Celebrating Cinema (LAB111)

For the final Future Frames episode, filmmaker Kiriko Mechanicus talks with fellow filmmaker and good friend Razan Hassan, an upcoming documentarist who has recently won the Best Documentary Film award at the Shortcutz Film Festival for her film 'In Between Glass and Walls'.

In their tender conversation, Hassan speaks about her teenage love for director Bernardo Bertolucci, the depths of the Syrian new wave, the urge to create from pain, and her upcoming film 'On The Edge Of Life I Saw A Film'.

Crafted on a shoestring budget, Kevin Boitelle's feature debut, Trip-Tych, serves as both a film about the art of filmmaking and a reflection on the creative struggle inherent in the process. In conversation with host Kiriko, Kevin reminisces about his formative film experiences and his early collaborations with friends, emphasizing his desire to preserve the joy of collective creativity. This audacious comedic satire offers a piercing glimpse into the Dutch film industry, where Kevin champions the need for filmmakers to embrace boldness and surprise, both in narrative and approach. Join us as we explore the intersection of passion and artistry, celebrating a work that challenges conventions and invigorates the discourse around independent cinema.

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Knight of Cups

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

In anticipation of our first live podcast event where we will be revisiting the iconic Twilight (2008), we had the absolute pleasure to speak with director Catherine Hardwicke. Architect of this cultural phenomenon, Catherine recounts how she landed the role and the casting process that launched the careers of its stars, Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson. In this hour-long interview, we explore Catherine's journey into filmmaking as well as the distinct challenges of a female director in the industry, especially with directing blockbusters. Sadly as the only female director of the Twilight saga, we get an insight into just how rich stories can be that target an overlooked female audience and capture those first moments we all experience as when we come of age. Expect some golden  stories & for your Twilight nostalgia to be reignited!

Sitting down with filmmaker, screenwriter, chef, and all-around powerhouse Amira Duynhouwer for a Future Frames interview, film critic Hugo Emmerzael dives into Duynhouwer’s wildly prolific career, her initial love for cinema and the tough lessons she had to learn to make it as a successful film professional.

Ranging from Spielberg to Akira Kurosawa, from industry secrets to cinema inspirations, and from kitchen struggles to biographical cinema, this frank and fun conversation covers a lot of ground. What ties all the disparate topics together is an infectious love for good food, good films and good times.

When 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey (modern-day Republic of Benin) would finally be returned from France, filmmaker Mati Diop was granted rare access to document this historic moment. Dahomey, Mati's deeply moving and thought-provoking documentary, is the result of that access—a cinematic meditation that not only chronicles the repatriation of these artefacts but also imagines the voices of the objects themselves while focusing on the emotional responses of the Beninese people. 

Building on the genre-defying spirit of her debut Atlantiques, Mati uses this personal and collective journey as a lens to explore the themes of return, restitution, and memory. Again weaving together fiction and reality in search of deeper truths. In conversation with host Elliot, Mati reflects on the making of Dahomey, the cultural significance of the treasures' homecoming, and the profound, ongoing relationship between history, identity, and filmmaking.

To kick off this new podcast series we thought it would only be right to reflect upon the very thing that has brought us together - our love for cinema! Join us and hear from 3 very different perspectives as they pull back the curtain from the screen and even themselves. We also get to hear from some of you who have shared your own love for the big screen. DISCLAIMER: Do not worry this is not a Clint Eastwood podcast despite Hugo's best efforts (listen to find out). Keep writing in to celebratingcinema@lab111.nl we always love hearing from you, and explore https://celebratingcinema.com. 

Once proclaimed the most beautiful boy in the world by Italian director Luchino Visconti, former teen star Björn Andrésen has forever been marked by this and what followed after starring as Tadzio in Visconti's Death in Venice (1971). Speaking with Elliot, Björn candidly shares what it was like to revisit these experiences during the filming of the newly released documentary The Most Beautiful Boy In The World (Kristina Lindström & Kristian Petri, 2021).

Recognizing herself in Stefanie Kolk’s journey towards a career in film that started out in a different place entirely, filmmaker and podcast host Sophie Smeets invited the biophysicists-turned-filmmaker for her Future Frames interview.

In this conversation, we gain an insight into the different elements that play a role in Kolk’s filmmaking. How her love for film started from watching films with her father and how it is still a means of communication and connection for her. She describes how her science background influences the way she approaches her craft and how, after numeral short films, she finally came to make her first feature film, Melk.

In conjunction with the upcoming Camera Japan Festival at LAB111, a celebration of upcoming and contemporary Japanese films, we explore our own personal relationship to what Japanese cinema offers. The wealth of Japanese films are too rich to ever justly cover in a single episode, so instead we are joined by programmer and researcher of Japanese cinema Julian Ross, to explore an overlooked genre of Japanese film - Expanded Cinema, a radical form that subverts our understanding of what cinema can be and the audience's relationship to the screen.

With Joanna Hogg's sequel to her highly autobiographical film The Souvenir (2019), we take a look at one of its stars - Tilda Swinton. There has always been a certain indefinable quality to her iconic acting, refusing to ever be type-casted to a particular role. Tilda has continued to evolve with her incredible range of performances, becoming the muse for many auteurs. What makes her otherworldly, androgynous presence so unique and how does it relate to the roles she picks? Listen to our personal standout moments of a truly great idiosyncratic chameleon.

We are delighted to welcome Miriam Guttmann, director of the recent VPRO documentary Seeds of Deceit (Het Zaat Van Karbaat), who joins us for a discussion on the ethics of documentary-making. Miriam provides a very candid insight into the large web of complexities she found herself navigating through, during the filming of her Sundance selected film. In this episode we explore the purpose of a documentary maker, a director’s relationship to the characters of the story they’re directing and where their duty lies. We unpack these more abstract questions through the lens of Miriam’s brilliant short docuseries, so make sure to check it out! We always love to hear from you, so please do keep writing in (celebratingcinema@lab111.nl).

Fresh off her feature debut opening the Netherlands Film Festival, one of LAB111's resident filmmakers Laura Hermanides joins Hugo to discuss Witte Flits—a project that began as a documentary but evolved into a striking fictional narrative. The film tackles the complex, timely debate surrounding euthanasia, particularly in cases of unbearable psychological sufferings. Inspired by a real-life story, Laura examines whether the theory survives the reality, focusing largely on the profound challenge parents face in overcoming their love to set their child free of pain. In this candid conversation, she reflects on the film's journey—from working with a 700-page journal written by the father and forming a lasting friendship with the mother, to developing a distinctive cinematic language. Laura reminds us of the enduring power of storytelling in uncertain times.

Get your ⁠tickets⁠ for Witte Flits @ LAB111.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

"Obviously Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl." (Cecilia, Virgin Suicides)

Affectionately known as cinema's favorite 'Nepo Baby', Sofia Coppola has come a long way from her initial appearance in her father's iconic trilogy, The Godfather. Now standing as a unique auteur truly shaping the narrative of the 'girl era.'

With pitch-perfect precision, Coppola translates the fabric of girlhood, revealing the heartaches and struggles of her characters as they journey into adulthood. These dreamy personas are stuck in a patriarchal society, always yearning for something more, a taste of authenticity and freedom beyond their current lives.

