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Scholars’ Spotlight: Claudia Cardinale – Cinema Scholars

Early Years

Claudia Cardinale was born Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale in La Goulette, French Tunisia, on April 15, 1938, to Sicilian parents. Growing up, she was trilingual, mastering French, Sicilian, and Arabic. Cardinale was educated at the Saint-Joseph-de-l’Apparition School of Carthage. She then studied at the Paul Cambon School, where she graduated intending to become a schoolteacher.

Modeling and Acting in the 1950s

In 1956, a Brigitte Bardot-obsessed Cardinale appeared in a short feature, Anneaux d’or, by French director René Vautier. This turned Cardinale into a local celebrity in French Tunisia. The following year, she won the “Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia” contest. This, in turn, earned her a trip to the Venice Film Festival as 1st prize.

In Venice, several producers were interested in her shooting a screen test for them in Rome. The results of these tests weren’t good, as they felt she was incapable of giving a credible acting performance. Discouraged, she returned to Tunisia. In 1958, she appeared in Goha with Omar Sharif, which was her first appearance in a feature film. The producers of this picture wanted an actress from Tunisia specifically to play opposite Shariff.

Claudia Cardinale stars in “Upstairs Downstairs” (1959). Photo courtesy of The Rank Organisation.

Soon after, Cardinale discovered that she was pregnant. She decided to keep the child, and soon she signed a seven-year exclusive contract with Italian producer Franco Cristaldi’s production company, Vides.

Cardinale filmed two movies while secretly pregnant: Big Deal On Madonna Street and Three Strangers In Rome. She then traveled to England to give birth to her son, who would be raised by her parents, as her brother. As the decade came to a close, Cardinale appeared in a few more movies. However, nothing she appeared in was very notable. Yet, in the next decade, the actress would appear in some of the most acclaimed and most famous movies of all time.

Breakout in the 1960s

The 1960s began with Cardinale working with Italian director Mauro Bologini in Il bell’ bell’Antonio. She would collaborate with the director several times over the next few years. Cardinale would also star in several European movies, including Cartouche, Napoleone ad Austerlitz, and Time of Indifference.

Tony Curtis and Claudia Cardinale on the set of “Don’t Make Waves” (1967). Photo courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Her breakthrough year would come in 1963. First, she would star opposite Burt Lancaster in The Leopard, as well as a memorable appearance in Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2. These acclaimed movies were filmed simultaneously, with Cardinale bouncing between the strict, disciplined set of The Leopard to the chaotic and improvisational set of 8 1/2. These two films would be the first in which her voice was not dubbed.

Next, Cardinale would appear in The Pink Panther (1963), which starred David Niven and Peter Sellers, and Time of Indifference (1964), with Rod Steiger and Shelley Winters. After the completion of the latter, she would begin to star in Hollywood movies.

Hollywood Years

From 1964 to 1967, Cardinale would appear in several American movies. She took the risk of not signing an exclusive contract, which was being offered by Universal.

“…I took care of my own interests, blankly refusing to sign an exclusive contract with Universal Studios. I Only signed for individual films. In the end, everything worked out fine for me…”

– Claudia Cardinale

Sergio Leone and Claudia Cardinale on the set of “Once Upon A Time In The West” (1968). Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

The first of her Hollywood movies was Circus World, which starred Rita Hayworth and John Wayne. She also starred in Blindfold with Rock Hudson. Cardinale and Hudson would subsequently become the closest of friends.

Next, Cardinale appeared with Anthony Quinn in Lost Command, which she followed up with her best American movie, The Professionals – a Western that also starred Lee Marvin, Jack Palance, and re-teamed the actress with Burt Lancaster. After starring in the critically panned comedy Don’t Make Waves with Tony Curtis and Sharon Tate, she returned to Italy. During her time in Hollywood, she became friends with Steve McQueen, Barbara Streisand, and her then-husband Elliot Gould.

End of the ’60s

In 1967, she married Italian director Franco Cristaldi in Atlanta; however, the marriage was never made official in Italy, and so it wasn’t legally binding. Cardinale and Crisaldi would eventually split up, ending their marriage in 1975.

The following year, Cardinale appeared in The Day of the Owl, in which she won the David Di Donatello Award for Best Actress. She followed this up with the Italian comedy A Fine Pair, which co-starred her friend from Hollywood, Rock Hudson. Next, Cardinale would appear in Sergio Leone’s classic Western Once Upon a Time in the West, co-starring Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson. The actress would end the greatest decade of her career playing opposite Sean Connery in The Red Tent.

Claudia Cardinale stars in “A Girl in Australia” (1971). Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

Later Years

Claudia Cardinale has had a steady acting career from the 1970s through today, most recently appearing in a 2020 Swiss mini-series, Bulle, as well as the French Netflix movie Rogue City, released that same year.

“Usually, you live only one life but I have lived 154 lives.”

– Claudia Cardinale

Her work during these several decades has predominantly been in Europe. Other notable roles over the years include 1971’s The Legend of Frenchie King with Brigitte Bardot and 2010’s Signora Enrica, for which she won the Golden Orange Best Actress Award at the 47th Antalya International Film Festival.

Cardinale lived with Italian film director Pasquale Squitieri from 1975 until he died in 2017. Still going strong at 87, Cardinale currently resides in Paris. Since 2000, she has been a UNESCO goodwill ambassador for the Defence of Women’s Rights and is an outspoken supporter of both women’s and gay rights.

