In the Studio With: The Virgin Suicides (1999) feat. Maya Williams

We welcomed Maya Williams (ey/they/she) back to the show to discuss their new chapbook of poetry, Feminine Morbidity, along with Sofia Coppola's 1999 feature debut, The Virgin Suicides. Based on Jefferey Eugenides' 1991 novel, this film follows the Lisbon sisters and their parents who are reeling after the youngest sister, Cecelia, takes her own life. In this episode: mental health portrayals in Hollywood; protecting teen actors; the fetishization of sadness; bad parents and even worse wigs; the Mystical Lands of Suburbia; giving girls agency in life and in death. Our recommendations: Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li, Mustang (2015), Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Picnic at Hanging Rock TV Series (2018) Feminine Morbidity is the Headline Review 2025 Poetry Chapbook Prize. You can pre-order Maya's new collection here: https://www.theheadlightreview.com/store/p/chapbook-feminine-morbidity-by-maya-williams Follow Maya on IG @/emmdubb16 Follow Maya on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/emmdubb16.bsky.social Visit their website: https://www.mayawilliamspoet.com/ Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub