Celebrating Cinema

LAB111
  • 5.0 (1)
  • FILM HISTORY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Celebrating Cinema

A podcast for the love of cinema! For more info check out our website: https://celebratingcinema.com. As always, we want to hear from you so please get in touch at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

  1. FEB 20

    Is 'The Monkey' Better Than 'Longlegs'?

    In this review roundup, hosts Laura Gommans and Hugo Emmerzael dive into three films that have caught their attention. Oz Perkins’ latest offbeat horror, The Monkey, leaves them both questioning if the American director knows how to land an ending. Hugo shares insights from his Cannes conversation with Jia Zhang-ke about his latest work, Caught by the Tides. But while Hugo sees something transcendental, Laura isn’t so convinced—questioning whether it’s all just pretension and an easy ride to the Cannes Film Festival. Finally, they close with Payal Kapadia’s fiction feature debut, All We Imagine as Light - a film that moved both hosts, though for very different reasons. (No surprises there!)

    26 min

  2. FEB 13

    Can You Still Make a Good Musical Biopic?

    With a new wave of nostalgia-driven musical biopics—A Complete Unknown, Better Man, Maria—flooding theaters, hosts Laura Gommans and Hugo Emmerzael ask: what does it take to make a great musical biopic these days? A genre weighed down by formulaic storytelling and its own well-worn bingo card of narrative beats, the musical biopic too often settles for a greatest-hits retelling rather than embracing the radical possibilities of cinema. In this episode, we revisit the films that transcend mere homage, interrogate why audiences remain captivated by these glossy reenactments, and consider how the genre might break free from its own nostalgic loop. Book tickets to CC Film Club: Velvet Goldmine @ LAB111 Book tickets to A Complete Unknown @ LAB111 Show Notes & Films Mentioned

    50 min

  3. FEB 6

    Does AI in The Brutalist Even Matter?

    In our first edition of the Review Roundup, a new biweekly cinematic dispatch, Laura Gommans and Elliot Bloom get into the latest films everyone's talking about. From the swirling controversies surrounding Brady Corbet’s Academy-nominated The Brutalist to the unexpected Marvel-like crossover in Pablo Larraín’s Maria, Laura and Elliot share their reactions. Also in focus: the enduring allure of Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour, a film as provocative and hypnotic now as it was upon its release, returning to the big screen in all its dreamlike splendour. Book tickets to The Brutalist @ LAB111 Book tickets to Belle de Jour @ LAB111 Book tickets to Buñuel 125 @ LAB111 Book tickets to CC Film Club: Velvet Goldmine @ LAB111 Show Notes & Films Mentioned

    31 min

  4. JAN 29

    How Ernest R. Dickerson Discovered Tupac For Juice

    Legendary filmmaker Ernest Dickerson joins host Elliot Bloom for a compelling journey through his remarkable career. From his early love of sci-fi and fascination with the practical elements of filmmaking to meeting long-time collaborator Spike Lee on his first day of film school, Dickerson reflects on the defining moments that have influenced his work. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of cinema, he discusses his pivotal role in shaping Black American cinema over the last 40 years and the stories behind the making of his iconic films. In a candid conversation, Dickerson also reveals the unexpected path that led him to make a feature film about Curaçao. Book tickets to ⁠CC Film Club: Velvet Goldmine⁠ @ LAB111 Show Notes and Films Mentioned

    51 min

  5. JAN 24

    Jeroen Houben on Torch Song (2025)

    Fresh off winning the Dutch Film Critics’ Choice Award at the Netherlands Film Festival, LAB111 resident filmmaker Jeroen Houben joins host Kiriko Mechanicus to discuss his bittersweet, offbeat drama Torch Song. The film tells the story of an eccentric former pop singer who reconnects with her estranged half-brother in the Netherlands, only to unravel his life when she discovers a muse in his girlfriend. Houben delves into his aim to craft a raw, nuanced portrayal of a struggling artist, sidestepping tired clichés, while offering a fresh perspective on Amsterdam through the eyes of an international community. He also reflects on composing the film’s songs in tandem with the script, his fascination with musicals, and a formative (and unsettling) childhood memory of an animated dog. A bold tribute to the power of music and storytelling, this episode offers an illuminating look into the creation of a film where ambition and emotion collide. Book tickets to Torch Song @ LAB111 Book tickets to CC Film Club: Juice

    28 min

  6. JAN 21

    Raoul Peck on Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (2025)

    A fearless voice against systemic injustice, Raoul Peck has crafted a body of work that interrogates the legacies of colonialism, racism, and power with unflinching clarity. In this episode, Peck joins our producer Elliot to discuss his latest film, Ernest Cole: Lost and Found, an intimate exploration of South Africa’s first apartheid-era photographer. Reflecting on Cole’s haunting images, Peck draws striking parallels between apartheid South Africa, modern systems of segregation, and the enduring consequences for those displaced. Peck’s films stand as a testament to the radical potential of cinema to confront, reimagine, and connect the world’s entrenched narratives. He leaves us with a powerful reminder: “The world will be what each one of us lets it be. If we don’t act, our inaction will shape the future.” Book tickets to Ernest Cole: Lost and Found Book tickets to The Raoul Peck Collection Book tickets to CC Film Club: Juice

    37 min

  7. JAN 16

    From Dracula to Edward Cullen: The Immortal Cinema of Bloodsuckers and Nightstalkers

    This year, vampires emerge from the shadows once more with Robert Eggers’ haunting reimagining of Nosferatu. But why does the vampire continue to linger in our cultural imagination? In this episode, hosts Laura Gommans and Tom Ooms embark on a cinematic journey through the dark, blood-soaked history of vampires and night stalkers. From terrifying symbols of society’s deepest fears to complex, oddly relatable figures, they explore how these creatures of the night have evolved. What began as a reflection of our anxieties has transformed into a mirror of our own desires, struggles, and yearnings. Join them as they unravel the vampire’s enduring appeal and ask: are these bloodsuckers misunderstood souls searching for something deeper than just human blood? Tune in—if you dare—and uncover why these creatures of the night refuse to let go. Get tickets to Lust For Blood program Get tickets to CC Film Club: Juice Listen to our conversation with Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke Show Notes and Films Mentioned

    59 min

  8. JAN 9

    Why No Other Land is the Most Important Film of 2025

    In a village under constant threat of displacement, where homes and schools are torn down and the land is slowly seized, how does one resist? For Basel, the camera is a weapon in the fight to preserve his community of Masafer Yatta. No Other Land is an unflinching documentary of settler violence, created by two Palestinians and two Israeli filmmakers. What they capture is undeniable. On this episode of Celebrating Cinema, Basel and Yuval join Elliot for a powerful conversation about living under separate laws of the same state. They discuss their role as storytellers, connecting the fractured pieces of this crime, and uncovering the emotional truth behind life under occupation. Through their lenses, they expose Israeli state policies fuelling land grabs and illegal occupation, while underscoring the urgent need to document and bear witness. Book tickets to No Other Land Book tickets CC Film Club: Juice Book tickets to The Raoul Peck Collection

    31 min
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About

A podcast for the love of cinema! For more info check out our website: https://celebratingcinema.com. As always, we want to hear from you so please get in touch at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

Information

  • Creator
    LAB111
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © LAB111
  • Show Website
    Celebrating Cinema

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