Here are some of the women directors and films about women that are rolling out in Cannes.
Map of the Sounds of Tokyo- Isabel Coixet
Synopsis: Ryu is a solitary girl whose fragile appearance is in stark contrast with the double life she leads, working nights at a Tokyo fishmarket and sporadically taking on jobs as a hit-woman.
Mr Nagara is a powerful impresario mourning the loss of his daughter Midori, who has committed suicide. He blames David, a Spaniard who runs a wine business in Tokyo.
Mr Nagara’s employee, Ishida, was silently in love with Midori and hires Ryu to murder David.
A sound engineer, obsessed with the sounds of the Japanese city and fascinated with Ryu, witnesses this love story which searches the shadows of the human soul, reaching deep into places where only silence has the power of eloquence.
H/T FirstShowing.net
Agora-Alejandro Amenabar
Description (from Rope of Silcon): The film tells the story of the legendary astronomer Hypatia (Rachel Weisz), trapped in the legendary Library of Alexandria, and her fight to save the old world’s wisdom from the religious riots sweeping the streets of Alexandria.
I think this film is pretty interesting considering we’ve seen so many movies like Alexander and Troy about male heros. It’s about time we heard about a woman from ancient times. The film does not yet have US distribution.
‘Agora’ Clip, Pics and Cannes Reactions (The Rope of Silicon)
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This is the first I’ve heard or seen of the movie ‘Agora’ and I’m absolutely over the moon! Not only is Hypatia is one of my greatest heroes, but the story of the destruction of the Library of Alexandria by Christian thugs is one of the great undertold literary tragedies of history.
Also, as an ancient history nut AND a feminist, I’ve had a total gutful of films that make the ancient world look like it was just one long Mr Universe pageant with helmets. Don’t tell me that Hollywood is finally waking up to the fact that there were actually a few interesting women back then other than Cleopatra!
Here’s crossing fingers that this might lead to some biopics on Boudicca, Sappho, Cantamandua or Mary Magdelene … and that’s just for starters.