A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece Pondering The Chick Flick for the Women’s Media Center. When it was published I sent it out to basically everyone I know and everyone I’ve interviewed, especially those who care about women’s films.
Sometimes I hear back from people and sometimes their responses are worthy of sharing.
Diane English, creator of Murphy Brown and writer and director of The Women sent me a lengthy response to the piece. English’s film was not very well received when it opened this past fall. Whatever you think about the film, English must get props for a) having the guts to put together a film that starred women that were mostly over 40; b) hiring a lot of women on her crew.
So here’s some advice from English on making films:
If you are a woman and you want to make a film about women, brace yourself. Secure your finances, alert your shrink, and refill your Xanax prescription. You are in for a very bumpy ride. But don’t ever let it stop you.
Thanks Diane. I hope that all of you out there stuggling to give women voice will heed this advice. Don’t give up. We need you.
And this from one of our most successful female directors!
That was nice to hear…
Hollywood is bullshit. Everyone needs to move to Europe and get involved with European cinema which is notoriously much kinder to actresses and female filmmakers.
That was sadly encouraging.