Posts tagged Women in film at Cinematical

Posts with tag women in film

Discuss: This Millennium's Movie Misogyny

Posted Mar 3rd 2008 9:02PM by Monika Bartyzel
Filed under: Fandom, Lists

There are two main reasons that I love movies. One -- they offer creative, fluffy, informative, and/or intellectual enjoyment and stimulation. Two -- they offer a brief vacation from reality with a handy serving of inspiration. If I'm feeling sluggish, I'll pop in an energetic film. If my work lags, I'll pop in something with professional women. Or rather, I'll try. I came to realize over the years that to pick a film with any sort of female-centric inspiration usually meant that I'd have to forgive something else.

The female star may be professionally successful, but she's neurotic. Or she is obsessed with beauty and fashion. Or she wants to have a family. The lady butt-kicker might be tough, but she's also half-naked, or doomed, or... Each female protagonist might have modern aspects, but there's almost always a stereotypical aspect tacked along with it.

Over at Radar, they've compiled a list of what they call the most misogynistic movies since 2000. Some you might agree with, others you probably won't. But it's interesting once you start laying out the films that have popped up on the big screen over recent years. Do you agree with this list of alleged offenders? Which ones are they forgetting? What do you think of the state of women in film as a whole? What cinematic stereotypes are you sick to death of? Discuss!

[via IFC]

Sundance Panel: Women in Film

Posted Jan 22nd 2008 9:02AM by Kim Voynar
Filed under: Sundance, Festival Reports, Cinematical Indie

The Women in Film panel was held yesterday, and there was the usual interesting mix of women to mingle and network with. The first hour or so is networking time, as the panelists arrive at staggered times to allow press access for quick interviews and photo sessions. This year's panel, which was moderated by Lucy Webb of Women in Film Los Angeles, included Patricia Clarkson (Blind Date and Phoebe in Wonderland), Pamela Cuming (co-screenwriter, Downloading Nancy), Lauren Greenfield (Director Kids + Money) Ellen Kuras (DP/Director/writer Nerakhoon (The Betrayal)), Sharon McGuire (Director/Screenwriter, Incinderary) Amy Redford (Director-The Guitar Premiere), and Marina Zenovich (Director Roman Polanski: "Wanted and Desired").

During the networking time, I chatted a bit with Amy Redford, Ellen Kuras and Women in Film director Jane Fleming. I asked Fleming about the need to have panels focused on women in film, and whether we might ever reach the point where there's enough parity in Hollywood that we don't need them anymore. I was reminded of Tamara Jenkins, director of The Savages, and actress Laura Linney, going off on this very subject at Telluride. Fleming's take was that even when true equality for women in Hollywood is achieved, it's still beneficial to have women gathering together to network and share ideas. We talked a bit about what WIF does; beyond networking opportunities and panels such as this one, they also provide grants for completing film projects.

Continue reading Sundance Panel: Women in Film

Is Hollywood Short of Female Power?

Posted Apr 27th 2007 5:02PM by Monika Bartyzel
Filed under: Executive shifts, Newsstand, Politics

Where is the modern woman? A number of times of the last few years, I've asked friends to list films that center on modern, successful working women where floofy romance is the center of the plot. While I refuse to drown in the sappy romcom or family fare, I always have to have my blind eye ready when I want to watch something that in some way either reflects my life, or inspires me to push forward. I've ignored the outfits and silliness of Sex and the City, the sexual dysfunction of Laurel Canyon and just how old 9 to 5 is.

Now, the New York Times has put out an article about Hollywood's Shortage of Female Power. I click on the link, expecting something similar to what I typed above, but that's not what I got. Perhaps it is best summed up with this: "While Hollywood has not stopped making films appealing to women and girls, as evidenced by recent and coming releases like Music and Lyrics, Nancy Drew and The Nanny Diaries, women here worry that the future will not be so bright." While I don't think I could knock the ever-tough Drew, since I grew up reading about her, that has to be one of the most reductive thoughts that I've read in a while. By now I'd think that women have come far enough to be more than a demographic itching for light romance and childcare. Yes, "female power" is lessening behind the scenes as a number of top, female studio heads like Gail Berman have left their positions. However, that's not synonymous with "female" floofyness.

