Later this year Milwaukee will see their first Women's Film Festival. While still in the planning stage we are excited to see what it will showcase. We wanted to learn more about the festival so we asked festival director Andrea Thompson some questions in our latest edition of our 10 Questions With... series.
For more info on the film fest check out the Facebook Page
and if you have a film you want to submit check out the FilmFreeway page
and if you are interesting in sponsoring the festival let her know.
For more info on the film fest check out the Facebook Page
and if you have a film you want to submit check out the FilmFreeway page
and if you are interesting in sponsoring the festival let her know.
Milwaukee Movie Talk -What influenced you to want to do a film festival that focuses on women?
Andrea Thompson - Well, I had been wanting to see better portrayals of women onscreen for a while. Then, I attended a panel discussion by women in the industry and it gave me an idea. You guys had seemed very successful in setting up your horror film festival (authors note: if you don't know the Twisted Dreams Film Festival is coming in April) and I thought, why can't I do one about women?
MMT-What kind of films are you hoping to show?
AT- I'm hoping to show films that are about women, and/or directed by women. Just showing women in a way they aren't usually shown.
MMT-Tell us a little more about the film fest. When is it? How many days will it be? How many films do you hope to show?
AT- Right now, it's looking to be the weekend of August 19, 20, and 21st. I'm hoping to show films all day, from about 9am to 10pm and in multiple rooms in the Underground Collaborative. I'm still working out exactly how many, as it'll partially depend on sponsorship.
MMT- What do you hope people get out of the festival?
AT- First, I'm hoping people get to see good movies and have a good time. Second, I'm hoping that it'll get people thinking. Third, I'm hoping to bring like-minded people together and create a more welcoming environment for women in film in Milwaukee.
MMT- Who would be you dream female director to have at your fest?
AT- Ava DuVernay!
MMT- Why do you think there are so few movies that have strong female leads?
AT- I think it's because the film industry is still a boys' club, and they don't like taking risks, especially with the industry so much in flux. They assume their audience is comprised of mostly men, and that movies with around female leads just won't turn a profit, even with a whole lot of evidence to the contrary.
MMT- 2015 has seen some strong female characters. What have been some of your favorite? Do you think the trend will continue in 2016?
AT- Well, I hope we're past strong female characters and just get good ones. A character who's strong all the time generally isn't realistic or fun at all. Captain America isn't strong all the time, nor is Iron Man. And I think that makes them interesting, not weak. Anyway, my favorites have been Jessica Jones, Emily Blunt in "Sicario," Nina Hoss in "Phoenix," Rey in "Star Wars," the two leading ladies Meron Getnet and Tizita Hagere in "Difret," Kumiko in "Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter," Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth in "Macbeth," Minnie from "The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in "Carol," Saoirse Ronan in "Brooklyn," Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Imperator Furiosa from "Mad Max," and pretty much all the female
I think the trend will definitely continie in 2016. So many actresses have been speaking out, and there are some great movies coming out that are putting women front and center. Just a few are the "Ghostbusters" reboot, "The Girl on the Train," "The Huntsman: Winter's War," which is gonna have Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron, and Emily Blunt, sequels to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Alice." And we're gonna see Wonder Woman onscreen too, in "Batman v. Superman," and Harley Quinn in "Suicide Squad." On the more indie side, there's "Queen of Katwe," about a Ugandan girl who tries to become a world chess champion, Amma Asante's "United Kingdom," about a prince from Botswana who marries a white woman in the '40s, "American Honey," about a teenage girl journeying across the Midwest with a bunch of misfits, "The Zookeeper's Wife," which tells the story of the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who saved many people and animals from the Nazis, "Certain Women," about three women in a small American town, and "The Neon Demon," which as far as I can tell, is about female vampires in Los Angeles.
MMT- What do you hope to see in the future for women in movies?
AT- I want to see more and better roles for women in the industry, especially the ones over 40, more women behind the camera, and more active roles for women in general, where they go out and do something besides find a man. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with doing that, but that's not all women do, and I'd like to see films reflect that more.
MMT- Do you think Milwaukee is ready for a film festival dedicated to women?
AT- I think Milwaukee is definitely ready for it. The arts scene has been growing, female filmmakers are making a point to network and support each other, and attendance at the Milwaukee Film Festival has been growing steadily.
