The Maine Pod Week

hi again :) enjoying our new regular output? you BETTER be!!! it’s good to talk to your friends about the stuff you see in movies that activates your lizard brain. it’s not ACTUALLY a scary episode, we had a lot of fun talking about:* new offerings! * fun shirts* Nate’s theater major (he only gets to use it so often, okay??)* scary technology* scary vacuums* the canine-cinematic conundrumenjoy! check out showtimes.themaineplayweek.com and let us know what you think! and as always, follow us @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Brunswick-born director Sam Dunning is back home to tour his canoeing mockumentary Canoe Dig It? all around Maine, and he stopped by the Pod Week to chat about:* bullying your friends into seeing his movie* DIY film distribution is just emails and spreadsheets* what makes the film work with a theatrical audience* favorite Letterboxd reviewsSee CANOE DIG IT? at your local cinema this month:April 2 at 7pm | Nickelodeon Cinemas, PortlandApril 10 at 7pm | Magic Lantern Theater, BridgtonApril 11 at 7pm | Eveningstar Cinema, BrunswickApril 17 at 7pm | The Waldo Theatre, WaldoboroApril 22 at 7pm | Black Bear Cinemas, OronoApril 28 at 7pm | Colonial Theatre, BelfastMay 1 at 7:45pm | Smitty’s Cinemas, TopshamCatch The Maine Pod Week’s interview with Sam last summer when Canoe Dig It? premiered at the Maine Outdoor Film Festival. Follow @canoedigitfilm on InstagramFollow The Maine Playweek!SubstackInstagram: @themaineplayweek Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

the oscars are over and DONE with! how was that for you? was it everything you dreamed of? was train dreams snubbed? this week we’ll talk about:* Conan* delicious puns* going to the movies* not going to the movies* trailers * the trouble with spidered menGet yourself a tee! and as always, follow @themaineplayweek on Instagram instead! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

When Nate is away the mice will play! Or at least stumble through a solo recording and editing session. In this episode, Julia talks about a few films that got Academy Award nominations but that were short-lived or not-at-all-lived in theaters. And good news— some of these have special screenings coming up around town! Listen for more about:* when distributors prioritize certain films over others* you still have a chance to see the Andrea Gibson doc not on Apple TV+!* motorcycle-riding feminists* the most beautiful film of the year was cheated from its silver screen moment* Oscar-themed Playweek merch!!!! Shop the Golden Statue Collection here. Events mentioned:Come See Me in the Good Light - February 28 & March 6 | PMA Films, PortlandCutting Through Rocks - March 11 | SPACE Gallery, PortlandFollow The Maine Playweek!InstagramFacebookBlueskyThreadsSubstack email newsletter Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Happy 2026! how many movies did you see last year?that’s it?? cmon now. Maybe your resolution should be to go to the movies more. In this episode, we resolved to talk about:* playing catch up with the theatrical releases* Rockland based fashion trends* James Cameron’s obsessions* Tubi* sodium intake for those with a strong sense of free will* putting your phone away in the goddamn theater* new programming!don’t worry about how many times Nate says “we’re off to the races” in this episode! he’s working on it! Follow @themaineplayweek on Instagram instead! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Julia and Nate are back at it! and we’ve got some great new music to reel you in and some HARD FACTS AND DATA to make you think about:* Josh O’Connor* Austin Powers date nights* where you can see Train Dreams in theaters (nowhere right now I’m sorry everyone)* Josh O’Connor* our movie survey results (take it here)* IMAX expansionism* Josh O’ConnorFollow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Julia and Nate recorded remote for the first time! wow! hope it still sounds good please don’t be mad if it doesn’t xoxoxox :) instead of focusing on audio quality, focus instead on our chat about:* making the leap from radio to television* Richard Linklater’s busy schedule* the good folks at the Eveningstar* popcorn 101* the joy of watching a movie at home* how good we are at knowing the names of movies, actors, and how to pronounce themFollow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Hello everyone we’ve got another hot ep for you. Somehow Nate managed to post within the same week of recording—what a concept! get those ears primed for blisteringly good discussions of:* battles, one after another* crossing state lines* how do you pronounce Haim?* messed up theater screens* region-locked mediaFollow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

