Hello Reader, What do a British political thriller, an Indigenous Canadian documentary, and a queer South African drama have in common? Honestly… I wasn’t sure at first either. I programmed them inside Reel Ruminators because they were different: crossing genres, continents, and perspectives. And yet, in hindsight, I realized they were all circling some of the same big questions. Watching and thinking about one film changed how I watched and thought about the others. And I have an inkling...

Hello Reader, This June, you’re invited to watch a story about identity and family — where politics show up in relationships, not speeches. Nothing traumatic happens on screen. Instead, you get duty and ritual, love and relationships — and the kind of arguments you only have with the people who know you best. Why I chose it: It’s short — just 1h36m, easy to fit in It’s feel-good and thoughtful — goes down easy, stays with you It’s not streamable in North America — but the director has...

Hello Reader, Welcome to your June edition of The Globetrotting Watchlist. This month, we’re focusing on Palestinian cinema — films that grapple with occupation, resistance, and identity, often under impossible constraints. Inside Reel Ruminators, I’ve programmed a Palestinian film you can’t stream anywhere else in North America. It’s a rare find, and a powerful one — so I wanted to build a broader cinematic lens around it here. In this newsletter, you’ll find a selection of publicly...