James Balmont
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jbalmont.bsky.social
James Balmont
@jbalmont.bsky.social
*probably posting about ambient music and foreign films*

Music supervisor @ Nower Studio
Writer @ BBC Culture, Time Out, Dazed, AnOther etc.
Musician @ Swim Deep
Pinned
RT: Very proud to share ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' with the world!

Matthew Lawrenson and I were the music supervisors for this amazing film. Huge thanks to Warner Bros, producers Tommy Harper and Natalie Testa, all the artists and rightsholders, and of course Tim Burton. Enjoy!
Reposted by James Balmont
Get ready to get CRAZY!
Crazy Thunder Road x Crazy Family
A double bill from the Japanese master of punk cinema SOGO ISHII is coming to London's @thenickelcinema.bsky.social on November 19!
With an introduction by @jbalmont.bsky.social
thenickel.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM
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Great to make my @financialtimes.com debut this wkend with a feature on the rise and rise of film music. Thanks to @kermodemovie.bsky.social, Jenny Nelson, composer Fabio Frizzi, Hans Zimmer guitarist Nile Marr, and London Soundtrack Fest dir. Michael Beek for chatting 🎵
www.ft.com/content/692d...
How film scores became stadium-fillers
As Hans Zimmer sells out arenas, even cult movie composers are taking their soundtracks centre stage
www.ft.com
November 2, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by James Balmont
Kaizo Hayashi's MAIKU HAMA TRILOGY is now out on bluray!
Order @terracottadist.bsky.social
shop.terracottadistribution.com/products/kai...
Featuring new 4k restorations and new bonus material @jbalmont.bsky.social @jslaterwilliams.bsky.social @jaspersharp.bsky.social and more!
October 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
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I caught up with Hye-jung Jeon, festival director at the excellent
London East Asia Film Festival, to chat programme highlights for the upcoming 10th anniversary event. #LEAFF
The festival kicks off on Thursday with a Leicester Square screening of Hard-Boiled! www.broadsheet.com/london/artic...
Best Films to See at the 2025 London East Asia Film Festival
According to festival founder Hye-Jung Jeon – including films by Parasite's Bong Joon-ho, cult classic Hard Boiled and more.
www.broadsheet.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Buzzing to announce our latest Swim Deep shows in Thailand and China! See you in December 🤩
October 20, 2025 at 5:09 PM
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We’ve updated the Best Korean Movies list over at Time Out. Just in time for the new Park Chan-wook and a host of great Korean movies at London Korean Film Festival! www.timeout.com/film/the-gre...
The 42 greatest Korean movies of all time
Loved Parasite and Squid Game? Dig deeper into Hallyuwood’s awesome back catalogue
www.timeout.com
October 15, 2025 at 7:28 AM
We’ve updated the Best Korean Movies list over at Time Out. Just in time for the new Park Chan-wook and a host of great Korean movies at London Korean Film Festival! www.timeout.com/film/the-gre...
The 42 greatest Korean movies of all time
Loved Parasite and Squid Game? Dig deeper into Hallyuwood’s awesome back catalogue
www.timeout.com
October 15, 2025 at 7:28 AM
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TONIGHT!
MAIKU HAMA DOUBLE BILL COMING TO LONDON!
Back to back screenings of Kaizo Hayashi's The Most Terrible Time in My Life + Stairway to the Distant Past on Aug 8 in London @thenickelcinema.bsky.social
Screenings introduced @jbalmont.bsky.social
ticketlab.app/event/35361#/
ticketlab.app/event/35362#/
October 8, 2025 at 8:14 AM
For @vicemagazine.bsky.social, I interviewed author Henry Carroll about his new @thamesandhudson.bsky.social book 'The 1990s: Visual Portrait of a Decade'. We covered everything from early cyber-culture and street art to clubbing in Berlin and Windows '95. Check it out!

