In this special episode recorded with an audience at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2022, Girls On Film celebrate EIFF’s 75th anniversary with an all-star line-up including Julia Davis, Jackie van Beek and Armağan Ballantyne from NUDE TUESDAY; director and co-writer of ZUHAL Nazli Elif Durlu;  EIFF 2022’s Creative Director Kristy Matheson, and  film critics Wendy Mitchell and Finn Halligan.


First up, the NUDE TUESDAY team talks about their mutual obsessions with each others’ work, non-sexual nudity on screen and developing a new language for the film.

Next on stage is Kristy Matheson, the Creative Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2022, who tells Anna how she selects a festival programme, and outlines her top picks from this 75th edition of the festival.

The director of ZUHAL Nazli Elif Durlu then joins Anna and Kristy to share how she developed her film after meeting someone who heard cat noises in her apartment, which no one else could hear.
 
Finally, critics Finn Halligan and Wendy Mitchell join Anna on stage to discuss their 2022 festival picks. From the audience, Antonia Campbell-Hughes shares some insight on her directorial debut  IT IS IN US ALL.



Films, Television productions and directors mentioned in this  episode include: THE BREAKER UPPERERS, NIGHTY NIGHT, HUMAN REMAINS, NUDE TUESDAY, SIGHTSEERS, AAAAAAAAH!, NOTHING COMPARES, ZUHAL, KINUYO TANAKA, STILL WORKING 9 TO 5, LOLA, AFTERSUN, CLEAN, IT IS IN US ALL.

You can listen to the Nude Tuesday podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-nude-tuesday-podcast/id1630048038

Girls On Film is an HLA production. Host: Anna Smith. Executive Producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio Producer: Cam Griff with Little Bird Creative. Intern: Grace Delve. House band: MX Tyrants.
With special thanks to the EIFF 2022 team and Chris Boyd at Cornershop PR for their support.

Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel:

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

This episode was produced in partnership with EIFF

Ep 123: Live at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2022 with the Nude Tuesday crew and more

Let us transport you to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2023, where Girls On Film recorded an episode with an audience of festival goers. Host Anna Smith is joined by critics and filmmakers who are full of film recommendations, as well as thought-provoking and poignant conversation.  

First to join Anna are critics Wendy Ide and Marya E Gates, who speak about which films they’ve loved, and the strong array of female-focused films playing at KVIFF. They review La Chimera, starring Josh O'Connor and Isabella Rossellini. Marya talks about Georgian film Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, and both of them discuss the ‘hot-topic’ Past Lives, that has been capturing the attention of film lovers since its debut in Sundance earlier this year.

Next, Anna welcomes Myriam Sassine, producer of Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano, a Lebanese documentary that tells the story of a film crew navigating making a feature in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion in August 2020. Myriam discusses the challenges she faced whilst producing the film, as well as explaining the connections she established with the survivors in the filmmaking process.

Our last guests are producer Elaheh Nobakht and director Negin Ahmadi, whose film Dream’s Gate tells the personal journey of Negin as she enters the war zone in North Syria, along with a group of young women who are determined to fight back. Elaheh, who translates for Negin, explains the importance of portraying women’s stories in her films and how this personal reflection highlights the moments of joy within the conflict. Elaheh also speaks about her experience as an independent Iranian producer.

This episode is sponsored by Magnum.

Films mentioned in this episode include:

La Chimera
Past Lives (UK release 8 September 2023)
The Girls Are Alright
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry
My Happy Family
A Room of My Own (available to stream on Klassiki)
The Mother of all Lies
Slow
Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano
Costa Brava, Lebanon (available on Netflix)
Dream’s Gate
Inside the Yellow Cocoon
Anatomy of a Fall
In Camera

Find out more about KVIFF here: www.kviff.com

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: 
www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast 

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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z
Girls On Film is an HLA production. 

Host: Anna Smith. 
Executive Producer: Hedda Archbold
Audio Producer: Emma Butt
Assistant Producer: Eleanor Hardy
House band: MX Tyrants

Ep 155: Must-see movies and docs - Girls On Film live at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

With us this episode are filmmaker Janis Pugh & actor, director & writer Tilda Cobham-Hervey - just two of the brilliant women showcased at the Edinburgh Festivals 2023. Anna Smith also gives top tips of other female-led highlights of the Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival, and - of course -  Edinburgh International Film Festival. 

