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The female filmmaker

The female filmmaker

"I was tired of being a woman, tired of the pots, tired of my mouth and my breasts tired of the cosmetics and silks...I was tired of the gender of things." 

 (Consorting with angels-1967)

 Anne Sexton 1928-1974

 The art of creation, as in filmmaking, should not have a gender status attached to it.  Filmmaking is just that, the making of films.  Yet, there is an imbalance of female filmmakers to male filmmakers and this baffles me.
On the one hand, Kathryn Bigelow refuses to acknowledge herself as a female filmmaker, she is a filmmaker, period, full stop, and that's it.  I have to agree, yet on the other hand, why are there not more of her making films?  Why are there not more women sharing their stories on film, or stories about women?  Any scan of the new releases show male centric journeys that I have to say I'm a little bit over.  Currently, one can view...Man of Steel,

The Hangover - Part 3, The Great Gatsby, Fast and Furious 6, World War Z, After Earth, need I say any more...Films in this instance where the protagonists are all male and the women are supports.  Where are the stories about women and their journeys?  Is it that journeys as experienced by women are boring or have no relevance in our society?    Or is it that once a woman decides that she will make films, or write a film, she feels inundated with the difficulties of trying to convince the male powers to be that her film is important.
It really is time to bring women to the fore and have them make films as 'filmmakers' without the stigma of being a female filmmaker, simply as a filmmaker, and be given the freedom to make films that are relevant and important to them, no matter what the subject matter is or the journey or the gender of the protagonist.

The importance of visual media in our lives is paramount and I worry profusely that the representation of women, their stories and their ability to equally work in this industry is impacting young women and their right to express themselves in what should be a level playing field. It is really about a basic human right isn't it? To have the ability to work in an environment or field where gender is balanced, creative expression is balanced, and lo and behold, maybe even awards can be balanced.  I say, if you're a female filmmaker, don't stop.  Do not tire of being a woman or tire of the gender of things as Anne Sexton expressed, just continue with your craft, keep at it, for the stories that ARE within, ARE valid and extraordinary.

Stella Dimadis 2013


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