SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

Tom Needham

The SOUNDS Podcast with Tom Needham features in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, composers, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, actors and philosophers. The SOUNDS Podcast also brings listeners classic interviews from the deep archives of America's longest running film, music and ideas themed radio show, THE SOUNDS OF FILM. For more information, visit: https://soundsoffilm.com

  1. 2d ago

    Director Ash Mayfair Talks SKIN OF YOUTH on SOUNDS OF FILM

    In this episode of The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with acclaimed writer-director Ash Mayfair about her new feature film SKIN OF YOUTH. Mayfair, best known for her award-winning debut The Third Wife, brings a deeply personal perspective to her work, blending intimate storytelling with urgent social themes drawn from her experiences and research. SKIN OF YOUTH is a bold and emotionally charged drama set in 1990s Saigon, following the relationship between San, a transgender sex worker pursuing gender-affirming surgery, and Nam, an underground cage fighter who risks everything to support her dream. As their love unfolds in a dangerous underworld, the film explores identity, sacrifice, survival, and the limits of human resilience in a society shaped by secrecy and struggle. The Sounds of Film is a long-running film, music, and ideas podcast hosted by Tom Needham, featuring in-depth conversations with filmmakers, composers, actors, writers, and cultural figures. Past guests have included Alexander Payne, Alec Baldwin, Laurie Anderson, Bob Geldof, Billy Joel, Pam Grier, Rob Reiner, Julie Andrews, Jordan Peele, Dionne Warwick, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Cicely Tyson, Chazz Palminteri, Peter Fonda, Jesse Jackson, Chuck D, Dionne Warwick, Carter Burwell, Howard Shore, Cliff Martinez, Nile Rodgers, Grandmaster Caz, and many others shaping film, music, and culture.

    24 min

  2. 6d ago

    Groundswell directors Josh & Rebecca Harrell Tickell Talk Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore & Agriculture

    This episode of the Sounds of Film features directors Josh Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell discussing their new documentary Groundswell, the final installment in their regenerative agriculture trilogy following Kiss the Ground and Common Ground. The film is executive produced and narrated by Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore, and expands the trilogy’s global storytelling approach by following farmers, scientists, and Indigenous leaders working to restore soil health across five continents. Groundswell is a sweeping environmental documentary that presents regenerative agriculture as a scalable, measurable solution to climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation. It captures a growing global movement focused on rebuilding living soil and restoring ecosystems through practical farming methods already being adopted on millions of acres worldwide. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Special Screenings section, where it received the Golden Globes Documentary Prize in partnership with the Artemis Rising Foundation, recognizing its achievement in solution-based documentary storytelling and real-world impact . Sounds of Film is one of the longest-running film, music, and ideas programs in the United States, hosted by Tom Needham on WUSB and now available as a podcast. Over its 30-year history, the show has featured in-depth conversations with major cultural figures including Alexander Payne, Alec Baldwin, Laurie Anderson, Bob Geldof, Billy Joel, Chris Hedges, Chuck D, Pam Grier, Jordan Peele, Julie Andrews, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Cicely Tyson, Chazz Palminteri, Peter Fonda, Dionne Warwick, and many others, alongside emerging voices in film, music, and documentary storytelling.

    17 min

  3. May 31

    Director Yana Alliata Talks REELING & Werner Herzog on SOUNDS OF FILM

    On the next Sounds of Film Tom Needham is joined by filmmaker Yana Alliata, director of the SXSW breakout feature Reeling, executive produced by Werner Herzog. The film has drawn attention for its immersive storytelling, emotional intensity, and striking exploration of memory, identity, and family set against the backdrop of an Oahu luau. Reeling follows a young man returning to his Hawaiian family homestead after a life-altering accident that has affected his memory. As he reconnects with relatives and friends during a birthday celebration, buried tensions rise to the surface and he begins to uncover the truth behind a pivotal moment from his past that changed everything. The film blends naturalistic performances, improvisation, and atmospheric visual storytelling to create an intimate psychological drama that places the audience directly inside its protagonist’s fractured perception of reality. Set against the beauty and underlying tension of Oahu, it explores trauma, masculinity, and belonging with emotional restraint and mounting unease. The Sounds of Film is one of the longest-running film, music, and ideas programs on radio, hosted by Tom Needham on WUSB for over 30 years and now available as a podcast. Past guests on the show have included Alexander Payne, Alec Baldwin, Laurie Anderson, Bob Geldof, Billy Joel, Pam Grier, Rob Reiner, Julie Andrews, Jordan Peele, Dionne Warwick, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Cicely Tyson, Chazz Palminteri, Peter Fonda, Chuck D, Howard Shore, Carter Burwell, and Cornel West, among many others spanning film, music, and culture.