Our first guest is Janis Pugh, writer/director of Chuck Chuck Baby which will receive its World Premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival on 20th August. The feature is a musical comedy drama that celebrates female working class friendship and love in Wales. Helen, played by Louise Brealey (Sherlock, Smack the Pony) is stuck packing chickens by night and by day cares for a dying mother figure. Her life takes an unexpected turn with the return of Joanne, played by Annabel Scholey (Being Human, Walking on Sunshine). Janis Pugh joins Anna for a lively chat about her personal experiences of working in a chicken factory in Wales, and talks about the camaraderie she saw that inspired the film. She also explains why love is at the heart of the film, and talks about the fragile male character of Gary, played by Celyn Jones.

We also chat with actor, director & writer Tilda Cobham-Hervey who, as well as working in film and TV, also works in live art and is bringing her intimate audio adventure Two Strangers Walk Into A Bar… to the Fringe. Tilda chats about her journey to making the production, and her love of immersive live experience, as well as the effects that the piece has on the two-strong audience. Anna Smith will be sharing her reaction to the piece as she updates live from the festivals, so stay tuned on the socials below. 

Find out more about Edinburgh Festivals and book tickets at www.edinburghfestivalcity.com/

Chuck Chuck Baby will have its World Premiere on 20th August, follow Girls On Film for info on its wider release https://www.eif.co.uk/events/eiff-chuck-chuck-baby 

Two Strangers Walk Into A Bar… is playing at House of Oz from 4th to 27th August https://www.houseofoz.co.uk/2023/two-strangers 

Anoushka Shankar will be appearing in Edinburgh International Festival on 27th August https://www.eif.co.uk/events/anoushka-shankar 

Festival highlights: 

Edinburgh International Film Festival - details at www.eif.co.uk/edinburgh-international-film-festival
Your Fat Friend, Jeanie Finlay
Past Lives, Celine Song
Showing Up, Kelly Reichardt 
Scrapper, Charlotte Regan
Is There Anybody Out There?, Ella Glendinining
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Hope Dickson Leach 

Edinburgh International Book Festival - at  www.edbookfest.co.uk
What I Run Towards Will Strengthen Me, Sarah Polley 

Edinburgh Festival Fringe - all at https://tickets.edfringe.com/
Work in Progress, Rose Matafeo
Composition, Leila Navabi
Dugzi Dayz, Sabrina Ali
Unforgettable Girl, Elisabeth Gunawan
MEAT, Elle Dillon-Reams

Other films mentioned in this episode include: 
House, Janis Pugh
52 Tuesdays, Sophie Hyde, 2013

Other TV mentioned in this episode include: 
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Glendyn Ivin, 2023

Other theatre mentioned in this episode includes: 
Funeral, Ontroerend Goed (tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/funeral)

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: 
www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast 

Follow us on socials: 
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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z
Girls On Film is an HLA production. 

Host: Anna Smith
Executive Producer: Hedda Archbold
Producer: Lydia Scott
Audio Producer: Emma Butt
Assistant Producer: Eleanor Hardy
House band: MX Tyrants
This episode is in partnership with Festivals Edinburgh

Ep 157: Edinburgh Festivals Special: film, theatre and more with Janis Pugh and Tilda Cobham-Hervey

Today Anna Smith talks to Oscar-nominated director Maite Alberdi about her new documentary The Eternal Memory, which follows a Chilean couple as they navigate the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease together. She then talks to Ella Glendining about her BIFA-nominated documentary, Is There Anybody Out There? which charts her search for individuals with the same rare disability as herself.

Journalist Augusto Góngora and actor Paulina Urrutia are the subject of The Eternal Memory, a touching testimony of the couple’s bond in the face of Augusto’s worsening dementia. ‘La Pauli,’ as Augosto referred to his partner, took care of him after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 62. Maite recalls how the couple had a unique approach to the disease where they saw ‘Alzeimher’s as a challenge, not a tragedy’. The film uses a mix of archive footage from Augusto’s broadcast days and new material as the couple go about their daily lives, noticing the sensory experience of the everyday and how it interacts with Augosto’s condition. The Eternal Memory offers a unique and refreshing perspective on dementia, ageing and coupledom. 

Next, Anna Smith talks to Ella Glendining about the making of and motivation behind her documentary Is There Anybody Out There?. The film is personal, one woman’s search to find someone else born with no hip joints and short femurs, but it is also deeply political, laying bare the ethics of  medical intervention, exploring the impacts of ableism and documenting disabled joy. Ella talks about the inspiration behind the film, the challenges and surprises she faced while making it, and she reveals the projects she is most looking forward to seeing next!

