Girls On Film Anna Smith

Anna Smith speaks to director Susan Seidelman about her highly anticipated new memoir, Desperately Seeking Something, as well as Rosanna Arquette, who starred in Seidelman's 1985 cult classic, Desperately Seeking Susan.

Anna begins by speaking to Susan Seidelman about her memoir and her recollections of working with Madonna and Rosanna Arquette. Susan talks about the explosion of Madonna’s stardom during filming, sharing some of her cherished memories from that time. She reflects on the enduring cultural impact of Desperately Seeking Susan as well as more broadly on her career.

Next, Anna speaks to Rosanna Arquette about her memories of starring in Desperately Seeking Susan. Rosanna talks about the celebrated female friendship between her and Madonna’s much-loved characters in the film, and how that translated into their off-screen friendship, sharing some of her hilarious highlights of working with Madonna. Rosanna also talks about the Time’s Up movement, discussing her powerful allyship with the other women who were amongst the first to speak out against Harvey Weinstein, and sharing insights into the monumental impact that it had on her life.

Susan Seidelman’s memoir Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir about Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls is published by Macmillan Publishers and is available online and in bookstores in the US, and through Amazon and Blackwells in the UK.

UK Blackwells:
https://tinyurl.com/4xfnn8ud

UK Amazon:
https://tinyurl.com/2z6uakkt

US Macmillan:
https://tinyurl.com/3z8hnp9c

US Amazon:
https://tinyurl.com/26ub6sas

Trigger warning: The interview with Rosanna Arquette in this episode contains potentially upsetting conversations relating to Harvey Weinstein. This episode also contains very strong language.

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Other films mentioned:
Desperately Seeking Susan
Smithereens
After Hours
Basic Instinct
Thelma and Louise
Midnight Cowboy
The Graduate
Sex and the City
The Sopranos
She Devil
Baby It’s You
The Linguini Incident
Searching for Debra Winger

In this episode, Anna Smith speaks to the creators behind Prime Video’s new series, My Lady Jane, including creator/writer Gemma Burgess and writer Meredith Glynn, as well as the executive producer of My Lady Jane, the legendary Laurie MacDonald.

Anna begins by speaking to Gemma Burgess and Meredith Glynn about the creation of the series, including the inspiration they found in their shared love of films from the 80s and 90s, and how keen they were to bring the playful tone of those films into the series. They discuss their exciting revisionist approach to history and the importance of the representation of women both behind and in front of the camera.

Next, Anna speaks to Laurie MacDonald, who was the co-head of Amblin Entertainment and the co-president of DreamWorks, and together with her husband has produced the Men in Black series, Gladiator, Minority Report, and The Trial of Chicago 7, as well as American Beauty and Free Solo. They talk about what first attracted her to adapt the book, about the depiction of women through a female gaze, and the way that the production celebrates diversity. She speaks more broadly about how things have changed for women in both the industry and gender dynamics and offers advice to listeners who are looking to work in the film industry.

Thank you to our partners for this episode, Prime Video.

My Lady Jane will be available on Prime Video on 27 June 2024.

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Other films and television series mentioned:
The Boys (Eric Kripke)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Joss Whedon)
Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson, Ben Elton, Richard Curtis)
The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner)
Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (Kevin Reynolds)
Ladyhawke (Richard Donner)
A Knight’s Tale (Brian Helgeland)
Shakespeare in Love (John Madden)
Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrmann)
Lady Jane (Trevor Nunn)
Bridgerton (Chris Van Dusen)
Still Star-Crossed (Heather Mitchell)
Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis)
Clueless (Amy Heckerling)
Crocodile Dundee (Peter Faiman)
Broken Arrow (John Woo)
Young Guns II (Geoff Murphy)
Twilight (Catherine Hardwicke)
My So-Called Life (Winnie Holzman)
Men in Black series (Barry Sonnenfeld)
Gladiator (Ridley Scott)
Minority Report (Steven Spielberg)
Trial of the Chicago Seven (Aaron Sorkin)
American Beauty (Sam Mendes)
Free Solo (Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi)

Girls On Film is an HLA production.

