Her Head in Films

• Hayao Miyazaki's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989)

  In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 film, 'Kiki’s Delivery Service.' It’s about a 13-year-old witch who must spend a year away from home, learning to live independently and share her gifts. As Kiki opens a delivery service and begins to grow weary and uncertain, she meets women who offer her refuge, wisdom, and friendship. I talk about how this film explores what it means to lose your magic and to slowly find it again. I recorded this at a time when I’m learning to believe in myself again after great loss.All My Sources:Deborah Levy's The Cost of LivingDiscoverGhibli on YoutubeLetters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria RilkeMore about the fictional town of KorikoYou can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is [email protected].

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• Hayao Miyazaki's 'My Neighbor Totoro' (1988)

  In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 film, "My Neighbor Totoro." It’s about two young girls who discover magical forest spirits after moving to a rural home with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. I recorded this episode in the wake of my own mother’s death, and I speak about how grief has shaped my experience of the film. I talk about watching the entire Studio Ghibli catalog and reflect on childhood, absence, and how nature and cinema offer solace when nothing else can.All My Sources:Hayao Miyazaki, The Auteur of Anime9 Facts About My Neighbor TotoroDefining the World of My Neighbor TotoroEverything You Need to Know About Japan's Iconic Studio GhibliStudio Ghibli: The Japanese Animation Powerhouse That Conquered The WorldHayao Miyazaki: The Life and Lasting Influence of the Studio Ghibli Auteur-AnimatorWhat is Hildegard's Viriditas?You can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is [email protected]. 

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• Ingmar Bergman's 'Cries and Whispers' (1972)

  In this episode, I talk about Ingmar Bergman’s 1972 film, "Cries and Whispers," a haunting and intimate portrait of a woman dying and the people around her. I begin by sharing about my own mother’s death, how I was with her to the very end, and how this film has taken on a deeper resonance for me now.Though the episode was recorded before her cancer diagnosis and passing, I was already in the role of caregiver. I reflect on how "Cries and Whispers" captures the loneliness of illness, the coldness we sometimes encounter in the world, and the deep human need for tenderness, love, and presence, especially in the face of pain, death, and the deterioration of the body.Sources:Images by Ingmar BergmanIngmar Bergman websiteYou can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is [email protected].

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• Life Update: My Mom's Cancer Diagnosis

  Note: My mother passed away on June 14th, 2025. Thank you to those who sent her a card or reached out to me. I have removed the Google document that is mentioned in this episode.This isn’t a film episode. It’s a personal update. My mom has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and I’m using this space to speak honestly about what that means for me, and what I’m carrying right now. We've been told that she has six to nine months left. This is a devastating and heartbreaking time for me. Thank you for listening.Future updates will be provided either through upcoming episodes or on my website blog where I am writing an ongoing diary about being by my mother’s side during this time.https://herheadinfilms.com/blogYou can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is [email protected].

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• Frédéric Back's 'The Man Who Planted Trees' (1987)

  In this episode, I talk about Frédéric Back's 1987 Academy Award-winning animated short film, "The Man Who Planted Trees." Adapted from a book by Jean Giono, it tells the story of a French shepherd who plants trees for decades and revitalizes an entire region. It's a film about how to live, how to care for the earth, and how to make the world a better place through small but meaningful acts. This has become one of my favorite films of all time because of the way it inspires me to think about what I want to contribute and the kind of person I want to be. I can honestly say that this film changed something inside me. This episode is an attempt to describe how this one little film has made such a profound impact on my life.You can follow me on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Tumblr. My email is [email protected].

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