Her Head In Films

On this episode, I talk about Agnès Varda's 2000 documentary, "The Gleaners and I." It looks at people who glean in modern society, whether in the fields, at orchards, or after the markets have closed in Paris. With her camera, Varda inserts herself into the film, reflecting on ageing and how she gleans images. I talk about Varda's presence in the film, how she critiques the wastefulness in society, and why the film remains deeply relevant. I also include a discussion of the follow-up documentary she made in 2002, called "The Gleaners and I: Two Years Later" and how it's a powerful look at the afterlife that a film can have. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: The Gleaners and I: Two Years Later (2002) My episode on Cleo From 5 to 7 My episode on Vagabond 60 Minutes segment on E-Waste China won't take our recycli

In this episode, I talk about Nicolas Philibert's 2002 documentary, "To Be and To Have." It focuses on a small school in rural France where the kind and patient teacher, Georges Lopez, instills a sense of worth in all of his students and connects with them one-on-one. The film shows the dynamics between the students who range in age, from kindergartners to teenagers and also looks at some of their struggles. I talk about childhood, separation, nostalgia, the importance of school in my own life, and the impact that various teachers had on me. Full Show Notes: The Gleaners and I Marwencol A Man Named Pearl My episode on The Passion of Joan of Arc My episode on Cleo from 5 to 7 My episode on Dogfight My episode on The Mouth Agape Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Won't You Be My Neighbor Columbine Frankenstein by Mary Shelley The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Hamlet by Shakespeare Annie Dillard My episode on Dead Poets Society "Silicon Valley Came to Kansas Schools. That Started a Rebellion.&

In this episode, I explore Todd Haynes's 2002 film, "Far From Heaven." It's an homage to 1950s melodramas and stars Julianne Moore as Cathy Whitaker, a Connecticut housewife who develops a deep connection to her African American gardener (Dennis Haysbert) while her marriage starts to crumble when her husband (Dennis Quaid) starts struggling with his repressed homosexuality. I talk about melodrama, woman's films, Douglas Sirk, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, how the film looks at race, sexuality, and gender, and much more! Spoilers are in this episode. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: My episode on Birth Douglas Sirk films: All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind, Magnificent Obsession, Imitation of Life Frida by Julie Taymor The Hours by Stephen Daldry Melodrama Woman's film Rainer Werner Fassbinder Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

In this episode, I talk about Todd Haynes's 1995 film, "Safe." It stars Julianne Moore in her first collaboration with Haynes. Moore plays Carol White, a California housewife who comes down with a mysterious illness that could be a result of the chemicals and toxins in the environment. When her doctor and mainstream medicine offer her no help, she seeks relief and answers at a New Age treatment center called Wrenwood that espouses individualist self-help ideas. I talk about my own struggle with chronic health issues, how women are often not believed by doctors, why the film remains so relevant to the modern world we live in, and I also critique self-help messages. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: My episode on Birth My episode on Wanda My episode on Vagabond My episode on The Double Life of Veronique Close to the Knives:

In this episode, I talk about the mysterious power and beauty of Jane Campion's 1993 film, "The Piano." It stars Holly Hunter as Ada McGrath, a Scottish woman who goes to New Zealand with her daughter, Flora, for an arranged marriage to Alisdair Stewart. Their marriage is troubled from the start, and Ada ends up falling for George Baines. I share my memories of watching the film for the first time and talk about themes of muteness, violence against women, and the complicated relationship between Ada and Baines. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes Dave Grohl quote about Billie Eilish My episode on Jonathan Glazer's Birth My episode on The Passion of Joan of Arc My episode on La Jetée My episode on James Ivory's Maurice My episode on Girl with a Pearl Earring My episode on Nancy Savoca's Dogfight My episode on The Enchanted Co

In this episode, I talk about Maïwenn's "My King," a raw and intense film that stars Emmanuelle Bercot as a woman struggling to heal her body and mind in the wake of a toxic and destructive relationship. I discuss how the film looks at emotional abuse, shows a woman reconstructing herself, and questions culturally-held beliefs about love. At the beginning of the episode, I also talk about how Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 film, "Stalker," recently helped me through a difficult time. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda More about Chernobyl More about Fukushima My episode on Under the Sand Private Life by Tamara Jenkins "Easy" by Son Lux Cold Podcast All About Love by bell hooks New York Times story on Ryan Adams All My Sources: Eye for Film Interview with Mai

