Two women have been nominated for academy

awardsIn fact, only two have ever been nominated -- Lina Wertmuller for "Seven

Beauties" in 1976 and Jane Campion for "The Piano" in

1993.No woman has ever won.

Guerilla Girls BillboardThe U.S. Senate is more progressive than Hollywood. Female Senators: 9%, Female directors: 4%." That's according to a study undertaken at San Diego State University, and it suggests the extent to which the dreams that radiate off theater screens and into our culture are still almost exclusively the dreams of men.

in film and TV, women directed 7 percent of the top-grossing 100 films released in 2000

n 2001. The percentage [of the top 100 films] has gone way down. It looks like 4 percent, which means it's below 1992 levels.”

2005 back up to 7%

Women Film Directors

in film and TV, women directed 7 percent of the top-grossing 100 films released in 2000

n 2001. The percentage [of the top 100 films] has gone way down. It looks like 4 percent, which means it's below 1992 levels.”

2005 back up to 7%

Is there a difference? Is it natural?

What is the nature of their creative expression?

Is there a distinctly female sensibility?

New meanings? Do these films

address audiences in different ways?

Maya Deren: Meshes in the Afternoon 1943

Inauguration of the American Experimental Film

Poetic dreamlike quality of film

Innovative technique to evoke conflicting emotions-like fear and desire

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Dorothy Arzner and Ida Lupino: Early Hollywood Directors

The history of women directors during the golden age of Hollywood from the 30’s-60’s can be summed up by two somewhat short careers

Women’s place in cinema has historically been in front of the camera as love interests, objects of desire, sexual threats, or negligible characters

Lack of Equality leads to Ghettoization Women filmmakers aren’t judged by their

films necessarily They are immediately labeled as women

directors The achievement of men sets the standards

to which women aspire and against which women’s achievements are measured

The problem is perceived as women’s need to catch up to men--not as a socioeconomic disparity or as an institutionalized power differential

Leslie Harris--first movie, "Just Another

Girl on the IRT," got positive reviews and made a profit, 10 years later she's still trying to put together funding for her follow-up,

"Royalties, Rhythm and Blues," a behind-the-scenes look at a woman working in

the hip-hop industry.

She has been told that African American Women can’t

carry a film

Directors of the 90’s have taken over 10 years to make a new film

• Alison Maclean Crush 1993-Jesus’ Son 2000

• Rebecca Miller's first film "Angela" won the Filmmakers'

Trophy and the cinematography award at the 1995

Sundance--it took her until last year to make her second

movie

Mary Harron notes that while she's happy with her career, "'American

Psycho' made a huge amount of money. It did very, very well in Europe and tremendously well on video, and I think if I was a guy I would have had a

lot more offers having made that film

Hollywood according to writer Robin Wood

There is no women’s movement Only individual women directors Not all women make “chick flicks”--or

feminist films

Susan Seidelman

Old formats new sensibilityInteresting feminine perspectiveDoesn’t glamorize women at the

expense of menShares an affinity with desperate,

aggressive women

Smithereens and Desperately Seeking Susan Examine Contemporary ThemesFameSelf-fulfillmentPersonal identitySocial relationships

“downtown sensibility”

First to show the Lower East Side of Manhattan

Shows the negatives and positives and the seedy vs. Bohemian

Smithereens 1982

80,000About a hustler who wants to manage

a rock bandWren, a village hipster who wants fame

and lacks talentTale of punks immersed in media and

addicted to TVProducts of a demoralized era

First American Indie to be shown at Cannes Film FestivalWhy did it have success in critical

environmentsRadical Portrayal of Character

First American Indie to be shown at Cannes Film Festival

Why did it have critical success?

Radical Portrayal of Character

Character similar to the Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan, but limits identification

Didn’t make Desperately Seeking Susan until 1985

Only offered dopey teen flicks after Smithereens

Comedy about identity Mixup between a wealthy housewife and and a hustler

Made for 5 million

Success

Presence of a Pop Star--

Up and Coming Star Stars from other indies:

John Lurie and Richard Edson from Stranger than Paradise

Plot’s complication comes from an ancient device: “amnesia”

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Studio wanted to cast a perfect blonde for the role of Susan

Seidelman wanted someone more gritty who acts like a princess (or pop icon)

Seidelman was able to get larger budgets after this film, but wasn’t able to achieve the same critical success of her first two films

Seidelman has directed many episodes of Sex and the City

Along with other important female directors of the 80’s & 1990’s

Along with directors like Alison Anders and Alison Maclean

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