It’s time to enjoy some herstory. Turner Classics Movies (TCM) is reteaming with Women in Film Los Angeles (WIF) for the second annual installment of the “Trailblaizing Women” series. The partnership serves to highlight women’s historical achievements in cinema and promote gender parity in Hollywood.
The theme of this year’s programming is “Actresses Who Made a Difference,” a slate that recognizes the contributions of actresses from back in the early days of cinema and the ones who continued to influence and inspire in modern times.
The month-long programming event kicks off October 4, and will air every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the month of October. Actress, producer, and director Illeana Douglas (“The Cape,” “Ghost World”) will reprise her role as host. Douglas will be joined by a number of amazing co-hosts such as Bette Midler, Jane Fonda, and Rita Moreno.
Last year’s program focused on women behind the camera, a subject Douglas spoke at length about in an interview with Women and Hollywood. She observed, “Women used to think, ‘If I’m really nice, I’ll get a seat at the table. I’ll get to direct.’ And it hasn’t happened. It’s been narrowing, to where we’re going to become extinct. So now people are talking about it.”
Films being screened under the “Actresses Who Made a Difference” banner include “The Philadelphia Story,” “The Swan,” “Raw Deal,” “Salt of the Earth,” “Bright Road,” “Women in Love,” and “The Way We Were.”
“We’re thrilled to offer fans this comprehensive programming event featuring some of the great icons of our time as they explore the formidable effect actresses have had in movie history,” said TCM general manager Jennifer Dorian.
“We are proud to once again join TCM on this series, not only to celebrate the historic achievements of these great actresses and trailblazers, but also to emphasize the need for gender parity in front of the camera in contemporary cinema,” added Kirsten Schaffer, WIF executive director. “These programs make it clear that there has been and continues to be a wealth of talent available. In 2015, 32 percent of leads or co-leads in the top 100 films were women — we’d like to see that number get to 50 percent.”
For more information on “Trailblazing Women” and schedule details, head over to the series’ website.