In this episode, I talk about Peter Webber's 2003 film "Girl with a Pearl Earring." It's an adaptation of the 1999 Tracy Chevalier novel by the same name, which imagines how Johannes Vermeer's 17th century painting, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" came to be. It's 1665 in Delft, Holland and a young girl named Griet goes to work at the home of the Vermeers to provide for her family after her father is injured at work. She enters a home rocked by domestic and financial instability. When Vermeer starts to paint Griet to appease his lecherous patron, more drama ensues as Vermeer's wife becomes jealous and the attraction between Vermeer and Griet intensifies. I discuss the profound impact that both the book and the film had on my life because it sparked my deeper engagement with art. For this episode, I talk about Johannes Vermeer's life and art, and I explain why I think the film is so powerful in the way that it centers the life of a teenage girl who is a maid, explores the difficulties of wome

In this episode, I talk about Pete Travis's dreamy 2015 film, "The Go-Between," produced by the BBC, based on the classic L.P. Hartley novel of the same name, and starring Jim Broadbent, Vanessa Redgrave, and Lesley Manville. It focuses on a 12-year-old boy named Leo Colston who, in the summer of 1900 in England, goes to stay at the opulent estate of his friend, Marcus Maudsley. During his time there, Leo becomes the messenger, or go-between, for Marcus's sister, Marian, and her secret lover, Ted Burgess. After the summer, none of their lives will ever be the same and Leo will be forever haunted by what he experienced. I talk about class, nostalgia, loss of innocence, and the devastating wounds of childhood. At the beginning of the episode, I also discuss how cinema has helped me cope with trauma. This episode contains spoilers. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original

In this episode, I talk about Patricia Cardoso's feminist coming-of-age classic, "Real Women Have Curves" (2002). I discuss body image, factory work, the exploitation of immigrant labor, and the profoundly political and radical messages in the film. At the beginning of the episode, I also talk about recently re-watching Krzysztof Kieslowski's "The Double Life of Veronique" (1991). Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes My La Jetée episode My episode on L'avventura My episode on Close-Up My episode on The Double Life of Veronique Double Lives, Second Chances by Annette Insdorf More about Tori Amos My Moonlight episode My Autumn Sonata episode My Cinema of Unruly Woman episode More about Made in L.A. (2007) by Almudena Carracedo My Dogfight Episode All My Sources 15 years later, Real Women Have Curves is still a cultu

In this episode, I talk about Nancy Savoca's beautiful 1991 coming-of-age film, "Dogfight." It stars River Phoenix and Lili Taylor as Eddie Birdlace and Rose Fenny, two teens who connect in 1963 in San Francisco, just before the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the escalation of the Vietnam War. It's the night before Eddie is to be sent over to Vietnam and he and his marine buddies are holding a dogfight, which is a party where men invite the ugliest women they can find and the one with the most unattractive date wins a cash reward. Eddie invites Rose, but, although their initial meeting doesn't go well, over the course of the film these two very different people gradually develop a profound connection. In my discussion, I talk about the politics of ugliness and beauty standards, the damage of toxic masculinity, and provide information on the making of the film. This episode contains spoilers. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Fil

In this episode, I interview director Leon Lee on his latest documentary, "Letter from Masanjia." In 2012, a story in The Oregonion went viral. A woman named Julie Keith had opened a box of Halloween decorations from KMart and discovered an SOS letter written by Sun Yi, a man imprisoned and tortured in a Chinese labor camp for engaging in the spiritual practice of Falun Gong. Keith publicized the letter, and the international attention eventually led to the abolishment of these labor camps and freed many people in the process. I talk to Lee about Sun Yi's story, how the documentary was made, and the larger issues it raises about the source of cheap goods, the persecution of minorities, and the power of small actions. Go to letterfrommasanjia.com for more information on the film and the steps you can take to make a difference. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Original a

In this episode, I explore François Ozon's mysterious and emotionally devastating 2000 film "Under the Sand," starring Charlotte Rampling as Marie Drillon, a woman whose husband, Jean, unexpectedly disappears during a vacation on the beach. The film is about Marie's struggle to come to terms with the loss of Jean. I talk about the complex career of Rampling, why her performance is so powerful, and why I personally connect to this film because of its look at loss and death. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: Become a charter subscriber of The Criterion Channel My episode on Radu Jude's SCARRED HEARTS Radu Jude's THE DEAD NATION Nazis on retreat: the SS holiday camp near Auschwitz – in pictures A segregation that was never black and white: Gordon Parks’s photographs of 50s Alabama Peter Jackson's THEY SHALL NOT GR

In this episode, Carolyn Petit joins me for a conversation about Jem Cohen's 2012 film "Museum Hours." Carolyn is managing editor at Feminist Frequency and is the co-host of the podcasts Feminist Frequency Radio and Cinemaball. "Museum Hours" is about Johann, a security guard at a Vienna art museum and how he meets Anne, a woman visiting the city to see her cousin who is in a coma. Over the course of Anne's stay, she and Johann become friends as he shows her around and offers emotional support in her time of need. In our discussion, Carolyn and I explore the power of art, the mystery of human connection, and much more. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: Follow Carolyn Petit on Twitter Listen to Feminist Frequency Radio Listen to Cinemaball Desert Hearts episode More about Kyss mig (aka Kiss Me, aka Wit

