...“New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is a nonprofit membership organization for professional women in film, television and digital media. A champion of women’s rights, achievements and points of view in the film and television industry, NYWIFT is an educational forum for media professionals, and a network for the exchange of information and resources. NYWIFT brings together more than 2,000 professionals including EMMY and Academy Award winners, who work in all areas of the entertainment industry - above and below the line. It is a part of a network of 40 international women in film chapters, representing more than 10,000 members worldwide. NYWIFT produces over 50 innovative programs and special events annually; advocates for women in the industry; and, recognizes and encourages the contributions of women in the field.” So reads the mission statement on the NYWIFT website (www.nyfit.org). The fact that there is an entire organization dedicated to the success and inclusion of women in film, shows what a powerful movement is in motion. While learning about a woman’s role in filmmaking during this course, I have also learned that this is only a small portion of the movement that is appreciating women in film. During the first half of this semester, our class has examined several examples of women in film: The Women, Sense and Sensibility, Fried Green Tomatoes, Waiting to Exhale, Erin Brockovich, Calendar Girls, Little Women, and A League of Their Own. Most all of these...
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...modern day portrayal of women on the screen, in T.V. Serials, Telefilms and in sundry other forms has played an important though shameful, role in the diminishing of respect for women as individuals and the mystique attached to them. The over sexual menaces in most forms of the mass media notably films, play a significant role in not only the creation of inappropriate stereotypes of women in the male mind but also the creation of wholly perverse role models for the pliable minds of teenage girls. The debonair hero on the screen nudges and teases the young heroine, harasses her along with his friends that are till they irrevocably fall in love. The conversion of the heroine into the vamp, the women who uses her sexuality for scandalizing the audience is a case in point. In recent years, in India, there has been a fold of movies starting perhaps with Raj Kapoor’s “Ram Teri Ganga Maili” in which female sexuality has been perversely portrayed. Since then a krishma Kapoor or a shilpa Shirodkar or a Puja Bedi has had no inhibition in terms of exposing and catering to the perverse tastes of the male audience. In the West, such portrayal goes back to many decades. A marlyn Monroe or a Brigitte Bardot were the sex symbols of a generation almost three decades back. They played the role of women slaved to their sexual instincts, and whose sense of self-worth arose only from their degree of sexual satisfaction. The myth became the reality in the male mind and women became only and ultimately...
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...Expressing what their viewers want to see, it has caused characters of color in movies to be either misrepresented or discriminated. The presentation of women on screen has drastically changed and progressed for the better. For years, women faced discrimination and limitations both on and off the screen. Now their roles in society has seemingly gave them an equal footing to men in many aspects of life. Though society has changed for the better, sexism and male dominance of the movie industry is still evident in the 21st century. In movies, women are subject to uncharacteristic types of beauty and behavior. They are given fived representations that are typically associated with the damsel in distress. Many of the female characterizations in...
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...the silent [film] era, roughly from the turn of the century until about 1930, Chicanas usually served as passive adjuncts to the main action of [a] film…from about 1930 to the end of World War II, Chicana and other United States Latina characters began to move into center screen, but with limited diversity and little depth of characterization” (Cortés 126). In his essay, Chicanas in Film: History of an Image, Carlos E. Cortés defines four broad eras of Chicana women in American film. The first film in our series, The Girl from Mexico, falls under the category of the second era: “Sensuality and Frivolity” (Cortés 128). Actresses portraying Mexicana or Chicana characters could embody frivolity, like “high-voltage Brazillian actress Carmen Miranda, “ or sensuality, like Dolores Del Rio (Cortés 130). Or, one could go “striding...
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...superficial like most Cuban bourgeois women at his time; hence, it did not work out between Sergio and Laura (Underdevelopment). Sergio failed in trying to educate both Laura and Elena (Underdevelopment). The film suggest that women in Cuba are underdeveloped intellectually and culturally, unlike the “mature” Hanna who is of European descent, since Laura and Elena are both Cubans of two different classes (Underdevelopment). Notably, Hanna the ideal European woman was portrayed to be very fair with fine, pale blonde hair while Sergio’s Cuban bourgeois class wife Laura had coarse hair streaked with blonde and the Cuban working class Elena is even darker than Sergio, comments on how class differences often match color...
