Her Head In Films

In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 film, "My Neighbor Totoro." It’s about two young girls who discover magical forest spirits after moving to a rural home with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. I recorded this episode in the wake of my own mother’s death, and I speak about how grief has shaped my experience of the film. I talk about watching the entire Studio Ghibli catalog and reflect on childhood, absence, and how nature and cinema offer solace when nothing else can.All My Sources:Hayao Miyazaki, The Auteur of Anime9 Facts About My Neighbor TotoroDefining the World of My Neighbor TotoroEverything You Need to Know About Japan's Iconic Studio GhibliStudio Ghibli: The Japanese Animation Powerhouse That Conquered The WorldHayao Miyazaki: The Life and Lasting Influence of the Studio Ghibli Auteur-AnimatorWhat is Hildegard's Viriditas?You can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is herheadinfilms@gmail.com. 

In this episode, I talk about Ingmar Bergman’s 1972 film, "Cries and Whispers," a haunting and intimate portrait of a woman dying and the people around her. I begin by sharing about my own mother’s death, how I was with her to the very end, and how this film has taken on a deeper resonance for me now.Though the episode was recorded before her cancer diagnosis and passing, I was already in the role of caregiver. I reflect on how "Cries and Whispers" captures the loneliness of illness, the coldness we sometimes encounter in the world, and the deep human need for tenderness, love, and presence, especially in the face of pain, death, and the deterioration of the body.Sources:Images by Ingmar BergmanIngmar Bergman websiteYou can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is herheadinfilms@gmail.com.

This isn’t a film episode. It’s a personal update. My mom has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and I’m using this space to speak honestly about what that means for me, and what I’m carrying right now. We've been told that she has six to nine months left. This is a devastating and heartbreaking time for me. Thank you for listening.If you’d like to send her a card or support us in some way, here is a Google Doc with all our information:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rJaY9_uNZwOu8_BUoDLobQJkfDQ1tmh7kkwyPp7mph4/edit?usp=sharingFuture updates will be provided either through upcoming episodes or on my website blog where I am writing an ongoing diary about being by my mother’s side during this time.https://herheadinfilms.com/blogYou can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is herheadinfilms@gmail.com.

In this episode, I talk about Frédéric Back's 1987 Academy Award-winning animated short film, "The Man Who Planted Trees." Adapted from a book by Jean Giono, it tells the story of a French shepherd who plants trees for decades and revitalizes an entire region. It's a film about how to live, how to care for the earth, and how to make the world a better place through small but meaningful acts. This has become one of my favorite films of all time because of the way it inspires me to think about what I want to contribute and the kind of person I want to be. I can honestly say that this film changed something inside me. This episode is an attempt to describe how this one little film has made such a profound impact on my life.You can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is herheadinfilms@gmail.com.

In this episode, I talk about Delbert Mann's precious 1955 film, "Marty." It tells the story of Marty, a 34-year-old butcher who has struggled all his life to find love. One night, he meets Clara, a woman who can relate to his loneliness. This is a film about the pain of invisibility and the power of connection. It's about what it means to finally feel seen after a lifetime of rejection.This is a deeply personal episode for me, but it's one that I hope reaches anyone who might need to hear it and to be reminded that they are not alone.The audio quality is the best I could provide right now. Apologies if it is not up-to-par for some. I did my best.Note: I am not doing regular or consistent episodes, but I will release an episode when I feel I have something of value to say about a film.You can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is herheadinfilms@gmail.com.

In this episode, I talk about Franco Piavoli's luminous 1996 documentary, "Voices Through Time." It captures the daily life of the inhabitants of a small Italian village. From children playing in the woods to lovers kissing in the grass to couples rapturously dancing, Piavoli shows us the human condition in all its richness and beauty. My episode is a tribute to this life-affirming work of art, and it is a manifesto on what it means to be fully alive and how art saves us and even heals us.This is my first episode in 3 years. I do not know if I will create more, but I was so deeply moved by this film that I felt compelled to share my thoughts about it. I appreciate all who listen.The audio quality is the best I could provide right now. Apologies if it is not up-to-par for some. I did my best.You can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is herheadinfilms@gmail.com.

In this episode, I talk about Robert Eggers's 2015 film, "The Witch." It looks at a New England Puritan family in the 1600s that is exiled from their community. They go to live in a remote area, and terrifying things begin to happen. The eldest daughter is blamed for these events and accused of being a witch. I talk about witch hunts, the feminist aspects of the film, my very personal reaction to the ending, and much more. There are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanAll My SourcesThe Witch blu-rayThe Burning Times (1990)Goddess Remembered (1989)Women and Spirituality TrilogyRobert Eggers interview with The A.V. ClubRobert Eggers interview with RogerEbert.comRobert Eggers Interview with BFIRobert Eggers interview with Wired.comRobert Eggers interview with The VergeRobert Eggers interview with The Atlantic 

