Beyond Bechdel: Recent Episodes
Beyond Bechdel
Nevertheless, we ALL persisted. A podcast about film and feminism from writers behind liveforfilm.com.
OH NO WHITE MAN PRIVILEGE ALERT!
Correct, this is an episode about a TV show produced by a white, straight, male showrunner, BUT it's different, we promise. The Premise is a new comedy anthology on Disney+ (shocking) looking at our pre-conceived ideas about gender, morality, race and sex and turning them on their heads to hopefully bring empathy, education and thought to our polarised times. Contrarah was blown away at the quality of the writing, directing and star power involved, but, even with a huge array of female talent on board, it doesn't seem to have hit the collective consciousness. Shout out to Jia Tolentino, Darya Zhuk, Lillian Yu, Josie Duffy Rice, Alexandra Ruddy, Dina Hashem and more!
Come for the recommendations and laughs, stay for the...butt plugs?
Have thoughts? Email beyondbech@gmail .com, tweet @Beyond_Bechdel or message on BeyondBechdel.com
We f***ing Love You!
We're back! And here with a look at the new age of Hard Sci-Fi. Is it new? Is it good? Is it female-friendly? How hard, is hard?
We answer all these questions and a whole lot more in the episode focused on Denis Villeneuve's new movie and Apple TV's new series, based on not-so-new IP.
Please rate, subscribe, review and always USE THE VOICE!
We invite back the delightful and witty Courtney Hodgkiss (https://twitter.com/courtneyishere) to talk movies that are so awe-inspiring, breathtaking, maddening and emotional that you can't stop yourself shouting about them to anyone who'll listen.
We came up with ten, count em, TEN movies that fit the bill - using various weird sub-categories and went to town talking about the joy and pain of the stories these movies tell.
Let us know what we missed.
Because visual-storytelling is what makes us human.
You're minding your own business, watching classic movies, movies that won Best Picture at the Oscars, and then you stop, and think...does this film glamourise child prostitution?!
Nick and Contrarah take a look at three classic films from yesteryear examining them through a 2021 lens. They are well-made and were financially and critically successful, but the plots and focus on social convention displayed are WILD!
Get to know Gigi, Fanny, Iris and Betsy with us.
Have thoughts?
Email us @ beyondbech@gmail.com
Tweet us @Beyond_Bechdel
and we're now on Instagram so follow and comment on @beyond_bechdel_
We are back in the cinema with a big, bold action movie that celebrates sound and champions hearing loss - A Quiet Place: Part 2.
Join Contrarah for an episode about what the film represents, if it's any good and how Millicent Simmonds is its runaway star. This episode contains SPOILERS in certain places, so please consult the running order below if you don't want to be spoiled.
00:00 - 01:25. Intro
01:25 - 11.46. Spoiler free recap and review
11:47 - 25:25. Full plot summary BURSTING WITH SPOILERS - listen at your peril!
25:25 - 34.36. Millicent Simmonds discussion, celebrating hearing-impaired actresses.
Impaired NEVER means lesser!
This episode delves into Hollywood history and the fascinating back story surrounding the 1977 Oscar-winning movie Julia. Based on the memoirs of playwright Lillian Hellman and starring Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave, Julia is a strange and thrilling story about Hellman's real life brush with espionage and German fascism...or is it?
After the film was released and won 3 Oscars (including for Adapted Screenplay) it was suggested by Hellman's rival Mary McCarthy that Hellman may have inserted herself into the narrative, and the 'facts' may actually be a fiction, or worse, taken from someone's else life story. And the story is all set around WW2!
Contrarah and Nick look at the moral implications of fabricating film plots, the role of male screenwriters in writing believable female friendships and the 'she said, she said' nature of professional female rivalry.
Truth is stranger than fiction, but what exactly is the truth?!
Filmmaker Ella Greenwood packed in a lot in the last couple of years. She made an award-winning short film about her struggles with teenage mental health issues (Faulty Roots), she made an animated film to bring those discussion topics to a younger audience (Dreary Days), she started working on her next film Self Charm with the award-winning Bukky Bakray and she was announced as one of the Forbes' 30 under 30 (at age 19).
Ella takes Contrarah through this story, her work with Broken Flames - her company helping to shine a light on teen mental health issues and all the people that helped Ella bring her stories to life. A comedy and horror lover, Ella also waxes lyrical on her love of TV and how female filmmakers are always so much more qualified than they think they are.
Click the links for more:
Faulty Roots
Dreary Days
Read more about all of Ella's work here
Special thanks to Latoya.
Ah 2020, a great year for health, positivity, movies.... in the immortal words of Thor, is it, though?
Contrarah researched what movies we went to see at the cinema and on streaming services, and some interesting trends emerged.
Did we choose movies to watch because they were the best?
Or because they were the best available?
Or because they were simply, available?
Let us know what films you most loved from last year by mailing us at beyondbech@gmail.com, tweeting @Beyond_Bechdel or on beyondbechdel.com.
This is a real treat of an episode for anyone wanting tips on how to find work in cinema, and for anyone who loves Paris (that's everyone, surely?)