If You Enjoyed This Article, We Recommend:

Scholars’ Spotlight: Brigitte Bardot (Click Here)

Scholars’ Spotlight: Sharon Tate (Click Here)

Scholars’ Spotlight: Bond Girls – Part 1 (Click Here)

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15/07/2025
When the Orchestra Becomes the Narrator — Every Movie Has a Lesson
Imagine sitting in a grand hall as the lights dim and the opening scene of a beloved film flickers to life on a giant screen. Suddenly, a live orchestra strikes the first note of the score in perfect sync with the action. In that moment, the music isn’t just background sound – it’s telling the story right alongside the characters. Welcome to the world of live film concerts, where the orchestra becomes the narrator of the cinematic tale. Music has long been “the emotional backbone of any film,” amplifying each scene’s drama, romance, or suspense. Now, audiences are discovering that experiencing those melodies performed live can transform a familiar movie into something profoundly new.

A Tradition Reborn in Symphony Halls

This fusion of cinema and concert hall might sound like a novel trend, but it actually revives a tradition as old as movies themselves. In the silent film era, before movies had recorded dialogue or sound, theaters hired pianists, organists, even full orchestras to “give voice” to the on-screen story. Back then, music literally narrated the film’s emotions and action. Today’s live film concerts carry that legacy forward using modern technology: the film plays with dialogue and effects, but the musical score is performed live by an orchestra, synced meticulously to each scene.

What started as a niche experiment has now “become a global phenomenon,” embraced by major orchestras around the world. From Star Wars to The Lord of the Rings, screenings with live orchestras routinely sell out concert halls. Far from just a gimmick, these events have given a boost to symphonies by drawing in new audiences. “Every orchestra is participating in these programs… a tremendous way to engage new fans,” notes composer-conductor David Newman, a pioneer of the format. In other words, film concerts are a win-win: movie lovers get to hear their favorite scores in full fidelity, and orchestras get to showcase their art to a broader, often younger crowd.

Music as Storyteller: The Power of Live Soundtrack

Why is hearing a film score live so impactful? For one, film music has always told a story in its own right – sometimes more than we realize. As David Newman explains, a movie’s score “tells the story in a different language, a language we all intuitively understand”. The swelling strings, triumphant brass, or haunting choir inform our emotions moment by moment, essentially narrating what the characters feel when no words are spoken. When those musical storytellers are performing live in front of us, their narrative power is at its peak.

According to conductor Anthony Parnther, experiencing a score live is “a whole different element that you just don’t get in a theatre” with the standard recorded soundtrack. The synergy of live musicians with on-screen drama creates an immediacy and energy that even the best surround-sound system can’t replicate. Below are a few key ways this live orchestra experience can reshape how we perceive a film:
- Emotional Amplification: In a concert hall, you don’t just hear the music – you feel it. The vibrations of a live orchestra can literally move through your body, intensifying the emotional highs and lows of the story. A tense chase feels more urgent with the orchestra racing along, and a poignant farewell can draw tears when the strings cry out in real time.
- New Dimensions to the Story: Live music can reveal details in the score that might have been missed before. You begin to notice musical motifs tied to characters and themes, and how they recur to foreshadow events or recall memories. Audiences often find that the live music adds a new dimension to a beloved story they thought they knew by heart. By watching the orchestra, you might even catch which instrument carries a melody at a crucial moment, gaining fresh appreciation for the composer’s craft.
- Shared Experience and Energy: Unlike a typical night at the movies, film concerts are communal and interactive. You’re enjoying the film with an audience of fellow fans and an entire orchestra on stage. The crowd might cheer when Indiana Jones heroically swings into action, laugh at a witty line, or boo when a villain like Snape appears – all spontaneous reactions that feed the excitement. Some superfans even attend in cosplay or dress up to match the movie’s theme, turning the event into a celebration. This lively atmosphere transforms movie-watching into a collective adventure, where everyone is tuned in to the musical storytelling together.
All of these elements deepen our engagement with the film. The live orchestra doesn’t replace the on-screen narrative; it enhances it, guiding our hearts through the journey in a way that feels immediate and alive.

Barbie The Movie: In Concert – A Soundtrack Spectacle

One of the most talked-about new film concert events brings Barbie from the big screen to the stage in style. Barbie The Movie: In Concert invites fans to re-enter the vibrant world of Barbie (2023) with a unique twist: an all-female ensemble called the Barbie Land Sinfonietta performs the film’s music live as the movie plays. The record-breaking blockbuster’s score and its pop hits are all delivered by this orchestra in real time – from the sweeping instrumental themes to the catchy songs that had everyone dancing last summer. This means you might hear a rich string arrangement of Billie Eilish’s soulful ballad or a powerhouse orchestral rendition of “Dance the Night” as Barbie and Ken dazzle on screen.

What does this hybrid experience achieve? For one, it turns a film known for its music into an even more immersive concert-like party. The audience isn’t just watching Barbie and Ken’s adventure; they’re also responding to the groove of a live band, effectively living in Barbie Land for the night. Hearing those familiar songs backed by a full orchestra can send chills down your spine one moment and get your toes tapping the next. It highlights the emotional beats of the story – the wonder, the humor, the girl-power triumphs – by letting the music lead the celebration. Barbie The Movie: In Concert exemplifies how a live orchestra can narrate a modern film’s story in a fresh way, elevating its most memorable moments through sound. And judging by the enthusiastic multi-generational audiences (little kids in pink dresses and nostalgic adults alike), it succeeds in deepening fans’ connection to a film they already love, making the experience feel brand new.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Magic of Stage and Score

Meanwhile, on the theatrical side, the world of Harry Potter has found a different kind of live storytelling magic. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not a film concert but a Tony Award-winning stage play – yet it deserves a spot in this conversation for how it uses live performance and music to expand a beloved narrative. As a sequel to J.K. Rowling’s saga set years after the books, Cursed Child has been enchanting audiences in London, New York, and beyond. The show became a phenomenon in its own right, winning a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards in London and selling out shows internationally. Part of its spell comes from the staging and special effects (you’ll swear you’ve seen real magic happen live), but another powerful ingredient is the original score and sound design that accompany the drama.

