A Look Back: The Women of Wakanda
The message of “Black Panther” is that the potential and influence of women must not be ignored or discounted. From the strategic actions of Nakia as an undercover spy and refugee saviour on a personal mission who will not abandon her calling, to the knowledge centre of Shuri, who has the final words of the film when she says to the injured Westerner Sergeant Barnes, “Come, there is much more for you to learn,” all the women excel as examples of depth and variety of the Black woman.
Look back: Kelly O’Sullivan’s debut script ‘Saint Frances’ brings an authentic look into womanhood
With the recent news of the Supreme Court leak detailing their plan to overturn Roe vs. Wade, we wanted to bring back our interview with Kelly O’Sullivan about her film “Saint Frances”. At Cinema Femme, we stand for the human rights of women, and we fight an obvious violation of them. “Saint Frances” brings up […]
Look Back: Film critic Carla Renata speaks her truth through her journey to becoming The Curvy Critic
“We made history doing that [‘The Black Experience on Film’ for Turner Classic Movies]. Turner Classic Movies had never done anything like that before. Because my love of film was fostered by my mother, to be able to have her watch me hosting Turner Classic Movies was everything.”
#TBT 2019 Sundance Ebert Fellows
Chaz Ebert introduced me to the 2019 Sundance Ebert Fellows Niani Scott, Whitney A. Spencer, and Tiffany Walden via Instagram as they were on their way to Park City, Utah, to cover Sundance Film Festival. I read up on these intelligent and extremely talented women, and I was so inspired by their drive and past experience. During our interview in March, we talked about their Sundance experiences, their favorite films from the festival, and the importance of having diverse voices in film criticism.
Dancing with the camera: an interview with cinematographer Valentina Caniglia
Featured back in April 2019 Cinema Femme is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I first met cinematographer Valentina Caniglia at the 2019 Girl Power Film + Media Summit in Brooklyn, […]
‘Clueless’ broke down barriers and paved the way for today’s comedies
At the end, “Clueless” is both reflective and ahead of its time. It implants the image of the modern woman of the nineties, rebelling against the clean-shaven stereotypical second-wave feminists and paving the way for women of the fourth-wave feminist, who unlike their predecessors were able to subvert the gaze completely by liberating from the gender and sexual spectrum. Despite resistance, the atmosphere right now is more welcoming than ever for a female-led comedy that does not fear the sexual power of its funny lead actress.
Director Rebecca Stern combines her love for animals and filmmaking with ‘Well Groomed’
Rebecca Stern, director of the much-talked-about SXSW film “Well Groomed,” has married her love of animals and her passion, skills, and knowledge of filmmaking to create a visually entertaining film with a compelling underlying narrative arc. Featuring four women who compete in the arena of creative dog grooming, Stern brings us into this relatively unknown world and tells a story of art and friendship.
‘Girls Trip’: a dose of Black Girl Magic
“Girls Trip” is a film that highlights and celebrates Black womanhood in a variety of forms. This includes a honour roll call of Black excellence with people like Iyanla Vanzant, Mariah Carey, Mike Epps, Terry McMillan, Morris Chestnut, Estelle, Common, Ne-Yo, and Ava DuVernay who specifically talks about “Black Girl Magic”; DuVernay says, “It feels like a reminder, a rallying call, a term of endearment.” “Girls Trip” is all about the journey that is “Black Girl Magic.”
A cult classic is in our midst with Jennifer Reeder’s teen noir ‘Knives and Skin’
“Knives and Skin” follows the investigation of a young girl’s disappearance in a rural Midwest town. The coming-of-age film has been described as a mix of Lynchian thriller and high school musical.
‘Maiden’: How an all-women sailing team fought sexism and made history
“Maiden” (2019) is the harrowing true tale of how Skipper Tracy Edwards pushed against the acceptable gender tides of racing in 1989–1990 and then changed the boat racing world and women’s education to today.
Director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre on animal therapy, rehabilitation, and second chances
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre has written and directed a uniquely evocative and stunning film that reassesses humanity and our need for connection seen through the lens of a hopeless and withdrawn prison inmate who participates in a horse rehabilitation training program.
Chosen ‘Family’
Family is about the lengths you will go to listen and hear others, not just the blood bonds that you have. Kate and Maddie are each other’s chosen family, and that is poignant.