Features and reviews

Discover the latest from the BFI, the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image.

Interviews

Sex work and the city: Mikko Mäkelä on his intimate meta-narrative Sebastian

The story of a budding author turning to sex work to research his first novel, Sebastian poses many provocative questions about the creative process and queer life in London. We spoke to director Mikko Mäkelä.

By Sam Wigley

Sex work and the city: Mikko Mäkelä on his intimate meta-narrative Sebastian

Interviews

“The more craic people are having on the shoot, the less funny it’s going to be”: Darren Thornton on his tragicomedy Four Mothers

By Josh Slater-Williams

“The more craic people are having on the shoot, the less funny it’s going to be”: Darren Thornton on his tragicomedy Four Mothers

Interviews

“We resisted neurotypical ways of making films”: how The Stimming Pool creates space for an autistic cinema

By Lillian Crawford

“We resisted neurotypical ways of making films”: how The Stimming Pool creates space for an autistic cinema

Interviews

“We use virgin olive oil, and oil the eye”: the Quay brothers on the method behind their uncanny worlds

By Jonathan Romney

“We use virgin olive oil, and oil the eye”: the Quay brothers on the method behind their uncanny worlds

From the Sight and Sound archive

Build my gallows high: Joshua Oppenheimer on The Act of Killing

By Nick Bradshaw

Build my gallows high: Joshua Oppenheimer on The Act of Killing

Interviews

“It’s a blood opera”: on set for Gangs of London season three

By Josh Slater-Williams

“It’s a blood opera”: on set for Gangs of London season three

Interviews

James Schamus on a new The Wedding Banquet: “Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that what we call civilisation and culture is more or less queer”

By Blake Simons

James Schamus on a new The Wedding Banquet: “Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that what we call civilisation and culture is more or less queer”

Interviews

“I had to say something about what it feels like to be a Black queer person in America”: Shatara Michelle Ford on Dreams in Nightmares

By Rógan Graham

“I had to say something about what it feels like to be a Black queer person in America”: Shatara Michelle Ford on Dreams in Nightmares

Interviews

The first great work of gig economy cinema: Laura Carreira on her powerful debut On Falling

By Rachel Pronger

The first great work of gig economy cinema: Laura Carreira on her powerful debut On Falling

Interviews

Night Stage: Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon on their public-sex thriller

By Lou Thomas

Night Stage: Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon on their public-sex thriller

Festivals

20 years of the Glasgow Film Festival: tales of festivals past from longtime director Allison Gardner

By Josh Slater-Williams

20 years of the Glasgow Film Festival: tales of festivals past from longtime director Allison Gardner

Interviews

Mario Van Peebles on his career in Hollywood: “They shut the financial door on Black film for damn near 20 years”

By Mia Mask

Mario Van Peebles on his career in Hollywood: “They shut the financial door on Black film for damn near 20 years”

Interviews

Nadia Falls on Brides: “It’s about those ride-or-die best friends that you have as a teenager”

By Lou Thomas

Nadia Falls on Brides: “It’s about those ride-or-die best friends that you have as a teenager”

The NHS at 75

From trans health to children’s palliative care: how three new short films tell untold stories of the NHS

By Xavier Alexandre Pillai

From trans health to children’s palliative care: how three new short films tell untold stories of the NHS

Interviews

Guy Pearce on The Brutalist: “It’s about an artist trying to stay uncompromising”

By Lou Thomas

Guy Pearce on The Brutalist: “It’s about an artist trying to stay uncompromising”

Interviews

David Lynch on music and innovation: “I like to call it experimentation”

By Sam Wigley

David Lynch on music and innovation: “I like to call it experimentation”

Interviews

Leigh Whannell on Wolf Man: “It’s not just about infection, it’s about feeling like you’re failing at parenting”

By Lou Thomas

Leigh Whannell on Wolf Man: “It’s not just about infection, it’s about feeling like you’re failing at parenting”

Interviews

“We live in the age of cement and sugar”: Victor Kossakovsky on Architecton, his gargantuan vision of rock and ruin

By Nick Bradshaw

“We live in the age of cement and sugar”: Victor Kossakovsky on Architecton, his gargantuan vision of rock and ruin

Interviews

“You have to take the glamour away from the kink”: Halina Reijn on Babygirl

By Leila Latif

“You have to take the glamour away from the kink”: Halina Reijn on Babygirl

Interviews

“Florence gave birth eight times that day”: John Crowley on his multiple timeline romcom We Live in Time

By Lou Thomas

“Florence gave birth eight times that day”: John Crowley on his multiple timeline romcom We Live in Time

Interviews

Sammo Hung looks back on a life of action: “We risked our lives, but we really had no choice”

By Nick Newman

Sammo Hung looks back on a life of action: “We risked our lives, but we really had no choice”

Interviews

James Ivory on his career with Ismail Merchant: “There are a lot of films we made that people don’t really know about today”

By Alex Davidson

James Ivory on his career with Ismail Merchant: “There are a lot of films we made that people don’t really know about today”

From the Sight and Sound archive

Ian McEwan on collaborating with Richard Eyre for The Ploughman’s Lunch

By Jill Forbes

Ian McEwan on collaborating with Richard Eyre for The Ploughman’s Lunch

Interviews

“I was reaching for life as it feels, not life as it is”: Naqqash Khalid on In Camera

By Katie McCabe

“I was reaching for life as it feels, not life as it is”: Naqqash Khalid on In Camera

Interviews

“Nobody loves a dirty joke more than Judi”: Richard Eyre on directing the greats

By Alex Ramon

“Nobody loves a dirty joke more than Judi”: Richard Eyre on directing the greats

Interviews

The Taste of Mango: “As the process of making the film went on, my anger turned into love and empathy”

By Rógan Graham

The Taste of Mango: “As the process of making the film went on, my anger turned into love and empathy”

Interviews

The last action hero in Hong Kong: Stephen Tung Wai on 50 years of kicking it in kung fu movies

By David West

The last action hero in Hong Kong: Stephen Tung Wai on 50 years of kicking it in kung fu movies

Interviews

Bill Nighy on his IVF origin story Joy: “This was an opportunity to put a bomb under the male tendency to bewilderingly underestimate women”

By Lou Thomas

Bill Nighy on his IVF origin story Joy: “This was an opportunity to put a bomb under the male tendency to bewilderingly underestimate women”

Interviews

“The scale of any project is secondary – it’s always about the quality of the writing”: Cillian Murphy on Small Things like These

By Sinéad Gleeson

“The scale of any project is secondary – it’s always about the quality of the writing”: Cillian Murphy on Small Things like These

Interviews

“The film should continue with you, otherwise I’m just preaching”: Raoul Peck on his documentary Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

By Leigh Singer

“The film should continue with you, otherwise I’m just preaching”: Raoul Peck on his documentary Ernest Cole: Lost and Found