Unlike film-to-concert events that bring familiar movie music to life, Cursed Child does the opposite – it introduces an entirely new musical experience for the Harry Potter universe. In fact, the play’s creators intentionally avoided using John Williams’ iconic movie themes. Composer Imogen Heap crafted a modern, otherworldly soundscape from scratch, aiming to distinguish the stage experience from the films. They “didn’t want any reference to the music in the films” so that the play would offer “a completely different experience,” Heap has explained. This bold choice means that as an audience member, you aren’t triggered to simply recall the movie scenes; instead, you’re drawn into uncharted emotional territory with Harry, Hermione, and their children. The music, whether it’s a subtle ambient hum or a swelling motif in a duel scene, becomes an unseen character on stage – guiding your feelings and building suspense just as a traditional narrator might, but through melody and rhythm.

The result is an even deeper engagement with the story. Without the comfort of the old film score, viewers find themselves leaning in, hanging on the new notes to sense the mood. Every flourish in the orchestra pit (or from the speakers in the auditorium) is telling part of the tale – from the nostalgic warmth of returning to Hogwarts, to the eerie tension of dark magic unfolding. By the end of Cursed Child, many fans report that they have not only witnessed a thrilling new chapter of the Potter story, but also gained a richer appreciation for how sound shapes the experience of storytelling. It’s a testament to what live music and theater can do: reshape our perception of a world we thought we knew, making the magic feel as real as ever.

Bringing the Magic to the Audience

As these hybrid film-concert and stage experiences grow in popularity, fans have more opportunities than ever to step into these story worlds. Securing a ticket to a high-demand show, however, can sometimes feel like its own adventure. This is where having a reliable, transparent source for tickets matters. Platforms like tickethold make it easier to find and book seats for special events – whether you’re chasing the next big concert tickets in your city or a must-see theater tickets production. With a user-friendly interface and clear pricing (no hidden sorcery or surprise fees), tickethold allows you to focus on anticipating the experience itself. For shows like Barbie The Movie: In Concert or Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, knowing you have your tickets secured through a trusted outlet means you can sit back and look forward to the moment the orchestra tunes up or the curtain rises – the moment the magic truly begins.

(Above: Reliable ticket platforms ensure you’re all set for the show, so you can immerse yourself in the experience when the time comes.)

The Lasting Echo: Sound, Memory, and Meaning

When the final triumphant chord echoes and the screen fades to black, you may find that a live film concert or theatrical performance lingers in your heart far longer than a typical trip to the movies. The reason is simple: you haven’t just watched a story, you’ve felt it unfold through music. The orchestra’s narration – those lush strings, bold brass, and ethereal choral notes – etches the emotions of each scene into your memory. In the hush that follows the encore, we’re left reflecting on just how profoundly sound shapes our memories and the meaning we draw from them.

Think about it: would the **shark in **Jaws strike the same fear without John Williams’ two-note motif? Would the triumph of your favorite hero feel as sweet without the swell of an orchestra behind it? Live concerts like these remind us that music and story are inextricably linked. They invite us to cherish not just what we see on screen, but what we hear and feel in the experience.

So next time you find yourself humming a film tune on the way home – heart still thumping from the excitement of a live crescendo – take a moment to ponder the lesson in that melody. Why did that particular swell of sound move you? How has it colored your memory of the story? In this thoughtful pause, every movie becomes a lesson and every concert a classroom, teaching us to listen closely to the narratives that live in the music. The orchestra has spoken; now it’s our turn to reflect on what its story means to us.

Let the music play on in your mind, and you’ll discover that the notes of these experiences continue to shape your memories, long after the final bow. ?
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14/07/2025
Long Hot Summer: The mythos of the pool on screen

Later on, we see Ned teaching a little boy to swim in an empty pool, the water having been drained over safety concerns. Upon witnessing the boy’s skepticism, Neddy says, “If you make believe hard enough that something is true, then it is true for you,” because, “when I was a kid people used to believe in things.” This scene effectively summarises Neddy’s own delusion, with his attempts to revert to a state of childhood innocence shattered in the film’s final pool scene. Unlike Odysseus, Ned’s ending is not one of triumph. For the first time, we see him outside of the pool setting; having finally reached his own home, he finds the property overgrown with weeds, the tennis court unusable, and his family long gone. Back on dry land, Neddy’s childish illusion and dream of his “all-American family” is no longer contained in a pool-shaped fantasy.

If The Swimmer is considered the pinnacle of the swimming pool canon, then 1967’s The Graduate is a worthy companion. The film follows Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), who has just graduated from university. Upon moving back into his parents’ house, as he desperately tries to figure out what he wants to do with his life, he soon finds himself pulled into an affair with bored housewife Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft).

Benjamin’s feelings of uncertainty and loss of freedom are best summarised in an extended sequence depicting a bronzed Benjamin floating at the bottom of a pool after being forced into a scuba suit on his birthday for the amusement of his parents and their friends. By shooting the scene from Benjamin’s submerged perspective – through narrow goggles, completely surrounded by water – director Mike Nichols invites us to view the world as Benjamin does. The camera pans to take in the suffocating blue abyss, emphasising Benjamin’s feelings of isolation in his own home.

