Cinema in One Take

The First Days of Cannes, the Fight for Cinema Culture and Concert Films

Day one at Cannes and already the big question is: what kind of festival is Cannes becoming?
Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab break down an opening night dominated by Jane Fonda, nostalgia, political carefulness, and the idea that Hollywood studios no longer need the Cannes Croisette to launch a film.
They discuss the first Competition reactions, why subtler world cinema may be have a moment with Koji Fukada's Nagi Notes, and whether Cannes is finally getting better at telling stories about women over 50 in A Woman's Life.
Plus: Demi Moore on AI, Park Chan-wook as jury president, Billie Eilish concert films, and why Iron Maiden fans might understand modern cinema culture better than executives do.
From auteur cinema to heavy metal fandom — this is Cannes in One Take.
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AI Panic, Cannes Jury Predictions and a 'Sexy Film About Trees'

This week Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab discuss the growing controversy around AI in filmmaking as Kaleem’s produced feature 'Memory of Princess Mumbi', made with generative AI, begins its international release following an award-winning festival run.
From generative AI and visual effects to the Oscars’ new guidance on AI eligibility, they ask where the ethical lines around artificial intelligence in cinema now sit — and whether the industry is reacting to the technology itself, or the fear surrounding it.
Plus: the Cannes Film Festival jury takes shape under president Park Chan-wook, but apparently without actor Jacob Elordi. Emma and Kaleem predict what kinds of films this year’s jury could reward.
And, could the The Odyssey face a box office challenge from the 2026 FIFA World Cup — and why is Emma recommending a “sexy film about trees,” otherwise known as Silent Friend, the hypnotic new film from Ildikó Enyedi.
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What The Devil Wears Prada 2 Gets Right About Journalism Now

In this episode of Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab use The Devil Wears Prada 2 to ask what’s happened to journalism in the age of clicks, algorithms, and tech power?
Arguing the film is often more about journalism than fashion, they explore how cultural journalism is being reshaped, from shrinking editorial budgets to influencers and platform-driven taste.
Plus why style still matters on screen, from the original The Devil Wears Prada to La Dolce Vita (and even Zoolander.) 
And as they prepare for the Cannes Film Festival, they also reflect on access, embargoes, and the realities of covering global cinema today.
 

'Michael': Critics Hate It. Fans Love It — And We Get Why

Critics hate it. Fans seem set to love it.
Michael, the biopic of Michael Jackson, has been met with some of the harshest reviews in recent memory, but it could still become one of the biggest musical biopics ever made.
In this episode of Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab are joined by journalist and critic Patrick Heidmann, to ask a simple question: if the reviews are so negative… why did they enjoy watching it?
From tightly controlled press access to the film’s controversial omissions, they explore the gap between critics and audiences, and examine whether unconscious bias plays a role in the reception of films about Black artists, especially one who reshaped global pop culture.
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Cinemas Have an Ads Problem — And Will Cannes Have a Star Problem?

Are cinemas putting audiences off before the film even begins?
This week on Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab respond to Sony’s Tom Rothman, who has urged cinemas to shorten the bloated pre-show of ads and trailers before films start, and ask whether the pre-cinema experience itself is part of the problem of getting audiences in?
Then it’s to Cannes 2026, where the line up for other sidebars, Director's Fortnight and Critic's Week have been unveiled: can world cinema stars really replace Hollywood at this year's festival, and what does a less “sellable” lineup mean for film buzz and journalists on the ground? Especially when CinemaCon in the USA is generating headlines from Spielberg's Disclosure Day, Nolan's The Odyssey and Toy Story 5 - films that might have been at the festival.
Plus, a lively debate over Christan Petzold's Miroirs No. 3, and Sundance winner  The New West, also known as East of Wall, a striking docu-fiction set on an American horse ranch.
Connected to that story - watch the trailer for Riley Keough and Gina Gammell's War Pony 
Our Substack on Cannes 2026 not chasing studio spectacle is here
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Cannes 2026: Less Hollywood, More War — What’s Changed?

