Incidentally, the theme for Primal Screen this week was volunteer-run organisations that make it possible to watch films on the big screen with an audience, that you otherwise mightn’t.

The small but mighty teams behind both Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF) and the Melbourne Cinémathèque do extraordinary work to bring unique films to the cinema.

Our guest host Cerise Howard speaks with Sian Mitchell, Artistic Director of MWFF, about the festival’s mission to champion the work of Australian filmmakers and showcase stories about and by women and gender-diverse folk.

Cerise and Eloise Ross, both co-curators of the Melbourne Cinémathèque, also discuss the upcoming season “Out of the Past and Into Flares: Neo-Noir in ‘70s America”, which explores how America’s fractured psyche was reflected on screen during this vibrant and chaotic period. If you're wondering what the difference between "noir" and "neo-noir" is, you'd best listen back.

MWFF runs 20-24 March.

“Out of the Past and Into Flares: Neo-Noir in ‘70s America” runs 26 March-9 April.

Thanks to Karl Chapman for working the panel this week.