F-Rated | Film Club | November 2017

F-Rated
Supporting Women in Film

These past few weeks have been hard, but also enlightening, for the women of the film industry. Recent events have shed light on how mistreated and misused women are in this profession. The film industry is often dubbed a men’s profession - with men being labeled as geniuses and women being labeled as lucky. So, to challenge this misconception, I have curated a set of six films this month that represent women in film. 

As per the title of this month’s collection, all the films this month are F-Rated films. The F-Rating is a program founded by the Holly Tarquini that supports women-led films. The F-Rating is a classification given to any film that is directed by a woman, written by a woman, and/or features significant women on screen in their own right. Four out of the six films this month are Triple F-Rated, meaning they feature a female director, writer, and protagonist. 

The F-Rated website offers some pretty staggering statistics about the lack of representation of women in film. In 2015, women made up only 3.6% of all directors, 4.4% of all writers, and 10.4% of all producers from the top 250 films that year. It's clear that, although women make up 50% of the population, they are not being equally, or realistically, represented in the industry that is meant to represent life. The stories we see on screens should rightfully capture our diverse culture. Women from all backgrounds and cultures should be allowed to use their voice to comment on our world just like any man. F-Rated puts it perfectly when they say: "In real life women are not primarily just eye candy, princesses, dumb blondes, nagging wives or victims. They are engineers, heroes, trailblazers, surgeons and rulers. We need to see a massive increase in roles that reflect women’s real place in society in order to give a true representation of 50% of the population."

It is so important to have female representation in film, not only because women have a right to equal partnership in the industry but also because the female population deserves to see a true representation of themselves on-screen. The films in this month’s collection capture a wide variety of female stories. There are stories about coming of age, sexual awakenings, female empowerment, and political activism. There are costume dramas, social realism dramas, and comedies, proving that women truly can do anything. 

This collection only represents six F-Rated films, but there are more to discover. The female voice is beginning to be heard across the industry - as seen in women’s ability to bring down one of the most powerful men in the industry - but the fight isn’t over yet and it won’t be over until women are equal in power and stature with men and at least 50% of all films made are Triple F-Rated. 

The films of F-Rated are:

Suffragettes (dir. Sarah Gavron)
An Education (dir. Lone Scherfig)
Fish Tank (dir. Andrea Arnold)
Bridget Jones's Diary (dir. Sharon Maguire)
The Hours (dir. Stephen Daldry)
The Iron Lady (dir. Phyllida Lloyd)

So, here's how The Film Club works. Each month I curate a collection of films that demonstrate the best of filmmaking. Over the course of the month, you watch as many films on this list as you can, and, with your help, we can discuss how these films work together as a collection and how they reflect the artistry of filmmaking. At the end of the month, come back here to read my review of the films in this month's collection. If you want to take part in this month's film club, leave a comment Tweet me, Tumblr me, or Email me discussing your thoughts on this collection! ​​
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Past Film Clubs

For more information on the F-Rating, visit f-rated.org.