I love movies. I live for award season and try my hardest to watch everything that has been nominated. Despite the lack of representation across any and all forms of diversity. It’s my version of the Super Bowl.
But something is changing…and while it doesn’t appear to be the Hollywood Foreign Press or other similar industry organizations…something is changing thanks to people and groups like Geena Davis, the Sundance Organization, Hulu, so many local film festivals, and the movie viewers themselves.
When we first launched the website for imprfct life® we shared an article about an intiative called ReFrame – an organization with the goal of “mitigating bias during the creative decision-making and hiring process, celebrate successes, and measure progress toward a more gender-representative industry on all levels.” On their website you can see films and television series that meet the criteria necessary to get the ReFrame stamp; a credential used by Hulu to curate their Made By Her collection.
For International Women’s Day I stumbled onto a post by the Women In Film organization. This is an organization founded in Los Angeles in 1973 to “advocate for and advance careers of women working in the screen industries – in front of and behind the camera, across all levels of experience – to achieve parity and transform culture.” Apparently, a few years ago they introduced a 52 Film Challenge to encourage film viewers to watch 52 films directed by women within the course of a year. The encourage people doing the challenge to share what you think about the films on social media and use #52FilmsByWomen to help spread the word and get more people talking about the women filmmakers that don’t always get attention.
They provide a link to lists created by fellow cinephiles as well as a sample schedule you could follow. It includes soon to be released films as well as older films. (Who can believe that Fast Times at Ridgemont High is turning 40…and that it was directed by a woman.). However, you could chart your own course and create your own list.
As you know…I love a good challenge (see this month’s Things We Love 52 Hike Challenge)…and I love movies. So I’m absolutely diving into this list.
Up for the challenge? I’d love to hear about what you’re watching. Join the conversation @ The Corner.
