Gimme A Beat

31/12/2025

If you are looking for something to binge on when you are not celebrating, I highly recommend ** Riot Women ** 🤘🎸!

In a nutshell, the show follows a group of middle-aged women who form a punk-rock band 🎸🎸to participate in a talent contest. What starts as a simple quest turns into a powerful journey of self-discovery and personal growth.

Created by phenomenal Sally Wainwright and backed by an outstanding cast, the series has an extra layer of magic: the actors actually learned to play their instruments for the show. This makes it even more special.

Can't wait for season 2, coming in 2026 🫶

*No apologies, just noise. Five fierce women crank up the volume to get their voices heard.*

Let's finish 2025 - and start 2026 - with a bang 🤘🎸💥
Check out their performance from the show via the link below.

More info on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32315888/
Soundtrack here: https://www.deezer.com/en/album/837104062

Who said rock songs can’t be about the menopause 🎸💥 No apologies - just noise. Five fierce women crank up the volume to get their voices heard i...

28/12/2025

RIP Brigitte Bardot, an icon of beauty, freedom, and fearless individuality. A lifelong defender of animals. Your legacy remains forever💔💔

The French actor Brigitte Bardot has died – we look back at her life, relationships and films

24/12/2025

The podcast from the last Gimme A Beat is available online:
** Representing 21st Century RnB - Part II **
featuring Rihanna, Miss Jill Scott, Tweet, Ella Mai, Janelle Monáe, Kelis, Jessie Ware, Jorja Smith, RAYE, and many more...

Just in time for Xmas 🎄🌟📻🎄

Funky, soulful R&B felt like the perfect soundtrack for my Xmas show 🎄🎄comforting, nostalgic, and full of emotions — like revisiting memories wrapped in beats 🌟

Press play, get cozy, and let the memories roll 🎧🌟


(follow the link for more info..)

Back in January 2024, Rolling Stone released their 100 Greatest R&B Songs of the 21st Century. The list created lots of buzz; some people loved it, others pointed out what was missing, and the artists featured in it, celebrated. I have always been a huge fan of R&B, so I decided to do my own...

15/12/2025

Tune in tonight to Radio LoRa 97,5 MHz
from 22:00 - 00:00
for ** Representing 21st Century RnB - Part II **
featuring Rihanna, Miss Jill Scott, Tweet, Ella Mai, Janelle Monáe, Kelis, Jessie Ware, Jorja Smith, RAYE, and many more 🌟📻

(follow the link for more info..)

Back in January 2024, Rolling Stone released their 100 Greatest R&B Songs of the 21st Century. The list created lots of buzz; some people loved it, others pointed out what was missing, and the artists featured in it, celebrated. I have always been a huge fan of R&B, so I decided to do my own...

07/12/2025

The podcast from the last Gimme A Beat is available online:
** Hedda at ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL 2025 **
with a focus on *Hedda* | Amazon MGM Studios, the movie directed and adapted by Nia DaCosta with music composed by Hildur Gudnadóttir. In addition to interviews with Nia and Hildur, the podcast also features a movie soundtrack, which is already out

Don't forget, and don't miss it 💙!
Since the 29th of October, the movie has been available on Amazon Prime 🎥📻

(follow the link for more info..)

The 21st Zurich Film Festival happened, as usual, from the 25th of September until the 5th of October. This year the festival attracted 135’000 visitors. Over the 11th days, a total of 115 movies were shown, including 40 world and European premieres. First held in 2005, the Zurich Film Festival es...

17/11/2025

Tune in tonight to Radio LoRa 97,5 MHz
from 22:00 - 00:00
for ** Hedda at ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL 2025 **
with a focus on *Hedda* | Amazon MGM Studios, the movie directed and adapted by Nia DaCosta with music composed by Hildur Gudnadóttir.

Since the 29th of October, the movie has been available on Amazon Prime. Don't miss it 💙!

In addition to interviews with Nia and Hildur, tonight's show also includes a movie soundtrack, which is already out 🎥📻

(follow the link for more info..)

The 21st Zurich Film Festival happened, as usual, from the 25th of September until the 5th of October. This year the festival attracted 135’000 visitors. Over the 11th days, a total of 115 movies were shown, including 40 world and European premieres. First held in 2005, the Zurich Film Festival es...

