About Top 5 Women Centric Short Films
A woman is like a teabag – you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water
– Eleanor Roosevelt
Women, exploring different spheres of work and making a mark for themselves is not something unheard of in today’s world. Despite the fact that their role is minimal, it is noteworthy that they have sparkled in the filmmaking industry as well.
Filmmaking is often considered laborious even for the male counterparts. Entering this male-dominated world and outshining them was something beyond belief.
Here are some of the exceptional examples of creative films woven around women or by women filmmakers
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1. First match by Olivia Newman.
Winners never quit. The chant is a mantra for the high school wrestling team, probably no more so than for 14-year-old Monique, a.k.a. Mo. Being the only girl in the recently gender-integrated team, her divided world is a challenge even off the mat, as she is unable to breach a connection with other girls and is taunted by the boys. Add to this her single father, a working-class ex-wrestler who takes a supportive, but cautionary, stance to his daughter’s involvement in the sport. But even amidst the headlocks and grip hold, there are things that even Mo couldn’t predict and emotions still left to wrestle.
The director approaches her subject and characters with a sensitive, unagitated tone that keeps its composure even when the emotions are on the brink of overheating. Aside from the intelligent, restrained script by writer Isley Lynn, the fragile emotional balance is also reflected in the story’s staging.
One of the most interesting things about the film is how the theme of ‘survivor’ is depicted in the unfolding confrontation. With #MeToo and Time’s Up growing stronger every day, the number of stories being told about sexual aggression on the one hand and female empowerment on the other will only increase and every storyteller will find her (or his) own way to deal with the subject. Struck doesn’t belittle the woman’s horrific experience, but director Aurora Fearnley and writer Isley Lynn refuse to turn her into a victim.
3. #LikeAGirl By Lauren Greenfield
Remember this advertisement that greeted us very frequently quite a time ago?
It presented a unique way of looking at ourselves in a completely different manner. The subtle damage done by the phrases “run like a girl” and “throw like a girl,” with a conclusion that melted our heart. We often tend to turn a blind eye towards these small matters that affect our future generations a lot more than we expect. It serves as a warning bell and also urges us to stand united in facing this issue head-on.
4. 100 Years of Beauty
The fourth episode of this shortfilm series, focussed entirely on Korea provides us an insight into the women of the country and their changing dimensions. A look at the hair, makeup, and styling considered “beautiful” decade by decade through the last century in Korea — both before and after the split of North and South. A face from the past tells us everything about the present. Blur past the last century in 100 Years of Beauty, the iconic hair and makeup time-lapse series.
5. Five by Katina Mercadante
Five children, five religions, (almost) five minutes. This short film is one of the top 5 women-centric short films that take us from the mundane to the sublime, from the chaotic to the peaceful, and for a moment we consider our beliefs about spirituality. Whether Islam’s Friday prayer, Judaism’s Saturday Shabbat service, Christianity’s Sunday worship, Hinduism’s daily puja, or Buddhism’s mantras, religious rituals are marked by distinct practices and beliefs. But do they share something more fundamental? And when you’re too young to fully grasp the tenets of your religion, what significance do they hold? Observing the spiritual rituals of five children aged five around the world, Five is a brief, wordless reflection on faith, prayer, and the rites that can bind us.
