The Headless Edit: No.3
Welcome back to The Headless Edit - a curated list of things which have kept me inspired and entertained over the past month.
My March included a trip back to my hometown of Glasgow and many, many design project deadlines. Whether they were watched while on the long train up to Scotland or listened to during one of quite a few late nights in the studio, I’ve had the pleasure of consuming a lot of good stories over the past month.
From documentaries about therapeutic crafting and iconic civil rights activists to articles about anxiety spirals and cinematography on a budget, here are 10 things my eyes and ears enjoyed in March…
A Nice Indian Boy
Film ✹ Starting off strong - this is my new favourite film. An introverted doctor brings his white boyfriend home to meet his traditional East Indian family. Heartfelt hilarity ensues. I have always loved Jonathan Groff. I now also love Karan Soni. I will need to write a full article about why I’m so obsessed with this movie. In the meantime, go watch it.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Documentary ✹ In March, I started a Culture Club with some faraway friends. It’s part-book-club, part-film-club. Our first pick was a documentary about the iconic singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone. I learnt a lot about her complex personal life and long-lasting legacy. We all enjoyed both the documentary and the discussion it inspired.
April’s pick (which I chose) is Until August by Gabriel García Márquez. Maybe it will feature in a future edit…
“I wrote this on Saturday, when I was at home alone and found myself paralysed by anxiety and had to come up with a plan. This isn’t a cure, just a set of small things that sometimes help me interrupt the spiral.”
- Amy Catriona
Pulling Myself Out of an Anxiety Spiral by Amy Catriona
Article ✹ What it feels like when your anxious mind is spiralling out of control for no apparent reason. And a list of simple things which might help stop it. An incredibly relatable read. Currently pondering what my own version of this article would look like…
Bridgerton
TV Show ✹ At first, I was frustrated by the lack of queer storytelling in Bridgerton. Now, I actually really admire the way they are introducing queer (and also neaurodiverse) characters in a way that is subtle and slow. Plus, it’s a very pretty world to spend time in.
Inside Rachel Brosnahan’s Art-Filled New York Home
Home Tour ✹ I got lost down another rabbit hole of home tours. My favourite was another by Architectural Digest. I had never heard of Rachel Brosnahan, but I like her home. I’m obsessed with all of the art in it. And all of the things that aren’t art that she’s turned in art.
“Can you imagine what would have happened if the prudes got at it!”
- Jackson Parrell
Heated Rivalry’s Cinematographer Shares the Visual Secrets Behind the Hit Series
Interview ✹ It’s Nice That’s Olivia Hingley talks to Jackson Parrell about the best TV show of the year/decade/my entire life - Heated Rivalry. An in-depth, technical look at how a small budget was used to make a huge hit. I’m now even more impressed by the show.
The Quilters
Documentary ✹ A short, thought-provoking and emotive film by Jenifer McShane. Telling the story of men in a Missouri maximum-security prison who design and sew beautiful, personalised quilts for foster children. The juxtaposition of the softness of textiles and the harshness of the context in which they are being created is extremely powerful.
I Swear
Film ✹ The true story of John Davidson. Growing up with Tourette’s syndrome in the 1980s, it follows his journey from a misunderstood and mistreated child to a proud campaigner and educator. Funny, hard-hitting and enlightening in equal measure. Plus, it’s set in Scotland which makes everything better.
“She was tired of living her life thinking constantly about how she appeared to others, checking her answers against everyone else’s.”
- Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Book ✹ A novel has never made me feel so hungry. One of the biggest books of the past few years. It really is as good as everyone says. A twisty plot. Complex characters. Feminism. Anti-feminism. Mouth-watering food descriptions. This story has it all.
After Hours’ Bookshop Identity Spotlights a Piece of Sydney’s Queer History
Article ✹ An iconic bookshop in Sydney gets a rebrand. Unexpectedly, this marks the store’s final chapter. This It’s Nice That article tells the story behind the design. It highlights the importance of queer literature. And queer safe spaces. And queer heritage. And why we need to protect all of these things.
What's the best thing you watched, read, listened to or looked at over the past month? I would genuinely love to know, so please do get in touch with any recommendations.