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I've been a self-proclaimed feminist for a long time. And I've been looking for film books on feminist film theory. In film, I feel that female roles in society have been seen as potential threats to male society, rather than the treatment of them as fellow sisters to the progression of our human race. From the earliest outsets, even from female directors such as Alice Guy in The Consequences of Feminism (1906), feminism and strong female roles were a threat to society. This was later expanded in film noir with the femme fatale, (women in the workplace), and giant women in the 50's Attack of the 50 foot woman/The Incredible Shrinking Man. Somehow women have been seen as a threat to the patriarch of the world. Even today, I feel when male directors throw women a "strong role" it is a role which is by its nature a masculine role rather than a strong feminine role, (and these roles do exist). Many female directors, such as Kathryn Bigelow and Mary Lambert, stress that they try to avoid "female expression" because it puts restrictions on the type of films females are allowed to make. Does this not hold the female artist hostage? I am always impressed by female film makers who make films about strong feminine characters, it seems refreshing from the otherwise male-centric roles in which both men and women are supposed to play. Film makers such as Peggy Ahwesh, Maya Deren, Marie Menken, Catherine Breillat, these women have trail brazed strong feminine roles in film, whether on screen or behind the camera. Ultimately, I would like to study more on this subject, and hope to contribute to it even more. Any recommended sources for feminist film theory and feminist directors would be even more appreciative. Share you're thoughts on the subject if you like.
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Imagine an eye unruled by man-made laws of perspective, an eye unprejudiced by compositional logic, an eye which does not respond to the name of everything but which must know each object encountered in life through an adventure of perception. How many colors are there in a field of grass to the crawling baby unaware of 'Green'?
-Stan Brakhage
Imagine an eye unruled by man-made laws of perspective, an eye unprejudiced by compositional logic, an eye which does not respond to the name of everything but which must know each object encountered in life through an adventure of perception. How many colors are there in a field of grass to the crawling baby unaware of 'Green'?
-Stan Brakhage
