October Review

I thought there may not be enough to post weekly about cool stuff I've found. Unfortunately looking back over October there is a ridiculous amount so that was obviously a stupid idea. Anyhow, here are some of highlights in film blogging over the last month.

At the London Film Festival there was an event Snipping Through the Celluloid Ceiling with a panel of female film makers discussing issues surrounding being women in the film industry and female produced film. Unfortunately I couldn't attend and this is the only write up of it that I could find. It looks like it was an interesting and inspiring discussion.

I found this news about critic Jessica Mann very interesting. Basically she has refused to review any more crime books as she was sick of the violently misogynist content. I like how she as a critic is taking control of her own consumption and exposure to content she finds offensive. The story has been discussed at Shakesville and The F Word too.

Samantha Morton writes for the Guardian about the responsibility of actors to use their power to challenge sexist messages their films may be sending. We need more intelligent, critical actors like her if the content of films is going to change.

Alien was released 30 years ago and the Guardian have a celebratory piece on Ripley, one of the best female characters ever. I had a great time at Duke of Yorks on 25th October where they screened an original 1979 print of Alien and had a Q&A afterwards with the editor and the costume designer of the film. Dallas King of Championship Celluloid also wrote about Alien which he saw at Dukes as part of his (500) Films of Empire series. Someone obsessively working through a list of films is always to be admired and encouraged and travelling 1188 miles for one film is impressive, if extreme.