Contrarah is joined by director, actress, writer and film festival producer Jenna Suru to talk about the Paris International Film Festival and her film career, including her feature L'Age D'or (The Golden Age), and film reviewer, content creator and PR guru Latoya Austin AKA Franglais27 about her fantastic career and how these two women came to know one another.
The episode is divided into parts on the film festival, film journalism, directing a feature, career advice and of course, Bechdel passing and failing movies! Find out more about our guests here:
Jenna Suru on Facebook, @jennasuru on Twitter @belleepoquefilms on Instagram and Facebook & Twitter, @lagedorfilm (The Golden Age) on Instagram, Twitter , Facebook and the Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk_PVbgTUIrklZaT1DnC9wQ
More on The Paris International Film Festival can be found at: https://www.parisintlfest.com/
Find Latoya at: @franglais27 on Twitter and Instagram and at the website www.Franglais27tales.com and find out more about the Birds Eye View agency's Reclaim the Frame campaign or search using #ReclaimtheFrame
Hope to see you all in St Tropez real soon!
Now that we have your attention... In honour of (and a little bit in spite of) IWD we made an episode about the women who inspire us - every day - across the arts. Contrarah asked filmmakers Becky Lima-Matthews (Becky-matthews.com) and Jen Francis (Sassy Jam Productions) to come talk, champion and celebrate women in multiple fields and they delivered! Our choices cover producing, writing, gaming, acting, directing and philanthropy. And in no particular order they are: Becky: Deborah Levy, Samantha Irby, Candice Carty-Williams Jen: Mara Brock Akil, Emma Thomas, Meghan Markle Contrarah: Gina Rodriguez/Letitia Wright, Alanah Pearce, Regina King/Kathryn Hahn/Marielle Heller (Contrarah can't count) Women are phenomenal.
Thanks to Andrew Evans (as always) for the Beyond Bechdel score.
To celebrate and commemorate LGBTQ History Month (in the UK) we take a look at lesbian cinema, focusing on movies that put gay relationships front and centre. Join Contrarah and Nick as they discuss what's good and bad about films made in the 1960s, the 2010s and right now in 2021, and the complexities of putting queer stories about women on screen.
We turn our attention to Wandavision, the mystery box show that everyone is talking about and nobody fully understands.
If you have a passing interest in the new Disney+ show but don't have the energy to find out what's happening, let Contrarah do the hard work for you. She sets out why it's such a female-friendly show, then gives an episode by episode recap for the first five episodes (both parts are spoiler-free), before moving to a full on geek-out investigating all the spoilers, all the theories and all the wild speculation as to what this show means for the MCU and beyond.
Timecodes:
Part 1 - Celebrating Wandavision: 02:46 - 15:10
Part 2 - Episode 1-5 Quick-fire Recaps: 15:25 - 40:00
Part 3 - Full SPOILER and Speculation section: 40:30 - 1:17:00
This is for you...and For The Children
Welcome to a new era...of (hopefully) better, kinder government.
The film industry has seen its fair share of political scandal and Contrarah wonders if we can learn lessons from movies, especially those made many years ago. We discuss 5 movies spanning a period of worldwide political upheaval from the 1940s all the way to end of the last century, and find an uncanny resonance with what's happening in 2021.
Join us for a trip down memory lane just before a new US inauguration.
2021! A new year and a renewed opportunity to get excited about the Academy Awards! Kinda...
Soon the Academy will be implementing a new set of diversity and inclusion rules, which can't come soon enough.
Kristin Janssen - podcast host of So...I'm Watching this Show joins Contrarah to break down the rules and talk about the films she loves and loathes, many of which wouldn't be eligible for nomination under the new rules. Join us for in-depth chat and fits of giggles.
Read the new rules here.
Follow Kristin and co-host Will's pod exploits on the SIWTS website.
Let us have your thoughts here and at beyondbech@gmail.com
Be Kind and Redefine.
This is part 3 of a now 4-part series (screw chronology) because Mank is a movie with so many layers it demands its own episode! While David Fincher is definitely not the greatest closet feminist of all time, Mank says a lot about Hollywood hierarchies, gender roles, politics and numerous power battles. It's a masterpiece, and requires an explainer. So Contrarah and Nick watched both Mank and Citizen Kane, to help them take you through all of the inside baseball that Fincher delivers about a certain Herman J Mankiewicz. It's the Magic of the Movies, baby!
Yeah, yeah 2020 is a living hellscape...but...is it though?
The prestige TV world is booming and this year we were able to enjoy some of the best shows around. Also, we could finally concentrate on listening to the music behind these big shows.
Music can be very subjective, as Contrarah found out, when a tweet called one of her favourite 2020 TV songs THE MOST ANNOYING! (she hasn't yet recovered) Judge for yourself whether you agree with our taste, as we take you on a musical journey through the TV themes of 2020.
Further reading:
Synchtank's piece on female composers
PRS for music stats
shesaid.so
Listen up!
In Part 2 of this series, we're still to determine whether David Fincher is the greatest closet feminist of all time?
In this period Fincher starts to utilise a range of female characters, takes a view on disability and even hires some (read: a few) people of colour. But we cannot deny that the brilliantly dark auteur treats people as people, and that's to be commended.
