Have seen the film twice now, loved it, and have just read Marin Alsop’s comments in Variety.
https://variety.com/2023/film/global...235482490/amp/
Specifically, Alsop says that, once the film reveals Lydia’s
, she was ‘offended: …offended as a woman …offended as a conductor …offended as a lesbian’.
I do realise that this is a version of the kind of discussion that has inevitably popped up/developed in other threads, but to me, the best thing about the film is that Lydia is shown as a complex character, with flaws. It is a very realistic portrayal of the environment in the world of classical music, especially the very top.
Is the issue that Lydia is an
I almost feel like for once, I see evidence of some kind of reverse, paradoxical bias, as if there’s an inherent problem with having a
Again, there have been some threads here touching upon this, but is it really again an example of people expecting ‘positive reinforcement’ from a ‘strong woman’ lesbian character, and nothing more? I feel like it’s just absurd and would be entirely unrealistic, as it’s widely understood that getting to the very top of any competitive field, especially ‘as a woman’ and especially a field as grounded in history and tradition (and, to an extent, religion) as western classical music, one does need to be ‘a bit of a bitch’ (one can of course disagree, but that’s my personal experience (and no, I am not at the top of my field)).
Alsop adds, ‘To have an opportunity to portray a woman in that role and to make her
. And that’s exactly the sort of thing that bothers me, as if all these people want any female character to be a bloody advert for ‘strong females’ to ensure a kind of infinite, idealistic feedback loop that ‘this girl can’. Alsop then suggests that the film ‘assumes women will behave as badly as men’ (I paraphrase), which in itself strikes me as hilariously sexist, as if
For what that’s worth, I loved Lydia and was wholly on her side, though I’m pretty much allergic to ‘strong female’ characters. I also felt it was quite easy to be on her side (her wife manipulating her relationship with the child was revolting).
https://variety.com/2023/film/global...235482490/amp/
Specifically, Alsop says that, once the film reveals Lydia’s
I do realise that this is a version of the kind of discussion that has inevitably popped up/developed in other threads, but to me, the best thing about the film is that Lydia is shown as a complex character, with flaws. It is a very realistic portrayal of the environment in the world of classical music, especially the very top.
Is the issue that Lydia is an
WARNING: spoilers below
female antihero survive and thrive (which is my own, likely contentious, reading of the ending, as I feel like a maestra at that level will thrive anywhere doing what she loves, whether that be the Philippines or NY).
Again, there have been some threads here touching upon this, but is it really again an example of people expecting ‘positive reinforcement’ from a ‘strong woman’ lesbian character, and nothing more? I feel like it’s just absurd and would be entirely unrealistic, as it’s widely understood that getting to the very top of any competitive field, especially ‘as a woman’ and especially a field as grounded in history and tradition (and, to an extent, religion) as western classical music, one does need to be ‘a bit of a bitch’ (one can of course disagree, but that’s my personal experience (and no, I am not at the top of my field)).
Alsop adds, ‘To have an opportunity to portray a woman in that role and to make her
For what that’s worth, I loved Lydia and was wholly on her side, though I’m pretty much allergic to ‘strong female’ characters. I also felt it was quite easy to be on her side (her wife manipulating her relationship with the child was revolting).
Last edited by AgrippinaX; 01-09-23 at 07:12 PM.