1 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,319 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie, and you're listening to stuff never 2 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: told you. You may have heard recently about some controversy 3 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: surrounding Kevin Hart and the Oscars. Heart was all set 4 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: to host the Oscars until some homophobic tweets from his 5 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: Twitter account resurface, posted between two thousand nine and two eleven. 6 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: When called on to apologize by the Academy and the 7 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: public at large, Heart resisted at first, saying given the 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: choice to apologize or stepped down, he'd rather step down 9 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: than quote feed the internet rolls, and that he had 10 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: evolved and he wasn't sorry. He eventually did step down 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: and apologize, as in Eventually hours later, he issued this statement. 12 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: I have made the choice to step down from hosting 13 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: this year's Oscars. This is because I do not want 14 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: to be a distraction on a night that should be 15 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: celebrated by so many amazing, talented artists. I sincerely apologize 16 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past. 17 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: I'm sorry that I hurt people. I am evolving and 18 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: want to continue to do so. My goal is to 19 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: bring people together, not tears apart. Much love and appreciation 20 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: to the Academy. I hope we can meet again. As 21 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: of recording this, the Oscars have yet to find a 22 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: replacement host, and there's even talk that there won't be 23 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: a host at all, which would be for the first 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: time that's happened. Since I'm available, my rates pretty dang high, 25 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: and my jokes will be lame and outdated, so you know, 26 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: it's a mixed bag, but I'm throwing my hat in 27 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: the ring. I actually think personally that no one really 28 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: wants this job. But I'd love to see a person 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: of color, a queer person, a woman, someone otherwise, someone 30 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: like that take the job. And this is certainly not 31 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: the first time the Oscars have been subject of a controversy. 32 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: Oscars so white, the lack of women and diversity, and 33 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: many categories. In this classic episode, we take a look 34 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: back at the first female director, So please enjoy. Welcome 35 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: to Stuff Mob Never told you from how stupp Works 36 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Kristen 37 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 1: and I'm Caroline, and it is oscar week on the podcast. 38 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: That's that's right. Last time, we talked about sort of 39 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 1: the history and evolution of women in the director's chair, 40 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: and that was fascinating. We learned so much incredible history 41 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: that I frankly had no idea about. But we also 42 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: wanted to focus today's episode on those trailblazing, groundbreaking African 43 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: American directors who were out there, both who laid the 44 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: groundwork back d hundred years ago, but also the women 45 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: who are working so hard in the industry today. Yeah, 46 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: because there was one issue with Monday's episode that came 47 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: out was that, yeah, we were talking about history, but 48 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: we were also covering three white women. And while there 49 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 1: are barriers unique to females in particular who want to direct, 50 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: there are even more barriers in place for women of 51 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: color who want to direct. And before we get into 52 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,839 Speaker 1: the rather depressing statistics, to be honest, I just want 53 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: to establish the fact that yes, they are out there, 54 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: they are making their films despite these barriers, and there 55 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: are names that you should know. And I tweeted a 56 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: friend of mine, Lauren Shacker, who is in l A, 57 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: who is a totally badass feminist making films, and I 58 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: asked her for suggestions of women of color directors we 59 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: should give shout outs to, and the response from her 60 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: Twitter followers and other women in Hollywood making films was overwhelming. 61 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: And these aren't exclusively African American women in the director's seat, 62 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: which we're going to focus on in this episode. But 63 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: just to tea things off, we wanted to share some 64 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: of the names that we got from Twitter. Yeah, we 65 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: heard about women like Nima Barnett, Milicent Shelton, Jane's A Bravo, 66 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: Debbie Allen, Mina Schum, Alice Woo, Julie Dash, who will 67 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: talk about more in this episode. Yeah, I gotta tell you, Caroline, 68 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: I had a real celebrity feeling moment on Twitter when 69 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: Julie Dash retweeted our tweet, like, oh my god, we 70 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: connected to Julie Dash. And if you don't know who 71 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: Julie Dashes, you'll understand in a few minutes why that 72 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: was such a big moment. And that wasn't all. There 73 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: were even more names, Yeah, like Tany're right, Alma Assante, 74 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: who were about to mention, sa Ray Darnell, Martin Suki 75 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,239 Speaker 1: and Lee and Marta Cunningham, just to mention a few. Yeah, 76 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: and we're gonna gather all of these up into a 77 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: gallery on stuff I've never told you com with links 78 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: to IMDb pages and films, so that if you didn't 79 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: catch all of those names, don't worry, you will be 80 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: able to find them on our website. So here's where 81 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,559 Speaker 1: we get to the not so fun facts that, yes, 82 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: these women absolutely exist, they're doing incredible work. But in 83 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 1: our episode on Monday, we highlighted how there are in 84 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: Hollywood about fifteen point two four male directors to every 85 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: female director. Right, we pointed out that it was fifteen 86 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: men and a stations. Yes, the point two four pins. 87 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: But then if you narrow it down to female directors 88 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: of color, the number gets even tinier. And speaking to 89 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: the root director alma As Sante and she she directed 90 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: the movie Bell, which I went and saw when it 91 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: came out in theaters. She pointed out that black women 92 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: makeup just one percent of directors over all, one percent. 93 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 1: And consider this too. In the Nantes, only twenty eight 94 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,559 Speaker 1: films were directed by black women, twenty eight feature films, 95 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: I should say, only three of those were released nationally, 96 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: and only one of those had a major Hollywood release. 