Cinetopia Radio

Cinetopia

Regular film show from the Cinetopia podcast team, reviewing the latest releases (slanted towards arthouse cinema), and interviews with film professionals as well as highlighting industry specific masterclasses we produce in Edinburgh. Cinetopia is a organisation aiming to make film and filmmaking more approachable and diverse within Edinburgh and beyond. We offer low-cost film screenings for local communities & organise free networking events that bring filmmakers in the early stages of their careers together with seasoned professionals and festival directors together.

  1. April 2026: The Drama, Project Hail Mary & Rose of Nevada + Mark Jenkin Interview

    APR 20

    April 2026: The Drama, Project Hail Mary & Rose of Nevada + Mark Jenkin Interview

    In this month’s episode of the Cinetopia podcast, we review three new releases that each unfold in their own distinct world. We begin with The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, a dramedy already generating conversation around its central twist. We then turn to Project Hail Mary, a science-fiction story built around a deeply unexpected relationship, before discussing Rose of Nevada, the latest from Mark Jenkin, a quietly uncanny, time-bending mystery starring Callum Turner and George MacKay. We also sit down with Mark Jenkin to talk about the film, his creative process, and how it connects to his earlier work as part of a Cornish trilogy. Plus, we look ahead to our Fiends in the Furrows folk-horror festival, including outdoor screenings of Enys Men and Rose of Nevada. Show Running Order00:15:30 – The Drama (dir. Kristoffer Borgli) Review00:44:23 – Project Hail Mary (dir. Phil Lord & Christopher Miller) Review01:06:52 – Rose of Nevada (dir. Mark Jenkin) Review01:24:46 – Mark Jenkin Interview01:56:20 – Closing Cinetopia is an Edinburgh-based film exhibition and events platform dedicated to curating distinctive cinema experiences across screenings, festivals, and live events. From new releases to archive works, Cinetopia brings audiences together through thoughtful programming, conversation, and a focus on film as a shared cultural experience. Find out more at www.cinetopia.co.uk Check out our Fiends in the Furrows festival, running from 23–26 April: www.fiendsinthefurrows.com

    2h 4m
  2. November 2025: Jay Kelly, The Running Man, Bugonia, Wake Up Dead Man, plus Queer East & French Film Festival Interviews

    11/30/2025

    November 2025: Jay Kelly, The Running Man, Bugonia, Wake Up Dead Man, plus Queer East & French Film Festival Interviews

    Film reviews, festival conversations and special interviews with Yi Wang (Queer East) and Richard Mowe (French Film Festival UK). Episode Overview In this November edition of the Cinetopia Radio Show and Podcast, Amanda is joined by contributors Emma and Mariana for a packed episode of reviews and festival conversations. We begin with Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer’s new Hollywood character story starring George Clooney, before diving into Edgar Wright’s adrenaline-fuelled The Running Man, Yorgos Lanthimos’s wonderfully deranged Bugonia, and Rian Johnson’s latest Benoit Blanc mystery, Wake Up Dead Man. We also feature two interviews:• Yi Wang, Director of the Queer East Film Festival, speaking about this year’s programme.• Richard Mowe, Director of the French Film Festival UK, discussing the festival’s history and its 2025 highlights. Plus, a reminder to explore Cinetopia Recommends — our weekly guide to film events and opportunities across Scotland — and Cinetopia Connect, our free digital platform for screenings, jobs and community listings. [00:00] IntroductionAmanda welcomes listeners, introduces contributors Emma and Mariana, and sets up the films and interviews featured in this month’s episode. [03:40] Jay Kelly — dir. Noah Baumbach (co-written by Emily Mortimer)A Hollywood character story starring George Clooney as a man confronting the public version of himself — glossy, charming and tinged with self-reflection. [19:24] The Running Man — dir. Edgar WrightA high-energy, near-future chase thriller faithful to Stephen King’s novel, full of commentary on surveillance, spectacle and the machinery of entertainment. [31:20] Bugonia — dir. Yorgos LanthimosA ferocious conspiracy satire starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Wild, uncomfortable, brutally funny — Lanthimos back in sharp form. [42:43] Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — dir. Rian Johnson Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc, but Josh O’Connor absolutely steals the show in the third instalment of Rian Johnson’s cult mystery franchise. [56:09] Interview: Yi Wang — Director, Queer East Film FestivalVeronica Buccino speaks with Yi Wang about this year’s Queer East On The Road programme. [01:23:45] Interview: Richard Mowe — Director, French Film Festival UK - Richard Mowe reflects on the festival’s history and its 2025 highlights.

