BEHIND THE LENS #511: Featuring Cinque Lee and Nastasya Popov

BEHIND THE LENS #511: Featuring Cinque Lee and Nastasya Popov

From Behind The Lens by debbie lynn elias

March 2, 2026 · 1h 17m

About this episode

This episode features interviews with filmmakers Cinque Lee and Nastasya Popov discussing their respective films, the comedy 'Idiotka' and the thriller 'Last Ride'.

It's a jam-packed show this week on BEHIND THE LENS with two fantastic films and two equally fantastic filmmakers, both of whom are enthusiastic, energetic, and excited about filmmaking. You'll be hearing from writer/director CINQUE LEE in the second half of the show, talking about his new film, the survival thriller LAST RIDE. But first up is my exclusive interview with writer/director NASTASYA POPOV, going in-depth about her narrative feature directorial film, the oh-so-funny fashion and family comedy IDIOTKA. In this sharp, irreverent comedy, a disgraced fashion designer with a dangerously low credit score, Margarita, enters a reality show (a la Project Runway) with a six-figure cash prize that would save her babushka's West Hollywood apartment. But as the competition intensifies, the show's slick producer Nicol pushes her to spin her family's struggle into spectacle, forcing Margarita to decide whether to play along or take control of her own narrative, one unhinged look at a time. Written and directed by Nastasya Popov, IDIOTKA stars Anna Baryshnikov, Camila Mendes, Julia Fox, Benito Skinner, Saweetie, Owen Thiele, Galina Jovovich, Mark Ivanir…

People in this episode

Guests: Cinque Lee, Nastasya Popov

Topics covered

  • film
  • comedy
  • thriller
  • interview

Keywords

  • fashion
  • family
  • reality show
  • survival
  • thriller

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Idiotka, Last Ride

Books & works: LAST RIDE, IDIOTKA, Project Runway, JO JO RABBIT, THE LONG WALK, GREENLAND 2, GAME OF THRONES, THE GREAT

Places: West Hollywood, Norway

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