16/10/2025

another year, another great 😍🎥
thank you ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL, organizers, and volunteers!

i will not be able to write a review for all the I have seen (more than 30 😎), but I will continue writing reviews for the since many of them are coming to the and international in the next 6 months.

here are all of my highlights 🌟, in no particular order:

* Unidentified | .almansour
* Calle Málaga | | Filmcoopi Zürich | Films Boutique
* Cuerpo Celeste | | .film
* Hedda | | Hildur Gudnadóttir | Amazon MGM Studios
* All That’s Left Of You | All That's Left of You | Cherien Dabis | trigon-film
* The President’s Cake | | Filmcoopi Zürich
* Left-Handed Girl | | Netflix
* H is for Hawk | | Filmcoopi Zürich | Film4
* Bugonia | Bugonia
* Des Preuves d'Amour / Love Letters | Prosa Film
* Christy | Netflix
* Marama |

this year, I had the opportunity to interview 4 female filmmakers and 1 music composer and this, with my impressions and the music from the movies I have seen, will be featured in the next several editions of , starting november 17th at 10 PM CET on Radio LoRa 97,5 MHz 🎥📻

follow the link in bio for more info and the review of the highlights (more coming soon)🌟📻

06/10/2025

11 Days
135'000 Visitors
115 Films
40 World and European Premiers
21st ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL

I will share my and a few more reviews in the next days and follow up with several Gimme A Beats featuring interviews and movies of my choice in focus 🌟🎥📻

In the meantime, find out the official media statement on the link below 🎥

Das ZFF bringt die aufregendsten Autorenfilme aus der ganzen Welt nach Zürich. Meisterwerke und Premieren, die später Oscars gewinnen.

04/10/2025

Shu-Fen, a single mother with two daughters, returns to the city of Taipei after years of living in the countryside. She can hardly make ends meet, but she is determined to make it work in the city. They settle in a small apartment, and she opens a food stall in a vibrant night market. Her eldest daughter, I-Ann, carries the weight of resentment and responsibility and finds work as a “betel nut beauty.” The youngest, I-Jung, is a curious five-year-old who loves helping her mum at the stall and exploring the market at night while her mum works. After her grandpa tells her a superstition that left-handedness is evil, she becomes convinced that her left hand is possessed by the devil. We watch how she navigates her newfound “curse”, while the rest of the family struggles with life and their own secrets.

Directed by Shih-Ching Tsou in her solo debut (with longtime collaborator Sean Baker co-writing and editing), *Left-Handed Girl* is an intimate story that captures the emotional world of a young girl while reflecting the complexities of familial love and societal expectations. This is a portrait of three generations of women trying to keep their bond alive while battling life’s obstacles, old rules, and traditions. One can see the parallel between the life they are living and the world around them; the family’s struggles mirror the modern Taipei where resilience and tenderness coexist within the chaos of the city. As a central state of the movie, and crucial in telling this story, the night market becomes a character on its own: loud, colorful, alive, and unforgiving.

The casting is absolutely amazing. Nina Ye, as I-Jing, the left-handed youngest daughter, is brilliant in her role and simply adorable. She is greatly complemented by excellent Shih-Yuan Ma, as I-Ann, who plays her sister and oldest daughter, and navigates a lot of heavy emotions. We only see I-Ann’s tender side when she is spending time with I-Jung, as this little girl is the only light in her world. Janel Tsai is great as Shu-Fen, the mother, and Teng-Hui Huang brings warmth to his role as Johnny, her friend. Johnny is also important for the story as he is truly a support they all need.

This movie made me laugh and cry at the same time, and it is another one of my of the

*Left-Handed Girl* | Netflix | Le Pacte premiered on Monday at ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL, with Shih-Ching Tsou in attendance to answer questions. I attended it on Tuesday and really enjoyed the Q&A session. The last opportunity to see the movie at the festival was this afternoon. If you missed it, don’t worry, the movie will be released very soon on Netflix. 🎥📻

Follow the link to find zff information about the movie: https://zff.com/en/movies/left-handed-girl-91955

Das ZFF bringt die aufregendsten Autorenfilme aus der ganzen Welt nach Zürich. Meisterwerke und Premieren, die später Oscars gewinnen.