    1h 47m
  3. October 2025: London Film Festival Edition + Jali Film Weekender interview

    11/01/2025

    October 2025: London Film Festival Edition + Jali Film Weekender interview

    This month (October) the Cinetopia team — Amanda, Robert, Rosie and Emma — dive into the 2025 BFI London Film Festival from both sides of the border, unpacking the highlights, surprises and cinematic trends that defined this year’s programme. Episode breakdown: [00:00] Introduction & Festival Overview How this year’s LFF felt from both London and Scotland, what’s new, and how regional audiences are engaging with the festival. [15:00] Frankenstein — dir. Guillermo del Toro A bold and emotional reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s classic, part-filmed in Scotland, blending gothic spectacle with del Toro’s empathy for the monster within. [28:05] I Was Just an Accident — dir. Jafar Panahi A road-movie-style reflection on guilt and redemption, rich with Panahi’s quiet humour and humanism, blurring the line between fiction and reality. [37:00] Die My Love — dir. Lynne Ramsay Ramsay returns with a visceral, intimate portrait of motherhood and rage, shot through with her trademark precision in image and sound. [46:45] Hamnet — dir. Chloé Zhao An emotional, gorgeous film that reimagines Shakespeare’s family life through the loss of his son, capturing the texture of grief and creative legacy. [01:01:00] Mastermind — dir. Kelly Reichardt Autumnal in tone and quietly comic, Reichardt’s latest turns the art-heist genre inside out, reflecting on the absurdities of creative ambition and failure. [01:10:15] Interview: Jali Collective — Tomiwa Folorunso and Carmen Thompson Amanda speaks with the co-founders of Jali Collective, a grassroots Edinburgh-based collective widening access to African cinema and celebrating Black, African and diaspora stories through film and culture. Join us for festival reflections, film chat, and a little cross-border cinephile gossip — from London to Edinburgh and beyond.

    1h 47m
  4. Cinetopia Radio Sep 2025 – Highest 2 Lowest, Honey Don't!, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, Happyend & Paul and Paulette Take a Bath + Interviews with Paul Sng, Marta Massa & Hannah Papacek Harper

    09/21/2025

    Cinetopia Radio Sep 2025 – Highest 2 Lowest, Honey Don't!, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, Happyend & Paul and Paulette Take a Bath + Interviews with Paul Sng, Marta Massa & Hannah Papacek Harper

    Cinetopia Radio – September Edition Cinetopia Radio host Amanda is joined by the Cinetopia team — Isy Santini, Simon Bowie, and Kat Zabecka — for this month's episode, where we review five distinctive new releases and bring you a set of exciting conversations with filmmakers and festival organisers. Film Reviews 4:50 - Highest 2 Lowest (dir. Spike Lee)- Lee's English-language reinterpretation of Kurosawa's High and Low stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul who faces a moral crisis when a ransom plot targets his chauffeur's son. Relocated to contemporary New York, Lee transforms the classic crime thriller into a sharp exploration of inequality and power. Streaming on Apple TV+ 15:40 - Honey, Don't! (dir. Ethan Coen) Margaret Qualley stars as a small-town private investigator delving into strange deaths tied to a mysterious church. The second in Coen's "lesbian B-movie trilogy," this neo-noir dark comedy mixes absurdist humor with genre conventions in his typically offbeat style. In UK cinemas now 24:35 - Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk (dir. Sepideh Farsi) - Shot through video calls over 200+ days, this documentary captures life in Gaza through exchanges between filmmaker Farsi and Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna. A poignant meditation on survival under siege, made more profound by Hassouna's tragic death in an airstrike after the film's Cannes selection. Distributed by Dogwoof - www.dogwoof.com 36:33 - Happyend (dir. Neo Sora) - Set in near-future Tokyo bracing for a devastating earthquake, Sora's narrative debut follows teenage friends navigating personal struggles as foreshocks predict disaster. The film weaves fragments of youth and anxiety into a haunting meditation on memory and belonging. UK distribution by Modern Films - www.modernfilms.com 50:28 - Paul and Paulette Take a Bath (dir. Jethro Massey) An American photographer and French girl spark an unusual friendship around reenacting notorious Parisian crimes from bygone eras. This surreal British debut won the Audience Award at Venice Critics' Week. Distributed by Conic Films Alongside the reviews, we feature three in-depth interviews: 1:04:00 Paul Sng joins Amanda Rogers to discuss Reality is Not Enough, his new documentary portraying author Irvine Welsh, ahead of its UK release later this month. 1:23:40 Marta Massa, representing Iberodocs, talks with Veronica Buccino about the festival's mission to celebrate Ibero-American culture through film 1:37:18 Hannah Papacek Harper chats with Clara Strachan about her award-winning short Lost for Words, which took home the North Light Award at Montrose LandxSea Film Festival.

