Last April, Film Comment invited writer Adam Shatz on the Podcast to talk about The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon, his new biography of the Martinican writer, psychiatrist, and anti-colonial revolutionary. The Podcast explored Fanon’s lasting impression on the world of cinema since his untimely death in 1961—and it became the basis ... Show More
Mar 31
Melissa Anderson on The Hunger
For more than two decades, Melissa Anderson has been one of New York City’s most important film critics—and one of Film Comment’s favorite writers. From her start as a freelancer in the 2000s, through her editorships at Time Out, The Village Voice, and most recently 4Columns, she ... Show More
1h 4m
Mar 24
The Films of Peter Watkins, with J. Hoberman
On October 30 of last year, we lost one of cinema’s most daring auteurs: the British director Peter Watkins. Starting out in television in the 1960s, Watkins developed an utterly unique and militantly political mode of filmmaking. In works like Culloden (1964), The War Game (1966 ... Show More
50m 28s
Dec 2024
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK — Charlie Kaufman’s movie of a lifetime
<p>When screenwriter <b>Charlie Kaufman</b> started making his epic, heartbreaking directorial debut <b>SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK</b>, he was the toast of Hollywood. Then it flopped, put a pause on his career, and arguably marked the end of the heady “indiewood” era of the oughties. H ... Show More
35m 37s
Aug 2025
The Life Of Chuck/Charles/Charlie (ft. guests Eva Victor; Olivia Colman & Jay Roach; Sir Ben Kingsley)
This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down, on Zoom and in person, with a cavalcade of cracking guests. There's Eva Victor, star/writer/director of the excellent Sorry, Baby, who talks about cats, directing themselves, and people who look like yams. [23:05 - 39:05 appr ... Show More
1h 58m
Aug 2025
The Not-So-Difficult Second Movie (ft. guests Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong)
This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Helen O'Hara slip into the host's chair in Chris Hewitt's absence, and use her endless reservoir of patience to corral James Dyer, Alex Godfrey and Ben Travis in a discussion of the best second movies by notable directors (and yes, w ... Show More
1h 45m