the Curb

With her essential website Infinite-Women.com, Allison Tyra has built a deep database that contains more than 6000 biographies from around the world and throughout history, documenting the biographies of women who have made a mark in history. Her debut book, Uncredited: Women’s Overlooked, Misattributed, and Stolen Work, expands on the database within Infinite Women and explores the stories of over 600 women who have had their work or achievements be overlooked, misattributed, or stolen, ultimately leaving their legacy as an uncredited and unacknowledged one.

In the following interview, Allison talks about her creative process of documenting the biographies of women from around the world and throughout history while also talking about the cataloguing and database work that she undertakes to track the growing stories of the women she has documented. Allison then also talks about some of the entries that can be found within Uncredited, and what her future book plans are.

With Infinite Women and Uncredited, Allison has built a deep database that has become a useful resource, one that's backed by an extensive catalogue of podcasts that feature in depth discussions about many of the women featured on the website.

Uncredited: Women’s Overlooked, Misattributed, and Stolen Work is available to order now. Visit Infite-Women.com for more details.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your podcast loving friends.

We'd also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories from storytellers to a wider audience.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly Schilling's feature debut film With or Without You is the powerful and impactful story of a mother, Sharon (Marta Dusseldorp) and a daughter, Chloe (Melina Vidler), who are forced to navigate the complicated reality of alcohol addiction, an affliction that Sharon uses to manage her anxiety alongside Valium and men. For Chloe, the man in her life, an ex-boyfriend, turns violent and aggressive, inflicting abuse on her by burning down her caravan, destroying her life savings and home in the process. In a bid to get to some kind of safety and sanctuary, Sharon and Chloe head on the road, meeting Dalu (Albert Mwangi) on the way, a West African man who is looking for work in the Australian countryside.

With or Without You had its world premiere at the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival, the end result of a decades long journey for Kelly Schilling, who has written the script and directed the film from a lived-in perspective. It's that script, which has changed over the years into the text that it is today, that gives Marta, Melina, Albert, and the chorus of characters, the chance to bring light to a truth that exists within Australia, namely, the impact of alcohol addiction and the trauma left from partner abuse.

Yet, lest I paint this film as being a dark, dramatic affair, Kelly knows to imbue these moments of difficulty and darkness with aspects of lightness and laughter. The bond that Sharon and Chloe have with one another feels lived in and real, with Marta and Melina bringing the mother-daughter relationship to life with a charm and level of cheekiness that means the film, at times, feels like a mirror. Schilling's script and direction understands the shades of life and the way that moments of joy can break through hours of pain and darkness, giving way to hope and the possibility of a better life along the way.

In the following interview, Kelly talks about that balance of storytelling on a script level, what it was like working with Marta to build the character of Sharon, and what it means to tell a story from a lower socio-economic perspective, one that is so often written by people who live comfortably outside the societal place of being from a lower socio-economic background.

With or Without You is out in Australian cinemas from 8 May, just in time for Mother's Day. It is a powerful, impressive film about mother-daughter bonds, one that's left a mark on me and that I have thought about long after that initial screening in Adelaide in 2024.

Cinematographer Michael Tessari recently won an Award of Distinction from the Australian Cinematographer's Society.

For those who are interested in the film, I also recommend checking out my interview with Albert Mwangi, which was released earlier in 2025, where he talks about working on With or Without You, as well as his work on another film which screened at Adelaide, Make it Look Real.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your film loving friends.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the more exciting news points in recent weeks has been the announcement of the new First Nations initiative Damulgurra Stories. Founded by Larrakia man Cian Mungatj McCue, of Moogie Down Productions, and award-winning casting director and producer Sarah Price of Castaway NT, Damulgurra Stories aims to transform the way productions work with First Nations cast, crew and creatives both on and off screen— providing resources, protocols and training rooted in cultural integrity, collaboration and empowerment.

Andrew caught up with Cian and Sarah ahead of the launch of Damulgurra Stories at Screen Forever on the Gold Coast this week to talk about the foundation of Damulgurra Stories, the change in First Nations storytelling in Australia, and how young and emerging First Nations talent can engage in storytelling.

For more information, read the press release here.

If you want to find out more about the work we do on The Curb, then head over to TheCurb.com.au, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your film loving friends. 

We'd also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories from filmmakers to a wider audience. 

Thanks for listening to this chat with Cian and Sarah. For other interviews and reviews, visit theCurb.com.au. Please rate, review, and share this interview with your film loving friends. We hope they like it as much as you have. I'll see you on the next one.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lars and the Real Girl is Craig Gillespie's 2007 indie comedy-drama about a man who has an unconventional relationship with a sex doll. That man is a young Ryan Gosling, who is supported by Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Patricia Clarkson, and Bianca the Doll.

