174 episodes

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

Girls On Film Anna Smith

    • TV & Film
    • 4.8 • 84 Ratings

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

    Ep 174: The Girls On Film Awards 2024 - listen in for the glamour, the glory & the glitz

    Ep 174: The Girls On Film Awards 2024 - listen in for the glamour, the glory & the glitz

    In this episode of Girls On Film we give you a flavour of the third Girls On Film Awards, our annual celebration of women in film which this year took place at our new home, Regent Street Cinema in London.

    We launched the awards to celebrate excellence in women-focused films, and to honour women and non-binary filmmakers.

    Girls On Film provides an inclusive platform for the voices of diverse women and people of marginalised genders, and we have a mission: to bring about industry-wide change, and to work toward equal representation of women in the film industry: on screen, and behind the camera.

    As the saying goes: “if she can see it, she can be it”, and that’s why shining a light on the great work women are making can make a real difference.

    Girls On Film host Anna Smith and co-founder Hedda Lornie Archbold hosted the awards together, and were joined by a stellar group of presenters to give out the awards, including Monica Dolan, Ronni Ancona, Sarah Gavron, Mia Bays, Col Needham, Mark Kermode, Nitin Sawhney and more.

    The mics didn’t pick up all the sound as well as we’d hoped – but the pod conveys the great atmosphere in the room.

    We hope you enjoy the awards!

    For a full list of the nominees and winners, you can find the press release on the HLA Website:
    https://hlaagency.co.uk/category/projects/girls-on-film-awards/

    Contributors to this episode include:
    Ronni Ancona
    Anthony Andrews
    Teanne Andrews
    Blair Barnette
    Mia Bays
    Suzie Davies
    Charlotte Dirickx
    Monica Dolan
    Jacqueline Durran
    Melanie Iredale
    Ayo Edebiri
    Kathryn Ferguson
    Jo Fernihough
    Kerry Fox
    Sarah Gavron
    Sarah Greenwood
    Priya Kansara
    Mark Kermode
    Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch
    Molly Manning Walker
    Nida Manzoor
    Col Needham
    William Oldroyd
    Rose Ryan
    Nitin Sawhney
    D. Smith
    Katie Spencer
    Holly Waddington
    Paris Zarcilla


    Films and television series mentioned in this episode are:
    ALL OF US STRANGERS
    AMERICAN FICTION
    ANATOMY OF A FALL
    ANOTHER BODY
    BARBIE
    THE BEAR
    BOTTOMS
    BRICK LANE
    EILEEN
    THE ETERNAL MEMORY
    FAIR PLAY
    THE FALLING
    FILMSTARS DON'T DIE IN LIVERPOOL
    HOW TO HAVE SEX
    JOY RIDE
    KOKOMO CITY
    LADY MACBETH
    MR BATES AND THE POST OFFICE
    NOTHING COMPARES
    NYAD
    PAST LIVES
    POLITE SOCIETY
    POOR THINGS
    THE POWER
    PREVENGE
    PRIDE
    PRISCILLA
    RAGING GRACE
    RETURN TO SEOUL
    ROCKS
    RYE LANE
    SALTBURN
    SCRAPPER
    SUFFRAGETTE
    TILL
    TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING
    W1A
    YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
    THE ZONE OF INTEREST

    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
    www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
    www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno

    Subscribe to our newsletter by emailing girlsonfilmsocial@gmail.com

    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 and Show Producer: Hedda Lornie Archbold
    Awards Producers: Hedda Lornie Archbold, Charlotte Matheson, Lydia Scott and Anna Smith
    Audio editor: Benjamin Cook
    House band: MX Tyrants

    © HLA Agency

    • 45 min
    Ep 173: Love Lies Bleeding exclusive with director Rose Glass and more at Glasgow Film Festival

    Ep 173: Love Lies Bleeding exclusive with director Rose Glass and more at Glasgow Film Festival

    In this episode Girls On Film is at the 20th edition of Glasgow Film Festival. Anna Smith sits down with Festival Director Allison Gardner, then has an exclusive interview with the director of Love Lies Bleeding Rose Glass, with Oscar-nominated director of The Teacher Farah Nabulsi, and with BAFTA-nominated director of Edge of Summer Lucy Cohen.

