Philippa Hawker

Philippa Hawker is a writer on film and the arts whose recent writing has appeared in Inside Story, The Saturday Paper, Rough Cut and Australian Book Review. She was formerly a film reviewer and arts writer at The Age, film writer at The Australian, literary editor at The Sunday Herald and editor at Cinema Papers, and taught creative writing at RMIT and the School of Studies in the Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts. She is working on a book about Jean-Pierre Léaud.

Outlets: In the past year, Inside Story, The Saturday Paper, The Age, Australian Book Review.

Instagram: @philippixels

Location: Melbourne/Naarm

Movie location I call home: Cléo’s apartment in Paris, but perhaps with fewer mirrors.

What was the film or experience that made you want to write about the screen? Seeing La Jetée in English class in the first year of high school started everything for me.

What do you think are the major issues facing contemporary film criticism? AI must surely be the major one.

How can film criticism stay vital in 2026? By existing, supporting other writers.

What’s one piece of advice that you’d give an emerging critic today? Read, for pleasure, as widely as you can, as much as you can.

Who’s a critic/writer that has inspired you? I did a workshop with dance critic Deborah Jowitt that was a wonderful inspiration for the art and practice of paying attention.

Who’s a critic that everyone should be reading right now? Shaad D’Souza.

What’s the best thing you’ve seen this year so far? The Hamaguchi season at the Melbourne Cinémathèque.

What’s your MIFF 2026 theme music? ‘I Blame Myself’ – Sky Ferreira