Host: Anna Smith
Executive Producer: Hedda Lornie Archbold
Intern: Jade Evans
Audio editor: Emma Butt
House band: MX Tyrants

© HLA Agency

In this episode of Girls On Film, Anna Smith highlights some feminist favourites from Sundance London Film Festival. She catches up with director Shuchi Talati, whose debut feature Girls Will Be Girls follows headgirl Mira (Preeti Panigrahi) as she strives to get As in the classroom and the bedroom, and struggles with a third-wheeling mother (Kani Kusruti). Anna is joined by Shuchi as well as lead actress Preeti Panigrahi as they reflect on women’s filmmaking in India, reveal how they tackled intimacy on set together, and share Shuchi’s initiative Undercurrent, a scheme to train women to work in the lighting department on film sets in India.

Next up, Anna hears from the singer turned actress Maisy Stella, who stars opposite Aubrey Plaza in Megan Park’s My Old Ass. The pair chat about what attracted Maisy to the role of 18 year old Elliott, who meets her 39 year old self while tripping on magic mushrooms and has to deal with the consequences of knowing how her teenage decisions will impact her later life. Maisy recalls the refreshing nature of Park’s script, which portrays a queer lead without feeling tokenistic or trite.

Finally, Anna chats to Vicky Krieps about starring in Viggo Mortensen’s new feminist western, The Dead Don’t Hurt. She talks with Anna about ‘becoming your own department’ when your co-star is also the director, and Viggo speaks about the inspiration behind the character of Vivienne. Vicky also dispels some of the myths of progress in the film industry, while acknowledging the importance of portraying women like Vivienne in The Dead Don’t Hurt in order to move towards a more feminist cinema, but also a more feminist film set.

The Dead Don’t Hurt is in UK and Irish cinemas now.

Girls Will Be Girls will be in UK and Irish cinemas on 20 September 2024.

Follow Girls On Film on social media to see release updates for My Old Ass.

Other films mentioned:

Flowervale Street (David Robert Mitchell)
The Fallout (Megan Park)
Corsage (Marie Kreutzer)
Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson)
The Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson)
Eastern Promises (David Cronenberg)
Falling (Viggo Mortensen)

Find out more about Undercurrent below:
https://www.undercurrentfilmlab.com/

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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: Jade Evans
Audio editor: Jack Howard
House band: MX Tyrants

© HLA Agency

Ep 176: Cannes Film Festival 2024, we review Bird, Megalopolis, The Girl With the Needle, and more

This episode of Girls On Film comes from Cannes, where Anna Smith speaks to Jane Crowther and Wendy Mitchell about their Film Festival highlights. Anna hosts the very first Girls On Film party at The Members Club, and speaks to some of the guests about their work at the festival and which films they’ve enjoyed.

First up, Anna takes us through the soundscape of Cannes and walks the red carpet for Emilia Perez. Anna joins the Women in Film and TV yacht party, to hear CEO Katie Bailiff’s speech, before heading to MUBI’s beach party. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.
Then Anna invites film journalists Jane Crowther and Wendy Mitchell to discuss the films they’ve seen in Cannes so far, which include Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Megalopolis, The Girl With the Needle and On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, as well as Andrea Arnold’s Bird, Wild Diamond, and feminist comedy horror The Balconettes.
Jane talks about her new role as editor-in-chief of Hollywood Authentic, a new luxury, glossy magazine, and Wendy discusses her portfolio of projects including the upcoming Sundance London, and San Sebastian Film Festivals.
Wendy and Anna are both on the Palm Dog judging panel for Best Canine on screen, so naturally the conversation turns to the various dogs in films at Cannes. They also discuss the impact of #MeToo and Time’s Up, and recent changes at the Cannes Film Festival, including the arrival of signs stating that harassment won’t be tolerated.
Finally, we join Anna at The Members Club for Girls On Film’s own Cannes party. We hear from a few of the guests, who include Akua Gyamfi of The British Blacklist and Dame Heather Rabbats of Time’s Up, who talk about the launch of their new initiative around appropriate hair and makeup for diverse requirements on set. Anna also speaks to Nicole Weis of IFC Films, producer and comedienne Ronni Ancona, director Rachel Ramsay, and The Girl With the Needle co-writer Line Langebek Knudsen, and our wonderful supporter, IMDb founder Col Needham.