97 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: So when we're talking about barriers in terms of women filmmaking, 98 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: this is a group that honestly probably faces the most 99 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: challenges in terms of getting a film made, especially in Hollywood. Yeah, 100 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: but this doesn't mean that there aren't some amazing women 101 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: out there. Obviously, as we've been trying to establish. You've 102 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: got women like Maya Angelou who directed Down in the Delta. 103 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: She had actually, as we'll talk about earlier, had wanted 104 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: to direct a previous screenplay that she'd written, but she 105 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: didn't get the opportunity. You've got Gina Prince Bythewood who 106 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: directed Love and Basketball, which was produced by Spike Lee, 107 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: and Casey Lemmons who directed Eve's Bayou, which is definitely 108 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: going into my Netflix queue. And then we have Cheryl 109 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: Dunier who directed the film Watermelon Woman, and Dannie is 110 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: actually the first openly gay Black female director and as 111 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: well talk about a more detail in just a minute. 112 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: The modern history of black women directing films is rather recent, 113 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: but what a lot of people might not know is 114 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: that even in those early days of film, there were 115 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: black female trailblazers like the women we were talking about 116 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: in Monday's episode, like the Alice Ki Bluches. Yeah, and 117 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: their goal was not only to direct movies, be involved 118 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: in the film industry, but also to really put forth 119 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: an effort to present a more accurate portrayal of the 120 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: lives of African Americans, that they weren't one dimensional characters 121 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: who were all servants or maids, that they had just 122 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: as rich an inner life as any other character on screen. 123 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: And so a lot of this information is coming from 124 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: media messages, what film, TV, and popular music teach us 125 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: about race um. And we also cannot emphasize an of 126 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: how great of a resource Columbia University's Women Film Pioneers 127 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: Project is. It's online and all of the women were 128 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: going to talk about are also profiled over there. And 129 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: the first one we want to talk about is Trussey Souders, 130 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: who in the Black Press named her the first black 131 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: woman director with the film A Woman's Error, which was 132 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: distributed by the Afro American Film Exhibitors Company based in 133 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: Kansas City, Missouri, and she also wrote the screenplay. And 134 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: what's interesting is that profile points out that in the 135 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: ninete city director city directory for Kansas City, Missouri, and 136 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: if you do any sort of family or history research, 137 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: you realize how important those city directories are to look 138 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: back at, but they listed her as a maid, and 139 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 1: so I think it's so interesting also to look at 140 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: the career path that these women take and still today 141 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: that these women take to get behind the camera, but 142 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: then that leads us to Eloy's King Patrick just She 143 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: was an independent businesswoman who also produced film lms with 144 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: her husband, so there's that same husband wife team connection 145 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: that we also talked about in the first episode. But 146 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: her films had a super strong moral bent for the 147 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: purpose of social uplift. For instance, her crime drama Verdict 148 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: Not Guilty is often screened by the Inn double a 149 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: c P and the interestingly titled hell Bound Train preached 150 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: temperance for her audience well, and thinking about Verdict Not 151 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: Guilty in today's context with all of the national conversations 152 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: going on regarding race relations. That was a film that 153 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: she was making in the silent era about the criminal 154 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 1: justice system and race. So films that are still relevant 155 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: today and just focused more on writing and editing than 156 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: actual directing. But she's still a really important figure who 157 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: is also acknowledged by the Library of Congress. Yeah, they're 158 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: actually putting in an effort, and I don't know how 159 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: far along they are in these efforts. I'd love to 160 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: hear an update if anybody has one. But they have 161 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: been working to edit and restore her films, which basically 162 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: were in shreds. I mean, you know, we've we talked 163 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: about the films of the women in our first episode, 164 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: that they were also damaged and super hard to find, 165 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: these early films, and that some of them were founded 166 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: in a state sale in a trunk. And so you 167 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: can just imagine what film from this era is like 168 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: if it's not cared for well. And apparently Verdict Not 169 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: Guilty was screened so often that that's one of the 170 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: reasons why it's in tatters, because it was just used 171 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 1: so so many times. But then we also have Maria P. Williams, 172 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: who was a social activist. Not surprising, I mean, it 173 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: seems like all of these women have um activism in 174 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: their blood. And she wrote the pamphlet My Work and 175 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: Public Sentiment in nineteen sixteen, so she was already getting 176 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: her voice out there. And she and her husband again 177 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: that that marriage tie right there. They operated a motion 178 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: picture theater and we're instrumental with the Western film producing 179 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: company any and Booking Exchange, and so that kind of 180 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: got her into this burgeoning industry. Yeah, and she produced, distributed, 181 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: and acted in her own film, The Flames of Wrath, 182 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: and so well, she isn't explicitly a lady director, She's 183 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: still an incredibly important figure. And it is important to 184 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: point out also that the term producer was sort of 185 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: used ambiguously back in those days. So basically, I think 186 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: it's fine to count her as a trailblazing filmmaker. Absolutely. 187 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: I mean, at the time, the Norfolk Journal and Guide 188 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: hailed her as the first quote colored woman film producer 189 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: in the United States, which clearly was an exciting moment, 190 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: so we wanted to We thought it was important to 191 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: establish that, yes, there is that early history right there. 