Jonathan Wakeham
@jonathanwakeham.bsky.social
Screenwriter at Independent Talent (UK) & Lit Entertainment (US). Mentor at Arts Emergency. Coming soon: Hollywood noir, polar science and wolves. WGGB.
It's the last week of Kerry James Marshall's marvellous, monumental THE HISTORIES at the Royal Academy of Arts. Do go if you can: it's a thrilling, challenging, beautiful show and the perfect antidote to the bleakness of both the weather and the times.
January 15, 2026 at 12:39 PM
It's the last week of Kerry James Marshall's marvellous, monumental THE HISTORIES at the Royal Academy of Arts. Do go if you can: it's a thrilling, challenging, beautiful show and the perfect antidote to the bleakness of both the weather and the times.
Here's some more of Néstor Almendros's breathtaking cinematography in MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S. Every frame of the film vibrates with emotion and meaning.
January 15, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Here's some more of Néstor Almendros's breathtaking cinematography in MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S. Every frame of the film vibrates with emotion and meaning.
Wonderful to see Éric Rohmer's MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S (1969) at BFI last night. Maud (Françoise Fabian) is one of cinema's greatest characters and performances: funny, flirtatious, worldly and wise, giving Rohmer's philosophical dialogue insouciance and swing. A rich, funny, melancholic masterpiece.
January 15, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Wonderful to see Éric Rohmer's MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S (1969) at BFI last night. Maud (Françoise Fabian) is one of cinema's greatest characters and performances: funny, flirtatious, worldly and wise, giving Rohmer's philosophical dialogue insouciance and swing. A rich, funny, melancholic masterpiece.
One of the joys of revisiting great films is that the brilliance of the directing, acting & writing doesn't change, but their meaning or metaphor can. Peter Weir's filmography is full of films with that quality (PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, THE MOSQUITO COAST) & THE TRUMAN SHOW is one of his finest.
January 13, 2026 at 3:12 PM
One of the joys of revisiting great films is that the brilliance of the directing, acting & writing doesn't change, but their meaning or metaphor can. Peter Weir's filmography is full of films with that quality (PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, THE MOSQUITO COAST) & THE TRUMAN SHOW is one of his finest.
In 1998 Peter Weir's dazzling THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998) felt like a satire of TV. Rewatching it last night it felt more like a prediction of today's rabbit hole radicalisation: the plausible, paranoid worlds that people can build around themselves, almost wilfully ignoring the clues to the contrary.
January 13, 2026 at 3:12 PM
In 1998 Peter Weir's dazzling THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998) felt like a satire of TV. Rewatching it last night it felt more like a prediction of today's rabbit hole radicalisation: the plausible, paranoid worlds that people can build around themselves, almost wilfully ignoring the clues to the contrary.
I'm having a Peter Weir rewatch before hosting a screening of WITNESS (1985). I first saw DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989) as a teenager and thought it was a film to inspire young people. Watching it now, it feels like a prayer to parents, to help their kids to follow their own path, not the expected one.
January 9, 2026 at 12:20 PM
I'm having a Peter Weir rewatch before hosting a screening of WITNESS (1985). I first saw DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989) as a teenager and thought it was a film to inspire young people. Watching it now, it feels like a prayer to parents, to help their kids to follow their own path, not the expected one.
What a marvel Renate Reinsve is! A reminder that the true subject of cinema is human faces and feelings, which no AI will ever replace. SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Joachim Trier, 2025) is wonderful: such a rich, kind, complex story, rooted in the world of film but with dynamics that are universal & timeless.
January 9, 2026 at 12:04 PM
What a marvel Renate Reinsve is! A reminder that the true subject of cinema is human faces and feelings, which no AI will ever replace. SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Joachim Trier, 2025) is wonderful: such a rich, kind, complex story, rooted in the world of film but with dynamics that are universal & timeless.
The delightful Oscar-shortlisted short film A FRIEND OF DOROTHY, written and directed by Lee Knight and starring Alistair Nwachukwu and Miriam Margolyes, is now streaming on Disney+. My brilliant friend James Dean produced it so I am entirely biased, but I do recommend it.
January 1, 2026 at 3:59 PM
The delightful Oscar-shortlisted short film A FRIEND OF DOROTHY, written and directed by Lee Knight and starring Alistair Nwachukwu and Miriam Margolyes, is now streaming on Disney+. My brilliant friend James Dean produced it so I am entirely biased, but I do recommend it.
Telegraph really getting into the Christmas spirit today:
December 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Telegraph really getting into the Christmas spirit today:
The new films that I've loved the most this year: The Ice Tower (Lucile Hadžihalilović), Good One (Lily Donaldson), The Mastermind (Kelly Reichardt) and Peter Hujar's Day (Ira Sachs).
