"I am an invisible man....I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids- and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me". Poet and writer Kate Camp returns to discuss another classic work of literature. This week it's Ralph Ellison's pioneering 1952 novel Invisible Man, a work that (to use the words on the Ralph Ellison Monument in Upper Manhattan) "...details the struggles of a young African-American man in a hostile society". It's a book that seems even more pertinent after the events of the past few weeks.

Chilean film-maker Pablo Larraín, whose previous films include No, the Oscar-nominated Jackie, and Neruda, teams up Mexican actor Gael García Bernal and newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo in Ema. A story about family, dance, passion and the pressures of parenthood, Ema is visually striking and set to a powerful 'reggaetón' soundtrack in the Chilean port city of Valparaíso. Ema has its online premiere on Friday 31 July as part of Whanau Marama: New Zealand International Film Festival and is then available to watch online from Saturday 1 August through to Thursday 6 August. It also shows at selected Auckland cinemas until Tuesday 4 August. Screening info here.

Imelda Marcos' vast shoe collection (anywhere from 1,200 to 3,000 pairs) became an emblem of the corrupt and lavish regime of her husband, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos. It's estimated that together they siphoned 5-10 billion dollars of public money between 1965 to 1986. The now 91-year-old former First Lady is the subject of Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Lauren Greenfield's latest documentary: The Kingmaker. Greenfield managed to negotiate extraordinary access to her subject - who remains defiantly remorseless. Greenfield's previous films The Queen of Versailles and Generation Wealth also examined consumerism, gender and obscene wealth. The Kingmaker shows as part of Whanau Marama: New Zealand International Film Festival and is available to watch online until 11pm on Monday 3rd August.

Most people think that fish aren't as intelligent or sophisticated as land animals. We joke about their poor memory and many still believe fish don't feel pain in the way other animals do. Australian biologist Prof Culum Brown strongly challenges these ideas, based on his years of research into fish behavior and learning. He's found that even the smallest fish are capable of learning and can retain memories for months, they display complex behaviour including forms of bullying, and that stingrays can even tell when it's the weekend! Prof Brown is based at Macquarie University in Sydney, where he runs the Fish Lab - the Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution of Fishes Laboratory. Current studies are looking at Manta rays, Smooth stingrays and Port Jackson sharks (which he likens to "puppies of the sea").

Multi award-winning director Oliver Stone is a controversial figure in American filmmaking. The Vietnam veteran's portrayals of war and violence have proved contentious, as have his political views and frequent criticism of US foreign policy. His new memoir Chasing The Light focuses on the first 40 years of his career, and ends with him receiving a Best Director Oscar for Platoon in 1987. In it he shares stories from inside the making of classic films like Midnight Express, Scarface, and Salvador, and about some of the larger-than-life characters he's met along the way.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law left the city recently and decamped to the UK. A long-time thorn in the side of the Beijing government, Law has been arrested many times and imprisoned since he became involved with the so-called Umbrella Movement with Joshua Wong and others back in 2014. The imposition of new security laws that criminalise just about any form of political protest was the final straw and forced his departure.

QAnon, an intricate conspiracy theory which suggests US President Donald Trump is secretly waging war on a well-connected Satanic paedophile ring, should not be dismissed as a harmless oddity according to Adrienne LaFrance, Executive editor of "The Atlantic". Conspiracy theories are growing in support and visibility on social media and in political life and she thinks the rise in "a mass rejection of reason" signals a dangerous new phase for society. At least one of QAnon's followers could be elected to Congress after the November elections and group has been linked to the spread of covid-19 conspiracy theories.

How does it feel to become part of a system that fails Maori? In her new podcast Getting Better: A Year in the Life of A Maori Medical Student, trainee doctor and award-winning writer Emma Espiner (Ngati Tukorehe, Ngati Porou) explores the front lines of healthcare in New Zealand. She witnesses the real life results of the inequity that sees Maori die younger, get chronic illnesses earlier and receive less care than non-Maori, but also the inspiring mahi being done to reform the system.

In 2012 Haifaa al-Mansour became the first Saudi woman to direct a feature film. Wadjda which was centred on a 10-year-old Saudi girl living in Riyadh and her quest to own a bicycle, became a festival hit. Her latest work The Perfect Candidate is another tale of female empowerment: this one the story of a doctor running for council in a society experiencing dramatic change. It shows as part of Whanau Marama: New Zealand International Film Festival. Cinema screening details here.

An expat New Zealander is trying to get FDA approval for a cheap ventilator that could be a game-changer in the treatment of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses across the developing world. Professor Jason Bates from University of Vermont is a specialist in the function of human lungs. He's helping to design and build the "Vermontilator" which will retail for a couple of thousand dollars, rather than the current cost of tens of thousands of dollars for a standard ventilator.