Joined by Sacha Gertsik, film producer and Coppola-fanatic shares both tales from her interview with Coppola at the Venice Film Festival last year, and her rich archive of Coppola-soaked memories, discussing how this American director continues to elevate the essence of girl-fabrication.

Book tickets to Lost in Coppola @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Are we witnessing the end of American mainstream cinema? Diving deep into this topic, Hugo invites filmmaker, film critic and video essay connoisseur Scout Tafoya. In collaboration with Tucker Johnson, Scout explores this very question with a compelling 10-part video-essay series through the lens of Ridley & Tony Scott as the forefathers of the American blockbuster. Why has Hollywood become so stale? Together, Hugo & Scout discuss the End of History, the end of American cinema as we know it, but what comes next?

This year, vampires emerge from the shadows once more with Robert Eggers’ haunting reimagining of Nosferatu. But why does the vampire continue to linger in our cultural imagination?

In this episode, hosts Laura Gommans and Tom Ooms embark on a cinematic journey through the dark, blood-soaked history of vampires and night stalkers. From terrifying symbols of society’s deepest fears to complex, oddly relatable figures, they explore how these creatures of the night have evolved. What began as a reflection of our anxieties has transformed into a mirror of our own desires, struggles, and yearnings.

Join them as they unravel the vampire’s enduring appeal and ask: are these bloodsuckers misunderstood souls searching for something deeper than just human blood?

Tune in—if you dare—and uncover why these creatures of the night refuse to let go.

Get tickets to Lust For Blood program

Get tickets to CC Film Club: Juice

Listen to our conversation with Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke

Show Notes and Films Mentioned

That’s right people, it’s Oscars time! We’ve certainly got that Oscar fever, but more a fever of chaotic distress. Instead of the usual baseless predictions, we try to make sense of the Academy Awards and this American institution that seems to dominate the industry. Our equally chaotic film choice for this episode, The Congress (Folman, 2013), certainly helps us dissect the flaws within the current institution. All the while, Tom tries grappling with the power of lists, and his picks of Oscar Award moments; Kiriko provides a perfect rendition of her favourite acceptance speech, despite her indifference to the whole ceremonial affair, and Hugo remains the tortured film critic divided between love and duty. We also tackle a question from one of our listeners, and discuss the importance of forming our own individual opinions regardless of lists. If you have more questions for us to discuss then please write in to celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

With the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise in cinemas now, we pose the question if Tom Cruise, the enigmatic star of classics like Top Gun (1986), Magnolia (1999), Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and so many others, is singlehandedly trying to save a dying breed of visceral (action) cinema.

Is Cruise the last of the genuine movie stars? How do his on and offscreen antics relate to his persona? Does he fit into a long-standing tradition of mavericks like Buster Keaton and other risk-it-all icons of the silver screen? And is he, as he recently claims, really doing it 'for us', the audience?

In this episode, we dive deep into his illustrious body of work as well as his infamous image to see what really lies behind the mask of the Cruise.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Widely regarded as one of the most influential directors of our time, Martin Scorsese has made some of the most exciting cinema classics of the past 50 years.

Moving through Scorsese's filmography, we reflect on how his own existential inquiries on faith, redemption, obsession and cinema itself lie at the heart of his kinetic films. Why does he return time and time again to the same narrative of the self-absorbed, Jesus-complex man come from?

A true lover film film, championing cinema’s rich history, and a tireless supporter of film preservation, we also discuss how his the boy who once wanted to become a priest, is now a missionary of the gospel of cinema.

Book tickets for Scorsese Selected @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

After a steamy winter featuring Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, the internet was sent into a frenzy over - a fairly mediocre - erotic murder drama, that had copious amounts of sex. Naturally, Laura Gommans, friend of the podcast, was left questioning what happened to all the sex scenes in cinema today.

The 90s marked an era of iconic scenes of intimacy in films like Wild Things, Cruel Intentions, Eyes Wide Shut, Indecent Proposal, Risky Business, Basic Instinct, it was a horny time. In contrast, studios like A24 are currently showcasing some truly jarring sex scenes. How did we get here? And why are blockbuster movies like Avatar deleting their sex scenes?

Intrigued by these cinematic shifts, seasoned entertainment editor Laura joins the discussion to unpack the significance of sex in film while getting to the bottom of just exactly why desire on screen has become so contentious.

CONFESSION: We had not seen All of Us Strangers OR Poor Things before recording, otherwise this would've featured in our discussion. We never need an excuse to talk about Paul Mescal.

TRIGGER WARNING: Please note this episode contains references to explicit sexual content including sexual assault and violence that may be triggering for some.

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⁠Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Amidst the abundance of parodies, memes, and impersonations, there exists an undeniable uniqueness to the American actor Nicolas Cage. It’s easy to dismiss him as an over-the-top actor, yet beneath the surface lies a talent that positions him among the greatest actors of our time. With an unconventional, almost avant-garde approach to acting that defies the conventions of naturalism prevalent in most mainstream cinema, Cage's body of work invites a deeper exploration.

On this episode of Celebrating Cinema we open the Cage and analyze the eclectic performances, the larger than life persona, and how in recent years Cage has become more and more aware of his oddball status.

Book tickets to Nicolas Uncaged @ LAB111

⁠Show Notes & Films Mentioned

What should be a light-hearted reflection on the films of nightmares & nostalgia, which helped form our presenters and their viewing habits, quickly reveals itself to be a psychoanalysis of the 3 different approaches to parenting and movie-watching. If that is not enough drama for you, Tom returns with even more lists, reflecting on the best and worse rehashing in cinema as well as considering what the future may entail. If you have more questions you’d like us to discuss, or stories worth sharing then send us an email at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

In our latest review round-up, Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 has Laura and Hugo at odds, Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths steals their hearts, and Brazilian awards darling I’m Still Here sparks a heated debate between our two hosts—is it Oscar bait or a worthy contender? Tune in and have your say on this month’s biggest releases!

Book tickets to Mickey 17 @ LAB111

Book tickets to Hard Truths @ LAB111

Book tickets to I'm Still Here @ LAB111

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Old Boy @ LAB111

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the acclaimed stop-motion epic Coraline, Laura Gommans had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Henry Selick about his illustrious career and lifelong love for cinema. From scary tales at Aunt Lib's house to being terrified by the cyclops in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Henry reveals the origins of his eerie yet tender storytelling style. His obsession with stop-motion animation has not only pushed the boundaries of filmmaking but also reimagined what children's narratives can be. Henry passionately explains why it's crucial for children to experience a touch of fear in films, believing it helps them navigate and understand the complexities of the world.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Book your tickets for Coraline @ LAB111

Alain Resnais’s Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) returns to cinemas—a quiet revolution in filmmaking that blends love, loss, and the long shadow of human destruction. In this episode, hosts Kiriko Mechanicus and Elliot Bloom unpack why this haunting classic still matters today. Why did Resnais turn to fiction after his devastating Holocaust documentary Night and Fog? And what does the film reveal about how we confront images of destruction—past and present?

Get tickets to Hiroshima Mon Amour @ LAB111

Take a trip down the dark alleys of Film Noir, filled with unscrupulous men, state corruption and crimes waiting to be solve. Listen to our hosts' favourite urban thrillers, as they try to figure out what Film Noir even is. A genre? A style? Or a mode of production that dominated Hollywood post World-War II. Inspired by our current program Tales From Nightmare Alley, we dive deep into this infamous moment of American cinema that forever marked the cinematic landscape.

