Cinetopia Radio

Cinetopia presents a special edition from the 2026 Venice International Film Festival.

Amanda Rogers is joined by Martin Petrov and Matthew Floyd from International Film Festival Glasgow to discuss their experience on the Lido and festival highlights including Danny Boyle’s Ink, Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, Florian Zeller’s Bunker, Lance Oppenheim’s Prime Time and more.

Martin and Matthew also give us a preview of the newly announced programme for International Film Festival Glasgow, taking place from 10–15 November.

Finally, Amanda sits down with filmmaker Robert Greene in Venice to discuss his new documentary Too Much Sugar, his approach to documentary filmmaking, performance and shared authorship.

Show running times

[01:20] Introduction and Venice International Film Festival discussion
[21:33] Ink, dir. Danny Boyle
[27:37] Bucking Fastard, dir. Werner Herzog
[42:44] Wild Horse Nine, dir. Martin McDonagh
[50:35] Bunker, dir. Florian Zeller
[52:53] Primetime, dir. Lance Oppenheim
[01:01:49] International Film Festival Glasgow 2026 preview
[01:13:05] Interview with Robert Greene, director of Too Much Sugar

Check out the International Film Festival Glasgow's programme and website at https://iffg.co.uk/

For more from Cinetopia and our upcoming screenings and events, visit https://www.cinetopia.co.uk/

Cinetopia opening music composed by Rossano Cariello.

Produced and hosted by Amanda Rogers.

Cinetopia presents our annual special edition from the 2026 Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Amanda Rogers is joined by Garry Arnot and Mariana Duarte to discuss festival highlights including opening film The Incomer, Extra Geography, Tamra Davis’s The Best Summer, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s The Sheep in the Box and many more, including films competing for the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence.

Amanda and Veronica Buccino also bring you interviews from across the festival, featuring Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Smith from Queen at Sea; Bart Simpson, director of The Mad World of Harvey Kurtzman; Finlay Pretsell, director of Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon; Tamra Davis, director of The Best Summer; and members of the cast and crew of Extra Geography.

Show running times

[00:00] Introduction

[02:01] The Incomer

[09:12] The Sheep in the Box

[28:05] I Want Your Sex

[38:35] Interview with Bart Simpson, director of The Mad World of Harvey Kurtzman

[48:46] The Best Summer review

[57:24] Interview with director Tamra Davis

[1:14:49] Interview with Finlay Pretsell, director of Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon

[1:32:42] Extra Geography review and interview clip

[1:37:11] Queen at Sea review and interview clip

For more EIFF reviews and the full video interviews, visit the Cinetopia YouTube channel and cinetopia.co.uk.

Cinetopia opening music composed by Rossano Cariello.

Produced and hosted by Amanda Rogers.

Cinetopia's Amanda Rogers is joined by show regulars Jim Ross (Take One Magazine) and Garry Arnot (Cinema Perspective) for a preview of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026, discussing some of the films they're most looking forward to seeing at this year's festival.

The team also reviews The Invite, Blue Heron, and Rosebush Pruning, exploring each film's themes, filmmaking and performances.

Show running times

[00:00] Introduction

[02:45] Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 Preview

[15:20] The Invite (dir. Olivia Wilde)

[39:48] Blue Heron (dir. Sophy Romvari)

[56:20] Rosebush Pruning (dir. Karim Aïnouz)

Originally aired 18 June 2026.

Cinetopia's Amanda is joined by show regulars Emma Jamieson and Mariana Duarte to discuss some of the month’s most talked-about new releases. The team begins with Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, before moving on to Disclosure Day, directed by Steven Spielberg, and concluding with Acting, directed by Sophie Fiennes. From internet-born horror and blockbuster science fiction to an intimate exploration of the actor’s craft, the conversation explores the films’ themes, filmmaking and performances.

Show runing times

[08:00] Backrooms (dir. Kane Parsons)

[40:53] Disclosure Day (dir. Steven Spielberg)

[01:03:53] Acting (dir. Sophie Fiennes)

In this month’s episode of the Cinetopia podcast, we review three new releases that each unfold in their own distinct world.

We begin with The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, a dramedy already generating conversation around its central twist. We then turn to Project Hail Mary, a science-fiction story built around a deeply unexpected relationship, before discussing Rose of Nevada, the latest from Mark Jenkin, a quietly uncanny, time-bending mystery starring Callum Turner and George MacKay.

We also sit down with Mark Jenkin to talk about the film, his creative process, and how it connects to his earlier work as part of a Cornish trilogy.

Plus, we look ahead to our Fiends in the Furrows folk-horror festival, including outdoor screenings of Enys Men and Rose of Nevada.