04/10/2025

Michelle seems to have it all: power, wealth, influence, and control. As the CEO of the pharmaceutical empire, she leads with confidence and precision, not just the company but also her life. Every morning, she wakes up before dawn and goes into her strict routine of workouts and supplements before the meetings and power plays, ensuring that everything runs as she expects it to. But everything changes one day when two young men, convinced she is an alien infiltrated into the human race to destroy Earth, abduct her as part of their two-man conspiracy mission. What begins as a bizarre kidnapping soon turns into a dark comedy with an exploration of paranoia, power, and survival.

With *Bugonia*(ig: ), director Yorgos Lanthimos remakes the South Korean “Save the Green Planet!” movie into a satirical, absurdist sci-fi journey that turns corporate dominance, fear, and human fragility into something simultaneously playful and haunting. Yorgos uses the Greek term Bugonia (or Buogonia), the belief that bees spontaneously generated from the decaying carcass of a dead cow or ox, to put his own Greek stamp on the story, while connecting it to the original, where bees and beekeeping also play an important role.

I am a huge fan of Yorgos Lanthimos. His movies have so many layers that they make me think about them long afterward, regardless of the topic. This is another thought-provoking movie, as it invites us to question whether madness lies in conspiracy or in the world that breeds it. I love how he plays with familiar conspiracy theories and phrases even regular viewers are aware of, such as “I did my research”, or “I get my news from unbiased sources”, and how he visually toys with the idea of a flat Earth throughout the movie.

Emma Stone is outstanding as Michelle Fuller, marking her 5th collaboration with Yorgos, as another success. She is most impressive when her character uses corporate persuasion skills when talking to the captors; this is mesmerizing and chilling at the same time. Those scenes make you understand Michelle's success and the kind of intelligence and manipulation that fuel her power. I love that we can see the powerful female character in the mainstream cinema in all her complexity, even though what she stands for is probably everything that is wrong about our world, even outside of this movie. This is a woman who can stand her ground, has her integrity, even in a situation where anyone would be scared and broken. Her character is very well complemented by excellent Jesse Plemons as Teddy, the main conspiracist and beekeeper, and Aidan Delbis as Don, his partner conspiracist.

In my movie-obsessed world, at least until now, Yorgos can do no wrong. So, this is another of his movies that I am adding to my list. I am highly recommending it for all the fans of Yorgos and others, who are ready to open their mind and dive into this bizarre, unforgettable ride.

*Bugonia* | Focus Features | premiered on Monday at ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL. There is only one more opportunity to see this movie at the festival, happening today. The tickets are still available, so hurry up to get them. If you miss it, the movie is expected to hit cinemas in October 2025 🎥📻

Follow the link for more screenings and tickets: https://zff.com/en/movies/bugonia-98398

Das ZFF bringt die aufregendsten Autorenfilme aus der ganzen Welt nach Zürich. Meisterwerke und Premieren, die später Oscars gewinnen.

03/10/2025

Helen has a bond with her father that is stronger than with anyone else in her family or her life. They love the same things, have the same hobbies, and share the same sense of humor. After her father suddenly passes away, Helen’s whole world shatters into pieces. Struggling with grief and searching for a way forward, she turns to falconry, a hobby she shared with him. There she connects with an unlikely companion: a female goshawk whom she names Mabel. Wild, stubborn, and untamed, Mabel challenges Helen as much as she guides her, forcing her to break down and face her deepest emotions.

With *H is for Hawk*, director Philippa Lowthorpe (ig: ) adapts Helen MacDonald’s memoir into a moving and atmospheric movie that captures this extraordinary journey of loss, resilience, and the unique bond between a woman and a hawk. The cinematography is beautiful, especially the shots in nature and close-ups of Mabel. There is much unsaid in words but expressed through visuals, from the flashback moments of Helen and her dad, to those fast ones when we are following Mabel's hunting trips. The music plays an important role in this movie as well, and I loved seeing Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch (ig: ) behind it.

I have to admit that watching this movie made me uncomfortable at times, as I wasn't sure if keeping these beautiful, wild birds in the house is the best way. But I was so much in awe of Helen's and Mabel's powerful bond and the relationship they built throughout the movie that this somehow balanced out my concerns.