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111, including Amalia Ulman's El Planeta (2021) who we recently interviewed here on the podcast.

Fresh off winning the Dutch Film Critics’ Choice Award at the Netherlands Film Festival, LAB111 resident filmmaker Jeroen Houben joins host Kiriko Mechanicus to discuss his bittersweet, offbeat drama Torch Song. The film tells the story of an eccentric former pop singer who reconnects with her estranged half-brother in the Netherlands, only to unravel his life when she discovers a muse in his girlfriend. Houben delves into his aim to craft a raw, nuanced portrayal of a struggling artist, sidestepping tired clichés, while offering a fresh perspective on Amsterdam through the eyes of an international community. He also reflects on composing the film’s songs in tandem with the script, his fascination with musicals, and a formative (and unsettling) childhood memory of an animated dog. A bold tribute to the power of music and storytelling, this episode offers an illuminating look into the creation of a film where ambition and emotion collide.

Book tickets to Torch Song @ LAB111

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Juice

Following our first live and very animated podcast recording, our hosts, along with our audience, discussed the relevance of cult classic Twilight; a film that showcases a darkly stylish depiction of female desire wrapped inside an inherently silly teen vampire romance. Like it or not this romance saga had us hooked from the beginning and was undoubtedly a cinematic marker in all our lives, one way or another. Find out how Twilight shaped our audience’s proclivity to fall for the wrong men, led to creating their own fan club and even a drinking game... did someone say spider-monkey? 

Did you miss our screening of Twilight? There are still screenings available here. 

Don't forget to leave us a review & share - the bigger the podcast, the bigger the guests we can have on!

“I would like to make a film to tell children "it's good to be alive".”
― Hayao Miyazaki

It's hard to find someone who doesn't love Hayao Miyazaki's films. Regardless of age, there is something profound to be gained from watching any of this Japanese animator's masterpieces. In this celebration of Miyazaki and the wonders he has created, we delve deep into the nostalgic yet fictional universe of Studio Ghibli. For many of us, our earliest film memories are of the Totoro, Kiki the Witch, Princess Mononoke, or Spirited Away. But how have his films shaped our worldview? We explore Miyazaki's process and discuss why his animations remain just as relevant today.

Book tickets to Studio Ghibli @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

As part of our new partnership with Mubi, we had the exclusive chance to speak with Artist-turned-filmmaker Amalia Ulman about her feature debut El Planeta. This dark comedy, set in Amalia's childhood town Gijon, is a fresh twist on the precarious economic conditions the working-class can find themselves in. In this candid interview Amalia shares what it was like to make her first film, co-starring with her mother, and why her work across different mediums is so narrative driven. 

You can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111, including Amalia Ulman's El Planeta (2021). 

For this edition of Future Frames, you can hear from our rising filmmakers who we’ll be screening at Volk’s Hotel Sunday Shorts on 10th Dec. You can buy tickets here.

Rafik Opti is a filmmaker fascinated by playing with reality & the beauty they can find with their camera out on the streets. Candidly chatting with friend & host Kiriko, Rafik shares how the influences of joyous films like Step Up and She’s The Man as well as music videos like Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation gave them the freedom to be their self. With a desire to extend the legacy of TV series Pose and seminal film Paris Is Burning, and create more images of queer liberation and independence, Rafik focuses on the intersections of Black bodies in public spaces, shedding light on the collective experiences of Black trans and queer individuals, celebrating their universal journey.

Watch Black Joy Chapter One, at Volks Hotel on 10 Dec. A captivating short film, serving as the prequel to the acclaimed "Black Joy (Blaka Koloku)." Follow filmmaker Rafik as they venture into the heart of Amsterdam for the first time, unveiling the beauty in life's simplest moments.

You can also watch Rafik’s Black Joy here.

If you don’t know already, Molly Manning Walker’s feature debut How To Have Sex (2023) has taken the world by storm. This coming-of-age drama follows Tara (a mesmerizing performance by Mia Mckenna-Bruce) and her two best friends on a rites-of-passage holiday in Malia that slowly derails.

Speaking with host Elliot, Molly shares how our stereotypical view of Gen-Z is limiting discussions on consent and why cinema can help reframe these conversations, especially when we watch films communally.

Book your tickets here

With the release of their feature debut Gagarine (2020) in cinemas here in The Netherlands, we spoke with directors Fanny Liatard & Jérémy Trouilh to discuss the duality of Paris captured on screen. We explore how their magic-realist drama bridges the tensions between the romanticised dreamlike city and its neglected suburbs, united by a universal ability to dream and the importance of utopian images.

Special thanks to Cinéarte for organising this episode.

It’s about time we absolve ourselves of the guilt we feel when enjoying our personal favourites! Writer Basje Boer joins us again to discuss why we should be liberated from the stigma of loving overtly shlocky action films, non-sensical comedies, and schmaltzy teen dramas and romcoms. We question what exactly we are suppose to feel guilty of and how this can limit your own unique love of cinema.

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We want to know what your supposed “guilty pleasures”! Send them in to celebratingcinema@lab111.nl with a brief description of why you love your selected film and what makes you feel “guilty” about loving it.

Recorded live from the French airport Nice, Hugo & Tom recap their rollercoaster experience of Cannes Film Festival. This dispatch finally arrives from the delayed luggage carousel packed with hot takes and films to look out for, as well as stories of Tom's lavish escapades. From Tom's maiden voyage to Hugo being a seasoned attendee, does the spectacle of Cannes live up to its grand illusion? 

In a village under constant threat of displacement, where homes and schools are torn down and the land is slowly seized, how does one resist? For Basel, the camera is a weapon in the fight to preserve his community of Masafer Yatta. No Other Land is an unflinching documentary of settler violence, created by two Palestinians and two Israeli filmmakers. What they capture is undeniable.

On this episode of Celebrating Cinema, Basel and Yuval join Elliot for a powerful conversation about living under separate laws of the same state. They discuss their role as storytellers, connecting the fractured pieces of this crime, and uncovering the emotional truth behind life under occupation. Through their lenses, they expose Israeli state policies fuelling land grabs and illegal occupation, while underscoring the urgent need to document and bear witness.

Book tickets to No Other Land

Book tickets CC Film Club: Juice

Book tickets to The Raoul Peck Collection

Directors Sarah Blok & Lisa Konno join to discuss their short trilogy of non-traditional immigrant story of fathers. With an exhibition at this year's Dutch Design Week and the release of their book, which you can buy here, we explore how this hybrid form of fashion-stylised documentaries can offer a more intimate portrayal of their subjects. Candidly, Lisa & Sarah share the inspiration behind this project and why they embraced a more honest lens through which they share these stories.

Director Martijn de Jong joins producer Elliot to discuss his feature debut Narcosis. Selected as this year's Dutch Oscar entry, this tender portrayal of familial love & mourning gives our audience a window to Martijn's approach to filmmaking. With a desire to move people and connect with his audience, together they explore his journey as a director from commercials to his first feature. While discussing cinematic moments that have impacted Martijn, he offers a unique insight into the Dutch film landscape as a whole - is a Dutch resurgence on the horizon? 

