“The Royal Hotel”, interview with director Kitty Green

September 28, 2023

Kitty Green, director of "The Royal Hotel": "We don't need to show the violence against women to actually talk about it".

"The Royal Hotel", interview with director Kitty Green Chiara Nicoletti

Podcast | Download

At Kinótico, on the occasion of the special coverage of the San Sebastian Film Festival, in collaboration with FRED Film Radio, we talked with Kitty Green. The director and scriptwriter surprised the industry, film critics and the audience with her powerful and concise “The Assistant”, a film depicting ,from the margins, Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse and harassment. It was well-received by critics, who especially praised Julia Garner’s performance and the film’s claustrophobic depiction of office life.

The American film director competes for the Concha de Oro in San Sebastian with “The Royal Hotel“, a suspense film with Julia Garner again in the leading role .

“The Royal Hotel” premiered at the Telluride and Toronto festivals. before screening in Zinemaldia.

Interview by Dani Mantilla

Plot

Americans Hanna and Liv are best friends backpacking in Australia. After they run out of money, Liv, looking for an adventure, convinces Hanna to take a temporary live-in job behind the bar of a pub called 'The Royal Hotel' in a remote Outback mining town. Bar owner Billy and a host of locals give the girls a riotous introduction to Down Under drinking culture but soon Hanna and Liv find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control.

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

Kinótico

Guest

Dani Mantilla Kitty Green

Film

The Royal Hotel

Festival

San Sebastian Film Festival

Rate it

Channel posts

News

Locarno Film Festival

Locarno Film Festival 2026 awards: You Don’t Belong Here wins the Pardo d’Oro

August 16, 2026

Florin Șerban’s You Don’t Belong Here leads the Locarno Film Festival 2026 palmarès, with major awards also going to Hong Sangsoo, Monica Bellucci, Kim Minhee and Petra Volpe.

Interview

Locarno Film Festival

“Atcha Atcha”, interview with director Mamadou Dia

August 13, 2026

Atcha Atcha highlights the vibrant African dance scene and its fragile cultural roots, showcasing movement, identity, and the power of local expression.