Shows
Out TakesMIFF 2025: ‘I’m The Most Racist Person I Know’, Chantal Akerman: Traces and ‘High Art’We continue celebrating the return of the Melbourne International Film Festival this August with two special guests and a look at a wonderful homegrown queer short film, a retrospective from a revered Belgian auteur, and the return of a lesbian cult classic to the big screen that spotlights the heady heroin-chic days of the 90’s New York art scene.
First up we reviewed ‘I’m the Most Racist Person I Know’, a fantastic short film that follows Lali and Ana who go on a date where they bond over their shared experiences as queer women of colour and also...2025-08-0556 min
SBS SpiceLeela Varghese on Brown Girls Telling Queer StoriesLeela Varghese was once told there weren’t any roles for her on Australian screens. So she stopped chasing auditions and picked up a camera instead. Now her films, including 'Lesbian Space Princess' and 'I'm The Most Racist Person I Know' (screening at MIFF this year), are crashing festivals around the world. In this episode, the Lebanese-Indian filmmaker speaks with Suhayla Sharif about growing up brown in Queensland, making space for queer South Asian stories, and why confronting internalised prejudice starts with gentle honesty. Listen now on SBS Spice.2025-08-0519 min
Bitch Talk PodcastFrameline 2025 - Lesbian Space Princess and WicketSend us a textWe're topping off our coverage of the Frameline Film Festival with a hilarious animated comedy, and a documentary about a Bay Area legend.Lesbian Space Princess is an animated film about a space princess who is thrust out of her sheltered life into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens. Co-directors/co-writers Emma Hough Hobbs and (return guest) Leela Varghese join us to laugh about their spectacular lesbian pun making abilities, their thoughts on whether scrapbooks are a good gift for a...2025-06-2637 min
Bitch Talk PodcastSXSW 2025 - The Singers and I'm the Most Racist Person I KnowSend us a textWe’re bringing you two SXSW 2025 short films that we absolutely loved!The Singers takes place in a lonely dive bar where an impromptu sing-off will determine the best singer in town. Director Sam A. Davis shares what inspired him to adapt this short story into film, casting first time actors via viral videos on social media, and our shared connection through art and vulnerability.I’m the Most Racist Person I Know tells the story of Lali who ends up on a date with anot...2025-04-1236 min
Friday Night Movie by @pancake4tableSXSW: I'm the Most Racist Person I KnowWinner of the SXSW Special Jury Award, I'M THE MOST RACIST PERSON I KNOW explores universal themes of identify, love, awkward moments, and vulnerability with a ton of heart and humor. We had a blast talking with the team that brought this delightful short to life - Writer / Director Leela Varghese, Producer Suriyna Sivashanker, and stars Shabana Azeez, Kavitha Anandasivam. We also got to ask Shabana about her role in Becky's favorite show on TV - THE PITT (Max).
Sign up for the Friday Night Movie Newsletter for giveaways, curated episode playlists from the hosts and guests (i...2025-03-1338 min
Cinetopia RadioFebruary 2025 - 75th Berlinale Festival CoverageOn the February edition of the Cinetopia Radio Show & Podcast, the team (Clara, Garry, and Amanda) go to Berlin to cover the 75th Berlinale, reviewing 4 films, Peter Hujar’s Day directed by Ira Sachs and starring Ben Whishaw and Rebecca HallBlue Moon, directed by Richard Linklater and Starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Andrew Scott and BobbyCanavaleLesbian Space Princess, an Australian animation by Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese, and finally Koki Ciao, which won Berlinale Shorts CUPRA Filmmaker Award. Cinetopia contributor Clara Strachan interviews Quentin Miller, the director of...2025-02-281h 53
FRED Film Radio - English Channel"Lesbian Space Princess", interview with the directors Leela Varghese and Emma Hound Hobbs"Lesbian Space Princess" is a queer animation film, from Australia written, animated and directed by Leela Varghese and Emma Hound Hobbs. we are in a fantastic world of princess, spaceships that talk, queerness and fun, on a quest to save her lover that Princess Saira undertake with help from some friends. There is a lot to talk about and to laugh about with the two directors we met on the day of their Berlinale premiere.
We wanted to fill a space in the queer film world
The reason that brought Leela Varghese and Emma Hound Hobbs to make "Lesbian Space P...2025-02-2212 min
The CurbLeela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs, and Shabana Azeez on the best film of 2025: Lesbian Space PrincessI'm calling it right now. Lesbian Space Princess is the film of the year. I saw it in a sold out auditorium at the beautiful art deco Piccadilly cinema in Adelaide with an Adelaide Film Festival audience that lapped up every laugh, every tear, and every splash of neon bright queer celebration on screen. Lesbian Space Princess is the animated feature debut of filmmakers Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs, a collaborative force to be reckoned with, set to change the Australian film industry one bubblegum flavoured cel at a time. The film fo...2025-02-2036 minThe CurbLeela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs, and Shabana Azeez on the best film of 2025: Lesbian Space PrincessI'm calling it right now. Lesbian Space Princess is the film of the year. I saw it in a sold out auditorium at the beautiful art deco Piccadilly cinema in Adelaide with an Adelaide Film Festival audience that lapped up every laugh, every tear, and every splash of neon bright queer celebration on screen. Lesbian Space Princess is the animated feature debut of filmmakers Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs, a collaborative force to be reckoned with, set to change the Australian film industry one bubblegum flavoured cel at a time. The film fo...2025-02-2036 min
Ape ManiaEpisode 20: I cannot believe we've done twenty episodes of this feat Leela VargheseYou'd think we'd have run out of apes to talk about by now but they just keep making them. This one features Leela who is crusihg it making movies, I wasn't allowed to watch Lesbian Space Princess. Jacob wouldnt' let me. But he said it was really good., I also saw on instagram that leela owns a DG20 digital guitar. SHit is so cash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-11-181h 18
Why So CerealLeela Varghese is a Teeny Tiny TeddyOn this week’s episode, Nona sits down with the incredibly talented and funny Leela Varghese, writer, creator, and director of Lesbian Space Princess and one half of the iconic comedy duo The Coconuts. Together they discuss primary school crushes, what it feels like being a millennial adult, how getting trolled on TikTok is a good thing, and what it’s like directing an animation. All while sharing a bowl of Arnott’s Teeny Tiny Teddy Choc Cereal. 2024-01-151h 18