192 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: Black women have been working in filmmaking since the beginning 193 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: of that technology. But here's the thing that the big 194 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: difference that jumped out to me in US tar thinking 195 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: about those early white female directors and this group of 196 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: black directors you still have. Even with white female directors, 197 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: there is definitely a gap in Hollywood, particularly post World 198 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: War Two, but when it comes to black female directors, 199 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: there's nothing in Hollywood. You have no Dorothy Arsner or 200 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: Ida Lupino equivalent in those earlier days of Hollywood, because 201 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: it's not until the late nineteen eighties that black women 202 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: even get behind the camera in mainstream Hollywood. Right, Yeah, 203 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 1: there is there is a line between the independent films 204 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: and the documentaries that women of color putting out and 205 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: actually getting to be behind the camera in Hollywood, like 206 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 1: you said, And so it's interesting to look at the 207 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: route that women take to becoming successful directors. And that's 208 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: something that Melvin Donaldson writes about in his book Black 209 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: Directors in Hollywood, specifically about how black women filmmakers have 210 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: consistent either by choice or by you know, financial necessity, 211 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: had to go the independent route and often gravitated toward 212 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: documentary filmmaking for that reason. And I mean there was 213 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: also a certain appeal to particularly when it comes to 214 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: documentary filmmaking, because they quote provide an opportunity for inscribing 215 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: the untold accounts of black public and private figures in 216 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: the historical record. Going back again to those early when 217 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: we talked about who weren't just making films for the 218 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 1: sake of making films, but making films that could accurately 219 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: portray black life and black community. Yeah, and you get 220 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: Jesse Maple in the early eighties, who was driven by 221 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: this need and desire to present more positive images of 222 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: the African American community. And so in n one she 223 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: becomes the first black female director of an independent feature 224 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: length film called Will and it focuses around a girl's 225 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: basketball coach who has a heroine problem, but who is 226 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 1: also mentoring a twelve year boy and it was shot 227 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: on just a twelve thou dollar budget. And what's so 228 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: interesting when you talk about the roots that people take 229 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: to to get where they're going. She actually didn't start 230 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: her career in film until after she worked as a bacteriologist, 231 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: and it was that desire to want to inject positive 232 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: images of black women and black men into the media 233 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: that that really drove her. But she was also the 234 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: first black woman to join the Filmmakers Union, which is interesting. 235 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: And she was highly influential in black cinema, starting twenty 236 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: West Home of Black Cinema in her basement in Harlem 237 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: in the nineteen eighties. That showcased the newest in black film, 238 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: and she would brag that they showed Spike Lee films 239 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: where anyone else showed Spike Lee films. But looking outside 240 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: of the independent route and looking to Hollywood, there's such 241 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: a dearth of black female directors because of a lot 242 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: of institutional factors that come up. Um obviously talented black 243 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 1: female directors exist, but they're likelier to quote sidestep the 244 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:08,600 Speaker 1: frustrating studio system and complete low budget projects. Remember, people, 245 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: it always goes back to the money. But also that's 246 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: usually the go to factor in terms of white female 247 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: directors not getting these larger Hollywood scale projects. But there's 248 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: an added wrinkle when it comes to black female filmmakers 249 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: that it's the money, but also the content too, of 250 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: people being like, well, I don't know if these stories 251 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: need to be told about these black communities. Yeah, whether 252 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: they need to be told, or whether they'll translate to 253 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: a larger audience and national audience that is white or 254 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: an international audience that might not catch everything if it's 255 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: lost in translation. I mean, I'm not saying that, I'm 256 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: saying that those are a lot of the producers and 257 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: studio systems concerns. Yeah, that was my impression of the 258 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: studio talking like this very stiff. But then, as Melvin 259 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: Donaldson writes about again in black directors in Hollywood in 260 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: the nineties and they're late eighties, but really in the nineties, 261 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: some black women directors start getting a few more opportunities 262 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: to work, and I mean this is this is again 263 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: in contrast to white women directors, who again lots of barriers, 264 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: but still had more more access, and he attributes it 265 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: to a few factors. Starting in the nineteen eighties, he 266 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: mentions how black male directors kind of paved the way 267 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: just in the sense of telling the stories of people 268 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: of color and establishing that, hey, this is a valid 269 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: and important and also successful financially form of entertainment. Right. 270 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: And you also have the rise in black female authors 271 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: being published in the mid seventies onward, and then bringing 272 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: those literary characters alive on screen. For example, we had 273 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: Lorraine Hansberry and a Raisin in the Sun, Terry McMillan 274 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: and waiting to Exhale, Alice Walker and the color Purple. 275 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: Of course, a more recently Chimamanda Negoes The Adici and Americana, Yeah, 276 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: which I can't already can't wait to see. And in 277 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: addition to the importance of greater visibility of black women 278 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: in front of the screen, both the big screen and 279 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: the small screen. It's all about this process of normalizing. 