Watershed Podcast

While the halcyon days of films being released into the cinema seem a distant memory and Watershed Cinemas were more closed than open, this month's podcast still finds a rich array of fantastic films to remember from 2020.This month Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, Tara Judah, Watershed Cinema Producer and Thea Berry, film programmer and producer, share their highlights of the year. Albeit some were only available through Watershed online and lacking in the convivial community of the shared viewing experience, they conclude there was still plenty to enjoy in film in 2020.

In November's podcast Mark Cosgrove (Watershed Cinema Curator) and Tara Judah (Watershed Cinema Producer) ponder and refute October's news of the delay in the new James Bond film and how, as reported by some newspapers, its a harbinger of the death of cinema.With cinema alive and well at Watershed, Mark and Tara share the films they are looking forward to in November. There are two films from Cronenbergs – a new restoration of the notorious Crash from David Cronenberg and Possessor from son Brandon Cronenberg. Crash was much attacked at the time, much to author J.G. Ballard's surprise as the novel was published 23 years earlier, even leading to statements in the UK parliament at the time and a life long ban from being shown in the London borough of Westminster. Mark and Tara retell the impact of this extraordinary 'depraved' sci-fi film at the time it was initially released and look forward to seeing it again on the big screen. Possessor shows that son Brendan has not chosen to break the Cronenberg mould too

This month Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, welcomes Cinema Producer Tara Judah back from maternity leave to discuss their highlights for the month ahead and a packed programme of new films and cinematic opportunities.Mark and Tara share their thoughts on much anticipated new British horror Saint Maud; cliché free, debut feature Miss Juneteenth, with its incredible cast and focus on a mother and her daughter facing the wider issues of many African-American communities in the US; the reflective and cinematic Rialto in which a middle-aged family man undergoes a crisis of masculinity and sexuality; and the inspirational force of nature that is Greta Thunberg and the impact that her actions have not only on the world but on her personally, intimately portrayed in documentary I Am Greta.But there's more as the BFI London Film Festival comes to Watershed this month with 11 exclusive previews from the Festival and a programme of both cinema and virtual screenings, making the festival for the first time simul

This month Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, shares the background to his thinking about the films he is putting on for Watershed's reopening in September, and shares upcoming highlights.With this century's version of mainstream cinema – in which the blockbuster is all – currently going through some serious contortions, he reiterates how there is more to cinema and film culture than Hollywood. And how that has led to an opening programme of films which speak to an essential cinematic quality.

This month we take a pause in our monthly podcast as we prepare for re-opening.We look forward to seeing you in the cinema again soon.

In July's podcast Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, looks forward to welcoming audiences back to Watershed in September – but wonders what films will be available and how different cinema going will be.Despite the uncertainty there are new film releases ahead and Mark shares some of the titles to look forward to and highlights two films in particular to look out for online this month.

In June's podcast Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, considers whether, when people talk of the acute challenges now facing the arts sector, whether film is included in that?When does film become art; and what is the relationship between film and commerce?Mark also looks forward to the upcoming Japan 2020 film season hosted on the BFI website, whilst still hoping that the real world value of film does not get lost on the way

In May's cinema podcast Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, considers the existential crisis at the heart of cinema & film under the current situation. Delving into the past for insight, Mark wonders – what does cinema mean when there is no cinema? Also Mark shares a handful of his film picks for the coming month to help you cut through the current explosion of online film viewing opportunities.

In these extraordinary times which have seen Watershed close its building and cancel all film screenings, Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator and Thea Berry, Watershed Cinema Producer, share some of the immediate responses from the filmmaking community to the current situation and offer pointers to some of the films that are currently exciting them – films which are easily available online and more often than not free to view.

In this month's podcast Watershed Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove and Cinema Producer Thea Berry look ahead to a packed month with plenty to get your eyes and ears into it.March sees the start of Watershed's two month cinematic celebration Filmic. In this podcast Mark and Thea share insights, stories and anecdotes on the inextricable link between film and music through Filmic's two seasons of upcoming films – Era-Defining Soundtracks and FILM SC♀RES: Celebrating Female Composers.They also talk about some of the month's upcoming new releases from the stark and compelling The Painted Bird to unique Brazilian near future sci-fi Bacurau.