Show Running Order
00:15:30 – The Drama (dir. Kristoffer Borgli) Review
00:44:23 – Project Hail Mary (dir. Phil Lord & Christopher Miller) Review
01:06:52 – Rose of Nevada (dir. Mark Jenkin) Review
01:24:46 – Mark Jenkin Interview
01:56:20 – Closing

Cinetopia is an Edinburgh-based film exhibition and events platform dedicated to curating distinctive cinema experiences across screenings, festivals, and live events. From new releases to archive works, Cinetopia brings audiences together through thoughtful programming, conversation, and a focus on film as a shared cultural experience. Find out more at www.cinetopia.co.uk

Check out our Fiends in the Furrows festival, running from 23–26 April: www.fiendsinthefurrows.com

In this February edition of the Cinetopia Radio Show and Podcast, Amanda is joined by Cinetopia contributors Garry Arnot and Rosie Beattie for reviews of new releases.

This month’s reviews include Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, Kristen Stewart’s The Chronology of Water, and Max Keegan’s documentary The Shepherd and the Bear.

The episode also features an interview conducted by Veronica Buccino with Tom Bryant from MOVE Summit, Scotland’s animation and VFX gathering, which is taking place this week in Edinburgh.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[00:00] Introduction & Awards Season Check-In
Amanda welcomes listeners, introduces Cinetopia contributors Garry Arnot and Rosie Beattie, and shares Oscar and awards season predictions. The team also previews the Glasgow Film Festival 2026

[13:05] Review: "Wuthering Heights" — dir. Emerald Fennell

[40:05] Review: The Chronology of Water — dir. Kristen Stewart

[47:28] Review: The Shepherd and the Bear — dir. Max Keegan

[01:01:00] Interview: Tom Bryant — MOVE Summit
Interview conducted by Veronica Buccino.

[01:19:30] Closing - Final thoughts and wrap-up.

Cinetopia Radio – December Edition (originally aired on EHFM on 18th December 2025)

Cinetopia Radio host Amanda Rogers is joined by Cinetopia contributors Isy Santini and Kat Zabecka for the final episode of 2025, looking at Kontinental ’25, Pillion, Alpha and Christy.

Film Reviews

03:13 – Kontinental ’25Radu Jude’s Kontinental ’25 uses satire to examine bureaucracy and moral uncertainty in contemporary Europe.

20:25 – PillionA relationship study set within a UK gay biker BDSM subculture, focused on power, intimacy and control.

38:15 – Alpha — dir. Julia Ducournau
Alpha continues Ducournau’s exploration of the body, identity and transformation, extending themes of authorship and violence seen across her previous work.

47:38 – ChristyStarring Sydney Sweeney, Christy is a biopic of boxer Christy Martin, tracing her rise in the sport alongside her relationship with her abusive husband and trainer.

We finish with a round-up of our individual favourite films from 2025.

Film reviews, festival conversations and special interviews with Yi Wang (Queer East) and Richard Mowe (French Film Festival UK).

Episode Overview

In this November edition of the Cinetopia Radio Show and Podcast, Amanda is joined by contributors Emma and Mariana for a packed episode of reviews and festival conversations.

We begin with Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer’s new Hollywood character story starring George Clooney, before diving into Edgar Wright’s adrenaline-fuelled The Running Man, Yorgos Lanthimos’s wonderfully deranged Bugonia, and Rian Johnson’s latest Benoit Blanc mystery, Wake Up Dead Man.

We also feature two interviews:
• Yi Wang, Director of the Queer East Film Festival, speaking about this year’s programme.
• Richard Mowe, Director of the French Film Festival UK, discussing the festival’s history and its 2025 highlights.

Plus, a reminder to explore Cinetopia Recommends — our weekly guide to film events and opportunities across Scotland — and Cinetopia Connect, our free digital platform for screenings, jobs and community listings.

[00:00] Introduction
Amanda welcomes listeners, introduces contributors Emma and Mariana, and sets up the films and interviews featured in this month’s episode.

[03:40] Jay Kelly — dir. Noah Baumbach (co-written by Emily Mortimer)
A Hollywood character story starring George Clooney as a man confronting the public version of himself — glossy, charming and tinged with self-reflection.

[19:24] The Running Man — dir. Edgar Wright
A high-energy, near-future chase thriller faithful to Stephen King’s novel, full of commentary on surveillance, spectacle and the machinery of entertainment.

[31:20] Bugonia — dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
A ferocious conspiracy satire starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Wild, uncomfortable, brutally funny — Lanthimos back in sharp form.