280 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: It's just wild to me that we're talking about this 281 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: in the context of only the nineteen nineties, not the 282 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: eighteen nineties. The nineteen nineties. So why don't we talk 283 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:32,360 Speaker 1: about some more contemporary trail blazers and women who were 284 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: breaking through those barriers to make their films. Yeah, well, 285 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,879 Speaker 1: you know, mentioning my Angela again. She is the first 286 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: black woman to have a feature film screenplay produced with 287 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: ninety two Georgia Georgia, and she had wanted to direct 288 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: it but didn't and she ended up being unhappy with 289 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: the final product and she had to wait to sit 290 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: in the director's chair until down in the Delta. And 291 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: she has a great quote about, hey, books are my 292 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: old movies or your world. If I'm doing something that 293 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 1: seems odd or wrong, please pull me aside and we'll 294 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: go for a walk together and you can tell me 295 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:12,360 Speaker 1: that way. Yeah. I had fun google imaging images of 296 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:16,359 Speaker 1: Maya Angelou and the director's chair. Um, and it's as 297 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: it's exactly what you think. It looks like. It's Maya 298 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: Angelo and a director's chair. She looks like she's having 299 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: a good time. I didn't realize though, that she was 300 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: a director. And also, I mean, you know, the first 301 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: black woman to have a feature film screenplay produced. Yeah, 302 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: who knew? Well, that's why we're here. Kristen that's why 303 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: we're talking about this today exactly, hopefully spreading some knowledge. Um. 304 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: Then there's the amazing us and Policy. She's the first 305 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: black woman to direct a major Hollywood studio feature film, 306 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: the movie A Dry White Season in nine nine. It's 307 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: about apartheid and it's starring the A listers Donald Sutherland, 308 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: Marlon Brando, and Susan Surrandon. Brando actually came out of 309 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: retirement to work in this film, and he ended up 310 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: getting his final Oscar nomination four his role in her film. 311 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 1: And Policy is the only woman to ever direct Marlon Brando, 312 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: which is pretty interesting and other moment of celebrity Twitter excitement. 313 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: She also weighed in on the tweet about women of 314 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 1: color directors. Yes, yes, so I mean that right there. 315 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,479 Speaker 1: The fact that that she and Julie Dash were hopping 316 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 1: on board of this conversation shows just how much activism 317 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: there still is around this specific issue. Um. And talking again, 318 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: we about her route into filmmaking. It started pretty early. 319 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,880 Speaker 1: She was born on the island of Martinique and made 320 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: her first film in France at seventeen. Yeah, and in 321 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: three her first feature film, Sugarcane Alley, was presented at 322 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 1: the Venice Film Festival, and she became the first black 323 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: artist to win a Caesar and a Silver Lion Award 324 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: at Venice. And when it comes to the importance of 325 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 1: a Dry White Season, not only was it groundbreaking in 326 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: the sense of who was making it, but also its content. 327 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: It helped bring attention to apartheid and genocide happening in 328 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: South Africa. So I mean, clearly that just goes to 329 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: show the importance of getting these new and diverse perspectives 330 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: because they're the storytellers. Yeah. Well, now let's talk about 331 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: Julie Dash, who we've mentioned at the top of the podcast. 332 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: And people are probably like, Okay, you've mentioned Julie Dash 333 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 1: like five times, what is the day? Why are you 334 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 1: so obsessed with Julie Dash. Well, Julie Dash, listener friends, 335 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 1: was an independent filmmaker who ended up making the very 336 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 1: first general theatrical release directed by a black woman. About 337 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: that for a title, Yeah, that's Daughters of the Dust, 338 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: which explored the complexities of a black family with a 339 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 1: black female protagonist, and it was shot for eight hundred 340 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: thousand dollars on St. Helena Island off the coast of 341 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: South Carolina, and it it i This is another film 342 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: that I'm adding to my list of things that I 343 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: have to go see because it sounds just incredibly fascinating. 344 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: The way that it presents this multi generational look at 345 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: this African American family and the technique that it uses 346 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: to tell the story is so interesting, focusing on the 347 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: voice of an unborn child to sort of help bridge 348 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: those generations and look into the past at where the 349 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: families come from. It also look into the future and 350 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: where they're going. Yeah. And in Monday's episode on the 351 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: those pioneering Hollywood directors, we also mentioned at the top 352 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: of that episode the importance of sun Dance, the Sundance 353 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: Film Festival for showcasing um filmmakers of color and female filmmakers, 354 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: and that was where Daughters of the Dust first caught 355 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: people's attention. And in terms of film critique and analysis, 356 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: Donaldson writes that Dash reveals what no other Hollywood filmmaker 357 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: had done in the past, namely that black women possessed 358 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: physical and spiritual beauty as well as psychological diversity. Yeah, 359 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 1: and it's those representations that Dash is talking about in 360 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: Daughters of the Dust when she has this quote about 361 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 1: how it affects men male male viewers in the audience, 362 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: and she says, I think that for a lot of 363 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 1: white males and blackmails too, they get to go there 364 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: and assume the personality of the characters on screen. A 365 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 1: lot of people couldn't do that for Daughters of the Dust. 366 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: I mean, I've seen men run out of the theater 367 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: and I think that's so funny. She's she's presenting an 368 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: incredibly important voice and incredibly important perspective, but talking about 369 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 1: how some members of my audience just can't handle it well. 370 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:39,360 Speaker 1: And that goes to to considering why it is important 371 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: to talk about female directors and that influence because what 372 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,680 Speaker 1: is on screen is reflected on what's behind screen. And 373 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 1: we talked to all the time about the importance of 374 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 1: like representation and visibility and a lot of times, yes, 375 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: if if films are being exclusively made by white men 376 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: a lot of the times, then a lot of those times, 377 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,919 Speaker 1: those are the stories that end up being told. And 378 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: not that there's anything wrong with those stories, but hey, 379 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: you know, we like