The Liberator tells the story, in wide strokes, of Simón Bolívar, the military leader, and most important Venezuelan historical figure. In this episode, Gaby and Andreina discuss the 2013 film with the help of a very special guest. Placing the film in the historical and political context in which it was made, we look at the role of historical films in creating a national identity and memory. Join us as we discuss the relevance of cultural representation on the big screen, the humanisation of a mystified historical figure and the risks of too ambitious screenwriting. Sources:The Liberator Interview with actor Edgar RamirezThe Liberator Interview with director Alberto Arvelo (Spanish)TIFF Interview with director Alberto ArveloGoogle Hangout The Liberator (Spanish)

In this episode, Andreina and Gabriela discuss the 2020 film Ammonite with a very special guest. Ammonite tells the story of 19th-century British paleontologist Mary Anning.  An imaginary retelling of a brief period of her life, the film is directed by Francis Lee and stars Kate Winslet in the role of  Mary Anning and Saoirse Ronan as Charlotte Murchinson, her lover. Join us as we discuss this period film mixing science, history, and romance in the South West of England. In the process, we explore the dichotomy between artistic vision vs reality, period film clichés, and what dignifies or not a character. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this show we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources & further readings:Article with film’s synopsis prior to releaseInterview with Kate Winslet on LGBTQ+ Representation and Honouring The History of Mary AnningBehind the scenes

In this episode, Gaby and Andreina discuss the 2022 film Emily, written and directed by Frances O'Connor in her directorial debut. Emily is a part-fictional portrait of English writer Emily Brontë mostly converting the period of her life before she wrote her novel Wuthering Heights. Gaby and Andreina talk about the cinematic representation of Emily as a historical character, Brontë’s relationship with her equally celebrated siblings, and how the film fits within the period film movie genre.***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this show we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources & further readings:Interview with director Frances O’Connor and main cast at the People + Entertainment at TIFF 2022And because they’re so good, here’s also the Q&A at the TIFF 2022Film Review from The New York Times

In this episode, Gaby and Andreina discuss the 2022 Netflix movie The Wonder, based on the novel of the same name by Irish-Canadian writer Emma Donoghue. The movie, starring the brilliant Florence Pugh as a 19th-century nurse charged with observing a so-called “ fasting girl” in a rural town in Ireland in 1862, pushes against the limits of the period film genre and opens up conversations about science, religion, faith, and belief.  Joins us as we walk through this mysterious and fascinating film. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this show we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources & further readings:The Wonder IMDB PageInterview with Florence Pugh and Sebastian LelioFilm review on The New YorkTimesInterview with Emma Donoghue

In this episode, Gaby and Andreina discuss the much-talked-about 2022 Austrian movie Corsage, which depicts a year in the life of Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi. Mixing historical fact with imaginative interpretation, the film is a fascinating portrayal of this beloved Austrian icon, one that remains more a myth than a real person in the general imagination. Gaby and Andreina also welcome a very special guest to talk about Sisi and help separate fact from fiction. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this film, we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Trigger warning: in this episode, we briefly mention the name of Austrian actor Florian Teichtmeister, who in February 2023 was charged with possession of child pornography. We recorded this discussion prior to this news being reported and we understand if you need to skip this episode. Sources and other links:TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Marie Kreutzer – Corsagehttps://womenandhollywood.com/tiff-2022-women-directors-meet-marie-kreutzer-corsagePeople +Entertainment weekly TIFF Studio 2022https://youtu.be/OpfUWSiXdrQ  Q&A on the TIFF 2022https://youtu.be/4SLPnduOleA Marie Kreutzer on "Willkommen Österreich" (Interview in german!)https://youtu.be/0Kf3v8mR07E 

We rarely find a more determined fictional female character in literature from the late 19th century than Bathsheba Everdeen. Guided by a strong will and a deep-rooted desire to build her path while keeping her full independence, Bathsheba learns the hard way that love and companionship are still not that bad after all. A film full of breathtaking landscapes, a plot with unexpected twists, and a love story to remember, Far from the Madding Crowd made us think about women's leadership in an unusual time and place as well as the hard choices we sometimes get in life. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this film, we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources and other links:Carey Mulligan on how she suggested casting Matthias Schoenaerts as Gabriel Oakhttps://youtu.be/or_CQ_iAWA8Carey Mulligan interviewhttps://youtu.be/jxgCL96ILsg  Making of “Far from the madding crowd”https://youtu.be/JHhhXcxbwgwQ&A Session with Thomas Vinterberg and Matthias Schoenartshttps://youtu.be/JbJBZaK7Kio 

