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Her Head in Films

Caitlin

A podcast that makes movies personal. Hosted by Caitlin, Her Head in Films blends heartfelt reflections on art house and world cinema with stories from my own life. This is a space for exploring the emotional and subjective power of film, perfect for listeners who appreciate a deeply personal take on cinema and life. New episodes the first Tuesday of each month. Patreon: patreon.com/herheadinfilmspodcast. My website: herheadinfilms.com. Follow me on Letterboxd (@herheadinfilms), or email me at herheadinfilms@gmail.com.

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20 episodes
monthly
Avg 1 hr 18 min
English

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#153
August 9 · 1 hr 20 min
Sidney Lumet's 'The Verdict' (1982)
In this episode, I talk about Sidney Lumet's 1982 film, "The Verdict." Paul Newman plays Frank Galvin, a once-promising lawyer whose life has been consumed by alcoholism, failure, and regret. When he's handed a medical malpractice case involving a young woman left permanently incapacitated after a catastrophic mistake during childbirth, what first appears to be an opportunity to revive his career becomes something far more profound. I talk about the film as a story of salvation, redemption, hum
#152
July 7 · 1 hr 27 min
Victor Erice's 'El Sur' (1983)
In this episode, I talk about Victor Erice's 1983 film, "El Sur." Set in northern Spain during the 1940s and 1950s, the film follows Estrella, a woman looking back on two distinct periods of her life: her childhood and adolescence. At the center of her memories is her enigmatic father, Agustín, a man she deeply loved but can never fully understand. As Estrella gradually uncovers fragments of his past and becomes fascinated by the distant South he left behind, she begins to realize that the fathe
#151
May 5 · 1 hr 38 min
William Wyler's 'The Heiress' (1949)
In this episode, I talk about William Wyler’s 1949 film, "The Heiress." Olivia de Havilland plays Catherine Sloper, a shy and sheltered woman living with her cold father in Washington Square, New York in the mid-1800s. When she meets an attractive and alluring man played by Montgomery Clift, she falls passionately in love for the first time, but their relationship will force her to confront painful truths about love and desire. I talk about how the film explores heartbreak and transformatio
#150
April 7 · 1 hr 19 min
Gabriel Axel's 'Babette's Feast' (1987)
In this episode, I talk about Gabriel Axel's 1987 film, "Babette's Feast." The film follows Martine and Filippa—two sisters devoted to a small religious community in Denmark—and Babette, a French refugee and former chef who comes to live with them. When Babette prepares a feast to honor the centenary of their father’s birth, the meal becomes an act of artistic and emotional offering. I talk about what it means to offer something from the heart, how the film portrays art as a form of generosity,
#149
March 3 · 1 hr 31 min
Douglas Sirk's 'All That Heaven Allows' (1955)
In this episode, I talk about Douglas Sirk’s 1955 film, "All That Heaven Allows," starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson. The film follows Cary Scott, a widow in a conservative suburban community who falls in love with a younger, working-class man, and must decide whether she will conform to social expectations or defend a love that transforms her life. "All That Heaven Allows" is a luminous and deeply emotional film about fear, conformity, and the courage it takes to live in a way that is tru
#148
February 3 · 1 hr 20 min
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's 'The Red Shoes' (1948)
In this episode, I talk about Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s 1948 film, "The Red Shoes." It centers on Vicky Page, a young ballet dancer whose extraordinary talent brings her into a world where art demands total devotion and where love and ambition collide. I discuss "The Red Shoes" as a meditation on artistic calling, female ambition, and the desire for greatness. I’m interested in how the film portrays a woman who refuses to live a small life, and what happens when her boundless crea
#147
Dec 7, 2025 · 1 hr
Dianne Jackson's 'The Snowman' (1982)
In this episode, I talk about Dianne Jackson's beloved 1982 animated film, "The Snowman." Adapted from Raymond Briggs’s wordless book, the film follows a young boy who builds a snowman that comes to life, and together they share a brief night of wonder and connection. I reflect on how the film holds both joy and tenderness, and how its playful scenes have brought me comfort during my first Christmas without my mother. She was my last remaining parent, and watching this film has helped me think
#146
Nov 4, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Conversation' (1974)
In this episode, I talk about Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 film, "The Conversation." The film follows Harry Caul, a wiretapper in San Francisco who becomes obsessed with a recording he’s made of a young couple in a crowded park. As Harry pieces together fragments of their conversation, he’s drawn into a spiral of paranoia, guilt, and loneliness. I explore what makes "The Conversation" a masterpiece—not just as a film about surveillance and paranoia, but as an intimate character study. I talk abo
#145
Oct 14, 2025 · 7 min
A Special Announcement: Join Me on Patreon
In this special episode, I talk about why I’ve launched a new Patreon for Her Head in Films. This isn’t just about supporting a podcast—it’s about helping me stay afloat in a very difficult and uncertain time in my life. After losing my mom and becoming the sole provider for my household, I’m trying to rebuild from nothing. I work multiple jobs, and I’m doing everything I can to survive while continuing to create something meaningful. This podcast is my soul work. It’s how I stay alive. It’s th
#143
Oct 7, 2025 · 1 hr 37 min
Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 'The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant' (1972)
