Ep 195: Cannes Special 2025: Trailblazing women at the Festival, with Wendy Ide & Female Film Club
We’re back in the French Riviera for a very special episode, as Girls On Film returns to the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
This year, host Anna Smith welcomed guests to the second Girls On Film Cannes Do at The Members Club. This glamorous networking event on the beach brought together filmmakers, critics, and creatives celebrating the power of women in cinema. In this episode, you’ll hear reflections from our community on what Girls On Film means to them.
Later on in the episode Anna reunites with film journalist Wendy Ide who reflects on this year’s films, which she says have been of a consistently high standard. Wendy shares her standout picks from the festival, from the fiercely divisive Die, My Love, a visceral exploration of the raw edges of motherhood and mental unravelling, to Sound of Falling, a haunting meditation on how trauma echoes through time and place. She also dives into Sirât, an allegorical road movie, in which gender and disability are refreshingly incidental, not defining. Plus other titles that are already generating serious awards buzz.
And finally, we’re joined by Liza van der Smissen and Nicole Lieberman, founders of the Female Film Club. This trailblazing global network uplifts women in the industry through practical workshops, seminars and a thriving, supportive community. They share the story behind their mission and how they’re helping to reshape the future of film, one powerful connection at a time.
They also unveil an exciting new opportunity: a £10,000 investment in a short film, designed to give back to their talented global community. To enter from 16th June onwards, filmmakers must join their networking space.
If you’re looking to join a space that champions and supports women in film, don’t miss out – click this link to join the Female Film Club: [link: https://female-film-club.mn.co/users/onboarding/choose_plan?plan_id=1818474&bundle_token=aca8b4a8f139016aca1a9fdc680a97a8&utm_source=manual]
We would also like to thank our incredible sponsors for all their support:
Col Needham and Karen Needham at IMDb: [link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18211920/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_girls%2520on%2520film]
Clare Bateman-King at Lilac Grove Entertainment: [https://lilacgrove.com/]
JoJo Dye at JJD Consultancy: [link: https://jjdconsultancy.com/]
Jane Owen at Jane Owen PR: [https://janeowenpr.com/]
The House of Oria: [https://www.thehouseoforia.com/]
Sunny Pal at Astella: [https://www.instagram.com/astellajewellery/?hl=en]
HLA Agency: [https://hlaagency.co.uk/]
Films mentioned in this episode:
Die, My Love, Lynne Ramsay
Eleanor the Great, Scarlett Johansson
The History of Sound, Oliver Hermanus
Mastermind, Kelly Reichardt
My Father’s Shadow, Akinola Davies
Pillion, Harry Lighton
Romería, Carla Simón
Sirât, Oliver Laxe
Sorry Baby, Eva Victor
Sound of Falling, Mascha Schilinski
The Secret Agent, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Sign up to the Girls On Film newsletter below: http://eepurl.com/iEKaM-/ or email
[email protected] to be signed up.
Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast
Follow us on socials:
www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/
www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast
www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod
www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno
Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z
Girls On Film is an HLA production.
Host: Anna Smith
Executive Producer: Hedda Lornie Archbold, who also produced this episode
Audio Editor: Benjamin Cook
Intern: Hattie Morris
Principal Partners: Vanessa Smith and Peter Brewer
© HLA Agency
Netherlands