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495 episodes
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The Film Comment Podcast Film Comment Magazine
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- TV & Film
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4.2 • 231 Ratings
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Founded in 1962, Film Comment has been the home of independent film journalism for over 50 years, publishing in-depth interviews, critical analysis, and feature coverage of mainstream, art-house, and avant-garde filmmaking from around the world. The Film Comment Podcast, hosted by editors Devika Girish and Clinton Krute, is a weekly space for critical conversation about film, with a look at topical issues, new releases, and the big picture. Film Comment is a nonprofit publication that relies on the support of readers. Support film culture. Support Film Comment.
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Making Movies in Prison, with Rahsaan Thomas and Thanh Tran
In April, Film Comment published an article by Phillip Vance Smith II, titled “Streaming Behind Bars.” Phillip is an incarcerated writer, and his piece delves into the ways in which people in prison watch movies—the technology they’re able to use, the programming they can access, and the exorbitant costs involved. That piece was facilitated by Empowerment Avenue, an organization that supports incarcerated artists and writers. Empowerment Ave was founded by Rahsaan Thomas, a journalist who launched the initiative while he was himself in prison. Rahsaan is also an award-winning filmmaker who started making movies while he was behind bars—and now works with other incarcerated and system-impacted filmmakers to help them tell their stories.
On today’s episode, Film Comment Editors Devika Girish and Clinton Krute are joined by Rahsaan and fellow filmmaker and organizer Thanh Tran, who also started making films while incarcerated at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in Northern California. The two of them share insights from their experience of directing films while imprisoned—the resources that made it possible, the unique challenges they faced, and why they felt it was important for them to take their narratives into their own hands. They also discuss Rahsaan’s short film Friendly Signs, currently making its way around the festival circuit, Thanh’s in-production documentary, Finding Ma, and the upcoming San Quentin Film Festival, which is being organized by Rahsaan and will take place at the prison. -
Children’s Cinema, with Isabel Stevens and Rai and Genevieve Yue and Harriet
In a recent essay, critic Isabel Stevens writes: “There is much discussion of childishness—popular cinema is often described as ‘infantilized’—but how often do we consider what children want and need from films, and what they are watching and where (outside the usual narrow, artificial controversies about the dangers film poses to their innocent minds)? How are their critical faculties and understanding of cinema being nurtured, or not…?”
For this week’s episode, Film Comment managing editor Clinton Krute invited Stevens, managing editor of Sight and Sound, and FC contributor Genevieve Yue—both parents as well as critics—to discuss what they watch with their own kids, and why they choose the films they do. Of course, the kids themselves also jump in, with Isabel’s 6-year-old son Rai offering his (very positive) assessment of Star Wars, and Genevieve’s daughter Harriet discussing her experience working with her mother on a program of experimental films for children at Light Industry in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, Clint’s daughter Agnes was tied up with summer camp, so we’ll all have to wait to hear why the dreamy visuals of Frozen II make it a better film than the original.
Check out the show notes at filmcomment.com for links to the many articles and films discussed—recommended, of course, for all ages. -
Flaherty Film Seminar 2024
The Flaherty Film Seminar is one of the nonfiction film world’s most interesting events. Founded by Frances Flaherty in 1955 in honor of her late husband, Robert—the documentarian best known for Nanook of the North (1922)—the Seminar brings together scholars, artists, programmers, critics, and more to watch and intimately discuss a selection of works curated by rotating guest programmers. But here’s the twist: none of the films are revealed to the audience in advance of the screenings, in accordance with a principle that Frances Flaherty described as “non-preconception”—an open-minded encounter with the unknown. Typically, the Seminar is held in Upstate New York, but this year’s curators, Julian Ross and May Adadol Ingawanij, decided to host it in a new location—in Thailand, at the Thai Film Archive in Salaya. It’s added a whole different dimension to the Flaherty experience, with audiences and films drawn primarily from Southeast Asia.
