Phoenix Talks

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

Tracks created by young people at the Musical Mayhem workshop at the Belgrave Neigbourhood Centre

We chat about film awards with Dr. Jason Lee, former head of Leicester Media School, discussing who makes the decisions, how and what they see, what is considered deserving, the controversies that can arise during these events and processes, and the pros and cons of having film awards.

With our Thriller Season continuing in January, we sit down with horror cinephile David Hucklesby to chat about what makes horror thrilling, why we make these films, and why the cold thrill of horror lingers with us long after the film has ended.

We talk about musicals, why we like them, what makes them so popular and unique, The Greatest Showman and its stage partner Barnum.

Talking about Star Wars and The Last Jedi with Dr. Matthew Jones, Dr. James Russell, Kieran Foster, Harry Abbot, Stuart Peters, and James Hickling, all from De Montfort University.

Talking about The Man Who Invented Christmas, the style of biographical films, Charles Dickens' shrewd business and marketing sense, his family life, and the impact of A Christmas Carol with Dr. Hila Shachar, an English literature and adaptations lecturer from De Montfort University.

Talking Taika Wititi, his filmography, his work with Marvel for Thor Ragnarok, and why we love the style that is all his own with Kieran Foster, Harry Abbot, and Ethan Hargreaves, all from the Film department at De Montfort University.

Talking Call Me By Your Name, its ties to Merchant Ivory, it’s place within contemporary queer film, and her reactions to the changes made in adaptation with Professor Claire Monk from De Montfort University.

Talking Atomic Blonde, Charlize Theron’s empowering film choices, fighting like a girl, a lady James Bond, and the disparity of women leads in action films with Dr. Ellen Wright, a gender and cinema lecturer from De Montfort University.

Talking about the original Blade Runner film, it's theatrical release, cult build up, various versions, how it fit in with the films of its time and its lasting legacy in 2049 with Matthew Jones, James Russel, Nash Sibanda, and James Hickling from the Cinema and Television History department from De Montfort University. Warning! Contains spoilers for both films.