The protagonist of the film was a feminist creation. We asked our patrons to pick a time loop film for us to discuss and they have spoken! As Biller writes, “to be feminist, a movie has to have the express purpose of educating its audience about social inequality between men and women.” Not just portray women in a non-misogynistic light. So what exactly is it that makes a movie “feminist”? Dead Poets Society is not generally considered feminist: It does not pass the Bechdel or the Mako Mori tests, and it does not espouse equality, celebrate female biology, or detail the multitude of factors that determine identity. But to actually evaluate whether a film as a whole is feminist requires much more than a tally of female characters and the conversations between them. But unless we're willing to call Bridesmaids sexist for having only one fully fleshed-out male character and not dealing with the concerns of men, it would be unfair to call Dead Poets Society sexist simply for being a male-driven film. Even the most socially conscious creator can be influenced by the sexism that pervades our culture, whereas a creator interested in telling stories primarily about men can still make a feminist film—or at least a not-sexist one. As I see it, there are three defining aspects of a film which could define it as feminist. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. A subject has her own thoughts and desires upon which she acts, whereas a woman who has been objectified is acted upon by others. After watching dozens of films where men saved the day and women stood idly by, it felt revolutionary to finally see female-led stories. Conversations with pop culture. 6,020, This story has been shared 3,661 times. This test is one way to determine whether a character is feminist—by which I don't mean that she espouses feminist philosophy but rather than she is a fully-fleshed out human being—by asking whether she is a subject or an object. It had no intention to advocate for the equal social, political, or economic rights of women. For those of us with a limited movie budget and a desire to see representation by and of women improve, choosing which films to support can be a political act; I like to spend my dollars on films directed by and/or written by women—and, not surprisingly, those films also usually pass the Bechdel test. Feminist film theory is a theoretical film criticism derived from feminist politics and feminist theory influenced by Second Wave Feminism and brought about around the 1970s in the United States. So I bought my mom the DVDs for Scott and Bailey(UK tv show that focuses on two DCs in Manchester and their boss who isn't as featured. Celebs. Likewise, not every film that fails the tests can be said to be entirely sexist. 1,230, This story has been shared 1,003 times. When Pacific Rim premiered earlier this year, sci-fi fans eager to support Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi invented a test named after her character, the Mako Mori test. FFR is headed back to the late 90s to take a look at the propulsive German thriller, RUN LOLA RUN. Last week, Swedish movie theaters created a media foofaraw when they announced that they would begin providing a rating based on the Bechdel test for the films they screen. It’s feminist because it means to be. Image Source: Live Mint Neerja was a great film detailing the real life experience and contributions of a woman who was an airhostess in a plane that was hijacked. FFR is headed back to the late 90s to take a look at the propulsive German thriller, RUN LOLA RUN. Some would argue that the Bechdel Test – a simple test created in 1985 by Alison Bechdel that asks whether a film has at least two female characters and at least one scene in which they discuss something other than a man – determines a feminist film. While it’s certainly a plus (and harder to find than one might think), this is the bare minimum. A lack of sexism or misogyny does not automatically amount to feminism. The 25 Best Feminist Movies of All Time. In 1973 (published 1975) she wrote an essay ‘ Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema ,’ one the first major essays to shift film theory towards a psychoanalytic framework. By branding every single film with a “strong female lead” (ugh) with the word “feminism”, we are diminishing the power and meaning of the word, and the efforts of those who actually intend to put feminist works out into the world. British feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey, is famous for her work and is credited with coining the term ‘male gaze’. 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It stroke me that a serious film (AKA not set in an american high school) with only female main characters, both good and bad, is actually very rare, it's something you aren't used to see at all. What are you looking for when you put out a call for "feminist" scripts? Alessandra Wike. The Bechdel test, the Mako Mori test, and whether the film was written and/or directed by women are all great ways to determine how to spend your movie-going money in ways that support women’s stories. 1) You are a supporter of rights and equality for men and women. #1: Characters and Content A story of ass-kicking, no-shit-taking badass women, Thelma and Louise is often mentioned as an example of a post-Second Wave feminist film. Scorsese perfects a film style that leads to condemnation from all audiences, and eventually fellow characters within the … Larson said, “I had a meeting with Marvel and what we discussed is they wanted to make a big feminist movie.” Co-director for the film, Anna Boden, expressed the same sentiment. From Daughters of the Dust to The Piano, Agnès Varda to Gurinder Chadha, and Louise Brooks to Linda Hamilton, our list of the 100 greatest feminist films celebrate them in all their glory. 