Cinema in One Take

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.
 

Timothée Chalamet’s Oscars Gaffe, The Bride! Debate & Why Best Actress Nominees Are Getting Older

With the Oscars fast approaching, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab dive into the strange theatre of awards-season campaigning — where one off-the-cuff comment can suddenly dominate the conversation.
This week they unpack Timothée Chalamet’s opera and ballet gaffe, and ask whether Oscar races are increasingly decided by narrative, momentum and campaign drama rather than the performances themselves.
Emma also brings a fascinating Oscars statistic into the discussion: the average age of Best Actress nominees and winners has risen from 27 in the 1940s to 47 today. What’s behind that shift — and does it really reflect progress for women in the film industry?
In their weekly review segment, they also tackle Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. While many critics have dismissed the film, they defend  the feminist retelling of the Frankenstein myth. 
And they discuss why Barbra Streisand receiving an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes feels long overdue.
A one-take conversation about cinema, awards politics and the stories shaping world cinema right now.

Claes Bang on 'The Great Arch', Berlin Festival Turmoil & Why European Cinema Matters

Danish actor Claes Bang ( The Square, Dracula, Bad Sisters) joins Cinema in One Take to discuss his new French film The Great Arch, by Stephane Demoustier, playing the uncompromising architect behind one of Paris’s most striking landmarks.
Speaking with hosts Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab, Bang reflects on portraying a fiercely principled creative figure, what the AI future holds for cinema, and why he believes European cinema remains creatively vibrant. He also shares his thoughts on the turmoil surrounding this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
The Great Arch is screening at the Institut français London from March 11 2026.

Cinema in One Take — Oscars Fatigue, a César Surprise, Berlinale Politics and Welsh language cinema

 
With Oscars 2026 approaching, film critics Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab ask whether awards season has simply become too long. From the Golden Globes to the Academy Awards, they debate whether audiences still watch the Oscars — and why this year’s race feels unusually unpredictable.
They also head  to the César Awards, where American director Richard Linklater won Best Director for Nouvelle Vague, his tribute to Jean-Luc Godard and the French New Wave. What does it mean when an American filmmaker wins France’s biggest film prize?
Plus: a Berlinale update as Tricia Tuttle receives strong backing from the film industry, and Emma champions the Welsh-language film Effie o Blaenau, which premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival, along with Gaelic language titles, sparking a wider conversation about minority-language cinema across Europe.
Expect lively debate, thoughtful film chat, and a celebration of world cinema in all its languages.

When Film Awards Are Not About Film

In this week's Cinema in One Take, Kaleem Aftab and Emma Jones digest what happened at the BAFTA Film Awards, when a racial slur was aired by the BBC broadcast of the event.
They also discuss the Berlin Film Festival winners, and that ceremony was overshadowed (as was the entire festival) by political controversy.
Who'd want to run a film festival and what happened to these events being about the films?
You can also find Kaleem's written feature about directing a film festival here
 

The Myth of Neutrality at the Berlinale 2026

On the latest Cinema in One Take. Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab look back at the political controversy that dominated this year's Berlinale festival, over remarks Jury President Wim Wenders made during the opening press conference.
Emma picks out 'Rose' starring Sandra Huller, as her favourite of the Berlin Competition films, and runs through a few more of her highlights, while the pair pay tribute to two giants of film, Frederick Wiseman and Robert Duvall, who both died that week.
Plus Kaleem was sent to watch 'Wuthering Heights' by himself on Valentine's Day for the podcast and he gives his own verdict.
You can also read Kaleem's written feature on the political storm at Berlin here, and subscribe for regular updates  to our substack.
 
 

Live from Berlin Film Festival: German Cinema and Afghan Rom Coms

In this week's Cinema in One Take, It's the start of the Berlin International Film Festival and Emma and Kaleem raise the topic of a new levy on streaming profits in Germany that have to be reinvested in film and TV. A great idea for German culture, or just ignoring what audiences actually want?
Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat opens the festival with a rom-com set in Kabul as the country falls again to the Taliban, 'No Good Men.'
Which films has Germany given us that are unmissable? (And who gets to pick Fatih Akin's 'Head On'?) 
That's Cinema in One Take, presented by Kaleem Aftab and Emma Jones.
For more in depth analysis, see our Substack