The Lorehounds

Elysia is joined by documentary and TV editor Rebecca June Lane (IMDb) to break down highlight's from the year in documentary filmmaking, starting with this year's Oscar nominees and expanding to recommendations (or anti-recommendations) for more of the most talked about 2025 documentaries and beyond.
The five nominees, and related docs (00:06:58)
More recommendations (01:11:21)
More fun docs (01:29:43)

Note: All film discussion in this episode is spoiler-free.

Documentary Feature nominees:
Come See Me in the Good Light (USA) – trailer, info (Apple TV)
Cutting Through Rocks (Iran) – trailer, info (DocPlay in June)
Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Russia) – trailer, info (to rent)
The Perfect Neighbor (USA) – trailer, info (Netflix)
The Alabama Solution (USA) – trailer, info (HBO Max)

Other films discussed: André Is an Idiot (USA, in theaters: Mar 6 [US]), Viva Verdi! (Italy, Jolt.film), Prime Minister (New Zealand, HBO Max), My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow* (Russia, Mubi: Apr 3), 2000 Meters to Andriivka* (Ukraine, to rent), Coexistence, My Ass!* (Israel/Palestine, on tour), Holding Liat* (Israel/USA, NPO [NL] / select theaters [US]), The House I Live In (2012, USA, to buy), “Classroom 4” (USA, PBS), “Armed with Only a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud” (USA/global, HBO Max), Apocalypse in the Tropics* (Brazil, Netflix), Yanuni* (Brazil, to rent: Eventive), Predators (USA, Paramount+), The Librarians (USA, PBS), “The ABCs of Book Banning” (2023, USA, Paramount+ / Roku), I’m Not Everything I Want to Be (Czechoslovakia/Japan, Metrograph), Cover-Up* (USA/global, Netflix), Vice Is Broke (USA/global, Mubi), Riefenstahl (Germany, Hoopla / Kanopy / Kino / to rent), The Propagandist (The Netherlands, NPO [NL] / to rent: OVD [US]), Afternoons of Solitude (Spain, Mubi / to rent), “Marion” (2024, Spain, Vimeo), Grand Theft Hamlet (USA, Mubi), Diane Warren: Relentless (USA, Hoopla / Kanopy / to rent), The Life Ahead (2020, fiction, Italy, Netflix), Tell it Like a Woman (2022, fiction, various countries, YouTube / etc.), Sally (USA/space, Disney+/Hulu), Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (USA, Kanopy / Kino / to rent), Deaf President Now! (USA, Apple), My Mom Jayne (USA [mostly], HBO Max), LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (USA, NPO [NL] / Hoopla / Kino / to rent), Secret Mall Apartment (USA, Netflix), Unknown Number: The Highschool Catfish (USA, Netflix)
*Other shortlisted doc features: Folktales (Norway, Kanopy / to rent), Mistress Dispeller (China, Kanopy / to rent), Seeds (USA, on tour)

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2025 at 7 pm ET (on ABC/Hulu in the US) – where it's aired around the world
Check how many Oscar nominees you've seen at OscarsDeathRace.com – or with extended stats and access to the animated shorts via DeathRaceTracking.com

Oscars 2026 coverage
Nominations + Best Picture preview
Live-Action, Animated, & Documentary Shorts 
Production Design, Costumes, Makeup & Hair
International Features
Documentary Features (this episode)
Score & Original Song
Animated Features
Cinematography, VFX, Editing, Sound
Adapted & Original Screenplay, Director
Lead & Supporting Actor & Actress, Casting
Ceremony reactions + Best Picture rankings

Deep dives into 2026 Oscar nominees
Sinners
One Battle After Another – pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3
Frankenstein
Weapons
Shorts: “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” “The Singers,” “Retirement Plan,” and “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
For subscribers: 
Leiden IFF – WhachaWachin (Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, Arco + Rental Family, Left-Handed Girl)
Imagine Fantastic FF – WhachaWachin (The Last Viking)

Additional awards coverage
BAFTAs shorts
BAFTAs features
Independent Spirit Awards

Revisit Oscars 2024 & 2025: links in these show notes

Contact Us
Questions or comments? Visit us at our website where you can use the contact form or use the voicemail feature. Or, send an email to [email protected].

Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

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David and John recap another emotional episode of The Pitt. The system is down, the whiteboards are up, and the Olgilvies are Olgilvie-ing.
View our Free Show Guide Online:
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Elysia is joined by Mexican film critic Héctor Serrano to tour the best cinema of the year from around the world, from this year's five Oscar nominees to highlights from the shortlist and beyond:
Best International Film – history & rules (0:04:02)
The 5 nominees (0:16:54)
Shortlisted films (01:02:55)
Other awards & more recs (01:26:16)

Note: All film discussion in this episode is spoiler-free.

Find Héctor Serrano at: El Cinéfilo Latino

Nominees Discussed:
International Film nominees:
It Was Just an Accident (France [Iran]) – trailer, info (VoD)
The Secret Agent (Brazil) – trailer, info (VoD, theaters)
Sentimental Value (Norway) – trailer, info (VoD)
Sirāt (Spain) – trailer, info (theaters, VoD likely March)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia [Palestine]) – trailer, info (theaters, VoD March 10)

Other films discussed: A Useful Ghost (Thailand; to rent), The Sea (Israel; to rent), No Other Choice (South Korea; to rent), “Close Your Eyes, Hind” (The Netherlands [Palestine]; NPO [NL only]), Four Daughters (2023, Tunisia; Hoopla, Kanpoy, Kino), The President’s Cake (Iraq), Sound of Falling (Germany), Left-Handed Girl (Taiwan; Netflix), Kokuho (Japan), Homebound (India; Netflix), All That’s Left of You (Jordan [Palestine]; to rent), Nouvelle Vague (France; Netflix), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia; HBO Max), A Poet (Colombia), Rietland (The Netherlands; to rent [NL]; Elysia’s review), The Propagandist (The Netherlands; NPO [NL]), We Shall Not Be Moved (Mexico; Disney/Hulu, Kanopy), The Things You Kill (Canada [Turkey]; Hoopla, Filo), Banzo (Portugal), Sore: Wife from the Future (Indonesia), The Ugly Stepsister (Norway; Hulu, AMC+, Shudder, Mubi, Philo), The Last Viking (Denmark), Resurrection (China; Elysia’s review), Magellan (The Phillippines [Portugal]) 

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2025 at 7 pm ET (on ABC/Hulu in the US) – where it's aired around the world
Check how many Oscar nominees you've seen at OscarsDeathRace.com – or with extended stats and access to the animated shorts via DeathRaceTracking.com

Oscars 2026 coverage
Nominations + Best Picture preview
Live-Action, Animated, & Documentary Shorts 
Production Design, Costumes, Makeup & Hair
International Features (this episode)
Documentary Features
Score & Original Song
Cinematography, VFX, Editing, Sound
Animated Features
Adapted & Original Screenplay, Director
Lead & Supporting Actor & Actress, Casting
Ceremony reactions + Best Picture rankings

Deep dives into 2026 Oscar nominees
Sinners
One Battle After Another – pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3
Frankenstein
Weapons
Shorts: “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” “The Singers,” “Retirement Plan,” and “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
For subscribers: 
Leiden IFF – WhachaWachin (Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, Arco + Rental Family, Left-Handed Girl)
Imagine Fantastic FF – WhachaWachin (The Last Viking)

Additional awards coverage
BAFTAs shorts
BAFTAs features
Independent Spirit Awards

Revisit Oscars 2024 & 2025: links in these show notes

Contact Us
Questions or comments? Visit us at our website where you can use the contact form or use the voicemail feature. Or, send an email to [email protected].

Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

John is joined by Marilyn R. Pukkila to discuss Of Túrin Turambar, the twenty-fourth portion of The Silmarillion. They discuss the Norse origins of Túrin, the effects of curses and expectations, and the changes in Thingol.
Marilyn's Website
Marilyn R. Pukkila, Research & Instruction Librarian Emerita, Colby College
Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
linktr.ee/thelorehounds
Deep lore questions, comments and/or thoughts to share? Send us an email at [email protected]
Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

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The Triarchy of John, Elysia, and David are briefly joined by Anthony to recap the finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. They discuss anachronistic music, cold but kind fathers, and subtle digs are George Martin.
Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: [email protected]
Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates: linktr.ee/thelorehounds
Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy