Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Feature-Length Documentary "Women Behind the Camera"

Women Behind the Camera is the first documentary to examine the lives, work and challenges of camerawomen around the globe, including camerawomen who survive the odds in Hollywood, Bollywood, Afghanistan, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, India, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Senegal, the U.S. and other countries. Thomas McKenny of the International Cinematographers Guild has called it "an important film for everyone who collaborates on motion pictures and all who watch them. The most world-wide film since Winged Migration." The camerawomen in the film range from top pioneers, like African-American camerawoman Jessie Maple Patton, who had to sue the union and television networks to get jobs...to Shu Shi Jun, who traveled throughout the New China as Mao Ze Don's cinematographer...to Ellen Kuras, ASC (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)...to Rozette Ghaderi, one of the first camerawomen in Iran, who shot a film about chemical warfare in Kurdistani Iraq.

After six years of production around the world, the new feature-length documentary will hold its North American Premiere at the Moondance International Film Festival, Universal Studios CityWalk.

“I’m excited that the North American premiere of Women Behind the Camera is taking place in Hollywood, where there are so many talented camerawomen in need of recognition,” the film's director Alexis Krasilovsky said. “We are hopeful that this film will encourage the film and television industries to increase the numbers of camerawomen beyond the less than five percent who shoot the top 250 films today by encouraging the decision makers to set timetables, establish mentorship programs and pro-actively solicit the reels of camerawomen and minorities.”



“Before the New China was established in 1949, Chinese women were looked down upon by society. In 1950, we started working as camerawomen for the Television Media Department. At that time, very few women worked in camera.” Chen Jin Ti, Camerawoman/Producer (Beijing, China)



“I went to the Red Sea, shooting on board an Australian frigate as part of the first Gulf War. I would have never been offered that 10 or 20 years earlier. It also shows how much physical risk there is to a lot of the work we do. I ended up crushing a vertebra right at the end of that shoot.”
Jan Kenny, ACS (Australia)



“I personally think my biggest job is to ensure the safety and well-being of my crew. I’ve gotten many e-mails from crew people saying, ‘Thank you so much, because this is the first time that any DP has ever asked me, 'Are you ok? Are you doing ok?'"
Ellen Kuras, ASC (New York/Los Angeles)


I always wondered about women cinematographers!!!

Blogs can be educational !!!!!!



2 comments:

Jon Sidwell said...

Hey man, thanks for the comment and link. I've linked back to your page. I'm intersted in films so i'll definately keep checking your blog.

Sid.
www.musicliberation.blogspot.com

Ebony Looney said...

Interesting facts. I didn't know there were women camerAmen (uh camerawoman)