Smashing The Ceiling

In the era of Weinstein, #MeToo and Oscars So White, there have been a lot of discussions and much written about diversity in Hollywood. Although there’s a long way to go to achieve parity of pay and representation, it feels like a conversation has started around this. But what about those who watch films, review them and influence us, the general public, on what’s worth watching? There are painfully few successful female film critics and this is still an incredibly male-dominated area. Meryl Streep was asked about this, and commented that this discrepancy is "not disheartening, it’s infuriating.” 

My guest today however, has been breaking the mould on film criticism for more than 20 years. She is Anna Smith, one of the most successful film critics of her generation, and the current president of the Critics' Circle. Anna writes for the Guardian, Time Out, Empire and a host of other publications, and appears frequently on Sky News and the BBC amongst others to review films, discuss breaking film news and comment on awards contenders. She is a professional, unflappable and engaging host, and can often be found moderating Q&As, press conferences and on-stage conversations with some of the world’s biggest stars. What a job! She is also in the midst of judging Under Her Eye, a competition run by Stylist magazine to encourage and recruit more female film critics. There’s no bad language in this podcast but just to warn you, there is some discussion of sex scenes in films, particularly lesbian sex. 

Anna's website is www.annasmithjourno.com, she's on Twitter and Instagram @annasmithjourno - feel free to contact her on her work, she loves feedback from fellow film lovers!

In this interview we covered:

- When Anna realised that film criticism was for her and how she got into it

- What an average week as a critic looks like and how she reviews films that just aren't great...

- How Anna prioritises films by female film-makers and those focusing on LGBTQ storylines 

- How the male gaze of a director affects the depiction of sex and sexuality on screen, and her recent writing on the portrayal of lesbian sex scenes

- Gender imbalance in film criticism and her experiences as a female critic

- Her role as President of the Critics' Circle and their work in the arts

- The future of film criticism and journalism in general 

- 'Under Her Eye' - the new competition from Stylist magazine and Anna's role as a judge finding new female film critics

- Routes into film criticism and how you could be the new Anna! 

- New films to look out for this Autumn.

Enjoy everyone!

Most doctors never consider that a whale might get breast cancer, or a marmoset might get heart disease, or that common conditions seen in human athletes might also be seen a cheetah, a greyhound or an antelope.

 Barbara Natterson Horowitz is first and foremost a doctor but agter 25 years as a cardiology specialist the the UCLA Medical Centre, an unexpected turn of events took her via L.A. Zoo to a New York Times best-selling book, Zoobiquity, a TED talk watched by over 300,000 people and now to Harvard, where she is on a year-long tenure as Professor of Evolutionary Medicine. Barbara is interested in the links between human and veterinary medicine, and how what we know about one species can affect our diagnosis and treatment of others. This knowledge, this says, has radically changed the way she looks at her human patients and thinks about their care.

In this interview we discussed:

- How Barbara frames the questions she wants answered by comparing the human and animal kingdoms

- Her work as a cardiologist and how her new-found experiences as a consultant at the L.A. Zoo shaped the way she viewed and treated her human patients

- How it came about that she wrote a best-selling book on the subject

- Women in medicine in the USA and the pressures on family life that a busy medical career brings

- The future of the Zoobiquity movement and her new book! 

Amelia Viney describes herself as a kid who sought to be involved in "some kind of liberation", but found herself working in the corridors of power of Westminster and Capitol Hill. Saba Shafi was a Liberian refugee who came to the UK, succeeding in pursuing the neoliberal dream of a top university and a swift rise up the corporate ladder before realising this path was unlikely to sufficiently fulfil her in the long term.

Having quit their careers, these two women now run The Advocacy Academy, a transformative Social Justice Fellowship for young people who are passionate about making a difference in the world. It has grown from a week-long summer camp in 2014 to a 300 hour programme supported by some of the most powerful movers and shakers in London. During the Fellowship, participants work with top campaigners, creatives, academics and coaches to help them develop the skills to lead a grassroots campaign in their community, deliver a speech to their Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, and so much more.

The Academy's founders and participants believe that a better world is possible, that there is nothing inevitable about injustice and inequality, and that the lives of ordinary people matter. Campaigns run so far by the programme's participants include Legally Black, a viral campaign for better black representation in our media. 

I talked to Amelia and Saba about the Academy, the young people they admit to the programme, and how they ended up where they are. They are fantastic women.

You can check out the Academy here:

www.theadvocacyacademy.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdvocacyAcademy 

Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/advocacyacademy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWR-cH1FEs6WTRfYZ4SQFRA 

My guest this week is a woman who has smashed through many a glass ceiling in the world of science with grace, endeavour and success. She is Dame Athene Donald, professor of experimental physics at the University of Cambridge and the first ever female professor of physics at one of the most historic universities in the world. 

Her mind is undoubtedly brilliant, and her capacity to unpick complex theories and principles that most of us wouldn’t have a hope in hell of understanding is legendary in her field, but she is more than just an academic working away on scientific research in a lab. 

Athene is a massive advocate of increasing equality in science - in addition to her busy day job, she regularly gives talks and lectures to encourage girls into physics and, from 2010 to 2014 was the University of Cambridge’s very first Gender Equality Champion. She also writes a successful blog on the politics and economics of science, recently discussing everyday sexism, toxic environments in the workplace, and the impact of Brexit on diversity in academia to name a few.