In this moment, the film also masterfully utilises sound, with the only noise being Benjamin’s exaggerated breathing as he drowns out the sound of the party and therefore the expectations and responsibilities of adulthood. Later, we see Benjamin lounging on a lilo, after sleeping with Mrs Robinson for the first time. He remarks to his father upon his questions about whether he will be attending graduate school, that “it’s very comfortable just to drift here”, perfectly summarising his feelings towards this shift. Lying on the lilo, he doesn’t have to choose between swimming or not swimming; the pool is a liminal space representing his awkward transition from boy to man.

Elsewhere, Alfonso Cuarón’s 2001 road movie Y tu mamá también, charts the transition of late teenagers with similar intensity, at a time of sociopolitical upheaval in Mexico. In a recent interview with Movie Maker, Cuarón revealed the film’s intrinsic link to youth: “For us, this movie is about identity. Two young men seeking their identity as adults…together with that is an observation of a country that in our opinion is a teenage country looking for its identity as a grown-up country.”

Both Julio (Gael García Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna) have finished school and are seduced by the allure of being by the water during the long hot days of summer, free from their highschool girlfriends and as fluid as the element they inhabit. In a demonstration of their infantile energy, we see these two boys compete against each other in swimming and masturbating contests in the Olympic-size pool at the country club where Tenoch’s father is a member, while fantasising about Salma Hayek and Luisa (Maribel Verdú), “la españolita”, the wife of Tenoch’s cousin. A high-angle long shot shows the boys side by side lying on adjacent springboards, engaged in simultaneous masturbation, before an underwater shot shows a squirt of semen entering the water, foreshadowing their journey of sexual discovery.

As their relationship with Luisa intensifies, the boys once again swim together, this time in a distinctly less well-kept motel pool overflowing with leaves. This change in setting embodies the boy’s evolving relationship, which is now entirely symbolic of their competition for Luisa’s affection. Julio has seen Tenoch and Luisa having sex and walks out to sit at the edge of the pool. The narrator says that Julio has only ever felt anger like this when he saw his mother with a man when he was a child. Instead of talking, they decide to race again. A victorious Julio reveals that he slept with Tenoch’s girlfriend; the narrator states that Tenoch had only ever felt like that when, as a child, he read an article about his father selling contaminated corn to the poor. It is critical that the boys’ ambivalent relationship with one another is backdropped by swimming pools because it allows us to understand how they each construct their concept of sexual identity in relation to their own youthful experiences. They are not yet mature enough to express certain emotions which continue to bubble under the surface.

At the end of the film, a significant shift occurs when the constrictive, self-contained pool is exchanged for the vast expanse and unknown of the ocean. Choosing to stay in rural Mexico alone, Luisa submerges herself in the ocean, and so enacts a kind of symbolic death. Tenoch and Julio were drawn to Luisa just as they are drawn to water, yet their eventual return home signals their acceptance of meeting their parents’ expectations. As both the boys and country open themselves to the unknown, Cuarón leaves us with a final message: “Life is like the surf. Give yourself away like the sea.”

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14/07/2025
The Disappearance of Josef Mengele review Disapproving Swede Great
The Disappearance of Josef Mengele (Das Verschwinden des Josef Mengele) is the latest film directed by Kirill Serebrennikov. The director has become a staple at the Cannes Film Festival, with his last five films being presented there, including the previous four that competed for the Palme d’Or, among them Tchaikovsky’s Wife and Limonov: The Ballad. Surprisingly enough, the new work only made it to Cannes Première. Given its compelling narrative, visual flair, and other qualities, the story about the “Angel of Death” would have placed it in the higher echelon among the competition films. The film is an adaptation of a non-fiction novel by Olivier Guez, published in 2017, which won the Prix Renaudot.

The opening scene, set in 2023, depicts medical students analysing Josef Mengele’s skeleton. From there, the film follows Josef Mengele (August Diehl) as he evades justice after World War II, starting with his 1949 escape from Europe through the “ratlines”—networks of Nazi supporters and Catholic clergy aiding war criminals. Spanning three decades, the narrative highlights pivotal stages of his fugitive life in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, culminating in his 1979 drowning. The film employs a jigsaw narrative structure, effectively juggling timelines and locations. One thread follows Mengele’s son, Rolf (Max Bretschneider), as he travels to São Paulo in 1977.

The Disappearance of Josef Mengele

August Diehl in The Disappearance of Josef Mengele.

A Hidden Life of a different kind

The framing to present times might make the film sound like The Secret Agent. However, very little unites the two films, apart from their respective cinematic mastery. Serebrennikov has reunited with Vladislav Opelyants, and the stark, monochrome images, combined with his signature long takes, create a spellbinding effect. A much-discussed colour sequence is bound to be divisive, but it provides context in a manner that is less obvious than it might appear to be. August Diehl played a decisively different character in Terrence Malick’s masterful A Hidden Life (2019), and he is a towering presence in this role, bringing the proper qualities to the part. The Disappearance of Josef Mengele offers an impressively objective view of its main character.

However, that kind of perception doesn’t impress everyone. A bizarre, emotional review (I use the term loosely) in The Hollywood Reporter by someone called Jordan Mintzer, already in the first paragraph, spouts the question, “Why am I watching this?” Even more incomprehensibly, he claims that the film embellishes Mengele’s ignoble reputation. This is yet another sad yet illuminating example of what passes for film criticism nowadays. In my Sound of Falling review, I mentioned the podcast from an outlet that used to be one of the best in the world, but now has been toppled by DEI hiring. The THR review also rehashes the tired thought that “fascism is on the rise” today.

