Women Finding Their Voices (PG*) + Introduction by Stephanie Palewski
Artists & Activists
On sale to Members and Members Plus: Wednesday 14 March, 10am
On general sale: Thursday 15 March, 10am
A rare chance to see documentaries that were screened in political gatherings during the 1970s and 1980s, mobilising the growing ranks of feminists.
Film played an important role in mobilising the Women's Movement, sparking discussion on how their needs and aims were often different from those prescribed by the male-dominated society around them.
This programme features films that capture the shared experience of Second Wave Feminism. These documentary films were watched in consciousness raising groups, political gatherings and other alternate venues to provoke discussion and thinking on new possibilities for women.
As women learned how to assert themselves, they assessed their situation, their ‘oppression’, as a means to moving forward and liberating themselves. And by the mid-80s, it became clear to politicians that women had become a formidable voting bloc.
Programme:
Janie’s Janie
’First, I was my father's Janie, then I was my Charlie's Janie, now I'm Janie's Janie.’ — Jane Giese.
After years of abuse, a working-class woman in Newark, New Jersey, comes to realise that she has to take control of her own life. The filmmakers combined interviews and vérité material, to give creative visual form to feminist concerns. Janie’s Janie was produced by The Newsreel collective, an activist collective founded in 1967, with chapters across the US that made films covering the important social movements of the time.
US 1970 Dirs Newsreel: various, including Geri Ashur, Bev Grant, Marilyn Mulford, Stephanie Palewski, Peter Barton 25 min Digital presentation
Preserved with support from NYWIFT’s Women’s Film Preservation Fund
The Woman’s Film
A valuable document of the origins of the modern women's movement in the United States, this film was produced collectively by women. Centring on the consciousness-raising groups synonymous with the early Women’s Movement, the film delves into the lives of ordinary women from different races, educational levels and classes who talk personally about their issues and concerns. The film was produced by Newsreel’s San Francisco chapter.
US 1970 Dirs Women’s Caucus, San Francisco Newsreel: including Louise Alaimo, Judy Smith, Ellen Sorin 40 min Digital presentation
Preserved with support from NYWIFT’s Women’s Film Preservation Fund
Women’s Voices: the Gender Gap
Created as a ‘get out the vote’ piece to mobilise women, this film was featured at the 1984 Democratic National Convention and screened at the National Convention of the Organization of Women that year. Live footage of a diverse group of women in discussion is punctuated with satirical animated scenes by the cartoonist Nicole Hollander. The film is a product of Kartemquin Films, the Chicago filmmaking collective, and was made by a group of women in lead creative roles at a time when women were underrepresented in film production.
US 1984 Dir Jenny Rohrer 16 min Digital presentation
Preserved with support from NYWIFT’s Women’s Film Preservation Fund
Total run time 81 min
*This film has been locally classified by the City of London Corporation
Stephanie Palewski started her career when she joined NY Newsreel, a filmmaking group that produced and distributed social issue documentaries, including the classic women’s film, Janie’s Janie. For the last 19 years she’s been an editor at America’s no.1 news program, 60 Minutes. Prior to that she produced and edited feature documentaries at CBS Reports and Limelight Productions, and also taught Film and Television seminars at NYU and Brooklyn College. She holds an MFA in Film Production from Columbia University, and has won multiple television awards, including Peabodys, Emmys, and Edward R. Murrows.
Curated by: Ann Deborah Levy and Kirsten Larvick, Co-Chairs, the Women’s Film Preservation Fund, with programming assistance from Susan Lazarus and Amy Aquilino
The Women's Film Preservation Fund (WFPF) is the only programme in the world dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of women in the industry through preserving films made by women. Founded in 1995 by New York Women in Film & Television in conjunction with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), WFPF has preserved more than 150 American films in which women have played key creative roles. These include works by early feminists, women of colour, social activists and artists that represent unique and irreplaceable contributions to American cinematic heritage. Films already preserved range from those of early pioneers, Lois Weber and Alice Guy Blaché, experimental filmmaker, Maya Deren, animator Mary Ellen Bute, to more contemporary feature director Julie Dash; director and cinematographer Jessie Maple; documentarians Trinh T. Minh-ha and Barbara Kopple, and more. The WFPF is rewriting the film history books, one moving picture at a time. More information can be found online at: www.womensfilmpreservationfund.org
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) supports women calling the shots in film, television and digital media. NYWIFT energises the careers of women in entertainment by illuminating their achievements, providing training and professional development, and advocating for equality. The preeminent entertainment industry association for women in New York, NYWIFT brings together nearly 2,100 women and men working both above and below the line. NYWIFT is part of a network of 40 women in film chapters worldwide, representing more than 10,000 members. More information can be found online at: www.NYWIFT.org
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Discover
The Art of Change Shorts: Finding Your Voice - Bertil Nilsson
Director Bertil Nilsson meets three of the Barbican Young Creatives, Leon, Cleo and Georgia, to find out how creating art has helped them define their creativity and use their voice.
Part of The Art of Change
Barbican Cinema 3
Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue.
Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Access
Cinemas 2 & 3 are located at Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican Centre’s main Silk Street entrance. There are a couple of steep, dropped kerbs and an incline to negotiate between the two sites. Level access from Beech Street.
Mobility
Each auditorium has three permanent wheelchair spaces (two in the third row and one in the front row) and 153 fixed seats with capacity for a further three spaces in the front row. Access to each auditorium is up a ramp. There are also a number of seats with step-free access.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the cinema – please tell us when booking to ensure your seat has enough space. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the foyer staff during the performance.
Hearing facility
An infrared system for hard of hearing customers is provided in each auditorium; headsets or neck loops can be collected from foyer staff. The ticket desk counter is fitted with an induction loop.
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
