Ep 75: Aubrey Plaza, Gillian Wallace Horvat + awards chat with critic Rhianna Dhillon

We bring you a dark comedy double bill with the women behind new releases Black Bear and I Blame Society. First, Anna welcomes seasoned guest, film & tv critic Rhianna Dhillon, to catch up on the awards season. They share their thoughts about this year’s EE British Academy Film Awards winners, from Promising Young Woman to Nomadland, and place their bets for the Oscars. Are more diverse filmmakers and actors being recognised this year? Next up, actress and producer Aubrey Plaza joins Anna to talk about her role as Allison in Black Bear. This artistic comedy-drama centres an actress on a difficult film shoot in a remote location. Delving into the themes of the film, Aubrey considers the harmful myth of the ‘genius’ director and why it’s important for actors to feel safe on set. She further describes her relationship with feminism and recalls a time she spoke up for a poorly written female character. Keep listening for an exclusive insight into Aubrey’s upcoming projects! Finally, writer-director and actress Gillian Wallace Horvat tells Anna how her short doc evolved into the murder mockumentary I Blame Society. Another film-within-a-film, this funny thriller sees a struggling director decide filmmaking and killing are not so dissimilar. Gillian reveals the personal experiences that inspired her to make the film and speaks her mind on the term “strong female lead”. She also reflects on how female horror directors are sometimes treated differently to their male counterparts. Other movie and TV mentions: After Love, Sound of Metal, Mogul Mowgli, Promising Young Woman, Rocks, Nomadland, My Octopus Teacher, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Happiest Season, Parks and Recreation, The Untitled Guy Ritchie Movie, David Holzman’s Diary, Gone Girl, Prevenge, I Care A Lot, The Last Seduction, To Die For, Species, Melancholia. This episode is in partnership with Rémy Martin. Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast Follow us on socials: www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio Producer: Emma Butt. Principal Partner: Peter Brewer. Assistant Producer and Social Media Manager: Heather Dempsey. Assistant Producer: Elliana Jay.