The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast

On this very special episode, cohost Veronica sits down with beloved critic Fran Hoepfner to talk highlights of the 60th New York Film Festival–of which Fran’s omnibus review for BWDR is out now. In it, Fran describes the programming slate as offering, maybe, catharsis: “a healing that can only be done in a dark room, surrounded by others, but entirely viewed through your own eyes.” Listen as we break down what we saw with our own eyes, including: wanting to go on spooky vacation (Eternal Daughter), hot finger guns (Tár), getting fits off in Master Gardener, the good boring parts of Aftersun, “journalism” in square quotes (Stars at Noon), why Armageddon Time isn’t Green Book, is Triangle of Sadness’s Ruben Östlund performing ‘stupid guy who thinks he gets it,’ Mark Rylance in crazy mode (Bones and All), Park Chan-wook’s elastic worlds (Decision to Leave), the revolutionary humanist élan of All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, and a case for why Roxy audiences need to pee before the film starts. Plus, a guest appearance by our producer-editor Eli Sands on the Rohmerian sensibility of Showing Up.

Find Fran online at her mag, Twitter, and Letterboxd. The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast is co-hosted by Veronica Fitzpatrick and (usually!) Chad Perman and produced and edited by Eli Sands. Our theme music is composed by Chad.

Find all 100+ issues of Bright Wall/Dark Room, including this month’s trek through cinema’s b-roll and Fran’s fest coverage, at brightwalldarkroom.com. Please subscribe, rate, and love us up with a quick review. We’re on Twitter @BWDR and @TheBWDRPodcast, and you’re welcome to show support via our Patreon. We welcome listener feedback and sponsorship inquiries at editors@brightwalldarkroom.com.