filmmaker and good friend Razan Hassan, an upcoming documentarist who has recently won the Best Documentary Film award at the Shortcutz Film Festival for her film 'In Between Glass and Walls'.

In their tender conversation, Hassan speaks about her teenage love for director Bernardo Bertolucci, the depths of the Syrian new wave, the urge to create from pain, and her upcoming film 'On The Edge Of Life I Saw A Film'.

Sitting down with filmmaker, screenwriter, chef, and all-around powerhouse Amira Duynhouwer for a Future Frames interview, film critic Hugo Emmerzael dives into Duynhouwer’s wildly prolific career, her initial love for cinema and the tough lessons she had to learn to make it as a successful film professional.

Ranging from Spielberg to Akira Kurosawa, from industry secrets to cinema inspirations, and from kitchen struggles to biographical cinema, this frank and fun conversation covers a lot of ground. What ties all the disparate topics together is an infectious love for good food, good films and good times.

Inspired by the experiences of a close friend, Davy Chou decided to make a film about her non-stereotypical adoption story, the likes of which we hardly ever get to see on screen. Speaking to host Sophie, Chou reflects on directing a film in a country and language that he wasn't familiar with, and the difficult process he went through as a male writer to create the strong Asian female lead character of his second feature film Return to Seoul.

You can find tickets for our screenings of Return to Seoul here.

Don't forget to leave us a review & share - the bigger the podcast, the bigger the guests we can have on!

For a country known for wholeheartedly consuming cinema from abroad, the Netherlands has never been great at celebrating their own Dutch filmmakers and their films. With the re-release of George Sluizer's Spoorloos, one of the greatest Dutch films ever made, we explore what holds us back from recognizing the great directors of our small nation. Could the prevalence of lousy vacation romcoms in our cinemas indicate a sense of cultural insecurity? And how are the next wave of Dutch filmmakers responding to the cringe we feel about our language? Find out why it's about time we celebrated films from this tiny postage stamp we call home.

Book tickets to Spoorloos @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Recognizing herself in Stefanie Kolk’s journey towards a career in film that started out in a different place entirely, filmmaker and podcast host Sophie Smeets invited the biophysicists-turned-filmmaker for her Future Frames interview.

In this conversation, we gain an insight into the different elements that play a role in Kolk’s filmmaking. How her love for film started from watching films with her father and how it is still a means of communication and connection for her. She describes how her science background influences the way she approaches her craft and how, after numeral short films, she finally came to make her first feature film, Melk.

For the second interview in our Future Frames series, Head Of Program Tom Ooms and his good friend, Amsterdam-based writer/director Kim Kokosky Deforchaux explore how Kim's childhood obsession with Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park propelled him to pursue a career in genre-filmmaking.

In this hour-long, frank conversation, we get a glimpse of this future framemaker's trajectory toward becoming a director, after having studied screenwriting at the Dutch Film Academy, how his obsessive movie-watching influenced his own projects, and how his award-winning shorts Ik, Moordenaar and Hantu have made it possible for him to now work towards his first feature film debut.

After watching Ashley Röttjers’ short film Celestial Spaces: A Liberation on Meditation Practices at an IDFA Meets event, Elliot was struck by the elegance and depth of Ashley’s work.

Eager to learn more about this Rotterdam-based photographer turned filmmaker, Elliot invited Ashley as a future framemaker to watch for our Future Frames interviews.

In this candid conversation, Ashley shares how watching a film like Charlie’s Angels as a kid prompted her to pick up the camera and capture her life and that of her friends. From art school to fashion photography, Ashley takes us on a journey marked by her various short films. Inspired to speak in perspectives and frames that are reflective of her own experiences, this intriguing filmmaker on the rise is ready to capture the individuality of black women from joy and beauty to healing and sexuality.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Alejandro Jodorowsky's mystical magnum opus The Holy Mountain, three classics by the controversial Chilean surrealist return to cinemas in the Netherlands nationwide. With Sophie replacing producer Elliot, who will be traveling the world for a while, our hosts Tom, Kiriko, and Hugo discuss the impact of 60s and 70s transgressive cinema, the heritage of the counter-culture, where the provoking works of Jodorowsky fit in, and if the spirit of those times and their cultural expressions live on in our current cinematic culture.

You can find tickets for our Jodorowsky screenings here.

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111.

Don't forget to leave us a review & share - the bigger the podcast, the bigger the guests we can have on!

Following our first live and very animated podcast recording, our hosts, along with our audience, discussed the relevance of cult classic Twilight; a film that showcases a darkly stylish depiction of female desire wrapped inside an inherently silly teen vampire romance. Like it or not this romance saga had us hooked from the beginning and was undoubtedly a cinematic marker in all our lives, one way or another. Find out how Twilight shaped our audience’s proclivity to fall for the wrong men, led to creating their own fan club and even a drinking game... did someone say spider-monkey? 

