Oct. 23, 2020

PROXY [virtual] FALL FILM FEST, VOLUME FOUR

We are proud to present the fourth volume of the PROXY [virtual] FALL FILM FESTIVAL, delivered directly to your inbox. This week’s films center the experiences of women existing in worlds too often defined by men. The accompanying articles address the path forward for reproductive and contraceptive rights in America, and the power of oft-overlooked queer female stories in changing public perception.

WATCH

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
Directed by Céline Sciamma, 2019 [R]

Céline Sciamma’s masterful third feature film, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, is a treatise on perception. A period piece set in 18th Century France, the film tracks an artist who is sent to paint a portrait of a woman reluctantly engaged to a Milanese aristocrat. Their model-painter relationship develops into a romance that exists entirely within a world defined by men, but only as a background presence, a sense of structure and control separate from their shared gaze.

Watch on HULU

NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Directed by Eliza Hittman, 2020 [PG-13]

NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS concerns Autumn, a 17-year-old in Pennsylvania who needs an abortion. Alongside her cousin Skylar she travels to New York where she can access the care she needs without parental consent, a requirement made solid by her troubled home life. The movie makes clear the inhuman rigidity of a world that would require a teenager to cross state lines to access vital healthcare. Director Eliza Hittman ties the labyrinth of banal rules that Autumn faces to a larger fight for women’s emancipation in this stunning feature.

Watch on VUDU

 

READ

THE FUTURE OF ABORTION IN AMERICA

In a New York Times opinion piece, Joan C. Washington, professor of law at UC Hastings, considers the recalibration necessary for activists staring down the potential repeal of Roe v. Wade after Amy Coney Barrett joins the US Supreme Court. She makes an interesting argument that the battle for abortion access has long been fought in the state legislatures by its opposers – and that the gutting of Roe will force abortion supporters to join the fight at that level. This argument is supported and expanded upon by the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGil Johnson, in this fascinating interview on the podcast Sway.

WIDENING GAPS IN REPRODUCTIVE CARE

Edna Bonhomme writes in The Nation about the need for active vigilance around the gap in reproductive and maternal healthcare for women of color, especially with an unchecked pandemic continuing to throttle the country. Her article touches on the very different experiences of Black mothers in this country, including higher infant mortality – a terrifying notion given the lack of access that women of color have to contraceptives and abortions. This is an excellent crash course on the shameful treatment of Black mothers in this country and the urgent work that’s needed.

CÉLINE SCIAMMA

Céline Sciamma, director of this week’s FFF selection, spoke with Vox’s Emily VanDerWerff about the the history of lesbian activism, the power of the female gaze, and the cyclical nature of women’s oppression throughout history. Of particular interest for film nerds is the discussion around using digital cameras to shoot a period piece and the inherent queerness that has afforded The Titanic it’s long cultural tail.

LISTEN

This week’s playlist was put together by Eric Heiman of Volume Inc., a graphic designer, collaborator, and friend of the studio. Eric sent along this accompanying note:

“Inspired by these two films, I began to see more metaphorical dimensions that could inform its structure — Mirrors / Möbius strips / Memory / Muted emotions — simmering like water in a kettle, set to slow boil on a stove. Start at the beginning or start in the middle. Just make sure you set it to loop!”

Listen on Spotify or Apple Music

ACT

CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

The Center for Reproductive Rights is an advocacy organization fighting for reproductive rights around the world. Their work has been instrumental in expanding and maintaining equal access to safe abortions and reproductive care both through the courts and by directly engaging policy makers. Consider making a donation as they gear up to defend our rights here at home in the face of a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court.

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE

Those who make a plan to vote are far more likely to end up actually voting than those who wake up and wing it on election day. Don’t know where to begin? Vote Save America is here to help. Just enter your address here and the app will guide you through your specific ballot — from our next president down to the plethora of state and local measures.

STAMP OUT

STAMP OUT is still up at PROXY through November 3rd. John McNeil Studio’s interactive installation offers a tangible and satisfying way to support the US Postal Service and strengthen our democracy. Come out, buy some USPS stamps and join in literally stamping out corruption, racism, greed, fascism and nepotism.