To open up our third season, Gaby and Andreina discuss the South Korean film The Handmaiden, directed by Park Chan-wook.Acclaimed by critics, this movie is a work of extraordinary vision from beginning to end: cinematography, performances, costume and set design, in addition to an incredibly well-written script–every detail of this film shows the highest ambition and achievement. We hope you enjoy our discussion and fall in love with this movie as much as we did. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this film, we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources and other links:Film review by Jia Tolentino on The New Yorker:https://www.newyorker.com/culture/jia-tolentino/the-handmaiden-and-the-freedom-women-find-only-with-one-anotherShort clip - Making of “The Handmaiden”:https://youtu.be/pUQ5H_bF1Ck Interview with Sarah Waters, author of the novel “Fingersmith”https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/08/sarah-waters-the-handmaiden-turns-pornography-into-a-spectacle-but-its-true-to-my-novel-

What do you get when you take a pitch-perfect cast, beautiful but expressive cinematography, restraint but character-revealing costumes, and an inspired and poetic direction? The 2011 adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, Jane Eyre! Directed by then up-and-coming filmmaker Cary Fukunaga, it remains one of the most underrated period films of the last two decades. Join us as we discuss the incredible and timeless characters of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester and the way they are portrayed in the film. Adriana–Gaby and Andreina's eldest sister–joins the hosts for an in-person, prosecco-filled discussion fit for a midsummer grand season finale. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this film we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources and other links:Jane Eyre IMDB Pagehttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229822/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0Jane Eyre Featurettehttps://youtu.be/QaPNyABiGfU

“I’m gonna stand up, take my people with me, together we are going to a brand new home” – so sings Cyntia Erivo in the song “Stand Up,” the Academy Award nominated song for the film Harriet she co-wrote after playing the film’s leading role.  In their first review of an American film so far, Andreina and Gabriela discuss the 2019 film Harriet, which tells the story of the abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman. Formerly enslaved, Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849 and then worked for the rest of her life to bring her family and other enslaved people to freedom.Gaby and Andreina discuss casting choices (i.e. a British person playing an American historical figure), the differences between British and American period films, Cythia Erivo’s performance and much more. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this film we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources and other linksHarriet  IMDB Page:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7248827/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_smHarriet Cast and Crew Q&A | TIFF 2019:https://youtu.be/9N8sgVS32fY  Interview with Cast:https://youtu.be/jtuhFw_g-UgVideo of the title song:https://youtu.be/sn19xvfoXvk Rogerebert.com Review:https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/harriet-movie-review-2019 Following Harriet Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/following-harriet/id1483073168

Oh, Emma! Got into trouble again? Although she always meant good, Jane Austen’s Emma is known for stirring things up in her hometown while playing the matchmaker. Set in the early 19th century, this all-time classic has been brought to the big screen in many ways, but which one is your favourite? We couldn’t answer this question easily so we watched two versions and tried to make up our minds!So, tune in to listen to our discussion about Emma and Emma.! Two wonderful films, both true to the original material, but so different from each other. ***Spoiler alert! While reviewing this film we go through key scenes and may reveal the ending, so be warned of spoilers!***Sources and other links:Emma (1996) IMDBhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116191/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 Emma (1996) Making Ofhttps://youtu.be/SMGlrlREOw8Emma (1996) New York Times Reviewhttps://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/02/movies/so-genteel-so-scheming-so-austen.htmlEmma. (2020) IMDBhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt9214832/?ref_=tt_sims_tt_i_5  Emma. (2020) Q&A Session with Anya Taylor-Joy & director Autumn de Wilde https://youtu.be/QyDhhwDq-S4 Emma. (2020) The Guardian Reviewhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/16/emma-review-autumn-de-wilde-anya-taylor-joy-bill-nighy-johnny-flynn