Program 6: Female Gaze

Exploring the concept of the female gaze, these films navigate the realms of horror, social conflicts, black culture, and class, offering unique insights through the lens of both female and male directors. BLACK GIRLS PLAY: THE STORY OF HAND GAMES Black Girls Play takes a historical look at the significant effect that Black girls have had on popular culture and Black musical aesthetics. Tracing back centuries, through an examination of African Culture, the film takes a deep dive into the use of hand games and other artistic communications to combat cultural language that was forbidden. The cultural aesthetics of hand games have permeated modern American culture and Black girls are often left uncredited for the impact that they have left on society. PLAY looks to examine this often forgotten world. NEON RAGE Camila, a young aspiring-and-struggling illustrator, meets Madison, a teenage girl, when Camila is hired by Madison’s (very) wealthy family as her tutor. Unlike Camila, Madison is confident, popular, and has never experienced rejection. Though Camila initially dismisses the teenager as vapid and out-of-touch, they connect over their shared struggles as artists at heart. Camila becomes seduced by Madison’s can-do-attitude and naïve drive. The short interaction ultimately sparks a new fire inside of Camila. There’s a low key, slice-of-life feel to the story. It moves us to reflect on the themes of wealth, privilege, and what it takes to be successful. PALESTINE 87 During the First Intifada, Atef is chased by the Israeli army and finds himself trapped in an entrance of a house. The owner, an old lady, hides him in her bath. Atef is surprised that there is another person inside, who helps him not to be arrested. LILY'S MIRROR Lily is out on a dinner date with her boyfriend Bart, expecting a proposal, when he unexpectedly chops off her hand. As Lily works on recovering, she begins to feel phantom pains where her hand used to be, so her doctor gives her a therapeutic mirror box to help with the discomfort. However, as she begins to use the box, she realizes there's a side effect: she can see real phantoms in the mirror. Specifically, she begins to see the obituaries of multiple dead women who experienced recent and mysterious deaths come to life. As Lily learns these women's stories, their lives and deaths begin to intertwine in a journey of self-discovery, female empowerment, and the quest for justice. BEAR An amateur filmmaker who has filmed bears for years, contacts a film school looking for someone to edit his images into a film. A student comes forward. But when she digitises his archive, she discovers that the recordings are not only of bears. A discussion ensues about the power of a gaze and its voyeuristic violence.