As longtime admirers of Mia Hansen-Løve's body of work here on the podcast, producer Elliot hosts a very candid and revealing conversation with the French director. In her latest film Un Beau Matin, Mia describes it as her most auto-biographical film to date. Mia shares how she is able to explore such existential questions from such an intimate portrait. Find out what moves Mia to make films and why cinema for her is a tool for understanding her life's journey.  

Very few director's have their own adjective: Lynchian. But then again, there are very few directors like David Lynch. Walking the tightrope between the mainstream and the avant-garde, Lynch brought to the screen a singularly dark and disturbing view of reality. A nightmare world punctuated by defining moments of extreme violence, bizarre comedy, and strange beauty, his dreamlike films have conjured some of the great modern American images. Celebrating his newly restored and re-released masterpiece Mulholland Drive, our hosts Hugo, Tom and Elliot discuss his entire body of work, the many interpretations his films stir up and much more!

You can book your ticket here for our live podcast recording about Twilight on the 20th January.

In a moment when Hollywood is once again embracing the comeback—think Demi Moore’s return in The Substance or Pamela Anderson’s reinvention in The Last Showgirl—we turn our attention to the art of the revival. In this episode, hosts Laura Gommans and Tom Ooms explore the enduring appeal of the Hollywood comeback: why the industry—and its audiences—love to see actors return, transformed and triumphant. From John Travolta’s genre-defining resurgence in Pulp Fiction to Michelle Yeoh’s historic Oscar win at 60, they trace the arcs of reinvention, resilience, and rediscovery. And of course, no conversation on comebacks would be complete without Nicolas Cage—the actor in a perpetual state of renaissance.

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Listen back to our episode on Nicolas Cage

Read Salima Hayek's Op-Ed

The month of May is always a period of remembrance, commemorating all those who lost their lives during the Second World War both as victims of genocide and those fighting for their freedom. With screenwriter, director, and fellow list-lover Kim Kokosky Deforchaux, we take a look at how different countries through cinema and film deal with trauma and this particular period of history. As always, if you have any questions you’d like us to discuss or stories about cinema you would like to share then email us at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl.

Baloji is a prolific francophone rapper, known for his visually striking and poetic style. So his turn to filmmaking only seemed like a natural evolution of his talents. Speaking with the Belgian-Congolese director, Elliot discusses Baloji's feature debut Augure, unpacking this incantatory drama about identity and grief.

Inspired by the weight of his own name, which took on the loaded meaning of “evil sorcerer” in colonial times, Baloji explains the clashes of culture, mixing Western & African folklore. Raised by the do-it-yourself mentality of hip-hop, Elliot explores with Baloji his role in not only writing and directing but also costume design and soundtracks that all contributed to this visually stunning ensemble story. Rooted in magical realism, find out how Baloji invites the audience to experience rather than to watch.

Book tickets to Augure at LAB111 here.

Book tickets to Touki Bouki here.

Sean Price Williams, a stalwart in American indie cinematography, has boldly embarked on his directorial debut with The Sweet East. This exhilarating journey, starring the captivating Talia Ryder, serves as a critical love letter to the fractured landscape of America's East Coast. In a candid discussion for our Celebrating Cinema podcast , both Sean and Talia share, with our host Sophie, their collaborative experience on this wild road trip. Find out how Sean's eclectic cinematic influences enrich his storytelling, while Talia's insights breathe authenticity into the character of Lillian. By the end you might just be left wondering if Sean makes films simply to play his favourite songs.

Book tickets here for The Sweet East @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Collectively known as The Ross Brothers, Bill and Turner Ross are utterly unique in their approach to filmmaking. In a conversation with our host Elliot Bloom, these American directors discuss how film can serve as a vehicle for social experiments, aiming to uncover deeper truths about ourselves and society. Their latest film, "Gasoline Rainbow," offers a bold exploration by giving five Gen-Z teenagers the freedom to be entirely themselves on a classic American road trip. But what did The Ross Brothers learn on their own journey while making this film?

Book tickets to Gasoline Rainbow on June 26.

Book tickets to Hit The Road this summer.

Stream Gasoline Rainbow on MUBI - enjoy 30 days free with our special promo.

With an oeuvre-spanning exhibition in Eye Filmmuseum, and multiple classics like Fitzcarraldo (1982) and Aguirre, Wrath Of God (1972) returning to the big screens of LAB111, we sit down to discuss the ‘ecstatic truths’ and brilliant fictions of German film auteur par excellence: Werner Herzog.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

"Open the pod bay doors, HAL." It's about time we celebrated one of the greatest films in cinema - Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Kubrick’s dazzling, Academy Award-winning achievement is a compelling drama of man vs. machine, a stunning meld of music and motion, but what's the deal? Why is this film a timeless classic? Here to try make sense of it all, we discuss what this film means to each of us and how it's shaped our perspective of film and science fiction cinema.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Alejandro Jodorowsky's mystical magnum opus The Holy Mountain, three classics by the controversial Chilean surrealist return to cinemas in the Netherlands nationwide. With Sophie replacing producer Elliot, who will be traveling the world for a while, our hosts Tom, Kiriko, and Hugo discuss the impact of 60s and 70s transgressive cinema, the heritage of the counter-culture, where the provoking works of Jodorowsky fit in, and if the spirit of those times and their cultural expressions live on in our current cinematic culture.

You can find tickets for our Jodorowsky screenings here.

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111.

Don't forget to leave us a review & share - the bigger the podcast, the bigger the guests we can have on!

With both the festive season upon us and new restrictions imposed on cinemas, the mack is back and we're here to discuss our cinema comforts! We discuss our chicken-soup films that we watch religiously, as well as try to determine the common themes tying our movie choices that can reveal what we find comforting about our picks.

Here to discuss her latest film Splendid Isolation (2022) and the poetry of cinema, Urszula Antoniak candidly shares why this is a film to be experienced. A 73-minute allegory that invites us all to reflect on our collective confrontation with death in recent years. Find out why Urszula sees this as an uplifting story of our own mortality.

Inspired by the experiences of a close friend, Davy Chou decided to make a film about her non-stereotypical adoption story, the likes of which we hardly ever get to see on screen. Speaking to host Sophie, Chou reflects on directing a film in a country and language that he wasn't familiar with, and the difficult process he went through as a male writer to create the strong Asian female lead character of his second feature film Return to Seoul.

You can find tickets for our screenings of Return to Seoul here.

Don't forget to leave us a review & share - the bigger the podcast, the bigger the guests we can have on!

Have you ever wondered what made French director Jean-Luc Godard so great? Or did you never quite understand what exactly the 'French Nouvelle Vague' was? Well in true Godard-fashion, this is a real jump-cut style episode that untangles the life of a film genius. From his greatness to some ugly truths, this is a true ode to both a director and period of film that forever changed cinema. 

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111.

Find out how a particular holiday experience led director Christian Tafdrup to write his latest film Speak No Evil (2022). Out now here in The Netherlands, this suspenseful dark comedy about a holiday encounter between a Dutch & Danish family comes with a chilling twist. Speaking with Elliot, Christian shares how his playful approach to horror genre conventions helps create a truly visceral experience.

For this edition of Future Frames, you can hear from our rising filmmakers who we’ll be screening at Volk’s Hotel Sunday Shorts on 10th Dec. You can buy tickets here.

