CONTAINS SPOILERS Mass hysteria – or otherwise known as psychogenic illness, has been around since the medieval times. It is most common in closed, womens communities, and to this day, psychologists haven’t figured out the reason to why it occurs in the first place. It often led to yet another reason to oppress women, and …
Our ‘Women Film-Makers’ segment wants to try to showcase the work of budding women directors. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be making films as a profession, or submitting them to festivals, you can submit something you made for a school project, or just lil experimental stuff you’ve shot by yourself or with friends. All we need is a …
Our ‘Women Film-Makers’ segment wants to try to showcase the work of budding women directors. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be making films as a profession, or submitting them to festivals, you can submit something you made for a school project, or just lil experimental stuff you’ve shot by yourself or with friends. All we need is a …
‘San Junipero’. ‘Dirty Dancing’. ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’. On the surface, none of these seem to connect. One tells the story of two women that fall in love against the backdrop of an alternate universe, created for those that would prefer a life beyond death, and based in a coastal Californian heaven. Another centres on …
SQ: Hi Barbara, it’s been two years since we last spoke with you for the first Directed by Women! Aside from now expanding to an entire month from its original 15 days, how else has DBW grown and developed since 2015? BOL: It’s great to talk with you again. I’ve loved celebrating with you these …
Another year has passed and once again its time to celebrate the work of women filmmakers during Directed by Women which runs throughout September. If your idea of participation involves chilling at home solo or with your mates, we’ve compiled a list of women directed viewing options currently available on Netflix UK. #Horror (2015) dir. …
Let me be clear: I love women. I’m an outspoken, Bechdel-reading feminist writer. I believe diversity of representation is vital in the arts, and I don’t endorse nor tolerate bigotry and exclusion. I resent the male-as-default cinematic status quo, and have no interest in ‘defending’ a privileged demographic. But I have a confession to make: …
In the last year, Hollywood has graced the American viewer with a few female action heroes to capitalize on the growing popularity of mainstream feminism. Most notably this year, Gal Gadot in Wonderwoman and Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell made headlines for trailblazing as strong female action leads, not without fair criticism from … Continue reading
I’ve noticed a pattern in my TV watching habits. I begin a lot of shows but finish few of them, a trend which is especially true for TV dramas. While my gnat-like millennial attention span may be partially to blame, I also blame the shows themselves. After stellar beginnings, their charms wane and, almost … Continue reading
The “Jaws Shot” is one cinema’s most iconic images. When Chief Brody spots a shark, the camera swiftly zooms into his face as the background shifts around him. This is called a dolly zoom, a cinematic tool to visually express the internal emotions or mental state of a character during a significant point in their … Continue reading
It isn’t news to claim that horror genre in film, and in particular, the zombie genre, is a tired one. Over the past decade or so, countless superficial movies, which often involve a group of rather ill-informed teenagers and a poorly imagined menace, have dominated cinematic horror. Not only do these films usually lack any … Continue reading
After 1930 films have traditionally relied upon the voice to communicate narratives. Another consistent through line can be located in cinema’s “skilled and satisfying manipulation of visual pleasure,” to quote feminist theorist Laura Mulvey. These trends converge in performance of the on-screen female. Construction of an archetypal female for film reifies woman’s objecthood within the … Continue reading
With each new superhero film crowding your local cineplex, it is difficult to reminisce of a time when only a scarce number were in the ‘know’; when they catered to an unambiguous demographic which, of course, was inherently male. Now, between each respective cinematic universe, i.e. that of DC and that of Marvel (and whatever … Continue reading
To claim that mainstream media often fails to ensure that marginalised people are given accurate, let alone positive, representation would be an understatement. How often do we come across major, big-budget films and television programmes that present minorities as more than mere tokens, and don’t disregard them as disposable sidekicks for the hero? How often … Continue reading