In this episode, I talk about Robert Wise's 1963 cult classic, "The Haunting." It's based on Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel "The Haunting of Hill House," and stars Julie Harris as Eleanor Lance, a young woman who joins three people at a haunted house to investigate paranormal phenomena. Eleanor has spent over a decade caring for her invalid mother who has recently died. I explore how this film represents psychological disintegration and a woman searching for belonging as well as how the film uses sound and cinematography to create a frightening, claustrophobic atmosphere. At the beginning of the episode, I also talk about the recent news that Filmstruck is shutting down. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: Larisa Shepitko episode Come and See episode Desert Hearts episode L'avventura episode Cleo from 5 t

In this episode, I delve into Alejandro Amenábar's haunting 2001 film, "The Others." This episode contains FULL SPOILERS. If you have not seen the film and you choose to listen to this episode, it will be ruined for you. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda Mubi The Holy Girl Carnival of Souls episode Don't Look Now episode Birth episode A.J. Finn's The Woman in the Window Megan Abbott's Give Me Your Hand The Staircase Lourdes episode More about Andrea Yates Virginia Woolf's A Writer's Diary My Sharp Objects recap episodes: Ep 1 and 2, Ep 3 and 4, Ep 5 and 6, Ep 7 and 8 Audition Dark Water Creepy Pulse Shutter

In this episode, I welcome my first guest, Jesse Ataide, and we talk about our love for John Cromwell's 1945 film, "The Enchanted Cottage." It tells the story of Laura Pennington, a woman who struggles with her unattractiveness, and Oliver Bradford, a disfigured and disabled WWII veteran who fall in love in an old cottage that seems to have the magical power to transform the way they see each other. In our discussion, Jesse and I touch on themes of ugliness, queerness, disability, and much more. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: Follow Jesse's Instagram account queer_modernisms The End of the World Book by Alistair McCartney Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig More about AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies

In this episode, I talk about the intense personal connection I feel to Lynne Ramsay's 2002 film, "Morvern Callar," starring Samantha Morton. I discuss how the film represents grief, death, and sensuality, and I situate Morvern within something I call a Cinema of the Unruly Woman. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: Morvern Callar by Alan Warner My episode on a Cinema of the Unruly Woman My Spotify playlist of songs from the film, Morvern Callar

In this episode, I talk about Carol Morley's haunting 2011 documentary, "Dreams of a Life," which tells the tragic story of Joyce Carol Vincent, a woman who died in 2003 but whose body wasn't discovered in her apartment until 2006. No one reported her missing or noticed she was gone. Joyce was beautiful, talented, and had lovers and friends throughout her life. How had this woman been completely forgotten? Morley spent years searching for answers. Her film includes interviews with people who knew Joyce and re-enactments that imagine what she was like. In the end, Morley constructs a portrait of a complicated, mysterious, and ultimately unknowable woman, and she also probes important themes such as loneliness, disconnection, and the breakdown of community. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: More about "Nit

In this episode, I talk about Jessica Hausner's 2009 film, "Lourdes." It tells the story of Christine, a young woman in a wheelchair who goes to the famous Catholic holy site of Lourdes in France where she and other pilgrims hope for healing and possibly a miraculous cure. I talk about loneliness, disability, and my own struggle with religion. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: Under the Sand Family Life 45 Years My episode on Jonathan Glazer's Birth More about the streaming site, Mubi My episode on Barbara Loden's Wanda PBS documentary Sacred Journeys: Lourdes My episode on The Passion of Joan of Arc The Innocents by Anne Fontaine Jessica Hausner's Amour Fou My episode on The Diving Bell and Butterfly and Locked-in Syndrome More about Jean-Dominique Bauby My episode on Scarred Hearts More about Max Blecher My e

In this episode, I provide my concluding thoughts on the final two episodes of "Sharp Objects." I discuss episode 7 ("Falling") and episode 8 ("Milk"). I discuss female violence, my conflicting emotions about the ending, why this is one of the most important shows I've ever seen, and much more. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan Full show notes: Webmd defintion of Munchausen By Proxy The Sixth Sense Mommy Dead and Dearest Lizzie Borden Lizzie Borden film More about Angela Carter 's short story "The Fall River Axe Murders" The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks (available on Scribd, use my affiliate link to get 60 days free) Patty Duke and Tiffani Amber Thiessen tv movie "A Killer Among Friends" Miles Surrey, "In Sharp Objects, the Answers Were There All Along&qu