www.vice.com/en/article/h...
Y2K Fashion, Digital Overload, Teenage Excess: How the 1990s Created Today
The London-born, LA-based photographer's new book isn’t just nostalgia porn. It’s a roadmap to the present.
www.vice.com
October 8, 2025 at 10:44 AM
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TOMORROW I’ll be introducing a double bill of Kaizo Hayashi sublime ‘Maiku Hama’ ‘90s neo-noir classics at @thenickelcinema.bsky.social to mark the release of @thirdwindowfilms.com, stunning new box set. Ticket links below!
October 7, 2025 at 8:43 AM
TOMORROW I’ll be introducing a double bill of Kaizo Hayashi sublime ‘Maiku Hama’ ‘90s neo-noir classics at @thenickelcinema.bsky.social to mark the release of @thirdwindowfilms.com, stunning new box set. Ticket links below!
October 7, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by James Balmont
MAIKU HAMA DOUBLE BILL COMING TO LONDON!
Back to back screenings of Kaizo Hayashi's The Most Terrible Time in My Life + Stairway to the Distant Past on Aug 8 in London @thenickelcinema.bsky.social
Screenings introduced @jbalmont.bsky.social
ticketlab.app/event/35361#/
ticketlab.app/event/35362#/
September 20, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Great to speak with the real-life “Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr and 2002 documentary producer Jon Greenhalgh about the real story behind A24/Benny Safdie/The Rock’s new movie!
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
Mark Kerr on the brutal true story behind The Smashing Machine
The wrestler’s toughest opponent wasn’t in the UFC cage but in his long, bruising battle with addiction
www.telegraph.co.uk
October 6, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by James Balmont
Caught up with director Neo Sora and composer Lia Ouyang Rusli to chat techno, clubbing, resistance and HAPPYEND for The Face! The movie is out in UK cinemas today ❤️ theface.com/music/neo-so...
Rave is resistance for the Japanese teenagers in Happyend
The dystopian techno drama is directed by Neo Sora, son of the legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. THE FACE speaks to Sora and composer Lia Ouyang Rusl…
theface.com
September 19, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Reposted by James Balmont
Ahead of a 30th anniversary screening this week at the @riocinema.bsky.social via Hong Kong Film Festival UK, I caught up with director Laurence Lau and actor Angela Au to discuss all things Spacked Out for @dazeddigital.com ! www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/arti...
Spacked Out is Hong Kong’s answer to Larry Clark’s Kids
Now marking its 25th anniversary, the cult film stands as one of the most unflinching depictions of teen angst and girlhood in modern Hong Kong cinema
www.dazeddigital.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by James Balmont
To mark the 30th anniversary of HACKERS I caught up with director Iain Softley to chat cyber-culture, raves and a bunch of other cool hack-y stuff for @dazeddigital.com ! Screenings tonight at @princecharlescinema.com / new deluxe release via @88films.bsky.social www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/arti...
Hackers at 30: The story behind the cult cyber fairytale
Director Iain Softley reflects on the legacy of the ultra-stylish cult classic, which follows a group of teen hackers in Manhattan who uncover a sinister corporate conspiracy
www.dazeddigital.com
September 18, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Caught up with director Neo Sora and composer Lia Ouyang Rusli to chat techno, clubbing, resistance and HAPPYEND for The Face! The movie is out in UK cinemas today ❤️ theface.com/music/neo-so...
Rave is resistance for the Japanese teenagers in Happyend
The dystopian techno drama is directed by Neo Sora, son of the legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. THE FACE speaks to Sora and composer Lia Ouyang Rusl…
theface.com
September 19, 2025 at 9:14 AM
To mark the 30th anniversary of HACKERS I caught up with director Iain Softley to chat cyber-culture, raves and a bunch of other cool hack-y stuff for @dazeddigital.com ! Screenings tonight at @princecharlescinema.com / new deluxe release via @88films.bsky.social www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/arti...
Hackers at 30: The story behind the cult cyber fairytale
Director Iain Softley reflects on the legacy of the ultra-stylish cult classic, which follows a group of teen hackers in Manhattan who uncover a sinister corporate conspiracy
www.dazeddigital.com
September 18, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Ahead of a 30th anniversary screening this week at the @riocinema.bsky.social via Hong Kong Film Festival UK, I caught up with director Laurence Lau and actor Angela Au to discuss all things Spacked Out for @dazeddigital.com ! www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/arti...
Spacked Out is Hong Kong’s answer to Larry Clark’s Kids
Now marking its 25th anniversary, the cult film stands as one of the most unflinching depictions of teen angst and girlhood in modern Hong Kong cinema
www.dazeddigital.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by James Balmont
Proud to be a part of this very exciting release of the Maiku Hama trilogy, directed by Kaizo Hayashi, via @thirdwindowfilms.com next month! Find my video essay on the great actor Masatoshi Nagase on disc 3 🤩 thirdwindowfilms.com/films/maiku-...
September 1, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by James Balmont
A deep delve into the dark tales of Takashi Ishii written by @jbalmont.bsky.social for @dazeddigital.com!
www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/arti...
Takashi Ishii: 4 Tales of Nami is now out as a limited edition box set from #thirdwindowfilms
Order @terracottadist.bsky.social
September 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by James Balmont
Kaizo Hayashi's Maiku Hama Trilogy (4K Remasters)
L.E. bluray digipack w/booklet @jslaterwilliams.bsky.social out October 27!
Order @terracottadist.bsky.social
shop.terracottadistribution.com/products/kai...
Bonus features @jaspersharp.bsky.social @jbalmont.bsky.social and more!
September 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Proud to be a part of this very exciting release of the Maiku Hama trilogy, directed by Kaizo Hayashi, via @thirdwindowfilms.com next month! Find my video essay on the great actor Masatoshi Nagase on disc 3 🤩 thirdwindowfilms.com/films/maiku-...
September 1, 2025 at 11:19 AM