Half God, Ema, and The Vanishing Half
Featuring an interview with Elizabeth Lo
Welcome to the sixty-eighth installation of The Q : your one-stop weekly newsletter of culture recommendations.
Album
Half God by Wiki
New Wiki albums drop from the sky like how storks drop babies. It’s been over a decade since Wiki and his group RATKING burst onto the scene, and years later, he still brings the exact same focused energy that drew everyone to him in the first place.
Film
Ema directed by Pablo Larraín
The tone of Pablo Larraín’s Ema is derived from its opening shot, which idly shows a traffic light being engulfed in flames. The camera pans out to reveal the perpetrator — a woman who stands observantly on an empty street with a flamethrower across her back. Ema pulses with the wicked heat of fire and flames, coupled with an eclectic unpredictability that leaves the viewer addicted.
Book
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet is a novel that follows two twins, Stella and Desiree, as they go through their lives, separating, reconvening, and touching the lives of those around them. Bennet’s book explores issues of racial identity and belonging, gender identity, family (both blood and found), privilege, and relationships — all while managing to stay historically accurate.
Playlist
Alice’s “it’s fall 2021” features Aninha, Zella Day, and MUNA
Alice’s favorite track: “ABC” by Park Hye Jin
Description: “Some boppin tracks to celebrate the changing of seasons…bye bye summer…”
Podcast
Episode #63: Cereal Milk and an Interview with Elizabeth Lo
On this week's episode, Sam and Teresa interview Elizabeth Lo over a glass of cereal milk. Elizabeth Lo is an award-winning nonfiction filmmaker whose work has been showcased internationally, including at Sundance, MoMA Museum of Modern Art, and SXSW. Her debut feature, Stray, was released in 2021. It won the Top Jury Prize at Hot Docs and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and Critics Choice Award. Lo talks to Sam and Teresa about her fascination with documentaries, following dogs in Turkey, as well as the process of editing, directing, writing, and producing her own film.
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