In this episode, I talk about Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1972 film, "The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant." The film tells the story of Petra, a successful fashion designer in a complicated and obsessive relationship with a younger woman named Karin. Set almost entirely in Petra’s apartment, the film unravels the entanglements of power, desire, and emotional dependency. This episode is one of my most personal. I reflect on the ways the film mirrors an experience I had with unrequited love—an expe
#144
Sep 2, 2025 · 1 hr 20 min
Hayao Miyazaki's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989)
In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 film, 'Kiki’s Delivery Service.' It’s about a 13-year-old witch who must spend a year away from home, learning to live independently and share her gifts. As Kiki opens a delivery service and begins to grow weary and uncertain, she meets women who offer her refuge, wisdom, and friendship. I talk about how this film explores what it means to lose your magic and to slowly find it again. I recorded this at a time when I’m learning to believe in mys
#143
Aug 5, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Hayao Miyazaki's 'My Neighbor Totoro' (1988)
In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 film, "My Neighbor Totoro." It’s about two young girls who discover magical forest spirits after moving to a rural home with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. I recorded this episode in the wake of my own mother’s death, and I speak about how grief has shaped my experience of the film. I talk about watching the entire Studio Ghibli catalog and reflect on childhood, absence, and how nature and cinema offer solace when nothi
#142
Jul 1, 2025 · 1 hr 29 min
Ingmar Bergman's 'Cries and Whispers' (1972)
In this episode, I talk about Ingmar Bergman’s 1972 film, "Cries and Whispers," a haunting and intimate portrait of a woman dying and the people around her. I begin by sharing about my own mother’s death, how I was with her to the very end, and how this film has taken on a deeper resonance for me now. Though the episode was recorded before her cancer diagnosis and passing, I was already in the role of caregiver. I reflect on how "Cries and Whispers" captures the loneliness of illness, the coldn
#140
Sep 20, 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
Frédéric Back's 'The Man Who Planted Trees' (1987)
In this episode, I talk about Frédéric Back's 1987 Academy Award-winning animated short film, "The Man Who Planted Trees." Adapted from a book by Jean Giono, it tells the story of a French shepherd who plants trees for decades and revitalizes an entire region. It's a film about how to live, how to care for the earth, and how to make the world a better place through small but meaningful acts. This has become one of my favorite films of all time because of the way it inspires me to think about w
#139
Aug 17, 2024 · 1 hr 11 min
Delbert Mann's 'Marty' (1955)
In this episode, I talk about Delbert Mann's precious 1955 film, "Marty." It tells the story of Marty, a 34-year-old butcher who has struggled all his life to find love. One night, he meets Clara, a woman who can relate to his loneliness. This is a film about the pain of invisibility and the power of connection. It's about what it means to finally feel seen after a lifetime of rejection. This is a deeply personal episode for me, but it's one that I hope reaches anyone who might need to hear it
#138
Aug 2, 2024 · 56 min
Franco Piavoli's 'Voices Through Time' (1996)
In this episode, I talk about Franco Piavoli's luminous 1996 documentary, "Voices Through Time." It captures the daily life of the inhabitants of a small Italian village. From children playing in the woods to lovers kissing in the grass to couples rapturously dancing, Piavoli shows us the human condition in all its richness and beauty. My episode is a tribute to this life-affirming work of art, and it is a manifesto on what it means to be fully alive and how art saves us and even heals us. Th
#129
Oct 12, 2021 · 1 hr 42 min
Robert Eggers's 'The Witch' (2015)
In this episode, I talk about Robert Eggers's 2015 film, "The Witch." It looks at a New England Puritan family in the 1600s that is exiled from their community. They go to live in a remote area, and terrifying things begin to happen. The eldest daughter is blamed for these events and accused of being a witch. I talk about witch hunts, the feminist aspects of the film, my very personal reaction to the ending, and much more. There are spoilers in this episode. Full show notes: https://herheadinfil
#128
Sep 29, 2021 · 1 hr 45 min
Jean Negulesco's 'Humoresque' (1946)
In this episode, I talk about the 1945 film "Humoresque." Joan Crawford plays a socialite tormented by her love for a younger man--played by John Garfield--who is a passionate violinist trying to break into the music world. Her money and connections help him find success, but her hard-drinking and intense desire lead to her own self-destruction. I adore this film. I talk about the music in it, how it looks at desire, and much more. As always, there are spoilers in this episode. Full show notes:
#127
Sep 14, 2021 · 1 hr 43 min
Michael Curtiz's 'Mildred Pierce' (1945)
In this episode, I talk about Michael Curtiz's 1945 film "Mildred Pierce." Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her performance as the title character, a mother who, in the wake of the end of her marriage, starts her own restaurant business and tries to give a better life to her two daughters--Veda and Kay. But her eldest daughter Veda has an insatiable and destructive desire for material possessions and Mildred will stop at nothing to give Veda all that she wants. This is a magnificent film about mot
#126
Aug 31, 2021 · 1 hr 6 min
Mike Newell's 'Enchanted April' (1991)
In this episode, I talk about Mike Newell's 1991 film, "Enchanted April." It's about four women in 1920s Britain who rent a castle in the Italian countryside. Their vacation in Italy will forever transform their lives. The much-needed break from ordinary life leads to spiritual rejuvenation, a deep connection to nature, and a powerful bond with each other. There are spoilers in this episode. Full show notes: https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-126-mike-newells-enchanted-april-

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