You can watch The Eternal Memory in select cinemas from the 10th November 2023. Visit www.theeternalmemory.film to find out more and book tickets

Is There Anybody Out There? is in cinemas and on demand 17th November 2023. Screenings and information at conic.film/anybody
 
Other films mentioned in this episode include: 
The Mole Agent, Maite Alberdi, 2020
Dick Johnson Is Dead, Kirsten Johnson 2020
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Original title: Savvusanna sõsarad), Anna Hints, 2023

Television mentioned in this episode include: 
We Might Regret This, Kyla Harris

Reviews mentioned in this episode: 
https://www.timeout.com/movies/smoke-sauna-sisterhood-2023 

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: 
www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast 

Follow us on socials: 
www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ 
www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast 
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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

Girls On Film is an HLA production. 

Host: Anna Smith
Executive Producer: Hedda Archbold
Producer: Lydia Scott
Audio editor: Emma Butt
Intern: Charlotte Matheson

House band: MX Tyrants

This episode is in partnership with Dogwoof and Conic Films.

© HLA Agency

Ep 161: Docs and disability with the directors of The Eternal Memory & Is There Anybody Out There?

In this special episode recorded at the Glasgow Film Festival, Jessica Lange joins Girls On Film host Anna Smith to reflect on her extraordinary career across stage and screen. She discusses her latest film, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, which premiered at the festival, and shares insights into her rural Minnesota upbringing, early years studying mime in Paris, and her upcoming role as Marlene Dietrich.

Jessica also revisits some of her most iconic roles, from portraying Frances Farmer in the heartbreaking biopic Frances to starring alongside Dustin Hoffman in the genre-defying comedy Tootsie. She also explores her more recent work on American Horror Story, which not only cemented her status as an acting legend but also introduced her to a new generation of fans. Beloved by Gen X and Gen Z alike, Jessica’s performances continue to captivate audiences across film, television and stage.

Acclaimed as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, Jessica is the 15th Oscar winner to appear on Girls On Film.

The conversation was recorded on 1 March 2025. 

http://eepurl.com/iEKaM-/ or email girlsonfilmsocial@gmail.com to be signed up.

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: 
www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast 

Follow us on socials: 

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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z
Girls On Film is an HLA production.

Host: Anna Smith
Executive Producer: Hedda Lornie Archbold
Producer: Charlotte Matheson
Intern: Anna Swartz
Audio editor: Alex Jones
House band: MX Tyrants
Principal Partners: Vanessa Smith and Peter Brewer

© HLA Agency

Ep 192: Jessica Lange on Marlene Dietrich, Minnesota and mime

It’s Pride season!  And we’re bringing you a packed Pride special. Actress and vocal LGBTQ+ advocate Bella Thorne joins Anna to talk pansexuality, love and support in the queer community, and the power of social media to make real social change. She also unpacks her starring role in Bonnie & Clyde-style crime thriller Infamous, as well as quirky college comedy The Duff. 

Plus, guest critic and Dr of Film Becca Harrison drops in to review three brilliant queer films you can stream for a Pride celebration on your sofa: bittersweet political Brit-flick Pride, Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated lesbian love story Carol, and recent Girls On Film guest Desiree Akhavan’s bisexual comedy drama Appropriate Behaviour. 
All films are available on Amazon Prime Video, our partner for this episode.

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno 
www.twitter.com/primevideouk www.twitter.com/@BeccaEHarrison
www.twitter.com/@bellathorne

Watch Girls On Film's latest show on the BFI's YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Opl7aSOiQs4

Girls On Film is an HLA production, exec produced by Hedda Archbold and audio produced by Jane Long. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Intern: Heather Dempsey.

Ep 39: Pride special with Bella Thorne + queer classics reviewed with Becca Harrison

The writers of Legally Blonde join us to spill the inside story on the beloved 2001 comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as perky law student Elle Woods. Kristen “Kiwi” Smith and Karen McCullah talk about adapting Amanda Brown’s novel for the big screen, describing the moment of inspiration for the iconic ‘bend and snap’ move and revealing which cast member was difficult to handle on set…
Meanwhile, Empire film critic Helen O’Hara talks about her own legal past and revisits Legally Blonde with host Anna Smith. The pair also discuss other films with female lawyers, from A Time To Kill to On The Basis of Sex.
Thanks to listener Rehna Azim for suggesting an episode on female lawyers on film, and to our partners, Amazon Prime. All films are available on Amazon Prime now.

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno 
www.twitter.com/primevideouk 

Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXvkgGofjDzj5mCFL89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Producer: Jane Long. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Intern: Heather Dempsey.

