Breaking through the cliché of Poly Styrene: An examination of Celeste Bell’s documentary on her mother
Punk, also called punk rock, is an aggressive form of rock music that coalesced into an international (though predominantly Anglo-American) movement in 1975–80. Often politicized and full of vital energy beneath a sarcastic, hostile facade, punk spread as an ideology and an aesthetic approach, becoming an archetype of teen rebellion and alienation. -Britannica The documentary […]
Sundance 2022 Interview: Director Jamie Dack and star Lily McInerny on their powerful feature debut “Palm Trees and Power Lines”
Jamie Dack’s directorial feature debut “Palm Trees and Power Lines” is a revelation in the way she cinematically captures the delicate complexity and vulnerability of being a teenage girl, lost in her identity and looking for it in painful places. Many women will see themselves in the main character Lea, played by Lily McInerny in a […]
Sundance 2022 Interview: Director Isabel Castro and subject Doris Muñoz on their debut feature, “Mija,” and the hope it will bring to the Latinx first generation
In 2020, I saw a film that was unlike any I had seen before. It was “La Leyenda Negra”, an official selection in the Sundance 2020 NEXT program, and I was fortunate to interview its director, Patricia Vidal Delgado. This moving film is about a queer undocumented teenager in LA who worries that she will […]
Actress Ellen Hollman pays homage to Trinity in “The Matrix Resurrections”
The Matrix, to me, has always been a symbol for mindfulness, for really seeing the world around you. Ellen Hollman uses this philosophy in life and onscreen. She plays Echo, a reflection of the Trinity character in this past December’s release, “The Matrix Resurrections”. The reason she exists is because Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) is such […]
Elizabeth Rakhilkina’s horror short “New Flesh for the Old Ceremony” captures queer women onscreen in a fresh way
Watching “New Flesh for the Old Ceremony”, the Audience Award-winner for narrative shorts at this year’s Reeling Film Festival, I was pleasantly surprised that it opened with a passionate love scene. Usually that is something that is thrown in towards the middle of a romance story, but you knew this one is going to be […]
Filmmaker Hellin Kay explores the complexity of relationships in her short “Abby and Emily Go to Palm Springs”
Following The Chicago LGBTQ+ Reeling International Film Festival in October 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with three female filmmakers behind three selections in the Revolutions of the Heart shorts program. These shorts explore lesbian love across all stages of relationships. With an emphasis on the work that it takes to keep the love […]
The 50 best films of 2021: Part 2 (25 – 1)
This is Part 2 of our top 50 films of 2021. Here we showcase the top 25. To read more about what motivated our list and part 1, see link. #25 “Adrienne” – a documentary about filmmaker Adrienne Shelly “Adrienne” is a loving portrait of the filmmaker Adrienne Shelly, who was on her way to […]
Cinema Femme interview with “The Novice” star Isabelle Fuhrman and director Lauren Hadaway
Cinema Femme “The Novice” interview with star Isabelle Fuhrman and director Lauren Hadaway “The Novice” comes to digital and theaters Friday, December 17th! Moderated by Cinema Femme managing editor Rebecca Martin Isabelle Fuhrman (“Orphan”) plays Alex Dall, a queer college freshman who joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey […]
Abby Pierce plays with cinematic heartbreak in her shorts “Go Ahead, Grab Time By the Throat” and “Eat Your Heart Out”
I am fortunate to have a job, or more like a passion project, where I get to talk to female filmmakers and share their stories. Sometimes I am lucky enough to meet a person who I will call a “soul sister.” To me, a “soul sister” is a womxn who comes into my life and […]
Film Editor Annette Davey reflects on her work with “Waitress” filmmaker Adrienne Shelly and on the Netflix series “Maid”
“Adrienne knew what she wanted, and the actors were really good because she was pretty clear with them about how she wanted things to be. She had a clear vision about things. She was also happy to have you collaborate and experiment as well.” –Annette Davey on filmmaker Adrienne Shelly Today is the release of […]
Lithuanian filmmaker Elena Rožukaitė talks about her short “The Old Man” that screened at The Calvert Journal Film Festival
Cinema Femme is a proud media partner of The Calvert Journal Film Festival, that ran from October 18 -31. The festival gives us a unique perspective by elevating the diverse cinematic voices from the New East through the lens of local independent filmmakers. The New East includes Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Russia, the Caucasus, and […]
CUSP: Q&A with directors Parker Hill + Isabel Bethencourt and more!
Filmmakers Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt join their subjects (Autumn and Brittney), to talk about their coming of age documentary CUSP. Cinema Femme Managing Editor Rebecca Martin moderates the Q&A. We discuss several important topics including teenage life, rape culture, how it’s “ok to not be ok”, and the power of Lil Peep songs. Coming […]