Pro-Female Movie Nights
Just because they're "pro-female", doesn’t mean that men won’t enjoy these movies too. Men are most welcome - please come out and learn just how a movie can be pro-female, while not being anti-male either.
The truth is, the vast majority of movies feature male characters, sometimes excluding women altogether, but more often relegating them to supporting players.
Need proof? Think about your five favourite movies. Now think about the characters in these movies. How many of them are female? How many of these female characters a) have names; b) have speaking parts; c) speak to other female characters; and d) speak to the other female characters on a subject other than their relationship with men? These questions come from the Bechdel Test, which a surprising amount of movies fail miserably.
To correct this imbalance, we are going to be screening movies that feature strong female protagonists. They are not necessarily feminist movies (although some may be), nor will they all pass the Bechdel Test, but the female characters in the plot will have full personalities and needs of their own, sometimes separate or distinct from the male characters.
In other words, like real women.
To this end a list of 150 + movies has been compiled, from all sorts of genres, including horror, action-adventure, romances, feature length cartoons, courtroom dramas, and musical extravaganzas. We'll also be seeing movies from across the history of cinema - the oldest film on our list is The Kid by Charlie Chaplin, and it's silent. The vast majority, however, will have both sound and colour.
Movies will be screened in the Library at Toronto First Unitarian Congregation (175 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto) the second Friday of every month, with doors opening at 6:30 - please come for our pre-screening discussion! Show time will be at 7:00 pm sharp.
While the movies themselves will be viewed free of charge, there will be a charge for refreshments (popcorn and other junk food - bring your own soft drinks!) of $5 per person – or pay what you can.
Please note: whenever possible the movies will be screened with subtitles on, for the convenience of the hard of hearing.
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions of movies to be added to the viewing list, please contact [email protected].
The truth is, the vast majority of movies feature male characters, sometimes excluding women altogether, but more often relegating them to supporting players.
Need proof? Think about your five favourite movies. Now think about the characters in these movies. How many of them are female? How many of these female characters a) have names; b) have speaking parts; c) speak to other female characters; and d) speak to the other female characters on a subject other than their relationship with men? These questions come from the Bechdel Test, which a surprising amount of movies fail miserably.
To correct this imbalance, we are going to be screening movies that feature strong female protagonists. They are not necessarily feminist movies (although some may be), nor will they all pass the Bechdel Test, but the female characters in the plot will have full personalities and needs of their own, sometimes separate or distinct from the male characters.
In other words, like real women.
To this end a list of 150 + movies has been compiled, from all sorts of genres, including horror, action-adventure, romances, feature length cartoons, courtroom dramas, and musical extravaganzas. We'll also be seeing movies from across the history of cinema - the oldest film on our list is The Kid by Charlie Chaplin, and it's silent. The vast majority, however, will have both sound and colour.
Movies will be screened in the Library at Toronto First Unitarian Congregation (175 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto) the second Friday of every month, with doors opening at 6:30 - please come for our pre-screening discussion! Show time will be at 7:00 pm sharp.
While the movies themselves will be viewed free of charge, there will be a charge for refreshments (popcorn and other junk food - bring your own soft drinks!) of $5 per person – or pay what you can.
Please note: whenever possible the movies will be screened with subtitles on, for the convenience of the hard of hearing.
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions of movies to be added to the viewing list, please contact [email protected].
Friday, February 8, 2013 - Cancelled
The movie for February will not take place due to a scheduling conflict in the Library.
Friday, March 8, 2013 - Chicken Run
Chicken Run is a 2000 British stop-motion animation comedy film made by the Aardman Animations studios and directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park. It was the first feature-length film by Aardman.
The story opens on an egg farm, populated by repressed chickens and one elderly rooster. The chickens are under pressure – if their egg production goes down, they face the chop.
One of the chickens, Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha), has persistently been trying to escape from the farm – some of her escapades were based on scenes from The Great Escape and Stalag 17. If successful, she fully intends to free all of the chickens from captivity. Things become serious when the owners of the farm decide to move from selling eggs to producing chicken pies. However, a charming Rhode Island Red named Rocky drops into the chicken run, quite literally out the sky. Believing that Rocky can teach them how to fly, and not wanting to be pies, the chickens step up their escape efforts.
Full of slapstick humour and sight-gags, Chicken Run nonetheless has an extremely witty plot, and quite poignant scenes. While it is thought of as a kid’s film (I don’t agree, personally), the theme of death is ever-present, and many of the jokes were such that only adults would understand them. It is downright hilarious, whatever your age.
Best of all, Chicken Run is a feminist movie. Yes, you read that correctly.
The main character is female, smart, funny, determined, and an excellent role model, even if you’re not a chicken. She wins the admiration of the male protagonist (and the other chickens) through use of her brains and personality. In addition, the main villain of this movie is also female, and she is the one whom Ginger has to defeat. Their climactic battle has nothing to do with a man, love, or sex, but everything to do with greed, power, and Ginger’s survival.
The laughter during this film will undoubtedly be loud, and the post-movie discussion is likely to be lively.
For more information on Chicken Run (spoilers!), please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Run
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120630/
The story opens on an egg farm, populated by repressed chickens and one elderly rooster. The chickens are under pressure – if their egg production goes down, they face the chop.
One of the chickens, Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha), has persistently been trying to escape from the farm – some of her escapades were based on scenes from The Great Escape and Stalag 17. If successful, she fully intends to free all of the chickens from captivity. Things become serious when the owners of the farm decide to move from selling eggs to producing chicken pies. However, a charming Rhode Island Red named Rocky drops into the chicken run, quite literally out the sky. Believing that Rocky can teach them how to fly, and not wanting to be pies, the chickens step up their escape efforts.
Full of slapstick humour and sight-gags, Chicken Run nonetheless has an extremely witty plot, and quite poignant scenes. While it is thought of as a kid’s film (I don’t agree, personally), the theme of death is ever-present, and many of the jokes were such that only adults would understand them. It is downright hilarious, whatever your age.
Best of all, Chicken Run is a feminist movie. Yes, you read that correctly.
The main character is female, smart, funny, determined, and an excellent role model, even if you’re not a chicken. She wins the admiration of the male protagonist (and the other chickens) through use of her brains and personality. In addition, the main villain of this movie is also female, and she is the one whom Ginger has to defeat. Their climactic battle has nothing to do with a man, love, or sex, but everything to do with greed, power, and Ginger’s survival.
The laughter during this film will undoubtedly be loud, and the post-movie discussion is likely to be lively.
For more information on Chicken Run (spoilers!), please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Run
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120630/