Beatrice Loayza

Beatrice Loayza is a film critic, editor, and historian based in Brooklyn, New York. She is a contributor to the New York Times, the Nation, the Criterion Collection, 4Columns, Film Comment, and other publications.

Outlet/s: New York Times, Criterion, Film Comment, the Nation, etc. 

X: bealoayza

Instagram: bea_loayza

Website: beatriceloayza.com

Location: New York.

Movie location I call home: Jane Fonda’s apartment in Klute. 

What was the film or experience that made you want to write about the screen?
Catherine Breillat’s Fat Girl. 

What do you think are the major issues facing contemporary film criticism?
Film is no longer the dominant form of entertainment, meaning film sections, film-specific publications are in decline, subsumed by general “entertainment” sections that have less of an interest in rigorous analysis and specialized knowledge. 

How can film criticism stay vital in 2024?
By consistently questioning prevailing “discourses”. 

What's one piece of advice that you'd give an emerging critic today?
Read all kinds of books, not just film ones. Indulge your curiosities and make yourself an expert in the things you really love best.

Who's a critic that has inspired you?
Amy Taubin, Serge Daney. 

Who’s a critic that everyone should be reading right now?
Erika Balsom, A.S. Hamrah, Leo Goldsmith.

What's the best thing you’ve seen this year so far? (Can be a new or old film.)
New: The Beast
Old: The Unfaithful Wife

What's your MIFF 2024 theme music?
“Another Night” – Real McCoy