🌈 Living Out Loud starts this Friday! A 3-day FREE online summit exploring queer + trans stories and histories on screen (and beyond). Each day builds on the last — you’ll get the richest experience if you join for more than one, but you’re welcome to drop in. seventh-row.com/livingoutloud

🌈 Tomorrow we kick off Living Out Loud — a free, 3-day online summit on queer + trans cinema and history. Day 1 (Friday, Oct 3, 2–4pm ET): Reclaiming Queer + Trans History How do film, TV, theatre, and archives reclaim LGBTQ+ history? Register FREE to join us: seventh-row.com/livingoutloud

thrilled to be joining such a fab group of folks (@cjprince.bsky.social, Lena Wilson, and the terrific @bwestcineaste.bsky.social) to talk about queer and trans cinematic storytelling for @seventhrow.bsky.social's Living Out Loud weekend for Day 2! come through! seventh-row.com/living-out-l...

🌈 What makes a story queer or trans? Depends who you ask — and when it was made. Is it about LGBTQ+ characters or filmmakers? Or something else entirely? How we define it shapes how we assess the state of queer + trans cinema today. Join us Saturday to discuss: seventh-row.com/livingoutloud

🎬 On Sunday, Oct 5 (2–4pm ET), Living Out Loud wraps up with a queer short film screening + live group discussion. We’ll watch the film together, then unpack it with me facilitating — connecting it to the themes from Days 1 + 2. seventh-row.com/livingoutloud

I podcasted on two of the queer/trans films I saw at #TIFF50 They got me thinking about what kinds of stories we get about queer and trans lives in different parts of the world — and how those stories are told. (Questions we'll keep exploring at Living Out Loud next week!) Some thoughts 🧵

THE CHORAL (which had its world premiere at #TIFF50 and stars the always excellent Ralph Fiennes) has queer characters and queer creatives. But is it a queer film? That’s the question I unpack in Ep. 183 of the Seventh Row podcast. seventh-row.com/2025/09/18/e...

BETWEEN DREAMS AND HOPE at #TIFF50 got me thinking about how bureaucracy shapes queer + trans lives — especially in medical contexts. I unpack that in Ep. 181 of the podcast, alongside two other films. 🧵 (And yes, it connects to Living Out Loud 👇) seventh-row.com/2025/09/09/e...

🎬 What gets remembered — and what gets erased — is never neutral. Day 1 of Living Out Loud explores how queer + trans history is reclaimed through art + archives. Oct 3–5 | Free + online 🔗 seventh-row.com/livingoutloud

🎬 What stories are being told about queer and trans lives — and what's still missing? That’s the jumping-off point for Living Out Loud, an online summit on queer + trans stories in film, theatre, TV, and history. 📅 Oct 3–5, 2–4pm ET 💻 Free + online 👉 Save your seat: seventh-row.com/livingoutloud

When we first watched 45 Years, we thought their marriage was doomed. 10 years later? We’re not so sure. We might even think it makes their relationship stronger. 🎙️Clip from our latest episode with @bwestcineaste.bsky.social & Lindsay Pugh.

@bwestcineaste.bsky.social talked about Materialists (2025) on a recent episode of the Seventh Row Podcast — strong premise, great blocking, but it left her cold. On the episode, she talked about what worked, what didn't, and also...Gossip Girl? Listen: pod.link/1437069031/e...

And for more conversation, with spoilers, check out this follow-up episode: bsky.app/profile/seve...

Saw JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE yesterday. This podcast episode from @bwestcineaste.bsky.social will help you decide whether to see it (or, if you've already seen it, to enjoy it even more).

One of the smartest things about the Langley sequence in Mission: Impossible (1996)? The way it builds tension from something as tiny — and human — as a single drop of water. That cold drink on the table? It’s not just set dressing. It’s foreshadowing.

In this podcast excerpt, we unpack how the very first scene of Mission: Impossible doesn’t just kick off the action — it sets the tone for everything that follows. 👀 Someone’s always watching. 🎭 Everyone’s performing. 🎥 And spycraft? It’s just filmmaking with higher stakes.

One of the things that makes Mission: Impossible (1996) land? The writing. The characters’ motivations make sense. The plot is straightforward without being over-explained. We’re told the plan — and then we get to track how it unfolds, step by step. 🎧 In this clip, @amuredda praises the writing.

In Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, Agathe dances through a Paris bookshop — past shelves lined with red books. Not by chance. In the episode, I discuss how subtle choices like that shape the film’s emotional world. 🎧 For when you’re in the afterglow — or wondering if this one’s for you.

Part 2 of me talking about Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. This time: the bookends. What the opening + closing scenes reveal — about hiding out from life, and maybe coming back to it. 🎧 For when you want to live in the afterglow of a great film.

JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE is one of the year's best movies. Yes, it’s a rom-com — and a fantastic one at that — but it’s also an anti-rom-com about a woman in her 30s who’s stuck, not just romantically, but professionally and personally. Listen to the episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...

#Cannes25 has begun! While everyone's focused on the Palme d'Or contenders, there's a whole world of incredible cinema waiting to be discovered beyond the main competition. On the podcast, we dive into how to navigate Cannes like an insider (even from home).

It's a little-known fact that some of the most important films in cinema history that have screened at Cannes didn't actually screen in the Official Competition. E.g. Akerman's Jeanne Dielman screened in the Directors' Fortnight. So many gems hide out in the festival's sidebars.

One of my favorite podcasts discusses THE WEDDING BANQUET, a film I enjoyed seeing this week. I saw it followed by ON SWIFT HORSES, which turned out to be a great double feature. 📽️ #FilmSky

Why is it so hard to see African films? On today's podcast episode, @bwestcineaste.bsky.social explains the many levels of this problem...and what you can do if you'd like to see more African films. seventh-row.com/2025/05/08/e...

What do we love about David Cronenberg's films? "Regardless of what genre he's currently ostensibly working in, his movies are about talking and about working through ideas." [email protected] In this clip, Angelo gets at so much of what makes Cronenberg's films great.

What do you do when the newly elected pope has a panic attack and an existential crisis? What if his life's ambition was to be an actor doing Chekhov? That's the premise of Nanni Moretti's warm and hilarious WE HAVE A POPE. Listen to the full episode on the film: seventh-row.com/2025/04/21/e...

Now that a conclave is coming soon... Why not check out a different Pope movie? Why not watch the delightful Italian film WE HAVE A POPE? Listen to the full episode: seventh-row.com/2025/04/21/e...

Looking to be surprised and delighted at the movies? Look no further than Andrew Ahn's queer dramedy THE WEDDING BANQUET, a smart and thoughtful remake of Ang Lee's 1993 queer rom-com classic. Alex introduces the delightful film in this clip and explains how it quickly allayed her hesitations.

Itching to watch a Pope movie? Instead of watching/re-watching Conclave, why not watch a delightful and hilarious Italian film that's even MORE fun than Conclave? On the podcast, Alex discusses why WE HAVE A POPE is such a delight and how it might just satisfy where CONCLAVE doesn't quite.

Why should you see BLACK BAG? Seventh Row Podcast host Alex Heeney previews a couple of key reasons. For more info on why we recommend the film, listen to Episode 164 of the Seventh Row Podcast: seventh-row.com/2025/03/21/e...

Today on the podcast, @bwestcineaste.bsky.social talks about why she recommends Steven Soderbergh's Black Bag (it's fun! and smart!) and what has kept her watching every new Soderbergh film for two decades, even though not all of them hit. Listen: seventh-row.com/2025/03/21/e...

Crossing Delancey is the perfect movie to watch right now. Do you want a distraction? Do you want to see the world's best Bubby? Do you want an infinitely patient man to wait around like furniture for you to sort your shit out? On the podcast, we go deep on why the film is an enduring classic.

We're thinking of starting a new short-term book/movie online discussion group for May/June called Radical Adaptations We will read three short (under 300 pages) single-protagonist 20th-century novels and watch & discuss their superlative radical 21st-century film adaptations.

