ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

Female Film Critics 24/375

Commentaries

Commentaries 

African-American Film Critics Association Awards – Nikki Fowler reports

Nikki Fowler , , , , ,

The African-American Film Critics Association’s (AAFCA) awards ceremony, held on March 1 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, marked a much-deserved moment of celebration for Black creators and actors who’ve been unexpectedly snubbed by other awards groups this year. Although no longer tagged as #OscarsSoWhite, the Academy Award nominations slate had glaring omissions of Black creatives and actors, including Gina-Prince Bythewood and The Woman King, Chinouye Chukwu and Till and Elegance Branton and The Inspection, and all of the brilliant talent associated with those and other superb Black films.

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Commentaries 

The Most (and Least) Fun at the Movies in 2022 – Commentary by Chaz Ebert

Chaz Ebert , , , , ,

This is my joyous listing of six films I am glad I saw, and a seventh film that was the least fun! The most fun I had is during the screening of Indian director S. S. Rajamouli’s epic RRR. I did not know about the active cult following Rajamouli had acquired in the United States, so I was unprepared for the high excitement that rippled through the Music Box Theatre in Chicago as he made his way to the stage. Not only were there rambunctious hoops and hollers, but some people were dressed in festive cultural attire.

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Commentaries 

In Memoriam: Julia Reichert (1946-2022)

Marilyn Ferdinand (Archived Contributor) , , , , , , ,

Moviemakers, movie lovers social justice advocates are mourning the loss of the great Julia Reichert, known to those who admired and adored her as the “Godmother of American independent documentaries.” When she and In her partner Steven Bognar accepted the Robert and Anne Drew Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking at DOC NYC’s 2019 Visionaries Tribute, Julia Reichert, then fighting the disease that eventually took her life, tweaked the audience a bit with a teaser about “stumbling upon the secret to great documentary cinematography.” A full four minutes later, she finally revealed the answer: “Editing.”

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Commentaries Festivals 

My TIFF 2022 Diary: Highlighting Day-to-Day ‘IRL’ – Johanna Schneller reports (Exclusive)

Johanna Schneller , , , , , , ,

After two minutes, I realize I’m levitating an inch from my seat with happiness. This movie is everything I’d hoped and more. There is not one wasted syllable. I keep swatting away tears of anger (on behalf of the characters, and their real-life counterparts). I can feel the emotion rolling up and down the rows, that feeling you can only get in a theatre full of people who are having a collective experience. I won’t know this until a few days later, but Women Talking sets the tone for my whole TIFF: brilliant women directors, squaring their sites on the patriarchy. And experiencing their work in public again, finally.

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Commentaries 

10 International Animated Films That Showcase World Cultures – Dana Ziyasheva reports (Guest Post)

Jennifer Merin , , , , , , , ,

The United States has always been a culturally diverse country, and it will become even more so in the future. In 2019, more than half of Americans under age 16 identified as a racial or ethnic minority for the first time – so not really a minority after all! Young audiences want to relate to what they’re watching, explore their heritage, and learn about their friends’ cultural background. And Hollywood has started to take notice: Moana, Mulan, Coco, and Encanto added ethnic diversity to Disney/Pixar’s time-tested formula, with action-packed, broad-stroke narratives centered on their title characters’ identity search.

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Commentaries 

Mid-Life Women Trend in European Films and Series – Jennifer Green Comments

Jennifer Green , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The European films and series mentioned here all end on a promising note of self-empowerment for their female characters. The message shared across these stories seems to be that there is plenty of life left to be explored and a realm of new experiences – physical, emotional, spiritual and professional – still to be had for women well into and even past middle age. The market for their stories is wide open.

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Commentaries 

Suzanne Bauman (1945-2022): A Life in Film – Profile by Marilyn Ferdinand

Marilyn Ferdinand (Archived Contributor) , , , ,

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists mourns the passing of Suzanne Bauman, a producer, director, and writer of more than 80 documentary and feature films, as well as a teacher of documentary filmmaking. Bauman succumbed to cancer on January 2, 2022, surrounded by family in her home in Wrightwood, California.

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Commentaries 

Oscars 2022 by the Rules – Susan Granger reports

Susan Granger ,

Oscar hopes are high in Hollywood – but – first come the Oscar nominations. Ballots have gone out to all members of the 17 branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and the results will be announced early on Tuesday, February 8th. Right now, there are 9,487 active Oscar voters eligible to nominate and vote in the 94th annual Academy Awards, plus an additional 914 Emeritus members, making the total 10,487. All members can nominate Best Picture. ..and the Board has declared there will be 10 nominees this year.

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Commentaries 

Maggie Gyllenhaal: from ‘difficult’ roles to director – Wendy Ide reports

Wendy Ide ,

With a string of plaudits for portraying complex characters, the actor is now focusing her ‘quiet fire’ behind the cameras with a stunning debut film. From her breakthrough role in Secretary, wearing stilettos, a pencil skirt and manacles and attempting to operate a stapler with her chin, to her directorial debut which digs into the messy truths about motherhood, Maggie Gyllenhaal has always been attracted to what she has described as “troubled women. The ones that are a real challenge. They really need me.”

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Commentaries 

Horror Movies and Kids: A Scary Combination — Betsy Bozdech, Brandy McDonnell, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow and Liz Whittemore comment

Betsy Bozdech , , , , , , ,

Research shows that, on average, kids see horror movies as young as 7 years old. And we’ve all noticed members of the PG crowd at decidedly R-rated movies — in fact, when my daughter was in the second grade, she had multiple classmates who’d seen “It.” It’s not realistic to expect that we can shield kids from scary or gory content forever. And, in fact, it can be counterproductive to prevent children from seeing any kind of conflict, loss, or trauma on screen. Far better to use these moments, when they come, as opportunities to help them through hard stuff in a safe place.

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