Did you miss our screening of Twilight? There are still screenings available here. 

Don't forget to leave us a review & share - the bigger the podcast, the bigger the guests we can have on!

In anticipation of our first live podcast event where we will be revisiting the iconic Twilight (2008), we had the absolute pleasure to speak with director Catherine Hardwicke. Architect of this cultural phenomenon, Catherine recounts how she landed the role and the casting process that launched the careers of its stars, Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson. In this hour-long interview, we explore Catherine's journey into filmmaking as well as the distinct challenges of a female director in the industry, especially with directing blockbusters. Sadly as the only female director of the Twilight saga, we get an insight into just how rich stories can be that target an overlooked female audience and capture those first moments we all experience as when we come of age. Expect some golden  stories & for your Twilight nostalgia to be reignited!

Very few director's have their own adjective: Lynchian. But then again, there are very few directors like David Lynch. Walking the tightrope between the mainstream and the avant-garde, Lynch brought to the screen a singularly dark and disturbing view of reality. A nightmare world punctuated by defining moments of extreme violence, bizarre comedy, and strange beauty, his dreamlike films have conjured some of the great modern American images. Celebrating his newly restored and re-released masterpiece Mulholland Drive, our hosts Hugo, Tom and Elliot discuss his entire body of work, the many interpretations his films stir up and much more!

You can book your ticket here for our live podcast recording about Twilight on the 20th January.

Take a trip down the dark alleys of Film Noir, filled with unscrupulous men, state corruption and crimes waiting to be solve. Listen to our hosts' favourite urban thrillers, as they try to figure out what Film Noir even is. A genre? A style? Or a mode of production that dominated Hollywood post World-War II. Inspired by our current program Tales From Nightmare Alley, we dive deep into this infamous moment of American cinema that forever marked the cinematic landscape.

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111, including Amalia Ulman's El Planeta (2021) who we recently interviewed here on the podcast.

As part of our new partnership with Mubi, we had the exclusive chance to speak with Artist-turned-filmmaker Amalia Ulman about her feature debut El Planeta. This dark comedy, set in Amalia's childhood town Gijon, is a fresh twist on the precarious economic conditions the working-class can find themselves in. In this candid interview Amalia shares what it was like to make her first film, co-starring with her mother, and why her work across different mediums is so narrative driven. 

You can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111, including Amalia Ulman's El Planeta (2021). 

Widely regarded as the bald bad boy of contemporary French cinema, Gaspar Noé has been disrupting movies and polarising opinions for the past twenty years with his visceral blend of provocative films. Joining filmmaker Kiriko, Gaspar discusses his latest film Vortex (2021), as well as his experiences working with legendary Italian 'giallo' maestro Dario Argento and his love for Tokyo, as depicted in Enter The Void. 

Special thanks to Paradiso Films for this amazing opportunity.

Collectively known as The Ross Brothers, Bill and Turner Ross are utterly unique in their approach to filmmaking. In a conversation with our host Elliot Bloom, these American directors discuss how film can serve as a vehicle for social experiments, aiming to uncover deeper truths about ourselves and society. Their latest film, "Gasoline Rainbow," offers a bold exploration by giving five Gen-Z teenagers the freedom to be entirely themselves on a classic American road trip. But what did The Ross Brothers learn on their own journey while making this film?

Book tickets to Gasoline Rainbow on June 26.

Book tickets to Hit The Road this summer.

Stream Gasoline Rainbow on MUBI - enjoy 30 days free with our special promo.

Have you ever wondered what made French director Jean-Luc Godard so great? Or did you never quite understand what exactly the 'French Nouvelle Vague' was? Well in true Godard-fashion, this is a real jump-cut style episode that untangles the life of a film genius. From his greatness to some ugly truths, this is a true ode to both a director and period of film that forever changed cinema. 

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111.

Director Martijn de Jong joins producer Elliot to discuss his feature debut Narcosis. Selected as this year's Dutch Oscar entry, this tender portrayal of familial love & mourning gives our audience a window to Martijn's approach to filmmaking. With a desire to move people and connect with his audience, together they explore his journey as a director from commercials to his first feature. While discussing cinematic moments that have impacted Martijn, he offers a unique insight into the Dutch film landscape as a whole - is a Dutch resurgence on the horizon? 

As longtime admirers of Mia Hansen-Løve's body of work here on the podcast, producer Elliot hosts a very candid and revealing conversation with the French director. In her latest film Un Beau Matin, Mia describes it as her most auto-biographical film to date. Mia shares how she is able to explore such existential questions from such an intimate portrait. Find out what moves Mia to make films and why cinema for her is a tool for understanding her life's journey.  