Umbrella Entertainment have released an impressive collectors edition of the film which features custom artwork, a poster, artcards, essays, an audio commentary by Thomas Caldwell, and more.

Nadine Whitney reviews the film, the disc, and the extras in this podcast discussion.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. For an exclusive, extended interview with Jane Larkin, visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your film loving friends.

We’d also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories from filmmakers to a wider audience.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before commencing her career as a filmmaker, Jane Larkin was an Australian representative sprinter, pushing her body to the limits on the track. In the moments of preparation, cooldowns, and every minute in between, Jane was building friendships, learning from fellow athletes, and seeing a world of sports that we rarely get to see in cinema.

After shifting over to acting in 2018, Jane embraced roles in films like Ron Howard's Thirteen Lives and the Netflix series Boy Swallows Universe, before commencing on her biggest creative project yet: The Edge. Jane wears multiple hats on her feature film debut, embracing the role of director, writer, producer, and co-lead actor, as she plays the role of Annie Murphy.

Like Jane, Annie is a sprinter, and it's her performance, alongside fellow athletes-turned-actors, Lily Riley a powerlifter who plays Sylvia, and paralympic swimmer Mei Ichinose who plays Yui, that gives The Edge a docu-drama feeling. This is ultimately a film about the world of sport, and to get that holistic perspective, Jane consciously brings us into the lives of Annie, Sylvia, and Yui, with each given their chance to explore their lived perspectives of women in the world of athletics.

Jane's script comfortably gives space for each actor to explore the realities of sports: the visceral nature of vomiting during training, the prevalence of sexual abuse, the continued harassment and criticism which leads to complex relationships with body images. But, while these are heavy subjects to present on screen, Jane consciously gives them space to breath by imbuing each character with another aspect that is rarely seen on screen from a woman's perspective: friendship in competitive spaces.

As Annie, Sylvia, and Yui don't directly compete with one another on a sports level, a lesser film might find space to have them compete with each other outside of the sporting arena. It's then comforting to see The Edge delve into supportive relationships, with each character given the other the space to be nurtured, heard, and guided through whatever challenges they're facing. The Edge's levity and warmth comes from these core relationships, allowing the film to resonate long after its finished.

These aspects are also elevated by scenes that carry immense visual weight, whether it be a closing shot of the women on a beach, or the overwhelming in tone underwater shots of Yui. In the following interview, Jane refers to one of cinemas great sporting films - Chariots of Fire - as an inspiration for her creative work as a filmmaker, and it's in these moments of invigoration, captured brilliantly by cinematographer Ben Knibb, that The Edge makes its mark as an impressive entry in the Australian sports genre.

This is an expansive interview which ranges from Jane discussing her decision to shift from athletics to acting, how she managed that docu-drama vibe, and finally, talking about the films upcoming world premiere at the Gold Coast Film Festival on Friday 2 May 2025. The Edge will also have an encore screening on Tuesday 6 May 2025. For all ticketing details, visit GCFF.com.au.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andres Veiel's latest documentary, Riefenstahl, delves into the dark and deep archive of the private estate of Leni Riefenstahl, exposing the deep ties the filmmaker had with the Nazi regime. Andres uses footage and correspondence from Riefenstahl's own personal records, including hidden interviews and documents that present a different side of a director who has been both acclaimed and criticised for her role in the rising Nazi regime.

Riefenstahl is a powerful and impactful film that shows just how deep the director was within Hitler's regime, and how much she tried to micro-manage her own public facing image, down to the point of giving precise direction to those who were interviewing her. This is captivating work from Andres Veiel.

In the above interview with Andres Veiel, recorded ahead of Riefenstahl's Australian screenings at the German Film Festival, which Andres will be in attendance for, the documentarian talks about the importance of creating the final statement on Leni Riefenstahl's filmography at this point in time.

Riefenstahl screens nationally from 30 April 2025 at the German Film Festival. Visit GermanFilmFestival.com.au for screening details.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your film loving friends.

We'd also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories from filmmakers to a wider audience.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saskia Archer is an actor on the rise. From the streets of Sydney, to the turf of Tasmania where she embarked on a path to become a paramedic, to a shift to WA where she built her acting skills at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, and now, to the bustling city of New York, Saskia is seeing the world and forging a path in acting doing so.

Genre-fans might know Saskia from the 2022 flick The Reef: Stalked, where she played Annie, while others might know her as her turn as Hanabeth in Bali 2022. For these roles, and more to come, including a turn in Shane Black's upcoming film Play Dirty, Saskia leans on her foundations as an empathy-first actor, utilising her skills to change audiences moods and emotions.

