Film & Media

What Stories Lie Behind the Lens of Calla Fleischer?

What makes a photograph linger in your mind long after you have turned the page? In Stories Untold , internationally renowned photographer and adventurer Calla Fleischer offers an answer through nearly 400 pages of arresting, deeply human images gathered over more than a decade of travel. Launching in the UK on 3 February, the book brings together Fleischer’s work across ten countries, spanning the Americas, South Asia, Europe and the Middle East. From Cuba and Guatemala to E

Feb 161 min read

Why Is the BFI Increasing Documentary Funding by 20 Percent?

As the BFI’s UK wide delegate partner, Doc Society will distribute funding across feature documentaries, immersive projects and short films, while also strengthening talent development. The uplift means expanded production and development finance, including a new immersive fund and a dedicated development strand for feature length documentaries. There will also be two targeted production funds, one for emerging directors and another for mid career to established filmmakers, a

Feb 161 min read

Why Is Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller Only Now Getting His First UK Exhibition?

How is it that one of Austria’s most important 19th century painters has never had a dedicated exhibition in the UK until now? In summer 2026, the National Gallery will finally correct that oversight with Waldmüller: Landscapes (2 July to 20 September 2026), the first British exhibition devoted to the landscape paintings of Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793 to 1865). Organised in collaboration with the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, which is lending the majority of the works, th

Feb 131 min read

What Stories Lie Behind the Lens of Calla Fleischer?

Feb 161 min read

Why Is the BFI Increasing Documentary Funding by 20 Percent?

Feb 161 min read

Why Is Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller Only Now Getting His First UK Exhibition?

Feb 131 min read

Could These Two Coming-of-Age Films Define BFI Flare’s 40th Anniversary?

What better way to mark four decades of fearless storytelling than with two bold, emotionally honest coming of age films? The 40th edition of BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival (18th–29th March 2026) has announced its Closing Night Film and Special Presentation and both feel perfectly suited to a milestone year. Closing the festival on 28th March at BFI Southbank is the UK premiere of Black Burns Fast , written and directed by Sandulela Asanda. The film centres on Lutha

Feb 131 min read

Is Citizen Kane Still the Greatest Film of All Time? Critics Think So

What makes a film truly timeless? Is it innovation, emotional depth, cultural impact or that indescribable feeling it leaves behind? According to members of the London Film Critics’ Circle, the answer may well be Citizen Kane (1941), which has just been voted the greatest film currently streaming on BFI Player. But what’s striking about this poll isn’t just the winner it’s the company it keeps. Sharing second place is an extraordinary mix of films that span decades and cont

Feb 131 min read

Avatar : The Real Conflict Isn’t Fire It’s Loss

One of the quieter but most consistent fan discussions is about loss. Not just death, but the slow erosion of certainty, safety, and belief. Many viewers feel that Fire and Ash isn’t actually about fire as a weapon. It’s about what happens after repeated loss of land, people, and trust. Fire becomes a symbol, not the cause. This reading explains why characters feel more withdrawn. Neytiri, in particular, is often discussed as someone carrying unresolved grief rather than ra

Jan 11 min read

Avatar Fire & Ash : A Turning Point Film, Not a Standalone Story

Many fans believe Fire and Ash is designed less as a complete story and more as a turning point. Unlike earlier films that end with clear resolution, this one feels positioned to leave things unsettled. The damage shown emotional and environmental doesn’t look easily repaired. That has led to discussions about long-term consequences rather than short-term victories. Viewers have noticed how the film emphasizes fractures: between clans, within families, and even within Jake

Jan 11 min read

Varang as a Mirror to Jake Sully, Not His Opposite

Another strong theory is that Varang isn’t meant to oppose Jake Sully she’s meant to reflect him. Fans point out that Jake, in the earlier films, also made extreme choices to protect his people. He abandoned one world, embraced another, and didn’t hesitate to use violence when necessary. At the time, those choices were framed as heroic. Varang’s actions, by contrast, are viewed through a more uncomfortable lens. She is protecting her people too, but without the same support

Jan 11 min read

Are the Ash People Really the Villains or Just Survivors?

One of the most common discussions around Fire and Ash is whether the Ash People are meant to be villains at all. Many viewers don’t see them that way. Instead, they see a group shaped by environment, loss, and long-term pressure. Unlike other Na’vi clans, the Ash People live in places where the land gives very little back. Volcanic ground, fire, and ash don’t allow for the same balance seen elsewhere on Pandora. Survival, not harmony, becomes the priority. This has led many

Jan 11 min read

Should You See It in Cinemas Or Wait?

Most questions around Fire and Ash are practical. People want to know whether it’s worth seeing in a cinema or better to wait. The film clearly favors the big screen. Long shots, detailed environments, and slow pacing benefit from space and sound. For many viewers, that’s the main reason to go. Interest appears strongest outside the US, especially in countries where Avatar films have always done well. That pattern hasn’t changed much. As for watching at home, expectations ar

Jan 11 min read

Global perspectives on science, culture and media

Film & Media

What Stories Lie Behind the Lens of Calla Fleischer?

Why Is the BFI Increasing Documentary Funding by 20 Percent?

Why Is Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller Only Now Getting His First UK Exhibition?

What Stories Lie Behind the Lens of Calla Fleischer?

Why Is the BFI Increasing Documentary Funding by 20 Percent?

Why Is Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller Only Now Getting His First UK Exhibition?

Could These Two Coming-of-Age Films Define BFI Flare’s 40th Anniversary?

Is Citizen Kane Still the Greatest Film of All Time? Critics Think So

Avatar : The Real Conflict Isn’t Fire It’s Loss

Avatar Fire & Ash : A Turning Point Film, Not a Standalone Story

Varang as a Mirror to Jake Sully, Not His Opposite

Are the Ash People Really the Villains or Just Survivors?

Should You See It in Cinemas Or Wait?