December 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM
The new films that I've loved the most this year: The Ice Tower (Lucile Hadžihalilović), Good One (Lily Donaldson), The Mastermind (Kelly Reichardt) and Peter Hujar's Day (Ira Sachs).
The new SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) restoration is dazzling: sharper, darker & more unsettling than ever. I was struck by DeMille & von Stroheim's performances: they both have such empathy for Norma's trauma, while struggling to help her. And Betty's realisation of Joe's corruption is heartbreaking.
December 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM
The new SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) restoration is dazzling: sharper, darker & more unsettling than ever. I was struck by DeMille & von Stroheim's performances: they both have such empathy for Norma's trauma, while struggling to help her. And Betty's realisation of Joe's corruption is heartbreaking.
PETER HUJAR'S DAY is enchanting: a wonderfully warm, wry and intimate look at the art life in 1970s New York. Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall are spellbinding company in Ira Sachs' film, which hums with truth and glows with sadness: part portrait, part premonition, lit by the autumnal Manhattan sun.
December 8, 2025 at 3:09 PM
PETER HUJAR'S DAY is enchanting: a wonderfully warm, wry and intimate look at the art life in 1970s New York. Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall are spellbinding company in Ira Sachs' film, which hums with truth and glows with sadness: part portrait, part premonition, lit by the autumnal Manhattan sun.
“If there is to be hope we must all betray our country. We have to save each other because all victims are equal, and none is more equal than others. It's everyone's duty to start the avalanche.”
Tom Stoppard’s screenplay for The Russia House (Fred Schepisi, 1990) from the novel by John le Carré.
Tom Stoppard’s screenplay for The Russia House (Fred Schepisi, 1990) from the novel by John le Carré.
November 30, 2025 at 6:54 PM
“If there is to be hope we must all betray our country. We have to save each other because all victims are equal, and none is more equal than others. It's everyone's duty to start the avalanche.”
Tom Stoppard’s screenplay for The Russia House (Fred Schepisi, 1990) from the novel by John le Carré.
Tom Stoppard’s screenplay for The Russia House (Fred Schepisi, 1990) from the novel by John le Carré.
Ambika Mod is phenomenal in Sophia Chetin-Leuner's Porn Play at the Royal Court: funny, smart, tough & achingly vulnerable across its multiple scenes. Josie Rourke's direction brings a confident swing & a lovely transparency to the acting, particularly in a sleepover scene. A bold, beautiful play.
November 18, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Ambika Mod is phenomenal in Sophia Chetin-Leuner's Porn Play at the Royal Court: funny, smart, tough & achingly vulnerable across its multiple scenes. Josie Rourke's direction brings a confident swing & a lovely transparency to the acting, particularly in a sleepover scene. A bold, beautiful play.
Louise Hémon's THE GIRL IN THE SNOW stars Galatéa Bellugi as a young teacher sent to a remote Alpine village in 1899. Modernity meets superstition with dangerous consequences in a spellbinding, sensual fable shot on location with a largely nonprofessional cast. At @frenchinstituteuk.bsky.social.
November 17, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Louise Hémon's THE GIRL IN THE SNOW stars Galatéa Bellugi as a young teacher sent to a remote Alpine village in 1899. Modernity meets superstition with dangerous consequences in a spellbinding, sensual fable shot on location with a largely nonprofessional cast. At @frenchinstituteuk.bsky.social.
Valéry Carnoy's WILD FOXES is a remarkable debut: a taut, tender teen boxing movie that's also a deep reflection on male friendship, sexuality and vulnerability, set at an elite sports academy. Playing at the @frenchinstituteuk.bsky.social French Film Festival. www.institut-francais.org.uk/cinema/#/
November 17, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Valéry Carnoy's WILD FOXES is a remarkable debut: a taut, tender teen boxing movie that's also a deep reflection on male friendship, sexuality and vulnerability, set at an elite sports academy. Playing at the @frenchinstituteuk.bsky.social French Film Festival. www.institut-francais.org.uk/cinema/#/
THE SWIMMER (Eleanor Perry and Frank Perry, 1968) The American dream becomes a nightmare in the Perrys' suburban satire turned psychological horror as Burt Lancaster swims across his county towards the truths he fears to face. Gorgeously shot, courageously acted, stunningly scored. A masterpiece.
November 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
THE SWIMMER (Eleanor Perry and Frank Perry, 1968) The American dream becomes a nightmare in the Perrys' suburban satire turned psychological horror as Burt Lancaster swims across his county towards the truths he fears to face. Gorgeously shot, courageously acted, stunningly scored. A masterpiece.
