Underground Cinema Reel Talk

In this episode, we sit down with actresses Charis Agbonlahor and Sophie Vavasseur to discuss their new film Night Driver

Set against the backdrop of late-night Dublin, Night Driver follows Ngozi, a first-generation African immigrant and single mother struggling to survive while driving a taxi through a city marked by inequality, violence and isolation. When a chance encounter leaves her with a secret that could change everything, desperation drives her to make an impossible decision—one that forces two very different women to confront their own truths.

Charis and Sophie talk about bringing these characters to life, the emotional challenges of the roles, the film's exploration of poverty, motherhood, privilege and morality.

In this episode we’re joined by the creative team behind Irish Baba — director Vivek Srikumar, actor, writer and producer Sree Vallabhaneni, and cinematographer Michael Benson.

Irish Baba is a sharp satirical comedy that follows a self-proclaimed spiritual guru living in Ireland and his accomplice Namita, as their world of belief, deception, and manipulation begins to unravel. What starts as a story rooted in charisma and faith quickly evolves into a tangled web of money, power struggles, and unexpected twists — exposing the fragile line between spirituality and exploitation.

In this conversation, the team discusses how they balanced satire with storytelling, the inspiration behind the film’s world and characters, and the visual approach that helped bring its comedic yet unsettling tone to life.

In this episode, we sit down with Peter Coonan, who has been nominated for Best Actor at the 16th Underground Cinema Film Awards for his powerful performance in Medicinal.

The film follows a father fighting against time and bureaucracy as he attempts to get a life-saving drug legalized — a desperate effort driven by love, urgency, and the fear of losing his son. As the system closes in around him, he and his family face the devastating possibility of becoming medical refugees, forced to seek survival beyond their own country’s borders.

Medicinal is a gripping and human story about a parent’s determination to protect their child at any cost.

In this episode, we sit down with composer Natasa Paulberg, nominated for Best Score at the 16th Underground Cinema Film Awards for her work on Remote Strutting.We talk with Natasa about her creative process, the challenges of scoring a story that spans reality and imagination, and how music can give voice to what words and visuals alone cannot.

In this episode, we delve into the haunting world of Ogham — a powerful and atmospheric short film set during the darkest days of the Irish Famine. Joining us are Alan Hopkins, writer and director of the film, and Husni Hafid, producer, as they discuss the creative journey behind this deeply emotional and visually striking story.

In this episode of the Underground Cinema Podcast, we chat with Harvey Harrison Doyle, the writer and director of Nepenthe, a beautifully haunting psychological drama set against the backdrop of the English countryside.The film has been nominated Best Horror Film at the 16th Underground Cinema Film Awards

In this episode, we talk with Rob McCarthy, the writer, director, and lead actor of Civil, joined by Gerry Cannon, who has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 16th Underground Cinema Film Awards. Rob has also received a Rising Star nomination for his debut as a director.Civil is a story about resilience, injustice, and the quiet strength found in ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances.

In this episode, we sit down with the creative team behind Coming Second, a sharp and heartfelt comedy nominated for Best Comedy at the 16th Underground Cinema Film Awards.Set in small-town Ireland, Coming Second tells the story of Abigail, a young woman from an ultra-religious family who receives shocking news she’s pregnant with the Second Coming of Christ. Torn between faith, family, and her own identity, Abigail’s journey unfolds with humour, warmth, and emotional depth.Joining us are director John Francis Brady, writer and cinematographer Lauren Corlett, production designer Cora Hogan, and cast members Michael Browne and Degnan Geraghty. Together, they share how this student film evolved into a fearless exploration of faith, family, and the search for self all through the lens of darkly funny Irish satire.

Aging rockers, fading dreams, and the beauty of letting go, the team behind Dreamtown joins us to talk truth, music, and redemption.”

In this episode, we speak with writer and producer Dan Burns, whose powerful short film Come Out, Wherever You Are has been nominated for Best International Short Film at the 16th Underground Cinema Film Awards.

The film tells the story of Vernon Parrish, a retired mayor seeking peace in rural Montana — until a mysterious global event turns solitude into survival. Described as “Yellowstone meets The Twilight Zone,” the film blends western drama with sci-fi intrigue, exploring our dependence on technology and the fragile nature of human connection.