Bram Ruiter is a filmmaker of a different kind. He has a unique ability to extract the poetry of the mundane, experimenting as much as he can within the realms of the moving-image. Not tied to traditional narrative structures, Bram’s obsessed with the inner-mechanics of filmmaking, taking film elements apart and seeing how they work - often breaking the ‘rules’ to do so.

But strangely it’s the mechanics of big blockbusters he finds beauty in, citing Steven Spielberg and Tony Scott as heavy inspirations. But how does this influence a non-narrative filmmaker who’s much more experimental with their films? Bram shares how he’s led by the practical process of filmmaking in creating his films.

From the use of digital, analogue, phones & video games to the scratching and experiments with film emulsions - Bram takes us down a rabbit-hole of a whole other realm of filmmaking.

You can watch his tender film Here & Elsewhere at Volks Sunday Shorts or visit his website to discover more.

"What's the first rule of Fight Club?" -- "We do not talk about Mank."

Refusing to be called an auteur, David Fincher has certainly crafted his own style to become the master of the psychological thriller. But what exactly makes a Fincher classic? From his deftly choreographed camera movements, to his relentless number of takes and a fixation of grim colour schemes - we dive deep into world of the American director.

Much like his protagonists, Fincher is an obsessive perfectionist driven by the search for the truth. As if they're carrying the burden of the world, can we view his characters as martyrs? Despite the overwhelming pessimism in Fincher's films, we ask ourselves why do we still find a sense of hope in his filmography?

On 20th Dec join us for our screening & live show of Princess Mononoke - buy tickets ⁠here⁠

Book tickets for ⁠Fincher Favourites @ LAB111

⁠Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Hailed as the Citizen Kane of bad movies, The Room (Tommy Wiseau, 2003) has transcended its origins as an enigmatic vanity project to become a bona fide cult phenomenon. But how did it achieve such status, and what, beneath its layers of unintentional surrealism, is it really about? Hosts Laura Gommans and Tom Ooms unravel the film’s bizarre legacy, offering an essential guide to its chaotic production, the rituals of its legendary interactive screenings, and its place in the pantheon of so-bad-it’s-good cinema.

Get tickets to The Room @ LAB111

Get tickets to CC Film Club: Old Boy @ LAB111

Get tickets to Straight to Video @ LAB111

Get tickets to Go Short Film Festival

Western cinema has mostly defined our movie crushes to be predominantly white, often leaving non-white characters to be reduced to caricatures, particularly East-Asian characters. To celebrate the 4K restoration release of some Wong Kar-Wai classics, we are joined by author, filmmaker and activist Pete Wu to dissect the representation of East-Asian characters in Western cinema and how WKW directly opposes such limited portrayals. We even have an exclusive from Wong Kar-Wai himself who adds his own voice to this insightful discussion. As always, if you have any questions you would like us to discuss or stories about cinema you would like to share then please email us at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

We are back in business! Cinemas have finally reopened and we are here to celebrate. 4 proclaimed cinephiles and yet only one of us has enjoyed the grand reopening. We have our first casualty already caught up in the summer blockbuster heatwave. Join us as we revel in all the glories cinemas have to offer now they are finally open again! Tell us what has made cinemas reopening so special to you - celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

Visionary director Tarsem Singh joins Kiriko to reflect on The Fall (2006), once dubbed by the filmmaker himself as “the most expensive passion project” until Megalopolis. A film nearly derailed by Harvey Weinstein, The Fall has since been reclaimed by a dedicated fanbase, championed by figures like Roger Ebert. Now with a stunning 4K restoration, this cult classic is ripe for rediscovery—an ode to the enduring power of storytelling. Seventeen years in the making, spanning 27 countries, the film captures breathtaking beauty—both human and natural—in a visual tapestry unlike any other. Tarsem shares the challenges of realizing such an ambitious project, from shooting in remote, inaccessible locations to the personal motivation behind this pursuit.

Special thanks to MUBI for arranging this interview.

Book tickets to The Fall @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

For a country known for wholeheartedly consuming cinema from abroad, the Netherlands has never been great at celebrating their own Dutch filmmakers and their films. With the re-release of George Sluizer's Spoorloos, one of the greatest Dutch films ever made, we explore what holds us back from recognizing the great directors of our small nation. Could the prevalence of lousy vacation romcoms in our cinemas indicate a sense of cultural insecurity? And how are the next wave of Dutch filmmakers responding to the cringe we feel about our language? Find out why it's about time we celebrated films from this tiny postage stamp we call home.

Book tickets to Spoorloos @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Listen to Uberto Pasolini's journey to becoming a filmmaker. After leaving the banking industry early on to pursue a career in film, it was only a matter of time before Uberto would transition from producer to director. With his latest film Nowhere Special (2020), a tender portrait of an intimate father and son relationship, we hear how Uberto develops true stories into touching cinematic moments and the fortuity of getting the best from child actors. 

Legendary filmmaker Ernest Dickerson joins host Elliot Bloom for a compelling journey through his remarkable career. From his early love of sci-fi and fascination with the practical elements of filmmaking to meeting long-time collaborator Spike Lee on his first day of film school, Dickerson reflects on the defining moments that have influenced his work. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of cinema, he discusses his pivotal role in shaping Black American cinema over the last 40 years and the stories behind the making of his iconic films. In a candid conversation, Dickerson also reveals the unexpected path that led him to make a feature film about Curaçao.

Book tickets to ⁠CC Film Club: Velvet Goldmine⁠ @ LAB111

Show Notes and Films Mentioned

With Paul Schrader's must-read book Transcendental Style In Film - suggested by director Viktor van der Valk - as a stepping stone for the last Celebrating Cinema podcast of 2021, our hosts discuss the different varieties of transcendental filmmaking and the way it impacts us as viewers. They talk about their film club pick, Robert Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar (1966), and mention essential filmmakers like Andrei Tarkovsky, Chantal Akerman, Yasujiro Ozu, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Terrence Malick. Where do you find yourself near the Tarkovsky Ring...?

Here to discuss the mesmerising nature of volcanoes captured through the lens of Katia & Maurice Krafft, director Sara Dosa joins us for a candid talk about her latest documentary Fire of Love (2022). From a treasure trove of 200 hours worth of archival footage, Sara shares why she crafted a love story not only between two French volcanologists but also their life's work - volcanoes. Find out why volcanoes should be seen as something spiritual and what it means to live a meaningful life from these tales of love. 

A director is much like a chef, and it is no surprise that directors often use cooking analogies when describing their own process. However, what is perhaps unclear is how a tomato actually symbolises the very essence of cinema, and why eating a blood sausage or a strawberry risotto could correlate to watching a Quentin Tarantino or Sofia Coppola film. Joining us in this celebration of food and cinema is film critic Joost Broeren-Huitenga, who together with his wife, Nienke Huitenga, also explores this unique relationship on their website Een Bord Vol Cinema. Tell us your own stories of food and cinema at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl, if you have any questions or topics you can also write to us.

Passages (2023) by Ira Sachs sets the tone for the cold change in seasons  - a people’s favourite that has got us all up in our feels.

In conversation with Sophie, writer-director Ira Sachs candidly shares how his personal experiences of living in Paris & the mesmerising Franz Rogowski helped shape such a poignant film. From obsessively watching 3 films a day to falling in love with the works of Japanese icon Yasujirō Ozu - Ira reveals the ecstasy & risk in filmmaking. 