Come listen to our amusing analysis, where Fincher's dark soul tries to reach for the light!
David Fincher - friend or foe of film feminism? The jury's still out...
In Part 2 of this series, we're still to determine whether David Fincher is the greatest closet feminist of all time?
In this period Fincher starts to utilise a range of female characters, takes a view on disability and even hires some (read: a few) people of colour. But we cannot deny that the brilliantly dark auteur treats people as people, and that's to be commended.
Come listen to our amusing analysis, where Fincher's dark soul tries to reach for the light!
David Fincher - friend or foe of film feminism? The jury's still out...
Is David Fincher the greatest hidden feminist of all time?
Unlikely, but his movies appeal to all of our darker desires.
Join us on a poorly lit but beautifully sounding journey through the director's back catalogue, and then decide for yourself:
Fincher - friend or foe of film feminism?
This episode is devoted to the superhuman acting capabilities of Cush Jumbo.
It's also a teaser for our London Film Festival 2020 coverage - this year's festival is full of thought-provoking movies made by filmmakers with something to say. Clips in the episode are from:
Herself - Dir. Phyllida Lloyd
Undine - Starring Paula Beer
Reggae music doc (which inspired Lovers Rock - Dir. Steve McQueen)
Industry - Dir. Tinge Krishnan, Lena Dunham, Mary Nighy and Ed Lilly
Shirley - Dir. Josephine Decker
Nomadland - Dir. Chloe Zhou
What do you want to see? Email us beyondbech@gmail.com, tweet or contact us at beyondbechdel.com
We have a legal theme for this episode, asking: how is the law serving women on screen?
Contrarah analyses a new Netflix show that might be doing more harm than good, followed by a quick retrospective of a legal titan.
You want to lay down the law? Contact us at
beyondbechdel.com
Tweet us
Send us an email
"You can disagree without being disagreeable."
You know when you feel all the feelings, including thinking two alternative beliefs at the same time? Like....
Me: I hate this show, it's so trashy/horrifying/boring!
Also me: I love this show it's the best ever, I can't look away!!
That's what this episode is about.
Send us your conflicting opinions:
https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel and beyondbech@gmail.com and beyondbechdel.com
You know when you feel all the feelings, including thinking two completely opposed beliefs at the same time? You know the one:
Me: I hate this show, it's so trashy/horrifying/boring! Also me: I love this show it's the best ever/I can't look away!!
That's what this episode is about.
Send us your conflicting opinions: @Beyond_Bechdel and beyondbech@gmail.com and beyondbechdel.com
A special bonus episode about the film that is going to 'save cinema'. Contrarah has braved TENET twice so she and Nick (a one-time slightly confused viewer) review and breakdown Christopher Nolan's latest complex and controversial spy caper. NOTE: The episode is broken down into a 1) non-spoiler section, 2) a full detailed plot analysis and 3) spoiler-filled discussion. See time codes below: 00:30 - 33.05 Part One: Discussion of TENET - no spoilers, all confusion. 33.:23 - 54:48 Part Two: Full plot explainer - if you're confused after watching or want to see TENET while holding all the cards completely spoiled, this is for you. 55:00 to end Part Three: A spoiler-filled review of the plot mechanics, characters and ideas in this crazy masterpiece. Here is the visual timeline mentioned in the ep (a gigantic spoiler): https://www.reddit.com/r/tenet/comments/ii38sl/tenet_character_timeline_my_first_attempt_to_map/?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=post_title What happened, happened.
While we work on season 3, let's look at some things we love, and some that we loathe. In this episode: reading matter!
While we work on season 3, let's look at some things we love, and some that we loathe...
Half-way through the year 2020 and who knows how far into the devilish reign of COVID-19, Contrarah asks if we're getting film fatigue? She and notorious series-hater Nick debate project length, subject and what two decades can do to our perception, and wonder if it's ok to simply enjoy programming, or should we also endure it?
One thing is for certain, even with a mind at work, we haven't completed Netflix, have you?
Give us your easiest watches at:
beyondbech@gmail.com
@beyond_bechdel.
Contrarah is joined by Nick again for a new bonus episode on some excellent new films with a common theme. Firstly there's a discussion on enjoying versus enduring a movie, with our take on Joker. Before the main event: looking in depth at two powerful movies directed by directors at the top of their game: * Portrait of a Lady on Fire * Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always Join us to discover why we need to be championing this type of innovative cinema. Have thoughts? Contact us by email at beyondbech@gmail.com or on twitter at @beyond_bechdel. BLACK LIVES MATTER
Movies have long helped us to live out our best and worst fantasies. And what better way to cope with stressful times than by social distancing in the safety of your own home while watching famous, beautiful people do all the hard work.
In this second part of a two-parter, we look at the films that really went viral - and not in a good way...
But can films about GERM WARFARE actually help us during the coronavirus pandemic? Listen as Contrarah and Nick break down the (sometimes) invaluable advice found in 7 of these 15 disaster movies.
STAY HOME. STAY SAFE. WATCH MOVIES.
Movies have long helped us to live out our best and worst fantasies. And what better way to cope with stressful times than by social distancing in the safety of your own home while watching famous, beautiful people do all the hard work.
