The Arts Hour

Nikki Bedi is joined by critic Guy Lodge to discuss cultural highlights of the week: Australian auteur Baz Luhrmann on his second film about the King of Rock n Roll....EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert. American author Julia Quinn, creator of the bestselling Bridgerton books shares why she’s so drawn to this Regency period of history. Scottish filmmaker Aidan Zamiri talks about bringing ‘Brat summer’ to the big screen in his mockumentary, The Moment with Charli XCX. Spanish director Oliver Laxe on creating desert raves in his extraordinary film Sirāt.Filmmaker Alessio Rigo de Righi talks to Nikki about his Italian western, Heads or Tails. And Grammy award-winning Icelandic singer Laufey on the joys of working with an orchestra.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Nikki Bedi and critic Leila Latif look ahead to the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, while speaking to the following Oscar contenders:Director Chloe Zhao and actress Jessie Buckley on HamnetBrazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho and actor Wagner Moura on The Secret Agent Multiple Academy Award winning Greek auteur, Yorgos Lanthimos, on BugoniaTunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania discusses the making of The Voice of Hind RajabAnd Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso talks about creating the look of Train Dreams

Nikki Bedi is joined by critic Zing Tsjeng to discuss cultural highlights of the week:Australian actor and movie producer Margot Robbie on her experience filming Emerald Fennell’s racy take on Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.Venezuelan-American theatre maker Moisés Kaufman explains what inspired his latest play, Here There Are Blueberries.Hollywood leading man Ethan Hawke discusses his Oscar-nominated role as the prolific Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart in Richard Linklater’s film, Blue MoonNorwegian director Mona Fastvold talks about their film, The Testament of Ann Lee, with star Amanda Seyfried.And Iranian-born British actor Paul Chahidi describes how music from his native country provided the backdrop to his childhood in the UKPlus, Nikki interviews Polish director Jan Komasa about his unsettling new film starring Adolescence's Stephen Graham. The Good Boy will be screening at London's Barbican as part of the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival on 11 March, ahead of an international release later in the month.Photo credit: Zuzanna Krajewska

Nikki Bedi is joined by critic Katie Puckrik to discuss cultural highlights of the week:Oscar winning British actor Riz Ahmed on his film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, set in London Hollywood star Kristen Stewart on her directorial debut, The Chronology of Water Japanese composer Dai Fujikura talks about turning Hokusai’s famous painting, The Great Wave, into a new opera Author Sadiqa Johnson reveals how the real history of a Black American GI in Germany inspired her latest novel Oscar nominated Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso, tells Nikki Bedi about his filming techniques for Train Dreams And Kirsty Sinclair Dootson explains her dual fascination with the mid twentieth century explosion in colour film coinciding with social and political changes in India.(Photo: Adolpho Veloso. Credit: Courtesy of Adolpho Veloso)

Nikki Bedi introduces the Arts Hour podcast. Your weekly cultural companion, featuring guests and opinions on what's happening in art, theatre, film, TV, music and more. Find us at bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts.