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The Working Girls + ScreenTalk with Stephanie Rothman (Zoom) (15)

Hidden Figures: Stephanie Rothman

,Cinema 3
A nude woman stands in front of a sparkling wall of streamers.

Female friendship, solidarity, work and utopian socialism are at the heart of Stephanie Rothman’s final film as a director, in which three determined young women look for their place in the world. 

Stephanie Rothman’s filmmaking career in Hollywood was bookended by two brilliant films about gender, labour, sex, money and class. The first, was her breakout film The Student Nurses, yet it is her last film, The Working Girls that captures Rothman’s heart and politics.  Three young single women in Los Angeles look for their place in the world. Each character reflects the challenges and misogyny Rothman faced as a female filmmaker in 1970s Hollywood.  

Although set during a chronic recession, seen today, the film oozes a distinctly dreamy Californian carefreeness and lightness, punctuated throughout with Rothman’s razor-sharp humour. A socially and politically trenchant film, full of melancholia, regret and hope. Rothman’s final film leaves us imagining what could have been had she continued her film career. 

Tagged with: Cinema Stephanie Rothman

This screening will be a UK premiere of a new restoration of The Working Girls. 

Please note this film contains scenes depicting sexual assault, nudity and instances of misogynist language.

Courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome 

Film information
  • Release year   1974
  • Country   USA
  • Director   Stephanie Rothman
  • Runtime   1 hr 20 min

Cinema 3

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk 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.