IMPRESSIVE FEMALE DIRECTORS AT THE 56th BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
In the light of recent discussions by UK commissions in Cannes and Venice about the lack of female presence in filmmaking and festivals, this year’s BFI London Film Festival proudly boasts a profusion of strong female directorial talent, including 43 female feature directors and 39 female shorts directors, with 4 films in Official Competition, 3 in First Feature Competition, and 2 in Galas & Screenings.
The four films in the Official Competition are: FILL THE VOID by Rama Burshtein, GINGER AND ROSA by Sally Potter, LORE by Cate Shortland, and MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN by Deeptha Menta. All coming-of-age stories from across the globe – Tel Aviv, 1960s London, Post-World War II Germany, and India, these excellent films perfectly capture the individual struggles of each individual challenge of growing up in these trying times and places.
Many of the strong female directors in this year’s film festival have taken on controversial or difficult subject matters in their films, and some have overcome cultural barriers in their filmmaking. WADJDA is groundbreaking on many levels, filmed on location in a country where Cinemas have been banned for over thirty years. Offering a glimpse of everyday life in Saudi Arabia, Director and Screenwriter Haifaa Al Mansour has achieved something phenomenal, considering it is illegal in Saudi for women to drive cars, let alone direct films. Not only directed by strong female directors, these films feature women as their leads as they each encounter issues of prejudice, discrimination, lack of self, and misunderstanding: HELTER SKELTER by Mika Ninagawa, HELPLESS by Byun Youngjoo, LOVE,MARILYN by Liz Garbus, CLIP by Maja Milos, and EAT SLEEP DIE by Gabriela Pihler . Each of these stories beautifully unfolds through the skilled eye of these powerful directors.
Other notable films directed by women that deserve attention are MY BROTHER THE DEVIL by Sally El Hosaini, RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALISM by Mira Nair, ATOMIC AGE by Helena Klotz, EVERYBODY HAS A PLAN by Ana Piterbarg, THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY by Sophie Fiennes. In the horror and thriller categories, these female directors’ films are being exhibited, KISS OF THE DAMNED by Xan Cassavetes, and BLACK ROCK by Kate Aselton, and should not be overlooked.
The 56th BFI London Film Festival runs from 10-21 October.
Ticket Booking Info: http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff (Box Office now open to the public)
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