Created, cared for, and curated by ENVELOPE
PROXY [virtual] FALL FILM FEST, VOLUME FOUR

We are proud to present the fourth volume of the PROXY [virtual] FALL FILM FESTIVAL, delivered directly to your inbox. This week’s films center the experiences of women existing in worlds too often defined by men. The accompanying articles address the path forward for reproductive and contraceptive rights in America, and the power of oft-overlooked queer female stories in changing public perception.

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
Directed by Céline Sciamma, 2019 [R]

Céline Sciamma’s masterful third feature film, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, is a treatise on perception. A period piece set in 18th Century France, the film tracks an artist who is sent to paint a portrait of a woman reluctantly engaged to a Milanese aristocrat. Their model-painter relationship develops into a romance that exists entirely within a world defined by men, but only as a background presence, a sense of structure and control separate from their shared gaze.

Watch on HULU
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Directed by Eliza Hittman, 2020 [PG-13]

NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS concerns Autumn, a 17-year-old in Pennsylvania who needs an abortion. Alongside her cousin Skylar she travels to New York where she can access the care she needs without parental consent, a requirement made solid by her troubled home life. The movie makes clear the inhuman rigidity of a world that would require a teenager to cross state lines to access vital healthcare. Director Eliza Hittman ties the labyrinth of banal rules that Autumn faces to a larger fight for women’s emancipation in this stunning feature.

Watch on VUDU

THE FUTURE OF ABORTION IN AMERICA
In a New York Times opinion piece, Joan C. Washington, professor of law at UC Hastings, considers the recalibration necessary for activists staring down the potential repeal of Roe v. Wade after Amy Coney Barrett joins the US Supreme Court. She makes an interesting argument that the battle for abortion access has long been fought in the state legislatures by its opposers – and that the gutting of Roe will force abortion supporters to join the fight at that level. This argument is supported and expanded upon by the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGil Johnson, in this fascinating interview on the podcast Sway.

WIDENING GAPS IN REPRODUCTIVE CARE
Edna Bonhomme writes in The Nation about the need for active vigilance around the gap in reproductive and maternal healthcare for women of color, especially with an unchecked pandemic continuing to throttle the country. Her article touches on the very different experiences of Black mothers in this country, including higher infant mortality – a terrifying notion given the lack of access that women of color have to contraceptives and abortions. This is an excellent crash course on the shamefu treatment of Black mothers in this country and the urgent work that’s needed.

CÉLINE SCIAMMA
Céline Sciamma, director of this week’s FFF selection, spoke with Vox’s Emily VanDerWerff about the the history of lesbian activism, the power of the female gaze, and the cyclical nature of women’s oppression throughout history. Of particular interest for film nerds is the discussion around using digital cameras to shoot a period piece and the inherent queerness that has afforded The Titanic it’s long cultural tail.

FALL FILM FEST 2020 V04 PLAYLIST
This week’s playlist was put together by Eric Heiman of Volume Inc., a graphic designer, collaborator, and friend of the studio. Eric sent along this accompanying note:

“Inspired by these two films, I began to see more metaphorical dimensions that could inform its structure — Mirrors / Möbius strips / Memory / Muted emotions — simmering like water in a kettle, set to slow boil on a stove. Start at the beginning or start in the middle. Just make sure you set it to loop!”
Listen on Spotify or Apple Music

CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
The Center for Reproductive Rights is an advocacy organization fighting for reproductive rights around the world. Their work has been instrumental in expanding and maintaining equal access to safe abortions and reproductive care both through the courts and by directly engaging policy makers. Consider making a donation as they gear up to defend our rights here at home in the face of a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court.

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE
Those who make a plan to vote are far more likely to end up actually voting than those who wake up and wing it on election day. Don’t know where to begin? Vote Save America is here to help. Just enter your address here and the app will guide you through your specific ballot — from our next president down to the plethora of state and local measures.

STAMP OUT
STAMP OUT is still up at PROXY through November 3rd. John McNeil Studio’s interactive installation offers a tangible and satisfying way to support the US Postal Service and strengthen our democracy. Come out, buy some USPS stamps and join in literally stamping out corruption, racism, greed, fascism and nepotism.

THOUGHTS?
As always we welcome your feedback and ideas. You can reach us at info@proxysf.com.