The titular character is caught from behind in The Disappearance of Josef Mengele.

The host of the aforementioned podcast initially sat down at my table. While trying to discuss the film, I posited that the cinematic aspects alone would make Sound of Falling worthwhile. The notion was harshly dismissed with the comment, “How would cinematic expression be enough?” Meanwhile, she refuted the notion that she was looking for a straight-out statement, even though that was literally what she said.

A comparison between The Disappearance of Josef Mengele and The Zone of Interest clearly results in the former’s favour. Not only because Ilya Demutsky’s score is vastly superior to Mica Levi’s soundscape, but more crucially, for the intellectual rigour missing in Glazer’s film, which clearly bit off more than it could chew.

Whether Mengele is hiding at a farm protected by a Hungarian couple or outsmarting people trying to catch him to bring him to justice, he is always a mesmerising personality, and even his most egregious statements manage to make a certain sense. The producer, Felix von Boehm, noted in a press release that the film aims to “precisely depict ideological narrowness”. That is, unfortunately, all too topical today and clearly visible in current conflicts, where people struggle to distinguish between democracy and dictatorship. With that in mind, the meaning of the word disappearance might not merely be about how seemingly effortless it was for Mengele to hide, but more wide-ranging current disappearances as well.
The Disappearance of Josef Mengele

Director:
Kirill Serebrennikov

Date Created:
2025-07-13 18:08

Pros

Stunning cinematography

Great performances

An objective view of the topic.
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14/07/2025
Brats in Bondage: Lessons in defiance from Tank…

AI overlords, environmental deadlock, obscene wealth inequality, and emergent authoritarianism – it all reads like the opening crawl of some cult-classic dystopian flick, but unfortunately for us, it’s just the state of things in 2025. Dystopia looms. How is one to manage? One suggestion: Fight fiction with fiction and cope like a main character.

For inspiration, look no further than the petulant, performative, and perpetually horny protagonist of Rachel Talalay’s Tank Girl (1995). Sure, Tank Girl is raunchy and ridiculous (and that’s what makes it wonderful) but look closer. Beneath the absurdity lies a playbook for protest and defiance that (also unfortunately for us) feels disconcertingly relevant. Although every third country or so seems to be making a hard turn right, there’s still time to course correct – time to push back against the fledgling dystopias.

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And Tank Girl tells us how.

It’s 2033. Eleven years previous, a comet crashed into Earth and destroyed the climate. The resulting drought led to the creation of Water & Power (W&P), a corrupt corporation led by the comically depraved Kesslee, who “control[s] most of the water and got all the power.”

Enter Tank Girl, played by Lori Petty: A water-stealing, tank-obsessed wastelander living it up in the desert until a W&P raid destroys her happy-go-lucky life and launches her into a kink-coded bid for revenge.

Let’s be clear: There are a lot of differences between a bad dom with a poor grasp of kink essentials and an authoritarian régime like W&P (and its non-fictional equivalents) …but there are also quite a few similarities.

In her dalliances with W&P, Tank Girl illustrates an ethos most in the kink community will recognize. Control is achieved consensually, or not at all. It exists only when given, and can be revoked at any time. In this equation, submission is an informed, freely-made choice, and defiance is always an option. For Tank Girl, defiance is just a way of life – she’s a quintessential brat and recognizes power struggles for the poorly disguised game that they are.

These moments of defiance often hinge on Tank Girl’s understanding that her appearance and mannerisms create a set of assumptions about her strength and intelligence. She uses these assumptions as ammunition, transforming them into a weapon rather than a tool of her own subjugation.

During the W&P raid, for instance, Tank Girl unknowingly performs a strip tease for a W&P guard she incorrectly assumed to be her boyfriend. As the barrel of a gun intrudes upon the scene, the dynamic changes: The guard nods for her to continue, and she does, leaning into his (false) assumption that she is a sexual, submissive creature for the taking.

That assumption is his undoing. She knows the role expected of her and plays it well. The illusion of control lasts until the very moment she decides to revoke it – the very moment the guard meets his fate at the end of his own grenades. The strip show turns into a murder scene. Conventional power dynamics turn on their head. And Tank Girl emerges on top.

Whether facing imprisonment in a claustrophobia-inducing torture device aptly named “The Pipe” or shivering after a night spent in a freezer, Tank Girl defies fear. She elects not to give her captors the response they expect. In doing so, she disarms them.

This philosophy is implicit throughout the film, but is at its most overt while Tank Girl is imprisoned in a W&P labor camp. There, she meets Jet Girl (Naomi Watts), a beaten-down prisoner. After Tank Girl saves her from yet an obsessed prison guard who doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer, Jet Girl explains her ethos for surviving under W&P’s thumb: “The better you behave, the more they leave you alone.”

Yet audiences of 1995, 2025, and 2033 all know this to be patently untrue. In restrictive environments such as these, no one is safe, no matter how meekly they submit to the shackles. Tank Girl knows it too.

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14/07/2025
The best films of 2025 so far

The initial six months of 2025 are behind us, so it is a perfect time to look back and name the best films of 2025 so far. Following a triad of profoundly lamentable years, 2025 has proved to be a year where festivals presented surprisingly good films. There were also several deplorable instances of films that gave me the opportunity to flex my disapproving muscles, but they might be a topic for another list. Let’s dive into the good one.

8. Reedland

Reedland by Sven Bresser.

Sven Bresser’s debut feature Reedland (Rietland) was screened in the Semaine de la Critique section. That is the strand in the Cannes Film Festival that has consistently provided positive surprises over the last five years. During this edition, the stunningly shot film about a reed cutter who suddenly finds a corpse was the standout of the year. I explained why in my review, and I also had the opportunity to interview the director.