Claire Foy is an excellent choice for Helen. I am not sure how much she had to practice with Mabel, but their chemistry and connection are remarkable and essential for this movie. It's hard not to fall in love with Mabel. Her intelligence, elegance, and powerful presence are simply mesmerizing. Their journey begins in uncertainty, grows into companionship, and ultimately transforms into a deep bond that enables Helen to confront her loss and rediscover herself and her path back to life.

I am excited to add this movie to my , and I recommend seeing it on the big screen. I left the cinema determined to purchase Helen MacDonald’s memoir, which I plan to read after the festival.

*H is for Hawk* | Filmcoopi Zürich | Film4 premiered on Monday at ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL, with Philippa Lowthorpe and Claire Foy in attendance to answer questions. There is only one more opportunity to see this movie, happening on Sunday. Don’t miss it, there are still some tickets left, but in high demand 🎥📻

Follow the link for more screenings and tickets: https://zff.com/en/movies/h-is-for-hawk-98996

Das ZFF bringt die aufregendsten Autorenfilme aus der ganzen Welt nach Zürich. Meisterwerke und Premieren, die später Oscars gewinnen.

03/10/2025

It is Iraq in the 90s, the time under Saddam Hussein’s regime. Nine-year-old Lamia and her grandmother struggle to survive with sanctions, food shortages, and daily uncertainty. Things turn for the worse when Lamia gets the 'honor task' from her school to bake a cake for the President's Birthday. What would be a fun and exciting task under normal circumstances becomes almost an impossible mission in Iraq at that time. Lamia's search for ingredients, accompanied by her rooster, Hindi, becomes a dangerous journey through the absurdities of life under dictatorship.

With *The President’s Cake* (ig: .presidents.cake), director Hasan Hadi transforms this mission impossible into a beautiful story about resilience, childhood forced into politics, and the quiet strength of a girl trying to keep her world from collapsing. He uses his own childhood experiences to paint the picture of Iraq in the 90s, enabling us to see the world at that time, which we know mostly from the news, from the perspective of the people living through it. We see the best and the worst in people, as it is expected when living in a world where most of them are left to fend for themselves, and sometimes at the cost of others.

It is impossible not to get emotional when watching this movie. It is like a rollercoaster ride. As Lamia navigates through obstacles and moments of hope, and we can read all of her reactions from subtle emotions in her eyes and on her face, they also go straight into our hearts and make us feel together with her.

The movie reminds us about the nonsense of wars, politics, and “usual” measures introduced by external forces, like sanctions and bombing. Not only do they not achieve anything regarding the regime they are set to “fix”, but they make life even harder for the normal people, especially children and young people, who will experience, without any doubt, trauma for the rest of their lives. Yes, I say this from my own experience, as someone who also grew up under similar circumstances.

The casting is absolutely perfect. Baneen Ahmad Nayyef as Lamia is brilliant; she makes this determined, intelligent girl so real that at times this felt like a documentary. There is no screaming, no loud reactions, not even much crying from this little girl; her despair and sadness are carried in her eyes and body language. She is beautifully supported by the rest of the cast: Waheed Thabet Khreibat as her grandmother Bibi, Sajad Mohamad Qasem as her best friend Saeed, and Rahim AlHaj as Jasim, a man with a heart. And of course, Hindi, her rooster🐔

This is a movie to cry, laugh, and watch with your heart. And it is an important story to tell, especially in these times. So, without any doubt, this is another one of my .

*The President’s Cake* | Filmcoopi Zürich | Films Boutique | Sony Pictures Classics premiered on Monday at ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL, with Hasan Hadi in attendance to answer questions. If you missed the premiere and another screening on Tuesday, there are still two more opportunities to see this movie during the festival; one already this afternoon. Don’t miss them. Both are on the last tickets, so hurry up to get them 🎥📻

Follow the link for more screenings and tickets: https://zff.com/en/movies/the-presidents-cake-99543

Das ZFF bringt die aufregendsten Autorenfilme aus der ganzen Welt nach Zürich. Meisterwerke und Premieren, die später Oscars gewinnen.