    First up, Director of GFF Allison Gardner picks out some of her festival highlights, from Ava DuVernay’s Origin to Viggo Mortensen’s The Dead Don’t Hurt which she describes as a ‘feminist western’. Allison talks about the unique programming at GFF with 126 films included at the festival this year. She picks out the ‘Love is sweet oh!’ strand programmed by Tomiwa Folorunso, the ‘Gestures of Memory’ strand programmed by Natasha Thembiso Ruwona, and ‘What Will the Men Wear?’ programmed by Rosie Beattie.

    Next up Anna welcomes back Rose Glass to Girls On Film, who first appeared in Episode 60 to discuss her debut Saint Maud, which also showed at GFF in 2019. This year Rose is back with her hotly-anticipated second feature, Love Lies Bleeding, which had its UK premiere as the Opening Gala film at GFF. With Anna, Rose talks about the ‘dream’ casting of Kristen Stewart as moody heartthrob Lou, who meets amateur bodybuilder Jackie when she turns up in Lou’s sleepy hometown. The pair fall hard for one another and Rose describes crafting their fantastical love story, with co-writer Weronika Tofilska, which has ‘one foot in reality, and one foot somewhere stranger’...

    Anna also speaks to Oscar-nominated director Farah Nabulsi, whose debut feature The Teacher is showing at GFF. Anna asked Farah about her journey into filmmaking, from a background in business to directing her first short The Present, which went on to be nominated for the 2021 Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

    Finally, Anna speaks with BAFTA-nominated director Lucy Cohen, whose coming-of-age film Edge of Summer tells the story of 11-year-old Evie on holiday in Cornwall in the early 1990s. When she meets local boy Adam, a mysterious discovery down an old tin mine changes everything. Lucy talks to Anna about her influences in exploring childhood on screen, citing Ratcatcher (Lynne Ramsay, 1999) and Walkabout (Nicolas Roeg, 1771), and about her excitement to be showing the film at Glasgow Film Festival.

    Thank you to our partners for this episode, Glasgow Film Festival.

    The festival runs from 28 February to 10 March.

    To buy tickets visit the Glasgow Film Festival website glasgowfilmfest.org/home/

    Love Lies Bleeding is in UK cinemas from 3 May 2024.

    You can watch The Teacher in Glasgow on Monday 4 March 2024 at 6pm and Tuesday 5 March 2024 at 3.15pm.

    You can watch Edge of Summer in Glasgow on Friday 8 March 2024 at 8.30pm and Saturday 9 March 2024 at 3.45pm.

    Other films mentioned in the podcast:
    The Mask (Charles Russell, 1994)
    Origin (Ava DuVernay, 2023)
    The Dead Don’t Hurt (Viggo Mortensen, 2024)
    Lousy Carter (Bob Byington, 2023)
    The Teacher’s Lounge (Ilker Catak, 2023)
    Thelma and Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991)
    Walkabout (Nicolas Roeg, 1971)
    Ratcatcher (Lynne Ramsay, 1999)
    The Present (Farah Nabulsi, 2021)
    Saint Maud (Rose Glass, 2019)
    Girl (Adura Onashile, 2023)
    Daisies (Vera Chitylova, 1966)

    The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the organisation or its affiliates.

    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
    www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
    www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno

    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: Charlotte Matheson
    House band: MX Tyrants

    © HLA Agency

    • 50 min
    Ep 172: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley and more join us for a Wicked Little Letters exclusive

    Ep 172: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley and more join us for a Wicked Little Letters exclusive

    This episode features the tenth Oscar winner to appear on Girls On Film. Anna Smith hears from Academy Award winner Olivia Colman who stars opposite Jessie Buckley and Anjana Vasan in the black comedy Wicked Little Letters. She also speaks to the film’s director, Thea Sharrock, and historical consultant Emily Cockayne about bringing this remarkable true story to the big screen.