On today’s episode, Film Comment Editor Devika Girish, who’s been on the ground as a Fellow at the Seminar for the last week, invites May and Julian—as well as Thai Film Archive deputy director Kong Rithdee and Thai filmmaker Anocha Suwichakornpong—to discuss the making of this year’s seminar. Their engaging conversation charts how the works of featured artists—Jumana Manna, Chikako Yamashiro, Riar Rizaldi, Ho Tzu Nyen, Saeed Taji Farouky, Korakrit Arunanondchai, and more—elucidate overarching themes of solidarity and communion. -
Caden Mark Gardner and Willow Catelyn Maclay on the Trans Film Image
In April 2021, Film Comment published a Trans Cinema Roundtable Podcast, in which two trans film critics and two trans filmmakers answered questions submitted by listeners on what constitutes a cinema of transness. Now, two of those panelists—Caden Mark Gardner and Willow Catelyn Maclay—are about to publish a new book on that very subject. Corpses, Fools and Monsters is a thorough inquiry into the history, present, and future of what Caden and Willow call the “trans film image”—not a fully developed cinema, yet, but gestures, glimpses, and traces that have been visible in film from its earliest days and have now gained a renewed creative force.
On today’s episode, Caden and Willow join Film Comment Editor Devika Girish to talk about the extensive research they understood for the book, why representation can be a complex term for trans cinephiles, and films from reappraised classics like Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Toshio Matsumoto's Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) to new works by trans filmmakers, including Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker and Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow. -
Richard Linklater on Hit Man
Critics have been buzzing about Richard Linklater’s Hit Man since it premiered at festivals last year. A charming mix of screwball and noir, the film takes inspiration from the real-life story of Gary Johnson, a schoolteacher who for years moonlighted as a pretend hit man in Houston, helping local police entrap folks who would reach out to him to order a killing. Hit Man stars Glen Powell, who also wrote the script with Linklater, and it adds a sexy twist to the true tale. In the movie, Gary falls for one of his targets—a beautiful woman (played by Adria Arjona) who asks him to kill her abusive husband. A game of secrets, twists, and multiple identities follows, as dark and thrilling as it is hilarious.
On today’s episode, Linklater joins Film Comment Editor Devika Girish to discuss the movie’s genesis, how it draws unexpectedly from his activism for criminal justice reform, his fascination with the flexibility of identity, and his underrated talent for writing great twists. -
Cannes 2024 #10, with Kiyoko McCrae, Adam Piron, Alemberg Ang, and Viv Li
For the last two weeks, our on-the-Croisette crew of Film Comment contributors has been reporting from the 2024 Cannes Film Festival with a series of thoughtful dispatches, interviews, and podcasts.
Before the festival officially drew to a close last Saturday, Film Comment Editor Devika Girish moderated a panel about documentary ethics in the Cannes Docs section of the Marché du Film. Curated by the Documentary Association of Europe and presented with American Documentary, the live event featured a stellar lineup of speakers, including Kiyoko McCrae from Chicken and Egg Pictures; Adam Piron from the Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program; Alemberg Ang, a Philippines-based producer and filmmaker; and Viv Li, a Chinese filmmaker based in Berlin. Titled “Towards a Universal Values System in Documentary,” the panel explored a number of fascinating questions, such as what equitable collaboration looks like in nonfiction filmmaking, what it means to gain the consent of your subjects, and who gets to tell which stories.
Customer Reviews
Put some respect on Film Comment’s name yall
I didn’t realize FC had so many haters! But then again most of yall have terrible taste :)
It’s slipped a bit but still interesting
Film comment used to be a must listen for me and I think Devicka Girish has interesting insights but she tends to steer the discussion in a very negative way and what makes it worse a lot of the guests on the podcast feel very ill informed about film in general. At times, the podcast starts to sound like an obnoxious conversation between film grad students at a university screening where obscurity is prized over knowledge of film
Like the person on the episode I was listening to was saying that Paul Shrader is a bad director and his only good film was “First Reformed”. And you expect to be taken seriously as a critic after making such a statement? I guess the person has never seen “ light sleeper”. Or “ Blue Collar”.
Essential for all lovers of cinema
Much more insightful than other film podcasts I’ve listened to. Breath of fresh air!