The Miss Independent Podcast

3.30 - Sentimental Value: Processing emotions and closure through art.

And here we are, our season 3 finale! This week, we’re closing out the season with Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi), a 2025 Norwegian drama directed by Joachim Trier. The film follows two sisters, Nora and Agnes, as they navigate the sudden return of their filmmaker father, Gustav, who abandoned them years prior. Starring Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, the film is a powerhouse that earned 9 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.  To toast the finale, we’ve paired the film with The Pale Rose by Sacha Lichine. We were immediately drawn to the label, which evokes the elegance of Golden Age Hollywood. Just as there is so much complexity behind the scenes of a movie, there is a deep, emotional "sentimental value" beneath the surface of this story. And, a message for our listeners: We are eternally grateful to you for carving out time in your busy lives for our chaotic thoughts. We’re already buzzing for next season: new films, new interviews, new ideas, and, of course, new wines. We’ve been pushing ourselves creatively on and off the mic, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next. We’re taking some time this summer for vacations and family trips, but while we’re away, it would mean the world if you shared the podcast with your friends and family. We’ll see you in August for the Season 4 premiere. Until the next season (and sip!)

3.29 - Hamnet: Family, Love, and Legacy.

It’s hard to believe next Tuesday is our season three finale! To celebrate, we’re wrapping up the season with two indie films that dominated this past awards circuit. This week, we’re diving into the 2025 film, Hamnet. The story follows William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, as they celebrate the birth of their son, Hamnet. However, when tragedy strikes and Hamnet dies young, it inspires Shakespeare to write his timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Directed by Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao, the film stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, alongside Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Jacobi Jupe. Fun fact: Jessie Buckley actually took home the Oscar for Best Actress this past season for this incredible role. We’ve paired Hamnet with a 2023 Averaen Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. Shoutout to Chantal for the assist on this pairing! This name is a loose translation for “Bird Queen,” a combination of the Latin Avis (bird) and the French Reine (queen). It mirrors the opening scene of Jessie Buckley with a hawk perfectly. It’s amazing to how these pairings always seem to align. Whether you’ve already seen Hamnet or it’s still on your watchlist, we can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

3.28 - Good Grief: Cursed, Chaotic, and Finally Recorded

Join us in celebrating our 50th episode!  Good Grief from 2023, written and directed by Dan Levy, was the very first indie film we experienced together in theaters three years ago - and it will forever hold a special place in our podcast history as the film that started it all. Good Grief is an intimate story about love, loss, and the messy process of moving forward. It follows Marc as he navigates the sudden loss of his husband and travels to Paris with friends, uncovering truths about his relationship, his identity, and the life he thought he knew.  It’s a film that sits in the uncomfortable spaces: unanswered questions, evolving identities, and the quiet, often complicated reality of being human. Guys…we’ve recorded this episode multiple times, and at this point, we’re convinced it’s a little cursed. Between lost audio, scheduling chaos, and everything in between, this film really put us through it. But for our 50th recording, we made it! To celebrate this milestone, we went all out with not one, but TWO, beverages.  The first: La Gioiosa Treviso Prosecco, our sparkling, celebratory pick that truly sets the bar with its crisp, refreshing, and festive profile. And for a non-alcoholic counterpart: Mionetto Prosecco, offering the same light, bubbly experience so everyone can join in on the celebration. Lastly, we want to thank all of you, our incredible listeners, for being part of this journey. Whether you’ve been here since day one, joined us halfway through, or are just tuning in now, your support means everything to us. Here’s to many more episodes, more stories, and to finally, breaking the curse!

3.27 - Petite Maman: A Sip Through Time.

Petite Maman (2021), directed by Céline Sciamma, is a French fantasy drama that follows 8 year old Nelly as she copes with the loss of her grandmother. While helping her parents clear out her grandmother's home, Nelly meets a mysterious girl who resembles her mother as a child, giving her a unique window into her parent's past. We've paired Petite Maman with Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Mother Clone Zinfandel. The name Mother Clone felt especially fitting for the story, echoing the film's exploration of motherhood, memory, and connection. Even the label itself evoked the sense of a safe, intimate space that runs through the film. Sometimes the wine gods guide us to the perfect pairing before we even realize it.

3.26 - Good Luck to You, Leo Grande: A Room, A Stranger, and The Radical Act of Wanting More

Let’s dim the lights and step inside something a little more revealing with Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; a sharp, funny, and surprisingly moving story about what it means to rediscover yourself and start again. At its heart, this film is about women reclaiming their power - owning their desires, their bodies, and their right to feel joy without apology.  It challenges agism, reframes the idea of sex work, and reminds us that self-love isn’t something you age out of… it’s something you grow into. Sometimes, what you’re searching for shows up in ways you never expected. Pairing it with the Keplinger Hangman’s Red Wine from 2017 feels just right - bold, layered, and a little untamed. With rich notes of dark fruit and spice, it mirrors the film’s emotional depth and slow unraveling of inhibition. Not a passive watch - or sip. Both invite you to lean into discomfort, vulnerability, and the beauty of truly seeing yourself.