Film Interviews

On the opening night red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, FILMHOUNDS Editor-in-Chief Gavin Spoors had a brief chat with legendary filmmaker Park Chan-wook. With his latest film, No Other Choice, playing at the festival, they spoke about balancing comedy with drama and comparisons to Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. No Other Choice releases in UK cinemas on 23 January. SYNOPSIS: From director Park Chan-wook and based on Donald E. Westlake's novel THE AX, the story follows Man-su on his desperate hunt for a new job after his abrupt layoff from the paper company he served for 25 years.

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Before its showing at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, FILMHOUNDS Editor-in-Chief Gavin Spoors spoke with Diego Céspedes, the filmmaker behind The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo. Together, they spoke about the film's Cannes showing, balancing comedic and dramatic tones, and what the LGBTQ+ film could do for audiences in today's world. The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. SYNOPSIS: 1982. Eleven-year-old Lidia lives with her beloved queer family in a desert mining town in northern Chile. As an unknown and deadly disease begins to spread, legend has it that it is transmitted between two men, through a simple glance, when they fall in love. While people are accusing her family, Lidia must find out whether this myth is real or not.

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Before season two of A Thousand Blows arrives, FILMHOUNDS writer Kesewaa Browne sat down with creator and writer Steven Knight, and actor and producer Hannah Walters. They discussed historical influences, what audiences can expect with this new season, and what other projects the creative pair might tackle. A Thousand Blows Season 2 is available to stream on Disney+ from 9 January. SYNOPSIS: Inspired by the true-life stories of a group of characters battling for survival in the brutal East End of London in the 1880s. One year later. Hezekiah Moscow (Kirby) is a shadow of the man he once was whilst Sugar Goodson (Graham) is estranged from his family and drinking himself to death. Just as Wapping is about to sigh its last breath, Mary Carr (Doherty) bursts back into town with her loyal second, Alice Diamond (Darci Shaw). In Mary's absence, Eliza Moody (Hannah Walters) failed reign as Queen has seen her exiled whilst Indigo Jeremy (Robert Glenister) has taken back control of the Elephants. Mary is back to reassemble the Forty Elephants and reclaim her crown. She sobers Sugar up, she has a use for him yet, and forms a reluctant alliance with Hezekiah to take down Indigo Jeremy once and for all. As always, Mary has a plan. And this time it's riskier than ever.

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To coincide with the Apple TV release of F1: The Movie, FILMHOUNDS sat down with legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer to talk about 'process films', the romance at the heart of F1, and a potential meet-up of cinematic racing icons. F1: The Movie is now available on Apple TV. SYNOPSIS: Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to FORMULA 1 for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team’s hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition — and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone. #f1 #jerrybruckheimer #appletv

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Before its release on Prime Video, FILMHOUNDS sat down with the director and cast of the new Christmas comedy Oh. What. Fun. Director Michael Showalter and cast members Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Dominic Sessa and Jason Schwartzman recall filming the chaotic family scenes together, rehearsing musical numbers, and what makes Oh. What. Fun. stand out from the crowd. Oh. What. Fun. is available to stream on Prime Video from 3 December. SYNOPSIS: Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together every holiday season. From perfectly frosted cookies to meticulously wrapped gifts, no one decks the halls quite like Claire. But this year, after planning a special outing for her family, they make a crucial mistake and leave her home alone. Fed up and feeling under appreciated, she sets off on an impromptu adventure of her own. As her family scrambles to find her, Claire discovers the unexpected magic of a Christmas gone off-script. With a dazzling ensemble cast including Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Devery Jacobs, Havana Rose Liu, Maude Apatow, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria and Joan Chen, and directed by Michael Showalter, Oh. What. Fun. is a spirited holiday comedy that honors and celebrates every overworked holiday host. #OhWhatFun #interview #FILMHOUNDS #chloëgracemoretz #felicityjones #dominicsessa #jasonschwartzman #primevideo

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Director Paul Andrew Williams returns to the big screen with new drama Dragonfly. As it played at the Dinard British & Irish Film Festival—and won the prize for best film—FILMHOUNDS sat down with Williams. We discussed the casting of two incredible actors, working with dogs on set, and working-class representation. Dragonfly releases in UK cinemas on 7 November. SYNOPSIS: Have we become a nation of strangers? In Dragonfly, neglected pensioner Elsie (Brenda Blethyn) finds an unexpected ally in her younger neighbour Colleen (Andrea Riseborough). Over time, Elsie gains a friend and the troubled Colleen finds a fresh purpose in life as she shops, cleans and cares for her. It brings brighter days for both of them. Elsie’s son John (Jason Watkins) resents the way that Colleen has selflessly fulfilled the responsibilities that he has shirked. Simmering tensions bring shocking consequences in a gripping human story straight from the heart of broken Britain. A powerful return to the cinema from London to Brighton director Paul Andrew Williams that showcases heartrending, award-winning performances from Brenda Blethyn and Andrea Riseborough.

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Filmmaker Richard Linklater attended the ⁨@britishfilminstitute⁩ London Film Festival not only for Blue Moon but also for Nouvelle Vague. On the red carpet for Nouvelle Vague, FILMHOUNDS spoke with Linklater about his retelling of Jean-Luc Godard creating the seminal film Breathless. SYNOPSIS: Cinephilia exudes from every frame of this delightful black-and-white homage, regaling how Breathless came to be. From Godard’s collaboration with Truffaut and Chabrol on the script to the chaotic shoot that drew exasperation from Jean Seberg and producer Georges de Beauregard, an impeccable cast and Linklater’s mastery over the medium capture the revolutionary alchemy that forever changed cinema.

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During the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival, FILMHOUNDS attended the Rental Family red carpet. As well as stars Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto and Shannon Mahina Gorman, we spoke with co-writer Stephen Blahut and LFF festival director Kristy Matheson. SYNOPSIS: Phillip Vanderpleog lives in the Japanese capital. Looking for any work opportunities, he is employed by a ‘rental family’ company, which provides clients with actors who play stand-in roles of absent loved ones. The work offers Phillip possibilities, relationships and unexpected joy that were previously missing from his life. However, things become complicated when the line between performance and reality is increasingly blurred, as Phillip immerses himself a little too much in the roles he is hired to play. HIKARI’s drama, which features an outstanding ensemble cast, is a profoundly moving and tenderly optimistic exploration of our need for connection, and a celebration of the beauty and wonder of forming a chosen family and community.

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Back on the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival 2025 red carpet, FILMHOUNDS chats with Sentimental Value stars Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. SYNOPSIS: Two adult sisters navigate their emotional wounds and futures when their absentee father returns following the death of their mother. Trier tackles the journey of his characters with the gentle humour and a lived-in reality we’ve come to expect from his cinema. Featuring sumptuous technical credits and sharp scripting, Trier once again excels in conveying the profound with the lightest of touch.

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On the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival 2025 red carpet, FILMHOUNDS spoke with the filmmakers and cast—including Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson—of new British drama H is for Hawk. SYNOPSIS: When Cambridge academic Helen’s father dies, the grief sends her spiralling into an abyss. In an effort to process her loss, she retreats from the human world to train a fearsome Northern goshawk. Foy gives an exceptional, career-best performance as Helen, while Charlotte Bruus Christensen’s cinematography and Sarah Finlay’s production design help Lowthorpe access the gravity and emotion of this story.

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