But can film actually help us during the coronavirus pandemic? Listen as Contrarah and Nick break down the (sometimes) invaluable advice found in 15 disaster movies.
STAY HOME. STAY SAFE. WATCH MOVIES.
In these strange times we wanted to bring listeners comfort, in the form of coping tips, media recommendations and the sound of three people laughing through the madness. Hope this helps.
Jen's brand new web series Phase 2 can be found here: www.youtube.com/channel/UCuS1mtCoDwYXiq2zALzLYqw
We're all on twitter if you want to talk:
twitter.com/bec_bebop
twitter.com/JustJen_02
twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
Stay safe.
2020 - sounds good doesn't it? We predict great things for filmmaking in this new decade! Contrarah asked some previous pod guests what they are most looking forward to. She and Nick also finish their discussion on the best films of the last ten years.
In a Hole
Doll's House
Key time codes:
5:01 - Just Jen
27:02 - Audrey Fox
40:31 - Emma Butt
1:02:05 - Becky Matthews
(49:00 -Segue into the role of the score in filmmaking)
Our final lists:
Contrarah
2010 - Winter's Bone
2011 - We Need To Talk About Kevin
2012 - Zero Dark Thirty
2013 - The Bling Ring
2014 - Selma
2015 - Fifty Shades of Grey
2016 - Certain Women
2017 - Lady Bird
2018 - Private Life
2019 - The Farewell
Nick
2010 - Inception
2011 - Tree of Life
2012 - Cabin in the Woods
2013 - Enemy
2014 - Whiplash
2015 - Knight of Cups
2016 - Moonlight
2017 - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2018 - Infinity War
2019 - 1917
The last decade saw some fantastic movies and some big steps forward for women in film, but no one told Nick that, he just loves himself some MAN movies full of MEN. Thank goodness Contrarah weighs in with some big time, money-making, award-winning female films.
Contrarah and Nick continue their review of cinema from 2010 to 2019 - this time looking at 2014 to 2017, and they may have finally found some common ground. Do you agree with these choices?
The last decade saw some fantastic movies and some big steps forward for women in film.
Contrarah and Nick review their tastes in cinema from 2010 to 2019 - each with a wildly different focus. Did your movie make the cut?
Computer gaming - it's for boys only, right? Wrong!
And yet, history hasn't been kind to the gamer community, especially in terms of gender discrimination. Instead of laying blame, maybe it's time to look at whether the games themselves are contributing towards a culture. Contrarah enlists the help of Dr Esther Wright (https://twitter.com/EstherWrigh_) whose recent PhD delves deep into stereotypes within the historical Rockstar Games universe. Listen as they discuss campfire confessionals, seedy underbellies and the lack of trans representation, as well as the world's most lit photography assignment.
We're pausing on episodes for a while so that the team can bring you even more content, thank you SO MUCH for listening to this season.
Shout out to all of our kind and talented guests and to the audio genius of Andrew Evans (https://twitter.com/AndrewDEvans)
And to all you murdering psychopathic gun-toting outlaws...just pass that weapon to a nearby female (or non-binary if you can find em) NPC, she can handle herself too.
What is Cinema?
Scorsese thinks he knows, but does he? Nick with his TV industry work knowledge and Contrarah debate this question focussing on art, entertainment with a segue into what exactly is a human being? Plus, do we want our Netflix content even faster?
Bonus Drinking Game: Take a sip every time someone says Transformers!
Tell us your definition of cinema at: beyondbech@gmail.com or https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
It's easy to look back at films from 20 years ago and cringe hard, wondering, "what were we thinking?"
Yet the 90s brought us so many good things, including a new a golden age for the romantic comedy - a genre sometimes frowned upon today. Writer/director/producer Just Jen thinks we shouldn't dismiss 90s romcoms as featherweight, when the lessons they're bringing are more empowering than at first glance.
The 90s romcom heroine as feminist Trojan Horse. Who knew?
Learn more about Jen's thoughts on culture @JustJen_02 on twitter and her own filming work https://www.instagram.com/sassyjamproductions/?hl=en on instagram
Tell us about your fave romcoms @Beyond_Bechdel
Amber Hunt, Amanda Rossman, Elizabeth Andes.
Madeleine Baran, Parker Yesko, Bertha Tardy.
Liliana Segura, Jordan Smith, Donna Brown.
You might not know their names. All women. All important. Listen to find out why.
Bad things happen to women every day, and women are doing invaluable work to make the world a better place. We get to be a part of the process through the power of audio. Contrarah makes the case for true crime pods, but not all true crime media is the same.
Serial: serialpodcast.org/
Accused: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/accused/id1145990861
In The Dark: www.apmreports.org/in-the-dark
Murderville: theintercept.com/podcasts/murderville/ (& full long-form content: theintercept.com/series/murderville/)
Want to recommend a true crime podcast? Email beyondbech@gmail.com and/or tweet us @Beyond_Bechdel
Remember old-school nurses? The white-starched uniform, kind bedside manner and comforting, feminine presence? Cinema remembers. A movie was made that sought to turn that stereotype on its head.
Nurse Ratched is widely known as the most deliciously heinous member of the nursing profession. She's also - according to our guest Audrey Fox - a Trojan Horse, standing out as a powerful women in a world full of dangerous men.
