The BFI Podcast: Andrew Haigh, Beast director Michael Pearce, interactive film and 80s cinema

We go wild this week with a menagerie of animal-based filmic bits and bobs from across the British film industry. Weekend and 45 Years director Andrew Haigh leads in Lean On Pete, his Pacific Northwest-set drama about a wandering teen and an ageing racehorse; Writer-director Michael Pearce introduces his sprightly, nasty debut Beast and film-maker John Bradburn displays an infectious enthusiasm for Pandemic, his interactive film about pig-human hybrids. Plus, we talk to New York film journalist Nick Pinkerton about The Other Side of the 80s, his extended feature about alternative 80s film-making, which makes Sight and Sound's front cover next issue. Nick is technically an animal, which we mention only to stretch our conceit to its breaking point.

*Play Pandemic here! https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/pandemic-behind-the-scenes/*

The BFI podcast - four stories from across the British film industry - is written, presented and produced by Henry Barnes: twitter.com/henryhbarnes?lang=en.

This episode contains clips from the following:

- Lean On Pete, directed by Andrew Haigh and released in 2018 by Curzon Artificial Eye.

- Pandemic, directed by John Bradburn and released in 2018 by The Science Museum.

- Cutter's Way, directed by Ivan Passer and released in 1981 by United Artists.

- The Breakfast Club, directed by John Hughes and released in 1985 by Universal Pictures.

- E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, directed by Stephen Spielberg and released in 1982 by Universal Pictures.

- The Terminator, directed by James Cameron and released in 1984 by Orion Pictures.

- Back to the Future, directed by Robert Zemeckis and released in 1985 by Universal Pictures.

- Beast, directed by Michael Pearce and released in 2017 by 30 West.

This episode contains the following music, all used under license via Audio Network, unless otherwise stated:

- Throwback Jack, written and performed by Tim Garland. Released in 2003.

- Island Love, written and performed by Tom Peters and Lorenzo De Feo. Released in 2017.

- Your Love Part Two, written and performed by Lyndrey Holder. Released in 2017.

- Time is on Your Side, written and performed by Pete Masitti and John Andrew Barrow. Released in 2017.

- Left of the Dial, written and performed by Alex Chilton and The Replacements. Released in 1985.

- Don't Skip Out on Me, written and performed by Richmond Fontaine. Released in 2016.

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