I’m traveling today to the Citizen Jane Film Festival so no blogging today. Here’s an interview I did with the Columbia Daily Tribune in Columbia, MO in anticipation of the Citizen Jane Film Festival this weekend.
Melissa Silverstein of Brooklyn, N.Y., has the type of articulate, informed voice the Citizen Jane Film Festival is becoming known for bringing to Columbia. Her well-regarded blog at womenandhollywood.com exists to highlight issues facing women in film, TV and other areas of popular culture. Silverstein has written for a variety of publications, including Huffington Post, Alternet, Ms. magazine and More magazine; additionally, she has been an online marketing consultant on films targeted at women and serves on the advisory board of the Women’s Media Center. She will participate in “Women Behind the Camera: A Conversation with the Women of CJFF09,” taking place at noon Saturday at Ragtag Cinema. In this Q&A conducted by e-mail, Silverstein comments on the underrepresentation of women in film and how events such as Citizen Jane can help.
Tribune: How did you first hear about Citizen Jane? What will be the nature of your involvement in this year’s festival?
Silverstein: I believe I read about the festival online and then asked Polina (Malikin) to do a guest post on my site because I was impressed with what they were doing.
Tribune: From what you’ve observed, how much of the underrepresentation of women in the film industry is because of structural impediments wrapped up in the way the industry has historically been run? How much is carried over from broader, more wide-ranging cultural issues?
Silverstein: That’s a pretty big question. As an outsider, movie lover and a feminist, to me it looks like the town is sexist and is fueled by male egos, but I have to say I am really proud of the women who have made it in the business because they will make things easier for the next generation. That being said, I love movies and TV of all different types and like most other people want to see different kinds of movies made by different kinds of people, both men and women. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
Read full interview here
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Great interview! This blog provides an incredible service to women in the film industry, far more than you realize. No one discussed these issues in detail until you came along.