7. Two Times João Liberada

Two Times João Liberada by Paola Tomás Marques.

Two Times João Liberada (Duas vezes João Liberada) also marks Two Times Debut Features on this list. Paola Tomás Marques’ first feature was a major revelation at this year’s Berlinale. It was screened in the new Perspectives section, dedicated to debutants. It is an intelligent and playful work that depicts the filming of a film about the fictional, titular, gender non-conforming character. I described why I liked it so much in my review, and also in this case, I was fortunate enough to have a stimulating conversation with the director. The Perspectives section was a highlight of the Berlinale, which leads us to…

6. Growing Down

Growing Down (Minden rendben) by Bálint Dániel Sós.

Since Growing Down (Minden rendben) was screened in Perspectives as well, it is obvious that we are dealing with Bálint Dániel Sós’s first feature. This stark story, shot in black and white, was another highlight of the new festival strand. Where can you read more about it, you ask? How about my review of the film?

5. Sound of Falling

Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski.

Mascha Schilinski’s sophomore film, Sound of Falling (In die Sonne schauen), was surrounded by a lot of buzz long before it landed on the Croisette to start the Cannes competition. Reactions were split after the screening, but I stand by the statement that this is the most ambitious Cannes competition film since EO in 2022. I describe the debate and share my thoughts on the film in my in-depth review.

The best films of 2025 so far – The top four

4. The Disappearance of Josef Mengele

The Disappearance of Josef Mengele by Kirill Serebrennikov.

The Disappearance of Josef Mengele (Das Verschwinden des Josef Mengele) is the first film by Serebrennikov in some time that didn’t make it into the competition. Why is anybody’s guess since it’s a splendid work, not least cinematically. I reviewed this film as well and discussed some strange reactions to it.

3. Sirát

Sirát by Óliver Laxe.

The second-day screening in Cannes of Óliver Laxe’s fourth feature, Sirát, left no one indifferent. The feelings for and against were audible, not least during the second part of the film. Considering its content and how it is connected to the form, this is no shock, but the film might be for some viewers. My review of Sirát is the one from Cannes that divulges as little as possible about the film. That is no coincidence.

2. The Secret Agent

The Secret Agent by Kleber Mendonça Filho.

I would be lying if I said that I went into the screening of The Secret Agent with high expectations. Paired with the fact that I didn’t manage to get a ticket to the gala screening, but had to settle for the fairly awful Salle Bazin, it didn’t exactly make me more excited. However, the film did, and almost immediately. It turned out to be the best film of the festival and won two well-deserved awards. I explained why I liked it so much in my review.

1. Reflection in a Dead Diamond

Reflection in a Dead Diamond (Reflet dans un diamant mort) by Helène Cattet and Bruno Forzani.

Reflection in a Dead Diamond (Reflet dans un diamant mort) is the fourth feature film directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this. When French directors land in the Berlinale competition, the outcome is not always great. Maybe the fact that this is a Belgian production (like all the couple’s features) made a difference. Probably not. In any case, this is the duo’s best film to date, and an obvious candidate for the best film of the year. Did I explain why in my review? I’m not sure, but I tried to describe this multifaceted work. It was also a pure joy to interview Cattet and Forzani.

If someone had told me at the beginning of 2025 that I would like eight films this much by the end of June, I would have laughed. It remains to be seen what the rest of the year will bring.

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13/07/2025
The Ultimate Movie Marathon Guide for Stress Relief — Every Movie Has a Lesson
by Nancy Fernandez

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a part of everyday life. Whether it’s work-related burnout, personal struggles, or just the pressures of modern living, finding effective ways to unwind is essential for mental and emotional well-being. While meditation, exercise, and therapy are all excellent tools, sometimes the simplest comfort comes from curling up on the couch with a great movie marathon. A carefully curated lineup of films can offer the perfect escape — a chance to laugh, cry, be inspired, and, most importantly, relax.

To take your stress-relief marathon to the next level, consider pairing it with calming wellness rituals. One trending natural aid among wellness enthusiasts is THCa Flower. Known for its non-psychoactive properties and potential anti-inflammatory and stress-reducing benefits, THCa Flower offers a unique way to ease into a deeply relaxed state without the typical “high” associated with cannabis. Whether brewed in tea, vaped at low temperatures, or used in a relaxing herbal blend, it can complement your movie marathon for the ultimate calming experience.

Step 1: Set the Scene

Before hitting play, create a cozy and inviting environment that encourages rest. Dim the lights, light a few candles, fluff your pillows, and grab your favorite throw blanket. If you enjoy scents, add some calming aromatherapy using essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or sandalwood. A clean, quiet space can work wonders for shifting your mind into relaxation mode.

Don’t forget snacks! Choose comfort foods that nourish the soul — popcorn, dark chocolate, fruit platters, or even a warm bowl of soup. For an added wellness twist, try herbal teas or infused waters with ingredients like chamomile, lemon balm, or even adaptogenic herbs.

Step 2: Choose Your Genre Based on Mood

Your movie selection will greatly influence your experience. Here’s a breakdown of genres to suit your stress-relief needs:

Comedy — Laugh It Off

Laughter is scientifically proven to reduce stress by releasing feel-good endorphins. Choose lighthearted classics or feel-good comedies. Consider:

Feel-Good Dramas — Emotional Detox

Sometimes, a good cry can be cathartic. Emotional dramas that end on a hopeful note can help release pent-up tension.
- The Pursuit of Happyness
- Little Miss Sunshine
- Julie & Julia
- About Time
Fantasy & Adventure — Escape the Everyday

If real life feels overwhelming, disappear into another world for a few hours.