In this episode, I talk about the 1945 film "Humoresque." Joan Crawford plays a socialite tormented by her love for a younger man--played by John Garfield--who is a passionate violinist trying to break into the music world. Her money and connections help him find success, but her hard-drinking and intense desire lead to her own self-destruction. I adore this film. I talk about the music in it, how it looks at desire, and much more. As always, there are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanFull Show Notes: Use the code “CINEMA” to get your first month free at OVID.TVMy favorite films on OVIDKelly Loves TonyA Maid for EachMy episode on Michael Curtiz's Mildred PierceMy episode on Jane Campion's In the CutAutumn LeavesFranz WaxmanIsaac SternRebecca by Daphne du MaurierRebecca by Alfred HitchcockThe Postman Always Rings TwiceLa

In this episode, I talk about Michael Curtiz's 1945 film "Mildred Pierce." Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her performance as the title character, a mother who, in the wake of the end of her marriage, starts her own restaurant business and tries to give a better life to her two daughters--Veda and Kay. But her eldest daughter Veda has an insatiable and destructive desire for material possessions and Mildred will stop at nothing to give Veda all that she wants. This is a magnificent film about motherhood and class mobility. I talk about Joan Crawford's life, why she fascinates me as an actress, and I also delve into "Mommie Dearest." As always, there are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes: Use the code “CINEMA” to get your first month free at OVID.TVMy favorite films on OVIDPainted Landscapes of the TimesF

In this episode, I talk about Mike Newell's 1991 film, "Enchanted April." It's about four women in 1920s Britain who rent a castle in the Italian countryside. Their vacation in Italy will forever transform their lives. The much-needed break from ordinary life leads to spiritual rejuvenation, a deep connection to nature, and a powerful bond with each other. There are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanFull Show Notes: My episode on Audrey Wells's Under the Tuscan SunMy episode on David Lean's SummertimeAll Things Must Pass by George HarrisonAura meditation appThe Enchanted April by Elizabeth von ArnimFour Weddings and a FuneralMy episode on James Ivory's Maurice"Funeral Blues" by W.H. AudenThe HoursBridget Jones's DiaryLove ActuallyPride and PrejudiceMy episode on Girl with a Pearl EarringKatherine Mansfield"Bliss" by Kat

In this episode, I talk about Audrey Wells's 2003 film, "Under the Tuscan Sun." I've loved this film since I was a teenager. It stars Diane Lane as a woman who goes through a devastating divorce and goes to Italy and renovates a house. In the process of this home renovation, she reconnects with life and experiences emotional renewal. For me, this film is really about a woman who survives heartbreak and creates a new life for herself. 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanFull Show Notes:Belinda Carlisle - Heaven is a Place on EarthBlack Mirror: San JuniperoMy episode on Brokeback MountainThe Great BeautyMy episode on James Ivory's MauriceMy episode on David Lean's SummertimeMy episode on Joanna Hogg's UnrelatedMy episode on Michelangelo Antonioni's L'avventuraUnfaithfulSidewaysAll My Sources:Under the Tuscan Sun DVDDi

In this episode, I talk about Michael Haneke's controversial and thought-provoking 1997 film, "Funny Games." It's a thriller that breaks all the rules and raises questions about the representation of violence in mass media. A family is terrorized in their vacation home by two young men who take enjoyment in brutality and degradation. Haneke uses surprising and unexpected techniques to confront the audience of his film and to make us think deeper and more critically about the violence and suffering we see in movies and television. 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanFull Show Notes:My episode on Michael Haneke's The Piano TeacherMy episode on Bong Joon-ho's Memories of MurderMy episode on Three Colors: BlueMy episode on Big NightMy episode on Elem Klimov's Come and SeeMy episode on Michael Haneke's AmourLoeb and Leop

In this episode, I talk about Michael Haneke's 2012 film, "Amour." It's about Georges and Anne, an elderly Parisian couple who have their lives turned upside down after Anne suffers a stroke. This is a deeply devastating film that resonated with me. For over a year now, my mom has been struggling with her health and I've become a caregiver for her. I talk about the difficult experience of caring for someone and watching them suffer. I hope that, by sharing my experience, I can help others or just make them feel less alone.  This episode contains major spoilers. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon.Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter.Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanFull Show Notes:My episode on Fish TankMy episode on Oslo August 31stMy episode on Two Days, One NightMy episode on Wendy and LucyFunny GamesCacheMy episode on The Piano TeacherMy episode on Come and SeeShameHungerCries and WhispersHiroshima Mon AmourAll

In this episode, I'm talking about Jane Campion's 2009 film, "Bright Star." It's about the brief but beautiful love story between the poet John Keats and a young woman named Fanny Brawne. John Keats is considered one of the greatest poets who ever lived but he died young, before he and Fanny could create a life together. Their romance was marked by distance and the ever-present shadow of death but his passionate letters to her--which are featured throughout the film--reveal how deeply he was in love with Fanny and how much she meant to him. I talk about the relationship between Keats and Fanny, how the film shows the precarious life of a writer and explores the importance of poetry in our lives, 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes:My episode on Jane Campion's The PianoMy episode on Jane Campion's In the CutBright Sta