we like to see ourselves, all 380 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:12,400 Speaker 1: of ourselves reflected on screen. Yeah. But Dash points out 381 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: to Indy week dot Com that this film, and it's 382 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: incredibly important perspective ultimately proved a little bit limiting. She 383 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: says that Dadgers of the Dust, which was selected for 384 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,680 Speaker 1: preservation in the National Film Registry in two thousand four, 385 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: by the way, gave her a reputation as an auteur 386 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: who specializes in the cinema of ideas, not words, making 387 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: the chances of her doing a sophomore feature close to nil. 388 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: So basically, here she's presenting this incredibly important film with 389 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:44,679 Speaker 1: these perspectives that are really not represented anywhere else, and 390 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: people were like, oh, are you just gonna make movies 391 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:51,120 Speaker 1: like that? This is so artsy? Yeah, okay, well, never mind. 392 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 1: And she hasn't made another theatrical release since her made 393 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,239 Speaker 1: for TV film, The Rosa Park Story did earn her 394 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: a nomination from the Director's Skill for Outstanding Directorial Achievement 395 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: in Movies for Television, which yet again was a first 396 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: for a black woman. And she has been so vocal 397 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: about the need for more black female directors. Obviously she's 398 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: active on Twitter as well. Um so, even though she 399 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 1: hasn't yet had that sophomore film after Daughters of the Dust, 400 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: she has certainly been active. Yeah. Absolutely, And then you know, 401 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: speaking of first that leads us to Darnell Martin, who 402 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 1: was the first black woman to write and direct for 403 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: a major studio in her critically acclaimed I Like It 404 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: Like That came out from Columbia Pictures, and she really 405 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:44,680 Speaker 1: didn't like the fact that during the promotion of the film, 406 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: people were paying so much attention to the fact that 407 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: she was not only a woman, but a woman of 408 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: color that that seemed to be like the huge selling 409 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: point almost in the marketing for it. And it's interesting that, 410 00:24:57,520 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: you know, she also directed the film Cadillac Records a 411 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 1: couple of years ago that had Adrian Brody and Beyonce 412 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: and it um, but you know, her gender and ethnicity 413 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: really didn't receive nearly the same attention that they did 414 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: when her film came out, And perhaps that's a good sign. Yeah, 415 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: not that not that attention shouldn't be called to it, 416 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: of course, but like, hey, I'm a director. She doesn't 417 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,199 Speaker 1: have to preface it by saying I am a woman 418 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: of color director. Yeah, I mean, this is something that 419 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: comes up a lot on stuff, but I've never told you, 420 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: especially when we're talking about women in traditionally male dominated industries, 421 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: where it's like, just let me be a doctor. Just 422 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: let me be a director, Just let me be a 423 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 1: construction worker. It doesn't always have to be qualified, and 424 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 1: that is that will be probably a sign of progress 425 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: when this episode is just about directors, right exactly. But 426 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: then that brings us to Angela Robinson, who is the 427 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: highest grossing black female director for not the most artistic 428 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: or critically acclaimed film. It was her be Fully Low Did, 429 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: which did gross one million dollars worldwide on a fifty 430 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: million dollar budget, so and not lild And even though 431 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: as people point out, yeah, Herbie not the most impression 432 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,119 Speaker 1: that that's not a film for the ages what however, 433 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 1: it is notable that this was the first time a 434 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: black woman was at the helm of such a huge 435 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: franchise film. And I think this is an incredibly important 436 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: point to bring up because not that we need the proof, 437 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: but here's proof that a woman and a woman of 438 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: color at that can helm a project that draws a 439 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: bajillion eyeballs, that people will want to go see a 440 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: film that has this great appeal regardless of who's in 441 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: the director's chair. If it's good, it's good and people 442 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: are gonna want to see it, and it it shouldn't 443 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: matter that the director is a woman of color. Well, 444 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 1: and at this point too, we've gone down the checklist 445 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: of all of these first of women of color proving 446 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: again and again like, yes, I can successfully direct a 447 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: fantastic film. What more do we need? And the and 448 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,679 Speaker 1: the answer is more women of color directing films. And 449 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 1: we're going to talk more about that when we come 450 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: right back from a quick break. So in the first 451 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: half of the podcast, we focused a lot on the 452 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 1: women trailblazers, the first for African American female directors, and 453 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: there are a lot of incredible work has been done, 454 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: an incredible foundation has been laid. But when we look 455 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,160 Speaker 1: at Hollywood, because keep in mind the differences between going 456 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,239 Speaker 1: the independent route and Hollywood where the big bucks are, 457 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 1: where you don't have to, as some filmmakers have done, 458 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: sell your own possessions just so that you can make 459 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: a film because you're that passionate about it. There is 460 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: still such a dearth of black women directors. Yeah. Writing 461 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 1: about this over at the Griolmonia Brown says that since 462 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: Julie dash Break they have Daughters of the Dust, there 463 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 1: have been only ten Hollywood films directed by black women 464 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: released nationally and with a decent enough marketing campaign to 465 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: actually assist with its promotion. Yeah, and Brown goes on 466 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: to talk about um attending a panel that was helmed 467 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: by black women directors Nimo Barnett, Leslie Harris, Bridget Davis, 468 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: and Tania Hamilton's and in answering that question of well, 469 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: why aren't there more women directors, why aren't black women's 470 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: movies being made, they attributed the problem more to content 471 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: than funding. That it starts even even even before the 472 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 1: financing issue, with just the story itself and the characters 473 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: and the communities that the stories are examining. Right, So 474 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: producers and studios just being afraid that the voice in 475 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: the film, or the tone of the film or the 476 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 1: content will not attract enough eyeballs. Yeah, if we think that, 477 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: like a female ensemble lead film is considered niche just 478 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: considered taking down a few more notches for that a 479 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: film starring maybe a black female ensemble, Like, oh no, no, 480 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: not enough people will be interested in that. Certainly, certainly 481 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: there aren't enough people in the world who would be 482 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: interested in what black women have to say. And that 483 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 1: was something that acclaimed director de Reese experienced with her 484 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: film Pariah, which is about um a lesbians sort of 485 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: coming out process that came out in two thousand eleven, 486 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: which was hailed by people including Meryl Street, being like, 487 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: this woman is incredibly talented, she needs to make more films. 488 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: But when it comes to Pariah, for instance, it was 489 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: considered quote too black and too gay for Hollywood financing. 490 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: But which gets to that content issue of like, oh, 491 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 1: I don't know two things we could probably have maybe 492 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 1: pretty gay, maybe pretty black, but both of those I 493 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: don't know. Yeah, that's that's way too niche because we 494 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: don't have any people like that in the world. Make 495 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: another Transformers instead. But I think it is important to 496 00:29:57,680 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: get back to Julie Dash and her perspective on the 497 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: whole thing, considering she is such a big advocate and 498 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: agitator for women of color to get behind the camera. 499 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: She had a great quote in Indie Week talking about how, hey, 500 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: they're not enough of us. Let's say that they are 501 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: not enough of us working. We exist, we're here, they're here. 502 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: There are just not enough of us working. We need 503 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: work and would love to have the same opportunities everyone 504 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 1: else has, especially when it comes to telling all kinds 505 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: of stories, not just stories about African Americans, but all 506 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: kinds of stories. And that's important too to keep in mind. 507 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: I do think that these women get pigeonholed by their 508 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: ethnicity of people thinking, oh, well, you're a black woman, 509 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: so you're really only gonna want to tell stories about 510 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 1: other black women. Right when you think about it, I mean, 511 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 1: you have you have white men telling the stories of 512 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: women of all colors all the time. You know clearly 513 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 1: their gender and race is not inhibiting them in the 514 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: storytelling process. Um, so it's greed that she points that out. 515 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: I'm a sante who side note, won a BAFTA for 516 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: her debut film, A Way of Life. She was quoted 517 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: in The Roots saying, we I E. Black female directors 518 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: basically do not register on the scale when it comes 519 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 1: to black women. We are under one percent of directors overall. 520 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 1: It's tough being a woman of color director because I 521 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: am neither the color or the shape that some people 522 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: are comfortable with seeing in their directors, and that makes 523 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: it hard. Yeah, and I thought she had a really 524 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: good point beyond the women of color issue, just about 525 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 1: femininity and womanhood in general. She says the fact that 526 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: I use my femininity as a tool and not a 527 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 1: hindrance is not always comfortable to people, to be honest 528 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: with you, But I believe it's about creating a track 529 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: record that is undeniable and so in other words, like 530 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 1: who cares you know what I look like. The fact 531 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: that I am so incredibly capable and I have this 532 00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 1: particular set of skills means that I can helm and 533 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: helm a great film but also tell a great story. 534 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: And it's absolutely worth noting that this is part of 535 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: the broader problem for women directors, even if they have 536 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 1: had a theatrical release, even if they've had their one 537 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: Hollywood film, it's far less common for female directors to 538 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: get their second or third chance for a theatrical release period, 539 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: regardless of the color of their skin. Yeah, you kind 540 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: of have to be a Catherine Bigelow. Basically, you're going 541 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 1: to be an exception to a rule if you are 542 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: a Catherine Bigelow. Yeah, I mean, and also think about 543 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: two And we've talked about her on the podcast before, 544 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: um and she is absolutely important. But it's also interesting 545 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: to think about the content of her films and it's 546 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: more kind of war zone tougher, shoot them up kinds 547 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: of stories, something that can appeal to a white male 548 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: audience essentially. But now we got to talk about the 549 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: game changer. And I have a feeling that podcast listeners 550 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: have been waiting for us to mention her name since 551 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: they probab we saw the title of this podcast, because yes, 552 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 1: she inspired this whole thing, and she has gotten a 553 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: lot of conversations started of late about black female directors. 554 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 1: And that is the one and only Eva Duvernet. And 555 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: she became the first black female director nominated for a 556 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: Golden Globe for Best Director for her film Selma. She 557 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,400 Speaker 1: was beat by, of course Richard Linklater for Boyhood, but 558 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 1: Spike Lee for his film Do the Right Thing and 559 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: Steve McQueen for Twelve Years of Slave were the only 560 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 1: other black directors ever nominated for a Golden Globe. Yeah, 561 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: and also not bad for someone who is on their 562 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,479 Speaker 1: third film, and also after making a mid career switch 563 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: from being in being a film publicist to being like, hey, 564 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 1: you know what, I want to actually make these films, 565 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 1: and she clearly has a knack for it. I mean, 566 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 1: Selma is not the first time d Rene has made headlines. 