Women?! In Film
- Nathalie Claudia
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
In this Film and TV listicle, our writer Nathalie discusses her favourite and most essential onscreen stories about women, while asking whether cinema has truly come a long way since the old days.
Art itself is usually reflective of its creator. Saying that, does cinema made by women possess an undeniable distinctive touch?
From being admitted to asylums for reading novels in the 19th century, and being overshadowed by undeserving men in the cinematic industry, women have been and are still marginalised quite starkly in a field that requires no credentials.
Alas, they persevere…
Here is a short list of movies directed by women that, from my observation, convey depictions of them blossoming, manoeuvring their environments, relationships and at times, themselves.
Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig
An exciting and hilarious coming-of-age film that follows Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a senior in a Catholic school who yearns for independence and struggles with her relationships.
Greta Gerwig delicately portrays the ambiguous stage of adolescence and the restraints against Lady Bird’s youth and her desires. The film’s endearment stems from Gerwig’s capture of raw emotions, as the audience follows the angst and vulnerability of a young woman as she grows and searches for her identity. Without “sugar-coating”, characters express their desires, whether dire or indifferent, illustrating the whirlwinds engulfing the lead.
Lady Bird also embraces a relatable tone targeted at youngsters who simply want or need to be enough, to be more and to be seen, all at once.
Where Do We Go Now by Nadine Labaki
A movie of resilience that explores navigating conflict and restoring harmony within the confines of humble communities. Nadine Labaki directs and stars in this film — a homage to how subtle action is capable of mending altercations in the same manner of causing them.
Set in a Lebanese village that experiences fear, loss and tension, the women aim to dismantle the chaos, using their perseverance to restore serenity, amid uncertainty.
A true heart-stomper. Stomper, I say.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Céline Sciamma
A French film dwelling into the complexities of love and the constraints of society parallel to women’s agency. Marianne, a painter, must spend time with a lady yet to be betrothed and paint her portrait discreetly.
As more time is spent together, a passionate entanglement of love ignites between Héloïse and Marianne and they must venture into these feelings alone, within deception, out of conformity and bare-faced.
Ever thought what could have been if Anne with an E ended up with Diana? Well, here you have it.
Caramel by Nadine Labaki
Caramel follows five women in Lebanon that journey through their lives and cultures as they face conflicts in love, duty, sexuality, and aging. The societal norms of which they reside direct their lives in a manner that evokes tension, thus, the women are led to break out of the encased structures they are in, in pursuit of happiness.
Gorgeous.
Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell
The film dives into themes of trauma, revenge and revolves the failures within the justice system especially in regard to sexual assault. Cassandra “Cassie” Thomas embarks on a mission in this dark comedic storyline to confront men who exploit women and introduce them to her methods of justice.
Find out what Cassie does to men who prey on women's bodies, vulnerability and trust, out of sport.
Lost in Translation by Sofia Copolla
A movie of connection and the simplistic act of yearning for it. Through loneliness, Charlotte and Bob Harris, who are at contrastingly different periods in their lives, are drawn to one another, seeking that social union humans crave. In the unfamiliar yet bizarre setting of Tokyo, the characters deal with the uncertainties in their lives and share aspects that aid each other. Fundamentally, the human connection, when deprived, merely requires a quiet moment to spark the natural desire and longing of it, which is conveyed here by Sofia Copolla.
Who wouldn’t want to see Scarlet Johansson and Bill Murray unveiling the depressing reality of loneliness? It’s fun, trust.
Hasn’t the industry done enough “for” women?
As per a reflection of societal expectations at the time, women during the silent film era were especially depicted as desirable figures or damsels, usually in distress. However by the 1930s, the femme fatale introduced the notion that feminine power was a dangerous feat. In the 21st century, while there is much more freedom in creativity, conforming to the norms of society bear structural security within cinema.
However, nothing must remain the same, and although artists receive criticism for their visions of women, it simply highlights how broad a woman’s figure is in reality.
Furthermore, the current cinematic climate has laid out the stage for women to be portrayed quite freely. Yet, in specific cultures and countries, freedom is threatened and limited to an extent, causing characters to bear merely a handful of traits. Within the horizon of visions, audiences may still be less capable of accepting that a female’s character can be as interesting as a man's, and that is because they “apparently” once weren’t.
The portrayal of women in cinema has always been and always will be crucial. Because even if one is unaware of influence, characters mould perception and that in turn moulds society. Remember?
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