If you missed the chance to watch it in cinema, it's available still on https://mubi.com/en/lab111.

On 20th Dec join us for our screening & live show of Princess Mononoke - buy tickets here

Orson Welles stands as a visionary filmmaker, a notorious showman, and an enigmatic storyteller who blurred the lines between fact and fiction. In this episode, Tom and Elliot dive deep into the life and legend of one of America's most celebrated yet elusive filmmakers, exploring the enduring allure of his work. As we celebrate the re-releases of The Third Man and F for Fake here at LAB111, we unravel the layers of myth Welles wove around himself—always performing, always crafting his narrative. Was he ever telling the truth, or was it all part of his grand act? Listen to a fascinating journey into the complex mind of the man who redefined American cinema, leaving behind a legacy as compelling and mysterious as his films.

Book your tickets for The Third Man @ LAB111

Book your tickets for F For Fake @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

“Hope is political. If you have hope then you have confidence you can change things”

After 60 years of filmmaking, British filmmaker and icon Ken Loach offers what may well be his most urgent message yet, calling for solidarity and the power that hope can instil in his latest film The Old Oak (2023).

Speaking with our host Elliot, Ken reveals how he never runs out of stories to tell when it comes to championing the everyday people. He says, these are the very stories and people that can pave the way for change.

At 87 years old, we hear the films of the 1960s Ken still returns to and how he still carries the spirit of filmmaking during these revolutionary times with him today.

If there was ever a time to be reminded of hope and solidarity it is now. 

Joined by the programmers of Imagine Film Festival, the largest celebration for fantastic film in the Netherlands, showcasing the best in fantasy, horror and science fiction. Lauren & Stan along with Tom & Hugo reminisce their first turn down spooky lane. Along this nostalgic path of agreeable scarring, they question what really is a horror in today’s film landscape.

With our partners Mubi, you can enjoy 30 days free of handpicked cinema at mubi.com/lab111, and discover some of the Flick or Treats mentioned in this episode. 

In Kneecap, Rich Peppiatt delivers a raw and politically charged origin story about JJ, a Belfast teacher, and two self-proclaimed "low-life scum," Naoise and Liam, who form the first Irish-speaking hip-hop group. The film is a powerful act of cultural resistance, celebrating the revitalization of the Irish language through music.

Peppiatt discusses with our host Elliot the film’s roots in Belfast's rich, turbulent history and the creative process that unfolded over many drinks with the Kneecap group. This conversation explores the film’s personal and political layers, focusing on the vital importance of storytelling in preserving language and identity.

Book tickets to Kneecap

Book tickets to CC Film Club: One From The Heart

Show Notes and Films Mentioned

In this review roundup, hosts Laura Gommans and Hugo Emmerzael dive into three films that have caught their attention. Oz Perkins’ latest offbeat horror, The Monkey, leaves them both questioning if the American director knows how to land an ending. Hugo shares insights from his Cannes conversation with Jia Zhang-ke about his latest work, Caught by the Tides. But while Hugo sees something transcendental, Laura isn’t so convinced—questioning whether it’s all just pretension and an easy ride to the Cannes Film Festival. Finally, they close with Payal Kapadia’s fiction feature debut, All We Imagine as Light - a film that moved both hosts, though for very different reasons. (No surprises there!)

To “celebrate” the release of Clint Eastwood’s latest film Cry Macho and maybe his final swan song, Hugo & Tom get together to discuss their very different relationships to this Hollywood 'icon'. On the surface this may appear to be a review of one man's career in film, but perhaps it reveals something about our own attitude to cinema. Is this the Clint Eastwood spin-off show Hugo has always wanted...?

Join us for a cinematic road trip through the films of visionary director Wim Wenders, whose work has redefined cinematic storytelling. In conjunction with the LAB111 program Drifters and Dreamers: The Films of Wim Wenders and the stunning 4K restoration of Paris, Texas (1984), Tom Ooms and Elliot Bloom explore the recurring themes of transience, memory, and the search for meaning that define Wenders' expansive body of work.

Known for his haunting cinematography (often crafted by Dutch cinematographer Robby Müller) and his deeply humanistic perspective, Wenders’ films are both personal reflections and universal meditations on existence. We’ll examine his recurring motif of the traveler—whether an angel, filmmaker, or pilgrim—navigating between real and imagined worlds.

From the fractured narrative of Paris, Texas to the contemplative Perfect Days (2023), we delve into how Wenders transcends genre boundaries, using the road movie to create a unique cinematic language that speaks directly to the soul. Whether revisiting his classics or discovering his work for the first time, this episode offers an essential guide to Wim Wenders’ vision—why his films may not be for everyone, but are undeniably worth experiencing.

Book tickets to The Films of Wim Wenders

Book tickets to Master of Light: Robby Müller

Book tickets to CC Film Club: One From The Heart

Show Notes and Films Mentioned

Set against the rise of Russia's authoritarian regime, filmmaker Marusya Syroechkovskaya paints an homage to both a silenced generation and her lover and best friend Kimi. How to Save a Dead Friend (2022), is a whirlwind of emotions capturing a unique intimacy of an anxious youth, a relationship tellingly universal that brings hope still in death. Speaking with Hugo, Marusya reveals the toils and vulnerabilities of crafting a story from a catalogue of documented memories.

A film’s success often rests on the shoulders of its most bankable stars. But have stars once born to seduce the silver screen become influencers more than actors? Joined by actor Mike Gomez, we try get to the bottom of what exactly makes us fall in love with an actor. Among the giants whose shoulders many actors stand on today is none other than Marlon Brando, cinema’s OG pretty bad boy. The latest episode of Celebrating Cinema talks acting, movie stars and the hearts they steal.

Book tickets here for Marlon Brando 100.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

A rare cultural moment in cinema, the release and aftermath of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie certainly had us all talking. Sharing our experiences of watching the candy-colored ‘battle of the sexes’, we question why Barbie was set different standards compared to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and where big studio movies can go from here. Did we place too much expectation on what might feel like a frivolous show-stopper of pink-drenched fun? Whether it’s the end of something old or the start of something new, Barbenheimer has no doubt made its mark. Take a listen as we try to make sense of it all.

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Do AI portrayals in film predict a future of robotic overlords or simply offer a chance to innovate cinema?

Artificial Intelligence in cinema goes way back. Spanning from Fritz Lang’s 1927 Metropolis and robot Maria, to the iconic Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey, our tech obsession runs deep in film. But why is it all so dystopian?

What now seems to be a serious technological shift, we discuss how A.I. could impact cinema and what film depictions of sentient machines might tell us of what's to come.

(This was not written by ChatGPT)

Come watch 2001: A Space Odyssey with us as part of our first ever Celebrating Cinema Film Club - book your tickets here.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Widely regarded as the bald bad boy of contemporary French cinema, Gaspar Noé has been disrupting movies and polarising opinions for the past twenty years with his visceral blend of provocative films. Joining filmmaker Kiriko, Gaspar discusses his latest film Vortex (2021), as well as his experiences working with legendary Italian 'giallo' maestro Dario Argento and his love for Tokyo, as depicted in Enter The Void. 

Special thanks to Paradiso Films for this amazing opportunity.

