Victoria Luxford
UK-based writer and broadcaster Victoria writes about film for AMEX Essentials. With over a decade’s experience in journalism, she draws on her extensive knowledge and contacts to bring you the best of cinema. She discusses her love of storytelling, New York and chocolate below…
You write about film for amexessentials.com. What most inspires you about the subject?
I love cinema’s ability to reflect who we are, and who we wish to be. Any number of lessons or adventures can be hiding behind the movie theatre curtain!
What kind of details do you look for?
Something that shines a new light on a familiar story. Maybe it’s a behind-the-scenes anecdote from an interview, maybe it’s just rewatching a classic scene and noticing something I didn’t see before. If I can find something that reveals a new side to a film or performance everybody knows, it sparks a fascination in me and, I hope, the reader.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve covered?
I’ve always found movie premieres a strange thing to witness in person. The glamour is all for the cameras; in reality the red carpet is rather chaotic, with hundreds of people clamouring to get a fleeting moment with one actor. It’s an interesting portrait of celebrity, and meeting famous people is always a surreal experience.
What’s the next big thing?
Diversity, both in the stories we’re being told and the people telling them. Cinema should be about discovery, not just being told the same thing over and over. Seeing things in a different perspective is a wondrous thing to me, and as a Queer film lover, seeing new LGBTQ+ stories being told is something I never thought possible growing up. Filmmakers such as Greta Gerwig, Steve McQueen and Chloe Zhao have broken the barriers as to what artists from various backgrounds can achieve in the mainstream. I’m excited to see what future generations bring to the screen.
What social media channel inspires you most and why?
I’m very active on Twitter (@JLFilm), but I love Instagram (@JVLuxford). There’s more room for curation and inspiration. I enjoy telling stories through pictures – about myself and the people I love. I’m fascinated by TikTok, but I don’t know if you’ll ever see me dancing on there!
What website do you check first every day?
Aside from AMEX Essentials?!? BBC News or The Hollywood Reporter. As well as getting the latest headlines, I’m drawn to interesting reporting and, of course, good writing.
How do you relax?
When I’m out, I love meeting friends in London or Birmingham, discovering new places. Indoors, I took up Dungeons & Dragons at my wife’s request during the 2020 lockdown, and it may be my new favourite thing!
Film or TV?
Film is my first love, and as wonderful as some television is, nothing compares to the things I have felt in a movie theatre.
Books or ebooks?
Books. They’re cheaper, feel nicer and never run out of battery.
Wine or beer?
Beer. I have tried sporadically to get into wine, but I just don’t enjoy it. Also, the craft beer movement has brought some sophistication back to beer drinking.
Street food or fine dining?
I’m not averse to street food, but restaurants can be much more relaxing. The weather in England does not always lend itself to outdoor dining!
Favourite place?
My favourite place in the whole world is the street in Greenwich Village, New York where I used to live. It was a formative time for me in my younger years, where everything seemed possible, and revisiting it years later with my wife made it all the more meaningful.
Your secret travel tip?
Don’t experience things from behind a screen. Take lots of pictures if you want, but memories are more valuable than uploads.
Your three travel essentials?
Comfortable shoes, podcasts and research.
Your essential luxury?
Chocolate – I have a very sweet tooth.
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