In the following interview, Saskia talks through her path into acting, what kinds of roles and actors she looks up to, how her initial training as a paramedic informs her acting work, and a lot more. Follow Saskia on Instagram to keep up with her future projects.

We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. For an exclusive, unedited version of this interview, visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eli Craig smashed onto the slasher scene with his genre-defying comedy event Tucker & Dale VS Evil, and he's back with another slasher that upends expectations: Clown in a Cornfield.

Clown in a Cornfield is based on the first entry in Adam Cesare's Frendo series which chucks a group of teens into the mayhem of a Midwestern American town where they find themselves picked off by a growing group of killer clowns. Eli Craig then takes that terror from the page and supplants it brilliantly with a satirical and savvy stance, making one of the most enjoyably subversive horror flicks of the year so far.

It's also one of the most timely too, as it's a horror film about the flyover states of America, yet it's shot in Canada. That added layer of political devilishness is one of the things that I ask Eli about in the following interview.

This chat is an open one from Eli, with the horror director talking about the journey of Tucker & Dale VS Evil from being an unseen flick to a cult classic which has fans demanding a sequel. Eli also talks about the journey of adapting Adam's books for the screen, before making a statement for horror film fans around the world, myself included: If you want more Clown in the Cornfield films, then go and see the first one in cinemas.

And for Aussie audiences, you'll be able to do that very soon.

Clown in a Cornfield makes its Australian premiere at Fantastic Film Festival Australia on 26 April at the Lido in Hawthorn and the Ritz Randwick. It then is unleashed nation wide on 8 May. This is a film you'll want to see with a screaming audience.

We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every so often, you sit down to watch a film, and find that it unexpectedly fills a hole you didn't know you had in your life. You might not know you needed a charming, dose of positivity in that moment, but as the seconds tick over, you find yourself being swept along in a wave of joy that your day shifts and things that would usually bother you suddenly bounce off you, even if it's just for a day.

That's what I experienced when I watched Jesse Leaman's delightful short film, Mother of Chooks, a pure hearted documentary about Elaine James, a Geelong local who becomes connected with her local community thanks to her strong relationship with her flock of chickens. She's got frizzles, wyandottes, bantams, and a glorious Isa Brown named Flapper, and each morning she bundles up her feathered friends and heads out into the world. Elaine and her chooks chat together at a local cafe, or take to the beach for a spot of swimming. For the chooks that aren't partial to the waves, they go for a spin on the local playground.

It's all very sweet and delightful in a manner that skews away from twee and saccharine. See, Mother of Chooks leans into Elaine's relationship with her chooks, touching on the loss of family and canine friends in her life, and showing a woman on the brink of isolation. Instead of lingering in that solitude, Elaine turns to chickens for companionship. It's an early story about her path into poultry that shows what kind of light journey that Jesse Leaman and co-director Maite Martin Samos will take us down.

Oh, did I mention that Maite is Jesse's mother? That relationship, while off screen, informs their creative journey, with the two working together for the first time to craft a cinematic rarity: a genuinely uplifting experience which is not skewed or tinged with drama, sadness, or the almost expected tragedy that these kinds of stories feature.

In the following interview, Jesse talks about how making Mother of Chooks came about, and the difference of this film in comparison to his other, more dramatic work. Jesse also talks about the creative journey of filmmaking with his mum, and how he had to shift and change his directing style in the process.

Mother of Chooks is a pure delight of a film, and it makes its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs on Friday 25 April, with a follow up screening on 29 April. Mother of Chooks will also screen at the Doc Edge Festival in New Zealand-Aotearoa. Future festivals dates around the world are yet to be announced, but make sure to follow Jesse Leaman on Instagram for upcoming dates and details, or visit Jesse's website here.

We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And we're back with another review discussion with myself, Andrew, and my colleague Nadine Whitney. In this episode, we discuss the work that we both did on the Umbrella releases of Eyes Without a Face and Hounds of Love, while also discussing the importance of the supplementary materials that come with physical media releases, alongside the work that goes into writing or creating essays for physical media releases.

We also discuss other current releases from Umbrella, including Metal Skin, and the upcoming release Storm Warning.

Our cinematic recommendations include Bob Trevino Likes It and Every Little Thing.

Umbrella Entertainment are currently having a sale on their physical media, which includes a buy one get one free selection, and 30% off merch and select collector's editions, including Hounds of Love and Eyes Without a Face. To buy these editions, visit umbrellaent.com.au. After the discussion took place, Umbrella announced that the Michael Haneke set is back online with an additional film and extra bonus features.

Follow Nadine Whitney on Bluesky and the Curb on Bluesky.

If you want to find out more about the work we do on the Curb, then head over to theCurb.com.au. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month.

Sign up for the latest interviews, reviews, and more via https://www.thecurb.com.au/subscribe/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.