Film at the end of the world, with Ben Rivers

This week, we’re launching the latest edition of Klassiki Picks, our series of watchlists curated by our friends in the world of cinema and Eastern Europe. In this hot seat this time around is prolific British artist and filmmaker Ben Rivers, the director of last year’s Bogancloch among many other wonderful films. His latest feature, Mare’s Nest, which is set to premiere in competition at the Locarno Film Festival in the next few days, is a post-apocalyptic tale about a young girl wandering a depopulated world. With that in mind, Ben has picked a fascinating quartet of titles for his Klassiki season: four films that explore the end of the world, whether literal or metaphorical – from sixties Czechoslovakia to eighties Turkmenistan, covering sci-fi weirdness, nuclear paranoia, and the threat of social collapse.

Host Sam Goff speaks to Ben about the appeal of this End Times cinema, as both viewer and filmmaker. Their free-ranging discussion takes in the post-apocalyptic mood of both Mare’s Nest and his Klassiki Picks, the history of Eastern European sci-fi, children on film, and the enduring influence of Aleksandr Sokurov on his work.

Make sure to explore Ben’s Klassiki Picks, available to subscribers from 7 August.

Listen above or head to your favourite podcast app to subscribe now. The Klassiki Podcast is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, Audible, and more.

Intro music by Juliet Merchant.