Brief introduction to the MESHES podcast of Transatlantic rambles about feature films and shorts

Intro to MESHES: Who are we are and the last movies we saw in a cinema in 2020

In our first episode we discuss Radha Blank's new feature film The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020) and why we love it: it's funny, it's set in Brooklyn, it's a modern B+W flick, it tells the story of a Black woman playwright who is trying to rekindle her earlier success -- and more! 

Plus, we talk about two short films: Paulette (2019) about politician Paulette Jordan, the first Native American candidate (Couer d'Alene) and woman candidate to win the Idaho Primary for Governor, as well as Brotherhood: The Trans Edition (2018) about two Jamaican trans men sharing how they navigate their daily lives and build a friendship.

Episode 1 - MESHES: The Forty-Year-Old Version, Paulette, Brotherhood: The Trans Edition

In our second episode we discuss the masterpiece that is Mati Diop's 2019 feature film, Atlantics. Is it a folktale? Is it a ghost story? Is it a story of those left behind when migration becomes a necessity? We also talk about two shorts: Hold Tight (2018) about Carnival in the UK, by animator/illustrator Jessica Ashman, and Suicide By Sunlight (2018), about daywalking Black vampires, by Nikyatu Dusu.

Episode 2 - MESHES: Atlantics, Hold Tight, Suicide By Sunlight

In our third episode we discuss Alan Yang's feature directorial debut, Tigertail (2020), a story of leaving home and living in a new land, losing love along the way, and trying to find it again. We also talk about two shorts: When All the Leaves Are Gone (2010), about a young Indigenous girl's experience in Quebec, by legendary Canadian First Nations filmmaker Alanis Obamsawin, and Walk Run Cha-Cha (2019), about an immigrant Vietnamese couple in the U.S. rekindling their relationship through ballroom dancing, by Laura Nix.

Episode 3 - MESHES: Tigertail, When All the Leaves Are Gone, Walk Run Cha-Cha

In our fourth episode, we alternate chatting about a short, then a feature, Tracey discussing three shorts and Kyna discussing three features. Watch. These. Films! 

The short films are:  Something Said (2017) a docu art piece about the New Cross Fire in London, by Jay Bernard; The Haircut (1992) about a child whose parents' relationship plays out while he's getting a haircut, by Veronica Martel; and Up the Elephant (2002), about community members fighting to preserve their community of Elephant & Castle in London, by Julie Speechley.   ///  The features are:  Double Happiness (1994) about an aspiring actress negotiating her Chinese-Canadian family's expectations, by Mina Shum; Cristo Rey (2011), a love triangle between two brothers separated by culture & national borders, by Leticia Tonos; and Trigger (2010, dir. Bruce McDonald) about former Riot Grrrl era bandmates who rediscover their friendship.

Episode 4 - MESHES: Three shorts and three features - Watch. These. Films!

In our fifth episode we talk about the brilliant and visionary 12-part BBC series, I May Destroy You, by writer-creator-star, Michaela Coel. Our discussion touches on the story of the series, including mentions of consent, sexual assault, and racism.

Episode 5 - MESHES: I May Destroy You

In our sixth and final episode we discuss a list of films, and a web series, we think you should see! We love these stories, all of which have something special about them that can make your lives better. Please do watch them, discuss them, and share them -- when you do, tag us on Twitter @WIFSE15 @HerFilmProject and Insta @WIFSE15 @kynamorgan.

Episode 6 - MESHES: Films You Must See

MESHES is a podcast of Transatlantic rambles about feature films and shorts, co-hosted by Tracey -- a Brit and one half of WIFSE15  -- and Kyna -- a Yank and creator of Her Film Project. Our podcast name is a reference to the avant garde short film Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) by filmmaker Maya Deren, essential viewing for anyone studying film. Watch at https://vimeo.com/218042283

Films from Episode 6:
Palookaville (dir. Alan Taylor, 1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW89BSsB5GI
Within Our Gates (dir. Oscar Micheaux, 1920)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtwrCto9az0
A Place of Rage* (dir. Pratibha Parmar, 1991)
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/aplaceofrage
Battle of Algiers (dir. Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb-OBWU4qY4
Warriors (dir. Walter Hill, 1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--gdB-nnQkU
Hester Street** (dir. Joan Micklin Silver, 1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSgPzddoXjM
Gone Too Far (dir. Destiny Ekaragha, 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEbIkZJgNGg
Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen (dir. Hepi Mita, 2018),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvIqilKjsEE
Strolling (web series; dir. Cecile Emeke, 2014-2016)
https://cecileemeke.com/strolling/
Note: While Strolling is not currently viewable online, watch Emeke's version in France, Flâner.
https://network.bfi.org.uk/postroom/network-picks/fl%C3%A2ner
*Mention of Angela Davis jogging should be Alice Walker.
**Mention of Dorothy Roberts should be Doris Roberts.

Series from episode 5:
I May Destroy You (2020, created by Michaela Coel)
BBC One https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jyxy
HBO https://www.hbo.com/i-may-destroy-you
BBC Sounds podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08g2tm2/episodes/player

Films from episode 4: 
Something Said (2017, dir. Jay Bernard)
https://vimeo.com/291096972
Double Happiness (1994, dir. Mina Shum)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNTA_A3llwg
The Haircut (1992, dir. Veronica Martel)
http://www.cinenova.org/2020/10/19/featured-film-the-haircut-veronica-martel/
Cristo Rey (2013, dir. Leticia Tonos)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drNPpeth_CM
Up the Elephant (2002, dir. Julie Speechley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhWeUM1Q5Ms
Trigger (2010, dir. Bruce McDonald)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIIakWqnf3g

Films from episode 3:
Tigertail (2020, dir. Alan Yang)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8lp_eI78ZM
When All the Leaves Are Gone (2010, dir. Alanis Obamsawin)
https://www.nfb.ca/film/when_all_the_leaves_are_gone/
Walk Run Cha-Cha (2019, dir. Laura Nix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykefc1w0Jms

Films from episode 2:
Atlantics (2019, dir. Mati Diop) www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhcXyK8s-io
Hold Tight (2018, dir. Jessica Ashman)
vimeo.com/297039237
Suicide By Sunlight (2018, dir. Nikyatu Dusu)
vimeo.com/377200942

Films from episode 1:
Forty-Year-Old Version (2020, dir. Radha Blank)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRpGNnaDzeE
Paulette (2019, dir. Heather Rae)
www.wmm.com/catalog/film/paulette/
Brotherhood: The Trans Edition (2018, dir. Jean-Pierre Kavanaugh)
www.imdb.com/title/tt10514118/

Films from Intro: 
Queen and Slim (2019, dir. Lena Waithe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Th84oGDno
Parasite (2019, dir. Bong Joon-ho)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXfv87Wpk
Talking About Trees (2019, dir. Suhaib Gasmelbari)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIvUF0Wdjf4
Jojo Rabbit (2019, dir. Taika Waititi) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4McUzXfFI

Credits: Music by B-Film. ‘Thumbs Up’ available under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US license. Track edited from original. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/

MESHES: Transatlantic rambles about film