But that's all that the Times discussion is based on. Another quote has producer Lindsay Doran saying: "You don't see companies saying, 'More than half of this population is women, we should design a slate to come up with movies like The Break-Up and The Devil Wears Prada.'" Maybe that's because women are more than flipping crazy ex-girlfriends or girls starving their already-thin frame to fit into the latest fashions? Could it be, perchance, that women want films that give them more credit? Give us balance, people!

Alliance of Women Film Journalists Announce EDA Nominees

Posted Dec 12th 2006 4:31PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Awards, Oscar Watch

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists is a new organization founded just this year, but it's not too young to join in the awards season fun. The group, which counts our own Kim Voynar in its membership, isn't like most critics circles when it comes to end of year honors. The AWFJ's awards, the EDAs (an acronym for "Excellent Dynamic Activism" and namesake of actress Eda Reiss Merin, mother of AWFJ co-founder Jennifer Merin), are primarily focused on women in film.

There are a few categories that aren't woman-specific, such as Best Film and Best Ensemble and, my favorite, Movies You Wanted to Love But Just Couldn't. But you'll notice that there are few awards given to men, as actors or directors or anything else. For a man to be recognized, he has to have made a film about women or played a part supporting a woman protagonist. Considering that outside of the actress categories of most awards women aren't well represented, the EDAs give us a nudge to pay attention to the wonderful contributions that women are making behind the camera. Oh, and they also have a category for Best Depiction of Nudity or Sexuality, which is stirring some debate.

So far the AWFJ has only announced the nominations for the EDAs; the winners will come later this month. Some of the final picks I'm looking forward to include the winners of the following categories: Actress Most in Need of a New Agent (it's important just to be nominated); Don't Stick Your Head in the Sand (I think it spotlights daunting films); and, of course, Movies You Wanted to Love But Just Couldn't (will it go to the movie you most wanted to love but really couldn't?).

Go to the AWFJ website to see all the nominations. I would write them all out here, but there's a lot, and it is more important for people to visit the organization's site anyway.

X-Men 3 Producer Wins Award, Breaks It

Posted Jun 8th 2006 4:03PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Awards, Brett Ratner

In Hollywood, people win so many awards they apparently have trouble juggling them all. Producer Lauren Shuler Donner (X-Men franchise; She's the Man) was honored at the Women in Film Crystal and Lucy Awards on Tuesday night, and she accidentally dropped her made-of-crystal Crystal Award on the ground and broke it.

The two other winners of the Crystal Award were an overwhelmed Jennifer Lopez and songwriter Dianne Warren (Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"). Maria Bello received "The MaxMara Award" for the "Face of the Future" and Geena Davis was given The Lucy Award, which is named for Lucille Ball. After accepting her award, Davis made a speech about the gender imbalance still going on in movies and television, saying it isn't getting better.

I think it has gotten a little better, hasn't it? Okay, so there being more female superhero roles isn't a great breakthrough, especially when they're in movies like Catwoman and Aeon Flux. I get it.

#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Monika Bartyzel	160	0
2	Erik Davis	121	49
3	Elisabeth Rappe	84	0
4	Eugene Novikov	56	18
5	Kim Voynar	40	20
6	Scott Weinberg	39	15
7	Jessica Barnes	39	0
8	Peter Martin	27	17
9	Eric Kohn	25	4
10	James Rocchi	25	1
11	Jeffrey M. Anderson	21	4
12	Eric D. Snider	19	0
13	Matt Bradshaw	13	1
14	Joel Keller	13	1
15	Christopher Campbell	9	6
16	Jette Kernion	5	2
17	Patrick Walsh	3	1
18	Willy Volk	2	0
19	Richard von Busack	1	0
20	Patricia Chui	1	0

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Discuss: This Millennium's Movie Misogyny

Sundance Panel: Women in Film

Is Hollywood Short of Female Power?

Alliance of Women Film Journalists Announce EDA Nominees

X-Men 3 Producer Wins Award, Breaks It

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