gmbcorp today: PODCAST: Miranda July

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

PODCAST: Miranda July

"Is there such thing as a sincerely calculated na�vet�," asks J. Hoberman in his surprisingly quite positive review of The Future. "Or put another way, does Miranda July have any idea of how annoying she is?" The lanky 37-year-old filmmaker, author and performance artist?labeled as a quirky hipster by those charmed by her 2005 directorial debut Me and You and Everyone We Know, as well as by those who dismiss her oddball DIY sensibilities as overly twee?may prompt stronger opinions about her persona than her work. Is it because, while undeniably imaginative and frankly personal, her films always star herself? Or will some just not tolerate sudden flights of fancy, from interpretative dancing YouTube projects to anthropomorphized narrators? Ignore the jaded: July's The Future is a profoundly affecting, very funny yet far sadder piece on modern insecurities, or rather, timeless insecurities in the modern world:

When Sophie (Miranda July) and Jason (Hamish Linklater) decide to adopt a stray cat, their perspective on life changes radically, literally altering the course of time and space and testing their faith in each other and themselves.

During this year's SXSW Film Festival, I sat down with July to discuss The Future, exploring serious themes with fantastical conceits, being hyper-aware of her body shape as well as neurotic in general, and why it's not fair to use "quirk" as a pejorative.

To listen to the podcast, click here. (14:12)

Podcast Music
INTRO: IQU with Miranda July: "Kida Co-Coma"
OUTRO: Leonard Cohen: "The Future (live)"