With special thanks to our sponsors for the party, Rebecca Hawkes at Elstree Studios, HLA Agency, Col Needham at IMDb, and JoJo Dye at JJD Consulting.

And with gratitude to our lovely partners for this episode, Vanessa Smith and Peter Brewer, for their continuing support of the podcast.


Films mentioned in this episode:

Anatomy of a Fall
The Balconettes
Bird, Andrea Arnold
Black Dog
Emilia Perez
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
The Girl With the Needle
Megalopolis
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Saltburn
Santosh
The Second Act
The Surfer
When the Light Breaks
Wild Diamond



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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: Jade Evans
Audio editor: Nic Wassell
House band: MX Tyrants

© HLA Agency

In this episode of Girls On Film, Anna Smith talks about the recent Cinema for Gaza auction with two of the women behind the initiative, Helen Simmons and Julia Jackman, and she reviews some imminent releases with film critic Rhianna Dhillon and film journalist and programmer Cici Peng.

First up Anna speaks with Rhianna Dhillon about Italian box-office hit C’è ancora domani or There’s Still Tomorrow. They discuss the representation of domestic violence in this neorealist-style debut from Paola Cortellesi, and pick up on the film’s surprisingly hopeful feel. Next up they discuss The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling as a stunt-double and Emily Blunt as a blockbuster director, which is out in UK cinemas on 2 May 2024.

A recent auction raised over £260,000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians or MAP, a charity currently working in Gaza to provide immediate medical aid to those in great need. The auction was an initiative led by film critics Hanna Flint, Leila Latif, and Sophie Monks Kaufman who teamed up with publicist Hannah Farr, and filmmakers Julia Jackman and Helen Simmons. Anna talks with Helen and Julia about the initiative, who also share some insights into the highest-earning lots, which included Annie Lennox’s handwritten lyrics to 1983 hit Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).

Finally, Anna is joined by film journalist and programmer Cici Peng, who shares her thoughts on Rose Glass’ Love Lies Bleeding, and Léa Seydoux’s performance in the upcoming film The Beast. Cici also speaks about her recent archival work to create a programme of hidden gems at Queer East Festival, which showcases queer cinema from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora.

Films mentioned in this episode:

There’s Still Tomorrow / C'è ancora domani (Paola Cortellesi, 2024)
The Fall Guy (David Leitch, 2024)
Jungle Cruise (Jaume Collet-Serral, 2021)
The Devil Wears Prada (David Frankel, 2006)
Ordinary Angels (Jon Gunn, 2024)
Hoard (Luna Carmoon, 2024)
Abigail (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, 2024)
Bonus Track (Julia Jackman, 2024)
Love Lies Bleeding (Rose Glass, 2024)
The Beast / La bête (Bertrand Bonello, 2024)
The River / He liu (Tsai Ming-liang, 1997)
Bye Bye Love / Baibai rabu (Isao Fujisawa, 1974)
Nezouh (Soudade Kaadan, 2022)

You can buy Cinema for Gaza merchandise until 6 May 2024 via the links below:
https://www.weareprintsocial.com/campaigns/cinema-for-gaza-2
https://www.weareprintsocial.com/campaigns/cinema-for-gaza


Sign up to the Girls On Film newsletter below:
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Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here:
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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
Audio editor: Elliana Jay Hamer
House band: MX Tyrants

© HLA Agency

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

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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 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