Suffragette Press Conference

The BFI London Film Festival opens this evening with Suffragette. Director Sarah Gavron, screenwriter Abi Morgan, and stars Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep were in London to talk about the film, gender equality, and the film industry…

On bringing the Suffragette movement to the big screen…

Abi Morgan: Film does take time. However, I think when a film is fronted not by one, but by an ensemble of women, and they are not being funny, it’s hard. And it’s not romantic, it’s hard. I think that became a huge obstacle, but we have an incredible group of producers and I think of them all as feminists. It has taken both men and women to bring this project to the screen.

On Suffragette‘s protagonist…

Sarah Gavron: What we were interested in was the story of ordinary women. No platform, no entitlement – working class women who were so often at the vanguard of change but rarely get talked about. There were these extraordinary accounts, so contemporary feeling. We thought to follow that woman would make it connect with audiences all over the world today.

Meryl Streep: I think the great achievement of this film is that it is not about women of a certain class, like Emmeline Pankhurst who worked as an abolitionist, as a pro-labour supporter for the rights of working people – men and women. It’s about a working girl. That’s part of why we can enter the film so easily and so empathetically. Carey plays this young laundress who looks like us.

On the contemporary resonance of Suffragette…

Carey Mulligan: What I always loved about this film is that it didn’t feel like a documentary about a time, it felt like a film about today. I always felt its resonance of where we are. It’s a film to mark the achievement of what these women did, what they gave to us, but also to mark where we are in the world. We still live in a society that is sexist, and that goes throughout our history.

Meryl Streep: There is no such thing as ‘women’s history’, there’s history that women have been shut out of. I knew a great deal about the suffragette movement in the United States, but I didn’t know about it here. And I also didn’t know the condition of women here in 1913. I didn’t know that the marriage age was twelve – that was shocking to me. I didn’t know that once a woman was married, she had no further claim to not only here name, but any property she brought to the marriage. Her own children were not hers; she had no say, really, in how they were raised or where they were educated, if they were educated. Or if the twelve year-old was basically sold to be married off. I didn’t know those things. To be it’s recent history because my grandmother was alive then, had a couple of children, and was not deemed capable of voting. I’m passionate about it – it feels recent.

On women in film criticism…

Meryl Streep: In our business, part of it is driven by buzz. I was always thinking ‘what makes buzz? What controls that?’. So I went deep, deep, deep into Rotten Tomatoes and I counted how the contributors – critics and bloggers, and there is a very strict criteria that allows you to be a blogger, critic or something [on the site]. Of those people who are allowed to rate on the ‘Tomato-meter’, there are 168 women. And I thought ‘that’s absolutely fantastic’. If there were 168 men, it would be balanced. If there were 268 men it would be unfair but I would be used to it. Actually there are 760 men who weigh in on the Tomato-meter. I submit to you that men and women are not the same. They like different things. Sometimes they like the same thing, but sometimes their tastes diverge.

If the Tomato-meter is slighted so completely to one set of tastes, that drives box office in the United States. Absolutely. So who are these critics and bloggers? I went on the site of the New York Film Critics. They have 37 men and two women. Then I went on all of the sites of the different critics circles. The word isn’t disheartening, it’s infuriating because people accept this as received wisdom – ‘this is just the way it is’. You can take every single issue of female rights in the world and examine it under the same rubric because it isn’t fair. We need inclusion Rotten Tomatoes, this year it needs to be equal. Half and half.

Film Review: Suffragette

Sarah Gavron’s Suffragette is a by-the-numbers historical drama. Whilst the subject matter is ripe for cinematic adaptation, Suffragette fails to offer something truly memorable…

Maud Watts is a regular working-class women in 1910s London, with a husband and son. Reluctant at first, Maud is encouraged by friends to join the Suffragette movement, which has begun a campaign of civil disobedience…

Abi Morgan’s screenplay for Suffragette chooses an everywoman for its focus. Rather than heavily featuring the better-known characters of the movement, the film concentrates on Maud; very much an ordinary and relatable character. The protagonist is certainly accessible, and moves the film away from biopic leanings.

The film is as much about the journey of Maud as it is about the women’s right to vote movement in Britain. She acts as a conduit for the audience to experience key events in this  period, functioning almost as a guide. Suffragette is likely to educate audiences who do not know much about the movement, almost like a beginner’s guide.