One of the best films of 2025, WHO BY FIRE by Québécois filmmaker Philippe Lesage, is out in NYC this week. We talked about it on the podcast: seventh-row.com/2025/03/07/e...

If you’re in the U.S., Crossing Delaney was just on @tcmtv.bsky.social this morning so it should be accessible in the app to watch later. Chilly is currently on @criterionchannel.bsky.social Now get to listening/watching!

Director Joan Micklin Silver was so ahead of her time that her films from 30+ years ago still read as modem. On the podcast, we discuss Micklin Silver's biggest flop, the excellent Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979), and her biggest hit, Crossing Delancey (1988) seventh-row.com/2025/03/14/e...

Now that the Oscars are over, the best movies of the year are heading your way! @cjprince.bsky.social joined @bwestcineaste.bsky.social on the podcast to preview four of the best films of 2025 coming out this spring: seventh-row.com/2025/03/07/e...

A screwball comedy about people over 50? Yes, please! Charles Burnett’s delightful THE ANNIHILATION OF FISH has been restored in 4K and is touring cinemas across North America. Our review: seventh-row.com/2025/03/07/f...

If you’re looking for a fun distraction from all the horrible world news with arts & culture & community, you may be interested in Reel Ruminators! (More details in quoted thread) Doors are open until tomorrow night. seventh-row.com/reel-ruminat...

This is still screening all over the UK, in NY tonight/Friday, in Melbourne this week, and a few other cities! Google Donmar Macbeth for showtimes near you!

Now that the Oscars are over, the best movies of 2025 are heading to cinemas. On the podcast, @bwestcineaste.bsky.social and @cjprince.bsky.social look back on the wide range of great movies that have come during the 3-4 month window after the Oscars in the last few years. buff.ly/P5VCkkK

Went on the @seventhrow.bsky.social podcast to discuss the Oscars with @bwestcineaste.bsky.social and how its shift to embracing more international films is both welcoming and a reminder of the Oscars' limitations. Listen here: seventh-row.com/2025/02/14/e...

New Episode: Today on the podcast, @bwestcineaste.bsky.social is joined by @cjprince.bsky.social to discuss how the Oscars impact the international films you hear about and can easily see...even if you're not interested in the Oscars. Listen: https://buff.ly/3CU7Zey

This weekend in cinemas, don't miss the Donmar Warehouse's Macbeth starring two superlative Hamlets, David Tennant and Cush Jumbo. Today on the podcast, Alex discusses why this is a can't-miss production and why you should make time for this production. Listen: https://buff.ly/4gylNsM

Curious about francophone cinema? Myfrenchfilmfestival is a great budget-friendly worldwide online film fest that runs until Feb 17. On the podcast, @bwestcineaste.bsky.social discusses three reasons to attend & recommends three films to see at this year's edition. Listen:

What makes Mike Leigh's films great is inextricable from the process he uses to make them... But there are some big myths and misconceptions about how he actually works. On the podcast, @bwestcineaste.bsky.social debunks three myths about Mike Leigh's process. Listen: https://buff.ly/4ga6EOs

From the Archive: Revisit our 2021 episode on the BFI's stunning 4K restoration of Mike Leigh's NAKED featuring @womaninrevolt. We discuss why we love the film, why it's still relevant 30 years on, the incredible performances, and the film's depiction of London. Listen: https://buff.ly/3PEewwM

Mike Leigh's new film, Hard Truths, is now in cinemas. To mark the occasion, on today's podcast (ep. 156), Alex discusses and debunks three common myths about Mike Leigh's process, drawing on research from her ebook Peterloo in Process. Listen to the episode: https://buff.ly/4ga6EOs

Today on the podcast, @womaninrevolt joins @bwestcineaste to discuss the new sex dramedy BABYGIRL starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson. Listen: https://buff.ly/4hd0fTx Here's a preview of what's inside the episode.

Today on the podcast, @bwestcineaste recommends Maura Delpero's VERMIGLIO, a gorgeous film set in the Italian Alps at the end of WWII. Alex introduces the episode in this clip. Listen to the episode: https://buff.ly/4j4RkVZ