The Next Best Picture Podcast

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Interview With "My Father's Shadow" Filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. Feb 05, 2026

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"My Father's Shadow" is a 2025 drama film directed by Akinola Davies Jr. in his feature-length debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother, Wale Davies, and starring Gotham Award winner Sope Dirisu. It follows a family reunion during the 1993 Nigerian election. The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Nigerian film to be selected for the festival's Official Selection. It won the Special Mention for the Caméra d'Or and was critically acclaimed, receiving numerous awards and nominations, including a British Independent Film Award and two Gotham Independent Film Awards. It was also selected as the UK's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. Akinola Davies Jr. was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from MUBI. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Kokuho" Star Ken Watanabe Feb 05, 2026

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"Kokuho" It is a 2025 Japanese historical drama film directed by Lee Sang-il and written by Satoko Okudera, based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Shuichi Yoshida, starring Ryo Yoshizawa, Ryusei Yokohama, Mitsuki Takahata, Shinobu Terajima, Min Tanaka, and Ken Watanabe. It had its world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews, particularly for its acting, directing, cinematography, makeup, and hairstyling. It has grossed $125 million in Japan, becoming the all-time highest-grossing Japanese live-action film. It was selected as the Japanese entry for Best International Feature Film, making the December shortlist, and was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards. Oscar-nominated actor Ken Watanabe was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from GKIDS. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Recap Of The 2026 Sundance Film Festival Feb 05, 2026

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It's that time of the year! It's our annual Sundance Film Festival recap podcast. For the 2026 film festival, and the final one in Park City, Utah, we have Ema Sasic, Cody Dericks, Sara Clements, and Daniel Howat joining me from Next Best Picture. Please take a listen as we reveal our favorite films from the festival and give you all a preview of the best that's to come in 2026. Thank you for listening, as always, and enjoy!

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"No Other Choice" Feb 04, 2026

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THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL REVIEW. Please check out the full podcast review on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture

For this week's second podcast review, Sara Clements, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, and Giovanni Lago join me to discuss the latest film from Park Chan-wook, "No Other Choice" starring Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won. Based on "The Ax" by Donald Westlake, the film premiered in the main competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it garnered critical acclaim. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, it was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Lee Byung-hun). It was also selected as South Korea's entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, making the December shortlist, though it was not nominated. What did we think of it though? Please tune in as we discuss the direction, performances, writing, camerawork, editing, its awards season chances (this was recorded before the Oscar nominations--Sorry!), and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Send Help" Director Sam Raimi Feb 02, 2026

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"Send Help" is an American survival horror film produced and directed by Sam Raimi and written by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon. The film stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as an employee and her boss, respectively, who become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash and attempt to survive while tension rises between them. It is Sam Raimi's first conventional horror/thriller film since 2009's "Drag Me To Hell" and has received positive reviews from critics, and grossed $28 million so far against its $40 million production budget. Raimi was kind enough to spend some time speaking with me during the Sundance Film Festival (while I was sitting on the floor of a hotel hallway trying to avoid the noise of the many people who were around me in attendance) about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from 20th Century Studios. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Episode 477 - The 2026 BAFTA, WGA, ACE Nominations, DGA Predictions & The "I Love Boosters" Trailer Feb 01, 2026

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For Episode 477, Amy Kim, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, and Ben Langford join me to discuss the 2026 BAFTA, WGA, and ACE nominations, which we received after this year's Oscar nominations. We also give our predictions for what we believe will win the DGA Awards later this week. For last week's poll, for the Oscar nominations we asked, "Which Oscar Nomination For The 98th Academy Awards Made You The Happiest?" And for this week's poll, with the conclusion of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, we're asking, "Which Film From The 2026 Sundance Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" We also give our reactions to the trailer for Boots Riley's "I Love Boosters," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more. Thank you all for listening, supporting, and subscribing. Enjoy!

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"Send Help" Jan 31, 2026

Show notes

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Josh Parham, and Cody Dericks join me to discuss the latest film from Sam Raimi, "Send Help," starring Rachel McAdams, Dylan O'Brien, Edyll Ismail, Xavier Samuel, Chris Pang, and Dennis Haysbert. Written by writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, the film finds Raimi back in his wheelhouse for the first time since "Drag Me To Hell," embellishing on the gore, horror and shock value of this two-hander survivor premise. What did we think of it, though? Please tune in as we discuss Raimi's direction, the two performances from McAdams and O'Brien, the practical effects, the wild directions the story takes, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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Interview With "A Poet" Filmmaker Simón Mesa Soto Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

"A Poet" is a tragicomedy film written, co-produced, and directed by Simón Mesa Soto. An international co-production between Colombia, Germany, and Sweden, the film had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the section's Jury Prize. The film stars Ubeimar Rios as an obsessed poet who has achieved no glory, is aging, erratic, and has become the cliche of the poet in the shadows. When he meets Yurlady (Rebeca Andrade), a teenage girl, he helps cultivate her talent. It was selected as the Colombian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. Simón Mesa Soto was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from 1-2 Special. Thank you, and enjoy!

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A Behind The Scenes Look At "The Testament Of Ann Lee" Jan 29, 2026

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"The Testament Of Ann Lee" had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews from critics, with Amanda Seyfried receiving acclaim for her performance (often described as "career-best" and earning nominations from the Golden Globe Award and the Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress. Directed and co-written by Mona Fastvold (with "The Brutalist" filmmaking and real-life partner, Brady Corbet), the historical musical drama follows the founder of the Shaker religious sect in the 18th century with a supporting cast that includes Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, and Christopher Abbott. Fastvold was kind enough to spend some time speaking with Next Best Picture Owner & Editor In Chief Matt Neglia, while Academy Award-winning composer Daniel Blumberg spoke with Dan Bayer, and Cody Dericks had the opportunity to speak with production designer Sam Bader, costume designer Gosia Karpiuk, and hair, makeup, and prosthetics designer Stephanie Pasicov. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Searchlight Pictures. Thank you, and enjoy!

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A Behind The Scenes Look At "Hoppers" Jan 28, 2026

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The first of Pixar's two films this year, "Hoppers," hits theaters on March 6th. This sci-fi, spy-thriller-influenced nature flick could be considered a major departure for the famed animation studio. While previous Pixar films are plentiful in humor, "Hoppers" is their first truly comedy-first film. Ahead of the film's release in just over a month, Pixar invited Next Best Picture to the studio to check out "Hoppers," along with an extensive look behind the scenes at how they brought this hilarious new adventure to life. We were lucky enough to get to spend some time speaking with Director Daniel Chong and Producer Nicole Grindle, Production Designer Bryan Imagire, Visual Effects Supervisor Beth Albright, and Character Art Director Anna Scott. We hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at Pixar's newest film. Thank you and enjoy!

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