Guest Post by Angela Trott
Catherine Hardwick will be appearing in person at this event, see details below.
Catherine Hardwicke (b. 1955) grew up in McAllen, Texas on the border between the U.S. and Mexico, in what she has described as a wild but wonderful childhood. It was a somewhat violent area, and Hardwicke experienced attacks on friends and family in her adolescence. Despite this and the lack of cultural stimuli in the area, she went on to study Architecture at the University of Austin, Texas. Architecture however did not provide Hardwicke with the freedom and creativity she had hoped for, so she moved to Los Angeles to attend the UCLA Film School.
After a decade as a production designer, Hardwicke made her directorial debut in 2003 with “Thirteen,” an unflinching portrayal of girlhood dealing with issues such as self-harm, drug abuse, and underage sex, while never straying into clichéd or exploitative representations of its young female characters. The strength of both “Thirteen” and Hardwicke‘s subsequent film, “Lords of Dogtown”, hinges on her sense of authenticity in subject and character. “Thirteen” was co-written by actress Nikki Reid, while “Lords of Dogtown” was scripted by the real-life ‘Z-boys’ skateboarder Stacy Peralta. Both films offer an incredibly sensitive and complex look at adolescents negotiating the dangers and exhilarating highs of an urban, working-class American upbringing. Even in her retelling of “The Nativity Story” (2006), Hardwicke strove to find an authentic take on a well-worn tale by casting a teenager to convey the stark reality of what Mary was facing: a terrified young woman confronting a near impossible task and unknowable future.
Hardwicke moved into mainstream cinema in 2008 with “Twilight.” The film earned nearly $400 million worldwide, guaranteeing that the remainder of Stephanie Meyers’ series would reach the big screen. Hardwicke‘s contribution stands-out in its distinct visual style. She captured the emotional state of an infatuated teenager against the atmospheric visual backdrop of the Pacific Northwest’s brooding beauty. Given the film’s relatively small budget and runaway success, it’s a wonder that Hardwicke did not go on to direct further big-budget installments in any other franchises. Instead, Hardwicke found herself taking on the critical and commercial flop “Red Riding Hood” (2011), followed by the relatively ignored “Plush” (2012).
After directing TV and the occasional short, as well as Lady Gaga‘s incredibly powerful video for “Til It Happens to You,” Hardwicke made a welcome return to the big screen with “Miss You Already” (2015). The film focuses on best friends Jess and Milly, played by Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette, and how their lifelong friendship is tested when Jess becomes pregnant at the same time that Milly is diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently undergoes chemotherapy. Although the film received mixed critical responses and suffered from a limited theatrical release, it stands as another accomplished example of Hardwicke‘s ability to draw authentic and unsentimental performances from the actors she works with.
Hardwicke has been vocal about her difficulty securing financing and directing work, citing that many male directors have moved on to big-budget films after just one hit, yet female directors including Hardwicke, who held the record for highest-grossing opening weekend for a female director at the time, have not. She continues to speak out against the gender bias in cinema, recently assisting an investigation conducted by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission looking into whether gender discrimination in the film industry amounts to illegality. She also takes action as a board member of We Do It Together, a non-profit organization formed to produce media content to challenge stereotypical representations of women and promote female empowerment. This year, Hardwicke returns to adapting a young adult novel with “Stargirl,” slated for release in 2016. The film will tell the story of a home-schooled teenage girl whose non-conformist attitude has a dramatic effect on her fellow students upon her enrollment at an Arizona high school. Given Hardwicke‘s track record for deftly handling both adaptation and young adult stories with authenticity and confidence, this is hopefully a release to look out for in the coming year.
Friday, May 27 Seeking Our Story screens Catherine Hardwicke’s “Thirteen” as part of the American Cinematheque’s Rack Focus Initiative. This screening is presented with Etheria Film Night, Women In Media and Alliance of Women Directors.
Angela Trott is a PhD Film student from the UK who divides her time between film watching, writing, teaching, and tea drinking in equal measure. This article originally appeared on Film Inquiry, where Angela is a frequent contributor.
