Re: judges' statement - gender representation in exp film

From: Anna Biller (email suppressed)
Date: Sat Jun 24 2006 - 10:09:08 PDT


> Filmmaker Lucy Allwood (UK) adds that the determination and
> singe-mindedness demanded by a career in Hollywood is not compatible
> with the lifestyle including motherhood and moreover not compatible
> with dating. Men seem less attracted to powerful women pursuing a
> career. Young girls excel at school until they learn in early
> adolescence that bookishness is not sexy; their grades drop at 14. On
> the other hand, experimental filmmaking is sexy. It is a hobby and a
> craft for which the only driving force is passion.

I don't think women are choosing to have less success in Hollywood than
men. I don't think they necessarily shy away from long hours or the
risk of being intimidating to men. There are in fact many women working
in commercial film. Not so much as successful writers and directors,
but I think this is determined by the market and predictions about
popular taste and box office. I think there's still generally this
concept about a "male brain" that needs to have its fantasies and ego
fed, and that the studio heads take that very seriously. But that's
slowly changing too.

And I think commercial film can be very sexy, if you manage to get
control over your own film. The example that comes to mind is Mae West.
More budget for more beaded gowns and more handsome leading men to fawn
over her, better character actors, better jazz soundtrack, and more
lavish deco apartments to lounge in, best dressing room room on the
lot, equals more sexy.

And I think Sofia Coppola probably had some fun shooting at Versailles.
I guess it's sort of sexy to build your own fake cardboard version of a
palace in your apartment and spend months making one or two period
costumes (as I have done), but the real Versailles and the best
designers seems kind of sexy too.

>
>
> __________________________________________________________________
> For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.
>
>

__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.