The Cannes Film Festival 2026 line-up is here, and it feels like something is shifting. Fewer Hollywood titles, a surge in war stories, and a Competition shaped by global auteurs, with Japanese and Spanish films featuring prominently this year.
Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab unpack the key themes, including a growing global crossover between Europe and Asia, both in casting and direction, and a notable contingent of emerging female directors in Competition.
Plus early Palme d’Or contenders, and what this year’s selection says about where cinema is heading.
From Almodóvar to Zvyagintsev, this your guide to films at Cannes.
Full line-up: Festival de Cannes official website
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Amélie at 25: Do We Still Believe in Movie Magic? ( Plus AI Actors & 'The Drama')

On this week’s Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab explore what audiences really want from cinema — from AI-generated performances to timeless movie magic.
They begin with the rise of AI in film, from the failure (for now) of virtual influencer Tilly Norwood to the ethics of recreating Val Kilmer on screen, and ask whether audiences are ready for artificial stars.
Then, as French classic Amélie returns to cinemas for its 25th anniversary, they debate whether its romantic vision of Paris would still resonate today — or if modern audiences want something more real.
Plus, Kaleem's deep dive into The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, and whether spoilers and controversy are shaping how films are marketed.
And finally, Emma reports from the British Film Institute on a centenary celebration dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, exploring how her legacy is being re-evaluated.
A lively, unfiltered conversation on AI in film, classic cinema, film controversy, and Hollywood history — all in one take.
Join us next on April 9 for immediate reaction to the Cannes 2026 line up announcement!
Tilly Norwood music video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7V2Biy3omw
Kaleem's The Drama review in print is here
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The Drama about the Drama and and the Cost of Visibility

A film very few people have seen is already causing outrage.
On this week’s Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab dive into the backlash surrounding The Drama after a leaked plot twist set the internet off. Is the twist genuinely in poor taste, and has it also provided exactly the kind of controversy modern film marketing thrives on?
They also discuss the darker side of visibility, as actor Barry Keoghan opens up about the effects of online abuse about his appearance.
Plus: are series festivals like Series Mania and Canneseries actually worth it — or is television best left on the sofa?
And in what they’ve been watching: Orwell 2+2=5  and the North Macedonian coming-of-age gem, DJ Ahmet.
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Project Hail Mary’s $140m Stellar Opening: Are Original Blockbusters Back?

 
Ryan Gosling heads into space (with exceptional knitwear) in Project Hail Mary — a rare original sci-fi that’s already shaping up to be one of 2026’s biggest hits. 
Film experts Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab ask whether Hollywood might finally be rediscovering its appetite for risk. Is this a genuine shift away from franchise dominance — or just a one-off?
And they look beyond Hollywood to the global box office, from India’s record-breaking Dhurandhar: The Revenge to China’s post–Ne Zha 2 landscape, and why South Korea continues to set the cultural pace.
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Oscars 2026: Michael B. Jordan’s moment, PTA’s long-awaited win… and burgers at In-N-Out

 
In this Oscar special episode of Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones joins from Los Angeles hours after the ceremony while Kaleem Aftab watches from across the Atlantic — and together they unpack one of the more intriguing Academy Awards in recent years.
From Paul Thomas Anderson finally winning Best Picture and Best Director for One Battle After Another to the electrifying reaction when Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for Sinners, the pair discuss the biggest wins, the surprise moments and the speeches that really landed.
Emma reports back from a packed Hollywood viewing party near the site of the very first Oscars, where cheers for Sinners revealed the difference between what audiences love and what the Academy ultimately rewards.
They also talk about the night’s standout speeches — including Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s historic cinematography win, Jessie Buckley’s emotional Best Actress moment, and the political undercurrents surrounding the documentary winner Mr. Nobody Against Putin.
Plus: Korean cinema’s growing global influence, why the International Feature category remains one of the Oscars’ strongest line-ups — and the most important Hollywood tradition of the night… Michael B. Jordan celebrating at an In-N-Out Burger.