567 00:33:56,880 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 1: Her second feature, Middle of Nowhere, also retracted Rave reviews 568 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: also attracted successful sales and won her the Best Director 569 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: award at Sundance, which was huge. That was also a first, 570 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 1: she was the first black female director to ever snag 571 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:15,520 Speaker 1: that award. Yeah, and her first feature film, I Will Follow, 572 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,800 Speaker 1: came out inven So this is all pretty rapid fire. 573 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 1: I mean, she's she seems to be a prolific filmmaker 574 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:26,240 Speaker 1: at this point so far. Um. Her actual directorial debut, however, 575 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: was a two thousand eight documentary This is the Life. 576 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 1: And I think I think that's interesting. I think that 577 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 1: goes back to what we established at the top of 578 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 1: the podcast as far as people who have different perspectives, 579 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:40,359 Speaker 1: not just women of color directors, but women directors or 580 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: really any person of color. They almost have to enter 581 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,879 Speaker 1: certain industries, certain fields through an alternative route in order 582 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,320 Speaker 1: to get funding or to get the eyeballs on their projects. 583 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 1: And so she, like many other women directors of color, 584 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: started out in the documentary field and quickly going back 585 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: though to Sundance in the import of that platform, particularly 586 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 1: for UH filmmakers of color and women filmmakers. That so, 587 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 1: when Julie Dash was bringing Daughters of the Dust to 588 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: sun Dance back in the day that was when Richard 589 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: link Later was bringing slackers as well. So I mean 590 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 1: this is clearly you know, she was up against some 591 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 1: some tough competition. But then link Letter comes swoops back 592 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 1: and again beating out du Vernay years down the road 593 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 1: for Best Director at the Golden Globes for Boyhood, which 594 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: is a film I really enjoyed a lot as well. Um, 595 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:38,120 Speaker 1: but we're not here to talk about Richard link Later, 596 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: and obviously we need to talk about the Oscar snub 597 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 1: that everybody's been talking about with DuVernay and her film Selma. 598 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 1: She does talk about how this not being nominated for 599 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,439 Speaker 1: Best Director was something that she expected. She was talking 600 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: about this with Entertainment Weekly, and you know, she said 601 00:35:56,400 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: it would be lovely and when it happens to whomever 602 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 1: it happens to, it will certainly have meaning. But she 603 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,000 Speaker 1: knew it wouldn't be her. She says, it's not me 604 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: being humble, it's math. And so when you look at 605 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 1: that math, we have to look at how the nominating branch, 606 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 1: the director's nominating branch of the Academy is uh, male, white, Yeah, 607 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:25,879 Speaker 1: I mean, directors nominate directors, actors nominate actors and I mean, 608 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,359 Speaker 1: and that's so the cards are kind of stacked against her. Mean, 609 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,239 Speaker 1: she she said outright, she was like, I don't have 610 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 1: any allies within that group. That group is outside of 611 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: my network. And she also, though did not play politics publicly, 612 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:46,800 Speaker 1: bristling at negative critiques of President Johnson's portrayal in Selma 613 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 1: where he is highly resistant to signing the Voting Rights Act, 614 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,400 Speaker 1: and there was a lot of you know, or grumbling 615 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 1: about that, and she came out on Twitter and was like, I'm, 616 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: you know, basically saying this is ridiculous. Um, you know, 617 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: historical revisions just period happened in in any of these 618 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:09,279 Speaker 1: kinds of films. But she was getting particularly lambassador, and 619 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 1: she she had nothing to do with it. And there 620 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: were some members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts 621 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 1: and Science who were like, you know what, I didn't 622 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,239 Speaker 1: like that. I really didn't like that. She should have 623 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: she should have played the politics better. Well, you know, 624 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 1: the speaking of the Academy, they do have their first 625 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: black female president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and that, though did 626 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:35,520 Speaker 1: not stop one anonymous Academy member from making a comment 627 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 1: to Entertainment Weekly about quote, it's almost like because she 628 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 1: is African American. We should have made her one of 629 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:44,759 Speaker 1: our nominees. I think that's racist. Look at what we 630 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 1: did with twelve Years and that makes me like roll 631 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:49,399 Speaker 1: my eyes so hard that they fall out of my head, 632 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:54,600 Speaker 1: because there seems to be a really common perception that 633 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:59,799 Speaker 1: just because Twelve Years of Slave was recognized for the filmmaking, 634 00:37:59,840 --> 00:38:03,320 Speaker 1: in the acting and the directing, that that should somehow 635 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:07,239 Speaker 1: be enough. And then last year was the was the 636 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 1: year for a black director? Yeah, basically basically. But also 637 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 1: that leads us back to that whole discussion of but 638 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 1: is that the only story that we allow black directors 639 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 1: and writers to tell and black actors to portray only 640 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:27,280 Speaker 1: stories about slavery? What about just modern stories about humanity? 641 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: You know? And you know, going back to Julie Dash's 642 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: film Daughters of the Dust, there are other stories to 643 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:37,319 Speaker 1: tell that aren't just about slavery. And it does seem though, 644 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: like Darna is taking it completely in Destride. First of all, 645 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:44,359 Speaker 1: she wasn't expected if she were even nominated. She knew 646 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 1: she was never gonna win, and she's taking cues at 647 00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 1: this point from Katherine Bigelow and figuring out how to 648 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,960 Speaker 1: be the very first black female director of her caliber. 649 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: She told Entertainment Weekly quote, I'm trying to be clear 650 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:01,040 Speaker 1: and follow my own footsteps because because there is no 651 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 1: black woman's footsteps to follow. So I mean she she 652 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 1: could absolutely be the game changer. I mean, she's not 653 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 1: going to stop making films anytime soon. And she is. 654 00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: I mean, she's the one. She could be early, she 655 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:16,400 Speaker 1: could be the one. But the problem is, why is 656 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:20,839 Speaker 1: there just the one? Yeah, Well, it's it's like we 657 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:24,200 Speaker 1: talked about so much on the podcast around so many 658 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 1: different issues, and it's that issue of visibility. Normalizing an idea, 659 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: whether that's an idea about women in general, women in 660 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 1: color in this case, it's women in front of and 661 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:39,560 Speaker 1: behind the camera. The more we say, look, a black 662 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,720 Speaker 1: woman can tell a story that appeals to to wide 663 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:46,000 Speaker 1: audiences and and or not or tell a story that's 664 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:48,800 Speaker 1: very specific to a certain subset or community of people. 