456: From Standing Ovations to Side-Eyes: BGN Breaks Down TIFF 2025

BGN breaks down the films screened at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, which celebrated its 50th year.  Jamie and Chalice cover the majority of the films they screened at the festival from the good to ones that gave us some major side-eye. Hosts: Jamie Broadnax and Chalice Williams Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome filmmaker Zamo Mkhwanazi. Making her feature debut, her movie Laundry will premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival under the Discovery selection. Filmmaker Zamo Mkhwanazi’s quietly powerful debut Laundry crafts an intimate portrait of a Black family navigating the uneasy privileges and hidden costs of exemption within the violently unequal system of apartheid South Africa. The film is set in 1968, the same year that negative international opinion against apartheid fomented during the Summer Olympics but 26 years before the end of the institution. Host: Jamie Broadnax Edited by: Jamie Broadnax Music by: Sammus For more information on when and where to screen Laundry go here. The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept 4-14th.

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we chat with Amina Mucciolo, the founder of Cloudland and Studio Mucci. She's also the author of the book "A Rainbow In Your Cloud". Amina is a self-described “unicorn, creative visionary, digital influencer” and the woman behind the decor company, Studio Mucci.  Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we chat with actor, writer and director Nnamdi Asomugha about his new film The Knife. Construction worker Chris (Nnamdi Asomugha) is prepared to do whatever he can to build a solid life for his family, yet his plans are thrown into disarray after a mysterious woman appears in their new home late one night. By the time police arrive, the intruder is lying on the kitchen floor unconscious, a knife in her hand, and it falls to steadfast Detective Carlsen (Melissa Leo) to uncover the truth about what happened. Under questioning, Chris, his wife Alex (Aja Naomi King) and their young daughters Ryley (Aiden Price) and Kendra (Amari Price) close ranks, hoping to safeguard one another’s secrets—but the choices they make lead to consequences graver than they could ever imagine. The Knife opens in theaters August 15th. Host: Jamie Edited by: Jamie Broadnax Music by: Sammus Photo credit: Alex Reside

On this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast we chat with 'Alien: Earth' Series Creator Noah Hawley and Alex Lawther. Alien: Earth is FX's upcoming sci-fi horror series created by Noah Hawley, expanding the iconic Alien franchise with a grounded, serialized story set on Earth for the first time. Taking place in the year 2120—30 years before Ripley’s story begins—the series explores a near-future where Earth is dominated by rival biotech corporations like Weyland-Yutani and Prodigy. When a deep-space research vessel crash-lands on Earth carrying something inhuman, chaos unfolds.  Host: Jamie Edited by: Jamie Broadnax 'Alien: Earth' premieres Aug 12th on FX

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we interview Sonia Denis of Marvel TV's 'Ironheart'. Sonia Denis plays "Clown", the crew’s unpredictable pyrotechnics specialist. Sonia is an Emmy-nominated writer and rising actor whose credits include High Maintenance, BoJack Horseman, and A Black Lady Sketch Show. In Ironheart, she brings chaotic humor and magnetic energy to the underground world. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

BGN interviews TV director Sam Bailey of Marvel Studios' Ironheart. From co-creating the Emmy-nominated web series Brown Girls to directing and producing Dear White People, Sam’s work has consistently centered Black voices in ways that feel intentional, resonant, and bold. Ironheart continues that legacy — following Riri Williams, a young Black woman genius from Chicago who builds a suit more advanced than Iron Man’s and steps into her power. Ironheart is currently streaming on Disney+ Host: Chalice Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

BGN interviews actor KiKi Layne of the Netflix film The Old Guard 2. Andy leads immortal warriors against a powerful enemy threatening their group. They grapple with the resurfacing of a long-lost immortal, complicating their mission to safeguard humanity. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

BGN interviews Victoria Mahoney for the Netflix film 'The Old Guard 2'. Victoria Mahoney is one of the few Black women directing a Netflix action blockbuster taking on the reigns after Gina Prince-Bythewood directed the first film. She worked as second-unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and made her debut feature Yelling to the Sky. The Old Guard 2 builds on its predecessor with a darker, more urgent storyline: the stakes are personal (Andy can now die), the mythology expands (immortals’ origins), and relationships are tested—from Quynh’s vengeance to Joe & Nicky’s bonds. With global action and new threats, the sequel aims to balance action spectacle with emotional resonance, all under Mahoney’s focused direction. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

BGN interviews filmmaker Eva Victor to discuss the A24 film Sorry, Baby. Something bad happened to Agnes, but life goes on for everyone else. When a beloved friend on the brink of a major milestone visits, Agnes starts to realize just how stuck she's been, and begins to work through how to move forward. Host: Chalice Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax Sorry, Baby premieres in theaters June 27th.