In preparation for the screening of Videoheaven at SPACE Gallery, we had the pleasure to chat with the film’s director Alex Ross Perry and editor Clyde Folley. We talk video stores, curation, the importance of horror films for video rental stores, and much more.Videoheaven is playing on October 27th at SPACE Gallery at 7pm.Want to win a pair of tickets to see Videoheaven at SPACE? Comment below or share this interview and tag us on social media (btw, we’re @themaineplayweek on Instagram and @themaineplayweek.bsky.social on Bluesky) and you’ll be entered to win! We’ll contact the winner on October 25th. Good luck! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Our very own Charlie Beck designed a T-shirt that is a love letter to Maine cinemas past and present, using newspaper ads and clippings from local Maine publications. It’s a wonderfully complex design, so we had to have him on the podcast to talk about it!Take a closer look at the design and buy your TMPW T-shirt here-- they're comfy! The Maine Playweek: the way cinema should be. Follow us:Website: themaineplayweek.comWeekly newsletter: themaineplayweek.substack.comInstagram: @themaineplayweekFacebook: The Maine PlayweekBluesky: @themaineplayweek.bsky.social Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

We sat down with Gaspard Hirschi, the director of I Am Night at Noonday, to discuss a wide variety of topics. In case you missed it, we wrote about the film prior to the festival and has stood out as one of our favorites.To check out more coverage of CIFF ‘25, check out themaineplayweek.com as well as our Instagram @themaineplayweek Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

well everyone being the producer on these made my laptop explode. a month and a half and a bunch of data recovery later and I have our August 5th ep all edited. this one’s a fun one! hope you like:* being so back* film festival summaries and theatrical run predictions* old films* new films* proposals?!?!?!!Follow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! thanks for listening xoDonate to Nate’s emotional recovery fund at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe. Take the Maine Moviegoer Survey so we can learn more about who goes to the movies!To listen more, visit themaineplayweek.com. Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

We sat down with Reid Davenport, director, and Colleen Cassingham, producer, to discuss their new film Life After. We discussed the story of Elizabeth Bouvia, what it’s like to show a film in Camden, and some favorite film experiences.For more info on Life After, check out their website: www.lifeafterfilm.com Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

We sat down with director/writer Kaitlyn Schwalje and director/cinematographer Alex Wolf Lewis to discuss their new documentary premiering at the Camden International Film Festival, Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong. We discuss what it’s like to be fascinated by wastewater treatment plants, learning the nitty-gritty of the state you love and call home, and, of course, popcorn.Follow them on Instagram at @cardboard_seagull_films.Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong premieres at CIFF on Saturday, September 13th at 2pm at the Camden Opera House. Tickets here.To hear more, visit themaineplayweek.com. Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

We sat down with writer/director/actor Sam Dunning to discuss his film Canoe Dig It?, a mockumentary about the quirky world of freestyle canoeing. The Maine-born director shares how he gained the trust of the actual freestyle canoeing community to help authentically portray the sport, while creating a cozy, character-driven comedy that celebrates the unique oddities of Maine culture.Canoe Dig It is playing as part of the Maine Outdoor Film Festival today (7/24) at 8pm at SPACE Gallery. Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Aaaand we’re back for another one! Nate is now fully in charge of production and he finally figured out how to set audio levels! We’re looking forward into the next few weeks and months of film releases and festival season in Maine. Buckle up for:* MIFF (miff.org)* MOFF (moff.film)* slammin’ summer blockbusters* Clive Owen* OUR festival picksFollow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the third episode of The Maine Pod Week, a project of our mothership, The Maine Playweek. In this episode, Nate and Julia talk about:* seeing a movie with 40 high schoolers* the importance of booking ahead* IMAX viewing angles* how the heck can you tariff a movie?Follow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the second episode of The Maine Pod Week, a project of our mothership, The Maine Playweek. In this episode, Nate and Julia talk about:* Introductions* TMPW mission statement (sort of?)* What the hell is a playweek?* The Portland film community loves David Lynch* A NICE INDIAN BOY (is 2025 the year of the rom-com?)* JAWS 50th anniversary!!* Physical media (Nate loves the bargain DVD bins, and will Julia start collecting VHS?)Follow @themaineplayweek on Instagram! Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Maine Pod Week, a podcast from The Maine Playweek. Co-hosts Nate Stephenson and Julia Dunlavey discuss Maine movie theaters, their in-theater viewing experiences, and what's worth the ticket price. What’s in this episode:- Our seating faux-pas at Falmouth Flagship Cinemas for THE BRUTALIST- An unexpected cinematic experience at a local Portland dive bar - Thoughts on THE SUBSTANCE from two horror movie scaredy cats- Extremely timely Oscar predictions and snack puns 🙃 Get full access to The Maine Playweek at themaineplayweek.substack.com/subscribe