Contrarah and Audrey discuss Louise Fletcher's magnificent performance, as well as life behind the scenes on the set of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Tell Audrey all of your medical problems https://twitter.com/audonamission
Tell us we must be crazy to make a podcast in a looney bin like this: https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
Thanks as always to https://andrewevansmusic.com/about/ for our theme tune.
Getting a film made is a huge undertaking. And the vast majority of films are produced and directed by men. So when we heard that Stefanie Davis had written. directed and produced her own feature, we hunted her down and begged her to share her secrets! Stefanie and Contrarah go into detail about the path to filmmaking, Stefanie's championing of the 'survival job' and how her gender has both nothing and everything to do with how and why she made her movie. In case you thought that we were criticising Stefanie's work(!), the title of the movie is Hot Mess in a Wedding Dress. Watch it here: vimeo.com/ondemand/hotmessinaweddingdress Congratulate Stefanie here: @HotMessMovie & @gypsyfilmmaker Oh, and always check the weather report!
One of the best modern sci-fi action films in recent years, Edge of Tomorrow purported to be a Tom Cruise vehicle, but really it brought us Emily Blunt kicking all kinds of alien ass!
This is our first 'Trojan Horse' of the season and boy is the Angel of Verdun a goodun!
Come join Nick and Contrarah as they dissect the action role of a lifetime.
Got a better action hero slipping her away into a "man's" action flick? Let us know on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or beyondbech@gmail.com
One of the best modern sci-fi action films in recent years, Edge of Tomorrow purported to be a Tom Cruise vehicle, but really it brought us Emily Blunt kicking all kinds of alien ass!
This is our first 'Trojan Horse' of the season and boy is the Angel of Verdun a goodun! \
Come join Nick and Contrarah as they dissect the action role of a lifetime.
Got a better action hero slipping her away into a "man's" action flick?
Let us know on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or beyondbech@gmail.com
And we're BACK!
Welcome to this 8-part mini-series of Beyond Bechdel, where we delve into cinematic culture from a very particular point of view.
Stay with us for interviews, reviews, discussion and a lot of laughter from fantastic people working in the film and TV industry. The title might sound a bit odd but we'll break it down for you in the episodes, you'll have to listen to find out!
Please let us know what we're doing right (and wrong)by
Tweeting us @beyond_bechdel
Emailing us at beyondbech@gmail.com
We kick off with....sound!
Music by Andrewevansmusic.com
Can you hear us? Our season opener and first 'Specialist Subject' episode is all about sound. ADR and sound production specialist Emma Butt takes us through her career and influences, and gives invaluable advice for anyone who also wants to be a sound specialist. She is funny and self-deprecating. That sounds perfect to us! Find out more about Emma at www.emmabuttsound.com/ and by tweeting @EmmaButtSound Speak to us @Beyond_Bechdel or beyondbech@gmail.com
And we're BACK!
Welcome to the new season of Beyond Bechdel, where we delve into cinematic culture from a very particular point of view.
Stay with us for interviews, reviews, discussion and a lot of laughter from fantastic people working in the film and TV industry. The title might sound a bit odd but we'll break it down for you in the episodes, you'll have to listen to find out!
Please let us know what we're doing right (and wrong)by Tweeting us @beyond_bechdel Emailing us at beyondbech@gmail.com
We kick off next week with....sound!
Music by Andrewevansmusic.com
Are you a completionist?
It started with gaming, but join Contrarah and Nick take us through the cinematic steps that brought the world to the brink of media obsession.
The team also discuss the role of the female characters in Avengers: Endgame as we all rush to complete the MCU Infinity Saga.
Minor Endgame spoilers in the first half of the pod & major spoilers from around 0.45m in.
Remember...Gotta catch 'em all!
Are you a completionist? Find out by listening here. Contrarah and Nick take us through the cinematic steps that brought the world to the brink of obsession
Mild spoilers for Avengers: Endgame in the first half of the pod & Major Spoilers from around 0.45m in.
(NEWSFLASH: Boden & Fleck are not married - apologies to them and yay to the concept of platonic opposite sex filmmakers!) Hopefully you'll get that the title of this episode is a joke. BUT it's true that the MCU's masterpiece Captain Marvel means different things to different people. Join Contrarah and Nick while they try to drill down the plot and try to separate their Skrull from their Kree. They then talk through what this film means for feminist filmmaking. Higher, further, faster YEAH! Feel free to send us your thoughts on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or to beyondbech@gmail.com
The 2019 Academy Awards raise many questions for Contrarah, and she finds three directors who can answer them - with revolutionary films and performances.
Many spoilers for Oscar nominated films in this episode.
Roma, Roma, Roma!
Merry Christmas to you from Beyond Bechdel.
In this last episode of 2018 we give you a CHRISTMAS MOVIE MUSIC QUIZ! Followed by the obligatory discussion of the categorisation of Christmas movies, plus our review of 2018 and our hopes for next year's crop of films.
Thank you, as always, for listening. Please rate, subscribe and review and tweet to us @Beyond_Bechdel.
Baby, is it cold outside?