“I think those of us who live with great fame have to say that it is a trick of survival, and that a lot of us don’t like it.”
A powerful, poignant obituary for Maria Riva, Marlene Dietrich's daughter, whose childhood reads like a Hollywood horror story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/a...
A powerful, poignant obituary for Maria Riva, Marlene Dietrich's daughter, whose childhood reads like a Hollywood horror story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/a...
November 4, 2025 at 11:59 AM
“I think those of us who live with great fame have to say that it is a trick of survival, and that a lot of us don’t like it.”
A powerful, poignant obituary for Maria Riva, Marlene Dietrich's daughter, whose childhood reads like a Hollywood horror story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/a...
A powerful, poignant obituary for Maria Riva, Marlene Dietrich's daughter, whose childhood reads like a Hollywood horror story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/a...
Sydney Sweeney is terrific in David Michôd's CHRISTY, which kept me on the edge of my seat for 2 hours. It's a powerful, visceral, sometimes harrowing film that's as much about gender, class & relationships as it is about boxing, with fearless support from Ben Foster & an incandescent Katy O’Brian.
October 28, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Sydney Sweeney is terrific in David Michôd's CHRISTY, which kept me on the edge of my seat for 2 hours. It's a powerful, visceral, sometimes harrowing film that's as much about gender, class & relationships as it is about boxing, with fearless support from Ben Foster & an incandescent Katy O’Brian.
Congratulations @mrdavebyrne.bsky.social & his team at the Royal Court for a barnstorming 70th Anniversary season. I'm particularly excited to see The Shitheads, The Afronauts & John Proctor Is The Villain; do check out the brilliant new playwriting opportunities too: royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/
October 28, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Congratulations @mrdavebyrne.bsky.social & his team at the Royal Court for a barnstorming 70th Anniversary season. I'm particularly excited to see The Shitheads, The Afronauts & John Proctor Is The Villain; do check out the brilliant new playwriting opportunities too: royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/
Lucile Hadžihalilović is one of the great directors of coming-of age stories. Her new film THE ICE TOWER is a sparkling, sinister fairy tale about the power of film, the seduction of stardom & the deceptions of desire, starring Marion Cotillard & Clara Pacini. Coming to BFI & UK cinemas next month.
October 24, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Lucile Hadžihalilović is one of the great directors of coming-of age stories. Her new film THE ICE TOWER is a sparkling, sinister fairy tale about the power of film, the seduction of stardom & the deceptions of desire, starring Marion Cotillard & Clara Pacini. Coming to BFI & UK cinemas next month.
Kelly Reichardt is my favourite director so it's no surprise that I loved THE MASTERMIND, a tragicomic 1970s heist movie with Josh O'Connor as (perhaps) the US cousin of his British tomb raider in LA CHIMERA. In our era of triumphant male mediocrity it's a timely story told with style, wit & warmth.
October 24, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Kelly Reichardt is my favourite director so it's no surprise that I loved THE MASTERMIND, a tragicomic 1970s heist movie with Josh O'Connor as (perhaps) the US cousin of his British tomb raider in LA CHIMERA. In our era of triumphant male mediocrity it's a timely story told with style, wit & warmth.
I loved Nia DaCosta's sly, sensual, serpentine HEDDA, starring Tessa Thompson as the brittle, beautiful Hedda & the magnificent Nina Hoss as her ex-lover & potential nemesis. Set over one night at an English country house in the 1950s, it's a witty, decadent treat, beautifully shot by Sean Bobbitt.
October 24, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I loved Nia DaCosta's sly, sensual, serpentine HEDDA, starring Tessa Thompson as the brittle, beautiful Hedda & the magnificent Nina Hoss as her ex-lover & potential nemesis. Set over one night at an English country house in the 1950s, it's a witty, decadent treat, beautifully shot by Sean Bobbitt.
Movie jewel thieves: "We need to get your pulse down to 30, your temperature to zero and your fingerprints lasered off. Also a cryptographer, an acrobat, a hacker, two HALO suits and a mini submarine."
French jewel thieves: "Get me 2 mopeds, a chainsaw and a ladder. See you at lunch."
French jewel thieves: "Get me 2 mopeds, a chainsaw and a ladder. See you at lunch."
October 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Movie jewel thieves: "We need to get your pulse down to 30, your temperature to zero and your fingerprints lasered off. Also a cryptographer, an acrobat, a hacker, two HALO suits and a mini submarine."
French jewel thieves: "Get me 2 mopeds, a chainsaw and a ladder. See you at lunch."
French jewel thieves: "Get me 2 mopeds, a chainsaw and a ladder. See you at lunch."