Features and reviews

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

From the Sight and Sound archive

“It was dance as action rather than as aesthetics”: Stephen Daldry on Billy Elliot

As Billy Elliot turns 25, we revisit an interview with its director Stephen Daldry on the film’s political context, emotional rhythms and expressive physicality. From our October 2000 issue.

By Edward Lawrenson

“It was dance as action rather than as aesthetics”: Stephen Daldry on Billy Elliot

Interviews

Warren Ellis on his best soundtracks: “Quite often, looking at the image is the least important thing”

By Leigh Singer

Warren Ellis on his best soundtracks: “Quite often, looking at the image is the least important thing”

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”

Interviews

“There was a lot of naivety and youthful exuberance”: Usman Riaz on creating The Glassworker, Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature

By Nick Bradshaw

“There was a lot of naivety and youthful exuberance”: Usman Riaz on creating The Glassworker, Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature

Interviews

“I don’t want passive viewing”: how The Shadow Scholars goes inside the academic cheating industry

By Elhum Shakerifar

“I don’t want passive viewing”: how The Shadow Scholars goes inside the academic cheating industry

Interviews

Max Porter on Steve: “I want my kids to see this movie and say: “We understand Dad a bit now””

By Katie McCabe

Max Porter on Steve: “I want my kids to see this movie and say: “We understand Dad a bit now””

Interviews

“I have very little interest in the lighter side of storytelling”: Cillian Murphy on his new film, Steve, and his career so far

By Katie McCabe

“I have very little interest in the lighter side of storytelling”: Cillian Murphy on his new film, Steve, and his career so far

Interviews

Sam Riley on Islands, acting without words and the shadow of playing Ian Curtis

By Jamie Dunn

Sam Riley on Islands, acting without words and the shadow of playing Ian Curtis

Interviews

“Growing up as a girl, you learn to please to be accepted”: Urška Djukić on Little Trouble Girls

By Carmen Gray

“Growing up as a girl, you learn to please to be accepted”: Urška Djukić on Little Trouble Girls

Interviews

“Stephen King’s work comes from a very wise understanding of the experience of being alive”: Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor on The Life of Chuck

By Lou Thomas

“Stephen King’s work comes from a very wise understanding of the experience of being alive”: Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor on The Life of Chuck

Interviews

“Fellini was adorable to hang out with”: Terence Stamp remembers it all

By Sam Wigley

“Fellini was adorable to hang out with”: Terence Stamp remembers it all

Festivals

Embrace the chaos: festival director Paul Ridd on the 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival

By Jamie Dunn

Embrace the chaos: festival director Paul Ridd on the 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival

From the Sight and Sound archive

“It’s no good showing things as they are – people wouldn’t believe them”: Alfred Hitchcock on To Catch a Thief

By Catherine de la Roche

“It’s no good showing things as they are – people wouldn’t believe them”: Alfred Hitchcock on To Catch a Thief

Interviews

The quiet Palestinian: actor-director Mohammad Bakri on his life and work

By Joseph Fahim

The quiet Palestinian: actor-director Mohammad Bakri on his life and work

Interviews

“We’re growing old together, my films and I”: Jonás Trueba on The Other Way Around

By Alonso Aguilar

“We’re growing old together, my films and I”: Jonás Trueba on The Other Way Around

Interviews

“Hollywood has been very timid these days”: Terry Gilliam on his 50-year directing career

By Lou Thomas

“Hollywood has been very timid these days”: Terry Gilliam on his 50-year directing career

From the Sight and Sound archive

Slaughterhouse blues: Charles Burnett on Killer of Sheep

By Armond White and Alex Cox

Slaughterhouse blues: Charles Burnett on Killer of Sheep

Interviews

“What would Jane Austen do?”: Amy Heckerling on Clueless at 30

By Scarlett Harris

“What would Jane Austen do?”: Amy Heckerling on Clueless at 30

Interviews

The director who wasn’t there: Mohammad Rasoulof on The Seed of the Sacred Fig

By Ehsan Khoshbakht

The director who wasn’t there: Mohammad Rasoulof on The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Interviews

“You can only truly tell stories if they’re in your skin”: Rebecca Lenkiewicz and Fiona Shaw on Hot Milk

By Lou Thomas

“You can only truly tell stories if they’re in your skin”: Rebecca Lenkiewicz and Fiona Shaw on Hot Milk

Interviews

“Some things I can’t talk about”: director Fax Bahr on Francis Coppola and the making of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse

By Leigh Singer

“Some things I can’t talk about”: director Fax Bahr on Francis Coppola and the making of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse

From the Sight and Sound archive

Refuseniks: Agnès Varda on The Gleaners and I

By Chris Darke

Refuseniks: Agnès Varda on The Gleaners and I

Interviews

From Top Gun to F1: Jerry Bruckheimer on 40 years as Hollywood’s blockbuster producer

By Lou Thomas

From Top Gun to F1: Jerry Bruckheimer on 40 years as Hollywood’s blockbuster producer

Interviews

Alex Cox on the legacy of Moviedrome, the BBC’s essential cult film slot

By Matthew Taylor

Alex Cox on the legacy of Moviedrome, the BBC’s essential cult film slot

Interviews

Dorothy Dandridge: biographer Donald Bogle interviewed on her stardom and legacy

By Miriam Bale

Dorothy Dandridge: biographer Donald Bogle interviewed on her stardom and legacy

Interviews

“Sometimes you don’t need to have gone to film school”: Daisy-May Hudson on her debut fiction feature Lollipop

By Rachel Pronger

“Sometimes you don’t need to have gone to film school”: Daisy-May Hudson on her debut fiction feature Lollipop

Interviews

Backwards through the backwoods: music editors Lori Hurley and Dean Eschler on Twin Peaks

By Sam Davies

Backwards through the backwoods: music editors Lori Hurley and Dean Eschler on Twin Peaks

Black Film Bulletin

Black Rodeo: the cinematic wild west re-envisioned

By Mia Mask

Black Rodeo: the cinematic wild west re-envisioned

Interviews

Takeshi Kitano, a rare interview: “There are diverse patterns of queerness in Japanese society”

By Blake Simons

Takeshi Kitano, a rare interview: “There are diverse patterns of queerness in Japanese society”

Interviews

The game of observation: a new interview with Darling and Eyes Wide Shut screenwriter Frederic Raphael

By Alex Ramon

The game of observation: a new interview with Darling and Eyes Wide Shut screenwriter Frederic Raphael