Darren Hughes
@longpauses.bsky.social
Occasional writer and film programmer with a day job. Cinema Scope, Filmmaker Magazine, MUBI Notebook. Artistic Director, FILM FEST KNOX. www.longpauses.com
Pinned
I started my top-10-is-due-next-week film binge last night with Familiar Touch, which I loved for many reasons, the most important being Kathleen Chalfrant, who gives the best performance I've seen in years. In the character's brief moments of lucidity, she brings a full, fascinating person to life.
November 19, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I started my top-10-is-due-next-week film binge last night with Familiar Touch, which I loved for many reasons, the most important being Kathleen Chalfrant, who gives the best performance I've seen in years. In the character's brief moments of lucidity, she brings a full, fascinating person to life.
Big takeaway from conversations about film marketing and distribution at Film Fest Knox: Before you do the algorithmic breakdown of your targeted micro-audiences, you have to begin with the larger subset "People who watch movies." I'm not sure Hot Ones, Track Star, and Subway Takes fit the criteria?
all i've been saying for the last year is that press tours are the new movies & ppl are finally starting to write about it. press tour is the release. everyone is cutting the hair on mannequins, watching their old shit, or testing how well they know their co-stars. none of it gets ppl to the theater
November 18, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Big takeaway from conversations about film marketing and distribution at Film Fest Knox: Before you do the algorithmic breakdown of your targeted micro-audiences, you have to begin with the larger subset "People who watch movies." I'm not sure Hot Ones, Track Star, and Subway Takes fit the criteria?
Still committed to this. I also now block basically all podcasters, and my experience of social media is dramatically improved. Highly recommended.
I've taken a new, more aggressive approach to blocking on social media. Health, wellness, finance, self-help influencer? Blocked. Person I would find annoying if they were seated near me at dinner? Blocked. Everyone associated with that Riyadh comedy show? Blocked. Marie Kondo but the internet.
November 16, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Still committed to this. I also now block basically all podcasters, and my experience of social media is dramatically improved. Highly recommended.
Reposted by Darren Hughes
The throughline from the Epstein story to Trump's gradual decline as a political figure is one of class. It has a hook in the public's imagination not only because it's salacious but because it's about wealthy men abusing teenage runaways and that rhymes with people's own resentment towards the 1%
November 15, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The throughline from the Epstein story to Trump's gradual decline as a political figure is one of class. It has a hook in the public's imagination not only because it's salacious but because it's about wealthy men abusing teenage runaways and that rhymes with people's own resentment towards the 1%
The Romance of Astree and Celadon just popped up on Kanopy! I definitely haven’t seen it since TIFF ‘07.
November 15, 2025 at 2:40 AM
The Romance of Astree and Celadon just popped up on Kanopy! I definitely haven’t seen it since TIFF ‘07.
Reposted by Darren Hughes
Important to understand that sexual violence is political violence, enacted specifically to enforce class, race, and, yes, gender hierarchies.
I sometimes feel like they don’t want to end poverty or reduce inequality because they believe they’re entitled to a class of people they can prey upon
November 14, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Important to understand that sexual violence is political violence, enacted specifically to enforce class, race, and, yes, gender hierarchies.
I always look forward to the weeks after the film fest, when I can watch whatever the hell I want. This year I'm starting with a Jean Arthur marathon. 😍
November 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
I always look forward to the weeks after the film fest, when I can watch whatever the hell I want. This year I'm starting with a Jean Arthur marathon. 😍
Same Ross Douthat
November 13, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Same Ross Douthat
This is how it felt on the ground to me, too, but my god it feels good to see it in print.
November 12, 2025 at 5:07 PM
This is how it felt on the ground to me, too, but my god it feels good to see it in print.
New Midlake album! This collaboration with Madison Cunningham is so my shit.
Midlake - "Guardians" ft. Madison Cunningham (Official Visualizer)
YouTube video by Midlake
www.youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
New Midlake album! This collaboration with Madison Cunningham is so my shit.
Marty Supreme looks pretty good
November 11, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Marty Supreme looks pretty good
I will never forget how thrilling it was to see images this strange and beautiful on opening day.
Waiting for the /r/criterion "why is it so grainy now" takes.
November 11, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I will never forget how thrilling it was to see images this strange and beautiful on opening day.
Send me your favorite healthy dinner recipes. Now that the fest is behind me, I need to get the rest of my life back in order.
November 11, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Send me your favorite healthy dinner recipes. Now that the fest is behind me, I need to get the rest of my life back in order.
Tbh I’m more proud of Film Fest Knox than I am of my entire career
November 10, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Tbh I’m more proud of Film Fest Knox than I am of my entire career
We need more videos of babies wearing glasses for the first time. Love those.
November 6, 2025 at 9:32 PM
We need more videos of babies wearing glasses for the first time. Love those.
I just watched Spring Night Summer Night again (for a 10th time?), because I'm doing the intro at our fest on Friday, and that movie is a goddamn miracle. This image looks more like a still from a 1928 Fox production than 1967 Appalachian Ohio.
November 6, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I just watched Spring Night Summer Night again (for a 10th time?), because I'm doing the intro at our fest on Friday, and that movie is a goddamn miracle. This image looks more like a still from a 1928 Fox production than 1967 Appalachian Ohio.
This is a fun listen
The Unraveling of Debra Messing and “Liberal Zionism”
Podcast Episode · A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein · 10/03/2025 · 1h 40m
podcasts.apple.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:49 PM
This is a fun listen
Reposted by Darren Hughes
Time to check in on Debra Messing’s instagram
a close up of a cartoon cat with a yellow eye
ALT: a close up of a cartoon cat with a yellow eye
media.tenor.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Time to check in on Debra Messing’s instagram
It's days like this when I regret losing my faith in the eternal suffering of others.
November 4, 2025 at 2:21 PM
It's days like this when I regret losing my faith in the eternal suffering of others.
The film festival I direct begins in two days. 😬 filmfestknox.com
FILM FEST KNOX | November 6-9, 2025
filmfestknox.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
The film festival I direct begins in two days. 😬 filmfestknox.com
AI is super helpful: "Mark Moseley's longest field goal was a 54-yard kick in 1977 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He also made a 57-yard field goal in 1986."
November 3, 2025 at 10:02 PM
AI is super helpful: "Mark Moseley's longest field goal was a 54-yard kick in 1977 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He also made a 57-yard field goal in 1986."
Laura Dern is now three years older than Diane Ladd was in 1990, when Wild at Heart was released.
November 3, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Laura Dern is now three years older than Diane Ladd was in 1990, when Wild at Heart was released.
A film that you’ve seen more than seven times, in a GIF.
November 3, 2025 at 2:57 PM
A film that you’ve seen more than seven times, in a GIF.
Revisiting novels I haven’t read since college, and holy shit this is great. My mind drifted while reading one of those wonderfully complex Mrs. Ramsay sentences, and when I went back to find the subject (waves) the rest of the sentence fell into place and I was shook.
November 1, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Revisiting novels I haven’t read since college, and holy shit this is great. My mind drifted while reading one of those wonderfully complex Mrs. Ramsay sentences, and when I went back to find the subject (waves) the rest of the sentence fell into place and I was shook.