February maybe the shortest month of the year yet it contains a compelling wealth of cinematic joy, and a little bit of despair too. Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, and Thea Berry, Watershed Cinema Producer share their recommendations and highlights for the month ahead.First up they discuss why the long anticipated, sensational, Palme d'Or winning comedy thriller Parasite, is just so good. Also much anticipated is Portrait of a Lady on Fire in which they say something really special happens in they way it tells female stories.Then they shine a light on Japan with highlights from the Japan Foundation season of films which search for happiness in Japanese society and prolific filmmakerTakashi Miike's brutal, bloody, and brilliantly over the top First Love.On to the fast fashion world of Greed starring Steve Coogan which Mark suggests could be called Carry on Capitalism – a laugh packed critique of capitalism, which still manages to pointedly highlight its inherent inequalities.They also recommend Mr Jo

This first podcast of the new decade gets off to a hop skip and jump as we look forward to the start of the year in cinema at Watershed.Mark Cosgrove, Cinema Curator and Thea Berry, Cinema Producer, plus guests, discuss our upcoming weekend of musicals exploring race, identity and politics – busting the myth that musicals are all just jazz hands and frippery. Mark and Thea also discuss their start of the year highlights including in February the brilliantly cinematic Portrait of a Lady on Fire andthe totally unpredictable journey ofParasite. The year starts off though with the the rip roaring salty dog sea tale that is The Lighthouse, Jo Jo Rabbit's brilliantly satirical exploration of nationalism and fascism and Armando Iannucci's Dickens with a contemporary sensibility, in the hilarious The Personal History of David Copperfield.

Cinema Curator, Mark Cosgrove, and Cinema Producers Thea Berry and Tarah Judah, share some of their stand out films of the year plus discuss the year in film – the films that didn't get the attention they deserved, the wealth of world cinema and strong British cinema in 2019 – and share their top 5 films of the year.

Festival season continues this month at Watershed as Mark Cosgrove, Cinema Curator, and Thea Berry, Cinema Producer, look forward to the eighth Afrika Eye Film Festival – bringing remarkable artists and filmmakers to Watershed and beyond; two films from UK Jewish Film Festival on Tour representing the best of contemporary Jewish cinema from around the world; two films from the London Korean Film Festival showcasing both the old and new of Korean cinema, and finally two films from the UK Green Film Festival which brings the very best environmentally themed films from around the world.Alongside all the festival fun Mark talks with MA Curating student Julia Rae about the value of being on placement at Watershed and We Are Here – a season of films and events she has put together that celebrate and portray positivity in Queer and LGBTQ+ communities.And to finish off Mark implores you to immerse yourself in Scorsese's latest masterpiece of power and control The Irishman.

Watershed Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove and Watershed Cinema Producer Thea Berry are joined by Encounters Film Festival director Rich Warren and Come the Revolution curator Liz Chege.Rich and Mark discuss how Encounters all started, the enduring appeal and popularity of short film and what to expect at this year's festival. Liz and Mark discuss The Last Tree and its themes, a unique Nigerian perspective and the notion of going home. And Thea discusses her two favourite new releases coming to Watershed – the accomplished, courageous and deeply moving Phoenix; plus tense, noir, thriller Rojo from Argentina.

Rife Magazine, representation on screen, Almodovar's latest, a cinematic Cornish treat and French summer holidays all feature in a look ahead to August in film at Watershed.Watershed Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove is joined by Asmaa Jama from Rife magazine.

Watershed's Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove and Cinema Producer Tara Judah share their upcoming highlights in film for July. From the fantastic snapshot of what's happening with restorations, archive and rarities that is the Cinema Rediscovered festival; to new releases such as the gothic horror Midsommar, Jim Jarmusch's dead-pan zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die and the last film from feminist icon, pioneer and legendary French filmmaker Agnès Varda, Varda by Agnes.Cinema Rediscovered offers a great opportunity to dive a bit deeper into film culture and Mark and Tara's picks include a focus on the great British director Nick Roeg's incredible body of work from, Robert Bresson's rarely screened and highly under rated La Femme Deuce, a look at the influence of London's infamous Scala cinema which programmed both high art and low rent b-movies alongside each other, to the original cinema innovators of the Victorian era.

Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator, and Tara Judah, Watershed Cinema Producer look ahead to June 2019 at Watershed Cinema with their own personal highlights from the month.Mark looks forward to Chilean director Sebastián Lelio's Gloria Bell – an English language remake of Lelio's own acclaimed 2013 film Gloria, with Julianne Moore as a divorced mother having a coming-of-age experience later in life. Both Tara and Mark highlight In Fabric – a visually rich, sensuous, surreal and funny story – and look forward to a season of brunches celebrating London's Scala cinema where In Fabric Peter Strickland’s directorial voice was moulded.Mark recommends new documentary about the life of super talented Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona and shares his thoughts on the director Asif Kapadia's compelling storytelling, whilst gently urging you, even if you are not a sports fan, to go and see this film.And to finish Tara shares her enthusiasm for the cinematic treat that is the beautiful and moving Dirty God – a mod

This month Cinema Producer Tara Judah and Campaigns Manager Ti Singh focus on acclaimed French director Claire Denis' first english language science fiction film High Life. They discuss how the film explores the human condition, isolation and incarceration and talk about an accompanying season Lost in Space, which asks – what happens to humanity when you remove it from its context?Tara & Ti also look forward to Woman at War a warmhearted and utterly unique look at an Icelandic eco-warrior juggling environmental action and foster motherhood; and vibrant american film Madeline's Madeline that captures and explores the process, ethics and boundaries of acting.