In this episode, I talk about Jane Campion's 2003 film, "In the Cut." Meg Ryan plays, Frannie, an English teacher who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after parts of a woman's body are found in her garden. She may have even seen the murder victim shortly before the crime. After the lead detective on the case interviews her, the two of them become involved in a dark, torturous relationship. "In the Cut" is a deeply erotic and feminist film that centers female sexuality and female pleasure. It also explores the dark side of desire and the complicated relationships between men and women. There are spoilers in this episode. I also talk explicitly and openly about sex.  Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon.Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter.Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes:My episode on Jane Campion's The PianoMy episode on Lynne Ramsay's Morvern CallarMy episode on The Double Life of Veroniq

In this episode, I talk about Wim Wenders's 1988 film, "Wings of Desire." It's about an angel who falls in love with a trapeze artist and is willing to give up eternity and become human in order to be with her. I think this is such a powerful and poetic film about love, connection, and what it means to be human. It's a life-affirming film that always reminds me of the beauty of being alive. There are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes:My episode on John Cassavetes's A Woman Under the InfluenceMy episode on John Cassavetes's Opening NightMy episode on Terrence Malick's Tree of Life"Too Much" by Carl Rae JepsenMy episode on George Sluizer's The Vanishing"Bad Magic" by Weyes Blood"Movies" by Weyes BloodSkeleton Tree by Nick CaveOne More Time With FeelingNick Cave's newsletter, The Red Hand FilesAnita LaneLet

In this episode, I talk about Joachim Trier's 2011 film "Oslo August 31st." It follows Anders, a young man just out of rehab for heroin addiction, as he walks around the city of Oslo, meeting old friends and trying to decide if life is worth living. I think this is a powerful and unforgettable film that reminds us of the beauty of being alive. It's one of my favorite films from the 2010s, and I urge you to watch it if you haven't seen it yet. There are major spoilers in this episode. I also talk about suicide and mental illness.Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon.Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter.Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan Full Show Notes:If I Were a Carpenter (tribute album)The CranberriesSonic Youth - "Superstar"The Cranberries - "They Long to Be (Close to You)"The Cranberries - "Dying in the Sun"Ruth L. SchwartzThe Fire Within (1963)Jeanne MoreauAnna KarinaMonica Vitti2011 Norway Attacks22 July (2018)Me

(Note: This episode was originally released in 2020. I unpublished it and then republished it in 2024.) In this episode, I talk about RaMell Ross's 2018 documentary, "Hale County This Morning, This Evening." In 2009, RaMell Ross moved to Hale County in Alabama to teach photography and coach basketball. While living there, he started to film the people around him. He recorded over 1300 hours of footage. From that material, he culled and mined images that are startling, poetic, and beautiful--images that bear witness to the complexities and struggles of black life in the rural South. Through the documentary, we are introduced to two men: Quincy Bryant and Daniel Collins. As the film unfolds, we come to know their dreams, their hardships, and the world they live in--a world of basketball, catfish plants, friends, sunsets, storm clouds, rain, and all the details that make up their ordinary lives. This is a contemplative, lyrical, and unforgettable documentary. There are spoilers in this episode. Consider making t

In this episode, I'm talking about Julie Dash's 1991 film Daughters of the Dust. This is a dreamlike film that focuses on the Peazant family who live on the sea islands off the coast of the Carolinas. They gather together for one last time on the eve of their departure from the island. It's a stunning cinematic achievement that looks at the bonds of family, the ghosts of history, and the rich lives of African American women. Dash has the distinction of being the first black woman to direct a feature film that was distributed in movie theaters. I talk all about this gorgeous film, including the grueling process of getting it made and I use an interview between Dash and feminist scholar, bell hooks, as a roadmap through the different themes and subjects that the film explores.  There are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanF

In this episode, I talk about George Sluizer's 1988 film "The Vanishing." It's about Rex and Saskia, a Dutch couple who go on vacation in France and have their lives turned upside down when Saskia is abducted. To give away more would be to spoil this masterpiece of suspense. There are spoilers 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, Tumblr, and Instagram.Original logo by Dhiyanah HassanFull show notes:My episode on Lynne Littman's TestamentTed BundyI"ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO Series)Golden State KillerHome FiresThe Bletchley CircleThe Crimson FieldDisappeared (tv show)My episode on Charles Laughton's The Night of the HunterMy episode on Bong Joon-Ho's Memories of MurderBTK  My episode on Francois Ozon's Under the SandThe Stranger Beside Me by Anne RuleOrpheus and EurydiceRomeo and JulietMy sources:Criterion Collection edition of The VanishingGeorge Sluizer interview