Political animals: the new feminist cinema

221 Pages·2019·2.726 MB·English

by  Mayer, Sophie

Sophie Mayer is a writer, editor, activist and educator. She is a film journalist for Sight &
Sound and The F-Word, an affiliate lecturer in Screen Media and Cultures at the University of
Cambridge, and was the first Poet in Residence at the Archive of the Now, Queen Mary
University of London. Her previous books include The Cinema of Sally Potter: A Politics of
Love (2009), There She Goes: Feminist Filmmaking and Beyond (co-edited with Corinn
Columpar, 2010), Lo personal es politico: Feminismo y documental (co-edited with Elena
Oroz, Punto de Vista, 2011) and Catechism: Poems for Pussy Riot (co-edited with Markie
Burnhope and Sarah Crewe, 2012). She runs feminist cinema blog Political Animals
(fuckyeahfeministcinema.tumblr.com), and is a member of feminist film collectives Club des
Femmes and Raising Films.
‘It is surely to become a canonical text when it comes to writing about film, writing about
women, writing about society and culture, and is a must-read for anyone who loves film and
loves women. I was incredibly impressed by several things, which have combined perfectly in
this book: Sophie’s depth of research and exhaustive knowledge of the art, craft, magic and
business of cinema, and not just Western or studio film but international and independent work;
her core grounding in feminism and muscular, gritty and unwavering gender-critical eye; and
above all her passion for what film means and what it can achieve. She wants women to be the
best we can be, film to be the best it can be, the society to finally change so that women’s
emancipation, in film, on film and in life, finally happens – and she’ll be watching.
Of course, I recognise that while this isn’t a dry academic exercise, Political Animals does
presuppose a certain about of love of and knowledge of both film and feminism, it is rigorously
referenced throughout. So I would expect that every single film studies, cultural studies, media
studies and gender studies MA course, in every institution, should get one and make it essential
reading on every syllabus.’
Bidisha, broadcaster and journalist
‘Sophie Mayer is our foremost critic of contemporary feminist filmmaking and her exciting
new book bristles with information, insight and discovery. Political Animals blasts through
scarcity claims about women’s participation in film by looking askance at the commercial
industry. Her book is as bold and creative as the work she writes about.’
Patricia White, Professor of Film and Media Studies and English Literature, Swarthmore
College, Pennsylvania
Political Animals
The New Feminist Cinema
SOPHIE MAYER
Published in 2016 by
I.B.Tauris & Co. Ltd
London • New York
www.ibtauris.com
Copyright © 2016 Sophie Mayer
The right of Sophie Mayer to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Every attempt has been made to gain permission for the use of the images in this book. Any omissions will be rectified in future
editions.
References to websites were correct at the time of writing.
International Library of the moving Image 33
ISBN: 978 1 78453 371 7 HB
978 1 78453 372 4 PB
eISBN: 978 0 85772 994 1
epdf: 978 0 85772 797 8
A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
A full CIP record is available from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: available
For all the feminist viewers, filmmakers, curators, critics and theorists who’ve kept me
company, in person, online or through their words and images: thank you.
What I want to say is, there are all of us.
Joanna Russ, On Strike against God.
Having had nothing, I will not settle for crumbs.
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, ‘Female Liberation’, quoted in Mary Dore, She’s Beautiful When She’s
Angry (2014).
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Introduction: Girls to the Front
1. Ain’t about the (uh) Cha-Ching, Cha-Ching: Framing the New Feminist Cinema
2. Not in Kansas: Animal Selves and Becoming-Girls
3. Water Rites: Ecocinema’s New Earth Mothers
4. Home Front: Women at War, Women against War
5. I Have No Country: British Cinema as a Runaway Girl
6. All Dressed Up: Costume Drama Loosens its Corset
7. Mirror, Mirror: Fairy Tales of the Feminist Fantastic
8. Girl ‘Hood: A Body, a Room and a World of One’s Own
9. Haunted Houses: Reclaiming ‘Women’s Cinema’
10. Come Together: Love, Justice and a New Sexual Politics
Conclusion: An Open Letter
Notes
Further Reading
List of Figures
Fig. 1: Elsa makes the Frozen ice rink (Disney, 2013)
Fig. 2: Kathleen Hanna onstage, The Punk Singer (Dogwoof, 2014)
Shannen Koostachin dancing, Hi Ho Mistahey! (National Film Board of Canada,
Fig. 3:
2013)
Angela Y. Davis on stage, from Free Angela and All Political Prisoners
Fig. 4:
(Codeblack Entertainment, 2013 [USA])
Ava DuVernay directing a crowd scene in Selma (Pathé, 2014) (Credit: Atsushi
Fig. 5:
Nishijima/Paramount Pictures)
Fig. 6: Aida El Kashef in Tahrir Square, The Square (Kaleidoscope Entertainment, 2014)
Fig. 7: Adriana Barraza and Sally Potter shooting Rage (Adventure Pictures, 2009)
Fig. 8: Feminist Godzilla Eats Male Gaze
Wendy and Lucy in the car, Lucy looking to camera, Wendy and Lucy (Soda Pictures,
Fig. 9:
2009)
Fig. 10: Tanya Tagaq as Sedna, ‘Tunjgijuq’ (Isuma, 2009)
Fig. 11: Asha in the desert, ‘Pumzi’ (Focus Features, 2009)
Fig. 12: Girl floating in the sea, Bloody Beans (Allers-Retours Productions, 2013)
Baktay being kidnapped, Buddha Collapsed out of Shame (Slingshot Distribution,
Fig. 13:
2008)
Fig. 14: Robyn trapped in her room, The Time We Killed (Argot Pictures, 2004 [USA])
Lucy reflected in the mall table, The Unloved (Channel 4 Television Corporation,
Fig. 15:
2009)
Joyce Vincent (left, turning towards the camera) at Nelson Mandela’s talk, Dreams
Fig. 16:
of a Life (Dogwoof, 2011)
Fig. 17: Belle (20th Century Fox, 2014), cover star of BFI Film Fund Diversity Guidelines
Madeline Ivalu and Marie-Hélène Cousineau, directors of Before Tomorrow (Isuma
Fig. 18: Distributing International, 2007) at Toronto International Film Festival, 2014
(Credit: Arnait Video)
Fig. 19: Frankenstein, UNBOUND (Abigail Child, 2013)
Fig. 20: Stretch Goal Reached! Storm art for ‘Rain’, Maya Glick (Maya Glick, 2014)
Fig. 21: Sabine watches her younger self, Her Name is Sabine (ICA Films, 2008)
Billie and James connect online and offline, 52 Tuesdays (Peccadillo Pictures,
Fig. 22:
2015)
Fig. 23: Isabel and Momi in Isabel’s room, The Swamp (ICA Projects, 2001)
Fig. 24: Sarah Polley and cinematographer Iris Ng making a home movie, Stories We Tell
(Curzon/Artificial Eye, 2013)
Fig. 25: Laila and Khanum meet cute, Margarita, With a Straw (Ishaan Talkies, 2014)
Fig. 26: Lovers on the beach behind nets, The Beaches of Agnès (Artificial Eye, 2009)
Kate Bornstein with My Gender Workbook, Kate Bornstein is a Queer and
Fig. 27:
Pleasant Danger (Sam Feder, 2014)
Crystal, with the star on her helmet, joins the Gnarlies youth team for her first jam,
Fig. 28:
In the Turn (Erica Tremblay, 2014)