In this episode I am joined by Silvana Maimone to discuss Pan's Labyrinth (2006).

We discuss the power and importance of creativity, especially in difficult times, imagination as resistance, the joys of films that aren't American and lots more including Guillermo Del Toro's fabulous 'Pan's Labyrinth'.

Thank you to Silvana for her time and insight.

Some words from the director:

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DUGrnRXid7P/

Here is a link to the TED talk mentioned in the episode:

Do schools kill creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson | TED

In this bonus episode I am joined by Billy Stanton to talk about the upcoming NOLI Film Festival at The Etcetera Theatre in London's Camden.

The film festival this podcast was made for. If you enjoy listening then you will love this festival.

For tickets:

Noli: Too Long/Too Difficult/Too Raw Short Film Festival — Etcetera TheatreNoli: Too Long/Too Difficult/Too Raw Short Film Festival - Buy tickets

Learn more about NOLI :

Noli Me Tangere: The Too Long, Too Difficult, Too Raw Short Film Festival – Contact: nolimetangeresfn@gmail.com

We really hope to see you there.

In this episode I am joined by author Nick Gilbert to talk about his book 'Roadrunner: Radio On, Road Movies & the A4'.

It is a wide ranging discussion that still doesn't get to all the many fascinating subjects covered in the book.

Still we cover Radio On, Hitch-Hiking, JG Ballard, Two Lane Blacktop, Kraftwerk and more.

Find the book here:

Roadrunner: Radio On, Road Movies and the A4 : Gilbert, Nick: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Read Nick's Blog here:planktonproduktions – Cult Sights & Sounds, Bristol, Wales, Spain & South America

A foundational English road movie, an Anglo German co-production, possessor of one of cinema's great soundtracks and an impressively strange debut- this episode is focused on 'Radio On'.

Music by

The Croutons

with little bits of songs from the film and a bit of Roadrunner by the Modern Lovers

In this special episode I am joined by Em and Nicole, two of the three directors of the Broken Film Festival, taking place in Guelph, Ontario Canada on the 17th and 18th of April 2026 (next week as I type this).

Mixing experimental film and music this is one of the more interesting festivals out there.

Learn more here - https://brokenfilmfestival.ca/

and get there if you can, there is so much of interest going on in these two days.

This episode is about Takeshi Kitano's finest work (in my opinion) Hana Bi, or Fireworks, from 1997.

A moment when a truly fascinating artist gets it pretty much just right.

On this episode I follow a thread from Penman's Fassbinder Thousands of Mirrors to 'Ein Mann Wie E.V.A.

Directed by Radu Gabrea and depicting a troubled film production under the dubious command of E.V.A, a Fassbinder like figure.

You can see the film here-

Ein Mann wie EVA (1984) – rarefilmm | The Cave of Forgotten Films

From 1987, Hamlet goes business might be a criminally under appreciated classic in the oeuvre of the psychobilly Finn.