    The film follows two neighbours: conservative local Edith Swan (played by Olivia Colman) and rowdy Irish migrant Rose Gooding (played by Jessie Buckley). When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive the letters, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. Anjana Vasan plays Police Officer Gladys Moss, who suspects that Rose may not be the culprit after all…

    Firstly, Anna speaks with Anjana and Thea about balancing the comedy with some of the more poignant moments in the film. They discuss Anjana’s character Gladys Moss, who is based on the first woman Police Officer in Sussex, and talk about the contemporary relevance of poison pen letters.

    Next up Anna hears from historical consultant Emily Cockayne, whose book Cheek By Jowl: A History of Neighbours details some of the scandal caused by the Littlehampton case in the 1920s.

    Finally, Anna is joined by the two stars of the film, Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckely, who recall their delight in receiving Jonny Sweet’s script. Olivia talks about her background in comedy, and the pair give an insight into the set of Wicked Little Letters when they discuss their musical collaboration.

    WICKED LITTLE LETTERS is released in UK and Irish cinemas on 23 February 2024.

    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
    www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
    www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno

    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: Charlotte Matheson
    Audio editor: Benjamin Cook
    House band: MX Tyrants
    Thanks to our partners for this episode STUDIOCANAL

    © HLA Agency

    • 44 min
    Ep 171: Intimacy Coordinator Ita O’Brien talks about sex in Saltburn, Poor Things, Fair Play & more

    Ep 171: Intimacy Coordinator Ita O’Brien talks about sex in Saltburn, Poor Things, Fair Play & more

    As we post this episode, we’re coming up to the third annual Girls On Film Awards 2024. They take place on Tuesday 20 February 2024 at Regent Street Cinema in London. We’ll celebrate the brilliant work made by women in film and will be joined by nominees, industry supporters and listeners.


    We give awards in 12 categories, and the undisputed climax of the night will be the award for the category 'Female Orgasm on Screen, sponsored by Intimacy On Set' for the second year running. In this episode, Intimacy On Set founder Ita O’Brien talks with Hedda Lornie Archbold, Girls On Film co-founder, about the four nominated films in this category: Fair Play, Joy Ride, Poor Things and Saltburn, as well as about some of the other notable films of the past year.

    Ita O'Brien is an Intimacy Coordinator and Movement Director for film, television, and theatre. Since 2014, she has been developing best practice when working with intimacy, scenes with sexual content, and nudity in film, TV, and theatre. Ita pioneered the role of Intimacy Coordinator, which is being adopted in leading production houses, including HBO, Netflix, and the BBC. Ita founded Intimacy on Set to provide trained, professional Intimacy Coordinators to the industry.

    Also in this episode, Anna Smith recommends some great films by women filmmakers in the run up to International Women’s Day 2024.

    Films mentioned in this episode:
    Men Up
    Saltburn
    Poor Things
    Fair Play
    Joy Ride
    How To Have Sex
    Barbie
    Oppenheimer
    Memory
    Four Daughters
    Copa 71
    Origin

    Operas mentioned in this episode:
    Anthony and Cleopatra

    Television series mentioned in this episode:
    Bridgerton
    Brave New World

    Men Up is on BBC iPlayer
    Fair Play is on Netflix
    Joy Ride is streaming platforms including Apple TV.
    Saltburn is on Prime Video
    Poor Things is on streaming platforms including Prime Video and Apple TV from 27 February 2024.


    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
    www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
    www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno

    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
    Producer: Hedda Lornie Archbold
    Audio editor: Emma Butt
    House band: MX Tyrants
    This episode is in partnership with Intimacy On Set

    © HLA Agency

    • 39 min
    Ep 170: Oscar-nominees Annette Bening and Jodie Foster star in Nyad: we discuss the film’s themes

    Ep 170: Oscar-nominees Annette Bening and Jodie Foster star in Nyad: we discuss the film’s themes

    In today’s episode, Anna Smith talks to members of the the Girls On Film community about Nyad, starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, which tells the remarkable true story of athlete Diana Nyad.