MMT- Usually the last question we ask about how you see the movie scene in Milwaukee. But going to change it up this time. Do you think Milwaukee has a good environment for female directors?
AT- Not being a film director, I can't say for sure. I'd say it's definitely opening up more.
Andrea Thompson - Well, I had been wanting to see better portrayals of women onscreen for a while. Then, I attended a panel discussion by women in the industry and it gave me an idea. You guys had seemed very successful in setting up your horror film festival (authors note: if you don't know the Twisted Dreams Film Festival is coming in April) and I thought, why can't I do one about women?
MMT-What kind of films are you hoping to show?
AT- I'm hoping to show films that are about women, and/or directed by women. Just showing women in a way they aren't usually shown.
MMT-Tell us a little more about the film fest. When is it? How many days will it be? How many films do you hope to show?
AT- Right now, it's looking to be the weekend of August 19, 20, and 21st. I'm hoping to show films all day, from about 9am to 10pm and in multiple rooms in the Underground Collaborative. I'm still working out exactly how many, as it'll partially depend on sponsorship.
MMT- What do you hope people get out of the festival?
AT- First, I'm hoping people get to see good movies and have a good time. Second, I'm hoping that it'll get people thinking. Third, I'm hoping to bring like-minded people together and create a more welcoming environment for women in film in Milwaukee.
MMT- Who would be you dream female director to have at your fest?
AT- Ava DuVernay!
MMT- Why do you think there are so few movies that have strong female leads?
AT- I think it's because the film industry is still a boys' club, and they don't like taking risks, especially with the industry so much in flux. They assume their audience is comprised of mostly men, and that movies with around female leads just won't turn a profit, even with a whole lot of evidence to the contrary.
MMT- 2015 has seen some strong female characters. What have been some of your favorite? Do you think the trend will continue in 2016?
AT- Well, I hope we're past strong female characters and just get good ones. A character who's strong all the time generally isn't realistic or fun at all. Captain America isn't strong all the time, nor is Iron Man. And I think that makes them interesting, not weak. Anyway, my favorites have been Jessica Jones, Emily Blunt in "Sicario," Nina Hoss in "Phoenix," Rey in "Star Wars," the two leading ladies Meron Getnet and Tizita Hagere in "Difret," Kumiko in "Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter," Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth in "Macbeth," Minnie from "The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in "Carol," Saoirse Ronan in "Brooklyn," Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Imperator Furiosa from "Mad Max," and pretty much all the female
I think the trend will definitely continie in 2016. So many actresses have been speaking out, and there are some great movies coming out that are putting women front and center. Just a few are the "Ghostbusters" reboot, "The Girl on the Train," "The Huntsman: Winter's War," which is gonna have Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron, and Emily Blunt, sequels to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Alice." And we're gonna see Wonder Woman onscreen too, in "Batman v. Superman," and Harley Quinn in "Suicide Squad." On the more indie side, there's "Queen of Katwe," about a Ugandan girl who tries to become a world chess champion, Amma Asante's "United Kingdom," about a prince from Botswana who marries a white woman in the '40s, "American Honey," about a teenage girl journeying across the Midwest with a bunch of misfits, "The Zookeeper's Wife," which tells the story of the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who saved many people and animals from the Nazis, "Certain Women," about three women in a small American town, and "The Neon Demon," which as far as I can tell, is about female vampires in Los Angeles.
MMT- What do you hope to see in the future for women in movies?
AT- I want to see more and better roles for women in the industry, especially the ones over 40, more women behind the camera, and more active roles for women in general, where they go out and do something besides find a man. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with doing that, but that's not all women do, and I'd like to see films reflect that more.
MMT- Do you think Milwaukee is ready for a film festival dedicated to women?
AT- I think Milwaukee is definitely ready for it. The arts scene has been growing, female filmmakers are making a point to network and support each other, and attendance at the Milwaukee Film Festival has been growing steadily.
MMT- Usually the last question we ask about how you see the movie scene in Milwaukee. But going to change it up this time. Do you think Milwaukee has a good environment for female directors?
AT- Not being a film director, I can't say for sure. I'd say it's definitely opening up more.
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