Episode #44 - Welcome to the sixth Fresh Air Award! Four cinephiles continue a Fourwind Films tradition of awarding a film that pushed cinema forward the most as an artform during a particular decade. To be nominated, a motion picture has to have advanced cinema in some way and made a lasting impression on how movies are made. This episode delves into the decade frought with the greatest war ever known to humanity, World War II.

To start the episode, our host, Justin Joseph Hall goes through a quick history lesson on what was happening in cinema business during the decade.

The four cinephiles who select the nominees in this panel are cinephiles Kevin Cecil, Justin Joseph Hall, John Robert Hammerer, and Kevin Hinman. Any moving images that came out in the appropriate decade is eligible for nomination. Nominations spanned documentaries, shorts, animated films, and feature films. They featured cinema with thoughtful use of the first green screen, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome patients, and maybe the most immediately influential film in all of cinema’s history.

Here is the link to all the nominations: 1940’s Fresh Air Award Nominees - Letterboxd list

There were several overlaps, but here are the main nominations made by each panelist:

Kevin Cecil’s nominations

Citizen Kane (1941)

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Hellzapoppin’ (1941)

Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Justin Joseph Hall’s nominations

Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Von Gogh (1948)

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Begone Dull Care (1949)

John Robert Hammerer’s nominations

Citizen Kane (1941)

Cat People (1942)

Fantasia (1940)

Fireworks (1947)

Rome, Open City (1945)

Kevin Hinman’s nominations

Citizen Kane (1941)

Children of Paradise (1945)

Let There be Light (1946)

Fireworks (1947)

The Red Shoes (1948)

We hope you enjoy this episode! Share with us your own lists, comments, arguments, and films that we left out via social media @fourwindfilms. We’re on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Thank you to our cinephiles who did joined this out of their passion.

Credits for podcast:

Production Company - Fourwind Films

Fresh Air Award Contributors for 1940’s Decade - Kevin Cecil, Justin Joseph Hall, John Robert Hammerer, & Kevin Hinman

Host, Producer - Justin Joseph Hall

Sound Mixer - Hans Bilger

Intern - Olaf Jiménez

Special Thanks - Laura Davi

The theme song of Season 6 is New Tires by Silent Partner.

Additional Music - One Machine at a Time & Driving Nowhere by Shonali.

Episode ID: 1000721941883

GUID: 534db263e4b0aa841368d884:59dbc06dd7bdcefd908366ef:688f7491650f075001065aef

Release Date: 14/08/2025, 11:39:00