Directors Sarah Blok & Lisa Konno join to discuss their short trilogy of non-traditional immigrant story of fathers. With an exhibition at this year's Dutch Design Week and the release of their book, which you can buy here, we explore how this hybrid form of fashion-stylised documentaries can offer a more intimate portrayal of their subjects. Candidly, Lisa & Sarah share the inspiration behind this project and why they embraced a more honest lens through which they share these stories.

Joined by the programmers of Imagine Film Festival, the largest celebration for fantastic film in the Netherlands, showcasing the best in fantasy, horror and science fiction. Lauren & Stan along with Tom & Hugo reminisce their first turn down spooky lane. Along this nostalgic path of agreeable scarring, they question what really is a horror in today’s film landscape.

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111, and discover some of the Flick or Treats mentioned in this episode. 

If a loved-one decided they had enough of life and wanted it to come to an end, how would you respond? Director, Floor van der Meulen joins Elliot to explore her fictional feature debut Pink Moon that asks this very question of its audience. In this candid discussion, Floor and Elliot unpack the roots of desire for a self-determined death, is it a reflection of a disconnected and lonely society? With previous experience in documentary filmmaking, Floor explains what it's like switching between the two forms of cinema and why she enjoys experimenting with both.

Are we witnessing the end of American mainstream cinema? Diving deep into this topic, Hugo invites filmmaker, film critic and video essay connoisseur Scout Tafoya. In collaboration with Tucker Johnson, Scout explores this very question with a compelling 10-part video-essay series through the lens of Ridley & Tony Scott as the forefathers of the American blockbuster. Why has Hollywood become so stale? Together, Hugo & Scout discuss the End of History, the end of American cinema as we know it, but what comes next?

Find out how a particular holiday experience led director Christian Tafdrup to write his latest film Speak No Evil (2022). Out now here in The Netherlands, this suspenseful dark comedy about a holiday encounter between a Dutch & Danish family comes with a chilling twist. Speaking with Elliot, Christian shares how his playful approach to horror genre conventions helps create a truly visceral experience.

Here to discuss the mesmerising nature of volcanoes captured through the lens of Katia & Maurice Krafft, director Sara Dosa joins us for a candid talk about her latest documentary Fire of Love (2022). From a treasure trove of 200 hours worth of archival footage, Sara shares why she crafted a love story not only between two French volcanologists but also their life's work - volcanoes. Find out why volcanoes should be seen as something spiritual and what it means to live a meaningful life from these tales of love. 

Here to discuss her latest film Splendid Isolation (2022) and the poetry of cinema, Urszula Antoniak candidly shares why this is a film to be experienced. A 73-minute allegory that invites us all to reflect on our collective confrontation with death in recent years. Find out why Urszula sees this as an uplifting story of our own mortality.

A film’s success often rests on the shoulders of its most bankable stars. But have stars once born to seduce the silver screen become influencers more than actors? Joined by actor Mike Gomez, we try get to the bottom of what exactly makes us fall in love with an actor. Among the giants whose shoulders many actors stand on today is none other than Marlon Brando, cinema’s OG pretty bad boy. The latest episode of Celebrating Cinema talks acting, movie stars and the hearts they steal.

Book tickets here for Marlon Brando 100.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

With Joanna Hogg's sequel to her highly autobiographical film The Souvenir (2019), we take a look at one of its stars - Tilda Swinton. There has always been a certain indefinable quality to her iconic acting, refusing to ever be type-casted to a particular role. Tilda has continued to evolve with her incredible range of performances, becoming the muse for many auteurs. What makes her otherworldly, androgynous presence so unique and how does it relate to the roles she picks? Listen to our personal standout moments of a truly great idiosyncratic chameleon.

Listen to Uberto Pasolini's journey to becoming a filmmaker. After leaving the banking industry early on to pursue a career in film, it was only a matter of time before Uberto would transition from producer to director. With his latest film Nowhere Special (2020), a tender portrait of an intimate father and son relationship, we hear how Uberto develops true stories into touching cinematic moments and the fortuity of getting the best from child actors. 

Recorded live from the French airport Nice, Hugo & Tom recap their rollercoaster experience of Cannes Film Festival. This dispatch finally arrives from the delayed luggage carousel packed with hot takes and films to look out for, as well as stories of Tom's lavish escapades. From Tom's maiden voyage to Hugo being a seasoned attendee, does the spectacle of Cannes live up to its grand illusion? 

With David Cronenberg's latest film Crimes of the Future (2022) out now in cinemas, we delve deep into the Cronenberg universe, exploring this polarising figure and his portrayal of everything grotesque, sexual and visceral. Are we afraid to be physically moved by cinema or do we enjoy the perversions we are shown? Find out if we can stomach (literally) all things Cronenberg.