Educational Media Reviews Online

Feminist media scholar and videomaker Alexandra Juhasz presents a historical catalog of feminist filmmakers and videomakers. The fact that it is a veritable cataloguing of these individuals both works in favor of this documentary and against it. It is certainly appropriate to compile a list of notable contributors and highlight some newer women in media, but there is little more than superficial basic information on the thoughts and pre-occupations of the 18 women profiled in 80 minutes, after the introductions, credits and filler between segments are inserted.

The concept of the 3-part documentary (on one videotape) as a chronological depiction of the evolution of feminism through its expression in moving images comes from Juhasz's teaching. She divides the 3 parts of the documentary into segments about those women who began their careers in the 1950's and 60's and created the infrastructure; those whose emergence in media occurred at the same time as that of the women's movement in the 1970's and whom she categorizes as Lovers, Mothers, and Mentors; and finally those women who began working in film and video in the 1980's and 1990's. The selection is well balanced in terms of the contributions. Media artist Carolee Schneemann has been exploring the power of women's sexuality in her intentionally transgressive films since the 1950's, while Barbara Hammer has been challenging mainstream heterosexual media to better represent the lesbian experience. Michelle Citron merges avant-garde practices and documentary aesthetics in contrast to Julia Reichert, who allows under-represented people and communities to tell their own stories. Pearl Bowser, the founder of African Diaspora Images compellingly speaks about sharing information she uncovered in her research about Race Movies. Similarly, Kate Horsfield, the Executive Director of the Video Data Bank, recalls the founding of this alternative organization to promote women's creativity through video with a social, political and aesthetic mission. The other women profiled include feminist film theorist Constance Penley, a co-founder of the publication Camera obscura, academic Eve Oishi, and multimedia public access TV sex worker Carol Leigh a.k.a. Scarlot Harlot.

The unfortunate outcome of presenting brief snippets about so many women is of course the frustration of not seeing them being allowed to elaborate on their ideas. Numerous times women spoke of being influenced by Maya Deren (often referred to in histories as the mother of experimental film), but the elaboration on the various influences was simply dropped in each case. It would have been interesting to allow the thread of this popular influence the opportunity to bear fruit. Halving the participation would have allowed for more depth but it would also have denied visibility for the others. The decision to include or exclude must have been a difficult one to make and with 18 participants the list is not exhaustive by all means, not is the information comprehensive.

It is surprising however to find the types of blaring technical glitches usually made by student filmmakers and videomakers, particularly since the documentary was made by a videomaking educator. The graphics and credits are barely legible. They are extremely small, and/or extremely dark over a dark background. No one beyond a foot from the monitor or screen will be able to read them. The sound recording for Carolee Schneemann's interview is also distorted, but luckily there are no other sound problems. It is the women's voices, their creative and political spirits that are at the heart of this documentary. Unfortunately, the stilted voice-over narration has the tone of a paper being read at an academic conference and has the effect of somewhat neutralizing their spirit with the jargon of academia.

The numerous clips inserted throughout will encourage viewers to seek out the works of the women profiled and to think more about their place not only in feminist filmmaking and videomaking but also in film and video history. Designed as a potential teaching tool, this documentary can be used in sections, to introduce the works of the women profiled, or in parts, to promote more general discussions for introductory levels of Film and Media Studies, Women's Studies and Art History.