    24 min

  4. May 27

    Adult Autism Diagnosis: A Conversation with Room to Move Director Alexander Hammer

    Alexander Hammer is the director, producer, and editor of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival world premiere Room to Move, a deeply personal documentary about choreographer Jenn Freeman as she navigates a late autism diagnosis and channels that experience into the creation of a new evening-length solo performance. Through an intimate observational lens, the film traces Freeman’s artistic process while gradually unfolding into a broader reflection on identity, perception, and the ways personal experience can reshape creative work. Room to Move follows Freeman during a pivotal period in her life as she develops Is It Thursday Yet? in collaboration with Tony Award-winning choreographer Sonya Tayeh, while also confronting memories and patterns reframed through her diagnosis. Over the course of its production, the documentary blends movement, rehearsal, and lived experience into a portrait of an artist using dance as both expression and discovery, set within the contemporary New York performance world. Sounds of Film is hosted by Tim Needham. The program has featured conversations with a wide range of acclaimed guests from film, music, and culture, including Alexander Payne, Billy Joel, Laurie Anderson, Chuck D, Jordan Peele, Michael Moore, Howard Shore, Nile Rodgers, Rob Reiner, and many others across its long-running archive of in-depth interviews.

    23 min

  5. May 23

    Stephin Merritt & Tom Needham: A Classic Sounds of Film

    On this “Classic” episode of Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham welcomes acclaimed songwriter and Magnetic Fields founder Stephin Merritt for a wide-ranging conversation about music, film, and his latest silent film project. Merritt, who was recently named to the New York Times’ list of the Top 30 Living American Songwriters, discusses premiering his original songs and score for a live screening of Tod Browning’s 1925 classic The Unholy Three at New York City’s Town Hall. Joining him for the performance are accordionist and novelist Daniel Handler, best known as the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events, and acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Pinky Weitzman. Merritt reflects on The Unholy Three as the third entry in his trilogy of silent film scores and the first to premiere in New York. Earlier scores for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916) and Browning’s The Unknown (1927) debuted on the West Coast. The conversation also explores the legacy of The Unholy Three, starring legendary actor Lon Chaney, and the unique cinematic world of director Tod Browning, whose later films Dracula and Freaks became horror landmarks. In addition to discussing his work with The Magnetic Fields, Merritt talks about his many creative projects, including albums released under the names the 6ths, the Gothic Archies, and Future Bible Heroes. The episode revisits the enduring impact of the Magnetic Fields’ landmark album 69 Love Songs, his collaborations with director Chen Shi-Zheng, his Obie Award-winning music for the Off Broadway adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, and his score for the Academy Award-nominated film Pieces of April. Merritt also shares stories about composing music for the A Series of Unfortunate Events and Coraline audiobooks, creating live silent film scores at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, and publishing his poetry collection 101 Two Letter Words. The conversation also touches on the Magnetic Fields’ ambitious album 50 Song Memoir. Sounds of Film continues its tradition of in-depth conversations with influential artists, filmmakers, musicians, and cultural figures. Hosted by Tom Needham, the long-running program has featured guests including Laurie Anderson, Chuck D, Nile Rodgers, Jordan Peele, Julie Andrews, Big Daddy Kane, Dionne Warwick, Howard Shore, Jesse Ventura, and many more. For more than three decades, Sounds of Film has explored the intersection of cinema, music, and popular culture while celebrating the artists who shape the soundtrack of our lives. The Sounds of Film Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

    31 min

  6. May 16

    Crime Thriller Director Jing Ai Ng talks FORGE on the SOUNDS OF FILM

    This episode of Sounds of Film features host Tom Needham in conversation with filmmaker Jing Ai Ng about her debut feature Forge, a stylish crime caper set in Miami’s art world. The discussion explores the film’s blend of suspense, character drama, and cultural identity, as well as its focus on a brother-and-sister duo navigating forgery, ambition, and belonging in a system where authenticity is both power and illusion. Ng’s film brings together a strong ensemble cast including Kelly Marie Tran, Andie Ju, Brandon Soo Hoo, and Edmund Donovan, and has been described as a fresh take on the crime genre with emotional depth at its core. Forge follows siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang, who operate a successful underground art forgery business before being pulled into a far more dangerous scheme involving wealthy collectors and stolen masterpieces. Their operation expands when they are recruited to recreate lost works for a disgraced millionaire’s family collection, while an FBI investigation into a wave of sophisticated forgeries tightens around them. As ambition grows, so does the emotional and moral cost, forcing the siblings to confront questions of identity, loyalty, and whether success built on illusion can ever feel real. Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is a long-running radio and podcast series featuring in-depth conversations with filmmakers, composers, actors, writers, and cultural figures. Past guests on the program have included Julie Andrews, Jordan Peele, William H. Macy, Mike Leigh, Wallace Shawn, Howard Shore, Carter Burwell, Cliff Martinez, Nile Rodgers, Chazz Palminteri, Don McLean, Alex Winter, and many others from across film, music, and the arts. The show continues its tradition of exploring storytelling, cinema, and music through thoughtful, in-depth interviews on WUSB and streaming platforms.

    16 min

  7. May 4

    American Agitators Director Raymond Telles & the Legacy of Fred Ross Sr.

    Director Raymond Telles joins Sounds of Film to discuss his new documentary American Agitators, which explores the life and legacy of pioneering community organizer Fred Ross Sr. Telles brings decades of experience in documentary filmmaking focused on labor, civil rights, and social justice to a conversation about how grassroots organizing continues to shape American political life. American Agitators traces Fred Ross Sr.’s lifelong work organizing communities to confront segregation, expand voting rights, and strengthen labor movements across the United States. The film highlights his mentorship of key figures such as Dolores Huerta and connects his organizing model to major civil rights efforts that helped advance school desegregation and broader struggles for racial and economic justice. It also draws a connection between Ross’s disciplined, relationship-based organizing approach and modern movements addressing inequality, labor rights, and civic participation. At the center of the film is Ross’s methodical philosophy of organizing—built on trust, consistency, and sustained one-on-one engagement rather than short-term protest energy. The documentary emphasizes how this approach continues to influence unions, educators, and grassroots organizers today, particularly as movements adapt to new political and technological landscapes. Raymond Telles is a veteran documentary filmmaker whose work spans decades of public television and broadcast storytelling focused on labor history, civil rights, and social justice. His credits include The Fight in the Fields: César Chávez and the Farmworkers’ Struggle and The Storm That Swept Mexico, both of which examine major political and social movements in North American history. Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is a long-running radio program featuring in-depth conversations with filmmakers, composers, and cultural figures across film, music, and documentary. Past guests from the show’s documented archive include Billy Joel, Alexander Payne, Alec Baldwin, Laurie Anderson, Bob Geldof, Pam Grier, Rob Reiner, Julie Andrews, Jordan Peele, Dionne Warwick, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Cicely Tyson, Chuck D, Carter Burwell, Howard Shore, D.A. Pennebaker, and Cornel West, among many others, reflecting the program’s wide-ranging conversations with major voices in culture and cinema.

    23 min

  8. Apr 30

    Mistress Dispeller: The Most Unbelievable Love Triangle with Director Elizabeth Lo

    The latest episode of Sounds of Film features an in-depth conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, discussing her powerful new documentary Mistress Dispeller. The film has been featured at the Venice International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the Port Jefferson Documentary Film Festival. Known for her intimate and visually arresting storytelling, Lo joins host Tom Needham to explore the making of the film and the emotional complexities behind its real-life love triangle in contemporary China. Mistress Dispeller follows a woman who hires a professional “mistress dispeller” to go undercover and end her husband’s affair. With unprecedented access to all sides of the triangle, the documentary unfolds as a deeply human portrait of love, loyalty, and emotional contradiction, revealing how intimacy and betrayal can coexist in unexpected ways. The movie is available on the Criterion Channel. Elizabeth Lo is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer whose work has premiered at major festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, Venice, TIFF, and IDFA. Her debut feature Stray earned international acclaim, winning Best International Feature at Hot Docs and receiving nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards and Cinema Eye Honors. Her films are known for their observational precision and emotional depth, placing her among the most distinctive voices in contemporary documentary cinema. Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is a long-running film, music, and ideas podcast featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures in cinema and culture. Past guests have included Alexander Payne, Alec Baldwin, Billy Joel, Laurie Anderson, Jordan Peele, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Cicely Tyson, Chuck D, and Cornel West, among many others shaping the cultural landscape. The Sounds of Film podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

    25 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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2 Ratings

About

The SOUNDS Podcast with Tom Needham features in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, composers, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, actors and philosophers. The SOUNDS Podcast also brings listeners classic interviews from the deep archives of America's longest running film, music and ideas themed radio show, THE SOUNDS OF FILM. For more information, visit: https://soundsoffilm.com

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