Mona Eltahawy said, "What would the world look like if girls were taught they were volcanoes?"
Women watching Fatal Attraction could be heard shouting "Kill the Bitch!" as the film concluded.
Anger can take many forms, so Contrarah and Becky Matthews explore how this new age of rage is playing out on screen.
Speak kindly to Becky @ https://twitter.com/bec_bebop Shout at us @ beyondbech@gmail.com
And don't get mad, get....REALLY MAD!
Nick and Contrarah raced back to Beyond Bechdel towers to give their quick verdict on Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
To listen to the our deep-dive exploration of feminism in the Wizarding World please listen to episode 28.
Contrarah's review of Fantastic Beasts 2 for liveforfilm.com can be found here: http://www.liveforfilm.com/2018/11/18/review-fantastic-beasts-2-the-crimes-of-grindelwald-far-too-convoluted/
EXPECTO CALAMARI
Yep....you read that title correctly. This episode is all about 'Arry Potter! In the episode Nick and Contrarah ask:
- are the women of the wizarding world getting short shrift?
- Is JK Rowling caught in a spell cast by the Patriarchy?
- What is Nagini's deal? Maledictus or Retcon victim?
- can you compare the crimes of Grindelwald to the crimes of Johnny Depp? and much more...
Accio listeners!
Remember to subscribe, rate and review - We love our listeners - you're all magic.
P.S. We're still trying cast the spell that makes Nick SPEAK INTO THE MIC (microphones are his boggart) P.P.S. RIP Dobby - never forget SPEW
It's often the driving force behind plot, but female trauma isn't often truthfully depicted on screen. This is becoming a problem.
Contrarah speaks to trauma expert Dr Karen O'Donnell about the stages in trauma presentation and resolving, and how directors are spreading misinformation with dicey narrative decisions (e.g. I've suffered sexual assault I must go and have sex with someone else immediately!)
It's not all bad news, with television (mostly) exploring the issue with sensitivity, particularly in Stranger Things and Call The Midwife.
Learn about Dr Karen here: https://www.dur.ac.uk/codec/who/karenodonnell/ Buy her book here: https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334056249/broken-bodies …
And let's have more talk about periods. Period.
This 'Bit Beyond' celebrates the latest outing of everyone's favourite double-gun-toting treasure hunter.
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft's motivation, inner conflict and aggression are explored as never before. Probably because of the amazing work from the game's lead writer - Jill Murray.
Lara jumps impossibly far, hangs from the thinnest crevice, uses that bow to deadly effect and has multiple conversations with female characters about important matters like, oh you know, the destruction of the world and the Lara-caused apocalypse.
This one's for the players - and the girls.
We all love to watch performers, but very few of us know what it's like to be one. Helen Hamer knows, and she tells Contrarah exactly what it's like to work in the performing arts.
Helen discusses her journey from getting in to a prestigious drama school through to navigating the real-life casting process, and how much gender factors into every actress's career.
Then Helen discusses playwriting and musical roles for women throughout history before showing a slew of recent movies that pass her new 'Beyond Bechdel' test.
For hiring Helen please contact Rowe Associates. To chat to her directly, you can find her at https://twitter.com/Hamer_Helen
Oh baby I love your way!
According to a recent American study, for every 1 female critic there are 3.5 male critics.
Just to compare, in terms of world population, for every 1 female there are 1.2 males.
We speak to Bianca Garner - who is a critic and a woman, about why there is such a large gender discrepancy and what we can do to change it. Her solution involves David Bowie and Nicolas Cage....sort of.
Read Bianca's work at filmotomy.com and cc2konline.com/ Talk about film with her at https://twitter.com/thefilmbee
And you're all babes!
This episode is about a common misconception in cinema, that men and women want different things. Studios are still dividing movies this way, an outdated practice.
We speak to Just Jen, a film writer who works in TV production about what makes a great movie. Jen doesn't believe in gender division, she chooses what to watch much like you do.
We discuss how filmmakers entice viewers, the role of stereotyping, whether race is a factor and what exactly it is about Tom Cruise movies that rev Jen's motor.
A quick warning: the sound isn't perfect, thanks for bearing with us.
You can find Jen on twitter https://twitter.com/JustJen_02 and her writing here: https://justjensreviews.wordpress.com/
Don't forget...I'm the bitch with the gun!
When you hear the words “it is a truth universally acknowledged…” can you immediately finish the sentence?
If you answered YES then this is the podcast episode for you.
Contrarah and Nick delve deep into the BBC’s 1995 TV adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a jolly thorough look at the classic six-parter.
We discuss whether our feelings towards this version have changed in recent years and why viewers are still obsessed with the rules of upper class english society from the 1800s. Are some of these rules still in force today?
Finally, Contrarah makes a case for Mrs Bennet as misunderstood literary heroine. We're not sure that Nick was convinced. But can she convince you? If so, please rate an review the podcast wherever you listen.
Capital. Capital I say!
Contrarah's latest mini-pod tells tales of the cinematic archive and the often depressing lack of inclusivity in past movies...with some light at the end of the tunnel for Asian stars and audiences.