Suffragette has the unshakeable feeling of a historical drama. Sarah Gavin’s film hits all the notes. Different aspects of the period are represented as the film progresses, the struggles depicted aim for the audience’s heartstrings, and the score veers from appropriately somber to soaring when necessary. The main issue with the film is that it does nothing to elevate itself above the status of run-of-the-mill historical drama. Suffragette is perfectly competent without offering any ingenuity.

The cast and crew seem likely to pick up nominations in the awards season. Carey Mulligan delivers a convincing performance as Maud. She receives good support from Anne-Marie Duff, whilst Meryl Streep good as ever in a small role. Costumes and sets have an air of authenticity to them.

Suffragette will engage and educate its audience, and is an important film for this reason. Those expecting something exceptional might be disappointed.

Film Review: The Invisible Woman

Ralph Fiennes’ The Invisible Woman is beautifully shot and well acted. Unfortunately, it is also rather dull.

Nelly Ternan is an aspiring young actress from a family of performers. When she meets author Charles Dickens at the height of his career, the pair begin a friendship that will have significant consequences to both their lives…

Ralph Fiennes’ second directorial outing is a period drama based on Charles Dickens and his relationship with the young Nelly Ternan. The Invisible Woman‘s narrative unfolds at a glacial pace. There is some substance to the actual story, which screenwriter Abi Morgan based on Claire Tomalin’s book. However, the few scenes of ardour do not balance out the rest of the film, which feels stripped of passion.

The film concentrates on the developing relationship between Dickens and the young actress. The focus, as the title suggests, is more on Nelly. Given the framing device employed, it would have been interesting to briefly account for the time in between the periods that the film depicts.

The Invisible Woman portrays Charles Dickens as an interesting and charismatic fellow. It is not difficult to see why people where drawn to him. There is not much to Nelly besides a pervading feeling of forlornness. It is difficult to be excited by this protagonist.

The Invisible Woman is beautifully shot by Fiennes. There are plenty of close ups to give a sense of intensity, especially combined with a good use of lighting. The costumes are also great. Fiennes makes a convincing Charles Dickens, whilst Joanna Scanlan puts in a fantastic turn as Catherine Dickens.

The Invisible Woman looks the part of a sumptuous period drama, but falls flat in terms of generating emotion and an engrossing narrative.

The Invisible Woman is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2013.

Shame Press Conference

There was a palpable sense of anticipation on Friday morning, as Steve McQueen’s Shame was screened for the press. Straight after the screening a press conference was held for the film. Director McQueen was joined by screenwriter Abi Morgan, producer Iain Canning and star Michael Fassbender. The panel discussed the conception of the film, the research they undertook to find out more about sex addiction, and the reason why McQueen and Fassbender chose to collaborate again. Highlights from the conference are below.

Read the I Heart The Talkies review of Shame

Film Review: Shame

Steve McQueen’s Shame is a compelling picture. It is difficult to fault the film; it is an excellent character study.

Brandon has a good job, a great apartment in New York City, and a sex addiction. His desires are insatiable, and spill over into his professional life, although he covers his tracks. When Brandon’s sister turns up unannounced, her presence disrupts the routines he has become so used to…

Shame is wonderfully crafted by McQueen and screenwriter Abi Morgan. All the aspects combine together spectacularly; with the narrative, visuals, sound and performances creating a world of both familiarity and discomfort. In several scenes dialogue is sparse, making the conversations that take place all the more pivotal. Moreover, so much is conveyed by the speech-free scenes themselves.

In exploring the areas of sex addiction and relationship boundaries, Shame confronts some rather controversial issues. These are dealt with in an objective manner; there is no judgement or consternation here. Instead, McQueen’s film is comparable to Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend is carefully dealing with a topic that can be a bit of a taboo for audiences.

Imagery in the film is beautiful. There is a contrast between the sometimes graphic imagery and the beautiful cinematography that depicts it. Music is also used to great affect in the picture. One of the most memorable scenes features Sissy singing at the bar. The vocals, combined with the shots of Michael and Sissy are goose bump-inducing, such is the power of the scene.

Michael Fassbender gives a superlative performance as Brandon. No doubt much of the success of the film is due to his commanding performance. Carey Mulligan is also fantastic as Sissy.

Shame is one of this year’s must-see films. Steve McQueen’s film will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Shame is screening at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2011.