665 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,399 Speaker 1: That's fine too, But you know, the fact that there 666 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 1: are so many hurdles to overcome is discouraging. But I 667 00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:00,360 Speaker 1: think someone like Duvernet is a great a year to 668 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:02,520 Speaker 1: have in the news right now because it seems like 669 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:06,759 Speaker 1: she's sort of kicking butt and taking names and I'll 670 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 1: tell you what like, and she's not the only one 671 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:14,560 Speaker 1: in Hollywood doing that. Just judging off of the Twitter 672 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 1: reaction to a simple question of like, hey, who should 673 00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:21,600 Speaker 1: be shout out for this podcast episode and the enormous 674 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 1: response from that, it's clear that these women are I mean, 675 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 1: they're almost they're not blind to the barriers, but they're 676 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,640 Speaker 1: working in spite of them, and they're not backing down 677 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:35,799 Speaker 1: anytime soon, and they're active and their vocal and they 678 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,440 Speaker 1: are banging down the doors. And we're hopefully doing our 679 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:43,760 Speaker 1: part to spread the visibility and awareness around that. Yeah, 680 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:46,720 Speaker 1: they're out there, they're making films, and they're important films 681 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:49,239 Speaker 1: to watch and important directors to watch out for. Yeah, 682 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:52,759 Speaker 1: so please please listeners right in and tell us your 683 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 1: favorite directors, women, women of color, anyone who has created 684 00:40:57,160 --> 00:40:58,879 Speaker 1: films that have meant a lot to you. And we'd 685 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 1: also like to hear recommen nations along these same lines 686 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:03,399 Speaker 1: for films that we should be watching. Some of these 687 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:06,759 Speaker 1: movies that were listed in our research I had never 688 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,839 Speaker 1: heard of but can't wait to watch. So email us 689 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at how Stuff Works dot com is our 690 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:15,840 Speaker 1: email address. You can also tweet us at mom Stuff podcast, 691 00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:17,600 Speaker 1: and if you're on Twitter and want to stay in 692 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 1: the loop on what women of color are up to 693 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:22,279 Speaker 1: behind the camera, I highly recommend that you follow the 694 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:27,320 Speaker 1: hashtag kickstart diversity and don't forget. You can always message 695 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:29,319 Speaker 1: us on Facebook as well, and we've got a couple 696 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:39,239 Speaker 1: of messages to share with you right now. I have 697 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:42,400 Speaker 1: a letter here from Searn that is not necessarily about 698 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:47,440 Speaker 1: a particular episode that Kristen and I published, more about 699 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:52,600 Speaker 1: a an unfortunate verbal vomiting issue that we have And 700 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 1: I wrote her back and I thanked her for pointing 701 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:57,560 Speaker 1: this out. But okay, let's get to it. She says, 702 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed listening to your podcast. Before I started listening, 703 00:42:01,239 --> 00:42:04,040 Speaker 1: I would have never thought myself a feminist, but listening 704 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:06,279 Speaker 1: has made me realize how it is a positive thing 705 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: to be. However, I do have a small point to make. 706 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 1: When discussing issues affecting women outside of the USA, you 707 00:42:13,719 --> 00:42:18,040 Speaker 1: often interchange UK and British with England and English. As 708 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:20,880 Speaker 1: I'm sure you know the UK is made up of England, Wales, 709 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:24,360 Speaker 1: Scotland and Northern Ireland. When you discuss issues that affect 710 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:27,440 Speaker 1: British women, but use the word English you were ignoring 711 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:31,680 Speaker 1: several million women with devolution of certain powers to local 712 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:35,239 Speaker 1: governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is possible 713 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:37,919 Speaker 1: when you discuss certain issues, it may be something which 714 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:41,480 Speaker 1: may affect English women only, but the majority will be 715 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:46,759 Speaker 1: issues affecting British women. Keep the podcast coming, So thank you, 716 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:48,719 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you so much to our Welsh fan 717 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 1: Sharn for pointing this out. Yes, in the process of 718 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:54,400 Speaker 1: citing all of the studies that we do site in 719 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:59,200 Speaker 1: every episode, we trip up sometimes, so thanks for thanks 720 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:02,719 Speaker 1: for really finally pointing this out. We love kind corrections 721 00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:05,359 Speaker 1: are the best kind of corrections. I've got a letter 722 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:08,440 Speaker 1: here from Mary Rose about our Gay Best Friend episode, 723 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:11,600 Speaker 1: which we have been hearing so much about, and these 724 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: letters are fantastic. Keep them coming, she writes. After listening 725 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:16,960 Speaker 1: to your podcast on the Gay Best Friend, I wanted 726 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:20,040 Speaker 1: to put my two cents in regarding lesbians and friends 727 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:23,239 Speaker 1: and my experience. Both myself and most lesbians that I 728 00:43:23,239 --> 00:43:26,279 Speaker 1: know have straight women as our bfs. I do have 729 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,280 Speaker 1: some lesbian friends, but as I imagine happens with straight people, 730 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:31,880 Speaker 1: there can be tension there sometimes which can lead to drama, 731 00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:35,600 Speaker 1: which is not fun. I know many lesbians do remain 732 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:39,239 Speaker 1: friends with their exes, but that's probably a whole other podcast. 733 00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 1: I also have gay male friends that I enjoy immensely, 734 00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:46,000 Speaker 1: and a few straight male friends, but my closest friends 735 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:48,799 Speaker 1: are straight women. I do think that most lesbians tend 736 00:43:48,840 --> 00:43:51,919 Speaker 1: to be closer to women overall, regardless of they're gay 737 00:43:52,080 --> 00:43:56,000 Speaker 1: or straight or somewhere in between. So thanks Mary Rose 738 00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:58,440 Speaker 1: and everybody else who's written into us. Mom. Stuff at 739 00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:00,960 Speaker 1: how stuffworks dot com is our email all address and 740 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:03,040 Speaker 1: for links to all of our social media as well 741 00:44:03,040 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: as all of our blogs, videos, and podcasts, as well 742 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:09,760 Speaker 1: as our list of women of color behind the camera 743 00:44:10,040 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 1: that you should pay attention to. Head on over to 744 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:19,359 Speaker 1: stuff Mom Never Told You dot com for more on 745 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:21,880 Speaker 1: this and thousands of other topics. Is it how stuff 746 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:30,720 Speaker 1: works dot com.