Last night was the final night of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival. According to CIFF publicists, a record 18 of this year’s major films were directed by women (more when they also counted Shorts), & 36 were written by women (including most of those directed by women). I saw 33 films this year, 14 of which were directed by women, & another 5 of which had women screenwriters. That means 58% of the films I saw this year were WITASWAN films—a personal accomplishment for me & also for my wonderful husband/partner Richard (who saw most of them with me).
Of course I don’t know this for a fact, but I’m willing to bet that I saw many, many more WITASWAN-qualified films than any of my fellow film critics—there was very little mention of most of these films in the male-dominated guides published in The Reader, The Sun-Times, Time Out Chicago, or the Chicago Tribune.
I will have more to say about several of these films in future, but for now let me just say that while I did see some turkeys, most of these films were terrific. Special kudos to Be Like Others, Cherry Blossoms, Distant Tremors , Heaven on Earth, Lemon Tree , Native Dancer, Pressure Cooker, Sita Sings the Blues, Slumdog Millionaire, Snow, and Wendy & Lucy.
Here are all the films I saw that were directed by women: Be Like Others, The Boot Cake, Cherry Blossoms, Country Wedding, Heaven on Earth, La Rabia, Milton Glaser, Native Dancer, Pressure Cooker, Sita Sings the Blues, Slumdog Millionaire, Snow, Surveillance, Wendy & Lucy.
Here are all the films I saw that were written (but not also directed) by women: 24 City, Deadly Delicious, Distant Tremors, Lemon Tree, Of Boys & Men.
Here are the films on the schedule that were directed by women that I didn’t see: Brutus, the Journey; Crossing Dates; Days in Between; Fear(s) of the Dark; God Man Dog; The Mermaid.
Kudos to Mimi, Vivian, Lori, & the ENTIRE Cinema/Chicago
team for another GREAT year!!!
31.Oct.08 
Events: WITASWAN & SWAN Day 
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Click here to read more about DINNER AT JANE’S.
I’m scheduled to do a screening of Suzanne Lacy’s wonderful film DINNER AT JANE’S @ Edwardsville Public Library on Thurs PM 11/20. Four AAUW-Illinois branches are co-sponsoring this program: Alton, Jerseyville, SIU-E & Wood River. Join us in celebrating the second annual Jane Addams Day in Illinois on December 10, 2008.
29.Oct.08 Events: Jane Addams Day Read more Comments (0)
Click here to download 10/18 eVite with RSVP instructions.
“A small desert town on the edge of western India’s famous salt plains is the unlikely home of the world’s largest population of Charlie Chaplin impersonators…” WITASWAN invites you to come see acclaimed Australian filmmaker Kathryn Millard’s new doc The Boot Cake at this year’s Chicago International Film Festival! Three screenings only on Fri 10/17, Sat 10/18, & Tues 10/28, so order your tickets now!
Reception for Kathryn immediately following Saturday screening @ P.J. Clarke’s Restaurant (right next to AMC River East) from ~ 5 PM to ~ 6 PM. All food & drink DUTCH. To ask questions &/or reserve your table, please contact me ASAP: witaswan@msn.com.
15.Oct.08 Events: Metro Chicago Only, Events: WITASWAN & SWAN Day Read more Comments (0)
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Family Dynamics and Body Politics:
Women Directors of the Spanish-Speaking World
October 24-26th, 2008
The Orpheum Theater; Galesburg, IL
**********
Fri, Oct 24th @ 7pm: Opening Night Introduction by Jan Lisa Huttner
Followed by the Spanish film Te Doy Mis Ojos (Take My Eyes)
Directed by Icíar Bolláin
Click here for complete festival schedule.
For questions contact Robin Ragan, Associate Professor, Knox College.
Click here to read article by Devinne Stevens.
06.Oct.08 Events: WITASWAN & SWAN Day Read more Comments (0)
“His most successful long-term relationship was with us.”
Excuse me?!?!? More phallocentric tripe from NEWSWEEK film critic David Ansen. In his Oct 6th tribute to Paul Newman, Ansen writes: “With men he was a great buddy, partner in crime, leader of the pack. But you can count the love stories he made on the fingers of one hand.” It goes without saying that Ansen has nothing whatsoever to say about Newman’s extraordinary artistic collaboration with wife Joanne Woodward. He barely even acknowledges her existence, confining his references to her in this one mid-paragraph throw-away line: “His marriage to Joanne Woodward lasted 50 years.”
Woodward wasn’t the only woman who shared passionate scenes with Newman. You would never guess from Ansen’s comments that Newman once seduced Eva Marie Saint in Exodus, futhermore I think there are several ways to interpret the goings on in with Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof that don’t depend on extraneous knowldge of Tennessee Williams own homosexual angst. And as a writer, I have a personal fondness for Newman’s chemistry with Sally Field in Absence of Malice, etc, etc..
This is not the first time Ansen has been blinded by his blue-colored glasses. Question for Ansen: It’s 2008–do you still need reminding that women hold up half the sky?!?
03.Oct.08 Raving/Ranting about Critics/Journalists Read more Comments (0)