894, This story has been shared 832 times. While men can attempt (and sometimes succeed) to make feminist films, the inherent problem lies in how so many of them view women. It’s All Wanda: What’s Next for TV After Marvel's Genre-Bending Hit? Cultural feminists, who believe women's biology and instincts make them different from men in ways that should be celebrated, might consider Steel Magnolias to be feminist even though the characters only talk about men and family. 2) You took a women’s studies course and it motivated you to make a difference. And why does it put so many people off? Yahoo Entertainment's Gwynne Watkins makes the argument of why 'The Little Mermaid' is a feminist film. Thus, the Mako Mori test asks whether a film has "at least one female character who gets her own narrative arc that is not about supporting a man’s story." A possible definition of women's cinema includes films about women, films addressed to women or films directed by women, one of the commonest understandings hitherto. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri doesn’t get a feminist stamp purely because Frances McDormand plays a “badass“. Menu. The test, created by comic artist Alison Bechdel in 1985, asks whether a film has at least two female characters and at least one scene in which they talk to one another about something other than a man—if it satisfies these criteria, Swedish theaters give it an A. There is something about the film form which is very much connected to my idea of feminism, in terms of film's ability to present information and to use a visual image simultaneously with some kind of auditory informa-tion, as well as the fact that it takes place over time. Though Mori is the only female character in the film with more than five lines, she has her own goal that’s separate from the male lead’s: avenging the wrongful death of her parents. Over the last few decades, perhaps in an effort to denote our social progressiveness, hundreds of films have been dubbed “feminist”. Also, feminist films are often confused with sexist films. There’s a difference between feminism and equal female representation, and one doesn’t necessarily outweigh the other. We asked our patrons to pick a time loop film for us to discuss and they have spoken! The answer to that is no—but it’s important to note that that's not actually something the test was intended to do. I admittedly later would begin dubbing these films “feminist” because I felt they possessed an affection for women, an appreciation of our capabilities and understanding of our humanity. By clicking "SIGN UP" above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice. A film with a female director is not automatically feminist, even if it helps to have a woman’s story told through a woman’s eyes. What does it mean to describe a play as feminist? But as we discuss equal representation of women in film, we need to understand how we can hold the… Sign in. Films for the Feminist Classroom (FFC) is hosted by the Department of Women's Studies at Texas Woman's University. Get news & recommendations for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, and more, in your inbox. Since falling in love with film at a young age, I have been searching for myself on screen. Whether because they feature a plucky female hero with a penchant for ass-kicking or reclaim female sexuality in a way that’s rarely seen, these movies are stamped with the “feminist” brand and made a part of a larger conversation, but the truth is that it’s become a word tossed around with such ease that it’s almost lost its meaning. “We’re not trying to make this movie about all women. One thing that’s important to remember – and is perhaps why we are always so eager to dub a film “feminist” just because it includes positive representation for women – is that just because a film isn’t feminist doesn’t mean it’s misogynistic. The most reliable way to determine whether a film is feminist is to see it—and even then, the question is not a simple one. Where To Watch. 618. Instead, a feminist film is one with an agenda, a political work intended to spark thought and conversation about women’s social status and the female experience. 4 talking about this. Asking whether a new Swedish rating system based on the Bechdel test can evaluate a film's feminism exposes the problems with labeling a film "feminist" in the first place. I certainly won’t be tossing it around anymore. Feminist criticism needs to work to disrupt a binary, too—the one that defines art as either feminist or sexist. 8,389, This story has been shared 6,020 times. With the advancements in film throughout the years feminist film theory has developed and changed to analyse the current ways of film and also go back to analyse films past. I would like to see more examples of this. Well, here are 15 signs you might be a feminist. 655, This story has been shared 619 times. To label films this way merely because they feature a female lead isn’t just incorrect – it’s lazy, and it gives credit where credit is not due. What makes a film a "feminist" film? As Biller points out, however, “feminism is not love of women, it’s a political movement.” For us to equate the two is a disservice to said movement and to women. Born Today Most … Same goes for The Avengers, which fails both the Bechdel and the Mako Mori. You might be surprised by the answer. What makes this film feminist is that the film itself views Jordan Belfort, the main character and financial enabler of all of the above, in a highly judgmental light. So what does? The second wave feminism and women studies in the 1960s and 70s influenced feminist theory, based on sociological theory it focused on the function of female characters in film … However, the film as a whole was not. 1,861, This story has been shared 1,504 times. The film has endured for over 20 years as both an influential movie and cultural reference point,… After a brief (long) hiatus from writing, I wanted to revisit my scope and re-spark my brain juices. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Meghan McCain is "Over It" as She and Joy Behar Get Into Another Screaming Match on 'The View', © 2021 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The One' On Netflix, A Thriller That's Part Creepy DNA Love Matching, Part Murder Conspiracy, What Time Are The Grammys on Tonight? This series is an exploration of possible answers from different angles by WIT Online, a journal of the League of Professional Theatre Women.. Last year, playwright Elaine Romero put out an informal call for feminist plays. Both film and feminism have to do with process and change. films. Feminists have many approaches to cinema analysis, regarding the film elements analyzed and their theoretical underpinnings. What defines a feminist film? Muddying matters further, whether one believes a film is feminist varies depending on one's definition of feminism. bell hooks argues for example that Mainstream feminist film criticism in no way acknowledges black female spectatorship. Just How Bad Is Joss Whedon's 'Justice League,' Anyway? 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In the film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 book, Wild, Reese Witherspoon plays the author after she loses her mother and decides to grapple with the loss by walking the Pacific Crest Trail. 1,003, This story has been shared 894 times. For those of us in the artistic and theoretical realms, one focus of feminism has long been disrupting false binaries like male/female, masculine/feminine, and gay/straight so that equality is not something that's measured by whether you treat women the same way you treat men but by whether you regard everyone as a unique yet fully human individual. In a recent blog post, The Love Witch director Anna Biller urges us to stop calling movies feminist – because in reality, most of them aren’t. The goal, according to Ellen Tejle, the director of an art-house cinema in Stockholm that is implementing the rating, is to draw attention to how few films pass the test and encourage filmmakers to make more movies with three-dimensional women characters in them. (Shout out to Jill Dolan's The Feminist Spectator as Critic for the categories liberal, cultural, and material feminism.). ... Emmys Women's History Month STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events. “The story lends itself to it,” Boden said. The truth, however, is that simply putting a woman front and center on screen does not a feminist film make. It utilizes the female gaze and explores notions of femininity, sexuality, and feminist theory. Material (more commonly referred to as intersectional) feminists—who believe that sex, gender, sexuality, race, religion, class, and other factors are all components of internal identities and signifiers of privilege (or the lack thereof) in society—may consider Bridesmaids to be feminist: Though it avoids race and religion, it deals with class, body size, sexuality, and the intersection of the many pressures women face in choosing mates, friends, and careers. Having a female ensemble cast does not make Pitch Perfect a feminist film. 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This story has been shared 8,389 times. 25 Great Feminist Films That You Should Watch: This list includes films with female protagonists who have left an impact on me, moved me to tears, given me sleepless nights, and made me rethink the world around me. When Will 'All American' Season 3, Episode 9 Air on The CW? To use this label for anything else only diminishes its valuable meaning, and hurts women in the long run. Even the most socially conscious creator can be influenced by the sexism that pervades our culture, whereas a creator interested in telling stories primarily about men can still make a feminist film—or at least a not-sexist one. When the news broke, writers immediately began questioning whether the test is an effective way to judge whether a film is feminist. Feminist Film Theory is a theoretical film criticism derived from Feminist Theory that was brought about during the second wave of feminism and… 'We Just Sat and Held Each Other': How It Feels to Watch Your Life Story Onstage, How an Epic and Violent Family History Fuels Fiction. For years, I’ve called films and television shows “feminist” purely because they featured positive female representation. Best on Netflix: The Top 7 Action Thrillers, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Lupe' On HBO Max, A Drama That Explores Themes Of Immigration & Transgender Identity, Stream It Or Skip It: 'So My Grandma's A Lesbian!' It is, for example, possible for a character to be a feminist creation without the film in which she appears being feminist. Instead, a feminist film is one with an agenda, a political work intended to spark thought and conversation about women’s social status and the female experience. 619, This story has been shared 618 times. Liberal feminists—who believe that women and men are created equal and should be treated as such even though they often aren't—would likely consider the X-Men films to be feminist because they feature female superheroes who fight alongside male ones, even though they live in a world ruled by men. But in evaluating whether a film is feminist, it’s perhaps most important to understand that the question of whether a film itself is feminist is often confused with the question of whether it is sexist, whereas in reality the absence of the one does not imply the presence of the other. For me, a feminist tarot is one that is inclusive, in every sense of the word. 3,661, This story has been shared 1,919 times. 1,919, This story has been shared 1,861 times. A truly “feminist” film is consciously made and intends to get the audience thinking about equal rights for women and how women move through the world on a day-to-day basis. 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