feminist film criticism – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

AWFJ ROUND TABLE: Defining Feminist Film Criticism

March 5, 2019March 13, 2019 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments alexandra heller-nicholas, Chaz Ebert, esther iverem, feminist film criticism, loren king, Marilyn Ferdinand., martha p nochimson, maryann johanson, nell minow, rogerebert.com, roxana hadadi

The term ‘feminism’ and the descriptor ‘feminist film critic’ are in frequent use these days, as the women in film movement stirs debate and demands change in the the movie industry. Women film critics are, like women working in all aspects of the industry, marginalized not only by disparity in employment opportunities, but also in the overall attitude — a lack of seriousness — with which our reviews and commentaries are evaluated. Reputable reports support this assertion with stats, and women film critics feel it in our guts 24365

Commentaries

Defining Feminist Film Criticism – Marilyn Ferdinand comments

February 25, 2019March 5, 2019 Marilyn Ferdinand (Archived Contributor) 0 Comments feminist film criticism, round table

If I feel a film does not honor the people and places it depicts, if it has a bias toward one group to the great detriment of another, if it is not honest, then I will likely give it a bad review. I also give bad reviews to films that are poorly written and executed, regardless of their humanity or lack thereof.

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Defining Feminist Film Criticism – Alexandra Heller-Nicholas comments

February 25, 2019March 8, 2019 Alexandra Heller-Nicholas 0 Comments feminist film criticism

I’ve learned in that time that ‘feminism’ means different things to different people and that this diversity is important. I like ‘feminisms’ plural because it allows different positions to co-exist and be debated and so I don’t sound like I am shouting anyone down I tend to describe my work as ‘interested in gender politics’ rather than feminist because the latter can be read in so many different ways. In short, therefore, feminism is the belief that gender difference relates to power in a way that predominantly favors men, and marks a desire to interrogate that with a focus on change.

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Defining Feminist Film Criticism – Martha P. Nochimson comments

February 25, 2019March 5, 2019 Martha P. Nochimson (Archived Contributor) 0 Comments feminist film criticism

The answer to that question is a work in progress, certainly for me and, I believe, for our culture. I prefer to answer the question with many questions rather than with definitive answers. Maybe feminist film criticism is simply good film criticism because what used to pass for respectable film criticism is now clearly visible as too narrow. Similarly, feminist film criticism that focuses only on women’s issues might also be built on tunnel vision and bad criticism.

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Defining Feminist Film Criticism – Roxana Hadadi comments

February 25, 2019March 5, 2019 Roxana Hadadi 0 Comments debra grank, feminist film criticism, widows

I define feminism as advocacy and support for gender equality, in particular the dismantling of a patriarchal system is that can often be sexist, racist, and classist. How that applies to film criticism is approaching cinema as an institution that reflects the politics and viewpoints of a film’s creators, and then analyzing how women and men are represented in the film, how they are compared and contrasted, how their needs are demonstrated or met, how they interact.

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Defining Feminist Film Criticism – Nell Minow comments

February 25, 2019March 5, 2019 Nell Minow 0 Comments feminist film criticism

My feminist point of view is reflected in my standards for female characters. For example, the dreadful Book Club starred four of Hollywood’s greatest actresses playing characters of significant professional achievement and yet still didn’t pass the Bechdel test. It is also reflected in the way I write about female filmmakers, as for example, Band-Aid, a film made with an all-female crew.

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Defining Feminist Film Criticism – Esther Iverem comments

February 25, 2019March 5, 2019 Esther Iverem 0 Comments feminist film criticism, round table

My definition of feminism is a womanist perspective that is intersectional and post-colonial–taking into account issues of class, race, gender identification, national origin and legacies of White supremacy. These same factors inform my view of film criticism.