[42:43] Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — dir. Rian Johnson Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc, but Josh O’Connor absolutely steals the show in the third instalment of Rian Johnson’s cult mystery franchise.

[56:09] Interview: Yi Wang — Director, Queer East Film Festival
Veronica Buccino speaks with Yi Wang about this year’s Queer East On The Road programme.

[01:23:45] Interview: Richard Mowe — Director, French Film Festival UK - Richard Mowe reflects on the festival’s history and its 2025 highlights.

This month (October) the Cinetopia team — Amanda, Robert, Rosie and Emma — dive into the 2025 BFI London Film Festival from both sides of the border, unpacking the highlights, surprises and cinematic trends that defined this year’s programme.

Episode breakdown:

[00:00] Introduction & Festival Overview
How this year’s LFF felt from both London and Scotland, what’s new, and how regional audiences are engaging with the festival.

[15:00] Frankenstein — dir. Guillermo del Toro
A bold and emotional reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s classic, part-filmed in Scotland, blending gothic spectacle with del Toro’s empathy for the monster within.

[28:05] I Was Just an Accident — dir. Jafar Panahi
A road-movie-style reflection on guilt and redemption, rich with Panahi’s quiet humour and humanism, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

[37:00] Die My Love — dir. Lynne Ramsay
Ramsay returns with a visceral, intimate portrait of motherhood and rage, shot through with her trademark precision in image and sound.

[46:45] Hamnet — dir. Chloé Zhao
An emotional, gorgeous film that reimagines Shakespeare’s family life through the loss of his son, capturing the texture of grief and creative legacy.

[01:01:00] Mastermind — dir. Kelly Reichardt
Autumnal in tone and quietly comic, Reichardt’s latest turns the art-heist genre inside out, reflecting on the absurdities of creative ambition and failure.

[01:10:15] Interview: Jali Collective — Tomiwa Folorunso and Carmen Thompson
Amanda speaks with the co-founders of Jali Collective, a grassroots Edinburgh-based collective widening access to African cinema and celebrating Black, African and diaspora stories through film and culture.

Join us for festival reflections, film chat, and a little cross-border cinephile gossip — from London to Edinburgh and beyond.

Cinetopia Radio – September Edition

Cinetopia Radio host Amanda is joined by the Cinetopia team — Isy Santini, Simon Bowie, and Kat Zabecka — for this month's episode, where we review five distinctive new releases and bring you a set of exciting conversations with filmmakers and festival organisers.

Film Reviews

4:50 - Highest 2 Lowest (dir. Spike Lee)- Lee's English-language reinterpretation of Kurosawa's High and Low stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul who faces a moral crisis when a ransom plot targets his chauffeur's son. Relocated to contemporary New York, Lee transforms the classic crime thriller into a sharp exploration of inequality and power. Streaming on Apple TV+

15:40 - Honey, Don't! (dir. Ethan Coen) Margaret Qualley stars as a small-town private investigator delving into strange deaths tied to a mysterious church. The second in Coen's "lesbian B-movie trilogy," this neo-noir dark comedy mixes absurdist humor with genre conventions in his typically offbeat style. In UK cinemas now

24:35 - Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk (dir. Sepideh Farsi) - Shot through video calls over 200+ days, this documentary captures life in Gaza through exchanges between filmmaker Farsi and Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna. A poignant meditation on survival under siege, made more profound by Hassouna's tragic death in an airstrike after the film's Cannes selection. Distributed by Dogwoof - www.dogwoof.com

36:33 - Happyend (dir. Neo Sora) - Set in near-future Tokyo bracing for a devastating earthquake, Sora's narrative debut follows teenage friends navigating personal struggles as foreshocks predict disaster. The film weaves fragments of youth and anxiety into a haunting meditation on memory and belonging. UK distribution by Modern Films - www.modernfilms.com

50:28 - Paul and Paulette Take a Bath (dir. Jethro Massey) An American photographer and French girl spark an unusual friendship around reenacting notorious Parisian crimes from bygone eras. This surreal British debut won the Audience Award at Venice Critics' Week. Distributed by Conic Films

Alongside the reviews, we feature three in-depth interviews:

• 1:04:00 Paul Sng joins Amanda Rogers to discuss Reality is Not Enough, his new documentary portraying author Irvine Welsh, ahead of its UK release later this month.

• 1:23:40 Marta Massa, representing Iberodocs, talks with Veronica Buccino about the festival's mission to celebrate Ibero-American culture through film

• 1:37:18 Hannah Papacek Harper chats with Clara Strachan about her award-winning short Lost for Words, which took home the North Light Award at Montrose LandxSea Film Festival.