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...When it comes to western films, Native American women pulled the shortest straw. Their biggest achievement is falling in love with the white male hero. When their relationship inevitably fails, her fate ends tragically, in a murder or suicide. Indian women are inaccurately portrayed as virginal, vulnerable and welcoming to the white male, symbolic of the American land. Indian women in film embody sexuality, American soil, and the importance of the dominant white culture. Pocahontas in The New World (2005) is the best example of symbolizing the American land. As stated by Marrubio, Pocahontas is “innocent, attached to an exotic culture, [and] linked to the American landscape”, a perfect love interest for the western hero. The Englishmen that land on the coast are representative of the paramount white civilization and culture. She is a bridge between Native Americans and European settlers, promoting assimilation to the ‘dominant’ culture. Just like white settlers thought it was their right to claim this land for England, so did John Smith with Pocahontas. The conclusion that Native American culture is dissipating was reinforced when Pocahontas started dressing and speaking like the English, as well as being christened. When Pocahontas chose the white culture over her own, it also...
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...not so. An assessment of women’s employment on the top 250 films in 2012 and 1998 demonstrates that the percentages of women directors and editors have not changed. The proportion of women writers and producers has increased marginally. Women executive producers and cinematographers have declined. In 2012, women included 18% of all, executive producers, producers, directors, cinematographers, writers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic films. From 2011 there is no change and growth of 1 percentage point from 1998 (Martha M. Lauzen, 2013). Women creating film, statistics show that men predominantly run the film industry but recent studies show that women are starting to become a more important part of filmmaking; women are underrepresented but women like Kathryn Bigelow are changing the landscape of movie making. In 2012, according to research by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women directed just five percent of the 250 highest-grossing films Only nine percent of Hollywood directors in 2008 were women – that was the same figure recorded in 1998. Kathryn Bigelow was nominated for the best directing Oscar in March 2010, and it was only the fourth time a woman had been nominated, out of more than 400 director nominations (the other three were Lina Wertmüller in 1976, Jane Campion in 1993, and Sofia Coppola in 2003) ("Creating opportunities for," 2012). Her film The Hurt Locker won Best Picture, and Bigelow became the first...
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...1- Why did feminists express an interest in the medium of film? How was this interest manifest in terms of practice, and in terms of film analysis? Women have always been involved in filmmaking, but many think they were just in front of the camera, a pretty face for people to look at. The truth of the matter is women were involved with filmmaking, but unfortunately, many did not receive the credit they deserved. Women throughout time needed to fight to be recognized. Women who were political activists soon realized, to make films on issues important to them, was to make the movies themselves. Feminists wants issues to be brought to live through film, a way for people everywhere to watch and either agree or disagree. In the early 20th century,...
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...The film Miss Representation is a documentary directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom about media and how the media portrays and influences the image of women in the United States. The film begins by describing how the media negatively influences young girls drastically (Newsom 2011). This often leads many young girls to become self-conscious about they way they look, causing many to fall into a depression. The film also states that only 17% of congress is made up of women (Newsom 2011). The United States is not a good world leader when it comes to having women in leadership positions. That is mainly due to the idea that politics and leadership are considered for men as the film by Newsom states (2011). Women tend to harsher on other women, which creates...
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...Women in film have been stereotypically portrayed since the invention of film. In an industry that is extremely male dominated stereotyping is very common. In film women make up 16.7 percent of directors, 4.1 percent directors, 12.2 percent of writers and 20 percent producers . In 2012 out of 67 top films of 2012 only twelve leading characters were female . This essay will be taking a look at various films from different time periods and analyze the way that women are portrayed. The research will focus on how feminine characteristics are considered inferior, women being portrayed as sexual objects, the importance of looking at issues that women face in, also taking a look at stereotypes that don’t seem to be going away regardless of when the films are made. This essay will focus on the evolution of film and how it represents modern day society. It will explore both the negative and positive aspects of the evolution of how women are...
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...on which gender is most prevalent in the film industry, I simply watched the movies because they were interesting. I remember the likes of Tomb Raider and King Kong in which the main character was a woman. In the article “Geena Davis, After Thelma and Louise”, Elizabeth Day talks about how few women are in the film...
