Filmmakers and musicians tackle real-world social and political issues

by Soraya Ellingham About Soraya EllinghamOctober 29, 20266 links · ~26 min read · ~1 min for the TL;DR

Opening Credits by Soraya Ellingham: six links on Entertainment every day.

TL;DR

Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi adapted four pages of an unfinished Federico García Lorca play into an epic covering 90 years of Spanish history focused on gay men.
Director Felipe Bustos Sierra explained at IndieWire's Art of the Doc event why his film incorporated Glasgow's decades of social justice activism leading to a spontaneous protest.
Tom Cruise's film Digger portrays driller Digger Rockwell triggering a vast iceberg five times the size of Washington DC, making the commercial flop an apt climate movie.
Kevin Morby and Lonnie Holley released a single to raise funds for gun safety, with Morby calling it the darkest and most violent song he has ever written.
Nathan Fielder's film about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes centers its darkest moments on her deceptive, Charlie Kirk-loving fiance Billy Evans.
Daniel Lombroso's documentary Manhood follows a penis enlargement entrepreneur and his clients in an unconventional and sensitive story.

From the curator

Contemporary filmmakers and musicians are using creative work to confront political crises, history, and social controversies. NPR's 5 min read article reports that directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi adapted an unfinished play by Federico García Lorca into an epic spanning 90 years of Spanish history to tell stories of gay men. Christian Zilko's 3 min read article for IndieWire notes that director Felipe Bustos Sierra framed a spontaneous protest by highlighting Glasgow's long history of social justice activism. Meanwhile, Pitchfork's 1 min read article by Kiana Mickles reports that musicians Kevin Morby and Lonnie Holley released a song to raise money for gun safety, while the Guardian's 5 min read article highlights how Tom Cruise's film Digger reflects climate concerns through an iceberg disaster.

Soraya Ellingham

Curated for this issue

NPR5 min readFilmmaking is 'our weapon against intolerance,' say 'La Bola Negra' directors
Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi have turned four pages of an unfinished play by Federico García Lorca into a sweeping epic that spans 90 years of Spanish history, focusing on the…

IndieWire3 min readWatch ‘Everybody to Kenmure Street’ Director Felipe Bustos Sierra Break Down the Decades of Activism That Led to One Spontaneous Protest
At IndieWire's Art of the Doc event, Sierra explained why his film had to introduce Glasgow's long history of social justice protests.

Christian Zilko · curated 1 time

the Guardian5 min readTom Cruise’s Digger is a commercial flop – but also the perfect climate film for our time
The movie follows Digger Rockwell, whose drilling triggers a vast iceberg that’s five times the size of Washington DC

Pitchfork1 min readKevin Morby and Lonnie Holley’s New Single Raises Money for Gun Safety
“It is far and away the darkest and most violent song I’ve ever written”

Kiana Mickles · curated 1 time

the Guardian7 min readIn You Can See Everything, it’s Elizabeth Holmes’s partner who makes for 2026’s timeliest villain
Nathan Fielder’s conversation-igniting film on the Theranos founder finds its darkest moments in her deceptive, Charlie Kirk-loving fiance Billy Evans

IndieWire5 min read‘Manhood’ Review: Penis Enlargement Documentary Curves Left of Center
Daniel Lombroso's 'Manhood' documentary follows a penis enlargement entrepreneur and his clients in a bizarre but sensitive tale.

Ryan Lattanzio · curated 1 time

Comments

Loading comments

From the curator

NPR5 min readFilmmaking is 'our weapon against intolerance,' say 'La Bola Negra' directorsJavier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi have turned four pages of an unfinished play by Federico García Lorca into a sweeping epic that spans 90 years of Spanish history, focusing on the…

IndieWire3 min readWatch ‘Everybody to Kenmure Street’ Director Felipe Bustos Sierra Break Down the Decades of Activism That Led to One Spontaneous ProtestAt IndieWire's Art of the Doc event, Sierra explained why his film had to introduce Glasgow's long history of social justice protests.

the Guardian5 min readTom Cruise’s Digger is a commercial flop – but also the perfect climate film for our timeThe movie follows Digger Rockwell, whose drilling triggers a vast iceberg that’s five times the size of Washington DC

Pitchfork1 min readKevin Morby and Lonnie Holley’s New Single Raises Money for Gun Safety“It is far and away the darkest and most violent song I’ve ever written”

the Guardian7 min readIn You Can See Everything, it’s Elizabeth Holmes’s partner who makes for 2026’s timeliest villainNathan Fielder’s conversation-igniting film on the Theranos founder finds its darkest moments in her deceptive, Charlie Kirk-loving fiance Billy Evans

IndieWire5 min read‘Manhood’ Review: Penis Enlargement Documentary Curves Left of CenterDaniel Lombroso's 'Manhood' documentary follows a penis enlargement entrepreneur and his clients in a bizarre but sensitive tale.