An introduction to the podcast series produced by LAB111, outlining our vision and intentions for all future episodes. Meet our hosts: Tom Ooms (Film Programmer), Hugo Emmerzael (Film Critic) and Kiriko Mechanicus (Journalist and Filmmaker), as well as our producer Elliot Bloom. 

With the multidisciplinary film program Witch Way Now: Recasting A Feminist Icon heading into its second month of film screenings, talks, workshops, and performances at LAB111 and Paradiso, we invite Witch Way Now co-curator Helena Castro to discuss in-depth the depiction of the witch and witchcraft in cinema. Is the witch a feminist icon? How has the image and interpretation of the witch changed over the decades? And what can we learn about representation through these cinematic perspectives? This and more on this very open-hearted and therefore hour-long episode of Celebrating Cinema.

The Witch Way Now film program — a collaboration of LAB111 and Paradiso — will run until the end of June and features such films as La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc (1928), The Wizard Of Oz (1939), The Love Witch (2016), Suspiria (1977), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) and Belladonna Of Sadness (1973), alongside various in-depth talks, introductions by experts, a Häxan live score performance by ambient duo Wanderwelle, a wicked season closing party and much more. For more information and tickets: www.lab111.nl/witch.

Show notes & Films Mentioned

A fearless voice against systemic injustice, Raoul Peck has crafted a body of work that interrogates the legacies of colonialism, racism, and power with unflinching clarity. In this episode, Peck joins our producer Elliot to discuss his latest film, Ernest Cole: Lost and Found, an intimate exploration of South Africa’s first apartheid-era photographer. Reflecting on Cole’s haunting images, Peck draws striking parallels between apartheid South Africa, modern systems of segregation, and the enduring consequences for those displaced.

Peck’s films stand as a testament to the radical potential of cinema to confront, reimagine, and connect the world’s entrenched narratives. He leaves us with a powerful reminder: “The world will be what each one of us lets it be. If we don’t act, our inaction will shape the future.”

Book tickets to Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

Book tickets to The Raoul Peck Collection

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Juice

With David Cronenberg's latest film Crimes of the Future (2022) out now in cinemas, we delve deep into the Cronenberg universe, exploring this polarising figure and his portrayal of everything grotesque, sexual and visceral. Are we afraid to be physically moved by cinema or do we enjoy the perversions we are shown? Find out if we can stomach (literally) all things Cronenberg.

In collaboration with Go Short, the Netherlands’ premier short film festival (April 1–6 in Nijmegen), we explore the power of short-form cinema. Host Hugo Emmerzael sits down with artistic director Mathieu Jansen to explore why short films aren’t just stepping stones but playgrounds for experimentation, bold storytelling, and pushing cinematic boundaries. From urgent reflections on war and occupation to the festival’s first-ever dive into video games, this year’s lineup is breaking new ground and audiences should take note.

Want to be there? We’re giving away two day passes! Email us at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl with your favourite short film, and you might just find yourself at Go Short.

Get tickets for Go Short Film Festival (1-6th April)

Movies have always been a way to understand the world around us, and so, confronted with the brutal horrors of both Hamas’s attacks on October 7th and Israel’s disproportionate slaughtering of thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians, we question if cinema can try to make sense of such atrocities.

For this episode of Celebrating Cinema, we focus on Gillo Pontecorvo’s seminal classic The Battle of Algiers, a brutally candid exposé of the French colonial mindset, which recounts a similar bloody struggle for the liberation of the Algerian people in the 1950s. Ultimately, this film both humanises and complicates the reality of violence between the oppressor and the oppressed.

As we discuss public oppression, organised resistance, how violence begets violence, as well as the media’s power in ‘selling’ a colonial occupation and the consequences for the civilian people caught in the middle of all this. But most importantly we focus on how a film like The Battle Of Algiers can offer hope for freedom in these tragic times.

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

When it comes to film composers, is there anyone more iconic, influential and inimitable than Italian composer Ennio Morricone? We explore the answer with the new, comprehensive documentary Ennio: Il Maestro (Giuseppe Tornatore, 2021) as our guide. In this episode we celebrate the maestro, delving deep into his musical archive. Our first returning guest, director Kim Kokosky Deforchaux, joins us this time as a crazed-fan, offering his personal favourites of Ennio and exploring what made his style so unique.

Lukas Moodysson shares with Hugo his experiences of making Fucking Åmål, how a story close to his heart has taken on a life of its own and evolved into a queer classic. Reflecting on his journey as a filmmaker, the Swedish director discusses his career and the recurring themes at the core of his films: rebellion, loneliness, sincerity, and humor.

Get your tickets for Fucking Åmål @ LAB111.

It's the big bang of both our 10th episode and the origins of the summer blockbuster, although this episode is not quite like the high-end production of your usual Hollywood films! With Hugo at Venice film festival, Kiriko & Tom attempt to determine the definition of a (summer) blockbuster, is it more than just a "box-office hit"? In conjunction with the upcoming Suspicious Minds program, a retrospective of Denis Villeneuve's work, we also explore what is a so-called "intelligent blockbuster", skeptical of Christopher Nolan and his apparent pioneering of this heightened term.  By exploring the history of the summer blockbuster, we attempt to resolve what the future of this historic marketing strategy has in an industry now dominated by streaming platforms.

Make sure to leave us your review of Arrival (Denis Villeneuve, 2016) at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl and expect to hear Tom read it out in one of his many film impersonations next episode!

After celebrating our love for cinema, we turn to the question of whether cinema is actually all a lie. Do the fictions we consume shape our own realities? Can our lived experiences ever be wholly original and unique? In this episode our 3 hosts unpack these big questions and discuss why Brittany Spears is the modern day Truman, if we are happy living in our own matrix, as well as our most lived cinematic moments. Get in touch (celebratingcinema@lab111.nl) and let us know your thoughts!

Liberated from the arthouse cliches of cinema, Bertrand Bonello is a rare kind of director. Our host Hugo Emmerzael spoke with Bertrand about his daring approach to filmmaking, and why his films focus on translating our collective social anxieties. Find out how influences from Lynch to Jarmusch all unconsciously seep into this French director’s work, as well as what it's like working with Lea Seydoux and her unique acting approach for his latest film The Beast.

Book tickets for The Beast

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

With a new wave of nostalgia-driven musical biopics—A Complete Unknown, Better Man, Maria—flooding theaters, hosts Laura Gommans and Hugo Emmerzael ask: what does it take to make a great musical biopic these days? A genre weighed down by formulaic storytelling and its own well-worn bingo card of narrative beats, the musical biopic too often settles for a greatest-hits retelling rather than embracing the radical possibilities of cinema. In this episode, we revisit the films that transcend mere homage, interrogate why audiences remain captivated by these glossy reenactments, and consider how the genre might break free from its own nostalgic loop.

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Velvet Goldmine @ LAB111

Book tickets to A Complete Unknown @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

In our first edition of the Review Roundup, a new biweekly cinematic dispatch, Laura Gommans and Elliot Bloom get into the latest films everyone's talking about. From the swirling controversies surrounding Brady Corbet’s Academy-nominated The Brutalist to the unexpected Marvel-like crossover in Pablo Larraín’s Maria, Laura and Elliot share their reactions. Also in focus: the enduring allure of Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour, a film as provocative and hypnotic now as it was upon its release, returning to the big screen in all its dreamlike splendour.

Book tickets to The Brutalist @ LAB111

Book tickets to Belle de Jour @ LAB111

Book tickets to Buñuel 125 @ LAB111

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Velvet Goldmine @ LAB111

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

When Parasite won Best Picture, it put Korean cinema in the global spotlight, but it was the result of decades of bold filmmaking. With Mickey 17 now out, it’s the perfect time to dive into the bloody brilliance of the Korean New Wave.

Hosts Laura Gommans and Kiriko Mechanicus explore Korea’s obsession with vengeance, shaped by its turbulent history and uncensored filmmaking. They also examine why Bong Joon-ho’s Hollywood work feels so different from his Korean films.

Korean cinema captures vengeance like no other, blending brutal violence with raw emotion. While Bong mixes social critique with suspense, Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy and The Handmaiden embrace operatic violence and eroticism.

Join us as we dissect the thrills and bloodstained poetry of the Korean New Wave.

Book tickets to Mickey 17 @ LAB111

Book tickets to Parasite @ LAB111

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Old Boy @ LAB111

Listen to Do Two Robert Pattinsons Make Mickey 17 Twice the Fun?

After watching Ashley Röttjers’ short film Celestial Spaces: A Liberation on Meditation Practices at an IDFA Meets event, Elliot was struck by the elegance and depth of Ashley’s work.

Eager to learn more about this Rotterdam-based photographer turned filmmaker, Elliot invited Ashley as a future framemaker to watch for our Future Frames interviews.

In this candid conversation, Ashley shares how watching a film like Charlie’s Angels as a kid prompted her to pick up the camera and capture her life and that of her friends. From art school to fashion photography, Ashley takes us on a journey marked by her various short films. Inspired to speak in perspectives and frames that are reflective of her own experiences, this intriguing filmmaker on the rise is ready to capture the individuality of black women from joy and beauty to healing and sexuality.

Dutch Nazi propagandist Jan Teunissen was once one of the most powerful—and now largely forgotten—figures in Dutch cinema. Rising to prominence during World War II, he seized the opportunity to shape ideology through film, aligning himself with the Nazi regime to fulfil his artistic ambitions. In De Propagandist (2025), director Luuk Bouwman unearths Teunissen’s unsettling legacy, tracing his trajectory from outcast filmmaker to the chief propagandist of the NSB and Nederlands SS. In conversation with host Kiriko Mechanicus, Bouwman examines cinema’s complicity in propaganda, the moral compromises Teunissen made in pursuit of his craft, and how the language of wartime propaganda lives on in modern advertising.

Get tickets to our CC Film Club: Everything, Everywhere All At Once @ LAB111

Trigger warning: Please be advised that this episode includes discussions about sexual violence.

In this powerful episode, host Elliot sits down with Shiori Ito to discuss her film debut, Black Box Diaries. The documentary is a firsthand account of Shiori’s harrowing experience of sexual violence by media mogul Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a man with ties to Japan’s political elite, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Shiori’s decision to speak out in a culture where sexual assault is often silenced sparked a movement that resonated far beyond her personal story.

Through Shiori's unwavering resolve, Black Box Diaries critiques Japan’s archaic laws surrounding sexual violence, which often leave survivors with little recourse for justice. The film transcends its role as an exposé, offering a deeply personal narrative of trauma, healing, and resilience. Shiori's journey of reclaiming her voice and confronting systemic patriarchy underscores the power of solidarity in the pursuit of truth.

In this intimate conversation, Shiori reflects on the emotional toll of her fight, the necessity of breaking the silence surrounding sexual violence, and the broader societal forces that shield perpetrators from accountability. Join us for a discussion on courage, justice, and the transformative power of speaking out.

Book tickets to Black Box Diaries

Book tickets to CC Film Club: One From The Heart

Did audiences jump the gun on Alex Garland’s Warfare? Before it's release, the brutally realist portrait of America’s war in Iraq was deemed just another army recruitment movie, but Hugo Emmerzael and Laura Gommans definitely don't see it that way. Also: Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl gives Pamela Anderson a tender, neon-lit comeback, but did it warrant the awards hype it got? Plus, an interview with Carmen Chaplin on 'Chaplin: Spirit of the Tramp', her reframing of Charlie Chaplin’s legacy through his Roma heritage—an overdue look at the outsider beneath the bowler hat.

Listen to Why Hollywood Loves a Comeback

Get tickets to CC Film Club: Everything Everywhere All At Once @ LAB111

Get tickets to Warfare @ LAB111

Get tickets to Chaplin: Spirit of The Tramp @ LAB111

For the second interview in our Future Frames series, Head Of Program Tom Ooms and his good friend, Amsterdam-based writer/director Kim Kokosky Deforchaux explore how Kim's childhood obsession with Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park propelled him to pursue a career in genre-filmmaking.

In this hour-long, frank conversation, we get a glimpse of this future framemaker's trajectory toward becoming a director, after having studied screenwriting at the Dutch Film Academy, how his obsessive movie-watching influenced his own projects, and how his award-winning shorts Ik, Moordenaar and Hantu have made it possible for him to now work towards his first feature film debut.

Eroticism should be found in balance! Now isn’t it about time that women in cinema got to look back, shifting the gaze back on to the male, or at least express what it is like to be looked at through the male gaze that has dominated cinema. Basje Boer, film critic and author, joins us in celebrating female desire in cinema and exploring the complex gender dynamics within cinema and the effect it has on us as an audience. Our film club choice The Beguiled (Sofia Coppola, 2017) kickstarts our discussion, a hot take on what happens when you equalise desire. As always, if you have any questions you would like us to discuss or stories about cinema you would like to share then please email us at celebratingcinema@lab111.nl

Following a packed-out CC Film Club screening of Knight Of Cups, host Hugo chats with Tom van der Linden, the creator of the popular YouTube channel Like Stories Of Old, to explore this often-overlooked masterpiece by Terrence Malick. Like Stories Of Old combines media analysis with personal reflection in emotive video essays, offering viewers a fresh perspective on cinema. With millions of views, Tom inspires us to engage with films in new and meaningful ways. Whether you're a fan of Knight Of Cups or new to Malick's work, this discussion highlights the art of looking and how we can appreciate cinema on a deeper level. Discover more about Malick’s unique creative process in the making of this film.

Check out Like Stories Of Old channel

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

There is nothing as hypnotizing than the larger-than-life women that we see on the screen—captivating, outrageous, and irresistibly seductive. Join us as we celebrate some of cinema’s most iconic female archetypes, from the bold ladies who are both excessive and exciting to the enigmatic witches who cast their spell through exaggerated feminine mannerisms. To coincide with the "Girls of Plenty" program now running at LAB111 and the release of her illuminating essay Liggend Naakt, film journalist and curator Basje Boer guides us through the magic of femininity in film. Together, we’ll delve into the performances of some of the founding mothers of exaggerated female stereotypes, revealing how playing out a gender role is nothing more than a really great performance.

Get a copy of Basje Boer's Liggend Naakt

Book tickets to Girls of Plenty @ LAB111

Book tickets to CC Film Club: Knight of Cups

Show Notes & Films Mentioned

Back for season 2 and here to grace you with a two hour special all about writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson! Licorice Pizza (2021) has finally hit screens, so it's only right we take a look back at his career. PTA certainly has an obsession with co-dependent relationships, creating sympathy for unruly characters, and a true connoisseur of fuck boys but does it always pay off?