    1h 58m
  5. August 2025 – EIFF Special Edition

    08/21/2025

    August 2025 – EIFF Special Edition

    Cinetopia show host Amanda Rogers, Cinetopia co-founder, is joined by Emma Jamieson and Clara Strachan for a special edition of the Cinetopia Radio Show, reflecting on highlights from the 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival (August 14–20, 2025). In this episode, the team looks back on the festival’s standout films and shares exclusive conversations with some of the filmmakers and talent behind them. The team discusses four of the most talked-about titles from EIFF 2025, all of which will be ones to watch as they reach cinemas and streaming: Sorry, Baby: Opening this year’s festival, Eva Victor’s acclaimed comedy-drama follows Agnes (played by Victor herself) as she navigates friendship, creativity, and recovery after trauma. A Sundance favorite making its UK premiere, the film captures the subtleties of resilience with Victor’s signature blend of wit and sensitivity. Bulk: The latest from Ben Wheatley, a mysterious, late-night thrill ride that world premiered at the festival. A quintessential midnight madness movie that is unsettling, mischievous, and full of Wheatley’s signature energy. Two Neighbors: From the Edinburgh Fringe comes Ondine Viñao’s visually stunning, punkish, and remarkably assured debut. A modern retelling of an Aesop fable with a viral-meme twist, it stars Anya Chalotra and Chloe Cherry as a struggling writer and a wealthy socialite whose lives collide over one chaotic night at a debauched party. With bold visuals and fearless humor, Two Neighbors is a wild ride that firmly establishes Viñao as a filmmaker to watch. Islands: A stylish neo-noir mystery from Jan-Ole Gerster, starring Sam Riley, Stacy Martin, and Jack Farthing. Set against the haunting beauty of Fuerteventura, it follows Tom, a washed-up tennis pro turned resort coach, numbing his emptiness with alcohol and fleeting affairs until a chance encounter with a mysterious family offers him a dangerous escape. Interview - Julie Pacino: On her debut feature I Live Here Now, Pacino discusses using horror to explore personal trauma, her decision to shoot on film, and inspirations from David Lynch to Jane Schoenbrun. Interview - Zlatko Burić, Ella Rumpf and Harry Lagoussis: The cast and director of Novak share the film’s unusual inspiration, including the myth of Atlantis, and their collaborative process. Interview - Constantine Costi: Director of The Golden Spurtle talks about discovering this charming documentary subject, working with Charlie Miller, and capturing both the quirky porridge competition and the warmth of a Highland community. Whether you missed the festival or are curious about what is next on the cinematic horizon, this episode is your insider’s guide to the films of EIFF 2025 and the ones you will want to look out for soon.

    1h 46m
  6. SUMMER 2025 on EHFM - Reviews of 28 Years Later, F1, Pavements, and Ballad of Wallis Island

    08/05/2025

    SUMMER 2025 on EHFM - Reviews of 28 Years Later, F1, Pavements, and Ballad of Wallis Island

    Originally aired on the 18th of JULY 2025 on EHFM, here's our pod version of the summer episode of the Cinetopia Radio Show and Podcast - On our summer edition of the Cinetopia radio show and podcast, host and producer Amanda Rogers (co-founder of Cinetopia) is joined by show regulars Garry Arnot (Cinema Perspective) and Clara Strachan as they dive into an eclectic mix of new releases. The team first presents a preview of the EIFF 2025 film festival programme, highlighting the must-see screenings and events at Edinburgh's premier cinema celebration. The team delivers their signature in-depth reviews of four new release films: 28 YEARS LATER, Danny Boyle's return to the zombie-infested world he created, reuniting with writer Alex Garland and starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes; F1, Joseph Kosinski's high-octane Formula One drama featuring Brad Pitt as a veteran driver mentoring newcomer Damson Idris, with Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon; PAVEMENTS, Alex Ross Perry's innovative documentary about the legendary indie band Pavement, featuring Stephen Malkmus and an unconventional approach starring Joe Keery and Jason Schwartzman, and THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND, James Griffiths' quirky British comedy-drama about an eccentric lottery winner (Tim Key) living on a remote island, co-starring Tom Basden and featuring Carey Mulligan. Run of Show - 5:05 - EIFF 2025 Preview 12:13 - 28 YEARS LATER review (Danny Boyle) - The undead franchise gets its third chapter 37:00 - PAVEMENTS review (Alex Ross Perry) - An experimental love letter to '90s indie rock misfits 1:03:08 - F1 review (Joseph Kosinski) - Adrenaline-fueled motorsport drama from the Top Gun: Maverick director 1:17:28 - THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND review (James Griffiths) - British comedy meets musical folk whimsy Stay tuned for our EIFF festival coverage coming next in August 2025. You can find previous episodes here on the podcast channel or on our website at www.cinetopia.co.uk. Please subscribe and support us!

    1h 39m
5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Regular film show from the Cinetopia podcast team, reviewing the latest releases (slanted towards arthouse cinema), and interviews with film professionals as well as highlighting industry specific masterclasses we produce in Edinburgh. Cinetopia is a organisation aiming to make film and filmmaking more approachable and diverse within Edinburgh and beyond. We offer low-cost film screenings for local communities & organise free networking events that bring filmmakers in the early stages of their careers together with seasoned professionals and festival directors together.

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