    An athlete turned journalist, Diana Nyad made an incredible vow when she turned 60. She was determined to become the first person to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida, without a shark cage. She was supported by a team including her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll.

    Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the film has a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Annette Bening as Diana, and Supporting Actress for Jodie Foster as Bonnie. The bond between Diana and Bonnie is beautifully depicted, whether they are sharing witty banter, second guessing each other or finding their strong friendship tested by Diana’s relentless and risky ambition. It’s the reason that Nyad is nominated for the Female Friendship on Screen award at the 2024 Girls On Film Awards.


    In partnership with Netflix we arranged a special Girls On Film screening of Nyad, the feature written by Julia Cox, adapted from the memoir Find A Way by Diana Nyad. We invited some of the Girls On Film community to watch this extraordinary true story on the big screen, followed by a discussion about some of the themes of the film, including friendships between women, achieving your goals no matter what your age, and the great pleasure of seeing the story of two complex, older lesbian characters on screen in mainstream cinema.


    Thanks to our partners for this episode, Netflix UK


    Other films mentioned in this episode are:
    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
    Blindsight
    Booksmart
    Chariots of Fire
    Free Solo
    Girl Picture
    How to Have Sex
    A League of Their Own
    Polite Society
    The Rescue
    She Said
    The Silent Twins
    The Swimmers
    Thelma and Louise
    The Woman King


    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
    www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
    www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno

    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: Charlotte Matheson
    Audio editor: Emma Butt
    House band: MX Tyrants

    © HLA Agency

    • 25 min
    Ep 169: Mr & Mrs Smith creator Francesca Sloane on women writers & subverting Bond Girl tropes

    Ep 169: Mr & Mrs Smith creator Francesca Sloane on women writers & subverting Bond Girl tropes

    In this episode of Girls On Film, Anna Smith talks to the creator and showrunner of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Francesca Sloane.

    Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a series inspired by the 2005 film by Doug Liman and Simon Kinberg. It stars Maya Erskine and Donald Glover as two lonely strangers who land jobs working for a mysterious spy agency, and are given new identities in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. The eight-part series explores their relationship as they take on each new mission, with an all-star supporting cast including Parker Posey, Paul Dano, Sharon Horgan, Michaela Coel and more.

    In this conversation, Francesca discusses the conception of Mr. & Mrs. Smith and how she moved from being offered jobs ‘cleaning in her underwear’ in LA to being the showrunner of this series. She speaks to Anna about subverting gender roles in this reimagining of the 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and turning Donald Glover into a ‘Bond Girl’ figure. She also talks about the unique experience of leading a writing room made up exclusively of women of colour, and how the plot of the series came to interrogate questions of race and visibility.

    Mr. & Mrs. Smith is available on Prime Video now.

    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
    www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
    www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno

    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: Charlotte Matheson
    Audio editor: Emma Butt
    House band: MX Tyrants
    This episode is in partnership with Prime Video

    • 22 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
84 Ratings

84 Ratings

Wenamaroo ,

Big respect to Anna and GoF!

Anna Smith and her team deserve all the awards they have quite rightly accrued with this long running podcast. It attracts the crème de la crème of female film talent and champions many on their way up. Always engaging and thought provoking, this is the number one place to hear about the ever growing world of female film talent. Feminist film chat at its best.

FriedGreenChillies ,

Feminism and film - love it!

What a brilliant podcast. Discovered it recently from a recommendation and really enjoying to Anna and her incredible guests having such candid and intelligent conversations! Really wish more films were made by women for women. ❤️

GirlPower😘 ,

More please

Love this podcast. WHY ISN'T IT A TV SHOW? It’s the sort of interviews you crave on TV but only get a minute of. Fantastic anecdotes on films and behind-the-scenes showbiz. Anna the host comes across as informative and insightful, her questions get the sort of answers you don’t hear elsewhere. Her guests are reliably interesting. Thought-provoking and fun – my favourite combination! More please, thanks.

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