Ep 44: Legally Blonde Exclusive + Female Lawyers on Film

Chemical Hearts stars Coral Peña and Kara Young join Anna for a spirited conversation about brown queer love on screen, describing how their characters were developed from Krystal Sutherland’s novel. They talk about their real-life friendship, their support network on set, and share what they’ve been watching at home, from Pose to I May Destroy You.
Award-winning Young Adult author Tanya Byrne also shares her passion for LGBTQ+ stories and raises an interesting point about M/M love stories and mainstream success. She also has a top TED talk tip for those keen to bring authenticity to their writing.

Chemical Hearts is on Amazon Prime Video now.

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno 
www.twitter.com/primevideouk 

Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXvkgGofjDzj5mCFL89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Producer: Jane Long. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Assistant Producer and Social Media Manager: Heather Dempsey.

Ep 45: Coral Peña and Kara Young talk Chemical Hearts & young queer love on screen

Eliza Scanlen joins Anna for an exclusive interview about her new film Babyteeth, a bitterly funny and moving drama directed by Shannon Murphy. She also talks about working with Greta Gerwig on Little Women, and her hopes for women in the film industry.

Film critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh reviews Babyteeth with Anna, along with two other female-directed films: Summerland and Make Up.

Finally, we talk about an intriguing new test for films: the Clit Test...

Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno 

Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXvkgGofjDzj5mCFL89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio Producer: Tom Whalley. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Assistant Producer and Social Media Manager: Heather Dempsey.

Ep 46: Eliza Scanlen talks Babyteeth & Little Women + Summerland & Make Up reviewed

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 Simon and Nick. She further talks about discussing representation on set and celebrates the process of ageing in women. Stay tuned as Susan shares her very own spectral sighting…

Next up, Emma (Hanna, Misbehaviour) delves into Astrid’s mentality and tells Anna about a particular onset mishap. Discussing the nostalgic movies referenced in Truth Seekers, they consider whether there has been an improvement in the way that horror movies treat their female characters. Finally, Emma talks gun-wielding in Prime Video series Hanna and shares her personal connection to the spiritual world.

Film and TV Recommendations:

Susan: La Haine, Pose

Emma: The Sopranos, True Blood, I May Destroy You, the Coen brothers films, and anything with Frances McDormand!

Anna: For Sama, Love Child

Other mentions: Spaced (on Prime Video), The Cornetto Trilogy (watch all 3 movies on Prime Video), Chewing Gum, Year of the Rabbit, Hereditary, Midsommar (on Prime Video), Prime Suspect, The Exorcist, Invasion of the Body Snatchers

This episode is in partnership with Amazon Prime Video.

Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXvkgGofjDzj5mCFL89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Producer: Jane Long. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Assistant Producer and Social Media Manager: Heather Dempsey. Intern: Elliana Jay.

Ep 54: Phantoms and Feminism with Truth Seekers stars Susan Wokoma and Emma D'Arcy

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 memories of witnessing a possible kidnapping. Tuppence talks about playing a flawed female protagonist and delves into the intricacies of Abby’s mind. She further explains how she found a convincing bond with her onscreen sister and takes a look back at her career so far, reflecting on past feminist roles.

Anna then talks to writer-director Rose Glass, whose debut feature Saint Maud achieved critical acclaim when it hit cinemas last year. This psychological-horror film follows Maud (Morfydd Clark), a reclusive nurse who becomes obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient (Jennifer Ehle). Rose unpacks the individual acting styles of Morfydd and Jennifer, and dives into how she brought the complex character of Maud to life. They also discuss the surprising style of the film, Rose’s cinematic influences and the use of William Blake in the story.

Saint Maud is available on DVD, Blu Ray and digital from 1st February 2021.

Disappearance at Clifton Hill is on Netflix in the UK now.

Other movie mentions: Trap for Cinderella, A Woman Under the Influence, In Her Place, Skeletons, Mank, The Current War, Repulsion, Rosemary’s Baby, The Tenant, Persona, The Silence, Through a Glass Darkly, Taxi Driver.

Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast

Follow us on socials:
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www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast
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Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z

Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio Producer: Tom Whalley. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Assistant Producer and Social Media Manager: Heather Dempsey. Intern: Elliana Jay.

Ep 60: Actor Tuppence Middleton + Saint Maud director Rose Glass talk female mental health on screen

Girls On Film is a film review podcast from a female perspective, hosted by film critic and broadcaster Anna Smith and produced by co-founder Hedda Archbold at HLA Agency