With thanks to The Annenburg Inclusion Initiative's Inequality study: http://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/inequality-in-1100-popular-films.pdf Michelle La interview from Popcorn Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUxJLJp9h6c The Meg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGYXExfKhmo and Bobby Darin
Just keep swimming!
This episode includes a very funny discussion with Courtney Hodgkiss, a writer, journalist and wannabe-comic who has in-depth knowledge of the music and comedy industries.
Courtney is witty, bright and savvy; she also self-identifies as disabled, battling a chronic form of Crohn's disease. Her condition doesn't stop her, and is instead the impetus for her pursuit of a comedy career. She is inspirational, taking us through a smorgasbord of modern comedians - which offers something for everyone.
Read Courtney's blog here: https://fork-in-the-toaster.blogspot.com/ Learn more about Crohn's Disease here: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/about-inflammatory-bowel-disease/crohns-disease Contact us: @Beyond_Bechdel or beyondbech@gmail.com Enjoy funny women, because they're everywhere.
Anne V Coates was a veteran of Hollywood film editing, making her way from leafy Surrey to Hollywood via the Arabian desert. She had first-rate skills and a phenomenal career.
We celebrate her life and work in this episode.
Some ace footage of chinagraph film marking can be found here: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/1940s-close-up-hands-of-man-editing-film-on-stock-video-footage/670-83
The match match cut can be found here: https://vimeo.com/52693433
Did you come to tussle? Tuffy came to tussle.
You've heard the word, you know it isn't good, but like us, you're not exactly sure what the deal with fridging is....Let Contrarah and Nick wade through film history and do the hard work for you. Or not, because we're still confused...but we do agree that puppies are soooooo cute.
Come say hi on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel & on email @beyondbech@gmail.com.
And hey, while you're here.....STOP SHOVING WOMEN IN REFRIGERATORS
This 'Bit' celebrates cinematic heroes (both in front of camera and behind the scenes)
We celebrate:
Kelly Marie Tran (& Rose Tico) Tallulah Riley (and Angela) The women working tirelessly behind the scenes at the BFI.
Find out more here: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/pictures/women-movie-camera
43% Last Jedi 37% Force Awakens 35% Rogue One 23% Return of the Jedi 22% Empire Strikes Back 20% Phantom Menace 18% Attack of the Clones 17% Revenge of the Sith 15% A New Hope...
...These are the percentages of screen time for female identifying characters in the Star Wars universe, according to a detailed study by the brilliant Dr Becca Harrison, who gained celebrity, notoriety and a whole heap of abuse for her troubles. Yep, we have a bad feeling about this....so we talk to Becca about how Solo: A Star Wars Story fits into her research.
Find Becca on Twitter @BeccaEHarrison and http://www.writingonreels.uk/ Come say hi to us @Beyond_Bechdel or at https://beyondbechdelsite.wordpress.com/
A Bit Beyond about three amazing women - Meghan, Tayari and Cate.
Meghan Markle's feminist page: https://www.royal.uk/duchess-sussex Tayari Jones on Death, Sex & Money: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/death-sex-money-tayari-jones/ Cate Blanchett at Cannes :https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/cannes-2018-cate-blanchett-gender-equality-speech-watch-women-march-times-up-a8350521.html
SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE You can pass the Turing Test, but can you pass the Bechdel Test?
That's sort of the question asked by Nick and Contrarah as they take a deep dive into #Westworld. Both a TV show and a theme park that would be nothing without its female characters.
We explore the journey to consciousness experienced by leads Maeve and Dolores and get into how their differing paths act as pointers to how to the escape from the televisual patriarchy.
Come as a guest and go Beyond the Bechdel test...
This is the first 'Bit Beyond' just a little snapshot of life beyond the Bechdel test.
- More on Gretchen Rubin: https://gretchenrubin.com/
- Infinity War music: https://www.youtube.com/user/marvelVEVO/videos
- More on Lisa Joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTAxMzvSBgE
Please rate and review and spread the joy!
In 2018 Frances Mcdormand used her Oscar-win speech to talk about
Inclusion Riders
...and was met with silence from the bewildered Oscar crowd. But the ripples made by those two words turned to waves across Hollywood and beyond.
Contrarah agrees that it's about time that the law is used to help women get the jobs and exposure that they deserve, so she enlists Lawyer Nicci Morris to talk through how the law is changing to ensure fair representation behind and in front of the camera.
Follow us on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or on email @ beyondbech@gmail.com
and let's all get some perspective!
Following on from Part 1, in this episode we discuss the role of sex in games (oh yeah) including GamerGate (oh no) and the possibility of well-drawn female characters that are sexy AND have opinions, values and their own plots.
Then we move onto storytelling, especially one girl's beautiful story arc (you'll laugh, you'll cry, you may fall in love with another girl, you'll definitely shoot zombies).
Finally, we make it to a post-gender gaming experience with one stunning and very difficult title.
Featured games: The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt The Last of Us Bloodborne
Remember: we are feminist game hunters and feminist game hunters must hunt!
Come tell us your gaming stories: on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel or on email beyondbech@gmail.com
SHOCK: Girls like gaming! Especially games with girls in charge. And finally the gaming industry is catching up with the players.
In Part 1 we chart the progress in RPGs from a focus on banging bodies to a focus on character and plot. What took developers so long?
