UMassterclass
UMassterclass
Students in the Film Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
The official, award-winning podcast of the Film Studies program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst! Your go-to show for students, filmmakers, and film faculty getting educated together, on all things film, television, and screened media. Our podcast is written and produced by students in the Film Studies program at UMass Amherst. Hosts Chloe Mills & Conrad Johnson. Production crew Elle Decatur & Joane Nzikoba.
S4E8: Resurrection (2025)
Today, the UMassterclass team discusses Bi Gan's 2025 film, Resurrection. Resurrection follows the journey of a "deliriant," in a future where humanity has given up dreaming, as he relives one hundred years across multiple dreams, aided by a woman using the lost techniques of cinema. The six segments of the film each corresponds to one of the six senses recognized in Buddhist thought: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind. It is Gan's love letter to cinema, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.Hosted/Produced by Conrad Johnson and Chloe Mills // Edited by Chloe Mills // Team: Elle Decatur, Joane NzikobaTheme by Conrad Johnson
May 15
27 min
S4E7: Sirāt with Conrad Johnson
Today, co-host Conrad Johnson takes us through his thoughts on Sirāt (2025) in his last solo episode of the UMassterclass podcast. Conrad is graduating in a few weeks, and he was very passionate that the listeners of UMassterclass hear about this film; take a listen and enjoy! Hosted/Produced by Conrad Johnson // Edited by Conrad Johnson // Team: Chloe Mills, Elle Decatur, Joane NzikobaTheme by Conrad Johnson (obviously)
Apr 30
19 min
S4E6: 33rd Annual Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival
UMass Amherst is hosting the 33rd rendition of the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival this month, and the UMassterclass podcast dove into the inner workings of this year's programming.Hosted/Produced by Chloe Mills and Conrad Johnson // Edited by Chloe Mills // Team: Elle Decatur, Joane NzikobaInterviewees: Barbara Zecchi, Ayanna Dozier, Dex VeitchTheme by Conrad Johnson
Apr 15
57 min
S4E5: Oscars Review (Sentimental Value, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, Sinners)
It's Oscars day!! Today, the UMassterclass team along with special guest Paola Delmaschio give you their thoughts on some of this year's nominations for Best Picture. Take a listen and enjoy!Segments:Chloe Mills - Sentimental ValueElle Decatur - HamnetJoanne Nzikoba - One Battle After Another (dictated by Chloe Mills)Paola Delmaschio - SinnersHosted/Produced by Chloe Mills // Edited by Chloe Mills // Team: Elle Decatur, Joane NzikobaTheme by Conrad Johnson
Mar 16
1 hr 9 min
S4E4: Lee Chang-dong & Historical Context
Today, UMassterclass is featuring the second episode in a two-part series by Bella Livoti as her final project for Film Auteurs. In this episode, Bella dives into South Korean history to give historical and cultural context to what informs Lee Chang Dong's choices to do with representation. She talks about women’s place in South Korean society, and historical events contemporary with Lee Chang Dong’s life and ones relevant to his films. Take a listen and enjoy!Hosted/Produced by Conrad Johnson and Chloe Mills // Edited by Conrad Johnson // Team: Elle Decatur, Joane NzikobaTheme by Conrad Johnson
Feb 24
43 min
S4E3: Lee Chang-dong & Representations of Trauma
Today, UMassterclass is featuring an episode by Bella Livoti as her final project for Film Auteurs last fall. This first episode of two begins to highlight emotional representation of trauma in film by Lee Chang-dong. Take a listen and enjoy!Hosted/Produced by Conrad Johnson and Chloe Mills // Edited by Conrad Johnson // Team: Maggie Belanger, Ev FussTheme by Conrad Johnson
Nov 23, 2025
34 min
S4E2: Queering Culture, the Desire Trilogy
Today, UMassterclass is featuring an episode by former UMass students, Ceeb Kennedy and Brian Licata! Both students graduated in the spring of 2025, having participated in the Film Studies program. In this episode, Ceeb and Brian take a closer look into the works of Luca Guadagnino, specifically "I Am Love (2009)," "A Bigger Splash (2015)," and "Call Me by Your Name (2017)." Take a listen!Hosted/Produced by Chloe Mills and Conrad Johnson // Edited by Chloe Mills // Team: Maggie Belanger, Ev FussTheme by Conrad Johnson
Sep 30, 2025
1 hr 38 min
S4E1: Monty Python
Today, UMassterclass is featuring an episode by the team's new co-host, Conrad Johnson! This episode looks at interviews with the cast and production team of the Monty Python series, reviewing techniques and unique stylistic choices in order to maintain a certain comedic style while keeping a low budget. Take a listen!Hosted/Produced by Chloe Mills // Edited by Conrad Johnson Theme by Conrad Johnson
Sep 4, 2025
21 min
Special Episode: Bridget Jones’s Diary / Easy A / But I’m a Cheerleader
Today, UMassterclass is featuring a special episode with the team's own Gabby Mosher! The Romantic Comedy: a movie that appeals mostly to women. Exploring love and romance by utilizing humor, this genre is often overlooked by the film industry. Gabby talks about this overlooked genre from a feminist perspective, exploring how the romantic comedy can both adhere to gender norms as well as empower women. Hosted by Gabrielle Mosher / Written and Researched by Gabrielle Mosher & Kaliska Wiley | Edited by Ryan Gies | Theme music by Ryan Gies Originally produced Spring 2023.
Feb 24, 2024
20 min
S3E2: 30th Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the MMFF with UMassterclass! In this episode, host Rianna Jakson talks to Co-Director Daniel Pope on the meaning of this year's theme, "Before After" and each transformative film of the program! Listen to Rianna speak with director Ishtar Yasin Gutiérrez (My Lost Country / Baladi Aldaia, 2022) and award-winning director/cinematographer David Siev (dir. Bad Axe, 2022). Featuring the voices of Nefeli Forni Zervoudaki, Kathy Roberts Forde, Daniel Pope, Emma Pildes & Tia Lessin (The Janes, 2022), David Siev & Rosie Walunas (Bad Axe, 2022), Danielle Deadwyler (Till, 2022) (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon). All events are free and open to the public! To participate in the festival, go to: ⁠https://blogs.umass.edu/mmff/ The 30th annual Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival is curated by Daniel Pope and Nefeli Forni Zervoudaki and presented by the Interdepartmental Program in Film Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Barbara Zecchi, Director. This year’s theme also explores experiences in the wake of pivotal moments when the “after” has not yet arrived.  Films this season address the global pandemic, reproductive rights, racial justice, migration, and war, as well as personal relationships, transformations, and victories.  From intimate stories to historical upheavals, from heroic struggles to unforeseen joys, this season features documentary films, narrative features, and series spanning stories from Hungary, South Korea, Uganda, United States, Ukraine, Italy, Israel, Denmark, Chile, Iraq, and Cambodia. The festival hosts six filmmakers present for post-screening discussions. Screenings are accompanied by critical introductions by scholars and filmmakers. With gratitude to the interns of the MMFF30. Hosted by Rianna Jakson | Edited by Rianna Jakson | Podcast theme by Ryan Gies | Podcast art by Jacky Celestino
May 3, 2023
39 min
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