Big Girls Don't Cry

I'm gonna be talking with...

You're gonna hear from writer-director Paloma Schneiderman, and stars Annie Palmer and Rain Spencer about their New Zealand coming-of-age story Big Girls Don't Cry.

With Jane Campion serving as an executive producer, Paloma wrote and directed this queer coming-of-age story with Annie Palmer as a 14-year-old Syd and Rain Spencer as the free-spirited Freya.

And you've also got Noah Taylor in here rounding out the cast as Syd's dad.

Big Girls Don't Cry opens in New Zealand cinemas and gets a US screening in Los Angeles and New York on October 8th, 2026, with more play dates to follow.

Had a great time talking with these ladies.

I hope you have a great time listening.

Just 10 comedians talking in gibberish whilst naked, put this real heart to the story.

[laughs]

I've done movies that are way tinier [laughs] than Big Girls Don't Cry, where I'm literally in a closet, and, like, I'm genuinely happy.

Um, so yeah, no, I'm...

I, I think sometimes, uh, it's really nice to, to just be, like, in random locations or, like, your holding room is, like, you know, a school, like a classroom, like a janitor's closet or something.

Now you're doing the thing.

Yeah, and it's so cool, and I think it's really awesome, like, seeing... 'Cause I, I love the way that you pick your projects as well.

Like, to go from that and then coming Down Under to do, um, Big Girls Don't Cry.

How do you decide what projects that really gravitate towards you? Like, are you reading the scripts, or do you have, like, someone that pre-reads them and goes, "Irie, can you like this one?" 'Cause you must be getting so many at this point.

A new Kiwi film is making waves on the global stage.

Big Girls Don't Cry is they d- is the debut futu- feature f- film from director Paloma Schneiderman.

It's been selected for international festivals, won a Grand Prix award at a presti- prestigious festival in France, and has drawn praise from Hollywood A-listers.

[gentle music] I'm not like a geek or anything.

I always knew what was gonna happen before it happened, but not because that was unoriginal, but because all of those things happen to all of us.

Kristen Stewart there, uh, praising that film.

Paloma Schnei- Schneiderman, director of Big Girls Don't Cry, joins me now.

What is it about this film that's resonating with people?