Romantic Classics — Warm the Heart

Sweet, heartwarming stories can create a sense of connection and comfort.

Animated Delights — Pure Joy

Sometimes we all need a touch of childhood nostalgia.
- Coco
- Up
- Zootopia
- My Neighbor Totoro
Step 3: Make It a Marathon, Not a Sprint

While it may be tempting to binge-watch for 10 hours straight, true relaxation comes from pacing yourself. Plan your movie marathon with breaks in between films to stretch, hydrate, or take a short walk. Consider breaking your marathon into themed days — such as a “Rom-Com Sunday” or a “Feel-Good Friday” — to avoid fatigue and keep the experience joyful.

It’s also helpful to make a list ahead of time to avoid the dreaded “scroll fatigue.” Choose 3–5 movies per session and organize them by mood or genre. That way, when you settle in for your marathon, you can dive right in.

Step 4: Disconnect to Reconnect

A big part of reducing stress is limiting distractions. That includes putting your phone on silent (or in another room entirely), logging off social media, and giving yourself full permission to unwind. Think of your movie marathon as a mini-retreat for your nervous system — no emails, no messages, no pressure to be productive.

You can enhance this tech detox with mindfulness elements. Try pairing your marathon with a short guided breathing session or simply take a few moments between movies to check in with how you feel. You’ll be amazed at how even a few hours of screen-free presence (outside of movies) can help lower anxiety.

Step 5: Add a Wellness Touch

For a truly therapeutic experience, combine your movie time with soothing wellness practices. Here are a few ideas:
- Breathwork or meditation during movie transitions
- Aromatherapy diffuser with calming scents
- Gentle stretching or yoga during credits
- Enjoying THCa Flower in a form that suits your relaxation goals
By integrating mind-body elements into your marathon, you’re not just watching movies — you’re actively creating a healing ritual. Products like THCa Flower, when used responsibly and legally, can enhance this state of calm and make your movie marathon a full-body reset.

Final Thoughts

Stress is inevitable, but burnout doesn’t have to be. A well-planned movie marathon offers more than temporary distraction — it provides a comforting routine that resets your emotional equilibrium. By choosing the right films, setting the right atmosphere, and incorporating wellness tools like THCa Flower, you can turn a casual night into a powerful act of self-care.

Whether you need a hearty laugh, a good cry, or just a break from reality, your ultimate movie marathon is more than entertainment — it’s therapy in motion. So press play, breathe deep, and let the healing begin.
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13/07/2025
F1 + Joseph Kosinski | M3GAN 2.0 | Speed Racer (2008)

On Truth & Movies this week, we discuss the high speed blockbuster F1 and spoke to its director Joseph Kosinski. Next up we review the horror sequel M3GAN 2.0 and finally, for film club, revisit 2008’s Speed Racer.

Joining host Leila Latif are Kambole Campbell and Iana Murray.

Truth & Movies is the podcast from the film experts at Little White Lies, where along with selected colleagues and friends, they discuss the latest movie releases. Truth & Movies has all your film needs covered, reviewing the latest releases big and small, talking to some of the most exciting filmmakers, keeping you across important industry news, and reassessing great films from days gone by with the Truth & Movies Film Club.

Email: truthandmovies@tcolondon.com

BlueSky and Instagram: @LWLies

Produced by TCO

The post F1 + Joseph Kosinski | M3GAN 2.0 | Speed Racer (2008) first appeared on Little White Lies.

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13/07/2025
Eddington — Every Movie Has a Lesson

MOVIE REVIEW: Eddington — Every Movie Has a Lesson

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13/07/2025
28 Ways Later | Little White Lies
If Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s much-feted 28 Years Later taught us anything, it’s that the UK has struggled to cope with being Ground Zero for a zombie apocalypse. Cut off from the rest of the world, the nation’s infrastructure and culture crumbled at the point of origin: sometime in late 2001 (when 28 Days Later was filmed). With this in mind – plus the gonzo out-of-nowhere ending of the film, largely indecipherable to non-British audiences with no knowledge of who Jimmy Saville is – we’ve been thinking. How else might the rage virus and demise of the British Isles impacted the world? Until Alex Garland reveals more lore in 2026’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, allow us to speculate…