Featured games:
Tomb Raider 1 and 2 Rise of the Tomb Raider Resident Evil Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil: Biohazard Uncharted 1-4 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Come back for Part 2 soon and come say hi to us at beyondbech@gmail.com or on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel
Remember to subscribe, rate and review....and don't be a Jill sandwich! :-)
Lady Macbeth (writer: Alice Birch, director: William Oldroyd) stole our hearts, and she's capable of a lot more. This episode focuses on why this film resonates so much with women and what it says about feminism, given that it barely passes the Bechdel test.
How amazing is Florence Pugh's accent?! And we'd like to give a quick apology to Amy Jump....
Bafta interview with Alice Birch can be found here: http://guru.bafta.org/lady-macbeth-telling-stories-guru-live More on Becky Matthews here: https://www.becky-matthews.com/
Remember, if you don't listen...through hell and high water, we'll follow you...
Becky Matthews made a film. It's called Double Word Score. But she didn't just make a film. She did so much more.
Becky had an idea, took control of her creative career and then made it happen. She tells us how she did it. This episode is about living your cinematic dreams and...the importance of making film friendships.
Watch Double Word Score here: http://www.theopendoorshowcase.com/Double_Word_Score.html Follow Becky here: https://www.becky-matthews.com/ and here: https://twitter.com/bec_bebop
Come say hi to us at beyondbech@gmail.com or on twitter @Beyond_Bechdel
And yes Agnes Varda has been nominated for an Oscar for Visages Villages. She's 89.
The three films with the biggest US domestic box office success in 2017 all shared something not seen perhaps ever before: multiple female protagonists (and a female director just for good measure)...
This has to be a good thing for women on film, right? Contrarah and Nick deep dive into: 1) The Last Jedi 2) Beauty and the Beast 3) Wonder Woman to determine whether cinema is turning a corner.
Hold(o) on to your Phasmas because this is going to be a thrilling ride... Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
What connects Borgen, Christopher Hitchens, Ainsley Hayes, Busanhaeng and Jo Brand? NOTHING...except that they're all covered in this conversation between Contrarah and Susan Hansen.
Spanning continents, race, gender and more, what could be a depressing conversation about discrimination is actually a life-affirming chat about role models.
Susan can be found at twitter.com/susanhansen3 and www.itsallindie.com/
Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
Welcome to the twilight zone - this is not a drill - men and(black, blonde or promiscuous)women are dying! This is Part 2 of a two-parter (Please SUBSCRIBE and go back to listen to Part 1 first) devoted to the creepiest of genres.
We start by researching where the Final Girl trope came from and the good and (mostly) bad things that it says about male filmmakers and female horror stars.
Then we discuss how Scream changed the horror landscape for the better and whether failing the Bechdel Test might be ok if you're Clarice Starling or Annie Wilkes, plus there's good news in the shape of It Follows.
Want to talk? Don't be scared! Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
This is Part 1 of a two-parter (Please SUBSCRIBE so you can be ready for Part 2) devoted to the creepiest of genres. Yeah, it's hardly timely (unless you're listening on 31st October) but the relationship between women and horror movies is a perennial puzzle.
Listen as Nick comes up with a clever theory on the real meaning of Rosemary's Baby, and join us to discuss why women rule against the BIG BAD! Want to talk?
Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
And don't even think about having sex while listening...
After getting all excited over crouching tigers and hidden dragons, Hollywood largely ignored girl-on-girl action films (the ones where they get to use samurai swords, kung fu and uzis) for almost 15 years. And then, suddenly, CHARLIZE THERON and GAL GADOT BROUGHT THE GOODS!
Katie Smith-Wong talks about atomic blondes and brunettes on the fury road carrying immortal blades. We also ask how to capitalise on this new breed of female action hero and we get into strength and gender roles. But mostly we train 5 times, 10 times harder than we've ever trained before.
Recorded at the London Film Festival, get in touch: with Katie at https://twitter.com/Guitargalchina with us at @beyondbech@gmail.com and @Beyond_Bechdel
Let's get less furious, more Furiosa.
VERNA FIELDS! May we never forget her name.
We're joined on this episode by https://twitter.com/Paulyne_A to talk about the perils and perks of being a woman in the film industry...and after reminiscing about working girls and American psychos we invent the Reverse Bechdel Test.
Want to talk? Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com or tweet to https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel
Remember ladies, you're in a league of your own.
Welcome! Women make up half of the world, but appear in films only one third of the time. That's a little weird, right?
This podcast series asks how we improve representation on screen. One way is by using the Bechdel-Wallace Test. Find out what this is and how to use it by listening to the history in this inaugural episode.
In this series we'll look at new and beloved films and TV shows, and ask experts for their thoughts. We also debate modern representation on screen(and behind the scenes)touching on other ares of discrimination, like race, sexuality and disability.
Let's move Beyond Bechdel and make the world a better place.
Have thoughts? - Subscribe to the podcast - Email us at beyondbech@gmail.com - tweet to https://twitter.com/Beyond_Bechdel - read https://beyondbechdelsite.wordpress.com/blog/
We all deserve our time in the sun. Come have your voice heard.