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...How working class women are represented in British New wave films? British new wave films represent women in a positive and negative manner. They evolved after the World War 2 and the films were seen to be more liberal that the previous films. In this essay I am going to be talking about their perception of working class women in the following three films; Saturday night and Sunday morning, Room at the top and A taste of honey. In the British new wave films women are portrayed to be independent of man in terms of welfare. In the film a taste of honey the mother Helen and her daughter Jo are seen to have an economic independence as they can rent an apartment and live by themselves. Jo’s economic independence is further emphasised when her mother leaves her and she makes a living by getting a job at a shoe store. The women are seen to be positively playing a different role in the new wave films and contributing economically to society rather than just being housewives. Moreover working class women have a sense of modernity; there is a greater focus on women and leisure time that at home with husbands and looking after kids. For example in the film Saturday night and Sunday morning there aren’t many scenes that show Brenda at home looking with her family rather many scenes showing her with Arthur. However this representation carries to middle class women for example in Room at the top, we hardly see Alice with her husband. I think new wave films show this to reflect this...
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...heroine in films since the 1990’s. But is it an accurate portrayal of women? Films have been guilty of an unfair and inaccurate portrayal of gender roles especially for women. In the early years, women were portrayed as submissive, emotional and dependent on males and males are portrayed as the lead hero in the movie, saving the day and getting the girl in the process (Gilpatric, 2010). However, in recent times, we can observe a new trend in recent movies. Films such as Tomb Raider (2000) and Kill Bill (2001) have emerged showing women in a new light. Similarly, films such as Gladiator (2000) and Finding Nemo (2003) have showed a softer side of males that is rarely shown on screen. So what is have the film industry progressed towards a fairer and more accurate of gender in movies? Literature Review In recent studies, Gilpatric (2010) uses violence as a tool of measure to demonstrate that movies are still depicting gender stereotypes in violent female action character. This is backed by Sternheimer (2003) as she argues that even though females appear to be independent, they are still dependent on males which reinforces traditional gender stereotype. Nevertheless, there has been a noticeable trend that there is a fairer portrayal of gender in films in recent years (Nelmes, 2007). Such a trend is evident in Finding Nemo as Brydon (2009) claim that even Disney, the champions of gender stereotype, has the capacity to steer away from traditional gender roles. Heroines in films have “cross[ed]...
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...that the characters have? 2. In this film the characters sticks out the most, can you tell us how did you manage to depict women being portrayed as the “other woman”? 3. How do you endear the characters to the audience more so that they root for them especially to the mistress? 4. How do you think women portrayals in this film affect women in general? 5. What are the factors that you think lead to the changes in the audience perception on women being the other women? 6. What are your standpoint in creating the messages and behaviors of women in films? 7. What do you think is the effect of this film to the audience especially to the women? 8. Do you think that mistresses in this film resemble mistresses in real life? 9. How do you want to express the message of the film to the women? Focus Group Discussion 1. What can you say about the “Other Woman” being presented in the films? 2. What do you notice about the “Other Woman” from the 90’s films to films today? 3. What do you notice about the dialogues from the 90’s films to films today? 4. What do you think are the effects of these films to the audience especially to the women? 5. What can you say about the positioning of the character as the “Other Woman”? 6. Why do you think women were positioned differently as the “Other Woman” in 90s films compared to films today? 7. How can you compared “Other Woman” films in the...
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...Name: Course: Date: Film Essay Antonia's Line (Marleen Gorris 1995) This is a 1995 film revolves around Antonia who is the main character. It is a “feminist fairy tale” film. Antonio returns to her place of birth, a Dutch village and establishes a matriarchal community (Kooijman, pg 19). This film covers several themes including sex, intimacy, lesbianism, friendship, and love. It is after World War II that Antonia, a widow and her daughter, Danielle decide to travel back to their home town. Antonia’s mother dies just after their arrival. Farmer Bas opts to offer a marriage request to Antonia, but she turns it down. However, she develops a romance relationship with him. On the other hand, Danielle becomes an artist and later decides to have a child. She does not accept to have a husband (Kooijman pg 19). Therefore, Antonia takes Danielle to the city so that they find someone who will serve her. This leads to the birth of Therese, and she emerges to be extremely intelligent. Danielle later starts a lesbian relationship with Therese’s teacher as she fell in love with her at first sight. Pitte, a young man rapes Therese. Pitte had also raped her mentally ill sister, Deedee. Antonia curses Pitte because of raping Therese. This eventually leads him to his death whereby his younger brother drowns him in the water tank (Kooijman pg 20). Therese fails to find a partner with intelligence that matches hers. She decides to have a relationship with her...
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