Athene is a fellow of the Royal Society, and has been awarded the Faraday Medal and the L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science. She has appeared on Desert Island Discs and was herself an accomplished viola player who performed extensively. 

She joined me to discuss physics and feminism, amongst other topics!

Alexandra Heminsley is a writer, broadcaster and journalist, whose books 'Running Like A Girl' and 'Leap In: A Woman, Some Waves And The Will To Swim' chronicle her journey into, firstly, marathon running and subsequently the unknown world of open water sea swimming. She talks of conquered fears, putting one foot in front of another and the joy of succeeding against the odds. 'Leap In' was written against the backdrop of Alexandra's journey through IVF, and is heart-wrenching and hauntingly beautiful in equal measure. Her writing is frank, funny and relatable, and it is this honesty that stands her out from the crowd.

Alex's most recent project has been as co-writer of Knowing The Score, Judy Murray's autobiography. She also writes for The Pool and frequently appears on both television and radio. 

She chatted to us about role models, working with Judy, getting into writing and publishing, and what's next for her.

If you cut Manon Bradley down the middle, she jokes, it would say 'powerlifting' running through her core like a stick of rock. Her entry into the sport came via a throwaway comment that she had "great legs for weightlifting", and she found that not only did she love it, she was also naturally very talented. At her first competition, she qualified for the European Championships, and has since held 6 World Records, been World Champion 13 times, European Champion 9 times and won more British titles than you can count. She is a passionate drug-free lifter an is a past-president of the British Drug Free Powerlifting Association.

Her success is not just limited to sport though. Manon is a director of the Major Projects Association and leads their Gender Balance Initiative which aims to increase diversity in the engineering, construction and other companies running some of the world's largest infrastructure projects. She is also the co-leader of the Oxford branch of the Women's Equality Party, and a vocal advocate of improving women's rights at work, in politics, in healthcare and in wider society.

Tune in to hear more!

Those of us who love running just put on our running shoes and go. But what if you didn't have access to a sports bra and trainers, or didn't have the confidence to start?

Nicola Miller is the founder and chairman of A Mile In Her Shoes, an award-winning charity that she set up in 2012 to share the physical and mental benefits of running with homeless and vulnerable women in London. In 2016, she was recognised as one of the Prime Minister's 'Points of Light', an accolade that acknowledge those making an outstanding difference in their community. As a mum with a full-on job, Nicola, along with the charity's other trustees, runs the organisation in her 'spare' time...She chatted to Naomi about what gave her the idea for A Mile In Her Shoes, how she went about implementing her idea, and the work of the charity now.

Dame Professor Uta Frith is a developmental psychologist. Her capacity to break down barriers began at school, where she attended the local boys' school in Germany to pursue her interests in science and maths - the start of a long and illustrious career. Uta arrived in London in the 1960's at a time of liberation and exploration, and her subsequent work at University College London changed the way both the scientific community and wider society view those with autism and dyslexia, leading to significant changes in education and health policy. Uta was the first scientist to really listen to those with autism and dyslexia and their families, and their input impacted the theories she chose to test in subsequent rigorous scientific experiments. Uta's work has been published in every major journal and she is one of the most highly regarded scientists of the last 50 years.

As a woman in a field dominated by men when she commenced her career, she is also passionate about improving the lot of women in science, launching a network for female scientists in London several years ago and encouraging women as much as she can.

Uta's warmth, humour and enthusiasm for her subject is tangible, so listen on!

Sally Snow is a zoologist, documentary maker and shark chaser - what an awesome job description! 

Born and raised in West Wales, Sally spent her childhood sharing the bathroom with otters, living in the sea and trying to avoid accidentally eating the random insects that occupied some of the family fridge. Whilst studying Zoology and Psychology at Bristol University, Sally spent her time on student radio and subsequently worked as both a researcher and associate producer on programmes for the BBC, National Geographic and S4C and designed a wildlife App for children.

In 2012, she quit her job in production, bought a camera and embarked on a new adventure of her own. Initially working with WWF-Philippines, she began work as a shark researcher, and after meeting the President of Physalus, a non-governmental organisation specialising in marine vertebrates, further opportunity came her way. Sally is now Executive Director of the Large Marine Vertebrates Project in the Philippines (LAMAVE).

She divides her time between her production work, developing her own film projects, working with rural communities to help them develop sustainably, conducting conservation research and holding her breath underwater for as long as possible to identify Whale Sharks and the occasional Manta Ray.

In 2016, Sally travelled around Canada and the US on the hunt for black bears, and more recently she filmed Undercover Tourist for BBC3, a self shot film exploring the dolphin circuses of Indonesia.

Sally joins us to chat free diving, filming, and following your passions.

Iona Bain started her career as a professional musician but strayed down the path of financial journalism after losing all her hard-earned cash in a robbery - listen in to hear the story of her stolen piggy bank!

As the founder of the Young Money Blog, the first and only British blog dedicated to young people's finances, Iona is now the go-to voice on finance for a younger generation, and is frequently seen and heard on both television and radio. She is one of only a few female financial journalists under 30, and is unafraid to be outspoken on issues she considers important. Her book, Spare Change, was named one of the Independent's top five feminist books of 2016 and she was recently named 2018 Freelancer of the Year by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (congratulations Iona!)

Iona gives a fresh and accessible take on money and finance, and speaks candidly about the challenges women face in these areas. She is engaging and warm, so if you want to hear about making money, saving money and making your money work for you, then dig in...