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1. The last-ever Premier League table is topped by Sam Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers.
2. Based on the streaming video capabilities of the circa-2001 internet, it is unlikely that any survivors, certainly by the time of 28 Years Later, had ever rubbed one out to online pornography. Old copies of FHM and Loaded have become their own form of currency.
3. The cast of recently-broadcast sitcom The Office tragically succumbed to the rage virus, ensuring that Ricky Gervais’ career never took off and that the US was never really exposed to it in any meaningful capacity. Mike Schur never remakes the show for a US audience, thereby narrowly avoiding ruining network television for years to come.
4. JK Rowling’s brain worms were unable to fight back the rage virus, and the final three Harry Potter books were never written. Not only does this lead to the anti-trans movement in the UK never really taking hold, it results in the first Harry Potter movie never being released in late 2001. Decades later, people talk about it like The Day the Clown Cried.
5. Without music execs Simon Fuller and Simon Cowell living long enough to ensure Pop Idol’s success, American Idol and The X Factor never exist, completely changing the television and music landscape of the 2000s. More tragically: One Direction were never formed.
6. Margaret Thatcher, who began to exhibit symptoms of memory loss around 2000 but did not retire from public life until early 2002, died not of a stroke but of being eaten by an infected, and was almost certainly lucid enough to understand what was happening.
7. Similarly, Britain’s then-Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was eaten by a zombie while trying to flee the capital on a chopper shortly after giving a radio broadcast urging the nation to maintain calm and dignity.
8. Charli XCX survives the rage virus as a child, but instead of dedicating her life to music, she starts her own Jimmy-style cult in Essex, in which she refers to all her peers as brats. As such, Brat Summer still happens. Just with more severed heads.
9. Banksy, who was in Mexico in 2001 working with an art activism collective, inadvertently survives by virtue of being out of the country. He becomes even more famous, his art gets even worse, and he wins the Nobel Peace Prize for installing a large mirror against the exterior wall of the abandoned British Consulate in New York, with a sign that reads ‘The Real Zombie’.
10. Instead of Love Island ever coming to pass, a reality television series funded by a French production company is briefly piloted. Entitled ‘Peste Île’ (Plague Island) it sees a team of wilderness enthusiasts attempt to survive in the Forest of Dean for a fortnight. The project is abandoned after all 20 contestants die within a week.
11. The final Number One single the UK ever experienced was Bob the Builder’s cover of Mambo Number Five.
12. After word gets out about the rage virus first developing in apes, animal testing is banned globally. Greater awareness and empathy towards the great apes leads to greater conservation efforts; none of the species are endangered.
13. Paddington Bear never received a revival via Paul King’s charming films. Instead, following global demand for British nostalgia products, it is Rupert the Bear who becomes the world’s favourite fictional ursine character.
14. With no internet and limited access to power, watching VHS tapes is a rare treat for the people of England. Mostly they relay what they remember of old films and television shows through word of mouth. This leads to some obvious embellishments and alternate versions. No one can agree on what exactly Noddy was.
15. Elton John, who was in LA at the time of the outbreak, recorded another charity version of ‘Candle in the Wind’ dedicated to all those lost to the rage virus. All the proceeds go to survivors who made it out of the United Kingdom before it was declared a no-go zone.
16. The loss of the UK actors delays the production of the television adaption of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones even more than it already was, and the author feels less pressure to fulfil expectations. At the same time he also doesn’t become embarrassingly rich, which reduces his distractions. The ’A Song of Ice and Fire’ series concludes in a timely fashion. Eventually plans for a television adaptation are abandoned altogether because they can’t find enough actors who can do good Northern accents.
17. Boris Johnson is tragically killed trying to prove zombies are “perfectly harmless with the right handling” during a publicity stunt in an aborted mayoral campaign for the London enclave.
18. As we see in 28 Years Later, the Angel of the North remains standing – as do many of the UK’s landmarks, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Folkestone White Horse. Big Ben, however, stops bing-bonging three years into the pandemic due to lack of maintenance. The large crowd of zombies drawn towards it every hour due to the noisy bing-bongs are most confused.
19. Top Gear never aired, thus preventing a generation of men from building their entire sense of humour around it.
20. Due to the chaos of the virus, many animals escaped from zoos. Although most were eaten by the infected or desperate humans, some survived and even thrived. Notable additions to the UK wildlife include a herd of zebras running loose on Cannock Chase and Chester Zoo’s big cat collection, who thrive on the England/Wales border.
21. Gorillaz only released a single, self-titled album, with the fate of Albarn and Hewlett unknown to the wider world, elevated to mythical status. But in reality, they continue to work on the project well into the end times. ‘Demon Days’ never makes it out of the UK, but becomes the stuff of legend within the island, with bootlegs cassettes duplicated and shared around by travelling merchants.
22. The Oscars’ annual ‘In Memorium’ segment was replaced with a musical tribute to Great Britain. There was a tasteful powerpoint featuring various British actors who succumbed to the virvirus,ile Elton John performed his new cover of ‘Candle in the Wind’.
23. Die Another Day was never filmed, and Pierce Brosnan’s time as Bond finished with The World Is Not Enough. After a decade of warring over the rights, Hollywood went ahead with a reboot. It absolutely tanked.
24. A decade after the rage virus outbreak, David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin teamed up to make a tasteful drama about it called ‘The Viral Network’. It won Best Picture at the 2012 Oscars.
25. Meanwhile, numerous film projects are scrapped in the interest of good taste because their disease-related plots are considered to be “too soon.” The zombie genre is effectively dead for at least a decade, while academics pontificate on how in retrospect, it’s obvious that the pop culture about pandemics was a collective anticipation of Rage. George R. Romero retires and lives the rest of his life in haunted shame for things he really has no control over. However, in the early 2010s, an upstart filmmaker named Eli Roth (whose debut, Cabin Fever, was shelved due to the outbreak) makes the first major zombie movie in a long time, drawing tremendous controversy but a huge box office take, reviving the genre.
26. Prince William, on his gap year in Africa, is the only surviving member of the Royal Family after the Queen Mother turned and infected everyone at Sandringham. He resettles in Cape Town and in subsequent years haunts the European party circuit, befriending the deposed Hapsburg and Bourbon claimants, and waving to an increasingly indifferent crowd at F1 races (which Verstappen dominates to a tiring degree in the absence of Lewis Hamilton). He is referred to colloquially as “The Dauphin of Rage Island”.
27. The Great British High Street is frozen in time at its zenith. No vape shops, no American candy shops, no Harry Potter souvenir shops or Cash Converters. On TikTok, teenagers post grainy photographs of random British town centres with ‘Take me back to this <3’ set to Robbie Williams’ ‘Angels’.
28. For obvious reasons, the 2012 London Olympics never happened. Danny Boyle never directs the opening ceremony. Hang on…did Danny Boyle survive the zombie apocalypse?
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13/07/2025