After Cannes choosing Emmanuelle Bercot’s Standing Tall as their opening-night selection helped bring further to light gender inequalities that so pervade cinema, the festival took things one step further with their “Women In Motion” panels. Collecting a set of talent from both Hollywood and international cinema, this series discusses the big stuff: what it means to be a female filmmaker in a male-dominated climate, the discrimination actresses continually face, and how feminine presences in cinema have changed over the years.
Especially to the festival’s credit is the wrangling of talent: Claire Denis speaks with program heads Liang Ying and Liu Shu, Isabella Rossellini and Claudie Ossard share the stage, and Salma Hayek is present with Matthias Schoenaerts. The wide range of experiences respective to each participant makes this comprehensive instead of merely engaging, and also critical instead of merely convincing. Whether or not “Women In Motion” encourages much of any change — I’m a bit cynical on that front, despite knowing that something (anything) like this is necessary — skeptics who give it a view should come away feeling at least a bit more educated on a serious matter.
Watch them below, including a chat with Carol producer Christine Vachon, and we’ll update if more arrive: